The storm had passed, but Mei Xing knew rebuilding wouldn't happen overnight. Though Mei Li was finally in custody, the emotional wreckage she left behind lingered like ashes after a fire.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Mei Xing took a slow morning for herself. She sat in the garden, watching the sunlight filter through the trees while Jin Hao and his little sister played in the grass. The laughter of her children was the music she never knew she needed to heal.
Yet, her heart still carried the ache of betrayal, the weight of years stolen from her.
Zhao Chen walked up with a fresh report in hand. "The court has officially frozen all of Mei Li's assets. Every illegal transaction she made has been linked to her and Ru Feng. You're cleared on every front."
Mei Xing gave a small nod. "That's good. But I don't just want her exposed. I want every woman out there to know that silence is not strength. We must speak, fight, and rise."
Zhao Chen smiled. "And you've already done that, Mei Xing. Your story has inspired millions. You've turned pain into power."
Meanwhile, public sympathy poured in from every corner of the country. Mei Xing was invited to speak at conferences, her story became the highlight of national news, and her influence grew beyond the business world—now, she was a voice for women's empowerment, justice, and resilience.
But not everything was celebratory.
That night, as she tucked her children into bed, her daughter looked up at her with innocent eyes and asked, "Mama, why did Auntie Mei Li take my brother away before?"
The question pierced deeper than Mei Xing expected.
She paused, brushing her daughter's hair softly. "Sometimes, people do bad things because their hearts are full of jealousy and pain. But what matters is that we're safe now… and we're together."
"Will she come back to take us again?"
Mei Xing smiled gently. "No, sweetheart. She won't ever hurt us again."
Later that evening, Mei Xing sat alone in her study, flipping through an old photo album—pictures from the time she still believed she belonged to the family that raised her. It felt like a different lifetime. Yet, despite all that had happened, she didn't regret the love she once gave. Even if it was misplaced, it had shaped her strength.
Kai walked in, holding a glass of wine. "You've come a long way, Mei Xing."
She nodded. "But there's still one thing left… I need to talk to my husband."
"You think he's ready to face the truth?"
"I don't know," she said, standing up slowly. "But I am."
Because though she had survived the lies, the betrayals, and the storms—her heart still needed one final closure.
And that would begin with confronting the man she once loved.