【全文阅读】《Ashes-of-Regret，Flames-of-Redemption》小说全文免费阅读_Ashes-of-Regret，Flames-of-Redemption免费阅读最新章节_（Ashes-of-Regret，Flames-of-Redemption）最新章节列表

The rain lashed against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the top-floor office, casting a gloomy hue over Lu Chengyan’s cold, sharp features. He tapped his finger impatiently on the ebony desk, the sound echoing in the silent room like a countdown. “So you’re telling me,” he said, his voice low and dangerous, “that she’s gone? Just like that?”

His assistant, Lin Tao, stood with his head bowed, sweat beading on his forehead despite the air conditioning. “Mr. Lu, Ms. Su… she left early this morning. She only took a small suitcase, and there’s a letter on your desk.”

Lu Chengyan’s gaze snapped to the white envelope lying neatly beside his laptop. The handwriting on the envelope was delicate yet firm—Su Nian’s handwriting. He’d seen it a thousand times on the notes she left for him, on the contracts she reviewed for his company, on the little post-its she stuck on his coffee cup to remind him to eat on time. But now, looking at it, he felt a strange, unsettling twist in his chest.

He picked up the envelope, tore it open roughly, and pulled out the piece of paper inside. The words were short, but each one felt like a knife piercing his heart.

“Chengyan, I’m leaving. Don’t look for me. We’ve been tangled for three years, and I’m tired. The Lu family never accepted me, and you… you never chose me. I used to think that if I tried hard enough, I could melt your cold heart, but now I realize that some hearts are meant to stay frozen. Thank you for the good times, but I can’t keep waiting for someone who will never prioritize me. Goodbye, Lu Chengyan. May you find what you’re looking for.”

The paper slipped from his hand, fluttering to the floor. Lu Chengyan stared at it, his mind going blank. Leave? How dare she leave? She was his—his assistant, his lover, the woman who had been by his side through every tough time in the past three years. She had cooked for him when he worked late, stayed up with him to finish urgent projects, defended him against his enemies, and even endured the humiliation from his mother and sister without a word. He had thought she would always be there, waiting for him, no matter how he treated her.

“Where did she go?” he asked, his voice hoarse. He stood up, his tall figure casting a shadow over Lin Tao.

“We… we don’t know. Ms. Su didn’t tell anyone. She returned her apartment key, resigned from the company, and even canceled her phone number. She erased all traces of herself.”

“Erased all traces?” Lu Chengyan laughed coldly, but there was no humor in his eyes. “Find her. Use every resource we have. I want her back here in 48 hours. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Mr. Lu!” Lin Tao scurried out of the office, relieved to escape the suffocating pressure.

Alone in the office, Lu Chengyan walked to the window and stared at the rain-soaked city below. The memories of the past three years flooded his mind, uninvited.

He had met Su Nian at a charity gala three years ago. She was working as a volunteer, wearing a simple white dress, her eyes bright and clear. When he accidentally spilled wine on his suit, she had handed him a handkerchief with a gentle smile, her voice soft: “Sir, are you okay? There’s a restroom over there; you can clean it up.”

At that moment, something in her smile had caught his attention. He was used to the flattery and greed in the eyes of other women, but Su Nian’s eyes were pure and sincere. Later, he found out that she was a top graduate from a famous university, working in a small law firm. He offered her a job as his personal assistant, and she accepted, though she made it clear that she would only stay if she could prove her worth.

She was excellent at her job—efficient, careful, and calm under pressure. Gradually, he found himself drawn to her. He started taking her to dinners, buying her gifts, and eventually, they got together. But he had never given her a proper title. He was the CEO of Lu Group, one of the most powerful companies in the city, and his family would never accept a woman with no background. He told himself that he just needed time to convince his family, but deep down, he knew he was being selfish. He wanted Su Nian’s company, but he wasn’t willing to fight for her.

He remembered the time his mother had humiliated Su Nian at a family dinner, calling her a “gold digger” and telling her to stay away from him. Su Nian had kept her head down, her hands clenched tightly, but she didn’t say a word. Afterward, he had told her, “Don’t take my mother’s words to heart. She’s just in a bad mood.” He hadn’t defended her, hadn’t stood up for her. He had seen the disappointment in her eyes, but he had brushed it off.

He remembered the night she had stayed up all night taking care of him when he was sick with a high fever. She had fed him medicine, wiped his sweat, and held his hand until he fell asleep. When he woke up the next morning, she was lying beside him, exhausted. He had kissed her forehead, but he hadn’t told her how much he appreciated her.

