The hallway was long, longer than I remembered, or maybe it was just my nerves stretching time like rubber bands.
Every polished tile, every golden-framed painting, every faint echo of footsteps felt like part of a set. As if I wasn't walking in a home, but a stage meant to host a performance.
And tonight, I was the star.
The servant stopped outside an enormous double door carved with a gold crest: the symbol of the Xiao family. A phoenix rising out of a storm.
Fitting. I was the storm, and I was about to rise or crash.
"Mr. Xiao is inside, Lady Xinya," the maid said with a bow.
I nodded and pushed the door open.
Inside, the room smelled of old leather, aged wood, and something sharper underneath—authority. A man sat behind a mahogany desk, his face partially hidden in shadow, rimmed glasses perched on his nose, a swirling glass of amber whiskey in his hand.
Mr. Xiao.
My… father.
He looked up as I stepped in, and his sharp gaze pinned me to the floor like a hawk spotting prey. Cold. Calculating.
But something flickered behind his eyes, hesitation? Doubt?
"Xinya," he said evenly.
"Father," I replied, surprised by how naturally the word came out. The voice wasn't mine, but it felt right leaving my lips.
He motioned to the chair across from him. "Sit."
I did, slowly, watching him as he studied me like I was a chessboard and he was still deciding whether I was queen or pawn.
"I heard you've been… unwell," he said.
I nodded. "A little. Just disoriented."
His eyes narrowed, barely perceptible, but I saw it. "You've been acting differently."
"That's true." I met his gaze. "Because I don't remember everything. My memories are fragmented. I… feel like I'm missing something."
Silence. Then
"What exactly do you remember?"
I hesitated. "Not much. My name. Some people. Butler Bu filled me in. But there's… gaps. Feelings I can't place. Places I don't recognize."
"You don't remember the last charity gala? The Cheng family incident?"
I shook my head slowly.
He leaned back, and for a moment, I thought he looked relieved. Not worried. Not angry.
Relieved.
That's when it hit me.
He expected this.
Not my amnesia, but my change.
"Father," I said carefully, "Can I ask you something?"
His brows rose. "You may."
"Have I ever… talked about dreams? Strange ones? About another life?"
His face didn't change, but the grip on his glass tightened.
"No," he said. Too quickly.
I swallowed. "Are you sure?"
"You're imagining things."
He stood up and walked to the tall window, looking out at the estate grounds below.
"Xinya," he said without turning around, "you are the heir to the Xiao legacy. Whatever confusion you are experiencing, I expect you to recover quickly. The world does not wait for weakness."
That wasn't an answer. That was deflection.
Which meant I was right to be suspicious.
"Father," I said, my voice firmer. "Who is Li Suna?"
He froze.
Not subtly. Not gracefully. Like a statue struck by lightning.
Then he turned around, slower this time. "What did you say?"
"Li Suna," I repeated, my heart pounding. "The name, does it mean something to you?"
He walked back to the desk and looked at me, hard. "Where did you hear that name?"
I blinked. "You do know it?"
"Answer the question."
I hesitated. "I… dreamt it."
He closed his eyes and muttered something under his breath. Then, suddenly, he picked up a phone and dialed.
"Yes. Bring me Dr. Wen. Now," he said coldly, then hung up.
"Father..."
"You are not to speak that name again," he said, voice low and sharp like a blade. "Do you understand?"
"No," I replied, standing up now. "I don't. Why does it matter? Who is she?"
He didn't answer. But I could see it in his eyes—
He knew.He knew who Li Suna was.And for some reason, he was afraid of her.
Before I could press him further, the door opened. A calm-looking woman in a white coat entered. Elegant, professional, but there was something off in her smile.
"Ah, Miss Xiao," she said. "I'm Dr. Wen. I've come to assess your mental condition."
I backed away instinctively. "Mental condition? What ?"
Mr. Xiao spoke before I could protest. "Just a precaution. For your safety."
For my safety?
Or to shut me up?
Dr. Wen stepped forward with a sweet smile. "This won't take long."
I looked from her to my father and realized: I was walking a razor's edge.
And the deeper I dug into Xiao Xinya's life…
The more dangerous it became.