“She’s worthy of that?”
Fu Beichen lowered his eyes, the contempt and disgust in his gaze completely undisguised.
“Who knows how the child in her belly came to be? I, Fu Beichen, have only one daughter, Fu Nuannuan. Not just any stray cat or dog is qualified to claim a connection to me.”
It was clearly he who had personally sent her to another man’s bed, yet now, to protect his mistress, he publicly nailed her to the pillar of shame.
Nan Xin stood in the middle of the hall, her seven-month pregnant belly prominent, like a trapped beast surrounded by hunters.
She clenched and unclenched the hand hanging at her side, a cold smile slowly appearing at the corner of her lips.
“I’m not worthy? Then who is the man on this marriage certificate?”
How deeply had Nan Xin once loved Fu Beichen?
From the moment they registered their marriage, she had carried their marriage certificate with her everywhere. She was afraid that everything was merely a dream, and only by looking at it could she truly feel that she had married the man she loved most.
But now, that joy had become a blade pointed straight at him.
The entire hall erupted into an uproar.
Fu Beichen’s expression changed drastically. He swiftly snatched the marriage certificate from Nan Xin’s hand and tore it into pieces.
He glared at Nan Xin through clenched teeth. “Nan Xin, shut up!”
“Xin Xin, don’t overthink things.”
At that moment, Nan Yu walked over, concern perfectly arranged across her delicate features.
She leaned down and moved close to Nan Xin’s ear. The strong scent of her perfume immediately filled Nan Xin’s nose.
At the same time, Nan Yu whispered viciously, “Actually, Beichen was right next door that night. He was on a video call with me the entire time. I never imagined it. My aloof and self-controlled little sister is actually so wild in private. And those sounds… Tsk, tsk. I still haven’t forgotten them.”
Nan Xin’s fingertips dug into her palms, and a barely perceptible tremor entered her voice.
“That man… who was he?”
“He was a bed partner Beichen carefully chose for you from among his business partners. He may be older and already married, but at least he could make you ‘feel good.’ Beichen really went to great lengths for you, didn’t he?”
She deliberately brought up Fu Beichen, trying to completely ignite Nan Xin’s anger.
Yet after hearing her words, Nan Xin’s body slowly relaxed.
She was lying.
An image of that humiliating yet hazy night flashed through Nan Xin’s mind—
In the pitch darkness, she remembered the sensation of those strong, powerful arms, as well as that deep, magnetic voice that possessed a strange soothing quality. She could tell that the man had been young. He definitely was not the old man Nan Yu had described.
She instinctively placed a hand over her heavily swollen belly. The little life inside seemed to stir restlessly, as though affected by its mother’s anger.
“Is that so? What a pity. Your storytelling skills still leave something to be desired, Sis.”
Her hand quietly pressed against a tiny bulge inside her coat pocket—
It was the miniature voice recorder Shen Zhixia had forcibly stuffed into her hand when she visited Nan Xin at the hospital.
Shen Zhixia had told her, “Capitalists are always full of schemes. It never hurts to keep your guard up.”
From the moment Nan Xin had entered this place, she had already pressed the record button.
Nan Xin knew her own limitations. She knew she could not defeat Fu Beichen right now, so this was the only way she could protect herself and her child.
Nan Xin imitated what Nan Yu had done earlier and leaned close to her sister’s ear.
“Sis, I recorded everything you just said, including what I said to Fu Beichen on the phone that day. What do you think will happen if this recording gets out? The Fu Group’s stock price, not to mention your reputation… wouldn’t they all be ruined?”
The color drained from Nan Yu’s face in an instant, and her exquisite features twisted for a moment.
“You bitch, how dare you—”
The moment she noticed the startled looks from those around them, Nan Yu abruptly fell silent, her beautiful eyes filled with panic.
She had intended to provoke Nan Xin and make her lose control and humiliate herself in front of everyone. Instead, she had been the one provoked into losing her temper.
