Leong woke before sunrise.
For a moment, as the cold air touched his skin, he forgot he had been reborn. The old habits from his previous life—the caution, the constant dread, the instinct to watch his back—rose in him like ghosts returning to their bodies.
He lay still, listening.
The house was quiet. No footsteps, no whispering behind doors, no plotting servants, none of the poisoned coziness he once lived in. This time, everything was different. This time, he had walked back into his own story with eyes wide open.
"Day three," he whispered to himself. "Don't waste it."
He got out of bed, straightened his collar, and faced the mirror. The man staring back at him looked younger—hopeful, even—but Leong knew the truth: behind those eyes lived someone who had tasted death already.
He smoothed his hair and exhaled sharply.
It was time to begin.
A Visit to the People Who Betrayed Him
Leong stepped out of the house just as the sky shifted from gray to gold. Morning wind brushed against his skin, but his mind stayed locked on one thing—his family, the ones who had smiled at him while slowly tearing apart everything he owned.
He wasn't going directly to them today. Not yet. Revenge required patience. Timing. Information.
But he would visit the old mansion where it had all started.
The steel gates of the Leong Estate towered over him, just as they had in his past life. He stood across the street, hands tucked into his pockets, watching servants move in and out. Watching the routines he once believed were normal.
Nothing about this place was normal anymore.
He spotted a familiar figure—a woman in a sharp navy suit, giving instructions with her usual cold efficiency.
Leong narrowed his eyes.
His cousin, Taira.
The one who had fed lies into the family until everyone believed he was "unfit" to manage his inheritance.
The one who had smiled while signing the documents that stripped away his company shares.
The one who had stood in the shadows the night he was poisoned.
He remembered the exact moment she had stared at his dying body.
No fear.
No guilt.
Only satisfaction.
Leong felt his jaw tense.
"Relax," he muttered to himself. "Not yet. Not today."
He wasn't here to confront her. He was here to watch. To understand what had already begun in this timeline. To confirm whether she had started plotting as early as before.
A passing pedestrian bumped into him.
"Sorry," Leong said immediately.
Then he paused, stunned.
It was Fatma.
Unexpected Encounter
Her soft brown hair framed her face as she looked up, eyes widening.
"Leong? You again?" she asked, nothing but sincerity in her tone.
Her timing was almost uncanny—just like yesterday, when she had stepped into his life without warning. Maybe fate had decided their paths would twist together this time, instead of drifting apart like before.
He managed a calm smile. "Seems like the universe wants us to meet."
She laughed softly. "Or maybe we both just walk too fast."
Leong glanced around. Taira was still across the street, too busy giving orders to notice them. Good. The last thing he wanted was for Fatma to be seen with him near the estate. Taira hated anyone she couldn't manipulate.
Fatma followed his gaze. "Is this where you live?"
"No," he said quickly. "My… relatives live there."
"Ah." She didn't ask more. She sensed the discomfort in his tone and let it go—a kindness he rarely received in his first life.
"Do you want coffee?" she asked suddenly.
Leong blinked. "Now?"
"I'm heading to work anyway, and you look like someone who didn't sleep."
He chuckled. "You read me too well."
"Come on," she said gently. "One cup. My treat."
Her smile was disarming.
And he found himself nodding.
Coffee and Observation
They walked to a small café nearby. Fatma ordered something sweet; Leong ordered something strong. When they sat down, sunlight spilled through the window, painting Fatma's features in a warm glow.
She tilted her head. "So why were you staring at that mansion? Trouble?"
Leong considered lying, but something about her presence softened him.
"My family and I… don't get along," he said. "I'm trying to understand them better this time."
"This time?" she asked, confused.
He froze.
Careless.
Too careless.
He covered it smoothly. "I mean… this year. Lately."
Fatma seemed satisfied with the correction.
"Family can be complicated," she said. "If they make you unhappy, distance is a good thing."
Leong studied her.
He had underestimated her in his previous life—brushing aside her warmth, her insight, her quiet strength. He had been too consumed by survival and betrayal to see her properly.
Now, sitting across from her, he realized something:
Fatma was the kind of person who could anchor him, even in chaos.
She stirred her drink. "What about you? What do you do?"
"I'm rebuilding my life," he answered honestly.
"That sounds… brave."
Brave wasn't the word he would have chosen. Necessary, maybe. Forced by death, definitely.
Leong leaned back slightly. "What about you? Where do you work?"
"Marketing. A small firm. Not glamorous, but I like it."
He nodded.
Her phone buzzed, and she jumped. "Oh—I'm late."
She stood up quickly, almost spilling her drink. Leong caught the cup just in time.
She laughed breathlessly. "Thank you. Seriously, you're everywhere today."
He handed it back. "I could say the same about you."
Their eyes held for a moment longer than expected.
Then she waved and hurried out.
Leong remained seated, watching her disappear around the corner.
The First Move Begins
The warmth faded from his expression.
Now, the mask returned—the one carved from survival and strategy.
He took out his phone and dialed a number he remembered clearly from his previous life.
A middle-aged voice answered, cautious. "Hello?"
"It's me," Leong said. "I want to talk about the documents you hid for me before."
The man on the other end sucked in a sharp breath.
"Leong? You're alive?"
"Very alive," Leong said softly. "And I'm ready to reopen everything."
There was silence. Then a trembling response:
"I knew this day would come."
Leong's eyes darkened with determination.
"Good," he said. "Because this time, I'm not letting them win."
He hung up.
Then he walked out of the café with a new purpose.
His rebirth wasn't just a second chance.
It was the beginning of a storm.