The moment the words left the official’s mouth, the room became silent.
“Elena Jiang is alive.”
Ethan Lu stared at the screen.
For several seconds, he didn’t move.
He didn’t blink.
He didn’t even seem to breathe.
“That’s impossible.”
His voice was low.
The official looked uncomfortable.
“Mr. Lu, the record was updated three days ago. The identity information matches.”
Vivian stood beside him, her face losing all color.
“But… she died.”
Nobody answered.
Because everyone in the room knew.
Three years ago, Elena Jiang disappeared.
The car accident.
The fire.
The unidentified body.
The funeral without relatives.
Everything had been handled perfectly.
So perfectly that Ethan never questioned it.
Because at that time, he thought losing Elena was just another consequence of ending their marriage.
He had signed the divorce.
He had moved on.
He had returned to the woman he thought he truly loved.
But now…
The dead woman had returned.
Three years earlier.
After leaving the Civil Affairs Department, I didn’t go home.
I went to the airport.
My passport carried another name.
My hair was cut short.
My appearance changed.
Nobody recognized me.
Not even Ethan.
That was the plan.
For three years, I lived in Dubai.
I built a new identity.
A new company.
A new life.
Every day, I told myself one thing:
Elena Jiang was dead.
The woman who waited for Ethan.
The woman who accepted being second choice.
The woman who believed love meant sacrifice.
She had already disappeared.
Only Elena remained.
The woman who finally chose herself.
When I received the news that Ethan was getting married, I wasn’t surprised.
I was actually calm.
Three years ago, I had already expected this day.
I saw the wedding photos online.
Ethan in a black suit.
Vivian in a white dress.
Everyone congratulated them.
Everyone said:
“They are finally together.”
I looked at the screen.
Then I closed it.
It should have hurt.
But it didn’t.
Because the person they were celebrating had nothing to do with me anymore.
At least, that’s what I thought.
Until I received a message.
From an unknown number.
Only one sentence:
“Mrs. Lu, your favor has not been used yet.”
My fingers froze.
Only one person knew about that promise.
Ethan.
Back in Harbor City.
Ethan returned home after leaving the consulate.
But the mansion felt different.
Three years ago, Elena had walked out carrying only a small suitcase.
Now every corner reminded him of her.
The empty flower vase.
The untouched piano.
The bookshelf where her favorite novels remained.
The kitchen where she used to prepare dinner after waiting for him until midnight.
He suddenly remembered something.
The day they divorced.
He asked:
“What will you do now?”
She answered:
“I hope I never have to come back.”
At that time, he thought she was angry.
Now he realized…
She was saying goodbye.
For real.
His phone rang.
It was his assistant.
“President Lu.”
“Speak.”
“We found the source of the identity update.”
Ethan stood up immediately.
“Where?”
A pause.
Then:
“Dubai.”
His heart tightened.
“Send me everything.”
A few minutes later, an email arrived.
Inside were company records.
Photos.
Documents.
And one name.
Jiang International Holdings.
Ethan stared at the information.
That company…
Was one of the fastest-growing investment groups in the Middle East.
And the founder’s identity had always been hidden.
Until now.
The attached photograph loaded.
A woman stood on a stage.
Elegant.
Confident.
Completely different from the Elena he remembered.
But it was her.
His hands trembled.
“Elena…”
For the first time in three years, he said her name without anger.
Only regret.
That night, Ethan went to the old apartment where they had lived after marriage.
The place had been empty for years.
He opened the drawer beside the bed.
Inside was a small notebook.
His handwriting was on the first page.
A birthday wish he wrote when they first married.
“Hope Elena always smiles.”
He stared at it.
Then laughed bitterly.
Because he was the person who made her stop smiling.
His phone suddenly vibrated.
A message.
Unknown number.
He opened it.
A photograph appeared.
It was Elena.
Standing outside a company building.
Alive.
Beautiful.
Successful.
And beside the photograph was a short sentence:
“Your favor is ready to be claimed.”
Ethan’s heart stopped.
He immediately replied.
“What do you want?”
The answer came quickly.
“Nothing.”
A pause.
Then another message.
“Because I don’t need anything from you anymore.”
Ethan stared at the screen.
For three years, he believed Elena disappeared because she wanted revenge.
But now he understood something worse.
She didn’t disappear to punish him.
She disappeared because she had finally learned how to live without him.
The next morning, Ethan canceled his wedding preparations.
Vivian found him in the office.
“Alex?”
He didn’t look up.
“We need to talk.”
Her expression changed.
“About what?”
“About Elena.”
The color drained from her face.
“Why are you still talking about her?”
Ethan finally looked at her.
And for the first time, there was no love in his eyes.
Only doubt.
“Because I realized something.”
“What?”
He stood.
“For three years, I thought I lost my wife.”
He picked up the divorce papers.
“But maybe I never deserved to have her.”
At that moment, Vivian’s phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Then her face changed.
Ethan noticed.
“Who is it?”
She quickly rejected the call.
“Nothing.”
But it was too late.
The notification appeared.
A message preview.
From Elena Jiang.
Only one sentence:
“Vivian Su, are you ready to explain why you needed my death certificate three years ago?”
