I thought we were building a future together... until I overheard her call me "just for fun."
She never planned to marry me—she was waiting for her first love the whole time... and that man was my own brother.
So I walked away without saying a word.
Three years later, I became a global superstar while she was left chasing someone who had already moved on. By the time she learned the truth, I had already found my happiness.
Sometimes, the best revenge isn't getting even—it's never looking back.
💬 Would you forgive someone who treated your love like a game?
#AnimeRecap #ManhwaRecap #RomanceDrama #Betrayal #SecondChance
She never planned to marry me—she was waiting for her first love the whole time... and that man was my own brother.
So I walked away without saying a word.
Three years later, I became a global superstar while she was left chasing someone who had already moved on. By the time she learned the truth, I had already found my happiness.
Sometimes, the best revenge isn't getting even—it's never looking back.
💬 Would you forgive someone who treated your love like a game?
#AnimeRecap #ManhwaRecap #RomanceDrama #Betrayal #SecondChance
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00After my fiancé became my sister-in-law, I squeezed 20 billion from my cold-hearted father
00:04and walked away from Jingbei, the city that broke me. Then I posted on social media. My fiancé ran
00:09off with my brother. This young master is officially single and available. The photo?
00:13An abshoot I paid six figures for. One second later her girls were already blowing up Sable's
00:17phone. Sable, are you serious right now? Riven, is that fine? Any woman with eyes would fall for
00:22him. I can barely keep it together myself. And you're just letting him be single? The moment
00:26Sable hears I'm gone, she panics. She orders her assistant to track me down immediately,
00:30but the answer she gets stops her cold. I've already left the country. Miss Shen,
00:34someone of your status cannot travel abroad right now. This time he may actually be done with you,
00:38Sable's pupils tighten. A memory hits her, that conversation at the club. Sable,
00:42just came from your little love nest, huh? That Riven, cocky as hell on any normal day,
00:46acts like nobody exists, but around you he goes all soft and clingy. It makes my heart ache just
00:50watching. When are you going to marry him already? I freeze mid-step, heart pounding, face full of
00:54hope. But what I hear is, just having fun. Marry him, please. Her tone is breezy. Seven words,
00:59light as air, but to me, they land like seven poison-dipped blades, driving straight into my
01:03chest. The private room goes dead silent. Even her closest friends are stunned. I don't know how
01:07long it lasts until someone finally dares to speak. No. Seriously? Sable, it's been three years.
01:12You're still carrying a torch for someone else? Someone else? My mind goes blank, completely blank.
01:16Sable has a first love. I stand there like a puppet with no strings, frozen outside the door,
01:21listening as Sable gives a quiet hum of confirmation. When we broke up?
01:24He asked for three years. He'd try other people and so would I. And if we still had feelings for
01:28each other we'd get back together. So I did what he asked. Three years. I've done my part. She
01:32pauses. He should be coming back soon. I feel like I've been struck by lightning. Ice cold all over,
01:36trembling down to my fingertips. Three years of closeness every moment I thought we were truly
01:40connected. And it was all just his experiment. But what about Riven? You know his personality.
01:45If he ever finds out, but before she can finish, I slam open the heavy door to the private room.
01:49Everyone inside jumps. Every head snaps toward me. I stand in the doorway,
01:52pale as a ghost. I stare straight at the woman seated at the head of the table. She doesn't
01:56flinch. No surprise. No panic. Just that same cool, untouchable look. If she had even the smallest
02:01feeling for me, her face would not look like that right now. I walk up to her and study every
02:05inch
02:05of her face. Sable, don't you have anything to say to me? Nothing worth saying. It's exactly what you
02:09heard. We were just having fun. I always assumed you knew. Dash made a bet with you. Win me over,
02:13and you get your pick of any car in his garage. If a car isn't enough, she reaches into her
02:17jacket
02:17and pulls out a matte black card, sliding it across the table toward me. There's a hundred
02:21million here. Call it payment for three years of being on call. From this moment on, we're done.
02:25She stands up and moves to leave. But the moment she passes me, I reach out, grabbing her hand and
02:29holding on. Sable, I actually fell for you. Every memory from the past three years floods through me
02:33as I say it. But she just shakes her head and holds up her phone. A notification preview fills the
02:37screen. Sable, three years. I tried, and I still only want you. Come back to me. In that instant,
02:42my entire world collapses. Sable stares at the screen for a long moment, then slowly pries my
02:47fingers from her hand, one by one. Sorry, it didn't move me. And with that, she walks away
02:51without looking back. She said it didn't move her, which means for three years, only I was the fool.
02:55Pouring everything I had into a play she directed, I stand frozen, staring at my empty hand. Then I grab
03:00an expensive bottle of liquor off the table and smash it against the floor. Everyone in the room goes
03:04rigid with shock. Nobody dares to move. I don't know how much time passes before I finally walk out of
03:09the club. The night wind hits my face, cold and sharp. I wipe my tears with the back of my
03:13hand
03:13and flag down a cab to follow that Maybach. I need to see for myself. Who is this person she's
03:17been
03:17holding onto for three years? The one I could never measure up to. The driver notices my state but says
03:21nothing. He just hits the gas and follows. Then I notice something. The normally composed steady
03:25driver ahead is going noticeably faster than usual. A fresh wave of pain hits me. She's this eager to
03:30see him. The car stops at the arrivals level of the international airport. I pay the fare and stumble
03:34out, hiding behind a pillar. I spot Sable standing near the exit. Then a man comes out,
03:38rolling a suitcase behind him. The moment I see his face, the shock hits me like a lightning bolt.
03:42Not just because he opens his arms and catches Sable as she rushes into him, pressing his lips to the
03:46top of her head, but because that person is Crest, the man I'm supposed to call a brother. The one
03:50person in this world I despise the most. Less than six months after my mother died in a car accident,
03:55my father brought a woman home. She came with a son, three years older than me. That son was Crest.
03:59Harlan claimed she was his first love, and Crest was his real son. He said my mother forced his hand,
04:03that she stole him from his first love before she could even give birth, forcing him to end things.
04:07But I know the truth better than anyone. Back when Harlan was starting his business,
04:10he had nothing. Couldn't even afford food. He went to my mother himself, she had been chasing
04:14him for years, and promised to marry her if her family funded his company. My mother gave him the
04:18money, gave him everything she had, and then in a car accident years later she gave her life pushing
04:22him out of the way. And what did she get in return? Her body wasn't even cold when Harlan used
04:25her
04:26dowry and inheritance as a wedding gift to marry his so-called first love in grand style.
04:29Sable can love whoever she wants, but why does it have to be Crest? I'm still lost in that thought
04:33when Sable takes Crest's luggage and heads toward the parking lot. Like a man possessed,
04:37I hail another cab and follow. I'm close enough to see clearly through the window.
04:40Sable turning to Crest, talking to him softly, her hand reaching up to brush a strand of hair
04:45from his face, so naturally, so effortlessly. That kind of tenderness, I never once received
04:49that in three years with her. I keep staring ahead, my vision blurring with tears, when a
04:53collision erupts at the intersection ahead. Tires screech, metal crunches, the cab I'm in slams
04:58into the car in front, and then a car behind hits us hard. The force of impact is brutal.
05:02My forehead slams into the back of the front seat, blinding pain. Blood streams down immediately,
05:07blurring my sight. Through the chaos and screaming, I see through the shattered window. The familiar
05:10Maybach door swings open. Sable gets out first, rushing around to the passenger side,
05:15carefully pulling Crest out. She holds him, scanning his injuries, her brow furrowed tight
05:18with worry. Then she steers him around, ready to leave the scene. But as she turns, her eyes
05:22lock with mine. I'm trapped in the crushed back seat of the cab. In those eyes of hers,
05:25I catch a flash of shock, but it vanishes instantly. Crest notices her hesitation.
05:29Sable, what's wrong? Did you see someone you know? I'm fine. If someone needs help,
05:33go check on them. I heard one of the cabs got hit pretty bad. A few seconds of silence,
05:36then Sable turns away. No one I know, just strangers. She supports Crest and walks away
05:40from the wreckage without a single glance back. When I come to again, I'm in a hospital.
05:44A nurse is adjusting the IV drip in my hand. Seeing me open my eyes, she says,
05:48Mr. Fang, you're finally awake, your injuries are serious, you'll need to stay for observation,
05:53and we need to reach your next of kin to handle the medical bill.
05:55But my eyes are empty. I don't react. The nurse repeats herself. Mr. Fang,
05:59and then a familiar voice cuts through. The bill's already been paid. I whip my head around.
06:03Sable is standing in the doorway. The nurse reads the room and quietly slips out.
06:07Sable steps in, her gaze moving over my bandaged wounds. Then she reaches out,
06:11as if to touch my forehead. I turn away. Miss Shen runs an empire.
06:14Why waste time checking on a stranger? Sable's hand stills. If I don't come, who will?
06:19That lands. Who do I have? My mother died too soon. My father always chose someone else.
06:23Vera never had a real place in my life. That house stopped being home a long time ago.
06:27For three years, it was Sable. Showing up every time I needed someone. Making me lean on her.
