Faded love 17

Chapter 17 

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“You’re trending! 

The headline says- 

‘Z Group CEO’s wife, presumed dead in a plane crash, is actually alive?!” 

My mind went blank. 

“Who posted it?” 

“Anonymous source-with video of you at Z Group’s meeting!” 

Cold washed through me. 

My hands trembled as I opened the page. 

On the screen-me. 

Standing at the meeting table in a white shirt. 

Below, a wedding photo. 

I was smiling softly. 

He stood beside me. 

The comments were a wildfire: 

“Faked her death for money?” 

“The resurrected Mrs. Zhou?” 

“She’s alive?!” 

I could barely hold the phone. 

A gust of wind cut through my coat, 

chilling me to the bone. 

Footsteps approached. 

He was there. 

Rory- 

in a black coat, face pale as ash, 

as if he’d stepped out of a dream. 

“You finally came out,” he said quietly. 

“It was you.” 

My voice was raw. 

“You leaked it.” 

“Yes.” 

Faded love. I don’t want it anymore 

10 

11:36 Sat, Oct 18 

No hesitation. 

I almost laughed. 

“You’re insane.” 

“I’ve been insane,” he said, walking closer. 

“The day you faked your death, I went mad. 

Now that the world sees you, 

I can finally believe you’re real.” 

I stepped back, 

tears spilling freely. 

“Why did you destroy me?” 

His eyes burned-wild, broken. 

“Because you destroyed me first.” 

Three years ago- 

my blood still warm on the operating table, 

his signature colder than death. 

Now, he’d stripped me bare before the world. 

I wanted to slap him again, 

but he caught my wrist, hard. 

“Wendy,” he said, voice rough, 

“you can hate me. 

Just don’t run again.” 

“You think this will bring me back?” 

I laughed bitterly. 

“I’d rather die a second time!” 

He stared, 

then smiled-pain twisting that smile. 

“You already died once, 

and you still look so beautiful when you lie. 

I just want to see how long you can keep it up.” 

My chest hurt so badly I could barely speak. “You’re insane.” 

Chapter 17 

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11:36 Sat, Oct 18 

“You made me this way,” he murmured. 

“Every night you ran, 

I dreamed of chasing you- 

you hiding in the light, 

me drowning in the dark. 

Now we’re both in the light. 

Both suffering.” 

I shoved him away. 

“Get out!” 

He didn’t move. 

His eyes were dead calm. 

“You think you can live by running? 

You can’t, Wendy. 

I won’t let you.” 

That night, Z Group released an official statement. 

The headlines changed: 

“Z Group CEO Rory confirms: his wife Wendy is alive.” 

The city exploded. 

I became prey- 

picked apart by curiosity, 

sympathy, 

Scorn. 

People watched me like I was something 

that had crawled out of a grave. 

I turned off every device. 

Didn’t go out. 

Didn’t look in the mirror. 

The next morning, the doorbell rang. 

Yuanzi burst in, terrified. 

“Wendy-there are reporters everywhere, and-” 

Before she could finish, 

Chapter 17 

11:36 Sat, Oct 18 

the door was pushed open from outside. 

He stood there, 

camera flashes exploding behind him. 

I froze. 

He looked calm. 

Too calm. 

“Wendy,” he said softly, 

“come home.” 

That word-home- 

broke something inside me. 

I stepped back, voice cracking. 

“I don’t have a home.” 

He came closer. 

“Then I’ll give you one.” 

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11:36 Sat, Oct 18 

Aa 86