Chapter 3: The Morning After Regret
The sun rose behind layers of gray clouds, casting a faint silver glow across the quiet apartment. The storm had passed, but the air still carried the scent of rain and something unspoken. Wei Jie stirred awake on the armchair, his neck stiff from sleeping upright. He blinked slowly, adjusting to the morning light.
And then he saw her.
Xuan Qi was still curled up on the couch, his oversized hoodie draped over her slender frame. She looked peaceful, fragile even, as if the night had washed away the heaviness she carried—but only for a moment.
He stood and walked quietly into the kitchen, boiling water for tea. The kettle whistled softly, and the sound must've stirred her. She sat up slowly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. Their eyes met.
"Morning," he said.
She nodded, voice husky. "Morning."
The awkward silence returned—not hostile, but careful. Like both were afraid of saying too much, too fast.
"I made tea."
"Thanks."
She sipped it slowly, wrapping both hands around the warm mug. He watched her—every gesture, every hesitation—trying to read her thoughts.
Finally, she broke the silence. "I didn't mean for last night to happen."
"You mean the crash, or… seeing me?"
"Both," she admitted. "But I'm not sure it was a mistake.
He looked at her for a long time. "Me neither.
She set the mug down, her fingers trembling slightly. "I didn't just disappear, Wei Jie. I was forced to leave."
His brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"My family… my father, he found out about us. Said I had to go abroad immediately. That if I didn't, he'd make things difficult for you."
He froze. "So he threatened me?"
"He didn't have to say it outright. Just the way he looked at me, the way he said, 'You'll thank me for this one day.'" She gave a bitter smile. "I thought I was doing the right thing. Letting go."
He was quiet for a moment, absorbing the truth. Then: "You should've told me."
"I couldn't. He took my phone. Changed my number. I didn't even have access to social media for a year."
His jaw tightened. "That's why everything went dead.
She nodded. "By the time I got my freedom back, I figured you'd moved on."
"I didn't," he said softly.
She looked at him—hope and guilt mixing in her eyes.
Then her phone buzzed. She glanced down and immediately went pale.
Wei Jie noticed. "What is it?"
She hesitated, then turned the screen toward him. A name flashed on the caller ID.
[DAD – Incoming Call]
She silenced it without answering.
"He doesn't know I'm back yet," she said. "But he will soon."
Wei Jie exhaled sharply. "Is he still trying to control you?"
"Yes. But this time, I don't want to let him."
The determination in her voice made something shift inside him.
"You're not alone," he said firmly. "Not anymore."
She gave him a long, searching look. "That's what scares me."
Later that morning, they walked together to the nearby bus stop. It felt almost normal—until a black car pulled up across the street. The windows were tinted. The engine idle.
Xuan Qi stiffened.
Wei Jie followed her gaze. "You know that car?"
She nodded slowly. "My father's driver."
Just then, the car door opened. A man in a black suit stepped out. Tall. Stern. Familiar. And he wasn't looking at Xuan Qi. He was looking straight at Wei Jie.
"I think… things are about to get complicated," she whispere.