06:31Making me believe I'd finally found somewhere safe. And now the same person is the one who
06:35pushed me back into the dark. Even if no one comes, I don't need you here. You're the one
06:38who said it. We're done. I'm not that desperate, Miss Shen. You don't want me. You think I'd still
06:42come crawling back? I draw a long breath, holding on to the last scrap of my pride. You didn't
06:47actually believe me when I said I fell for you, did you? I was just saying stuff. We were both
06:50just playing around. Oh, and Sable, you're exhausting to watch. Sable stares at me. At
06:55my forced anger and my red-rimmed eyes, her brow creases. She's about to say something when a nurse
07:00rushes in. Miss Shen, crest examination is finished and he's been asking for you. The moment I hear
07:04that, I react like I've been stepped on. Then go. Get out of here and go be with your precious
07:08first love. I don't need you. Sable holds my gaze for a moment, silent, then finally speaks.
07:13I'm not here for any personal reason. You're Dash's friend. He asked me to check on you.
07:17That's when I finally laugh. Even though it pulls at the wound on my face, the pain is
07:20nothing compared to what's in my chest. Sable, don't worry. I know better than to read into
07:24it. At that moment, something shifts in Sable's chest. This is the first time she's ever seen
07:28me cry. Her lips part, like she wants to say something but nothing comes out. She turns
07:32and follows the nurse out. Watching her walk away without hesitation, I finally lose the
07:36will to hold on and sink against the hospital bed. I expect to cry for hours. Strangely, the
07:41tears dry up fast. In the days that follow, I'm alone in the hospital. No one to help
07:45me. Changing my dressings drenches me in cold sweat. Every meal tastes like nothing. Sometimes
07:49I catch nurses whispering in the hallway about how lucky Crest is, that Miss Shen waits on
07:53him hand and foot, personally feeds him, brings him water, stays through the night. One time
07:57I walk past that room and through the gap in the door, I see Sable sitting at his bedside,
08:00peeling an apple. That image burns itself into my eyes. The pain nearly blacks me out. But
08:04I don't cry. The one thing Riven is best at is being able to love hard and let go
08:08clean. The day I'm discharged, the first thing I do is get my visa. I cannot spend
08:12another second in the city. I come back to the house afterward, and the first thing I
08:15see is Vera, full makeup, perfectly put together, launching into her usual lecture the moment
08:19she spots me. Riven, so you do know how to come home. I don't even glance at her. I walk
08:23straight to the entryway and grab a tall porcelain vase, hurling it against the floor with everything
08:27I've got. The crash is deafening. Shards fly everywhere. Vera screams, stumbling back two
08:32steps. Who do you think you are? A home-wrecking side piece thinks she can lecture me?
08:36Vera, get this straight. As long as I'm still in this house, you will never hold your head
08:39up here. Never. Sharp words, deliberate, everyone lands. Vera's face goes white, her whole body
08:44shaking. Riven, what is wrong with you? Harlan charges out of his study, rushes to steady
08:48Vera and turns on me with fury in his eyes. You walk through the door and immediately cause
08:51chaos. Can you act like a human being for once? I watch him cradle that woman and let
08:55out a cold laugh. I'm causing chaos? Fine. Give me my share of the estate now and I'll leave
08:59the country. You'll never see me again. Harlan blinks, then pastes on a look of false
09:03concern. Don't be ridiculous. Leave? For what? Stay here. This is your home. We're family.
09:07I laugh like I've just heard the funniest thing in my life. Drop the act, Harlan. You
09:11and Crest. You're the family. My mother died. I stopped having a home that day. Let's cut
09:15to the chase. I want what's mine. At that, Harlan's expression darkens. He stays silent
09:19for a long moment, then speaks with practiced tenderness. Dad understands you're frustrated.
09:22How about this? Dad gives you five million. You take a little trip and clear your head.
09:26Five million? I scoff. Harlan. Everything you have today came from my grandfather's
09:30money, my mother's dowry, and even your life itself was paid for by my mother with
09:34her own life. And now you use her money to support a mistress and an illegitimate son
09:38living in the house she paid for and you want to brush off her son with five million? Where's
09:42your shame? That hits home. Harlan snaps. How much do you want? Say it. I was ready. I
09:46pull a document from my pocket and calmly list off numbers and equity stakes. Are you
09:50insane? That's impossible. You'd hollow out the entire fan group. Then don't agree. I buried
09:54explosives outside the house. Either sign the deal, hand over what's mine, or we both go
09:58up with it today. Your call. Riven, you're out of your mind. Yes, I am. Harlan goes pale,
10:02breathing hard, staring at me like he's trying to figure out if I'm bluffing. In the end,
10:06the fear of death wins. Are we done? Now go get rid of those explosives. Relax. There are
10:10no explosives. I lied. After all, that's how you got my mother to marry you, isn't it? Trick
10:13people into it. Harlan finally realizes he's been played. He sputters, points at me, and
10:17can't form a single word. I've got what I came for. I couldn't care less about his reaction.
10:21I'm already turning to go upstairs when... Your brother is coming home tonight with his
10:24girlfriend for dinner. I don't care what you've been pulling lately. Tonight you sit
10:27down, you eat, and you behave. His girlfriend is Sable. You know exactly how powerful the
10:31Shen family is in this city. We cannot afford to offend them, so put away that attitude of
10:34yours and don't cause trouble. My foot stops dead on the stairs. My whole body goes rigid.
10:38Sable. She's coming here tonight, as Crest's girlfriend. I don't have time to process it.
10:42The front door opens and Crest walks in, holding Sable's hand. All smiles. Dad, Mom, I'm home.
10:47Harlan and the still shaky Vera immediately light up and rush forward, fussing over Crest with
10:51warmth and bowing to Sable with absolute deference, practically groveling. But Sable,
10:55The moment her eyes land on me, she visibly frowns. It seems like this is the first time
10:59she's learning that I'm actually Crest's little brother. At dinner, Crest and Sable sit together
11:03naturally. I sit alone across from them. The entire meal, I watch Sable carefully serve
11:07Crest, placing food on his plate, peeling his shrimp. Vera watches it all with a glowing
11:11face. Crest, how did you and Emma Shen meet? Tell Mom all about it. It was at a charity gala.
11:16I saw a stray cat stuck up in a tree, so I tried to help it down, but I couldn't
11:19get up there
11:19no matter what I tried. Sable was the one who helped, and then she asked for my number.
11:23He even manages to look a little shy saying it. I can't hold back a short, sharp laugh.
11:27Crest has hated animals since he was a kid. He killed a cat when he was little. He would
11:31never voluntarily help one. The four of them play happy family over dinner. I'm not in
11:35the mood for their little performance, so I get up and step outside to the garden.
11:38It doesn't take long before Crest follows.
11:40Riven, standing out here alone catching some air, I already know what's going on with you.
11:44People in our circle told me all about what happened between you and Sable over the past
11:47three years. I keep my back to him. I tense slightly, but I don't turn. Honestly,
11:51when I first heard, I was a little worried given how irresistible you are. You charm everyone
11:55regardless of gender. Who wouldn't fall for you? Such a shame, though. All that looks went to waste.
11:59Your mother couldn't beat mine, and neither can you. Those three years were just charity I handed
12:02you. The real thing is back now. Time for the knockoff to exit. I slowly turned to face him.
12:07My eyes hold none of the rage or hurt he was expecting. Only contempt. Charity? Crest,
12:11did spending all that time abroad make you forget what you actually are? A man who only walked
12:14through this door because his mother was someone's mistress. A bastard son who plays games to hold
12:18on to a woman. And you want to talk to me about charity? Your mother picked up what mine threw
12:22away. You picked up the woman I was done with. Like mother, like son. Always taking other people's
12:26leftovers. The smile drops off Crest's face, his complexion cycling between pale and green.
12:30You think you won? You're just getting the woman Riven finished with. The one he threw out,
12:34picking her up off the ground, and treating her like some kind of prize. I turn to walk away.
12:38But the moment I do, Crest lets out a sharp cry behind me. His forehead connects directly with
12:42the edge of a decorative stone bench, blood pouring out instantly. Almost at the same moment,
12:46Sable, Harlan, and Vera come rushing out from the living room. Crest is on the ground,
12:49hands pressed to his bleeding forehead. Dad, Mom, Sable, don't blame him. I just lost my footing.
12:54Vera throws herself at her son, pulling him close. Crest, how can you be so foolish? After
12:58everything he just did to you, you still cover for him? Harlan goes rigid with fury. Finger pointed at
13:03me. Riven, what did you do to him now? I stand there and watch this carefully staged frame up,
13:07my gaze moving over the raging father, the fake mother, and finally landing on Sable. Crouched beside
13:12Crest, carefully checking his wound, then looking up and glaring at me like she wants to tear
13:16me apart. Good. She doesn't believe me either. Fair enough. Crest is the one she truly loves.
13:20Why would she take my side? I think about it for a second, then walk over step by step,
13:24and in front of everyone's horrified eyes, I pick up a heavy ceramic pot and bring it down
13:28hard on the exact spot Crest already cut open. A dull crack. Then Crest screams, louder and worse.
13:33I let go, drop the shattered pot, and say clearly, just so everyone knows, that first time wasn't me.
