The rain didn't stop when Lina walked away.
It followed her.
By the time she reached her apartment, her hair was soaked, her clothes clinging uncomfortably to her skin. She stood outside her door for a long moment, keys trembling in her hand, chest tight as if something heavy were pressing down on it.
She had done it.
She had chosen to leave.
So why did it feel like she had just cut out her own heart?
The door clicked open, and she stepped inside, leaning back against it as soon as it shut. The silence of the room wrapped around her, suffocating in its emptiness.
Her phone buzzed.
She already knew who it was.
She slid down the door and sat on the floor, staring at the glowing screen.
Noah
Noah
Noah
Missed calls stacked one after another.
She turned the phone face-down.
"Don't," she whispered to herself. "Don't be weak."
But the tears came anyway.
Across the city, Nathaniel Blackwood stood frozen where she had left him.
The rain soaked through his clothes, but he didn't feel it. His gaze was fixed on the empty street, on the space where Lina had stood just moments ago.
She had chosen to leave.
No—she had been forced to.
His chest burned with a fury he had never known before.
"You're satisfied now?" he asked quietly, without turning around.
Behind him, the chairman stepped out of the car.
"She made the rational choice," Chairman Blackwood replied calmly. "You should respect it."
Nathaniel laughed.
It was sharp. Broken.
"Rational?" he repeated. "You threatened her life."
"I protected my family," his father corrected. "You should thank me."
Nathaniel turned slowly.
Rain streamed down his face, but his eyes were clear—cold in a way they had never been before.
"You crossed a line," he said.
The chairman studied his son.
"Careful," he warned. "You're still the heir."
Nathaniel smiled.
"That's what you think."
He turned and walked away.
The next morning, Lina woke to shouting in the hallway.
She sat up in bed, heart racing, and reached for her phone.
Dozens of notifications flooded the screen.
Messages. Missed calls. News alerts.
Her stomach dropped.
She opened the first headline.
BLACKWOOD HEIR CONFIRMS ENGAGEMENT TO MOORE HOLDINGS' DAUGHTER
In a highly anticipated announcement this morning, Nathaniel Blackwood has officially confirmed his engagement to Evelyn Moore, marking a powerful alliance between two corporate giants…
There was a photo beneath the article.
Nathaniel.
Standing beside a beautiful woman in an elegant white dress. Evelyn Moore smiled confidently at the cameras, her hand looped through his arm.
Nathaniel's expression was unreadable.
Lina's fingers went numb.
So it had begun.
Her phone buzzed again.
A message from an unknown number appeared.
Unknown:
You made the right choice. This is for the best.
She dropped the phone.
Her chest ached so badly she thought she might stop breathing.
By noon, the city was buzzing.
By evening, Lina was trending.
She found out when her coworker, Maya, showed up at her apartment door, eyes wide with panic.
"Lina," Maya whispered urgently, pulling her inside. "You need to see this."
She handed Lina her tablet.
Another article.
MYSTERY WOMAN DUMPED BY BLACKWOOD HEIR BEFORE ENGAGEMENT
Sources claim the heir was briefly involved with a low-income woman prior to finalizing his engagement, raising questions about his personal conduct…
There was a blurred photo of Lina.
Her face.
Her name.
Her life.
"She didn't even know who he was," the article continued. "According to insiders, the relationship ended due to 'incompatible lifestyles.'"
Lina laughed weakly.
"Incompatible lifestyles," she murmured. "That sounds familiar."
Maya grabbed her hand. "Lina, this is bad. People are digging. Your boss called. HR wants to talk."
Lina closed her eyes.
She had known this would happen.
She had just hoped—foolishly—that it wouldn't hurt this much.
"I'll handle it," she said softly.
Nathaniel stood alone in his penthouse that night.
The lights were off.
The city stretched beneath him like a sea of glittering indifference.
His phone buzzed constantly.
Board members. Advisors. Family.
He ignored them all.
Finally, one call broke through.
Evelyn Moore.
He stared at the name, jaw tightening, before answering.
"Yes?"
"You disappeared after the announcement," Evelyn said smoothly. "People noticed."
"I'm not your concern," he replied coldly.
She chuckled softly. "I think I am. After all, we're engaged."
"No," he said. "We're not."
Silence.
"What did you say?"
"I never agreed," Nathaniel continued. "You announced it. My father forced it."
Evelyn exhaled slowly. "Nathaniel, don't embarrass yourself. This is how our world works."
"Not mine," he replied.
She paused. "Is this about her?"
Nathaniel didn't answer.
"That girl was a mistake," Evelyn said calmly. "A distraction."
Nathaniel's voice dropped dangerously low.
"Say her name again," he said, "and you'll regret it."
The call ended.
Nathaniel turned toward the window, fists clenched.
He had lost her once.
He wouldn't lose her forever.
The next day, Lina was called into her manager's office.
The room was small. Too clean. Too quiet.
Her manager avoided her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Lina," he said. "This isn't personal."
She smiled faintly.
"It never is."
"Given the recent media attention," he continued, "we feel it's best if you take an indefinite leave."
She nodded.
She had expected this.
When she left the building, a small crowd had gathered outside.
Phones were raised.
Whispers followed her.
"That's her."
"The poor girl."
"She thought she could marry up."
Lina lowered her head and walked faster.
She didn't cry.
She couldn't afford to.
That night, Lina packed.
Not much.
Clothes. Documents. Memories she couldn't throw away.
As she zipped her suitcase, her phone buzzed again.
This time, she answered without looking.
"Lina," Nathaniel's voice said softly. "Please."
Her hands stilled.
"I saw the news," she said. "Congratulations."
There was pain in his silence.
"I didn't choose this," he said. "I swear."
"I know," she replied quietly. "That's why I left."
"Come back," he pleaded. "I'll fix everything."
"You can't," she said. "Not without destroying yourself."
"I don't care."
"I do," she whispered.
Tears slid down her cheeks.
"I loved you when you were poor," she said. "Please don't make me hate you now."
The line went dead.
Nathaniel stared at his phone.
Something inside him snapped.
Across the city, Chairman Blackwood received an alert.
BLACKWOOD HEIR CALLS EMERGENCY BOARD MEETING
He frowned.
Minutes later, another message arrived.
AGENDA: TRANSFER OF SHARES & RESIGNATION
The chairman's blood ran cold.
Meanwhile, Lina stepped onto a night bus with her suitcase, disappearing into the city.
She didn't know where she was going.
Only that she couldn't stay.
As the bus pulled away, her phone buzzed one last time.
A breaking news alert.
BLACKWOOD HEIR TO RELINQUISH CONTROL OF FAMILY EMPIRE?
Lina's breath caught.
She looked out the window, heart pounding.
Too poor to stay.
Too poor to fight.
Too poor to love a man like him.
Or so the world thought.
[End of Chapter 5]