Chapter Twenty-Three: A Fragile Peace

The aftermath of the press conference brought a fragile sense of peace to Lu Xiao's life. The media frenzy began to die down, and Chen Wei's schemes were finally exposed to the public. While the company rallied behind Lei Han, offering support and solidarity, Lu Xiao still felt the weight of everything she had endured.

Her name was cleared, but the damage lingered in subtle ways—the lingering stares of colleagues who didn't know how to apologize, the cautious conversations that skirted around the scandal, and the uneasy silence that followed her into every meeting.

Lu Xiao told herself she could endure it. After all, she had faced far worse. But as she walked into Lei Han's office that morning to deliver his daily agenda, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

"Good morning," she greeted him softly, placing the folder on his desk.

Lei Han looked up, his expression softening when he saw her. "Good morning. How are you holding up?"

She forced a smile. "I'm fine. Just trying to move forward."

His eyes lingered on her, searching for the truth behind her words. "If you ever feel overwhelmed, you know you can talk to me, right?"

"I know," she said, her voice steady. "Thank you, Lei Han."

---

Later that day, Lu Xiao sat at her desk, immersed in a pile of paperwork. Her focus was broken when a knock sounded at her door. Looking up, she saw Zhang Mei, one of her colleagues, standing hesitantly in the doorway.

"Can I come in?" Zhang Mei asked.

Lu Xiao nodded, motioning for her to enter.

"I just… I wanted to apologize," Zhang Mei began, her tone earnest. "I didn't believe the rumors about you, but I didn't defend you either. I should have spoken up."

Lu Xiao was taken aback by the confession. She had grown so accustomed to silence that hearing someone acknowledge their inaction felt surreal.

"Thank you," she said softly. "It means a lot that you'd say that."

Zhang Mei hesitated for a moment before adding, "You're stronger than most of us, Lu Xiao. What you went through… I don't think I could have handled it."

Lu Xiao gave her a small smile. "We're all stronger than we think. It's just a matter of realizing it."

---

As the day wound down, Lu Xiao found herself thinking about Lei Han's unwavering support. He had stood by her when no one else did, believing in her innocence even when the evidence seemed damning.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her office phone rang. It was Lei Han.

"Can you come to my office?" he asked.

"Of course," she replied, grabbing her notebook before heading to his office.

When she arrived, she found Lei Han sitting on the couch instead of behind his desk. He gestured for her to join him.

"I wanted to check in with you," he said as she sat down. "Really check in."

Lu Xiao looked at him, surprised by his directness. "I told you, I'm fine—"

"Lu Xiao," he interrupted gently, "you don't have to pretend with me. I know this has been hard on you."

She hesitated, the walls she had built around herself threatening to crumble under his gaze. Finally, she sighed. "It has been hard. Even though the truth is out, I still feel like… like I'm being judged. Like people are waiting for me to fail again."

Lei Han's expression softened, and he reached for her hand. "You don't have to prove anything to anyone. You've already shown your strength and integrity. Let them think what they want. You know who you are, and so do I."

His words struck a chord deep within her. For so long, she had carried the burden of proving her worth, of showing the world she was more than the sum of her circumstances. But in that moment, Lei Han made her feel seen—truly seen—for the first time in years.

"Thank you," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "You're not alone in this, Lu Xiao. You never have to be."

---

That evening, as Lu Xiao walked home, she felt a strange sense of calm settle over her. The storm was finally clearing, and while the scars it left behind would take time to heal, she knew she wasn't facing it alone.

For the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to hope—for peace, for happiness, and maybe even for love.