Su Weichu slowly stirred from unconsciousness, the soft, steady rhythm of a heartbeat beneath her making her aware of her surroundings. The warmth that surrounded her felt nearly suffocating, and as her senses sharpened, she realized she was in the embrace of a man. Her breath hitched in surprise, and she instinctively struggled to break free.

“Lin Huaiyu, let me go!” she demanded, her voice tinged with frustration, but her body still languid from the sudden awakening.

Lin Huaiyu gave her a silent, incomprehensible glance, his arm tightening around her as if testing the weight of her form. His chest rose and fell with a calm, measured breath, as if the delicate figure in his arms was a fragile thing he was unwilling to release. His eyes, shadowed with a hint of something darker, fell upon her pale lips, lingering for a moment longer than she liked. A subtle frown creased his brow. Thereupon, with a gentle but unyielding motion, he pulled her in closer, his grip firm but unrelenting.

“Su Weichu,” he murmured in a voice thick with authority, “Until I say otherwise, this marriage is not only yours to decide. You will stay—by my side.”

His words were blunt, a decree that left no room for argument. The quiet intensity of his gaze swept over her. Deep within his eyes, there was a flicker of tender emotion, one hidden beneath the coldness of his command. For a fleeting moment, her heart fluttered—a soft pang of sentiment that might have been hope—but she quickly suppressed it, locking it away with all the strength she could muster.

She couldn’t afford to fall for his gentle facade. The woman he truly loved was Qiao Shan, the one he would sacrifice everything for, even donating his cells without hesitation.

A sharp ache sliced through her chest, and Su Weichu clenched her teeth, biting down hard on her lower lip. The sting helped ground her, and with every ounce of strength, she wrenched herself free from his hold, her limbs shaking from the effort.

“Lin Huaiyu, I’m done with this marriage. I refuse to stay in your house any longer.” she spat, her voice colder than she felt. She didn’t wait for him to respond, her steps swift as she made her way toward the door.

Nearing the entrance of the door, a hand shot out before she could reach the handle, gripping her arm with unrelenting force. The suddenness of it made her pulse race, and she froze, every inch of her body on edge.

“You’d rather leave me and run to Fu Wenbo?” His voice was low, simmering with barely contained fury. The words cut through the room like a knife, and his face, usually so composed, twisted with a barely suppressed anger.

Su Weichu didn’t flinch. The need to escape, to distance herself from Lin Huaiyu, burned in her chest like wildfire. She nodded, her voice passionless and unfeeling. “Exactly, you’ve got the point. The person I love, at this moment, is Fu Wenbo.”

“Su Weichu!” His words were a snarl, his grip on her arm tightening, as if he could imprison her with his very hands. “I’m not letting you leave here, not even an inch.”

With a harsh shove, he pushed her toward the bed. His hands, though seemingly controlled, moved with an unmistakable urgency as he began to undo the buttons of his shirt one by one.

“Lin Huaiyu! Are you out of your mind?” Su Weichu’s voice rang with defiance, her eyes locking with his in a battle of wills. The anger in his eyes was a storm, but hers were a quiet, unwavering resolve.

At that point, for the briefest of moments, she saw it—something softer, flickering in the depths of his gaze. The slightest glimmer of emotion resembling guilt, or perhaps, regret? She could feel a tear slip from the corner of her eye, though she refused to acknowledge it.

Lin Huaiyu paused, his hands faltering for just a second as he saw the tear trace down her face. It was enough for her to gather herself, pull her clothes back together, and face him with a look colder than ice.

“I will send the divorce papers to you,” she said, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. She turned toward the door, desperate to leave, but just as she reached for the handle, a sudden knock echoed through the room, halting her in her tracks.

The door creaked open and in stepped Bai Xueping, her face alight with an expression that flickered between surprise and mischief. Seeing the scene before her, she blinked in disbelief, then chuckled softly to herself, her hand rising to cover her mouth.

“Oh, I see you two are getting along so well,” she said with a sly smile, clearly enjoying the discomfort she was causing. “Well, I’m relieved. Son, you’d better take good care of ChuChu. Don’t let her suffer any grievances.”