13:38This time was. Everyone freezes, including Sable. I drop the remaining ceramic shards and turn to
13:43leave, but a hand seizes my wrist with incredible force. Sable. Her grip is iron, her face dark as
13:48a storm. Chairman Fang, if your son behaves like this and goes undisciplined, I won't be letting
13:53this go. Harlan is torn between worrying about Crest and fearing Sable's influence. He bows without
13:57hesitation. Miss Shen, don't worry. I'll deal with this ungrateful little punk personally. He calls for
14:01the security guards on the spot. Grab him. Drag him to the ancestral hall and make him kneel. You
14:05wouldn't dare. I fight back, glaring at my father with every bit of venom I have, but Harlan turns to
14:10Sable, fawning as he asks, in your opinion, making him kneel in the ancestral hall to reflect. Is that
14:14punishment enough? Sable helps Crest to his feet, blood still streaming from his forehead, and sweeps
14:19a cold gaze over me. What she says is brutal. That's too light. I noticed a riding crop hanging
14:23in the study. That's not just decoration, is it? She guides Crest away without a backward glance.
14:27I stand there, stunned, watching her go. She just told Harlan to whip me. Harlan catches on immediately
14:32and barks at the guards. You hear me? Thirty strikes with the riding crop first, then drag him to the
14:36ancestral hall. He doesn't get up without my say-so. I fight with everything I have, but they
14:40pin me down. Too many of them. And I let my guard down. I told myself Crest's words didn't get
14:45to me,
14:45but they clearly did. Otherwise, a few sentences from him wouldn't have set me off like that.
14:48I'm hauled away to a side room. When I come back to myself, I'm lying in my own room, feeling
14:52like
14:52I've been crushed into pieces. Nanny Mae is quietly applying medicine to my wounds, wiping tears as she
14:57goes, whispering softly. Young master, please just apologize to the master. Why put yourself through this?
15:02I shake my head weakly. Give in. Give in to this family, and they'll pick me clean.
15:06Nothing left but bones. I pause and pull out a smile that looks worse than crying.
15:10It was just a beating. I got my shots in at Crest, too. Fair trade. I can take it. I
15:13force
15:13myself to reach under the pillow and pull out a bank card, pressing it into Nanny Mae's hand.
15:17Take this. She startles, and pushes back immediately. Young master, I could never take
15:21your money. Take it. I planned this out a long time ago. I'm not coming back. You came with my
15:25mother from her family home. Staying here now. They'll never treat you right. This is enough for
15:29you to live out the rest of your life with ease. Trust me. Quit and leave this place.
15:33Nanny Mae stares at the thin card in her hand, then looks at me, broken and bruised on the
15:37bed, still thinking of her, and breaks down completely. Tears stream down her old face
15:41as her knees buckle. I stop her. Nanny Mae, I'm actually in the mood for your lotus root
15:45and pork rib soup. Okay, okay. I'll go make it right now. Right now. She hurries to dry
15:49her eyes and rushes off to the kitchen. The room goes quiet again. I stare up at the ornate
15:52yet cold ceiling and slowly close my eyes. For the next few days, I stay in my room to heal.
15:57I push through the pain, slowly packing everything up, including every single thing Sable ever
16:01gave me. She didn't love me, but she was generous. All of it together is worth close
16:05to a hundred million. I almost throw it all away, but I think better of it and call the
16:08owner of the upscale club I used to frequent. I heard they're running a charity auction,
16:12so I tell them I have quite a few items to put up. They get back to me quickly. There's
16:15an event tonight and I'm welcome to bring everything. That evening, I arrive at the club
16:18with several large cases, hand everything over to the auction coordinator, and the moment
16:22I turn around, I run straight into Sable and Crest walking in together. Sable is pressed
16:26close to his side, and the moment Crest spots me, a flash of smug satisfaction crosses
16:30his face. My hand tightens instinctively, but I let go. I have a real reason to be here tonight,
16:34no point wasting energy on them. I've barely sat down when the lights dim. The host takes
16:38the stage and announces that before the auction begins, there will be a three-minute kissing
16:42moment. All couples in the room are invited to enjoy it freely. A spotlight sweeps randomly
16:46across the dim room, catching couple after couple in its beam. Not far from me, I watch
16:50Sable smile and loop her arms around Crest's neck. He looks down at her, then leans in.
16:54Before the pain even has time to land, one of the heavy decorative iron light fixtures
16:58overhead comes loose, and plunges straight down toward Crest. Sable reacts instantly,
17:02shoving him clear, but the edge of the fixture still clips the back of his head. Her face
17:05goes white. She grabs Crest and rushes him toward the parking lot, racing to get him
17:09to the hospital. Another fixture comes down and hits me. Pain's so sharp I nearly black
17:12out. A bystander gets me to the hospital too. The accident hits fast, ends fast, and
17:16only a few of us were caught in it. I barely finished recovering at home and now I'm back
17:20in a hospital bed. I've barely been settled into my room when Sable storms in, her expression
17:23dark and terrifying, looking at me like she wants to tear me apart.
17:26Riven, I reviewed the security footage. You bribed a club employee and deliberately loosened
17:30that fixture trying to drop it on Crest, didn't you? Are you out of your mind, Sable? Besides
17:33you, who else would want him dead that badly? Riven, I seriously underestimated you. There's
17:37nothing to say because there's nothing to find. Sable, you have no right to accuse me.
17:40Accuse you? Looks like without some real consequences you won't talk. She pulls out her phone and
17:45dials. I need you to bring someone in. Riven Fang, second son of the Fang family, suspected
17:49assaults, send people now, hold him for a few days, let him cool off and think. My eyes go wide,
17:53my face stripped blank with disbelief. She's actually using her connections to lock me up.
17:57Then what does it mean that I got hit by that fixture too? Within minutes, uniformed officers
18:01arrive at my room, ignoring both the doctor's objections and my injuries, and they take me
18:05by force. The days that follow are hell on earth. In there, I endure everything. The others in the
18:10cells seem to have been given special instructions. They come at me relentlessly, fists and boots.
18:14When they finally release me a few days later, I barely look human anymore. Every inch of me
18:18is broken, barely breathing. The only thing that drags me out of that place is a message on my
18:21phone. My visa has been approved. I take a cab back to the estate, ready to grab my bags and
18:25get
18:25to the airport. When I walk straight into Dash, he'd just gotten back from traveling abroad,
18:29heard everything and came running. The moment he sees me, his face crumbles with guilt. He can't
18:33stop apologizing. Riven, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I never liked my cousin's ex,
18:38so I pushed you to stir things up with him. I never expected it to go this far. I didn't
18:41know her
18:42first love was Crest. If I had, I never would have dragged you into it. It's not your fault,
18:46it's over. I've let it go. I'm leaving the country. I probably won't be coming back at all.
18:50Dash goes still, then tries to hold me back. Riven, don't go. Stay here. I'll have your back.
18:54Whatever I have, you have half. No, there's nothing left here worth staying for. Before I leave,
18:59I take one last look at this house. Every childhood memory inside it, now filled with Harlan and his
19:04mistress and their son like they own the place. I pull out the can of gasoline I had prepared
19:07ahead of time, tune out the housekeeper's pleas, and douse the place without expression. Then I light
19:12it. Flames rise and swallow everything. I pick up my last bag and walk away without looking back.
19:16Dash drives me to the airport, apologizing the entire way, offering me every
19:20car in his garage to make up for it. I just shake my head and lean against the window. Me,
19:24Riven,
19:24even without any talent to my name, just this face alone is enough. Whatever I want, the next one will
19:29always be better than the last. That's right, the handsome Riven gets whatever he wants. At the
19:33airport, Dash hugs me and won't let go, still apologizing. I know his heart. I don't blame him.
19:37This isn't on him. I give him a gentle pat on the back, then let go, give him a casual
19:41wave,
19:42and head for security. Dash watches until my figure disappears into the corridor. He stands there in
19:46silence for a long time before he finally works up the nerve to call Sable. The phone rings for a
19:50long
19:50time before she picks up. Sable? Dash's voice is sharp. I know you're into Crest, but you and Riven
19:55were still together for three years. He's leaving now. For good. You can't even come say goodbye?
19:59Silence on the other end. Then, after a few seconds, Sable's voice comes through. Who left? Riven. He's
20:04gone. Took the first available flight out. He said he's never coming back on anyone else's terms.
20:09Are you satisfied now? Dash almost shouts it, then slams the call shut. The harsh dial tone fills the
20:14silence. Sable stays frozen in place, phone still raised to her ear, unable to move. Gone. Left the
20:20country. Never coming back. These words pile into her head like blows. She frowns, tosses her phone
20:24back onto the desk, and tries to refocus on the critical merger documents in front of her. But all
20:29those dense, tightly packed words and numbers crawl across the page like chaotic ants. She can't focus.
20:34Her mind keeps looping back, unbidden, to the look on my face right before they took me away.
20:37That look. She tugs at her collar, restless, and stands at the floor-to-ceiling window. She
20:42stares out for a long time, then suddenly grabs her car keys and strides out of the office.
20:46In the elevator going down, she calls the airport director on his private line. Find out what
20:50flight Riven took out of the country. Now, by the time she arrives at the airport, driving
20:53recklessly fast, the director is already waiting, visibly nervous, ready to hand over what he found.
20:58Miss Shen. Mr. Fang was on flight FX-108 to Paris. It departed 20 minutes ago. Sable stops dead.