He remembered last month, when she had asked him to go to her hometown with her to meet her parents. He had refused, saying he had an important meeting. But in reality, he had gone to a party with his friends. She had found out later, and they had a big fight. “Lu Chengyan,” she had said, her voice trembling with tears, “do you even care about me? Do you care about us?” He had snapped back, “What do you want from me? I give you a good life, a good job—isn’t that enough?” She had stared at him for a long time, then turned around and left, without saying another word.

At the time, he had thought she was being unreasonable. He was busy building his empire; he didn’t have time for these trivial emotional matters. But now, reading her letter, he realized how wrong he was. He had taken her love for granted, had hurt her again and again, and now she was gone.

For the next two days, Lu Chengyan threw himself into finding Su Nian. He mobilized all his resources—his company’s security team, private investigators, even his connections in the police department. But there was no trace of her. It was as if she had never existed in this city.

He went to her old apartment. The door was locked, and the doorknob was covered in a thin layer of dust. He used the spare key she had given him (which he had never bothered to use before) to open the door. The apartment was empty, but it still smelled like her—like the lavender scent of her laundry detergent, like the coffee she used to make every morning.

He walked around the small apartment, his heart aching. The walls were decorated with photos of her with her friends, of her graduation, of the two of them together at a concert (he had forgotten when that was). On the desk, there was a stack of books she had been reading, with notes written in the margins. In the kitchen, there were still some of her favorite spices in the cabinet. In the bedroom, the closet was empty, but there was a small box on the nightstand. He opened it, and inside were the gifts he had given her—a necklace, a bracelet, a watch. She had kept all of them, even though he had never given her a meaningful gift, just random things he had picked up on his way home.

A week later, there was still no news of Su Nian. Lu Chengyan was a mess. He didn’t sleep, didn’t eat, and his work was suffering. His mother came to see him, and when she heard that Su Nian had left, she said coldly, “Good riddance. That woman was never good enough for you. You should find someone from a decent family, someone who can help the Lu Group.”

For the first time, Lu Chengyan snapped at his mother. “Shut up!” he roared. “It’s because of you! Because of all of you that she left! You humiliated her, you looked down on her, and I let you! I’m the one who drove her away!”

His mother was stunned. She had never seen her son so angry, so out of control. “Chengyan, you… you’re crazy. For a woman like her?”

“She’s not just ‘a woman like her’,” he said, his voice trembling with anger and regret. “She’s the only person who ever loved me for who I am, not for the Lu name, not for my money. And I destroyed that. I destroyed her.”

His mother left in anger, but Lu Chengyan didn’t care. He knew he had to find Su Nian, no matter what. He decided to go to her hometown—small town in the south of the country, which she had told him about a few times.

He arrived in the small town early in the morning. The air was fresh, filled with the scent of osmanthus. The town was quiet, with narrow streets and old houses. He went to the address she had mentioned once—the house where her parents lived.

An old couple opened the door. They were Su Nian’s parents. When they saw Lu Chengyan, their expressions turned cold.

“Mr. Lu,” Su’s father said, his voice stiff. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m looking for Nian Nian,” Lu Chengyan said, his pride set aside. “I know I hurt her. I’m sorry. I just want to see her, to apologize to her.”

“Apologize?” Su’s mother laughed bitterly. “You think an apology is enough? You humiliated our daughter, you made her cry, you never stood up for her. She came home a month ago, looking like a ghost. She told us everything, and we told her to leave you. She’s finally free, and you want to drag her back into that hell?”

“I won’t hurt her again,” Lu Chengyan said earnestly. “I’ll protect her, I’ll fight for her. I’ll do anything to make her happy. Please, tell me where she is.”

Su’s father sighed. “She’s not here. She left a week ago, said she wanted to travel, to clear her head. She didn’t tell us where she was going, only that she’d call us when she was ready.”

Lu Chengyan’s heart sank. He begged them to give him any information—her favorite places, her friends’ contacts, anything. They hesitated for a long time, then gave him the phone number of Su Nian’s best friend, Xiaoya.

He called Xiaoya immediately. At first, Xiaoya refused to tell him anything, but after he begged her, after he told her how regretful he was, she finally relented.

“She’s in Lijiang,” Xiaoya said. “She’s staying in a small inn near the Old Town. But Mr. Lu, I warn you—if you hurt her again, I’ll never forgive you. Nian Nian has been through enough.”

“Thank you,” Lu Chengyan said, his voice filled with gratitude. “I won’t let you down.”

He rushed to Lijiang immediately. The city was beautiful, with blue skies, green rivers, and ancient buildings. He went to the inn Xiaoya had mentioned, and there, in the courtyard, he saw her.