Three years ago, before Nan Xin had gone abroad, she had still been a foolish blockhead. When had she become this clever?
Seeing Nan Yu lose control, Nan Xin smiled mockingly.
Her sister had always been proud and arrogant to the bone, believing she could manipulate everyone in the palm of her hand. But Nan Yu had never considered that the reason Nan Xin had seemed so foolish in the past was simply because she had always been yielding to her.
“Sis, how can you swear at people?”
“Shut up!”
Nan Yu was completely panicked.
Once the recording was exposed, the image she had painstakingly cultivated and the position of Mrs. Fu that was practically within her grasp… everything would be ruined!
She no longer had time to maintain her composure. She rushed forward, reaching for the voice recorder.
But just as she was about to touch it, Nan Xin unexpectedly pulled the recorder out herself and smashed it to pieces on the floor right in front of Nan Yu.
Looking at the astonishment in Nan Yu’s eyes, she said,
“I forgot to tell you. The recording is connected to the internet. Taking the recorder won’t do you any good.”
“You!”
Nan Yu clenched her fists, and the hatred in her eyes could no longer be concealed.
At that moment, she regretted letting Nan Xin come here more than anything. If she had known, she should have simply killed her in secret.
And that was exactly what Nan Xin wanted.
She had never been a pushover. She had merely indulged them time and time again because she cared about the pitiful bonds of family and love.
Nan Xin’s parents had no idea what had happened between the sisters. But the mere fact that Nan Yu was unhappy was enough for them to sentence Nan Xin to death.
Nan Xin’s mother stepped in front of Nan Yu and glared viciously at Nan Xin.
“Nan Xin, why do you always upset your sister?! Hurry up and apologize to her!”
“Sometimes I really wonder whether I’m actually your biological daughter.”
Nan Xin found it painfully ironic. She smiled, but her eyes were slightly red.
Ever since they were children, Nan Yu had been the little princess her parents cherished in the palms of their hands. Nan Xin, on the other hand, had been treated worse than a servant in the Nan household. She slept in the storage room, wore Nan Yu’s discarded clothes, and was even scolded whenever she scored better than Nan Yu.
Was that fair?
“I could never give birth to a shameless bitch like you—”
Nan Xin’s mother was about to continue when Fu Nuannuan, who seemed frightened by the commotion, began crying and climbed out of her arms, reaching for Nan Yu.
A strange glint flashed through Nan Yu’s eyes. She deliberately put on an anxious expression and hurried over to comfort Fu Nuannuan.
“Sweetheart, don’t be scared. Auntie was just joking with Mommy.”
Nan Xin was still thinking about what her mother had said. Before she could react, Nan Yu, who had been walking forward, suddenly let out a cry and fell forward.
And directly in front of her was the still-crying Fu Nuannuan.
With Nan Yu’s scream, Fu Nuannuan hit the floor with a loud thud, her cries becoming even sharper.
Perhaps because of the hormonal changes caused by her pregnancy, seeing Fu Nuannuan fall and cry like that made Nan Xin’s heart ache as well.
She instinctively wanted to check on Fu Nuannuan.
But when she looked up, she met Nan Yu’s bloodshot, hateful eyes.
Nan Xin’s mind instantly cleared.
She had fallen into Nan Yu’s trap!
“I didn’t… Ah!”
Nan Xin instinctively tried to explain, but a searing pain suddenly shot through the back of her hand. At the same time, one of Fu Beichen’s bodyguards clamped a hand over her mouth, preventing her from making a sound.
By then, Fu Beichen had already picked up Fu Nuannuan. The man who was usually decisive and ruthless in the business world was now carefully checking Fu Nuannuan over, so nervous that he was afraid even the slightest careless movement might hurt her.
Nan Yu stumbled toward Fu Beichen, her face filled with a mother’s worry and heartache.
She looked at Nan Xin with accusation and resentment.
“She’s just a child! How could you be so cruel?”