Unexpected Second Chance at Love

Returning to her office, Yue Ling settled behind her desk and attempted to resume her work.

Several documents awaited her signature, while a stack of proposals sat neatly beside her computer. The afternoon sunlight was already beginning to fade behind the heavy winter clouds, casting a pale gray glow across the spacious office.

Normally, Yue Ling would have buried herself in work without a second thought.

Today, however, her concentration was nowhere to be found.

She had been staring at the same document for nearly ten minutes.

The words were right in front of her, yet she had barely registered a single sentence.

Her grandfather’s voice continued echoing in her mind.

’Have you told them?’

’And him?’

Yue Ling slowly lowered the pen in her hand.

A quiet sigh escaped her lips.

She leaned back in her chair, her bluish-green eyes drifting toward the enormous windows overlooking Imperial.

Snow continued falling outside.

The city had gradually disappeared beneath a thin blanket of white, the rooftops and streets taking on the muted colors of winter.

Her gaze remained fixed on the distant skyline, but her thoughts had traveled somewhere much farther away.

City Z.

A place filled with memories she had spent years trying to make peace with.

Some were beautiful.

Others still hurt.

And among those memories was someone she had known almost her entire life.

Lee Hana.

Yue Ling’s eyes slowly shifted toward her phone.

She stared at it.

Then looked away.

A few seconds passed before her gaze returned.

Her fingers tapped lightly against the armrest.

Should she call?

The last time they spoke, Yue Ling told Hana about Lu Tian.

She had admitted that there was someone new in her life.

Someone who had gradually broken through the walls she had built around her heart.

Someone she had begun to love.

Hana had been happy for her.

Genuinely happy.

Yet even then, Yue Ling had struggled to speak openly about the relationship.

Not because she was ashamed of loving Lu Tian.

Far from it.

But because Hana was not simply an old friend.

She was Lee Shin’s family.

And Lee Shin had once been the man Yue Ling believed she would spend the rest of her life with.

Now she was preparing to marry someone else.

The thought sent an uncomfortable ache through her chest.

Yue Ling lowered her gaze.

She knew she wasn’t betraying Lee Shin by moving forward.

He was gone.

Three years had passed since his death.

She had grieved him.

Mourned him.

Carried the memories of their ten years together through some of the darkest moments of her life.

And eventually, without realizing when it happened, she had learned to smile again.

Lu Tian had become part of that healing.

He had never demanded that she forget her past.

Never treated the memories of Lee Shin as something he needed to compete with.

Instead, he had patiently made a place for himself in her life.

And now, when Yue Ling imagined her future, Lu Tian was there.

Always.

Her expression softened.

She loved him.

There was no uncertainty about that.

But telling Hana that she was getting married felt different from simply telling her she had fallen in love again.

Marriage made everything real.

Permanent.

A future that would no longer include Lee Shin in the way she had once imagined.

Yue Ling pressed her lips together.

What if Hana felt hurt?

What if hearing the news reminded her of the brother she had lost?

What if—

Yue Ling stopped herself.

A faint, humorless smile touched her lips.

She had faced armed enemies without hesitation.

She had walked into dangerous situations knowing death could be waiting on the other side.

Yet here she was, afraid to make a phone call to the first friend she had ever made.

She reached for her phone.

Then stopped.

Her thumb hovered over Hana’s contact.

A long moment passed.

Finally, Yue Ling drew in a deep breath.

She pressed the call button.

The phone rang.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Then—

”Hello, this is Lee Hana.”

Yue Ling’s heart clenched.

That voice.

Warm.

Familiar.

So painfully unchanged.

For a moment, she couldn’t speak.

Memories surfaced all at once.

Two young girls laughing together.

Secrets whispered beneath blankets.

Hana dragging her into trouble and then shamelessly blaming her when they were caught.

The years they had spent growing up together.

The comfort of knowing there was always someone she could turn to.

Hana had been her first friend.

Her dearest friend.

Someone who had known Yue Ling long before the world learned to fear her.

And hearing her voice now made the distance between them feel painfully real.

”Hello?”

Hana sounded slightly confused.

”Is someone there?”

Yue Ling’s fingers tightened around the phone.

For one irrational second, she considered ending the call.

But she had already waited long enough.

She inhaled quietly.

”Hi, Hana.”

Her voice came out softer than intended.

”It’s me.”

A pause.

”Yue Ling.”

Silence.

Yue Ling held her breath.

Then—

”Oh my God!”

She instinctively pulled the phone slightly away from her ear.

”Is it really you?!”

A faint rustling sound followed.

Yue Ling could practically picture Hana pulling the phone away to check the caller ID.

”Oh my God! It is you!”

Yue Ling laughed.

The tension in her chest loosened almost immediately.

”It’s me.”

”Han Yue Ling!”

Hana sounded scandalized.

”Do you have any idea how long it’s been since you called me?”

Yue Ling winced playfully.

”I know.”

”You know?”

”I’m sorry.”

