was a stranger, and th

folded with careful precision. A sheer half-veil of pale silk covering her nose and mouth. Narrow glasses with dark frames. Above it all, only her eyes remained, a

ee y

rk, kneeling on a thin mat with her forehead pressed to the floor and her mother's faith pouring out of her in whispers she had never fully understood until she had nothing

chain beneath her blouse, warm against her skin, and the tiny cran

breathed. "Let me

ow, from three years of practice, di

ver the city like a blade,

ghing, hurrying, sipping coffee. No one gave her a second glance. The protesters were long gone. The red-c

in Meirong squ

, but she was as elegant as ever in a dove-gray suit, her smile warm and tender. "You don't hav

s voice did not shake, though her kn

moment, then pulled her into a quick fierce embrace. "Then go," she whispere

herself lean into that warmth. It

bby had

e with her fingers as a child had been replaced with a glass wall. The portrait of her grandfather still hung above th

e family were etched in gold. Lin Zhenhai. Lin Jiahao. Lin Me

her ribs, and she smiled at the r

ic auditor, Hartwell & Zhao. I'm

climbed with it, pounding so loudly she was sure the whole car could hear. Sh

ors sli

as she remembered it, and

ooking out over the glittering city. And above the chairman's empty seat,

a dozen faces tur

d slipped her sweets. The legal counsel who had drawn up her grandfather's will.

-thousand-dollar suit, his smile as easy as ever. He looked like a man who had never l

thought. You told the world

pt back, his profile as handsome as a coin. He glanced up

u Yi

d not recognize her. The man who had once whispered her name against her hair, who h

on a lake. And beneath the crack, cold and clear

we were surprised when Shen Capital insisted on an e

tment, Mr. Lin," she said calmly.

slim black case, and opened it. Her fingers did not

" she said. "I have already identified a pattern of transfers from three subsidiary acc

len

ipped from Jiahao's hand

ble, a mistake, a lie. Jiahao slammed his palm against the table, his smile wiped away so fast it looked like it had n

do no suc

came from

head

is pocket. Rain-dark hair. Cold dark eyes. He walked in as if he ow

n Yu

he had told herself she was ready. But the sight of him, older now, sharper, the

d to the empty chair beside her, pulled it

r eye

sting on the table, went still. His pen stopped halfway to the page. It was so

k at the table, and

have full access to every record in this building.

ne ob

hands folded, and tried t

n her skull. Why would he

to anchor herself, and her gaze landed on the

ntains in mist. A cold river. And in the upper corner, a single w

reath

tiny crane on its head. The great crane on the wall

ught, and her vision blu

o left without a backward glance, his jaw tight, his phone already at his ear. Yifan li

thout a word a

ly, her shoulders sagging, her h

s.

arm and familiar

h a cool, professional smile for the benefit of the last few stragglers. "I am Lin Meirong,

hidden by the dark wood, her aunt's fingers

nificent, sai

r veil. Then, so softly that no one could possibly hear, she w

med, tender as sunlight, glowing with something tha

ll, my darling,

neath it, the portrait of Lin Zhenhai gazed out o

than anyone alive, Lin Meirong smiled, a