Leong arrived home late that evening, the distant hum of the city fading behind him as he stepped inside his quiet apartment. His mind was still processing the events from earlier—the confrontation with Mei Lin, the subtle fear in Mr. Wong's eyes, and the warmth of walking beside Fatma.
Six chapters into his rebirth, he had finally taken his first real steps toward correcting his past mistakes.
But real change didn't end with a single confrontation.
It started there.
He placed his keys on the table and sank onto the sofa, rubbing the tension at the back of his neck. For a long moment, he simply sat, staring at the dim glow of the streetlights through the window.
He had cut off Mei Lin.
He had warned Mr. Wong without direct accusation.
He had opened the door—just a little—to Fatma.
But now something else needed his attention.
Kevin.
The man Mei Lin cheated with.
The man who manipulated Leong financially in the previous life.
The man whose deception eventually ruined him.
In the last life, Kevin acted slowly at the beginning, playing the role of a harmless friend. But eventually, he became the mastermind behind Mei Lin's lies.
Not again.
Leong now had a clear advantage:
He knew Kevin's patterns, weaknesses, and future crimes.
"This time," Leong muttered, "I'll make sure you never get the chance."
The Next Morning — A Disturbance at the Office
When Leong arrived at work the next day, the office atmosphere felt different—tense, buzzing, like something had happened.
He walked toward his desk, and almost immediately, his coworker Darren leaned over.
"Bro… you saw the group chat?"
"What group chat?"
"The one the department uses… about Mei Lin."
Leong froze only for a second, his expression remaining calm. "What about her?"
Darren glanced around and lowered his voice.
"She's here. Again."
Leong exhaled slowly.
"Where?"
"Reception. She looks… pissed."
Of course she was.
He had told her off yesterday—calmly, absolutely, without leaving her any emotional leverage. For a manipulator like Mei Lin, being ignored was worse than any insult.
Leong straightened his shirt. "Thanks."
"Hey," Darren added quickly, "if you need backup—"
"I won't."
And he didn't.
The new Leong didn't need it.
The Reception Hall — A Prey Pretending to Hunt
Mei Lin stood in the center of the lobby, arms crossed, makeup flawless but eyes slightly swollen. She turned the moment she heard Leong's footsteps.
"Finally," she said sharply. "You decided to show your face."
Several staff members glanced over.
Leong didn't raise his voice.
He didn't look embarrassed.
"What do you want now, Mei Lin?"
Her expression twisted. "You ignored me again."
"Yes," Leong said evenly. "And I will continue to."
A few people nearby audibly gasped.
Mei Lin stepped closer, lowering her voice—but not enough.
"Kevin said you've been acting strange. He's worried about you."
Leong almost laughed.
Kevin? Worried?
That man would sell his own mother for a well-paying scam.
"Tell Kevin," Leong said, "the next time he lies about something, he should at least make it believable."
Mei Lin flinched.
Her eyes widened a fraction.
"You—"
She stopped herself, swallowed, and forced a gentler tone.
"Leong… you're being manipulated by someone. I'm just trying to help."
He raised an eyebrow. "Who am I being manipulated by?"
She opened her mouth—
—but the doors behind them slid open, and Fatma stepped inside the lobby holding a small file folder.
Mei Lin's eyes flicked toward her instantly, her expression shifting.
Of course.
Of course she would assume Fatma was the reason Leong was cutting her off.
But Fatma didn't look at Mei Lin. She just looked at Leong.
"Oh," she said softly, "I didn't know you were busy."
Her tone wasn't possessive, insecure, or dramatic.
Just polite.
Precisely the opposite of Mei Lin.
Leong shook his head. "You're fine. What's wrong?"
Fatma hesitated, glancing briefly at Mei Lin, then back at him.
"It's about the supplier contract. There were inconsistencies. I thought you should see them."
Mei Lin stiffened.
Fatma offered no hostility, no fear—only a professional, sincere tone.
Leong smiled faintly.
"Thank you. Let's talk in the office."
He walked past Mei Lin without another word.
Fatma followed.
