CHAPTER 45: Shattered illusions

Mei Li sat silently in the interrogation room, her once flawless composure fraying at the edges. Her lawyer whispered strategies and denials, but the panic was setting in. The documents were real. The footage undeniable. And the world was watching.

Outside the police station, paparazzi had begun to gather. The story had gone viral—"Heiress Implicated in Child Abduction Case". Former allies and sponsors were pulling away. Her phone buzzed with messages of disbelief, condemnation, and betrayal.

Across town, Mei Xing sat in a sleek conference room, watching a livestream of the press conference held by the police.

"This investigation is ongoing," said Inspector Wen calmly into the mic. "But preliminary evidence supports the claim that a child was unlawfully taken and raised under false maternal identity. The child's biological mother, Miss Mei Xing, has filed a custody case."

Mei Xing took a slow breath. It was surreal hearing those words aloud—words she had prayed and cried for years to prove.

Zhao Chen entered the room, holding a file and wearing a look she hadn't seen in a long time—one of deep, focused resolve.

"The court date is set," he said, placing the file in front of her. "Two weeks from now. That's when we fight for Jin Hao officially."

She looked at him, cautious. "And are you really on my side this time?"

He nodded. "All the way. I was a fool. I let lies blind me. But not anymore."

Later that evening, Mei Li returned home on bail, slamming the door shut behind her as reporters shouted outside the gates.

She stormed into her room, yanked open a drawer, and stared down at the birth certificate she had forged years ago. Her hands trembled. She thought she'd buried the truth deep enough. But Mei Xing had risen from the ashes.

She pulled out her phone and stared at a photo of Jin Hao. He was smiling beside Zhao Chen and Xue Xin in a recent picture.

Tears burned her eyes. She had taken everything from Mei Xing and still felt empty.

Meanwhile, Mei Xing sat beside Xue Xin in bed, reading her a bedtime story. The little girl giggled at a silly part, and Mei Xing smiled, a rare softness in her face.

"Will Daddy come home soon?" Xue Xin asked innocently.

Mei Xing hesitated, brushing hair from her daughter's face. "Maybe… when the storm passes."

Outside, Zhao Chen stood in the hallway, overhearing the question. His heart ached. The damage he had helped cause could not be erased. But he would spend the rest of his life trying to repair it,he would try to rebuild it.

For Mei Xing, there was no turning back,no turning. The court date was set. Mei Li was cornered. And Jin Hao—her stolen son—was just within reach.