21:03She looks up at the massive departure board, next to flight FX-108. Three green words glow cold and
21:08clear. Departed. She stands motionless in the crowded, noisy terminal. Voices in a dozen languages
21:13around her. Wheels of luggage rolling past. Travelers laughing and chatting. Just then, her phone
21:17vibrates again. Crest's name on the screen. She draws a slow breath and answers. Sable, my head still
21:22hurts a little. Are you busy? I miss you. In the past, she would have dropped everything and gone to
21:26him instantly. But right now, she stares at the tiny light of a plane that just vanished into the dark
21:30sky,
21:30and she's quiet for a long moment. Finally, she answers. I'm on my way. She heads to the
21:34hospital, very important person room. Crest is propped up against the headboard, looking a little
21:38pale. When he sees her walk in, his face lights up. Sable sits beside him, listening as Crest talks
21:43and talks. But her mind is somewhere else. He picks up on her unusual quietness and carefully probes.
21:48Sable, are you worried about Riven? Dad told me he left the country. After pulling a stunt like that,
21:52honestly, going away to clear his head isn't the worst thing. Give him time. He'll probably come around.
21:56Let's not talk about him. Crest nods right away, clearly happy to drop it. But what he
22:00doesn't know is, once he falls asleep, Sable picks up her phone again, finger hovering over the screen,
22:05and finally opens the chat with her assistant, typing a message. Keep tabs on what Riven's
22:09doing abroad. Compile a weekly report for me. But just as her finger is about to hit send,
22:13she stops. What am I doing? He was just a bit of fun. Is he really worth this much attention?
22:16She deletes the entire message in one swipe. Life after getting back together with Crest looks
22:20perfect from the outside. The ideal match. The beautiful couple. Sable does everything a girlfriend
22:24is supposed to do. Dinners, work, showing up at the right events. But only Sable knows the truth.
22:29This life that looks perfect is actually hollow and completely numb. She drifts mid-task at the
22:34office window, remembering a time when I used to sneak in right at her busiest moments, wrap my arms
22:38around her from behind, and breathe deliberately into her ear, destroying her concentration completely.
22:43She catches herself on the private jet, eyes drifting to that tiny lavatory, the one where I
22:47eventually wrapped her in a blanket and carried her out, and when I did she muttered complaints under
22:51her breath the whole way. These memories that have no business showing up now come at her like ghosts,
22:55crawling in unbidden, unsettling her every time.
22:57She takes Crest to the exclusive private dining club we used to go to, the one that books up
23:01months in advance. The food is still exquisite, the setting is still elegant. Sable eats in silence,
23:06but her mind drifts back to how I used to wait for her to look away and steal exactly the
23:10dish
23:10she wanted. Then I'd claim it wasn't even spicy, until I'd grab her hand and drink straight from
23:14her glass to cool down, telling her without a hint of shame, what's yours is mine. Every meal ended in
23:19absolute chaos, but it was alive. And this dinner, this one is so quiet the only sound is silverware
23:23touching porcelain, suffocating. At night she lies on her usual side of the bed,
23:27half asleep, and her arm reaches out automatically to the side, and lands on a warm body. But it's
23:32wrong. The warmth is wrong. Not that bright burning heat. The breathing is wrong too,
23:36no familiar natural scent. Even the quiet sounds of sleep are wrong. I was never a still sleeper,
23:40always stealing the covers without realizing it, like a small animal searching for warmth,
23:44half asleep and burrowing straight into her arms. Sable's eyes snap open. A wave of deep,
23:49almost violent rejection rises in her chest. For the first time, she practically shoves Crest aside,
23:53gets up and walks out of bed. Go to sleep. I just remembered there's an urgent document I need to
23:57handle. Without waiting for his stunned response, she goes straight to the study and shuts the door.
24:01She needs to be alone. Needs silence. Needs to force the face that keeps getting clearer in her mind out
24:05of it for good. One week later, an important business gala, and Sable attends with Crest.
24:09Everyone says they're perfect together. Sable finds the whole night suffocating. A spoiled young man at
24:14the dinner takes issue with Crest, provoking him deliberately. Crest's only move is to turn and look to
24:18Sable. In the past, Sable would have stepped in. She always felt his background wasn't strong enough,
24:22so of course she had to hold things together. But right now, she thinks of me. If that had been
24:25me
24:25in that situation, I probably would have turned around and splashed my drink right back at him,
24:29then said without a care in the world, so sorry, my hand slipped. The contrast hits her hard.
24:34Just then, a young man from an old family, one with a history of bad blood with the shens,
24:38and a mouth that never knows when to stop, saunters over with a drink. Heard you and Riven had a
24:41falling
24:41out. He's off living it up abroad. What a shame. I've always been curious what it's like.
24:45Before he can finish his sentence, Sable delivers a single, zero warning slap straight across his
24:50face. He doesn't see it coming. Crashes to the floor with a cry, blood pouring from his nose.
24:54The entire room freezes, every person staring at what just happened. Sable looks down at him
24:58without an ounce of pity. Who do you think you are? Then she turns, ignoring the man on the floor,
25:02ignoring every shocked face in the room. Leaves them all with, watch your mouth, and walks out with an
25:07equally stunned Crest in tow. It is the first time in her life she has ever lost control like this,
25:11at an event that mattered, and it was triggered by a single throwaway comment about me.
25:14On the ride home, the car is heavy with silence. Crest seems shaken, and after a long pause,
25:19he carefully speaks up. Sable, my mom called again today asking about when we're thinking
25:23about marriage. Sable presses her fingers to her temple, her voice flat. There are a few cross-border
25:27merger deals at critical stages right now. It's a busy time. Let's talk about it later. Late that
25:31night, Sable sits alone in the study and opens a password-protected album on her phone. Inside is a
25:35single short video. It's from a gathering of friends a few years ago. Someone dared me to sing. I gave
25:39in,
25:40jumped up on stage, grabbed the mic, and launched into an upbeat pop song. She doesn't even
25:44remember when she saved this. She genuinely doesn't know. She watches the figure on the screen,
25:47free, alive, unbothered, and compares it to the stillness of her life now. Something squeezes
25:52around Sable's heart, tight, suffocating. She shuts the video off hard, flips the phone face
25:56down on the desk, chest heaving. Time passes, and before long, three years are gone. The capital's
26:00international airport. Sable is returning from a major overseas business trip, Crest accompanying her
26:05as her fiancé. The arrival is meant to be low-key. They take the very important person corridor to stay
26:09clear of the crowds. But the moment they step out, a wall of sound hits them. The arrivals hall is
26:14packed. Hundreds of young men and women holding glowing signs, flowers, and banners, screaming the
26:18same name in a single thunderous voice. Riven. Riven. Riven. The noise is so loud it feels like the roof
26:23might lift. Ordinary travelers stop in their tracks, turning to stare and whisper. Who is that? What is
26:28going on? You seriously don't know. Riven. He's the biggest name in entertainment right now. Debuted three
26:32years ago. A face that could launch a thousand ships and the man of a thousand faces on screen. The
26:36moment Sable
26:37hears my name. Her feet stop without her permission. Her eyes follow the noise and the crowd's gaze,
26:42locking onto a massive billboard hanging on the pillar across the corridor. She stands there,
26:46completely still, staring at the enormous poster, the noise of the entire hall fading out around her,
26:51until the only thing left in the world is that figure blazing like a star. Crest sees it too,
26:55and his grip tightens on Sable's hand instinctively. Sable. That's Riven. I'd heard he went abroad and got
27:00into the entertainment industry, throwing away a perfectly good life as a young master to mess around in
27:05show business. There's a deliberate dismissiveness in his tone. Sable doesn't seem to hear it. She has
27:09known, for all three of these years, she never once reached out to find me. But news of me found
27:14her
27:14anyway. She knew I debuted at the top, that every film I made was both critically praised and a box
27:18office
27:19hit, that I'd won more major awards than she could count. She even had her assistant secretly buy every
27:23film I'd ever made and collect posters and merchandise from every brand I endorsed, all tucked away in the
27:28most hidden drawer of her study. She just never let herself go to me. Then her eyes cut through the
27:32surging crowd and lock onto the figure who has just walked out of the regular arrival corridor,
27:36closely flanked by bodyguards and assistants. Just one look, and she knows I'm even more striking in
27:41person than on any poster. While Sable watches me across the crowd, a woman suddenly bursts through
27:45the fans with a bright laugh, holding an enormous armful of Ecuadorian roses. It's Soleil, heiress to
27:50the Shang family. Soleil takes my carry-on bag with ease, leans in and whispers something in my ear and
27:54I
27:54burst out laughing, genuinely, loudly. Watching this, something in Sable's expression cracks,
27:59the air around her dropping so cold that even Crest shivers. The crowd practically carries them
28:03into the parking lot. By chance, Sable's car is parked right beside the stretch Lincoln belonging
28:07to my team. Sable watches Soleil hold my door open with a smile. Just as I'm about to get in,
28:11something makes me pause. I turn, and my eyes find Sable's. I give a polite nod. Sable,
28:16why is she here? Not my problem. At the same moment, Sable's heart shoots up into her throat.
28:20She can actually hear her own pulse, but the very next second, it goes dead silent. Because what she
28:25sees in my eyes, is a stranger, looking back. Riven barely tilts his head in Sable's direction,
28:30as if acknowledging a random fan who recognized him. Then he looks away, completely unbothered.
