Lila worked tirelessly, not just for survival but for a deeper purpose. The Jo family's mother-daughter duo—Vanessa and Susan—despised her and her comatose mother. Though Jo An funded Elian's care, Lila didn't trust him. She needed money to move her mother to a safer, better facility.
After the engagement banquet fiasco, Vanessa had been chewed out by Jo An and was lying low, giving Lila a rare moment of peace. Seizing the chance, Lila planned her future. She knew Vanessa would strike again, and her engagement to Lu Zhe was a hollow dream—especially with his mother's blatant disdain. Lila had learned a brutal truth: money was power. She'd build her own empire, step by step, and never cling to the Lu family again.
But to her shock, Lu Zhe showed up at her door, claiming he wanted to "talk about that day."
Lila didn't let him finish. "No need." She slammed the door in his face.
Explanations? Excuses? Crocodile tears? She wasn't interested.
Outside, Lu Zhe's jaw tightened, irritation flaring. The old Lila would've greeted him with starry eyes, trailing him like a puppy. Now? She was a stranger—distant, defiant, no longer begging for his scraps.
A surge of frustration hit him, and he slammed his fist against the door. Bang!
Lila jumped, her resolve wavering. Against her better judgment, she cracked the door open, her voice sharp but her eyes soft with concern. "Lu Zhe, are you insane?"
He'd expected her to open it, his face a mask of calm. "Lila, about that incident…"
"I already know," she cut him off, pulling him inside. Her gaze fell on his swollen, bloodied knuckles, a pang piercing her heart.
His hands were beautiful—long, strong, elegant. Gently, she cleaned his wounds, her touch careful, her heart aching. This might be the last time I touch him.
"Grandma wants to arrange a job for you," Lu Zhe said abruptly, a faint sneer in his tone.
The mockery stung like a slap.
To him, she was just a pitiful leech, waiting for Lu family handouts. The "job" wasn't kindness—it was pity.
"I don't need it," Lila said, her voice steady but raw. "I won't take a cent from your family, and I don't need your charity. My reputation might be trash, but I'm not some gold-digger."
Lu Zhe's brow creased. The job was his idea, not Grandma's, but that sneer had slipped out—an old habit of disdain. He hadn't meant it that way, but her words hit hard.
Silence gripped the room.
Lila looked up, her eyes blazing. "Next time you pull that door-smashing stunt, I won't open it. If you've got nothing else, leave."
She threw him out without hesitation.
Lu Zhe stood, stunned, then rose, his irritation boiling over. In a flash, he spun back, pinning her against the wall.
"Lila, what's your game?" His voice was a low growl, his breath hot against her ear, dangerous and intoxicating.
They were too close—closer than they'd been since her rebirth.
Her heart stuttered, her ear tingling, her resolve faltering. Was she… falling for him again?
No. She shook herself mentally. "Lu Zhe, you don't want me, and I'm done chasing you. Did you think I'd keep orbiting you just because I loved you?"
His face flickered, a crack in his icy facade. Her words—declaring her love past tense—shook him, a strange pang twisting in his chest.
The old Lila was a lovesick fool, always at his heels. Now, she was pulling away.
He released her, slamming the door as he stormed out.
Lila sank to the floor, tears brimming. Why is it so hard to make you see me?
She laughed bitterly. Lu Zhe, what am I supposed to do with you?
She'd once believed her warmth could melt his ice. She'd been wrong.
Now, she'd bury her love, bit by bit. It'd be a long road, but she was done begging. Stay out of my life, Lu Zhe.
That night, Lila tossed and turned, sleepless. Miles away, Lu Zhe stared into the dark, equally restless.
Morning came, and Lila dragged herself out of bed, sporting dark circles from a sleepless night. Wendy's text snapped her back to reality—today was a school day.
Her university was A City's finest. Five years ago, she'd chosen economics to support Lu Zhe's empire and minored in music because he loved piano. Now, she studied for herself.
At the campus gate, Wendy tackle-hugged her. "Babe! I missed you!"
Lila laughed. "We just saw each other for the job interview. Miss me every three seconds?"
"Obviously!" Wendy grinned, linking arms as they headed to class.
In economics, Lila sat ramrod straight, scribbling notes. Wendy nudged her. "Still grinding for Lu Zhe, huh?"
Lila just smiled, her pen never stopping.
She remembered clearly: a campus entrepreneurship contest was coming up. Last life, Lu Zhe's cold dismissal—"No matter how hard you try, I won't care"—made her quit. This time, she'd seize it. It could be her first step to rewriting her fate.
After class, Wendy dragged her to the music room. Wendy wasn't enrolled but loved sneaking in. To Lila's dismay, Vanessa was there, too.
Vanessa's face darkened at the sight of Lila, the engagement banquet humiliation still fresh. But she was a master manipulator—acting, beauty, and quick pivots were her weapons. A piano performance could win back Lu Zhe's attention.
The teacher challenged the class to play a level-10 piece. Vanessa raised her hand, all humble charm. "I'm not skilled, but I'll try."
The class buzzed—level 10 was no joke. Vanessa played, stumbling a few times but decent enough to earn a "not bad" from the teacher.
Then, with a venomous smile, she turned. "I'm nothing special, but my sister Lila's amazing. Lila, show us!"
It was a trap. Last life, Lila hadn't learned piano yet. Playing would expose her; refusing would brand her a coward.
But Vanessa didn't know: Lila was reborn, her fingers carrying years of muscle memory.
Lila's lips curved. "Sure, I'll play."
She glided to the piano, her fingers dancing over the keys. Clear, vibrant notes poured out, weaving a soul-stirring melody.
Vanessa's smile froze.
Lila's hands moved like butterflies, precise and emotive, telling a story of heartbreak and triumph. When the final note faded, the room exploded in applause. Even the teacher stood, eyes wide with awe.
Vanessa's face was ashen, her lips trembling.
This Lila… when did she become this powerful?
Was she still the timid nobody who hid in the shadows?