Chapter Fifteen: The Secret of the Elite

The chandelier above the Bai estate's grand hall sparkled like stars captured in crystal. Yet the air was heavy with tension. The council meeting had ended, but its effects lingered like a storm cloud refusing to pass.

Bai Lianhua sat in silence beside Bai Ziyu in the limousine. Her fingers trembled slightly on her lap, betraying the whirlwind of emotions inside her. Madam Yu's screams still echoed in her mind—along with the revelation that shattered every lie she had once believed.

And Mo Chen… his presence by her side felt more complex now. He had always protected her—but the photo proved he had been present the day she was taken. Why?

Ziyu glanced at her. "You're quiet."

"I'm trying to process it all," she whispered. "What Madam Yu said… it's more than revenge. This is deeper than I ever imagined."

Ziyu's jaw clenched. "There's more. I just haven't told you yet."

Her gaze shot to him. "More?"

"We'll talk later. For now, you need to prepare. Tomorrow, you return to Jinyuan Academy. I've already arranged your reinstatement as a first-tier elite student."

Lianhua stiffened. "Jinyuan? That place threw me out like garbage."

Ziyu's voice was calm but cold. "And now they'll kneel to welcome you back."

—

The Next Morning — Jinyuan Academy

The gleaming gates of Jinyuan Academy opened as the black Rolls-Royce pulled up. The sun glinted off its tinted windows, drawing the eyes of every student in sight.

When the door opened and Bai Lianhua stepped out, time seemed to pause.

Gone was the girl from the shadows. In her place stood a poised young woman in the official Bai family uniform—custom-tailored, crested with the family's phoenix emblem. Her long hair was pinned with a silver accessory shaped like a blooming lotus.

"Is that—?"

"No way… Bai Lianhua?"

"She's back?!"

And just behind her, stepping out with casual authority, was Mo Chen. His silver cufflinks shimmered, and his gaze dared anyone to speak a word.

Inside Class A, Yu Shulan froze mid-conversation. Her eyes narrowed as Lianhua entered the room, calm and composed.

"Well," Yu Shulan said with a tight smile, "look who rose from the ashes."

Lianhua tilted her head. "You sound nervous."

"I'm not."

"You should be."

A hush fell as the teacher entered, ending the standoff—for now.

But Lianhua knew Shulan wouldn't stay quiet for long. A snake always waited for the right moment to strike.

—

Later That Day — Secret Garden Courtyard

Jinyuan Academy had a hidden courtyard behind the old library, accessible only to legacy students. There, Lianhua met Tang Lei, who handed her a file wrapped in black silk.

"This was retrieved from Madam Yu's private residence before it was sealed," he said.

She opened it.

Inside was a hospital record from years ago—with the name of the woman who signed off the switch.

Lianhua's breath caught.

Mo Lifen.

Her eyes darkened.

Mo Chen's mother.

—

Evening — The Gala in Qijing

That night, Ziyu took her to a high-society gala hosted by the Lu family in Qijing City. Every notable family had representatives present.

The moment they entered, flashbulbs went off. Lianhua drew attention not only as the Bai heiress, but as Mo Chen's unexpected partner for the evening.

"You're trending already," Ziyu said dryly, checking his phone.

They mingled with politicians, elite heirs, and mysterious figures from the underground business world. One man in particular approached them—a young man with obsidian eyes and a faint scar on his neck.

"Yan Ruo," he introduced, bowing slightly. "Of the Yan Consortium. We've heard of the Bai Princess's return."

Lianhua's smile didn't reach her eyes. "How flattering."

Yan Ruo leaned in. "But just because a phoenix returns… doesn't mean everyone will kneel."

Mo Chen stepped in front of her. "Be careful. The last person who underestimated her isn't standing anymore."

Yan Ruo simply chuckled and walked away.

Lianhua's heart beat faster. That name—Yan Ruo—wasn't new to her. In her past life, he was a shadowy figure who surfaced only after her downfall. Why was he here now?

"Be careful of him," Ziyu whispered. "He's not what he seems."

—

Back at the Bai Estate — Midnight Revelation

The car ride home was quiet. But when they arrived, Bai Laoying—Ziyu's grandmother—was waiting.

"I need to show you something," she said to Lianhua.

They walked through the estate, deeper than she'd ever gone before. Finally, they reached a sealed archive chamber.

Laoying opened a locked drawer and pulled out a leather-bound journal.

"Your mother—your real mother—left this for you. She knew one day, you'd return. She hoped you'd be strong enough to face the truth."

Lianhua opened the journal, her hands trembling.

On the first page, her mother's handwriting flowed in elegant ink:

Lianhua, if you are reading this, then fate has not broken you. I am sorry for the pain you suffered. But our family's enemies are not just outside the gate—they live within our bloodline.

Beneath the letter was a photo: her mother, holding a baby… and beside her, a woman with sharp eyes.

Mo Lifen.

The betrayal burned anew.

—

Final Scene — A Message in Blood

Later that night, Lianhua returned to her room. A white envelope was left on her bed.

Inside was a single message, scrawled in red ink:

Leave the past buried, or you'll join it.

And at the bottom was a wax seal shaped like a phoenix… but not the Bai family's.

This phoenix had a scar carved across its face.

Just like Yan Ruo's.

—