28:34He ducks into the car without a second's pause. Soleil, meanwhile, has noticed Sable. She pulls
28:39the door shut, and through the window she raises an eyebrow in Sable's direction, lips curling into a
28:43slow smirk. Then the black stretch Lincoln peels away, disappearing through the exit of the airport
28:47parking garage. Watching all of this, Sable stands frozen, rooted to the spot. Crest calls her name
28:51several times from beside her, but she doesn't hear a word. There is only a low, steady ringing
28:55in her ears, and one thought, playing on repeat. He saw me, and he looked right through me. Back at
28:59the hotel suite, Sable drops herself hard onto the couch. She doesn't sleep, not a single minute.
29:03The airport plays over and over in her mind, the way Riven looked at her, like she was nobody.
29:07The easy intimacy between Riven and Soleil, and that parting smirk from Soleil. Every detail is a needle
29:12dipped in poison, pressing into her skin, and it's only now that she realizes she cannot stand the way
29:16Riven looked at her, and she absolutely cannot stand another woman standing beside him. The more she
29:20thinks the more she unravels, she shoves herself upright, walks to the minibar, and pours herself
29:24a shot of something strong. She throws it back in one go. Then she grabs her phone. She calls her
29:29assistant. I need everything on Riven's whereabouts in Jingbei, his address, every move he's making for
29:33the next week, and Soleil. What has she been doing for the past three years? What exactly is she to
29:37Riven? I want a full report. The faster the better. The order is given. Sable paces the room, waiting.
29:42Every minute stretches like an hour. Several hours later, her assistant calls back with a thorough
29:46report. Riven's address and schedule are laid out in full, but the information about Soleil makes
29:50Sable's chest sink further and further. Soleil comes from old money and she's brilliant in her
29:54own right. The moment Riven left the country three years ago, she quietly shifted her entire world to
29:58Europe, setting up base in Paris. Moving behind the scenes as an investor, she cleared the path for
30:03Riven, using her connections and resources to help him break into the fashion world and establish
30:07himself in film. Over those three years, she has never once left his side. A quiet, constant guardian.
30:11Their bond is undeniable. Publicly, they are known as close friends. Whether it's gone further, the world
30:16can't agree. Friends. Sable lets out a cold laugh. She ends the call. A man and a woman, just friends.
30:21Please. She can see exactly what Soleil wants. And you, Riven. How could you let someone like her get
30:25this close to you? A sharp hostility takes hold of her. A sense of threat she has never felt before.
30:30For the first time in her life, Sable feels something ugly toward the name Soleil. She needs to see Riven.
30:35She needs to look him in the eye and ask what Soleil really is to him. Fortunately, a week later,
30:40the chance arrives. Her assistant reports that Riven will be attending the after-party of a top
30:44haute couture show. Sable immediately pulls strings to get herself an invitation. The event is held on
30:48the grounds of a historic private estate. The moment Sable steps inside, her eyes find Riven.
30:53He is deep in conversation with several internationally acclaimed directors and
30:56producers switching effortlessly between French and English. Sable holds her glass and watches him
31:00through the crowd. She waits. She waits until she sees Riven's energy begin to fade, until he slips away
31:05alone toward a terrace overlooking the garden. Now, she follows without drawing attention. On the terrace,
31:10the night air is cool. Riven leans against the railing, gazing out at the distant lake.
31:13Sable approaches from behind, takes a deep breath, forces the storm inside her down,
31:17and still, the words that come out carry an edge. What is going on between you and Soleil?
31:21Riven isn't surprised she's there. He doesn't even bother to turn around.
31:24Well, if it isn't MS Shen, it's been a while. Whatever I do or don't do with someone,
31:28I don't believe I owe you a report. That title, MS Shen, and the coldness behind it
31:32makes Sable feel like she's suffocating. She steps closer and grabs his hand.
31:35You've been gone for three years, and you've completely lost your judgment. You know exactly what kind
31:39of person Soleil is. She's played the field more than I ever have. What could she possibly give you?
31:43At that, Riven finally turns around. He looks down at her with calm, quiet authority.
31:47MS Shen, you're not exactly in a position to talk. You say Soleil plays the field?
31:51Funny. I used to be one of the most notorious playboys in the Jingbei social circuit. We're
31:54well-matched. Besides, Soleil has never once hidden how she feels about me. She respects every choice I
31:59make, every boundary I have. Unlike some people, who were never truly mine to begin with,
32:03yet wasted three full years of someone else's life under the pretense of giving it a try.
32:06Sable. Who do you think is worse? The words land like a hard slap across the face.
32:11Sable's face goes pale. She opens her mouth, but there is nothing to say. Just then a voice cuts
32:15in. I was wondering where you disappeared to, and here you are, cornered by someone who has
32:19nothing to do with us. Soleil strides over, loops her arm through Riven's as naturally as breathing.
32:23MS Shen. Long time no see. What's this? Having a little chat with my boyfriend. The mood looks a bit
32:27tense. The word boyfriend hits Sable like a punch to the head. Her pupils contract. She snaps her gaze to
32:32Riven, staring, silently begging him to deny it. Even just a frown would do, but Riven simply tilts
32:37his head toward Soleil, letting her words stand, without even a glance in Sable's direction. Soleil
32:41drinks in every flicker of Sable's reaction, and smiles. I hear you and Riven have a little history,
32:46but that's ancient history now. Riven has me. He's doing just fine, so please, don't trouble yourself.
32:50She pauses, letting her gaze drift pointedly toward the empty space behind Sable. Speaking of which,
32:55where is Crest tonight? Didn't bring him along? So what exactly are you here for,
32:58Mishen? A little something on the side? Poor Crest. Before Sable can get a word in,
33:02Soleil turns away and pulls Riven with her. Sable stands there, watching them leave side
33:06by side, her hand curling into a fist at her side, tasting for the very first time what it
33:10means to have your heart ripped open. After the party, Sable comes home radiating a dangerous
33:14kind of silence. Crest senses it immediately and becomes even more careful, hovering, offering
33:19gentle words, trying to smooth things over. That evening, he brings her a cup of warm milk
33:23and steps into her room. Sable, you've been wearing yourself thin lately. Do you want me to rub your
33:26head? Remember when we first met? There was that one time I climbed up to rescue a cat stuck in
33:30a
33:30tree and nearly fell off the ladder. After you helped me, we got together. I used to do this
33:34for you back then, too. You always said it felt good. He is trying to pull her back with the
33:38memory of how they began, but the more Sable listens, the deeper her frown gets. For some
33:42reason she can't quite explain. A memory surfaces. Something from a long time ago. An old servant
33:46at the Fang household, muttering under their breath. That Crest, even as a child, never liked
33:51animals. That he'd once secretly killed the neighbor's cat. And then she remembers something
33:54Riven once said about Crest, sharp and mocking. Something she'd always brushed off. Dismissed
33:59as Riven trying to cause trouble. But right now, something clicks. She quietly reaches up and
34:03moves Crest's hand away. It's fine. I'd rather be alone. Crest has no move to make. He doesn't
34:07dare push it. He just quietly lets himself out. A few days later, Sable's highly capable assistant
34:12is sorting through a batch of old files shipped over from back home when they stumble onto something.
34:16A copy of an investigation report that had been deliberately buried for years. It concerns
34:20the fatal car accident that killed Riven's mother. The report indicates the crash was not
34:23simply an accident. There are signs it was deliberately orchestrated. And the one who
34:27stood to gain the most? Harlan. Who rose to power and took control of Fangroup immediately after.
34:31Almost simultaneously, an informant Sable had planted inside Fangroup sends an urgent message.
34:36Fangroup is already a hollow shell. In recent years, Harlan has been siphoning enormous sums of money,
34:40routing them through a web of complex offshore transactions to hide the assets. And Crest and
34:45Vera, mother and son, didn't just know. They were in it up to their necks. Fangroup is buried in debt,
34:49teetering on the edge of collapse. But what hits Sable like the ground dropping out from under her
34:53is what comes next. A secret recording. It captures Crest on the phone with someone he calls a friend.
34:57Back then, I threw myself off that ladder on purpose. Faked the whole cat rescue. I needed
35:02Sable to notice me. Women like her fall for that kind of thing every time. The garden incident. I
35:06staged that too. I knew Sable was about to come outside so I timed it and walked right into her
35:10path. And the light rig at the club. I paid someone to loosen it. I wanted it to hit harder
35:13but
35:14it only grazed me. Still got the job done. And Riven, who does he think he is? Thinking he could
35:18compete with me. Sable's heart has always belonged to me. One small trick and she believed
35:22everything. Even had Riven locked up for days. It is only now in this moment that Sable finally
35:26sees the truth. The one she thought was the love of her life was a lie from the very beginning.
35:30And every wound she ever inflicted on Riven was built on that lie. She was a complete and
35:33utter fool. Played like a puppet by this mother and son every step of the way. Sable's legs
35:37give out. She crumbles to the floor, white as a sheet. She immediately has someone summon
35:40Crest to a room. When she throws the evidence in front of him, he tries to deny it at first.
35:44But faced with the irrefutable proof and the full weight of Sable's fury, his defenses shatter.
35:48He collapses to the floor and confesses everything. Sable, I did it because I love you too much.
