Chapter 2 · My Heart Broke on that Rainy Night

A week later, Lillian landed her first investment.

It came from Linda Carter, a sharp woman in her forties, whom Lillian had met at a startup mixer.

"Your project's got real potential." Linda handed her a business card. "I'm in. If you need more, come to me."

Lillian stared at the gold lettering on the card, her eyes burning a little.

In her previous life, she'd never met Linda.

What was she doing back then? Sitting at home waiting for Jason to come back, cooking soup, fixing up flowers, living her life as nothing more than a pretty ornament.

"Thank you, Ms. Carter," Lillian said.

"It's okay." Linda met her gaze. "Lillian, these days, a woman can't count on anyone but herself. Remember that."

Lillian gripped the business card tightly. I would remember that. This time, she wouldn't ever forget.

*****

In the early days of her startup, Lillian was running around nonstop.

Jason kept asking her out for dinner, but she brushed him off three times. When he showed up outside her dorm, she had Olivia go down and tell him she wasn't around.

"Lillian, what's up with you lately?" Jason called, sounding all pouty. "Is it something I did?"

Lillian leaned back in her office chair, gazing out at the neon lights flickering outside. "No. I'm busy."

"I'll wait for you. Let me know when you're free," Jason replied.

After hanging up, Lillian opened her phone's photo album. There was a picture she'd secretly snapped in her previous life, showing Jason and Emily sitting in a café, their hands intertwined.

She'd kept that photo for seven years, never once having the guts to confront him with it.

No way she was going to be that stupid again.

*****

Three months later, Lillian's company closed its first round of funding.

At the celebration dinner, she met Andrew Sinclair for the first time.

He stood among the crowd, wearing a dark gray shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms. Early thirties, chiseled features, and icy eyes, the kind of vibe that warned everyone to keep their distance.

"That's Andrew Sinclair, the heir to Sinclair Holdings," Linda whispered beside her. "He is young, sharp, and a real handful. You'll be running into him a lot from now on."

Lillian lifted her glass and glanced over. Just then, Andrew looked up, his gaze cutting through the crowd and landing right on her.

For a split second, their eyes met, and Lillian felt like he could see right through her. Then he looked away, raised his glass to her.

*****

Their second meeting was at the hospital.

Lillian had been pulling an all-nighter to finish a proposal and ended up collapsing in her office. When she came to, she was lying in a hospital bed with an IV in her arm.

"Low blood sugar, overworked," came a cold male voice. "Are you planning to give up on living?"

Lillian turned her head and saw Andrew standing by her bedside, hands shoved in his pockets, wearing a lab coat.

She paused, surprised. "You're a doctor?"

"It's a side gig," Andrew said flatly. "Day job's work, while saving lives is my side hustle."

Lillian couldn't help but let out a laugh. He was actually pretty amusing.

"What's so funny?" Andrew stepped in, looking down at her. "Lillian, right, the rising star in the startup world? You scored a Series A round in three months and got featured on a finance magazine cover."

"Have you been snooping on me?" Lillian shot back.

"You called out a name when you passed out," Andrew said with a deadpan look. "Jason. Is he your boyfriend?"

Lillian's smile froze.

"None of your business," Lillian muttered, turning her head away.

Andrew didn't say a word. He fished out a piece of candy from his pocket and placed it on the nightstand.

"Next time, eat some candy before you faint. Your life belongs to you, not anyone else." With that, he walked out.

She stared at the piece of candy. It was an orange flavor, with a cartoon bear on the wrapper.

Suddenly, she thought back to her previous life. Jason never cared enough to remember what kind of candy she liked. After ten years of marriage, he never knew if she liked sugar in her coffee.

She didn't have the heart to eat it. She tucked it into her pocket and brought it home.

Chapter 2

A week later, Lillian landed her first investment.

It came from Linda Carter, a sharp woman in her forties, whom Lillian had met at a startup mixer.

"Your project's got real potential." Linda handed her a business card. "I'm in. If you need more, come to me."

Lillian stared at the gold lettering on the card, her eyes burning a little.

In her previous life, she'd never met Linda.

What was she doing back then? Sitting at home waiting for Jason to come back, cooking soup, fixing up flowers, living her life as nothing more than a pretty ornament.

"Thank you, Ms. Carter," Lillian said.

"It's okay." Linda met her gaze. "Lillian, these days, a woman can't count on anyone but herself. Remember that."

Lillian gripped the business card tightly. I would remember that. This time, she wouldn't ever forget.

*****

In the early days of her startup, Lillian was running around nonstop.

Jason kept asking her out for dinner, but she brushed him off three times. When he showed up outside her dorm, she had Olivia go down and tell him she wasn't around.

"Lillian, what's up with you lately?" Jason called, sounding all pouty. "Is it something I did?"

Lillian leaned back in her office chair, gazing out at the neon lights flickering outside. "No. I'm busy."

"I'll wait for you. Let me know when you're free," Jason replied.

After hanging up, Lillian opened her phone's photo album. There was a picture she'd secretly snapped in her previous life, showing Jason and Emily sitting in a café, their hands intertwined.

She'd kept that photo for seven years, never once having the guts to confront him with it.

No way she was going to be that stupid again.

*****

Three months later, Lillian's company closed its first round of funding.

At the celebration dinner, she met Andrew Sinclair for the first time.

"That's Andrew Sinclair, the heir to Sinclair Holdings," Linda whispered beside her. "He is young, sharp, and a real handful. You'll be running into him a lot from now on."

Lillian lifted her glass and glanced over. Just then, Andrew looked up, his gaze cutting through the crowd and landing right on her.

For a split second, their eyes met, and Lillian felt like he could see right through her. Then he looked away, raised his glass to her.

*****

Their second meeting was at the hospital.

Lillian had been pulling an all-nighter to finish a proposal and ended up collapsing in her office. When she came to, she was lying in a hospital bed with an IV in her arm.

"Low blood sugar, overworked," came a cold male voice. "Are you planning to give up on living?"

Lillian turned her head and saw Andrew standing by her bedside, hands shoved in his pockets, wearing a lab coat.

She paused, surprised. "You're a doctor?"

"It's a side gig," Andrew said flatly. "Day job's work, while saving lives is my side hustle."

Lillian couldn't help but let out a laugh. He was actually pretty amusing.

"Have you been snooping on me?" Lillian shot back.

"You called out a name when you passed out," Andrew said with a deadpan look. "Jason. Is he your boyfriend?"

Lillian's smile froze.

"None of your business," Lillian muttered, turning her head away.

Andrew didn't say a word. He fished out a piece of candy from his pocket and placed it on the nightstand.

"Next time, eat some candy before you faint. Your life belongs to you, not anyone else." With that, he walked out.

She stared at the piece of candy. It was an orange flavor, with a cartoon bear on the wrapper.

Suddenly, she thought back to her previous life. Jason never cared enough to remember what kind of candy she liked. After ten years of marriage, he never knew if she liked sugar in her coffee.

She didn't have the heart to eat it. She tucked it into her pocket and brought it home.