Chapter 2: Echoes of a Forgotten Life
When Mira opened her eyes, the world felt both foreign and familiar — a blurred reflection of another time. The silken canopy above her was embroidered with golden cranes, and the scent of sandalwood filled the air. She blinked, her heart pounding softly in her chest.
Gone were the neon lights and noise of the modern world.
In their place stood carved pillars, jade ornaments, and silence — the silence of the Shen Residence.
She sat up slowly, her body heavy as though burdened by memories not her own. Her fingers brushed the thin scars across her wrist — faint reminders of the life before. Raven, a voice whispered from within. You have returned.
A soft creak drew her gaze to the door. A young maid entered, her eyes downcast.
"Miss… the Old Madam requests your presence in the courtyard."
Mira — or rather, Shen Yifan — nodded quietly and rose. Her steps were graceful yet cautious, guided by instinct. As she walked through the grand halls, flashes of memory began to return. Laughter — cruel, mocking — echoing down these same corridors. The sharp sting of a slap. The cold, empty meals shared with family who looked at her like an unwanted guest.
By the time she reached the courtyard, her heart was heavy.
An old woman sat there beneath a blossoming plum tree — Grandmother Shen, her silver hair pinned neatly, her eyes soft with a warmth that seemed to pierce through the cold walls of the estate.
"Yifan, my dear," the old woman greeted, her smile faint but real. "You've been ill for days. I was worried."
Mira bowed her head slightly. "I'm feeling better now, Grandmother."
The old woman's hand reached out, taking hers. "That's good. You've always been too gentle… too quiet. Promise me, you'll learn to protect your heart."
Mira felt her throat tighten. This warmth… it was the only one she had here.
From behind, laughter rang out — sharp and brittle. Two elegantly dressed young women entered, their silk robes gleaming.
Shen Lian and Shen Rou — her elder sisters. Beautiful, poised… and venomous.
"Oh, look who finally decided to rise," Shen Lian sneered. "I thought perhaps she'd sleep through another family gathering."
Shen Rou giggled behind her fan. "She's probably too weak to even lift her spoon. How embarrassing for the Shen family."
Mira stiffened. Old memories collided with her new awareness — years of ridicule, of being the shadow no one cared for.
But this time, her gaze didn't lower. Her lips pressed into a calm, unreadable line — the kind that once struck fear in her enemies.
"Perhaps," she said softly, "it's better to sleep than to wake in a world where kindness is scarce."
Her sisters' smiles faltered. They weren't used to her talking back.
From the far corner of the courtyard, another figure appeared — Shen Jinhai, her brother. Tall, quiet, and distant, his eyes barely glanced her way. There was no cruelty there — only detachment, as though she were a stranger in his home.
He gave a small nod to their grandmother, muttered a greeting, and left.
Mira watched him go. So even family can become strangers…
As the sisters departed, whispering insults beneath their breath, Mira remained with her grandmother, who patted her hand.
"Don't let them break you, child. You have your own light."
Mira smiled faintly, but her mind was already unraveling the threads of memory. In flashes, she saw the old Shen's life — the loneliness, the scorn, the silent tears under moonlight.
And beneath it all, the faint shadow of Raven, the assassin who once feared nothing and no one.
As the sun dipped low, Mira stood before her mirror, staring into eyes that held two souls.
"This world owes her justice," she whispered. "And I… will make them see it."
The moon rose high, casting a cold glow upon the Shen Residence.
Somewhere deep within, the assassin stirred.
The second life had begun — and this time, Raven would not be the victim.