35:53I was jealous of Riven. I just wanted you to care about me more. I'm sorry. I was wrong.
35:57I know I was wrong. Please, give me one more chance. Sable stares down at the twisted desperate
36:02thing Crest has become. She feels no mercy, just disgust. And at the same time, Riven's
36:06face surfaces in her mind, unbidden. Even at his lowest, even in his worst pain, Riven never begged,
36:11never crawled. In this moment, everything becomes clear. The one who made her heart move was
36:15never Crest, this fake constructed illusion of a first love. It was always the real one,
36:19vivid and alive and true, Riven, who gave her everything he had even after she had torn him
36:23apart. Whatever she told herself she felt for Crest, that was just self-deception. Now that the
36:27truth is out, Sable moves with ruthless efficiency. She orders Harlan to immediately return every asset
36:32he stole, then uses her connections to hand the evidence of Crest and Vera's crimes over to the
36:35authorities. She ends things with Crest, completely, permanently, severing every tie,
36:40without a moment's hesitation. But when it's done, what she feels is not relief,
36:43it is emptiness. Riven, I'm in so much pain. Where are you? I need to see you. I want your
36:47forgiveness. Even if there's only the smallest chance you'd give it. For the first time in her
36:51life, Sable sets aside every shred of pride and dignity. She goes to the villa her assistant
36:55tracked down and waits outside. At seven in the evening, she stands there holding an elegant paper
36:59bag. Inside, a signature cake from a classic bakery that Riven used to love, flown in especially.
37:04She remembers how much Riven loves sweets, especially when he's in a bad mood. How just one bite of
37:08something sweet would ease the tension out of him. But she waits in that car the entire night,
37:12until her eyes are bloodshot, until she looks hollow and worn, until the sky begins to pale.
37:16And finally, a familiar sports car pulls up and stops at the villa gate. Riven steps out from the
37:21driver's side, walks around to the passenger side, and opens the door for Soleil. Soleil reaches up and
37:25ruffles his hair, says something, something that makes Riven laugh, warm and unguarded. The sight of
37:29it cuts straight through Sable. She shoves open her car door and strides toward them. Riven, can we talk?
37:34Riven turns at the sound of her voice. When he sees who it is, his brow immediately creases.
37:37Miss Shen, why are you here? There's nothing to talk about.
37:40Sable takes a desperate step forward, fumbling for her phone, scrambling to pull up the evidence.
37:44Riven, please listen to me. I've looked into everything Crest and his family did. I was wrong
37:47about you. The garden. The light rig at the club. Your mother's accident. None of it was an accident.
37:51It was them. I was blind. I was stupid. I let them fool me. But before she can finish,
37:56Riven raises a hand. So? Sable goes still. The truth is out. And then what? Did you think I'd
38:00come running to you in tears and say now that you finally know, let's be together? Sable,
38:04your apology, your regret, none of it means anything to me. The damage is already done. The humiliation
38:08of being discarded by you like garbage. The pain of having my wrist broken in that detention center.
38:12These things don't disappear because you say you're sorry or because you show me evidence.
38:16As he speaks, Riven's gaze drops to the paper bag in her hands. He lets out a short, humorless laugh.
38:21Still remember my favorite bakery. Quite the effort, Miss Shen. Had it flown in from halfway
38:24across the world. He lifts his eyes and looks directly into her face as the color drains from it.
38:28But I don't eat sweets anymore. Too rich. Too cloying. And with that, Riven turns and follows
38:33Soleil through the gate. The heavy wooden door swings shut, and Sable is cut off. She stands there,
38:37silent, motionless. The bag in her hands feels impossibly heavy. Inside the villa,
38:41Riven leans his back against the cold door and slides slowly to the floor. He can't pretend it
38:44doesn't hurt. There's still a dull ache pressing against his chest. But mostly, what he feels is
38:49relief and exhaustion. Letting go isn't as hard as he thought it would be. Soleil sits down beside him
38:54on the floor and gently pulls him into her arms. Riven, I'm right here. You still have me. This is
38:58all
38:58behind you now. Yeah, it's all behind me. Outside, the rain comes down harder. Sable stands in it,
39:03hollow and lost, staring up at the window that will never open for her again. Her eyes are
39:07empty. She knows what she has lost is gone forever. When she finally goes home, Sable shuts herself in
39:12her room for days, refusing to see anyone, refusing to deal with any business, just staring at the sky.
39:17Riven's words keep ringing in her ears. None of it means anything to me. The way he looked at her,
39:22like she was a stranger. She can't shake it. She cannot accept it. She cannot accept that Riven
39:26has simply cut her out of his life or that there is another woman standing beside him. But instead of
39:30waking her up, that first failed attempt to win him back only stirs something deeper,
39:34something in her bones, a need to control, to possess. I, Sable, have never failed to get what
39:39I want. Riven, I see it clearly now. You have to come back to me. An almost unhinged thought takes
39:44root. She needs to manufacture a situation, one where Riven has no choice but to face her,
39:48where he needs her. She picks up the phone and calls her chief assistant. Use every resource we
39:52have. Find out what Riven's most important upcoming business deal is, and whatever it takes,
39:56I'm getting in. Her assistant is fast. The report comes back quickly. Riven's team is in final
40:01negotiations with a century-old luxury house over a global brand ambassador contract. They are at
40:05the critical last stage. Sable's eyes light up. She immediately reaches out in the name of Shen
40:09Group to the brand's headquarters with a partnership proposal, a deal that costs her more than it gains,
40:14with one condition, delay signing Riven as global ambassador. The weight of Shen Group's influence
40:18is not in question, especially in the Asian market. Faced with an offer this significant,
40:22the brand's leadership wavers, just as expected. The overseas video signing conference scheduled for the
40:26next day is postponed, pending further evaluation. When the news reaches Riven's team, the atmosphere
40:31instantly goes cold. His manager's face tightens with worry, turning to look at Riven. Riven is
40:35standing at the mirror running lines for an upcoming film scene. He hears the news and his
40:39expression goes flat. Of course, this is exactly Sable's style. She wants to force him to bow his head.
40:44Soleil is sprawled lazily across the sofa, scrolling through her phone, but the moment she hears this,
40:48she puts it down and comes to stand beside Riven. Relax, I'm here. Sable's reach only go so far.
40:53When the overseas video conference is rescheduled, the large screen in the brand's boardroom comes
40:57to life one window at a time. Riven, then Soleil's team, then Sable. The meeting begins.
41:02The brand's CEO chooses his words carefully, referencing the more strategically compelling
41:06partnership Shen Group has proposed. The hesitation behind his words is clear.
41:10Sable takes her cue. Shen Group has tremendous faith in your brand's future. We believe this
41:14partnership will be a win for both sides. As for the ambassador selection, I believe it warrants
41:18more careful consideration to ensure the individual's image truly aligns with the brand's core
41:22values at the deepest level. She never names Riven directly, but the implication is unmistakable.
41:26That Riven might not be up to the role. The atmosphere in the meeting drops to freezing,
41:30and then Soleil's unhurried voice slides in.
41:32Michelle, it's been a while, tell me. Not enough to keep you busy back home,
41:35so you've come all the way over here to weigh in on who gets cast in the European fashion world?
41:39She turns her gaze directly to the CEO, voice shifting, firm and clear.
41:43Charlie, Riven's image, professionalism, and market influence speak for themselves.
41:46The Shang Family Foundation has long been one of your most significant art sponsors.
41:50I personally have deep admiration for what your brand stands for. I believe choosing Riven as
41:54your global ambassador is the only right decision. As for certain outside interference,
41:58she pauses, eyes cutting across the screen to where Sable sits. Business has its rules,
42:02don't bring things that don't belong at the table to the table. Riven is where he is today because of
42:06his own talent and hard work, not because anyone handed him anything, and he certainly doesn't need
42:11to accept deals that come with strings attached. Soleil's words land like a sharp slap,
42:15rattling both Sable and the room. The Shang Family's roots and reach in Europe are in a different
42:19league from Shen Group entirely. Next, it is Riven's turn to speak. He speaks with calm and
42:24complete command, laying out his understanding of the brand's hundred-year history, its artistry and
42:28craft, the soul at the center of everything it stands for, and drawing from his own journey and
42:32vision to propose a genuinely compelling approach to the ambassadorship. He is precise, confident,
42:37every bit the A-list star he has become. The executives exchange glances of clear admiration.
42:41Whatever hesitation they had is gone. The CEO makes the call in a spot. Perfect, he's the one.
42:46The global ambassador contract is signed. Sable's screen goes dark first. She sits alone in her
42:50cold, empty office, listening to the dial tone knuckles white. That night, she screams at her
42:54assistant, who stands motionless and barely breathing. Why? Why won't he give me even one
42:58chance to make it right? Whatever Riven wants—wealth, connections, status—I can give him all of it.
43:02Ten times over. A hundred times. So what does he actually want? The assistant watches her spiral
43:06toward something frightening, hesitates for a long moment, and finally speaks in a careful,
43:10quiet voice. Miss Shen. Perhaps what Riven wants has never been any of those things.
43:14The words stop sable cold. If not these things, then what? For the first time,
43:18she genuinely sits with a question she has never asked herself before. Unconditional trust.
43:22Unwavering choice. Or simply, love? She turns it over and over and finds no answer.