Hana let out an exaggerated gasp.

”Did the great Han Yue Ling just apologize to me?”

”Hana.”

”Wait. I need to remember this moment.”

Yue Ling shook her head, smiling.

”You’re impossible.”

”And you missed me.”

A quiet laugh escaped Yue Ling.

”I did.”

The words were simple.

But they carried years of affection.

Hana’s voice softened.

”I missed you too.”

For several seconds, neither woman spoke.

Then Yue Ling quietly said, ”I’m sorry I haven’t been in touch since the last time we talked.”

Hana immediately scoffed.

”Why are you apologizing?”

”Because—”

”You’re busy. I understand.”

Yue Ling smiled faintly.

”Hana—”

”No, listen. You’re the CEO of not one, but several companies.”

Hana clicked her tongue.

”Honestly, I don’t even know how you find time to sleep.”

Yue Ling laughed.

”Neither do I sometimes.”

”See? Exactly!”

Hana paused.

”Although, if I remember correctly, someone promised me she would stop working herself to death.”

Yue Ling’s smile turned sheepish.

”I’ve been trying.”

”Trying?”

”Lu Tian has been helping.”

”Oh?”

The change in Hana’s tone was immediate.

Yue Ling closed her eyes. She knew that tone.

”Don’t start.”

”I haven’t said anything!”

”You were about to.”

Hana laughed.

”Well, now I’m curious.”

The conversation gradually became easier.

They spoke about ordinary things.

Life.

Work.

The weather.

Small memories that made them laugh.

Hana told Yue Ling about her son, Shin, and how quickly he was growing.

”He’s getting taller every day,” Hana complained affectionately. ”I swear, every time I buy him new clothes, he outgrows them before I can even remove the tags.”

Yue Ling chuckled.

”He’s at that age.”

”And he’s becoming more mischievous.”

”Like his mother?”

”Excuse me?”

Yue Ling smiled.

”Nothing.”

”Han Yue Ling, I heard that.”

Their laughter filled the call.

Hana continued telling her stories about little Shin.

How he had recently become convinced that he was old enough to make his own decisions.

How he would try to negotiate a later bedtime with his father.

And how Park Min Lee had somehow lost the argument.

Yue Ling laughed so hard that she had to cover her mouth.

”Park Min Lee actually agreed?”

”Don’t ask me how!”

Hana sounded exasperated.

”That man can handle complicated business negotiations, but put his son in front of him with those innocent eyes and suddenly he forgets how to say no.”

Yue Ling shook her head.

”Poor Park Min Lee.”

”Poor me!”

Another round of laughter followed.

For a while, Yue Ling forgot the heaviness that had followed her back from the design room.

She was simply Yue Ling.

Talking to Hana.

Just as they had done countless times growing up.

Eventually, the laughter faded into comfortable silence.

Then Hana’s voice softened.

”Yue Ling?”

”Hm?”

”How are you?”

Yue Ling glanced toward the window.

”I’m good.”

”No.”

Hana’s tone became gentle.

”I mean, how are you really doing?”

Yue Ling went quiet.

She knew what Hana was asking.

Not about work.

Not about her companies.

Not about the image she presented to the rest of the world.

Hana wanted to know whether her friend was happy.

Truly happy.

Yue Ling lowered her gaze.

A small smile slowly appeared.

”I’m doing well.”

She paused.

”Really well.”

Hana didn’t interrupt.

”Lu Tian has been good to me.”

Her voice softened further.

”Very good.”

She thought of the man who never failed to notice when she was tired.

The man who held her when things became difficult for her.

Who could intimidate an entire room with a single glance but would patiently listen to her talk about the smallest things.

The man who had become her home.

”He takes care of me.”

Yue Ling smiled to herself.

”Sometimes too much.”

Hana laughed softly.

”That sounds wonderful.”

”It is.”

There was a pause.

Then Hana spoke again.

”I’m happy for you, Yue Ling.”

Something in her voice made Yue Ling’s chest tighten.

Hana continued gently.

”You deserve to be loved.”

Yue Ling lowered her eyes.

”And Shin...”

Hana paused briefly.

”He would have wanted you to be happy too.”

The smile on Yue Ling’s face slowly faded.

Her fingers tightened around the phone.

For a moment, she couldn’t answer.

Hana seemed to understand.

”You know he would. Your happiness meant the world to him.”

Yue Ling swallowed.

”I know.”

Her voice was quiet.

”I just...”

She stopped.

Hana waited.

Yue Ling looked toward the falling snow.

”I’m planning to visit City Z.”

”Oh?”

”I want to see everyone.”

Her eyes softened.

”And I want to visit my parents.”

A pause.

”And Shin.”

Hana grew quiet.

Yue Ling drew in a breath.

”There’s something I want to tell them.”

Her heartbeat quickened.

This was it.

She had been avoiding the words since the beginning of the call.

”Hana...”

”Yes?”

”I’m getting married.”

Silence.

