Zi Ning sat frozen in front of her laptop, the screen still glowing in the dark room. Her fingers clenched into tight fists as she struggled to process what she had just seen.
The lost heiress.
Zi Yan.
Her.
It felt unreal. For twenty years, she had lived as Zi Ning, believing she was just an ordinary woman with a troubled past. But the truth was far more shocking than she could have ever imagined.
She shut the laptop, her heart pounding wildly.
Her real family… The Zi and Bai families.
They had never stopped searching for her.
A deep sadness filled her chest. If she had known earlier, would things have been different?
She took a shaky breath and leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling.
What now?
A name popped into her mind.
Lu Yichen.
Could she tell him? Would he even believe her?
Her phone buzzed, pulling her out of her thoughts.
She grabbed it and saw a message from an unknown number.
"Did you watch the video?"
Her breath hitched. The mysterious man.
"Who are you?" she typed back.
A few seconds passed. Then another message came.
"Someone who wants to help you."
Zi Ning's grip tightened on her phone.
"Why?"
This time, there was a long pause before the reply came.
"Because the people who took you are still watching. And they won't stop until they silence you."
A chill ran down her spine.
She typed quickly.
"Who are they?"
The answer came almost immediately.
"The ones who never wanted you to return."
Zi Ning felt her stomach twist.
Was it the Wang family? They had tried to ruin her life before. Or was it someone even more dangerous?
Before she could ask more, another message came.
"Be careful. Even the people closest to you might not be who you think they are."
Her fingers hovered over the screen.
What did that mean?
Was there a traitor around her?
She thought of everyone she knew—her stepmother, Wang Yin, Guo Bao. They had always been against her. But they had never hinted at knowing her real identity.
Could it be someone else?
Before she could type another response, her phone buzzed again.
This time, it was a call.
Lu Yichen.
Her heart pounded. She hesitated before answering.
"Hello?"
"Open your door," he said. His voice was calm but carried an edge of urgency.
Zi Ning's breath caught. "What?"
"I'm outside."
She quickly stood up and walked to the door, unlocking it.
Lu Yichen stepped in, his sharp gaze scanning her from head to toe. His expression darkened. "You went out."
Zi Ning lowered her eyes. "I—"
"Don't lie to me," he interrupted, his voice firm. "I know you went to the docks."
Her heart skipped a beat. How did he know?
Lu Yichen took a step closer, his gaze locking onto hers. "What did you find out?"
Zi Ning swallowed. She wanted to tell him. She wanted to trust him. But the mysterious message still echoed in her mind.
"Even the people closest to you might not be who you think they are."
She hesitated. "Nothing important."
Lu Yichen's eyes narrowed. "Zi Ning."
She bit her lip, struggling.
Then, to her surprise, Lu Yichen sighed and rubbed his temples. "You're really stubborn."
She glanced up at him. "And you're really nosy."
A faint smirk tugged at his lips, but it quickly faded. "Listen," he said, his tone serious again. "The Wang family is moving. They've been making calls all day, and some of their connections in the underworld have been restless."
Zi Ning frowned. "So?"
"So, I think they're planning something big," he said. "Something that involves you."
Zi Ning's heart pounded. Were they trying to silence her? Did they know she had discovered her past?
"I won't let them touch you," Lu Yichen said firmly. "But you have to trust me."
Zi Ning looked into his dark eyes. He was strong, powerful, and had always protected her.
But could she truly trust him with something this big?
She took a deep breath. "I found out who I really am."
Lu Yichen's expression didn't change, but she could see the flicker of something in his eyes. "Go on."
Zi Ning hesitated, then said the words that would change everything.
"My real name is Zi Yan. I'm the lost heiress of the Zi and Bai families."
Silence.
Lu Yichen didn't react immediately. He simply stared at her, his gaze unreadable.
Then, after what felt like an eternity, he spoke.
"I know."
Zi Ning's breath caught. "What?"
Lu Yichen let out a slow breath. "I knew for a while now."
Her mind spun. "You… knew?"
He nodded. "I had my suspicions from the beginning. But when I found some old records, I confirmed it."
Zi Ning clenched her fists. "And you didn't tell me?"
Lu Yichen met her gaze. "Because I needed to protect you first. If you had found out before the right time, it would've put you in danger."
Zi Ning felt a wave of emotions rush through her—shock, betrayal, confusion.
"So you just decided for me?" she asked, her voice shaking.
Lu Yichen's expression hardened. "Yes. Because if I hadn't, you'd already be dead."
Her breath hitched.
"The people who took you aren't just ordinary criminals," he said. "They're powerful, connected, and they don't want you reclaiming your identity."
Zi Ning's nails dug into her palms. "Who are they?"
Lu Yichen's jaw tightened. "I don't have all the answers yet. But I know this—your return threatens someone at the very top. And they won't stop until you disappear for good."
A heavy silence filled the room.
Zi Ning's head throbbed. Everything was happening too fast.
She was the lost heiress. Someone had taken her as a child. And now, powerful people wanted to erase her.
She sucked in a deep breath.
"I won't hide," she said. "I'm taking back what's mine."
Lu Yichen stared at her for a moment before nodding.
"Then I'll stand by you," he said.
Zi Ning felt warmth spread through her chest.
She wasn't alone in this fight.
But as she looked at Lu Yichen, a thought nagged at the back of her mind.
If he had known all along…
What else was he hiding?