ChuChu? The name hung in the air, sharp and unsettling.

Upon hearing that nickname, Su Weichu paused, wondering if her ears had betrayed her. She turned to Bai Xueping, confusion clouding her expression, and replied in a voice as cold as frost, “If you’re intending to force me out, there’s no need for the passive-aggressive tone. I’ll leave on my own. It’s your son who’s the one clinging to me, refusing to divorce.”

She pushed Lin Huaiyu away, standing up from the bed to straighten her clothes, intent on exiting the room.

However, Bai Xueping was faster, her hand snapping out to grab her arm with surprising force. Her face, which had been a picture of cool calculation, suddenly melted into an overly sweet, almost syrupy smile. “ChuChu, you’ve misunderstood me. Now, why would I want you to leave? You’re my daughter-in-law and I couldn’t be more pleased.”

The abrupt shift in Bai Xueping’s attitude left Su Weichu momentarily stunned. It was like a switch had been flipped, but before she could respond, she heard the hesitation in Bai Xueping’s voice. “ChuChu, are you really the heir of the Su family?”

A laugh, bitter and sharp, escaped from Su Weichu’s lips. So that’s what this is about, she thought. The realization hit her like a slap. The tone, the sudden politeness—it all stemmed from the discovery of her family’s wealth.

With a glance that could freeze water, Su Weichu leveled her gaze at Bai Xueping. “What does being the heir of the Su family have to do with you?”

The question made Bai Xueping’s face pale, her confidence faltering. She could feel a cold sweat forming on her back, the pretense of friendliness slipping away. She laughed nervously, trying to recover. “Oh. ChuChu, it’s all my fault. I misunderstood you in the past. However, I’ve always truly recognized you as the perfect daughter-in-law in my heart.”

Su Weichu scoffed, her disdain clear. Without sparing her another glance, she turned to leave.

Bai Xueping’s face reddened with embarrassment, scrambling to block her path, desperation lacing her voice as she offered an exaggerated, pleading smile. “ChuChu, it’s all because of Chenxi isn’t it? She was the one who impulsively auctioned off your Heart of the Ocean. I’ll make sure she apologizes right away.”

Su Weichu paused, her steps halting as her cold gaze swept over Bai Xueping and her daughter. The chill in her eyes deepened like a winter storm rolling in. This family is nothing but opportunists, she thought bitterly.

A mocking smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she met Bai Xueping’s eager gaze. “Alright then. Let her apologize to me—at once now.”

Bai Xueping wasted no time, summoning the maid to fetch Lin Chenxi. When the younger woman arrived and saw Su Weichu standing there, a sneer twisted her face. “What are you, still doing here? Get, out!” she spat, her voice dripping with disdain.

However, Bai Xueping shoved her daughter before Su Weichu could respond, her voice low but cutting, “Shut up child! Apologize to your sister-in-law, this instant!”

Lin Chenxi froze, her eyes wide with disbelief, her mouth hanging open. “Mom! Are you out of your mind?! You want me to apologize to her?!”

“Not a chance!” she declared vehemently, turning her head and glaring at Su Weichu as if the very sight of her burned. “There’s no way in hell I’ll apologize!”

“Slap!—”

The sharp sound of a slap echoed through the room before she could finish. Bai Xueping’s hand struck Lin Chenxi’s cheek with force, sending her stumbling back, her hand flying to her reddened face. “Mom! How could you hit me!” Lin Chenxi shrieked, her voice thick with a mixture of hurt and anger.

Bai Xueping, unmoved by her daughter’s outburst, pinched her arm with a fierce grip, her words clipped and urgent. “If the Overseas project is going to succeed, it depends on Su Weichu. Do you understand? Now apologize to her, or everything we’ve worked for will be at risk!”

Lin Chenxi’s gaze met her mother’s with a flash of understanding, a reluctant surrender in her eyes. Though every fiber of her being screamed in protest, she lowered her head. “Sister-in-law, I’m sorry. It was wrong of me to take the Heart of the Ocean which belonged to you. Please, forgive me.”

