Love's Second Chance
Sunlight slanted into the courtyard, stretching shadows long across the stone path.
The gardener bent low, pruning roses. The bouquet in his hand—deep red, thornless, like blood, like a kiss—had been carefully chosen the night before. A man stood beneath the veranda, impeccably dressed in a suit, his gaze cold enough to freeze summer itself. He said nothing, only watched as the flowers were handed away—an unspoken command.
He knew they would reach her.
And she would surely believe it was a peace offering.
But as he turned, the faintest curve lifted at the corner of his lips.
—The performance had begun.
*
Inside, the mirror reflected his movements as he undid the buttons of his suit. His tie loosened, then tightened again. He stared at his reflection, as if confirming: was the hunter ready for tonight?
His phone lay silent on the bathroom counter, messages piling up unread. He didn’t look at a single one.
He knew what she was waiting for.
*
In the office, his ex-wife and his secretary crossed paths.
“I’ve signed the divorce papers,” she said coolly, as if declaring victory. “Tell him I won’t give him another chance to change his mind.”
The secretary kept typing, eyes down. “Mr. Lu never explains. Especially not to someone already out of the game.”
The woman laughed bitterly. “Then let him prepare to walk away with nothing.”
Before the words fully faded, the door opened.
He stepped in, coat still on, gaze sweeping over her like she was discarded paper.
“I don’t explain,” he said, voice low and rough, yet precise. “But that agreement you signed—void.”
Her pupils shrank. “What did you say?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he placed his phone gently on the desk, screen lighting up—
【Miss Wynn – Missed Call】
He pressed accept, his tone suddenly soft, unrecognizable:
“Yes, I’m here. Proceed as planned. Time to close the net.”
Outside, a white sedan waited silently.
He stepped out under an umbrella when she ran after him, voice trembling. “You planned this all along, didn’t you? All of this—it’s your setup?”
Rain fell in fine threads. He paused for just a second, profile sharp against the gray light.
“You should have realized,” he murmured, “I never let anyone force me out of this marriage.”
The edge of the umbrella tilted, shielding her drenched face from view.
The car door shut. The world sealed off.
In the backseat, he opened a folder. On top, a photo—her meeting secretly with her lawyer, timestamped three days prior.
His fingers traced the edge of the image. Quietly, he whispered:
“Love?”
“I just… haven’t finished playing yet.”