Revenge

That night, the Yan residence was quiet.

Sophie sat by the bedroom window, her knees drawn up to her chest, wrapped in one of Leonard's cardigans. The city lights blinked softly in the distance, but her eyes were unfocused. She didn't hear Leonard enter the room until his warm presence filled the space behind her.

He didn't speak. Instead, he crouched down beside her and gently placed a cup of chamomile tea on the windowsill.

"Can't sleep?" he asked quietly.

Sophie shook her head, her fingers tightening slightly around her knees. "I thought I could handle things on my own… but I made it worse."

Leonard sat down beside her, his arm looping gently around her shoulders. "Sophie," he murmured, his voice steady, "don't ever carry that weight alone. Not when I'm here."

She looked at him, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. "I was afraid… of hurting you. Of dragging your name into something shameful."

He cupped her face gently, his thumb brushing away a tear. "There's nothing shameful about being hurt. And there's nothing more dangerous than someone trying to break the woman I love."

Her breath caught. "You still… love me?"

Leonard leaned in, pressing his forehead gently against hers. "There's never been a moment I didn't."

Her tears fell freely now, quiet sobs shaking her shoulders. Leonard pulled her into his arms and held her tightly, letting her cry without rushing, without judgment—just presence. Just love.

When her breathing finally slowed, he whispered, "We'll get through this. Together. But I need you to promise something."

Sophie looked up, her eyes red but steady.

"Don't shut me out again. We face everything as one—no more hiding, no more protecting me from the truth."

She nodded slowly. "I promise."

He kissed her forehead, then her cheek, his embrace tightening. "Good. Because I have a few things to handle. But tonight, we will rest." In that quiet moment, she lay curled against him in bed.

*****

The next morning, Leonard stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows in his private study, a phone pressed to his ear. 

"Everything she sent," he said coldly. "I want it all traced—who received it, where it was backed up, any digital footprint. Erase it. All of it."

"Yes, sir," came the reply on the other end.

He ended the call, slipped his phone into his pocket, and exhaled slowly. Not out of weariness—but control. Calculated restraint. The kind he only showed when his fury simmered just below the surface.

Sophie entered the room quietly, dressed for work, her presence tentative. "Leonard…"

He turned, softening immediately. "Come here."

She walked into his arms, and he held her for a long moment. "You don't have to handle this," she whispered. "I'm okay now."

His hand gently stroked her back. "I know you are. But this—what Amelia did—it crossed a line."

Sophie looked up at him. "What… what will you do?"

Leonard's voice was low, but clear. "Nothing rash. But effective."

He pulled back slightly and met her eyes. "Amelia wanted to ruin you because she couldn't take your place. She wanted me—and when she couldn't have me, she chose to humiliate the one I love."

Sophie's hands curled lightly against his chest. "I don't want this to escalate. I just want it to stop."

Leonard nodded. "It will. But Amelia Lin will never have the power to hurt you again."

He kissed her forehead and guided her toward the door. "Go to work. I'll handle the rest."

As soon as the door closed behind her, Leonard picked up his phone again.

"Prepare everything," he said to the receiver. "Lin Corporation's ties to illegal data acquisition, their tax discrepancies—dig it all up. I want airtight documentation. Don't release anything yet. Just hold it."

"Understood."

Leonard ended the call, his expression unreadable.

No scandal. No public fight. But when he was done, Amelia Lin would be quietly, thoroughly removed from every social circle she clung to. For hurting Sophie… Leonard would show her what it meant to lose everything.

*****

George Lin was sipping his morning tea when the loud knock at the door shattered the calm.

Two uniformed officers stood outside the Lin residence, stern and unreadable.

"We're here to speak with Miss Amelia Lin regarding an ongoing investigation involving unauthorized surveillance, personal data violations, and the illegal distribution of private photographs," the lead officer announced.

"What?!" Madam Lin gasped, rising to her feet, her teacup clattering onto the saucer. "There must be some mistake. Amelia wouldn't—she couldn't…"

Amelia stepped into the foyer, her heels clicking against the marble floor. Her confident stride faltered the moment she saw the officers.

"I—what?" she said, forcing a nervous laugh. "This has to be a misunderstanding."

One of the officers calmly held out a folded document. "We have a warrant to search the premises and confiscate all digital devices related to this investigation."

Panic bloomed in Amelia's chest like wildfire. "You can't be serious. I haven't done anything!"

"We suggest you cooperate, Miss Lin. It will make things easier."

The officers stepped inside without hesitation. Amelia's breath hitched as they moved past her, their presence suffocating.

Her eyes flicked down. An email notification from LumenTech Holdings: "Withdrawing from partnership, effective immediately."

Another buzz. A message from a luxury brand rep: "Due to recent developments, we're pausing all collaboration plans."

A third: "Your name has been removed from the keynote speaker list."

She swayed where she stood.

George Lin stared at her, stunned. "Amelia… what the hell is going on?"

Madam Lin rushed to her side. "What are they talking about? What did you do?"