43:26And then, just as she is lost in thought, a breaking news alert sends ice through her veins.
43:30Breaking news. Continuous heavy rainfall in the southern French Alps has triggered severe
43:34flash flooding and mudslides. Multiple villages have lost all communication. Roads are destroyed.
43:39The situation is critical. Then her assistant's urgent message arrives. Riven is in that area.
43:43The moment she reads that last line, Sable's heart stops. Riven had been invited to participate
43:47in a charity shoot for the International Children's Fund, near the town that has been hit the hardest.
43:51All communication to the entire region has been cut off. Whether he is alive or not, unknown.
43:55At the time, Sable is chairing a critical board meeting that will shape Shen Group's strategy
43:59for the next decade. The moment her assistant delivers the news, she is on her feet. No explanation.
44:03No pause. Every board member stares in stunned silence as she drops the documents in her hands
44:08and walks out. Get a plane ready now. Fastest route to Nice? No.
44:11Go straight to the nearest airport that's still operational. Contact every rescue organization
44:15in the area. Hire the best teams available. Money is no issue. I'm going myself.
44:19Corporate strategy? Business empires? None of it matters now. There is only one thought
44:23in her head. Find Riven. Hours later, Sable arrives with a highly experienced,
44:27well-funded professional mountain rescue team, forcing a landing at the closest small airport
44:31still able to receive aircraft. The weather is brutal. Thick black clouds blanketing the sky,
44:35wind and rain lashing everything. Without stopping for a second, Sable boards the waiting helicopter
44:39and heads directly toward the area where all contact has been lost. But the helicopter cannot
44:43land. It can only hover above a relatively stable patch of ground. Against the crew's protests,
44:48Sable is the first one down the rope, rappelling down into the mud below. The rescue team leader
44:52surveys the destroyed road ahead, flooded, collapsed, littered with fallen trees, and grabs
44:57her arm. Miss Shen. The conditions ahead are too dangerous. The mudslides are still active.
45:01You cannot go in. Less talking. Lead the way. Sable's eyes are red. She is already at the front,
45:05pushing forward. The floodwater rises past her calves, bone-chilling cold. Rocks keep breaking
45:09loose from the hillside, the wind strong enough to knock a person off their feet. During one scramble
45:13to dodge a small collapse, a boulder comes rolling hard toward the pack behind her, the one carrying
45:17critical rescue equipment. Without thinking, Sable throws herself at the pack to knock it clear.
45:22The rock catches her left arm instead, its edge opening a deep gash, right down to the bone.
45:26Miss Shen. A team member lunges toward her to bandage the wound, but Sable waves them off.
45:30No time. She tears a strip of cloth, wraps it roughly around the gash, and pushes forward,
45:34jaw-clenched. After more than ten hours of relentless, brutal searching, they finally
45:37find Riven inside a classroom on slightly elevated ground, completely surrounded by floodwater.
45:42Riven is there with several teachers, comforting dozens of terrified children. His hair is a mess,
45:46his face pale, his clothes soaked and filthy, but he is calm. He is even telling the children a quiet
45:51story, trying to chase the fear from their eyes. When Sable staggers into the doorway, caked in mud,
45:56stained with blood, everyone freezes, including Riven. He looks up, and the moment he sees her,
46:00his face goes completely still with disbelief. Their eyes meet. For a few seconds, time stops.
46:05Sable sees Riven standing there, alive, unharmed, and something she has been holding tightly for
46:09days finally releases. She doesn't feel the searing pain in her arm. She doesn't care about
46:13the state she's in. She crosses the room in a few long strides as everyone watches,
46:17wide-eyed, and pulls Riven into her arms and holds him tight. Riven, Riven, you're okay.
46:21Riven stands still in her grip, feeling her heartbeat hammering against him, her whole body trembling.
46:25He reaches up and pats her on the back, then pushes her away, firmly but not unkindly.
46:29Thank you for coming out here, Ms. Shen. I won't forget this. I owe you.
46:32Sable's arms fall empty. The warmth on her face vanishes as she watches Riven's calm,
46:36unchanged expression. She doesn't move, just stands there. Then, the sound of another helicopter
46:40landing comes from outside. Soleil has arrived with a second rescue team and supplies. She rushes
46:45into the classroom, her eyes finding Riven immediately. The moment she sees him unharmed,
46:49the relief on her face is visible. Then her gaze shifts to Sable. When she sees the wound on
46:52Sable's arm, something flickers behind her eyes, sharp and alert. In the makeshift shelter set
46:57up nearby, medics work to clean and close Sable's wound. It's deep. It needs stitches. But Sable
47:01barely seems to register the pain. Her eyes follow Riven as he moves around the room,
47:05tending to things. She leans toward her assistant and asks quietly,
47:08When he saw my injury, did he seem even a little concerned? The assistant looks at Sable's pale,
47:12stubborn profile and quietly looks away. The answer is written in the silence. The rescue operation
47:17has landed like a stone dropped into still water, sending ripples through everyone who witnessed it.
47:20Soleil saw it with her own eyes. How Sable threw herself into danger without a second thought for
47:24Riven's sake. It shakes her in a way nothing else has. She realizes Sable's feelings for Riven run
47:29deeper than she ever imagined, and she can't afford to wait. So the night before the relief
47:32work stabilizes and Riven's team prepares to return home, Soleil doesn't arrange anything grand.
47:36No fanfare, no stage. Just a quiet moment near the temporary shelter, on a small hillside where the
47:41stars are visible. Just the two of them. The night air is cool. Soleil looks over at Riven beside her,
47:45his head tilted back toward the sky. She takes a breath, steps in front of him, blocking his view.
47:49Riven, there's something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time. I think it's time.
47:53I know you probably always thought I was annoying as a kid, always getting in your way,
47:56always picking fights. The truth is I had no idea how else to get your attention. You were too bright,
48:01like a little sun, always surrounded by people. That clumsy, combative version of me was the only
48:05way I knew to make sure you'd at least remember I existed. Then we grew up, and I spent my
48:08days
48:09drowning myself in bars. Because seeing you with Sable hurt in ways I didn't know how to carry,
48:13and I had no idea what to do with it, I numbed myself the only way I could,
48:16and I wanted you to see me. To know that even when I hurt, someone wanted me. When you left
48:20for
48:20abroad, I followed almost immediately. Not for any other reason, just because I like you. I've
48:24liked you since we were little. Riven is silent for a long time after she finishes. These past
48:28three years, everything Soleil has done for him, every small thing, he remembers all of it. She sat
48:33with him through the loneliness of being a stranger in a foreign country, quietly held him up when his
48:37career stumbled, stayed by his side through the night when he was sick, and never once pushed him
48:41or pressured him. Now Soleil suddenly crouches down and takes his hand. Riven, I know there are still
48:45wounds inside you, that you haven't fully let go, I'm not in a hurry, I can wait. I just want
48:50to ask
48:50you one thing. Will you give me the chance to be with you the right way, as your girlfriend? Riven
48:54looks at Soleil. This woman who grew up beside him, who laughed and fought and drove him crazy,
48:59and never left when it mattered most. He is quiet for a long time. Soleil's heart nearly sinks all the
49:03way. Then Riven nods, gently, a small smile crossing his face. You confess your feelings to me,
49:08I'm always going to say yes. Soleil lights up instantly. She throws her arms around him and
49:13holds on tight. Their relationship isn't announced publicly, but among those close to them, it is no
49:17secret. When the news eventually reaches Sable, however, it is the last straw. She is at the
49:21hospital at the time, having her arm treated. The wound had become infected from the rain and the
49:24search, triggering a fever severe enough that she had to be admitted. When her assistant gently
49:28delivers the news, Sable goes still for a moment, then bolts upright in bed, ripping the four drip
49:33from her hand, then sweeping the entire medical cart off the stand with one shove.
49:37That's impossible. How could he? How dare he? What gives Soleil the right?
49:40Sable ignores the doctors, ignores her assistant, and checks herself out by force. She drives straight
49:45to Riven's villa, forgetting entirely that her arm is still wrapped in bandages, forgetting she
49:49still has a fever. There is only one thought. Go to Riven and demand an answer. The night is deep
49:53and dark. She stumbles up to the closed iron gate of the villa and pounds her hands against the cold
49:58metal bars, voice going raw as she shouts his name. Riven, come out. Tell me this isn't real. You can't
50:02do
50:02this to me. I was wrong. I know I was wrong. Give me one more chance. Riven. Security arrives,
50:06quickly. Several large guards move to restrain her. She fights back, never stopping, still
50:10screaming his name. Eventually, she's dragged away from the gate, shoved into a car. Up on the second
50:15floor of the villa, a curtain shifts slightly. Riven stands behind it, watching the spectacle
50:18below, watching the woman who once held herself above everyone being hauled away like she's lost
50:22her mind. His face is blank. Then he pulls the curtain shut. The next day, Riven sits in the sunlit
50:27warmth by the floor-to-ceiling window, flipping through a newly-arrived screenplay, while Soleil sits
50:31cross-legged on the carpet with her laptop, working through emails, occasionally glancing over at him.
