Her Ex's Fear, Her New Flame

The autumn rain fell softly against the leaves, a melancholy breeze drifting through the air.

Inside the grand Song family mansion in Málaga, a girl of seventeen or eighteen gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Her brows were delicately arched, and her enchanting almond-shaped eyes sparkled with emotion.

“Miss, the master requests your presence downstairs,” a maid knocked on the door, urging her.

“Alright,” she replied softly, pushing the door open. The maid watched the girl's somewhat stubborn silhouette and couldn't help but shake her head as she entered the room to tidy up.

The room, awash in soft pink hues, was an epitome of elegance. Every detail, from the priceless artworks adorning the walls to the treasure trove of exquisite jewelry in her vanity, spoke of her cherished status within the family.

The maid opened the door to a nearby bathroom, and an overwhelming stench assaulted her senses. The floor was littered with soiled clothes, tainted with vomit—chaos everywhere.

“My God, what a smell…” another maid, carrying cleaning supplies, entered right behind her. “Where did the miss go last night, to be so inebriated?”

“After such a family disaster, who wouldn't drown their sorrows in drink?”

“Isn't that the truth? The young lady had a good life, and now suddenly, a sister appears—how tragic that she even stole her fiancé.”

“Madam was just upset and left, and the master brought her back right after. It seems he's planning to take in the illegitimate daughter while Madam is away,” the maid said, sorting the dirty clothes by color and placing them into a basket.

“Who could blame him? That woman knows how to charm the master. I just overheard him on the phone; it seems Young Master Fu is coming over.”

“Is he trying to force the miss into an annulment?”

“If it comes to that, and those two end up together, our miss will become the laughingstock of all Málaga!”

As the two maids continued to gossip while cleaning, they were completely unaware that the girl they had just discussed had turned back, her eyes slightly red and glistening with unshed tears, though she quickly composed herself.

When she finally descended the staircase, a smile graced her lips.

---

**In the Grand Hall of the Song Mansion**

A stunning girl sat on the sofa, dressed simply in a white shirt and jeans, with black canvas shoes that had seen better days. She bit her lip, appearing cautious and reserved.

It was her first visit to the Song family estate.

The surrounding garden was filled with unfamiliar ancient trees and a plethora of orchids. Though she had little knowledge of flowers, she understood that some rare varieties could be worth millions. The orchids of the Song family were exquisite treasures, tended to by skilled caretakers.

Her previous life had been a far cry from even a single flower in this lavish garden.

“Miss Jiang, you…” The maid had just poured her tea when a middle-aged man sitting nearby coughed twice.

“Miss, please enjoy your tea,” the maid smiled, though her tone dripped with condescension.

Illegitimate daughters like her were a dime a dozen among the wealthy, but few had the audacity to show up at the family doorstep.

She looked poised and delicate, but it was clear she had some tricks up her sleeve to gain entry into the Song family.

“Thank you,” Elara Jiang said as she accepted the tea. Her gaze fell on the exquisite celadon cup, clearly a luxury item.

“Elara, have some pastries,” the man spoke, an older gentleman in a tailored black suit, with a stern yet softened demeanor that hinted at his business-savvy nature.

This man was her biological father—Reginald Song.

“Hmm.” Elara appeared demure, her delicate frame exuding an air of fragility that made one hesitant to speak loudly around her.

Just as she prepared to sip her tea, her peripheral vision caught sight of someone descending the staircase…

Her fingers suddenly stiffened and tightened around the cup.

Coming down from above, she walked with grace and poise.

Proud and ethereal, she felt almost otherworldly.

“Dad!” Elara’s voice was sweet and soft.

“Seraphina, you're here! Come sit,” Reginald Song beckoned.

Seraphina Song took a seat directly across from Elara, scrutinizing her with an intense yet straightforward gaze, as if she could see directly through her.

“Seraphina, let me introduce you to…” Reginald hesitated, caught in the innocence of his daughter's questioning eyes, struggling to find the right words.

Everyone in the room was aware of the unspoken truth, but no one dared to break the silence.

“Miss, your favorite white tea,” the maid interjected cheerfully, handing Seraphina her drink and interrupting Reginald's introduction.

“Thank you,” Seraphina replied, her fingers delicately holding the fine celadon cup, resembling a sculpted piece of jade.

She lifted the lid, steam rising and obscuring her figure as she squinted, savoring a sip with an air of languid mystery.

Elara Jiang bit her lip tightly.

The cup alone indicated that she was the favored one, and Elara… was merely a guest.

This was the first time Elara had seen Seraphina Song, who was just a year younger at seventeen.

The people of Málaga praised her beauty, claiming she was “as alluring as a peach blossom, capable of captivating the city.”

Elara had thought it mere flattery until she laid eyes on her. Words couldn’t capture Seraphina’s essence: a purity mixed with a hint of seduction, her eyes innocent yet worldly, her movements graceful and natural.

Amidst the steam rising from the tea, she seemed to float like a wisp of smoke.

Even her fingers were slender and flawless, prompting Elara to instinctively pull her hands into her sleeves.

“Elara, how is military training going? Is it particularly tough?” Reginald tried to ease the tension.

“It’s alright,” Elara replied with a forced smile. She had only endured two days of training, and despite sunscreen, she had already tanned. In contrast, the girl across from her looked like a porcelain doll—pure and pristine.

Without comparison, it was bearable.

The two sat facing each other, and even the maids could tell this was a mismatch. Did Young Master Fu have no eyes?

Why settle for a pearl when he could have a diamond?

Even as Reginald attempted to lighten the mood, the atmosphere remained awkward until a servant rushed in, whispering, “Young Master Fu has arrived…”

Elara’s fingers trembled around the teacup, displaying a shyness typical of a young woman.

