Avery Lin woke to the steady hum of an air conditioner and the faint scent of peonies. Her body felt… light. Too light. No pain. No blood. No flames.
Her lashes fluttered open, and instead of the blinding white of a hospital, she saw the familiar pastel walls of her old bedroom—the one she hadn't seen in three years.
The alarm clock beside her bed blinked 7:03 a.m., Monday, April 12.Her breath caught. That date… that was before the engagement party. Before Caleb Zhao proposed. Before everything went to hell.
Her fingers trembled as she touched her face. No burn scars. No IV lines. No bandages.She stumbled to the mirror. The reflection staring back was her twenty-two-year-old self—bright eyes, smooth skin, innocence untouched by betrayal.
"This can't be real," she whispered, gripping the vanity for balance. "I—I died."
Images flashed: the explosion, the flames, Caleb's sneer as he turned away, Luna's crocodile tears. Her knees gave out. The carpet caught her fall, but not the flood of emotions.
"How could you do that to me…" she whispered into her trembling hands. "I loved you. I loved you both."
For several long minutes, she cried silently. Then, something inside her broke—and rebuilt itself sharper.
When the tears finally stopped, Avery stood. Her eyes, once soft and trusting, now burned with steel.
"If fate gave me another chance," she whispered, voice shaking but fierce, "then I'll make you both regret ever crossing me."
Downstairs, the Lin mansion was already awake. Maids moved quietly, her stepmother's sharp voice carried from the dining room.
Avery smoothed her hair and descended the staircase with the calm of a woman on trial. She remembered this morning vividly—three years ago, this was the day her father signed over part of Lin Corporation's shares to Luna "as a gesture of fairness."The same shares Luna later used to oust Avery from her inheritance.
Not this time.
"Good morning," she greeted, her tone polite but distant.
Her stepmother, Madam Lin, gave her a perfunctory smile. "Avery, you're up early. Luna and Caleb are coming for brunch later. You should dress nicely."
Avery's fingers tightened around the chair back. "Caleb Zhao?"The name tasted like poison.
"Yes, dear. The Zhao family is discussing a merger proposal. You and Caleb make such a perfect pair—"
"I'm not interested," Avery interrupted coolly.
The older woman blinked, startled. "What do you mean, not interested?"
"I mean," Avery said, meeting her gaze steadily, "I won't be marrying Caleb Zhao. Ever."
A shocked silence filled the room. Her stepmother's painted smile faltered.
"You can't be serious. He's your fiancé."
"No," Avery corrected softly, "he's a liar. And I don't make deals with liars."
She turned away before Madam Lin could recover, her heart hammering—but exhilaration thrummed through her veins. For the first time, she wasn't the puppet. She was the one cutting the strings.
By afternoon, Avery was in her car, parked across from the Zhao Corporation headquarters.It loomed high and glassy, reflecting the city skyline like a mirror.
Her gaze wasn't fixed on Caleb's floor, though.It lingered several stories higher—on the level that belonged to Adrian Zhao, Caleb's older half-brother. The black sheep of the Zhao family. The one with a reputation darker than his suits.
In her previous life, she'd only met him once—at a charity gala where he'd barely spared her a glance. She remembered the chill in his voice, the commanding aura that made everyone else shrink away.Caleb had despised him, always calling him "the bastard son."Which made him perfect.
She smiled faintly. "Hello, Adrian Zhao. Let's see if we can help each other."
She stepped out of the car, heels clicking sharply against the pavement. Every nerve screamed caution, but she ignored it.If she was truly reborn, she wasn't going to waste this gift hiding.
The receptionist at the front desk gave her a professional smile. "Welcome to Zhao Corporation. Do you have an appointment?"
"Tell Mr. Adrian Zhao that Avery Lin is here," she said calmly. "He'll want to see me."
The woman hesitated, tapping her keyboard. "I'm sorry, miss, but Mr. Zhao doesn't usually take walk-ins—"
"Tell him," Avery interrupted, her smile razor-thin, "that I know something about the Lin–Zhao merger that could make or break his brother."
The receptionist froze, then nodded uncertainly and made the call.
Minutes later, the elevator doors slid open.A tall man in a charcoal-gray suit stood inside, his presence chilling the air around him. Sharp jawline, piercing dark eyes, and an expression that spoke of danger and control.
"Miss Lin," he said, his voice smooth and low. "I was told you had something to say."
Avery met his gaze without flinching. "Yes. But not here."
He studied her for a long moment, then stepped aside. "Come up."
As the elevator doors closed behind them, Avery's pulse quickened—not with fear, but with the thrill of the game beginning anew. She could feel the gravity of this moment.The first move of her revenge.
Adrian's eyes flicked to her reflection in the elevator mirror. "You don't look like a woman who came to ask for help," he said quietly.
"That's good," Avery replied. "Because I didn't."
He raised a brow. "Then what did you come for?"
She met his gaze, voice soft but unwavering."To propose a deal that will destroy your brother."
The elevator chimed, doors sliding open to reveal his office—dark, sleek, dangerous.
Adrian's lips curved slightly. "You have my attention, Miss Lin."
Avery smiled faintly, stepping into the lion's den."Good. Because this time, I intend to win."