50:35The comfortable quiet is suddenly broken by a notification on the tablet. A breaking news
50:38alert. The chairman of Fang Group Harlan has been formally arrested on suspicion of massive
50:42embezzlement and tax evasion. Fang Group's stock collapses instantly. The company announces bankruptcy
50:47and liquidation. An in-depth expose on the fall of Fang Group suggests a mysterious financial power
50:51may have been behind the precision takedown. The bold headlines fill the screen. Riven scrolls
50:55through them, finger pausing for just a moment. His gaze lands on the news photo. Harlan, surrounded by
51:00reporters. The arrogance on his face replaced by panic and shame. Riven's expression doesn't change.
51:04He looks like a man watching a story that has nothing to do with him. Soleil puts her laptop
51:08aside, comes to him, and settles into his arms. No words, just the quiet reminder that he is not
51:13alone. Over the days that follow, the news around the Fang family continues to unravel. Vera attempts
51:17to flee the country with what's left of the laundered money, but police are already waiting at the
51:21airport and arrest her on the spot. And Crest, losing his father's protection, his family's fortune,
51:25and watching his mother get hauled away, completely falls apart. He tries to reach Sable,
51:29clinging to the fantasy that she might still care enough to help him, but Sable's assistant stops
51:33him cold at the lobby of Shen Group's headquarters. He never even gets to see her face.
51:37Not long after, a gossip outlet reports that Crest has been admitted to a psychiatric facility
51:41on the outskirts of the city. Riven closes the news feed, rises, and walks to the window,
51:45looking out at the distance. Soleil rests her head against his shoulder.
51:48It's all over now, Riven. Yes, it's all over. The bitterness, every last piece of it,
51:52dissolves with the fall of the Fang family, and the end that came for Crest. This is the moment
51:56Riven finally walks away from everything that came before. The annual International Film Awards
52:00ceremony captures the world's attention. Stars fill the red carpet, Riven walks it with Soleil
52:04on his arm. Back in Jingbei, at the top floor of Shen Group, Sable sits alone in the dark in
52:08front of
52:08the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, the only light in the room coming from the television,
52:12which is streaming the awards ceremony live. When the camera cuts to a close-up of Riven
52:15and Soleil, her pupils contract. The results are announced. Riven has won Best Actor for a film
52:20that peels back the complexity of human nature with brutal honesty. When his name is called,
52:24the entire auditorium rises. In the spotlight, Riven walks to the stage and receives the award.
52:28He gives a brief acceptance speech, thanking the director and the crew. Then his gaze finds Soleil
52:32in the crowd below. And last, there is one person I need to thank. My love Soleil,
52:37thank you for standing beside me and giving me strength through everything. This award is half
52:40yours. The camera finds Soleil. She is already on her feet, and she blows a kiss to him from across
52:45the room. Sable shuts the television off, hard. In the dark she breathes in uneven gasps.
52:50No, I cannot just sit here and watch this. I have to do something. The after-party is held at
52:54the
52:54official awards hotel. It is well past midnight before Riven and Soleil finally leave.
52:58Surrounded by assistance and security, heading for the underground parking garage. But as they
53:02reach the car, a figure stumbles out from behind a column, blocking their path. It is Sable. Her
53:06eyes lock onto Riven. Just talk to me. Five minutes. No, three minutes. Just give me one more chance.
53:11The last one. I'm begging you. Without you, I have nothing to live for. Soleil steps forward
53:15immediately. Sable, look at yourself right now. Snap out of it. Riven is with me. He is happy.
53:20Please, stop interfering in his life. Happy? What right do you have to give him happiness?
53:24What do you even know about him? Do you know he gets cold easily in winter? That he steals the
53:28blanket in his sleep? Do you know he can't handle spice but eats it anyway and always needs ice
53:32water after? Do you know he... Riven's voice cuts through. Sable, leave the past where it is. What
53:36was between us ended a long time ago. It didn't end. How could it just end? Sable reaches for Riven's
53:41arm. Soleil steps between them. In the middle of it all, no one notices that at the entrance to the
53:45parking garage, a black car, its driver apparently drunk or the vehicle suddenly losing control,
53:49surges forward in an erratic, uncontrolled line, straight toward them. Watch out! Soleil reacts
53:54first, but someone else is faster. Before anyone can fully process what is happening,
53:59Sable throws every ounce of her strength into shoving Riven, who is standing closest to the
54:02edge, out of the car's path. The force of it sends her spinning directly into the vehicle's
54:06trajectory. A heavy, dull impact. Sable's body goes flying, like a kite with a broken string.
54:11The trauma room lights stay on all night. Riven and Soleil keep vigil on the bench outside in the
54:15corridor. When the sky begins to lighten, the door finally opens. The doctor steps out,
54:19exhausted, and tells them Sable's injuries are critical, multiple fractures, internal bleeding.
54:23After everything the team could do, she is out of immediate danger and has been moved to the ICU.
54:27But she is not in the clear yet. Close monitoring is required. Riven exhales, but the weight in his
54:31chest does not lift. They wait outside the ICU for another full day and night before Sable's vitals
54:36finally stabilize enough for her to be moved to a regular room. Soleil goes in with Riven to see her.
54:40Sable lies on the white hospital bed, tubes running from her body, face pale, visibly thinner than before.
54:45But the moment she sees Riven walk in, her eyes light up. She forces out a sound.
54:49Riven. Soleil gives Riven's shoulder a quiet pat, signals that she'll wait outside,
54:53and gently pulls the door shut. Riven walks to the bedside and sits down. The doctor says,
54:57you're out of danger for now. Sable looks at him, drinking him in, and slowly lifts the hand
55:01without the IV drip, reaching for him. But when she sees the distance in his eyes, her arm falls.
55:05I'm sorry, Riven. And then the words begin to come, slow and broken. From the beginning,
55:09how Crest had deceived her, to the moment she understood her own feelings, but let pride and
55:13stubbornness stop her from ever admitting it, and the pain of losing him, the regret that never leaves.
55:17She apologizes over and over, confesses her love over and over, stripping herself of every last
55:22piece of dignity. Riven, I know I deserve everything that's happened to me, but I'm begging you,
55:27just one more chance. Let me spend the rest of my life making it right. Without you,
55:30being alive feels like nothing. Riven listens in silence, letting her finish,
55:34until her voice fades with exhaustion. Then he speaks.
55:37Sable, thank you for saving my life. I will carry that with me. A flicker of hope appears in Sable's
55:41eyes, but Riven's next words extinguish it completely. But love is not gratitude,
55:45and it is not guilt. What we had ended long ago, the day you used your connections to have me
55:49thrown
55:49into that detention center for Crest's sake, letting me suffer in there, every time you chose to believe
55:53him and hurt me without hesitation, it was already over. Sable, this is where we end. He stands. He
55:58doesn't look back. He walks to the door. Outside, Soleil is waiting. Riven goes to her, takes her hand
56:02without a word, and walks away from the room without looking back. Sable lies in that hospital bed,
56:07staring at the empty doorway, at the back of the man who is already gone. Tears fall without her
56:11realizing it. Time passes, another year turns, and Riven's career reaches a new peak. He takes
56:16on an epic film directed by one of the world's most acclaimed directors, playing a man who holds
56:20on to his convictions in the middle of war. His performance is extraordinary, gut-wrenching in
56:24the best way. At the ceremony widely regarded as the highest honor in cinema, when his name is read
56:28aloud for best actor, the whole room erupts. Riven rises calmly, pulls a tearful beaming soleil into a
56:34tight embrace, then walks toward that stage the world is watching. Under the spotlight,
56:37he holds the award that represents everything and delivers his speech. Thank you to the cast and
56:41crew. Thank you to my family and everyone who has believed in me. And last, his gaze finds a woman
56:46in the crowd below. I want to dedicate this to my fiancé Soleil. You are the reason I know love
56:51can be
56:51this beautiful. You gave me the courage to become a better version of myself. Soleil, the rest of my
56:56life is yours. The camera finds Soleil. She is already on her feet, hands forming the words I love you
57:01across the distance. Not long after, a quiet, intimate wedding takes place at a private estate,
57:05just their closest family and friends. Sunlight, a green lawn, flowers, white fabric. Riven wears a
57:10suit made for him by a designer who is also a dear friend, clean, elegant, and walks with Soleil
57:15on his arm down a path scattered with petals. Their wedding invitation also finds its way to a few
57:19people from the past. In Jingbei, at the top floor of Shen Group headquarters, Sable stands before that
57:24massive floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the city still thrumming with life below. She is thinner
57:28than she was a year ago. On her desk sits an elegant wedding invitation. On the day of the wedding,
57:32she doesn't go. She only goes to the office where she and Riven spent so many hours tangled up in
57:36each other's lives. Her phone screen suddenly lights up. A message from a number she doesn't
57:39recognize. No text. Just a photo. Riven in his suit, standing in brilliant sunlight, smiling at the
57:44camera with a happiness that is utterly complete. A few seconds later, another message arrives. Just
57:48one line. Sable, I forgive you, and I'm letting myself go too. Take care. Sable stares at the photo
57:53and the words. Something hits her in the chest like a fist. Her hand trembles as she traces Riven's face
57:57on the screen. That smile. And then the tears come, unstoppable, falling hard and heavy onto the
58:02glass. She laughs and cries at the same time, like someone coming undone. And in the end,
58:06she presses the phone tight against her chest, against the heat still burning there.
Comments