The car sped down the road, leaving behind the flashing lights, the shouting reporters, and the chaos that had consumed them for weeks. The hum of the engine was a stark contrast to the storm raging inside Chen Mumu's heart.
She had been strong. She had held herself together when the world turned against her. But now that it was finally over, now that her name had been cleared, a dam inside her broke.
Her body trembled before she even realized what was happening. Her breath hitched, and the weight of everything she had endured crashed over her like a tidal wave. A sob tore through her chest, raw and unrestrained.
Xu Jingli's arms tightened around her.
"It's over now," he whispered against her temple, his voice steady, soothing. "It's over now. You can rest."
Chen Mumu's fingers clenched around the fabric of his suit. "Thank you… thank you…" The words fell from her lips in broken whispers, muffled against his chest.
