Chapter 2: Divorce Papers, Again
[Location: Chen Family Villa | Time: 7:45 PM | Weather: Light Rain]
The raindrops traced slow, winding paths down the glass windows of the Chen family's ancestral villa. Inside, the glow of a crystal chandelier shimmered across polished wooden floors. The silence in Chen Yao's room was broken only by the rhythmic ticking of the antique grandfather clock.
She stood by the tall window in a pale ivory robe, unmoving, her eyes unfocused. The soft patter of rain seemed to echo the growing unease in her chest. On her desk lay the envelope—neat, unassuming, but heavy with finality.
She hadn't opened it. She didn't need to.
"He sent divorce papers again."
The words slipped from her lips, spoken to no one. They hung in the air, heavy, unanswered.
Her phone buzzed, a quiet hum against the silence. She turned slowly, already knowing the name that would be flashing on the screen.Xu Yichen
She hesitated. Then answered.
"What do you want now?"
His voice came through calm, controlled. Too calm.
"You received the documents."
"Is that all?" she bit back. "You vanish for five years, return without a word, and send me this?" Her fingers tightened around the phone. "You don't even have the courage to face me?"
"There's no need," he said flatly. "This was never supposed to last."
The words struck her, though she'd rehearsed this confrontation in her head more times than she could count.
"Coward," she whispered. "You ran away once. Now you want to end it over paperwork?"
There was a pause.
"I didn't run, Chen Yao. I was thrown out."
"You walked away!" she snapped. "Don't twist this."
"Believe what you want. Sign the papers. Let's end this cleanly."
"Clean? There's nothing clean about what you're doing."
"Goodbye, Chen Yao."
Click.
The line went dead.
Chen Yao stared at the blank screen. Her hand lowered slowly, her shoulders trembling. She blinked back something that threatened to fall—anger or regret, she wasn't sure.
[Location: Qin Lingxi's Apartment | Time: 8:00 PM | Weather: Cloudy]
Soft jazz drifted from a Bluetooth speaker. The scent of chamomile tea lingered in the air. Qin Lingxi sat at the edge of a neatly organized writing desk, a medical journal open before her. She wasn't reading it.
Her fingers hovered over her phone, eyes narrowed.
A text buzzed through.[Unknown Number]: He's back.
She stared at the message. Her heartbeat didn't quicken. Her face didn't change.
After a moment, she typed:
I know.
Another message arrived seconds later.[Unknown]: Are you going to contact him?
No. He wouldn't want me to.
He's starting again, Lingxi. Everything.
Then let him. I never expected to be part of that.
She locked the phone, placing it face-down on the desk.
From across the room, the faint outline of a photograph rested against a glass vase. The image was old, but clear: A teenage boy, bruised but smiling faintly. And beside him, a girl with her hand in his, half-hiding behind him. Her eyes, even then, had looked like they already knew loss.
Lingxi rose and walked to the window. Rain hadn't started here yet, but clouds swirled low. The city lights blinked in anticipation.
"So... you're finally back."
Her voice was a whisper—more memory than hope.
[Location: Xu Corporation HQ — Executive Office | Time: 8:30 PM]
The top-floor office was dark, lit only by city lights and the faint glow of the bar cabinet. Xu Yichen stood behind his desk, blazer removed, tie loose around his collar.
He was staring at the framed skyline. Not seeing it.
The door clicked open. Yuan Fei entered, efficient as always.
"Mr. Xu," she said, her tone respectful but crisp, "Du Haoran's official resignation came in through legal. No press coverage. Internal memo only."
"Good. Keep it that way."
Yuan Fei hesitated. "Also... Miss Chen Yao returned the divorce papers unsigned. She left a note."
He didn't move.
"She wants to speak with you. In person."
Yichen's jaw tensed. He looked down at the bar cabinet, then slowly walked over and poured a small amount of whiskey into a tumbler. He sipped once before replying.
"Schedule the meeting. But only once. No delays."
"Understood."
After she left, he pulled open the drawer to his desk and removed an old envelope—faded at the corners, brittle with time. Inside it, the photograph. Not of Chen Yao.
Qin Lingxi, smiling under a tree in the forest.
He stared at it in silence for a long time.
"This city forgets too easily," he murmured.
"I'm not here to remind them. I'm here to end what they started."
[Location: Café Mélange | Time: Next Morning, 10:00 AM | Weather: Overcast]
The small café tucked in the heart of City A was reserved for private clientele. Quiet music drifted, and morning sun filtered through linen curtains.
Chen Yao sat at a corner table. Elegant as always in a cream blouse and pencil skirt, hair pulled into a neat bun. Her fingers rested on the rim of her teacup, untouched.
She didn't wait long.
Xu Yichen arrived, dressed immaculately in a charcoal grey suit. The café staff instinctively went silent. He approached the table, pulled the chair opposite her, and sat without a word.
"Still punctual," she said, forcing a smile.
"Still dramatic," he replied evenly.
They stared at each other.
"Why now?" she asked. "Why after all this time?"
"Because some things shouldn't be left lingering."
"Is that all we were to you?" she asked, her voice quieter now. "Something that lingered?"
"No," he said honestly. "You were a mistake I let last too long."
Chen Yao stiffened.
"That's cold. Even for you."
He slid the divorce papers across the table. A black ink pen placed gently on top.
"Say what you came to say, Chen Yao. Then sign them."
She looked at the pages—so clean, so official. Her hands shook.
"You loved me once. Or did I just imagine that too?"
He didn't answer.
She signed.
When she handed the pen back, she whispered,
"Goodbye, Xu Yichen."
He stood.
"Goodbye."
No lingering looks. No hesitation.
Just a final, second goodbye.
This time, she didn't cry. But her heart broke quietly, like porcelain beneath silk.
[End of Chapter 2]