Yue Ling’s smile faltered.

She stared at the edge of her desk.

”Hana?”

For one terrible second, she wondered whether she had made a mistake.

Then—

”WHAT?!”

Yue Ling flinched.

”I mean, what do you mean you’re getting married?! I thought you were already preparing for it?”

A startled laugh escaped her.

”We’ve decided to push the date up.”

”Oh?”

”Hana—”

”To Lu Tian?!”

Yue Ling laughed again.

”Yes, Hana. To Lu Tian.”

”Oh my God!”

There was a loud thud on the other end.

Yue Ling immediately straightened.

”Hana? Are you alright?”

”I’m fine!”

Another rustling sound followed.

”I nearly dropped my phone!”

Yue Ling covered her mouth, laughing.

Hana sounded both shocked and delighted.

”Yue Ling!”

Her voice suddenly trembled.

”You’re really getting married?”

Yue Ling’s laughter softened.

”Yes.”

A long silence followed.

Then Hana sniffed.

”Oh, don’t mind me.”

Yue Ling’s expression changed.

”Hana...”

”I’m just...”

Hana laughed through what sounded suspiciously like tears.

”I’m so happy for you.”

Yue Ling’s eyes began to sting.

Hana continued.

”Do you know how long I’ve wanted to hear you say something like that?”

Yue Ling lowered her head.

”Hana...”

”For so long, I worried about you.”

Her friend’s voice softened.

”Even when you told me you were fine, I could hear it.”

Yue Ling pressed her lips together.

”You were still hurting. I thought... I thought that after my brother left, you wouldn’t want to get married ever.”

A tear gathered at the corner of Yue Ling’s eye.

Hana drew in a breath.

”And now you’re telling me you’re getting married.”

She laughed softly.

”How could I not be happy?”

Yue Ling closed her eyes.

The relief that washed through her was almost overwhelming.

She hadn’t realized how much she had needed Hana’s blessing until that moment.

”Thank you.”

Her voice trembled.

”Really.”

Hana sniffed again.

”Don’t thank me, silly.”

A pause.

”Shin loved you.”

Yue Ling’s breath caught.

”And because he loved you, I know he would never have wanted you to spend the rest of your life alone.”

A tear slipped down Yue Ling’s cheek. She wiped it away.

Hana’s voice remained gentle.

”Go visit him.”

Yue Ling nodded even though Hana couldn’t see her.

”I will.”

”Tell him everything.”

”I will.”

”And while you’re here, you had better visit me too.”

Yue Ling laughed through her tears.

”Of course.”

”Good. Because little Shin has been asking about you.”

Yue Ling’s expression brightened.

”He has?”

”Constantly.”

Hana sighed dramatically.

”Apparently, I’m not interesting enough anymore.”

Yue Ling chuckled.

”That’s not true.”

”Oh, it absolutely is.”

Hana lowered her voice conspiratorially.

”He asked me last week when his beautiful Aunt Yue Ling was coming back.”

Yue Ling’s heart warmed.

”Did he?”

”Mm-hmm.”

Hana laughed.

”And when I told him I didn’t know, he said I should call you and tell you to hurry up.”

Yue Ling shook her head affectionately.

”That little rascal.”

”He misses you.”

”I miss him too.”

”Then come visit.”

Yue Ling smiled.

”I promise.”

”Promise?”

”Promise.”

They continued chatting for a while longer.

Hana asked about the wedding.

Yue Ling explained that it would be a small ceremony at Ji Mansion.

When she mentioned wearing her mother’s wedding dress, Hana fell silent again.

Then she quietly said, ”Your mother would have loved that.”

Yue Ling smiled.

”I think so too.”

She didn’t explain everything about Grandfather Ji’s declining health.

As much as she loved Hana and considered her a close friend, that detail was for her grandfather to decide who to tell.

Eventually, Hana had to go.

Little Shin was calling for her in the background.

Yue Ling could hear his excited voice asking who she was speaking to.

Hana laughed.

”Your Aunt Yue Ling!”

A delighted shout followed.

Yue Ling’s smile widened.

”Tell him I’ll see him soon.”

”Oh, now you’ve done it.”

Hana laughed.

”He’ll be counting the stars until you get here.”

They exchanged a few more affectionate words before finally ending the call.

Yue Ling slowly lowered her phone.

For a long moment, she stared at the dark screen.

Then she smiled.

A genuine smile.

The heaviness that had settled over her heart earlier seemed to have lifted.

She had been afraid.

Afraid of hurting Hana.

Afraid of reopening old wounds.

Afraid that moving forward might somehow diminish the love she had once shared with Lee Shin.

But Hana had reminded her of something important.

Love did not disappear simply because life continued.

And happiness did not require forgetting those who were gone.

Yue Ling placed her phone on the desk.

She wiped the last trace of moisture from beneath her eyes.

Then she straightened.

”Alright.”

She picked up her pen.

”Back to work.”

This time, when she looked at the documents before her, the words finally made sense.