"I don't—" Amelia tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come.

Then she saw it. In the officers' hands—her tablet, her laptop, her backup drives—being sealed into evidence bags.

And she knew. This was Leonard Yan. He had struck back.

"I—I just wanted Sophie to suffer," she whispered, her face pale.

A strangled sound escaped George Lin's throat. His hand clutched at his chest, his eyes wide with shock. "You… you brought this to our doorstep…"

"Dad?" Amelia cried out, rushing to him as he collapsed onto the floor.

"Call an ambulance!" Madam Lin screamed, but the officers were already moving.

As paramedics rushed in, Amelia stood rooted in place, her world crumbling around her. Her connections are gone. Her reputation was destroyed. And now, her family is falling apart before her eyes.

*****

Ever since her conversation with Leonard that morning, Sophie hadn't been able to shake the unease twisting in her chest. She kept wondering—what would Leonard do? And what would happen to Amelia? That afternoon, while reviewing a report at her desk, a sudden alert popped up on her screen. She clicked on it without thinking.

BREAKING: Amelia Lin Arrested for Illegal Surveillance and Data Theft — Lin Corporation Crumbles as Partners Withdraw

Her hand froze on the mouse. Her breath hitched. One by one, the articles updated in real time—Lin Corporation's partners withdrawing, statements from board members distancing themselves from the scandal. She stared at the screen, heart pounding.

Without another thought, she stood, her chair scraping softly behind her. She didn't say a word to May or the other team members as she grabbed her phone and headed straight to the elevator. Floor after floor passed in a blur until the number turned red—the Top Floor.

"Is Mr. Yan available?" she asked as she approached the front desk.

The secretary blinked in surprise. "Uh—yes, but—"

Before she could say more, Sophie gently pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Leonard looked up from his desk, pen still in hand, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. "Sophie?"

She didn't answer. She didn't need to.

She walked straight into his arms, hugging him tightly, burying her face in his chest. Leonard's eyes softened immediately. He raised one hand and subtly gestured to the stunned secretary behind her—it's fine. The door quietly clicked shut behind them.

"Sophie?" he said, his voice low. "Did someone hurt you?"

She shook her head. "No," she murmured, her voice thick. "I saw the news. About Amelia. Lin Corporation…"

Leonard's arms tightened around her.

"I… I don't know what to feel," she whispered. "I hate what she did. What the Lin family did to me. But at the same time… I was still fed and clothed under their roof. I survived there, even if it was painful."

Leonard stroked her hair gently. "You survived because you were strong," he said. "And what Amelia did wasn't just cruel—it was criminal. She hurt you, Sophie. That wasn't a family. That was a cage."

Sophie looked up at him, her eyes glassy. "You did this to protect me."

Leonard leaned down, his forehead brushing hers. "I told you, I'll burn down the world for you if I have to."

A tear slipped down her cheek—and he kissed it away.

She wrapped her arms tighter around his neck. He leaned in again, his lips brushing hers, slow and warm at first, then deeper. Sophie melted into the kiss, her hands gripping his shirt, her heart pounding.

Leonard pulled her gently toward the couch in the corner of his office, not breaking the kiss. "Lock the door," she murmured against his lips.

"It's already locked," he whispered back, breathless.

His jacket was gone in seconds. Her blouse followed. He kissed a line down her neck, his touch reverent, his eyes never leaving hers.

"I want you," she whispered. 

Their kisses deepened, his hands trailing down her sides, exploring, worshipping. His control slipped with every breath she took. Her fingers tangled in his hair, her body arching into his as she met every kiss, every touch, with the same fire burning inside her.

"Sophie…" Leonard groaned against her lips, his voice thick with restraint.

She felt his body tense beneath her as he broke the kiss—barely. His forehead rested against hers, his hands tightening on her hips to still her.

"We have to stop," he said, voice low and uneven. "Not here."

Sophie blinked, dazed. "Why not?"

Leonard chuckled, though there was nothing calm about the heat in his eyes. "Because if we don't stop now, I'm going to make a very public mess of your blouse—and this office isn't soundproof."

Her cheeks flushed crimson, a mix of embarrassment and teasing pride flashing in her eyes.

He gently fixed her top, his fingers lingering far longer than necessary. "You'll come home with me after work," he murmured, lips brushing her ear. "And tonight—no distractions. No interruptions. I'm going to remind you exactly who you belong to."

Sophie's breath caught, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. "Is that a threat or a promise?"

Leonard smirked, kissing the corner of her mouth. "Both."

With one final brush of his lips against hers, he helped her to her feet. Sophie smoothed her skirt, cheeks still burning, while Leonard straightened his collar and shot her a look so full of intent it made her knees weak.

"I'll wait for you at the car park tonight," he said.

Sophie nodded, biting her lip as she backed toward the door.

"Don't be late," he added with a wink. "Or I'll come get you."

She slipped out just as his secretary turned the corner—face still flushed, hair a little too tousled. The secretary said nothing, but Sophie caught the amused flicker in her eyes.