Chapter 5: If You Leave, I'll Truly Be Alone
691 Words
The office was quiet, the only sound the distant murmur of employees talking outside the closed door. Lu Chen stood in front of me, his head bowed, his shoulders hunched with guilt. I had never seen him look so vulnerable, so broken.
“I know I have no right to ask for your forgiveness,” he said, his voice rough. “I accused you of the worst thing possible when you were the only person who had ever stood by me. If you want to leave, I won’t stop you. In fact, I’ll double your severance pay and make sure every tech company in the country knows how talented you are.”
He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a sealed envelope, sliding it across the desk toward me. It was a recommendation letter, already signed and dated, praising my skills and work ethic in glowing terms.
I stared at the envelope for a long moment, then picked it up. Lu Chen’s eyes closed, as if bracing himself for the sound of me walking out the door.
I tore the letter in half.
His eyes flew open, wide with shock.
“I’m not leaving,” I said, dropping the pieces into the trash can. “I told you I was going to help you finish this project, and I meant it. What happened today wasn’t your fault. Anyone would have doubted me in that situation. The evidence looked pretty damning.”
“But I should have trusted you,” he insisted, stepping closer to me. “You’ve done nothing but support me since the day you walked in here. I was just… terrified. Terrified that the only person who cared about me was actually another spy sent to hurt me.”
His voice cracked on the last word, and I saw tears glistening in his eyes. For twenty-eight years, everyone he had ever trusted had betrayed him. His uncle, his cousin, his colleagues, even his own father had abandoned him. It was no wonder he had built a wall of ice around his heart.
I reached out and gently touched his arm. “I’m not going anywhere, Lu Chen. I’m not like them. I’m on your side, always.”
He stared at me for a long moment, then pulled me into a tight hug. His body was shaking, and I could feel his tears soaking into my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around him, holding him as he finally let go of all the pain and loneliness he had been carrying for years.
For the first time in his life, someone was choosing him.
When he finally pulled away, he wiped his eyes, a faint smile on his face. “Thank you, Su Nian. You have no idea how much this means to me. If you ever left… I would truly be alone in this world.”
Just then, my phone rang. It was my mother again, reminding me that my father was waiting for me at home. I had completely forgotten about him in all the chaos.
“I have to go,” I said, grabbing my bag. “My mom says my dad is home. I need to go meet him.”
Lu Chen nodded, his expression softening. “Of course. Go be with your family. I’ll handle everything here. And Su Nian?”
I turned back to him.
“Thank you,” he said again, his eyes sincere. “For everything.”
I smiled and walked out of the office, my heart light for the first time all day. I had no idea that meeting my father would change everything—not just for me, but for Lu Chen and the entire future of StarPath Tech.
When I walked into my apartment that evening, I found a man sitting on my couch. He was wearing an expensive tailored suit, his hair neatly combed, and his eyes were exactly like mine.
This was Lin Zonghan—the man the financial world called the “Oriental Legend of Wall Street,” the billionaire investor who controlled hundreds of billions of dollars in assets.
And he was my father.
- Writer