Mei Lin stood frozen, fury burning in her eyes.
For the first time, she understood—
Leong was slipping out of her control.
And someone else was stepping into the space she used to occupy.
Inside the Office — A Quiet Alliance Forms
Leong closed the door behind them, leaving the noise of the lobby outside.
Fatma held up the file folder. "I wasn't sure if I should bring this to you now…"
"You did the right thing," Leong said. "Thank you."
She sat down across from him. "Did she… cause trouble again?"
He sighed. "She's trying. But it won't work."
Fatma studied him for a long moment.
"You look different today."
"How so?"
"More…" She searched for the right word.
"…unshakable."
He smiled at that.
It had taken one lifetime and a rebirth to learn how to stop being shaken.
"Fatma," he said gently, "you don't have to get involved in my issues."
"But I want to," she said immediately, then flushed.
"I mean… I care. You don't have to go through this alone."
Her honesty hit him harder than he expected.
He looked away briefly, clearing his throat. "Thank you."
She smiled softly. "You're welcome."
Around Noon — A Snake Makes His Move
During lunchtime, Leong stepped outside to get a coffee. He barely made it two steps from the café when a voice called out from behind him:
"Leong."
He turned.
Kevin stood there wearing a polished smile, hands casually in his pockets.
He looked harmless, polite, even friendly.
Leong knew better.
Under that smile hid a viper.
"Heard you and Mei Lin had an argument," Kevin said. "Everything okay?"
"Perfect," Leong said.
Kevin blinked, fake concern flickering in his expression.
"Really? Because she said you were… unstable lately. Maybe influenced by someone."
Leong tilted his head. "Influenced? By who?"
Kevin smirked. "The new girl. The quiet one. What's her name? Fatma?"
Leong's jaw tightened.
Kevin noticed, and his smile widened slightly.
Bingo.
He had found a pressure point.
"You know," Kevin continued, "girls like her always pretend to be pure and innocent. But they want something. Everyone does."
Leong looked him dead in the eyes.
"Yes," he said softly.
"They want honesty. Something you've never had."
Kevin's smile finally cracked.
Leong stepped closer, lowering his voice so only Kevin could hear:
"So let's make something clear: stay out of my personal life."
Kevin's eyes flickered with irritation.
"And," Leong added, "stop manipulating Mei Lin. I know what you're doing. The pretending, the pity stories, the financial games. It ends here."
Now Kevin's expression hardened.
"You think you know me?"
"I know exactly what you are."
Kevin's hands curled.
"You're making a mistake, Leong."
"No," Leong said.
"I made mistakes in my last life. Not anymore."
He turned and walked away, leaving Kevin standing there—frustrated, confused, and for the first time—
afraid.
Afternoon — A Small Storm Begins
Back at the office, things escalated quickly.
By 3 p.m., rumors began to spread:
"Did you hear? Kevin came to confront Leong."
"I heard Fatma gave him some personal advice."
"I heard Mei Lin almost slapped someone."
Leong ignored all of it.
Fatma approached him later, her expression worried. "Did something happen?"
"Nothing I can't handle," he said.
She didn't press, but she stayed near him most of the afternoon, occasionally offering small, subtle gestures:
A reminder to drink water.
A light touch on the files she handed him.
A soft smile when he seemed tense.
Leong didn't say it, but her presence kept him grounded.
Evening — A Promise to Himself
He walked home alone that night, taking the long route despite being exhausted.
He needed the time to think.
Kevin had shown his first reaction.
Mei Lin had shown her desperation.
Mr. Wong had shown his fear.
The timeline was changing.
But one thing remained constant:
Fatma.
Every moment with her was a reminder of something he never appreciated enough in his past life—genuine care.
As he approached his apartment, he paused under a streetlight and whispered to himself:
"This time… I won't lose the people who truly matter."
He took out his phone and typed:
Leong:
Thank you again for today. You really helped.
Fatma responded almost instantly.
Fatma:
I'll be here anytime you need support.
He stared at the message for a long time.
A warmth filled his chest.
For the first time since his rebirth…
Leong felt like he wasn't fighting alone.