There are entrances, and then there are declarations of war.
Liana Zhou didn't walk into the gala that night—she arrived, like a red omen carved into silk and spite.
Every camera snapped to her instantly.
Her dress? Crimson. Backless. Custom.
The same color she wore the night she died.
Only this time, she paired it with a smile that promised blood.
Beside her, Damon Qin looked like a man escorting a live grenade in heels. He couldn't tear his eyes away—and for once, it wasn't just for the cameras.
"She's… bold," murmured one executive.
"She's here to bury someone," whispered another.
They weren't wrong.
Flashback – 10 Years Ago, the Original Gala
The same event. The same venue.
She'd worn this exact dress. Damon had barely noticed her.
His eyes had been locked on Shen Ruoyi the whole night.
That night, Liana bled for him.
Now?
He'd bleed for her.
Scene shift: Gala Ballroom – Present Night
The room was glass, gold, and secrets. Investors, dignitaries, media darlings—all buzzing like moths to the scent of power and scandal.
Liana and Damon stepped onto the platform for opening remarks.
He spoke first—elegant, aloof, rehearsed.
Then he turned to her. "My fiancée would like to say a few words."
He didn't plan that. And she knew it.
But she was already smiling.
Liana: "Thank you, everyone, for the warm welcome. It's an honor to return to Qin Corporation's spotlight—though I confess, I find it brighter this time. Maybe because I no longer stand in someone else's shadow."
Several heads turned. A few froze.
She looked at Shen Ruoyi, standing across the room in pale blue chiffon—safe, bland, forgettable.
"Tonight," Liana continued, "we celebrate the power of reinvention. Of second chances. And of knowing who your enemies are before you raise your glass."
She toasted. Didn't drink.
Just let the silence stretch.
Damon stared at her like he was watching his own empire shift beneath his feet.
Scene shift: Backstage Corridor – Post-speech
Shen Ruoyi blocked her path, furious and glittering.
"You think this is your comeback? You're just playing dress-up with borrowed time."
Liana looked her up and down. "You wore blue. How appropriate."
Ruoyi blinked. "What?"
"It's the color of last season. And corpses."
Face-slap, round two.
Ruoyi grabbed her arm. "He'll never love you."
Liana peeled her hand off slowly. "I don't need his love. I need his name. His company. And eventually—his apology. Carved in ruin."
Ruoyi's voice shook. "You don't scare me."
"No," Liana whispered. "But I should."
Scene shift: Rooftop Lounge – An Hour Later
Damon found her alone, leaning on the balcony, wine glass untouched.
"You planned that speech."
She didn't look at him. "Of course."
"And the dress?"
"Symbolic."
He stepped closer. "You're making enemies."
She turned to him, eyes like razors. "You should know. You were the first."
Silence stretched between them.
Then, quietly, he said, "Why did you say yes to me?"
"To set the trap."
He exhaled. "You're not even pretending anymore."
"No," she said, turning to face him fully. "And yet you still want me."
He didn't deny it.
He couldn't.
Scene shift: Parking Garage – Midnight
Liana walked alone to her car.
A shadow moved behind a pillar.
She didn't flinch.
Instead, she said without turning, "If Ruoyi wants to send someone to scare me, tell her next time to send someone who doesn't breathe that loud."
The figure stepped forward—a man in black. Unarmed.
"She's panicking," he said. "And you're gaining too much attention."
Liana raised an eyebrow. "You're not her man."
"No," he said, tossing her a flash drive. "I'm yours."
She caught it, curious.
He added, "That's footage of her meeting with someone on Qin Corp's board. She's not acting alone."
She smiled.
Then got in the car without another word.
Final scene: Liana's Apartment – 2:47 a.m.
She plugged in the drive.
On screen: grainy security footage.
Shen Ruoyi.
And a Qin Corp executive.
Talking. Smiling. Shaking hands.
The war wasn't just personal anymore.
Liana leaned back in her chair, eyes blazing.
> "You want a wife, Damon?"
"Then prepare to marry a weapon."