Shadows of betrayal

Chapter 3

Lily awoke in an unfamiliar room, her body covered in bandages. The memory of being slammed onto the coffee table flashed in her mind, and she gasped, her eyes wide open. The room was luxurious, with a delicate chandelier overhead—nothing like the cold, sterile environment of the warehouse.

Three doctors rushed to her side, checking her vitals. “Mr. Shen, the lady is recovering well but needs a few more days of rest,” one of them said.

Mr. Shen? Lily’s mind raced. Who was this man?

A tall, broad-shouldered figure approached her. He was impeccably dressed in a black suit, his deep-set eyes captivating. “I am Alexander Shen,” he said calmly. “You are pregnant with my child.”

Lily’s mind went blank. “What did you say?” she croaked, struggling to sit up but falling back in dizziness.

“We slept together on May 20, at the bar,” he continued, his voice steady.

The memory of that night flooded back—the celebration with Ethan, the drinks, and then… nothing. She had woken up in a hotel room, told by Ethan that they had been together. But now, this man claimed to be the father of her child.

“No! This is a lie! You must be working with Ethan!” she shouted, her voice hoarse.

Alexander handed her a newspaper. “Take a look at today’s news.”

The headline was shocking: “The only daughter of Li’s group dies in a car accident, body incinerated in the fire.” A photograph showed a burned-out red car and Ethan holding a black-and-white portrait of her, feigning grief.

Lily trembled, her eyes wide with shock. “What’s going on here? Why does he claim I’m dead?”

Alexander watched her calmly, a trace of satisfaction in his eyes. “You’re alive, Lily. And now, it’s time to reclaim what’s rightfully yours.”

The game was far from over.

Lily’s mind raced as she tried to process the sudden turn of events. She had just rejected Alexander’s proposal to change her appearance, and now, fate had placed her face-to-face with her mother-in-law, Margaret.

The plane was about to take off when Margaret boarded, her eyes widening in shock as she saw Lily sitting calmly in the luxurious cabin. “Lily!” Margaret screamed, nearly falling out of her seat.

The stewardess quickly intervened, urging Margaret to remain seated as the plane was ascending. Lily, woken from her light sleep, opened her eyes to see her mother-in-law staring at her in horror.

Margaret leaned closer, her voice trembling. “Lily, is that you? You’re not dead?”

Lily’s heart ached as she saw the fear in Margaret’s eyes. There was no joy, no relief—only panic. It was clear that Margaret was more concerned about the implications of Lily being alive than her actual well-being.

Aunt Qin, sitting beside Lily, quickly intervened. “Miss Xu, don’t be angry. Watch your body,” she said, reminding Lily of her new identity.

Lily took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm. She was no longer Lily; she was Jessica Xu. She had to play her part carefully if she wanted to uncover the truth and seek justice for her family.

“You must have mistaken me for someone else,” Lily said, her voice steady. “My name is Jessica Xu.”

Margaret’s face paled. She stared at Lily, her mind racing. The resemblance was uncanny—the same face, the same voice. But how could it be? Lily was supposed to be dead.

“No, you are Lily. You’re not dead? You’re alive!” Margaret repeated, her voice filled with dread.

Lily could see the fear in Margaret’s eyes. If Lily was alive, what did that mean for Ethan’s plans? Would their scheme be exposed? Would they lose everything?

Lily handed her ticket to Margaret, the name “Jessica Xu” clearly printed on it. “As you can see, my name is Jessica Xu. You must be mistaken.”

Aunt Qin, sensing the tension, turned to the stewardess. “We need a quiet environment here. Is this how we are treated in first-class?” she asked, her tone firm.

The stewardess apologized profusely, trying to calm the situation. Margaret, still in shock, sat back in her seat, her mind racing with questions and fears.

Lily leaned back in her seat, her heart heavy. She had hoped, perhaps foolishly, that Margaret might show some concern for her. But it was clear that Margaret’s loyalty lay with her son and their shared greed for the Li family’s wealth.

As the plane continued its ascent, Lily closed her eyes, her mind filled with thoughts of revenge and justice. She had been given a second chance, and she was determined to make the most of it. With Alexander’s help, she would uncover the truth, reclaim her legacy, and make Ethan and Margaret pay for their betrayal.

The meeting with Margaret was just the beginning. The battle for justice was far from over.

The plane continued its ascent, the hum of the engines filling the cabin. Lily leaned back in her seat, her mind racing. She had just rejected Alexander’s proposal to change her appearance, and now, fate had placed her face-to-face with her mother-in-law, Margaret.

The plane was about to take off when Margaret boarded, her eyes widening in shock as she saw Lily sitting calmly in the luxurious cabin. “Lily!” Margaret screamed, nearly falling out of her seat.

The stewardess quickly intervened, urging Margaret to remain seated as the plane was ascending. Lily, woken from her light sleep, opened her eyes to see her mother-in-law staring at her in horror.

Margaret leaned closer, her voice trembling. “Lily, is that you? You’re not dead?”

Lily’s heart ached as she saw the fear in Margaret’s eyes. There was no joy, no relief—only panic. It was clear that Margaret was more concerned about the implications of Lily being alive than her actual well-being.

Aunt Qin, sitting beside Lily, quickly intervened. “Miss Xu, don’t be angry. Watch your body,” she said, reminding Lily of her new identity.

Lily took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm. She was no longer Lily; she was Jessica Xu. She had to play her part carefully if she wanted to uncover the truth and seek justice for her family.

“You must have mistaken me for someone else,” Lily said, her voice steady. “My name is Jessica Xu.”

Margaret’s face paled. She stared at Lily, her mind racing. The resemblance was uncanny—the same face, the same voice. But how could it be? Lily was supposed to be dead.

“No, you are Lily. You’re not dead? You’re alive!” Margaret repeated, her voice filled with dread.

Lily could see the fear in Margaret’s eyes. If Lily was alive, what did that mean for Ethan’s plans? Would their scheme be exposed? Would they lose everything?

Lily handed her ticket to Margaret, the name “Jessica Xu” clearly printed on it. “As you can see, my name is Jessica Xu. You must be mistaken.”

Aunt Qin, sensing the tension, turned to the stewardess. “We need a quiet environment here. Is this how we are treated in first-class?” she asked, her tone firm.

The stewardess apologized profusely, trying to calm the situation. Margaret, still in shock, sat back in her seat, her mind racing with questions and fears.

Lily leaned back in her seat, her heart heavy. She had hoped, perhaps foolishly, that Margaret might show some concern for her. But it was clear that Margaret’s loyalty lay with her son and their shared greed for the Li family’s wealth.

As the plane continued its ascent, Lily closed her eyes, her mind filled with thoughts of revenge and justice. She had been given a second chance, and she was determined to make the most of it. With Alexander’s help, she would uncover the truth, reclaim her legacy, and make Ethan and Margaret pay for their betrayal.

The meeting with Margaret was just the beginning. The battle for justice was far from over.