The car screeched to a halt before the tall iron gates of Sun City Valley Villa. Song Mei was dropped here by the Song family bodyguards. Her wrist throbbed where one of them had gripped it too tightly, the faint red marks stark against her pale skin.
"Miss Song, please understand, we're only following orders," one of the men muttered before stepping back into the black car.
The gates shut behind her with a metallic clang that echoed through the quiet night.
Song Mei stood there for a long moment, staring up at the indifferent stars. The bruises on her arms burned, but not as much as the hollow ache in her chest. with that she walked back into the villa.
The family's words still rang in her ears—accusations, insults, the venom of blood ties turned to chains.
She exhaled slowly. Enough.
The next morning, sunlight poured over the villa like molten gold. Song Mei ate a silent breakfast, the servants too afraid to meet her eyes. When she was done, she picked up her bag, slipped on her sunglasses, and stepped out without telling anyone where she was going.
The city bustled outside—cars honking, people rushing, laughter spilling from cafés. It all felt foreign to her. She hailed a cab and told the driver to take her downtown.
An hour later, she sat across from a lawyer in a small office nestled above a high-end shopping mall. The woman was middle-aged, sharp-eyed, and spoke with the calm precision of someone used to handling powerful clients.
"You want to legally sever family ties with the Song Family?" the lawyer repeated, brows furrowed slightly.
"Yes." Song Mei's tone didn't waver. "Completely."
The lawyer leaned back in her chair. "It's possible, Miss Song, but extremely difficult. Especially when the family in question doesn't consent. You'd need substantial evidence of abuse or coercion—and even then, the court process could drag for months, maybe years."
Song Mei's fingers tightened around her cup of coffee. "Even if it takes years, I'll do it."
The lawyer sighed softly. "Forgive me for asking, but why? Most people would fight to enter a family like the Songs, not leave it."
Song Mei's lips curved into a faint, bitter smile. "Because some cages are made of gold—and they still suffocate you."
Downstairs, in the glass-walled restaurant of the same mall, a familiar voice gasped.
"Wait—was that Song Mei?"
Song Ning turned sharply from her seat near the window. Across the open atrium, she could clearly see her twin sister seated in the café on the mezzanine level, speaking with a woman in a formal suit. Her friends followed her gaze, equally astonished.
"It really is her," one whispered. "But why's she talking to a lawyer?"
Another leaned in, curiosity glittering in her eyes. "I heard her say something about cutting ties with her family."
Song Ning froze. "W-what? That can't be true…"
"Didn't your family just have that big argument?" her friend pressed.
"Maybe she's serious. Who walks away from the Songs, though? She must've lost her mind."
Song Ning bit her lip, eyes fixed on the upper floor where Song Mei sat so composed, her back straight, her expression calm—eerily calm. For the first time, Song Ning felt something twist inside her chest.
Was this really the same sister who used to cling to their mother's side, begging for a kind word? The same girl who used to cry in her shadow?
Her friends continued whispering, disbelief and gossip thick in their voices.
"Leaving the Song family? She'll regret it."
"She's lucky to even share the same bloodline as you, Ningning."
"If I were her, I'd hold onto that name until the day I die."
Song Ning forced a weak smile, but her mind was far from the conversation. Her gaze followed Song Mei as she rose from her seat, thanked the lawyer, and walked out of the café with her head held high—every step radiating defiance.
When Song Mei passed through the glass doors of the restaurant level below, her and Song Ning's eyes met for a brief, suspended heartbeat.
No words were spoken.
No greetings exchanged.
Just silence—one heavy with years of misunderstanding, resentment, and something else neither could name.
Song Mei turned away first.
And as her figure disappeared into the crowd, Song Ning realized, for the first time, that her sister truly meant it—
she was ready to burn the golden bridge behind her, no matter who got caught in the flames.
The ride back to the mansion was suffocating. Song Ning sat in the car, hands clasped tightly over her lap, replaying every word she'd overheard.
Cut ties with the Song family.
Those words kept looping in her mind like a curse.
When she reached home, the house was as pristine and silent as always—sunlight spilling over the marble floors, the faint scent of sandalwood lingering in the hall. But her heart was pounding. She found her mother, Madam Song, in the tea room with Grandfather Song, both reviewing documents sent from one of their subsidiary companies.
"Mother," Song Ning blurted, her voice trembling slightly.
Both elders looked up.
"What is it, Ningning?" Madam Song asked softly, setting her teacup aside.
"I… saw Song Mei today."
Grandfather's brows furrowed. "That girl again? What trouble this time?"
Song Ning hesitated, but she couldn't hold it in. "She was meeting a lawyer. She said she wants to… cut ties with the Song family."
The teacup slipped slightly in Madam Song's grasp, clinking against its saucer.
"What nonsense is that child saying now?"
"I'm not lying," Song Ning said quickly. "My friends heard it too. She said she wants it to be legal."
The room fell into a heavy silence. Grandfather Song's face darkened, a storm brewing behind his stern eyes. "That ungrateful girl… First the school scandal, then defying her elders, and now she wants to sever blood ties? Does she think the Song name is a joke?"
Madam Song looked down, conflicted. "Perhaps she's just angry. Mei has always been sensitive…"
"Sensitive?" Grandfather snapped. "She's reckless! Every time she's in the news, the family name suffers."
He stood abruptly, his cane striking the floor. "If she truly wants to test what life is like without this family's protection, then let her taste it. No more allowances, no more privileges. Let her live like the commoners she thinks she understands!"
Song Ning flinched but stayed silent, torn between guilt and confusion.
Meanwhile, across the city, Song Mei walked through the bustling streets of the mall, her mind racing. She knew she had no money of her own—every resource she had was tied to the Song family. And yet, she needed a way forward. The conversation with the lawyer earlier had made one thing painfully clear: if the Song family learned she was seeking independence, they would react harshly, potentially cutting her financial support entirely.
Her jaw tightened. She couldn't afford to wait or rely on anyone else. She took out her phone and contacted the Wei Corporation office, the largest and most influential design company in the country.
"Hello," came a professional female voice. "I'm Song Mei," she said, her tone calm but unwavering. "I'd like to schedule a private meeting with someone from the Wei Corporation management.
I want to discuss my participation in the upcoming competition, as well as potential support for my design projects." There was a pause on the other end. "Miss Song Mei, your meeting can be arranged. However, please note that any funding or support for projects is entirely at the discretion of our company officials. It will depend on the quality of your work and the talent you demonstrate." Song Mei ended the call and exhaled slowly, a strange thrill running through her chest.
For the first time, she felt that her fate wasn't entirely in the hands of the Song family. If I play this right, I can gain independence, secure my future, and still show them what I'm capable of, she thought, her eyes gleaming with determination. She glanced around the crowded mall, people rushing past her, completely unaware of the storm brewing in her life.
This was more than a competition—it was her first true step toward reclaiming control: her life, her finances, her destiny. Even if the Song family discovered her plans, even if they tried to punish her by cutting her financial support, it no longer frightened her. She had a plan, and for once, she felt ready. Her lips curved into a sharp, confident smile. Let them try. I'll show them that Song Mei isn't just their daughter. I can stand on my own.