Ye Chen's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of muffled voices outside his hospital room. His mind snapped back to the present, irritation flashing through him. At first, he couldn't make out the words, but one voice stood out above the rest, and it sent a chill down his spine.
Lin Xuerou.
His former fiancée. The woman who had once been his world, the one he had loved more than anything, and the one who had betrayed him in his past life when he was at his lowest. The betrayal still burned in his memory, raw and vivid, like a wound that never healed.
"I'm sorry, but I can't marry him," her voice floated through the door, cutting through the silence like a knife. It was cold, indifferent. "The Ye family is finished. There's no future with him."
Ye Chen's chest tightened.
The memory of her words, of her leaving him when he needed her most, washed over him. How dare she? His fingers dug into the sheets, his body tense with rage. In his past life, he had endured that humiliation without the strength to retaliate. But not this time.
The door creaked open, and there she stood.
Lin Xuerou.
Her beauty was undeniable, the kind that would make the most arrogant of men pause. She had long, silky black hair that shimmered under the hospital lights, and her eyes—sharp and piercing—still held that same coldness that had once drawn him in. But now, all he saw in her gaze was disdain.
Behind her was her father, the head of a powerful business empire, a man who had always acted like a close friend to Ye Chen's family. But in truth, he had been a backstabber. It was Zhao Feng, her father's scheming hand, who had orchestrated Ye Chen's downfall.
"Ye Chen," Lin Xuerou's voice broke the silence, her tone icy and distant. "I'm sure you've heard by now. Our engagement is over. There's no need to drag this out. It's better for both of us if you just accept it."
Her words hit him like a slap in the face. The arrogance, the dismissiveness. Just like in his past life, she was treating him like he was beneath her, as if her decision was final, as if he had no choice but to accept her rejection.
Ye Chen remained still, his gaze unwavering as he stared at her. His hands were clenched into fists, his knuckles white. He could feel the anger boiling up inside him, threatening to explode.
"I see," Ye Chen replied, his voice smooth, calm, but with an edge that could cut through stone. "I'm sure you've thought long and hard about it."
Lin Xuerou raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback by his lack of reaction. "Of course I have. The Ye family is in ruins, and you… well, you're no longer the person I once knew." Her words were dismissive, as if he were nothing more than a passing inconvenience.
Ye Chen's lips curled into a tight, almost imperceptible smile, though his eyes gleamed with cold fury.
"You're right," he said quietly, his voice calm as a lake before a storm. "I'm no longer the person you knew."
The words hung in the air, thick with meaning, but Lin Xuerou either didn't hear or didn't care to understand.
"That's good then," she said, her gaze now drifting towards the window, no longer bothering to look at him. "It's for the best. We're both better off this way."
Her father, standing silently behind her, spoke up for the first time. "Ye Chen, you've heard the lady. Don't make things difficult for her. The Ye family can't offer anything to Xuerou anymore."
Ye Chen turned his eyes toward the older man. Mr. Lin, the man who had pretended to be a friend while slowly stabbing his family in the back. He had been a crucial part of the reason Ye Chen had lost everything. And now, here he was, standing in front of him, trying to act like nothing had happened.
Ye Chen's eyes narrowed.
"I won't make things difficult for her," he said slowly, his voice laced with a dangerous calm. "But you should understand, Mr. Lin, that I don't need your approval."
Lin Xuerou flinched at his words, a brief flicker of discomfort flashing across her face. But she quickly regained her composure, turning her attention back to the window.
"Please, Ye Chen," she said, her voice a mix of annoyance and impatience. "Don't make this harder than it already is."
Her words only fueled the fire inside him. She had broken his heart once. She had left him when he was at his lowest, humiliated him in front of everyone, and now she stood before him, dismissing him as if he were nothing.
Ye Chen gritted his teeth, his fists trembling. But he controlled himself, forcing the words out through clenched jaws. "Don't worry," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, but thick with venom. "I wouldn't want to marry someone with no loyalty or integrity."
The words hit her like a slap, and for the first time, Lin Xuerou's confident facade faltered. Her eyes widened in shock, and she turned toward him, her mouth opening to say something, but no words came out.
Ye Chen took a deep breath and continued, his gaze unwavering. "You made your choice. I don't need to chase someone who doesn't understand what loyalty means."
The silence between them grew thick, suffocating. Lin Xuerou's expression was unreadable, but the slight tremble in her hands didn't escape Ye Chen's notice.
Before she could respond, Ye Chen turned away from her, his focus shifting. There was something more important to worry about.