Chapter 2 She doesn't bow she dominate

Nyx left the room without another glance, her footsteps soft but echoing with authority through the grand halls of the An estate. Every painting, every antique, every polished marble tile-this place once felt like a home. Now, it was nothing but a gilded cage.

She walked with calculated grace toward her adoptive father's study. The butler, who once sneered at her youthful clumsiness, now bowed low and opened the door without hesitation. Power was a strange thing. Once you held it, the world bent for you.

Inside, An Haoran sat behind a dark oak desk, fingers steepled, his expression unreadable.

"You've returned," he said, voice calm, too calm.

Nyx remained standing, her gold mask glinting like a predator's warning. "I'm sure the news has traveled fast. Did my entrance offend your plans?"

His eyes flickered. "You always were dramatic. I would've preferred a quiet homecoming. You've caused quite the stir."

She tilted her head. "A stir is better than being forgotten."

A pause. Then, he gestured to the chair across from him. "Sit. We need to talk."

"I prefer to stand," she replied coolly.

The corner of his mouth twitched. "Still difficult."

Nyx folded her arms. "Still pretending to be my father?"

His jaw tightened, just slightly. "I raised you."

"You raised me to be useful. But when I stopped being convenient, you sold me like a possession." Her voice remained cold, unwavering. "You lost the right to claim fatherhood that day."

An Haoran didn't flinch. "I did what I had to for this family."

"This family?" she echoed with a laugh. "No, you did it for control. For appearances. You let your precious 'real' daughter play innocent while pushing me into the fire."

His eyes narrowed. "You've changed."

"Of course I have." Her voice dropped into a whisper, more dangerous than any scream. "You sent a child into the arms of a monster. And now, that child returns as something far more terrifying."

Silence fell again, heavy and electric.

An Haoran stood slowly. "So what now, Nyx? What are you here for? Revenge?"

She smiled behind the mask. "No, Father. I'm here for redemption. I'm here to watch you squirm while I rise in full view of the world you tried to bury me from."

His voice was steel now. "If you plan to destroy everything, remember-it'll bring you down, too."

Nyx turned toward the door. "I've already lived through hell. Try me."

And with that, she left.

From the shadows beyond the door, Xia emerged and handed her a sleek black phone.

"Boss," she said. "Your schedule for tomorrow: Imperial High, 8:30 a.m. sharp. Your debut begins."

Nyx's lips curled.

"Let the games begin."

---

The morning sun cast a golden hue over the capital city, but for Nyx, its light felt artificial. As her black Maybach rolled through the prestigious gates of Imperial High, she remained unmoved by the lavish display of wealth around her. This was no ordinary high school-it was a playground for the elite, a façade of innocence masking deep corruption.

The moment she stepped out, silence fell over the courtyard. Every student turned to look, their whispers like ripples in a still pond.

"Who is that?"

"She looks familiar..."

"No way-that's the An family's adopted daughter, right? The one who disappeared?"

"Didn't they say she was dead?"

But Nyx paid no attention to the stares. Dressed in a custom black uniform with silver trim, her long hair tied in a loose, elegant braid, and her face half-obscured by an ornate golden mask, she looked less like a student and more like a queen arriving for her coronation.

Xia followed behind, holding a tablet and murmuring updates. "Your desk is in Class A. Front row. They made sure of that after your name appeared on the board this morning. An Haoran pulled some strings."

Nyx chuckled. "He thinks he's still in control. How adorable."

As she entered the grand building, a tall figure leaned against a marble column-Liya, surrounded by sycophants as always. She wore the perfect An family uniform and smiled with mock sweetness.

"Nyx?" Liya called out, voice tinged with surprise and something darker. "You're actually attending school again? How... brave of you."

Nyx stopped just before her, gaze unflinching. "Didn't you hear, dear sister? I'm full of surprises now."

Liya's smile faltered for half a second. "You're not the same girl who left."

"No. I'm the one who came back."

Gasps echoed behind them. The air between them thickened, charged with invisible lightning.

Liya's gaze flickered to the mask. "Still hiding your face?"

"Still pretending to be innocent?" Nyx countered smoothly.

Before Liya could respond, a deep, amused voice interrupted them.

"What a reunion."

Nyx turned toward the voice-and froze.

He stood tall, with sharp eyes that seemed to pierce through lies and souls alike. Clad in the Imperial uniform like it was tailored for war, his presence silenced the hallway instantly.

Alec Ji.

The rumored heir of the Ji conglomerate. Unmatched in power, intellect, and cruelty.

His eyes lingered on Nyx longer than necessary. "So the masked queen returns. Let's see if you can survive this empire."

Nyx tilted her head. "Watch closely. I won't just survive."

Her golden eyes glinted dangerously behind the mask.

"I'll rule."