The apartment door clicked shut behind Grace Wu, the sound echoing softly in the stillness. She slipped off her heels, setting them neatly by the entrance before crossing to the kitchen. The faint hum of the refrigerator filled the quiet space as she unpacked the groceries from the night before.
Her eyes lingered on the vegetables and rice stacked neatly on the counter. Simple things. Small pieces of a life she hadn't lived in her last timeline.
She poured herself a glass of water, leaning against the counter as she took a slow sip. The city outside her window flickered to life—cars weaving through narrow streets, distant voices trailing from open balconies.
Macau always felt restless, but tonight, Grace felt strangely detached from it all.
She reached for her phone, scrolling absentmindedly through unread messages. A few work-related texts, one from Emily asking about Lilly's mood, and—
Rocky.
His name sat at the top of her notifications.
"Grace, can we talk? Just five minutes."
Her thumb hovered over the screen, the weight of old habits pressing against her ribs.
One year ago, she would've responded immediately.
She would have called back, smoothed over whatever insecurities Rocky was drowning in, and convinced him that everything was under control—even when it wasn't.
Grace exhaled, setting the phone down without replying.
Not anymore.
Rocky was part of the past she was carefully unraveling.
But even as she reminded herself of that, her thoughts circled back to Anna Feng.
Why now?
Anna's schemes had always been slow, methodical. She had taken her time weaving Rocky into her web—playing the long game.
Yet this time, the pieces were moving faster.
Grace crossed the living room, sinking onto the edge of her couch as she stared out at the skyline.
Victor Zhou's presence explained part of it. His interest in Lilly had accelerated things, pushing Anna to entrench herself deeper into Rocky's orbit.
But something else felt off—like threads of the past were fraying, creating gaps Grace hadn't accounted for.
Her phone buzzed again, but this time it wasn't Rocky.
Emily:
"Heads up. Victor's taking Lilly to dinner tomorrow. Should I tell her to block out the morning?"
Grace stared at the message, rereading it twice before typing a reply.
Grace:
"Don't. I'll handle it."
The reply came almost instantly.
Emily:
"You sure? She's stubborn when it comes to him."
Grace's lips curved faintly.
Grace:
"I know. Just let me take care of it."
She set the phone aside, sinking deeper into the couch cushions.
Victor and Lilly.
That pairing was new—and dangerous.
In her last life, Victor had waited until Rocky's empire was crumbling before making his move. Now, he was already positioning himself close to Lilly, and Grace wasn't sure if it was just ambition driving him this time.
Lilly wasn't Rocky. She was sharper, harder to manipulate.
But even steel could bend under the right pressure.
Grace let out a slow breath, the soft glow of the city lights flickering across her face.
Tomorrow, she'd find out exactly what Victor wanted.
And she'd make sure history didn't repeat itself.