Su Nian was sitting on a wooden bench, reading a book. She was wearing a simple linen dress, her hair tied in a ponytail. The sunlight shone on her face, making her look calm and peaceful. She looked happy—happier than he had ever seen her.

His heart skipped a beat. He stood there, staring at her, afraid to approach her, afraid that he would break this peaceful moment.

Su Nian looked up, and her eyes met his. For a moment, she froze. Then, she closed her book, stood up, and turned to leave.

“Nian Nian!” he called out, his voice hoarse. “Wait!”

She didn’t stop. He ran after her, grabbed her arm gently. “Nian Nian, please. Let me talk to you.”

She pulled her arm away, avoiding his gaze. “What do you want to say, Mr. Lu? I already said everything in my letter.”

“I know,” he said, his voice trembling. “I read it. I’m sorry, Nian Nian. I’m so sorry. I was an idiot, I was selfish, I took your love for granted. I hurt you again and again, and I have no excuse. But please, give me a chance. A chance to make it up to you.”

She looked at him, her eyes cold. “A chance? What for? So you can hurt me again? So your family can humiliate me again? I don’t want it, Lu Chengyan. I’m tired of waiting for you. I’m tired of being second-best.”

“No, you’re not second-best,” he said, reaching out to touch her face, but she stepped back. “You’re the only one, Nian Nian. You’ve always been the only one. I was stupid to not see it earlier. I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I went to your apartment, to your hometown. I begged your parents, I begged Xiaoya. I’ll do anything, just please, don’t push me away.”

“Anything?” she laughed bitterly. “Can you bring back the three years I wasted on you? Can you erase the humiliation I endured? Can you make your family accept me?”

“I can’t bring back the past,” he said, his eyes filled with pain. “But I can promise you the future. I’ll talk to my family. I’ll make them accept you, even if I have to break off all ties with them. I’ll quit the Lu Group if I have to. Nothing matters more than you, Nian Nian. Nothing.”

She stared at him, as if trying to see if he was telling the truth. Her eyes were filled with tears, but she refused to let them fall.

“You’re lying,” she said. “The Lu Group is your life. You can’t give it up.”

“I can,” he said firmly. “I’ve already started transferring my shares to my cousin. I don’t care about the company, about the money, about the power. All I care about is you. I realized that when you left. Without you, everything is meaningless.”

Just then, his phone rang. It was his mother. He looked at Su Nian, then answered the phone.

“Chengyan, where are you? The board of directors is waiting for you. We have an important meeting.”

“I’m not coming,” he said coldly. “I’ve already decided to step down as CEO. All my shares are being transferred to Lu Ming.”

There was a shocked silence on the other end of the line. “Chengyan, you’re insane! What about the Lu family? What about everything we’ve built?”

“I don’t care,” he said. “I have something more important to do. Don’t call me again unless it’s about accepting Su Nian.” He hung up the phone, threw it into his pocket, and looked at Su Nian.

Her eyes were wide, filled with surprise. She hadn’t expected him to actually do it.

“You… you really did that?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“I meant every word I said,” he said. “Nian Nian, I know I have a lot to make up for. I know I can’t erase the pain I caused you. But please, let me try. Let me stay by your side, let me love you the way you deserve to be loved.”

Tears finally fell from her eyes. She had loved this man for three years, through all the pain and humiliation. She had tried to leave him, to forget him, but deep down, she still loved him. She hated herself for being weak, but she couldn’t help it.

“What if… what if your family still doesn’t accept me?” she asked, her voice small.

“Then we’ll move far away,” he said, taking a step closer to her. “We’ll go to a place where no one knows us, where it’s just you and me. I’ll find a small job, we’ll live a simple life. As long as I’m with you, I’ll be happy.”

He reached out to wipe her tears, and this time, she didn’t pull away. He gently pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly, as if afraid she would disappear again.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered in her ear, over and over again. “I’m so sorry, Nian Nian.”

She buried her face in his chest, sobbing. “You idiot… you big idiot…”

He held her tighter, feeling tears of relief and regret fall from his own eyes. He had found her, and he would never let her go again.

But their happiness was short-lived. A week later, Lu Chengyan received a call from Lin Tao. “Mr. Lu, something’s wrong. The Lu Group is in trouble. Someone has been embezzling funds for years, and now the company is on the verge of bankruptcy. Your cousin, Lu Ming, he’s disappeared.”

Lu Chengyan’s face turned pale. He had stepped down as CEO, but he still cared about the company—after all, it was his father’s life’s work. He looked at Su Nian, who was sitting beside him, reading a book. He didn’t want to leave her, but he had to go back.