Morning sunlight filtered softly through the gauze curtains, brushing warmth against the pale ivory walls of Su Ruoyan's study. A porcelain cup of jasmine tea sat untouched beside her laptop, steam long gone cold. The steady ping of her phone filled the silence, one notification after another flashing her name across every corner of the internet.
She didn't need to look to know what they said.
"Disabled wife abandoned by tycoon husband."
"Once devoted, now discarded."
"Lu Tycoon Wife:From sacrifice to scandal."
For the world, it was breaking news. For Su Ruoyan, it was a eulogy she'd already read a hundred times in her heart.
She leaned back in her chair, her eyes drifting to the window. Outside, the Su mansion gardens shimmered under the early sun, dew clinging to the roses. A sight that once soothed her now seemed to echo her thoughts, a fragile beauty surviving despite the storm.
Once upon a time, she would have hidden, or she would have turned off her phone, drawn the curtains, and waited for the noise to pass over. But the new Su Ruoyan was no longer the woman who begged for peace. She was the woman who had learned to rise from ruin.
Her bedroom door opened with a quiet creak. "Awake?" came her brother's voice. Su Haoxuan stepped in, casual as ever, though his expression softened at the sight of her weary figure. "You've been trending for the past two days straight. The internet is divided between pitying you and despising you. At least the good news is, you're the nation's fascination now."
Ruoyan gave a faint smile. "Then let them watch. At least what they are looking at now is the real me, not the shadow I used to stand behind."
Haoxuan studied her for a moment. "You're planning something."
"Yeah, I'm deciding," she said, her gaze steady. It's been quite a long time since I've been quiet, maybe it's time I take back my own voice." Her brother's grin carried pride.
Later that morning, the Su family gathered in the sunroom. The air was serene with birds chirping, and the faint scent of tea leaves steeping, but beneath the calm hummed the quiet tension of a family that had waited too long for this moment.
Su Haoran looked at his youngest daughter, his deep-set eyes revealing both love and sorrow. "Looking at you now, I think you've made your choice, haven't you?"
Ruoyan nodded. "Yes, Father. I won't let my life be defined by what the Lu family took from me. I will define it myself." Shen Yuxin reached out, clasping her daughter's hands. "You just need to remember, child, whatever you want to do, do it because it's what you want, and not because of what the world expects from you."
Ruoyan's gaze softened. "I know, Mother. This time, I promise you that I'm walking for my own self."
Her mother's hand tightened. "Then it should start by forgiving yourself first, Ah Yan."
The words struck deep within me with their quiet, maternal, and unshakable tone.
By afternoon, Ruoyan retreated to her study again. The sunlight had shifted to gold, spilling across the room as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were calm, but something within them had sharpened. It no longer clouded by sorrow, but steadied by clarity.
She reached into the drawer and drew out a velvet box. Inside lay the ring that had once symbolised her devotion. Her fingers traced its smooth edge before she set it on the table.
"I've given you everything," she murmured softly, voice almost tender. "Now, it's time for me to take back what's mine."
The ring gleamed briefly under the sunlight before she tossed it into the trash can.
Then she heard her phone vibrating. The caller ID read: Qi Meilin.
Ruoyan hesitated before answering. "Meilin."
A high, piercing voice echoed through the air, filled with disbelief. "One week, Su Ruoyan! Just one week! I was wondering what could possibly have happened to you in that short time, and it turns out you got divorced without even telling me? If I hadn't stumbled upon the news, I would have been the absolute last to know!"
"Meilin! That's enough!" Ruoyan raised her voice, desperation creeping in as she tried to halt Qi Meilin's escalating outrage. "I'm sorry for not letting you know sooner, Ah Lin. I didn't want to disturb you while you were away. I thought I'd wait until things calmed down to share everything with you. But who would've guessed that the media would scoop it first and twist the story completely?" Her tone remained steady, though the weight of her words was palpable.
"I know I shouldn't have taken that leave, Ah Yan. I am so sorry for not being there for you. Despite everything, I've been telling you for ages that your husband is a jerk. I know it sounds harsh, but I'm delighted you're willing to take steps to break free from this toxic relationship. I'm so proud of you," I can hear Qi Meilin's happy tone even from afar.
"It's a curious thing, isn't it?" I reflected aloud. "When everything is stripped away, that's when everyone suddenly takes notice."
Meilin shot me with a dry voice. "Curious? Hardly. It's all too predictable, Ah Yan. People thrive on tragedy, just as long as they're not the ones living it."
Ruoyan chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Ah, Meilin, you haven't changed a bit. Your sharp tongue is as piercing as ever."
"But you're evolving, Ah Yan. Into someone truly remarkable," Meilin countered with a confident tone. "And I'm sure you've seen the headlines, which means you're aware that the world is paying attention to this issue. Since you can't control the gossip swirling around, why not take the reins and steer it in your favour?"
Ruoyan raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Steer the news? How do you mean?"
"Turn it to your advantage!" Meilin replied, her voice sparkling with conviction. "If you choose to remain silent, they'll craft your narrative however they please. But by speaking up and embracing the incredible woman you've become, you'll not only reclaim your name, you'll seize the power to elevate yourself even further."
A moment of silence hung in the air as Ruoyan contemplated her words. "But what if I don't want to be a spectacle again, Ah Lin?"
Meilin interjected bluntly, "Then you know they'll continue to write your story for you. I don't think you want that, Ah Yan. Now that you've taken this step, you need to stand strong on your own this time."
Ruoyan's gaze drifted back to her reflection, and the quiet storm brewing beneath her calm demeanour solidified into unshakeable resolve.
"I'll think about it," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
"No," came Meilin's firm reply, slicing through the night air. "There's nothing left to ponder. Take your action now, Ah Yan."
That evening, as the world outside her window pulsed with vibrant life, Ruoyan found herself seated at her computer, the glow from the screen illuminating her determined expression. Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, each keystroke a testament to her newfound conviction. With every word she typed, she infused the air with her fierce determination, ready to rise from the ashes of her uncertainties.
"I have remained silent not out of weakness, but as an act of healing. I refuse to engage with hate or to accept pity. What I once offered was genuine, but I have moved beyond that chapter, and I appreciate those who wish me well, yet my narrative does not conclude in loss. It begins anew, on my own terms."
— Su Ruoyan
With a simple click, she posted her message. No grand announcements, no dramatic flair, just a quiet declaration that would soon reverberate across the digital landscape.
Within an hour, her words caught fire, and all the comments transformed, shifting from gossip to admiration, from mockery to profound empathy. Influential figures reposted her sentiment, and women from all corners of the world rallied behind her declaration of strength.
In the stillness, she whispered to the silence, "This time, I will rise."
And unbeknownst to the world, it was witnessing the first spark of a phoenix ready to fly.