Chapter 5: The Queen Returns
The Li Corporation charity gala buzzed with energy. Celebrities, business elites, and powerful families mingled beneath crystal chandeliers. But the moment Xia Zhelan walked in, time seemed to freeze.
In a sleek black gown and scarlet heels, she turned heads. No press announcement. No warning. Just her—and her return was deafening.
Whispers rippled across the room.
"Xia Zhelan? Isn't she—?"
"I thought she vanished after the scandal…"
Near the stage, Liang Jinhai stiffened. Beside him, Xia Meiyu's fingers dug into his arm.
Zhelan's eyes met theirs. She offered a cool, unreadable smile and walked straight toward them.
"Zhelan…" Jinhai's voice was hoarse.
"Fiancé," she greeted mockingly. Then her gaze shifted. "Meiyu. You look the same. Still hiding behind silk and pity?"
Meiyu let out a soft gasp, her voice trembling just enough. "Zhelan-jie, this isn't the place—"
Zhelan leaned in slightly, eyes hard. "You drugged me. Ruined my name. Stole everything. And now you're marrying the man who didn't even ask me what happened."
Jinhai's jaw clenched. "You disappeared—"
"I was exiled," she snapped. "By your silence."
Before Meiyu could fake another tear, Zhelan turned to the nearby camera crew and smiled graciously. "Please send my regards to the Li family. I hear their chairman is quite fond of talented allies."
And with that, she walked off—confident, untouchable.
Meanwhile, in the upper lounge, Li Rui, the cold and calculating heir of the Li family, watched her from above. His younger sister, Li Yuyan, leaned beside him, curious.
"That's the woman everyone's whispering about?" Yuyan asked.
Rui nodded. "She's interesting. And dangerous."
"Should we be worried?"
"No. We should watch closely."
---
Later that night...
Zhelan entered a modest villa outside the city. A little girl ran into her arms.
"Mama!"
Her daughter. Her light. The only reason she survived.
Zhelan hugged her tightly, burying her rage beneath warmth. "Did you behave for Auntie today?"
The girl nodded. "We made cookies. And watched piano videos!"
Zhelan smiled. One day, when everything falls into place, she'll tell her daughter the truth.
For now, she whispered to herself:
Meiyu. Jinhai. Xia family. You took everything from me. Now watch how I take it all back