Chapter Four:A Past Connection

The banquet continued, the atmosphere thick with tension. Bai Lianhua and Mo Chen moved with effortless grace across the dance floor, their every step in sync, as if they'd danced this dance a thousand times before.

She felt the weight of every gaze in the room, but her focus remained entirely on him. The way his fingers lightly brushed against hers—intentionally? Or was it simply a gesture of familiarity? His presence was magnetic, commanding, and yet, his eyes never left hers.

"Do you dance often, President Mo?" she asked, her voice soft, though every word carried a hint of challenge.

"I do when the occasion calls for it," he replied smoothly, his tone betraying nothing. "But I must admit, this… feels different."

Lianhua's heart fluttered, but she masked it with a playful smile. She wasn't a girl who easily succumbed to charm, but there was something about him—something familiar, something that felt deeply rooted in her past.

⸻

The Whisper of Memory

As the music shifted to a slow waltz, Lianhua's mind began to race. There was a strange pull between them, something deeper than mere attraction. The way his gaze lingered on her, the way he moved with her, like they had shared countless moments before.

Had they?

In the quiet of their dance, she felt it—a fleeting image from her past life. A moment long buried—her mother's cold, distant face, a man's shadow looming protectively over her, a whisper of a name: Mo Chen.

Her breath hitched.

"Why did you leave?" she asked softly, her words barely a whisper as they continued to glide across the floor.

Mo Chen's expression tightened, though his hands remained steady around her waist. "What do you mean?"

"I remember you," she said, her voice filled with the weight of something unspoken. "In my past life, I remember you. You were always there, but you never acknowledged me. You never told me who you were."

He stiffened. His eyes flickered for a brief moment before his gaze turned cold, as though he had put up a barrier.

"You were never meant to know," he replied, his words curt. "It's better that way."

The response sent a chill down her spine, but she refused to back down.

"Better for who?" she asked, her eyes narrowing. "For you? Or for me?"

Mo Chen didn't answer. Instead, he simply looked at her with an unreadable expression.

⸻

The Patriarch's Words

After the dance, as the night wore on, Lianhua found herself once again summoned to the study, but this time, her mind was occupied by more than just the family matters ahead. She needed answers, and Mo Chen was the key.

As she entered the room, Bai Hengyuan's piercing gaze locked onto hers.

"Lianhua," he began, his voice colder than usual. "I've been thinking."

She stood before him, her posture straight, awaiting his next words.

"You know, the Bai family is filled with deceit," he said. "I've seen it all. But there's one thing I can't overlook. Mo Chen."

Her heart skipped a beat.

"Mo Chen?" she asked, feigning ignorance, though she already suspected where this was going.

"He's not just some CEO," the Patriarch continued, eyes narrowing. "He's tied to your past—tied to your birth. That man has been watching you for years, Lianhua. He knew exactly who you were long before you did."

The room seemed to close in around her.

Mo Chen knew.

Her fingers clenched at her sides.

"But why would he hide it?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly despite her attempts to keep her composure.

"I don't know. But I do know this: You cannot trust him. Not yet."

Lianhua swallowed the knot that had formed in her throat. She had once been a fool for trusting those who claimed to care for her—she wouldn't make that mistake again.

⸻

The Encounter in the Hall

Later that evening, as Lianhua walked the halls of the Bai estate, her mind still reeling from the Patriarch's words, she unexpectedly ran into Mo Chen.

He was standing at the window, his back to her. She could hear the soft rustle of his suit as he turned to face her.

"Lianhua," he said, his voice low and deliberate. "You've found out, haven't you?"

She took a step toward him, her eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"The truth," he replied. "You're not just any girl. You're the daughter of a bloodline that's been hidden away for years. I'm not some stranger who just appeared in your life. I've been part of your past, part of the secrets you've forgotten."

Lianhua's heart raced. Every word out of his mouth was like a puzzle piece falling into place, but she couldn't quite see the full picture.

"Then tell me everything," she demanded, her voice firm. "Tell me why you've been lurking in the shadows all this time. Why didn't you protect me?"

He stepped closer, his eyes darkening. "Because I couldn't. Not then. But now, it's different. You're not the same person you were before. And neither am I."

There was an intensity in his gaze, something unspoken hanging between them. She wanted to ask more—she needed to know more—but the words got caught in her throat.

"I'll tell you when you're ready," he said, his voice low, almost a whisper. "But for now, trust no one—not even me."