Zhang Lia stood at the arrival terminal of Beijing Capital International Airport, a quiet smile playing on her lips as she took in the familiar sights and sounds. It had been eight long years since she'd left, and though the city buzzed with life as always, everything felt... different.
Her eyes gleamed as vibrant advertisements in Mandarin flashed around her, and the tempting aroma of street food drifted in the air. This was home—but not the home she remembered.
She adjusted the strap of her leather bag, standing straighter.
"Back to the Zhang family huh," she muttered under her breath.
Her car pulled up in front of the sprawling Zhang estate. Lia's gaze hardened as she took it in—the place she once called home. The grand structure, with its high columns and meticulously manicured gardens held some of her worst memories.
She stepped out, her heels clicking sharply against the cobbled driveway, and was immediately met by the sight of her stepmother, Mei Ling, standing at the entrance.
Dressed in a modest dress that clung to her figure, accented with a strand of pearls around her neck, she looked the part of a refined socialite—the wife of a powerful CEO.
She looked nothing like the scheming homewrecker she actually was...
"Well, look who's back," Mei Ling greeted, her voice dripping with saccharine sweetness. A fake smile stretched across her face, her eyes glinting with something darker. "We weren't expecting you so soon, Lia."
Lia's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "Surprises keep life interesting, don't you think?"
Mei Ling's carefully crafted smile wavered for a second, but she recovered quickly. "How thoughtful of you to let us know."
Lia shrugged, voice full of indifference. "Wouldn't want anyone to think I was running away."
Mei Ling looked furious but held her tongue. She turned around and walked off in a storm of fury. She rushed away, as if hoping to lose her step-daughter.
Zhang Lia quietly followed Mei Ling inside, the familiar opulence of the mansion doing nothing but worsen the anger filling in her chest. The grand hall, the portraits of ancestors staring down at her. The air was thick with the scent of polished wood and expensive perfume, and every element of the space felt gaudy to her now.
"Your father's waiting for you in his study," Mei Ling said, leading her down the hall. "He's been very... eager to see you."
Lia arched an eyebrow. "I bet."
The door creaked open, and there he was—Zhang Wei, hunched over his desk, his sharp features showing signs of wear. His eyes, once so full of expectations for her, barely flickered when he looked up.
"Lia." His voice was flat, devoid of the warmth she had once craved. "You're back."
"Yes, Dad," she replied, her tone cool, a small smile playing on her lips. "Miss me?"
Zhang Wei regarded her for a moment, his expression unreadable.
"You don't belong here anymore."
Lia's smile turned into a smirk. "Did I ever?"
"We expected you to take over the family business, you know. But I see you had other plans."
Lia felt a fire ignite in her chest. "Is that why you were so eager to chase me out?"
Her father's eyes narrowed as he continued. "Your sister has been doing what you should have been doing. She's stepped up."
"Sister," Lia repeated, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You mean Zhang Chen."
Zhang Wei's gaze was steady, and she could see the weight of his words before he even said them.
"She's earned her place here. The business is thriving. She's proven herself."
Lia's jaw clenched, but she kept her face impassive. "Good for her."
Her father kept going, as if he was trying to upset her. "Jin Yu... he's considering an annulment. Him and Chen are in love."
The words should have hit her like a sucker punch. Jin Yu—the man who had once been hers, the one person she thought would stand by her, had given up.
"Okay" Lia looked at her father calmly, much to his shock.
She wasn't exactly shocked though.
It had been years since she'd spoken to him, and the last time she'd seen him he'd had his wandering hands all over Zhang Chen. And that definitely wasn't the first time it had happened.
"He thinks you abandoned him too," Zhang Wei said, as if the answer was obvious. "He says you chose your career over your responsibilities here."
Lia laughed, a bitter, disbelieving sound. "Of course he does."
"Family comes first, Lia. That's what you've forgotten."
Lia's smile faded, and the steel in her gaze returned. "No, Dad. I haven't forgotten anything."
Her father's eyes flashed with irritation, but before he could respond, Zhang Chen appeared, gliding into the room like a victorious queen. Her eyes sparkled with thinly veiled satisfaction. "Welcome home, Lia," she said, the insincerity dripping from her words. "We've missed you."
Zhang Chen had an innocent charm about her, with soft features that gave her a girl-next-door appeal. Her round face was framed by gently curling hair that fell around her shoulders, and her doe-like eyes sparkled with feigned sincerity.
However, the allure faded when compared to Lia's striking beauty; where Lia had a captivating presence that turned heads, Zhang Chen's beauty felt almost pedestrian.
"Stop being so polite to her Chen!" yelled Zhang Wei before turning to Lia, "If you've blown all your money and are hoping to join the company, you can dream on! Ungrateful brat!"
"Papa, calm down! You need to take care of your heart!" said Zhang Chen sweetly as she ran over to support her father, who was hunched over on the table, her expression feigned concern.
"Lia, why are you back? Did your boyfriend break up with you?" she said with an innocent voice, "Don't worry! You're beautiful! You'll find someone new."
There was no boyfriend. Both Lia and Chen knew this very well, but Chen knew just how to press her father's buttons.
"Whore! How dare you!" yelled Zhang Wei furiously, "You just keep tarnishing our family name! Did you ever consider the fact that you have a fiance!"
Zhang Chen had certainly forgotten that Lia had a fiance...
Lia took a deep breath and smiled, sharp and dangerous.
Without a single word, she turned on her heel and left, the echoes of her footsteps filling the hallway.
Because Zhang Lia wasn't here to fall in line.
She was here to take back what was hers. And no one—not her father, not her step mother, and certainly not Zhang Chen—was going to stop her.