Seraphina’s fingers stroked her cup, noting the speed of his arrival.

She recalled the many dramas she'd watched, where the prince would often have a relentless princess who everyone despised.

At that moment, she felt like the villainess intent on sabotaging a romance.

---

As Seraphina savored her tea, a man in his twenties stepped into the room.

Dressed in a simple white shirt and tailored black pants that accentuated his long, elegant legs, he exuded a refined grace. His features were sharp and clean, radiating an air of quiet confidence that made him quite popular at school.

“Senior,” Elara stood, her smile bright.

“Hmm.” Julian Fu returned the smile and turned to Reginald. “Hello, Uncle Song.”

However, when his gaze shifted to Seraphina, the atmosphere grew tense.

“Enric moves quickly to find a new girlfriend; he broke up with me just the other day and here he is with someone new,” Seraphina scoffed.

The expressions of the recently entwined couple turned sour.

“Seraphina,” Reginald frowned, a hint of irritation in his tone.

“What? Did I say something wrong?” Seraphina raised an eyebrow, looking at the two in front of her.

Though she was young, she had been engaged to Julian for over a year. Even at her tender age, their relationship felt more sibling-like, with Julian taking care of her as he was three years her senior.

Now in her senior year of high school, after a month off for summer, she returned to school in early August, completely unaware of the recent family turmoil her mother kept from her.

On the day of her holiday, Julian had come to pick her up, and she had assumed they would go out for dinner. Instead, on their way, he revealed he wanted to break off their engagement.

She initially thought it was just talk, not realizing he was serious. Seraphina, proud and defiant, agreed, believing he might reconsider.

That very night, she heard rumors that he had started seeing a freshman at university.

After knowing him for years, could it really be that he would end their engagement for a girl he barely knew?

Upon further inquiry, she discovered they had met in a student group and that the girl had been working at a restaurant owned by the Fu family.

Julian had been helping her in various ways, just like a storyline ripped from a drama.

“Seraphina, I want to explain…” Julian began.

“I know what you want to say?” Seraphina had watched enough dramas and seen her fair share of family feuds.

“You want to claim you two are in love and that you didn’t intend to hurt me?” Her tone dripped with sarcasm.

“You’re hoping for my blessing.”

“Sweetheart, it’s not what you think. Julian and I…” Elara bit her lip, appearing pitiful.

“Who are you calling sweetheart?” The term struck a nerve, and she hurled the cup across the room.

“Do I need to remind you? We were still engaged when you two were getting cozy? And you’d dare to feel wronged as a mistress?”

“If I’m the one who got cheated on, should I just cry about it?”

Tea splashed everywhere, the tension in the air thickening.

“Seraphina!” Reginald sighed deeply.

Seraphina stood up, casting a disdainful glance at Elara. “He’s just a used man anyway; take him for all I care!”

The expressions on both their faces turned to pure shock.

“Used man?” The phrase cut deep.

“Seraphina, you…” Reginald's face turned pale with anger.

Seraphina, throwing the cup down, marched toward the door.

“Where are you going? It’s raining outside!” Reginald realized how unfair the situation was for Seraphina, but matters of the heart could not be forced.

Seraphina grabbed an umbrella from the porch, determined to leave.

---

Outside, the air was thick and humid, mingled with rain, creating an overall discomfort. A sleek black car rolled through the puddles, splashing mud and debris, before coming to a halt in front of the mansion.

Seraphina squinted at the unfamiliar car, noting that it didn’t bear a local license plate.

The door swung open, and a gust of cool wind swept in as a man in black stepped out, holding a black umbrella, standing beside the vehicle.

The passenger remained inside, merely lowering the window. From Seraphina's vantage point, she could only glimpse part of his chiseled profile.

Dressed in dark clothing, he had thin lips that curved slightly upward, giving him an alluringly brooding demeanor as he gestured for the person beside him to come closer, speaking a few low words.

He toyed with a string of smooth prayer beads, the delicate brown tassels dangling softly.

Perhaps sensing her gaze, he turned slightly. Through the rain, his features remained somewhat indistinct, but he exuded a seductive, world-weary charm, the beads clutched in his hand giving him an air of mystique.

He tilted his head slightly, the rain obscuring his features, and two phrases floated into Seraphina's mind.

**“Seven parts ethereal, three parts alluring.”**

Yet his eyes held an icy detachment.

Seraphina hurriedly averted her gaze, missing the faint curve of his lips—a reminder of their encounter at the bar the previous night, where he had boasted about wanting to take her home.

---

At that moment, a security guard sprinted through the puddles towards the mansion, shouting, “Sir, Enric Fu is here!”

Seraphina froze. Was this the Enric Fu everyone feared? Julian's most dreaded uncle?

A man devoted to Buddhism? Surely he must have a kind heart.

Little did she know, Enric was anything but ordinary in his behavior and temperament.

The rain poured down like a curtain, the wind tossing leaves into puddles that spun and swirled.

With the announcement that "Enric Fu has arrived," Seraphina heard the sound of a teacup shattering inside. She stood at the doorway, and with a quick turn, she could see the chaos unfolding in the living room. The one who had dropped the cup was none other than her ex-fiancé—Julian Fu.

Her pupils constricted, and her face paled; she didn’t even register the scalding tea splashing onto her hand.

“Are you sure it’s Enric?” Reginald Song jumped up from the sofa, his voice filled with urgency.

“Yes, it’s Enric,” the security guard who had rushed in wiped the rain from his face.

Reginald instinctively glanced at Julian. “Julian, why didn’t you mention Enric was coming?”

Julian, having recently ended his engagement with Seraphina and now involved with Elara, was here today to clarify the situation with Reginald. After all, it wasn’t uncommon for the Fu fam