The words, though forced, hung heavy in the air, an uncomfortable silence settling over the room.

“That’s right, Chu Chu, please forgive your sister!” Bai Xueping chimed in eagerly, her voice dripping with sweetness.

Looking at the two women who had never shown her an ounce of kindness in the past, now groveling before her to achieve their own goals, Su Weichu felt no satisfaction. In fact, it was as if they had shoved a fly into her mouth—how disgusting and revolting.

However, she had already made up her mind. She would no longer stay in the Lin household, subjecting herself to the emotional wounds that Lin Huaishu inflicted upon her.

With a final glance at Lin Huaiyu, she spoke in a tone far from detached it could have frozen the air revolving in between them. “I’ve rewritten the divorce agreement. Whether you agree to it or not, one month from now, we’ll be divorced officially.”

Turning on her heel, she made to leave, but Lin Huaishu’s cold hand shot out, gripping her wrist with a force that sent a shiver through her body. “Where do you plan on going? I already told you—you’re not to leave my side!” he growled, his voice hard and possessive.

Su Weichu lifted her chin and met his gaze with a cool, distant look in her eyes. The distance between them was a chasm that could never be bridged. “I suggest you remove your hands from me if you don’t want to permanently sever your ties with the Su family. and if you don’t… well, people from the Su family will be here within less than twenty minutes they’ll gladly deal with you,” she stated flatly, her voice carrying no warmth or emotion.

For a brief moment, Lin Huaishu’s eyes darkened, hesitation flickering past him. He remembered the doctor’s warnings—Su Weichu was in no state to be provoked. Slowly, reluctantly, he loosened his grip on her wrist.

A bitter laugh escaped Su Weichu’s lips as she turned away, her heart hardening further. As expected, Lin Huaiyu wasn’t trying to constrain her out of love. It was always about the benefits she could bring to the Lin family.

Su Weichu descended the stairs, her silhouette slipping into the luxurious car that waited outside. The vehicle sped away, leaving the cold, distant figure of Lin Huaiyu standing at the doorway, his gaze fixed on the vanishing tail lights. His fist clenched tighter, a quiet storm brewing within him.

Was she really going to leave… just like that?

Not even one more moment by his side?

His eyes darkened with frustration, the unrelenting ache in his chest feeding into the silent tension that simmered in the air. To be safe, he commanded his assistant to follow her—in case something unexpected occurs.

Meanwhile, Bai Xueping stormed up to him, her face flushed with disbelief and irritation. “Son, how could you just let her go like this? She’s the future heir of the Su family, for heaven’s sake!” Her voice was sharp, edged with panic, as she thrust a packet of powdered medicine into his hands. “You need to bring her back. The Su family is a golden opportunity and we can’t let this opportunity slip through our fingers.”

Lin Huaiyu’s brow furrowed, his gaze flicking between the packet in his hand and his mother’s eager face. His expression soured, an involuntary flicker of annoyance crossing his features. “What exactly are you up to now, mother?” he asked, his tone frostier than usual.

Bai Xueping’s face softened into a smug smile, the kind that reeked of satisfaction and cunning. “Ah… my clever, clever son,” she cooed, her voice thick with meaning. “This overseas project is crucial, you know. If you convince her to come back, she’ll be yours—utterly devoted. However, if she insists on your divorce… well, we can always handle that too.” She patted his hand in a gesture that bordered on condescending, her grin lingering like a predator’s.

A flash of revulsion passed across Lin Huaiyu’s features. Without a word, he discarded the packet of medicine, casting it aside as if it were something vile. “The company’s busy,” he said, his voice turning steely with detachment. “I’ll be staying at the office for a while. As for the overseas project, you’ll have to handle it yourself.” He paused for a beat, his gaze sharpening with an almost imperceptible warning. “On the other hand, Su Weichu—don’t interfere with her again.”

His words were final, the chill in his tone was unmistakable. The last traces of warmth that had once lingered between them were gone, replaced by the cold realization that his mother’s influence had no hold over him anymore.