She won't last here."
The words were still settling in my chest—
when the door suddenly opened.
Hard.
Too fast.
"Big Brother."
I turned instantly.
My little brother rushed in, breathless, eyes wide with panic.
Relief hit me so sharply it almost hurt.
"You—what are you doing here?"
"I called him," another voice answered.
Calm.
Familiar.
And the moment I heard it—
my heart stopped.
No.
Slowly—
I looked past my brother.
And there he was.
Leaning casually against the doorframe like he owned the space.
Unbothered.
Unshaken.
Li Zhen.
My past.
My mistake.
Missed me?" he said lightly, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
Before I could respond—
the air shifted.
Heavy.
Sharp.
I didn't need to turn to feel it.
But I did.
Cheng Mo was already looking at him.
Still.
Silent.
But his eyes—
darkened.
Dangerous.
For the first time—
something real flickered there.
Recognition.
And something worse.
Didn't expect you to show up here," Li Zhen continued, stepping in slowly, his gaze never leaving Cheng Mo.
"Or maybe I did."
Silence stretched.
Tight.
Like something was about to snap.
My brother looked between us, confused.
"…what's going on?"
Because this—
this wasn't about him.
This was something else entirely.
Something old.
Unfinished.
Li Zhen's gaze shifted to me then—softer, but still intense.
You okay?"
My breath caught.
Because that tone—
I remembered it.
Too well.
Before I could answer—
Cheng Mo moved.
One step forward.
Enough to close the distance.
Enough to make it clear.
"Careful," he said quietly.
Not loud.
Not aggressive.
Worse.
Controlled.
"You're standing a little too close."
Li Zhen smiled.
Slow.
Provoking.
"Am I?"
And just like that—
the tension snapped into something dangerous.
Because now—
it wasn't just obsession anymore.
It was a war.