Her Rebirth.

The private jet descended smoothly onto the tarmac, the door unlatched, and the metal staircase lowered. From within the jet, Kai Blackwood stepped out.

He wore a brown trench coat, its hem swaying slightly with the wind, and his long hair was slightly tousled. Behind him was Secretary Wen, who followed him quietly.

Waiting just outside was a row of men, bulky and some with faces crisscrossed with scars, dressed in black suits. Taking sight of Kai, they bowed in unison. "Welcome back, Young Master."

Kai barely acknowledged them, his eyes sweeping across the parked convoy ahead. At the center stood a sleek, black Rolls-Royce Phantom, and just behind it was an entourage of black sedans lined up, forming a perfect procession.

A chauffeur stepped forward, opening the car door. Without a word, Kai slid into the backseat onto the plush leather seat. The other men wordlessly entered their designated vehicles and smoothly pulled away from the runway.

As the car moved down the road, Kai pulled a pack of cigarettes from his trench coat, took a stick out, and lit it. He took a deep drag of the cigarette before asking, "How’s the old man?" His voice carried a hint of amusement.

The driver hesitated for a fraction of a second before answering, well aware that Kai was the only one who had the audacity to refer to Song Yue that way. "The Master is in good health, Young Master."

Kai hummed in response before taking another drag.

He looked out the window as the city lights blurred past, and his mind wandered. If Amelia were here, she’d be scrunching up her nose right about now, he mused, a faint smile playing on his lips. She always made that adorable, disapproving expression whenever he smoked. Even though she didn’t say anything, it was obvious that she did not like it. Of course, as much as he loved to make her comfortable, he often refrained from smoking when she was around, however, a few times, he indulged himself just to see a glimpse of that adorable expression.

It wasn’t long before the convoy slowed, approaching an opulent estate of over 600 acres, surrounded by towering gates and pristine gardens. The mansion had taken inspiration from Machiavelli’s villa and was an embodiment of old money and power.

As the car rolled to a stop, Kai stepped out. At the entrance of the mansion, an elderly butler stood waiting. The man bowed slightly. "Welcome home, Young Master."

Kai stepped out, his eyes taking in the familiar surroundings before nodding in response. The butler straightened and added, "The Master is expecting you."

Kai smiled mockingly. Of course, he was. He had gone as far as to threaten him to ensure he came, after all.

Kai strode inside, following the butler closely behind. The mansion was quiet as if no one lived in it; the familiar atmosphere pressed down on him like a weight he had long since grown accustomed to.

They reached a heavy oak door where the butler knocked once before announcing, "The Young Master has arrived."

Kai didn’t wait for Song Yue to respond. Instead, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Inside, Song Yue was seated in a luxurious chair, casually inspecting a golden revolver, his fingers running over its polished surface with quiet appreciation. The older man glanced up, his sharp eyes meeting Kai’s before a slow smile formed on his lips.

Then, he laughed.

Carefully, Song Yue placed the revolver back into its case, where a collection of finely crafted firearms was displayed like works of art. "Only you would dare barge in here without waiting," he mused, closing the case with a click.

Kai chuckled, striding toward a chaise lounge. He settled in it and crossed one leg over the other. "So, you threatened me with my inheritance," he drawled. "Rather desperate, don’t you think?"

Song Yue leaned back in his chair, utterly unfazed. "You left me no choice. You kept ignoring my calls."

Kai exhaled another plume of smoke. "I told you I was busy." His voice turned sharp. "I was handling the rats your precious son let loose."

Song Yue’s expression darkened slightly, his smile no longer in place. "And how did the operation go?"

Kai pressed his cigarette against a golden tray, extinguishing it, and replied nonchalantly. "Taken care of. Some of the stolen arsenals have been recovered."

Song Yue nodded in satisfaction. "Good. I expected nothing less from you."

Kai stretched lazily, then shot Song Yue a look. "Then let’s get to the point. Why did you want to see me so badly?"

Song Yue chuckled, a knowing glint in his eyes. "I heard you found yourself a fiancée." He leaned forward slightly. "When are you going to introduce her to me?"

Kai paused for just a fraction of a second before huffing out a short laugh. "So that’s what this is about." He shrugged. "Why do you wish to meet her? Haven’t you already done all the necessary background checks?"

Song Yue studied him for a moment and said,

"Now you’ve made me more curious, seeing how desperately you want to keep her away from me."

Kai narrowed his eyes. "I just think it’s unnecessary that she knows you. She already believes that I’m quite pitiful, with a family who doesn’t love me, and I intend to keep it that way. Bringing her to you would just mean more lies, which I find stressful."

Song Yue tapped his fingers against the desk, considering Kai’s words. Then, with a smile, he leaned back in his chair.

"Alright," he said easily. "If you insist."

Kai didn’t relax just yet. He knew better than to trust his grandfather’s sudden agreement. But before he could probe further, the atmosphere in the room shifted. Song Yue’s smile faded, replaced by a much more serious expression.

"Actually," he continued, his tone now all business, "the real reason I called you back is because of a far more pressing matter."

Kai exhaled slowly. "Let me guess, my dear uncle messed something up again?"

Song Yue’s eyes darkened. "Not yet. But if I let him handle this, he will."

Kai’s brows lifted slightly in interest. "And what exactly is ’this’?"

"The Song family has a long-standing arrangement with the Hei Long gang," Song Yue explained. "We’ve maintained a mutually beneficial relationship for years, but now Ye Juan has stepped down for his heir." He paused, his gaze steady. "Ye Jin."

Kai paused at the name. He’d heard of her before—the adopted daughter of Ye Juan, a formidable force in the underworld.

He had heard rumors that she was a woman who was as deadly as she was untouchable. But this was the first time he was hearing about her in direct relation to the Song family.

"Ye Jin, huh?" Kai murmured, tilting his head slightly. A smirk tugged at his lips. "Now I’m curious."

Song Yue scoffed. "Be careful with that curiosity. She’s not someone to be taken lightly."

Kai exhaled, amusement flickering in his gaze. "That just makes me even more interested."

"Your uncle was meant to oversee the negotiations," Song Yue continued, his expression darkening. "But I don’t trust him to handle it properly. This isn’t just a business deal, this is about maintaining balance. If things go south, we’ll be looking at a full-scale war."

Kai leaned back, tapping a finger against his knee. "And you want me to handle it instead?"

"You’re the only one I trust to."

Kai chuckled. "Flattery, old man?"

"Cold, hard fact," Song Yue corrected. "You know how to read people. You know how to negotiate. And more importantly, you know how to get out alive."

Kai rolled his shoulders, considering the implications. A direct meeting with Ye Jin was bound to be interesting. Dangerous, even.

But then again, he’d always liked a bit of danger.

"Fine," he said finally. "I’ll handle it."

Song Yue nodded, satisfied. "Good. The meeting is set for tomorrow night."

Kai smirked. "Then I guess I’ll finally get to see if all the stories about her are true."

Song Yue’s expression remained unreadable. "Just don’t underestimate her, Kai. If anyone can match you in cunning, it’s her."

Kai only grinned.

"That just makes it even more fun."