I woke up to the bright morning sunlight filtering through the curtains. My head was still throbbing slightly, and my mouth felt dry. I rubbed my temples and slowly sat up, trying to piece together the events of the previous night.
The anniversary party.
Duan Wuqin.
Yue Ning.
The moment those memories returned, my expression darkened. I had apparently drunk far too much, and the last thing I remembered clearly was seeing Yue Ran talking to Duan Wuqin before losing consciousness again.
I glanced at the clock and immediately jolted upright.
"Damn, I'm late!"
I hurried out of bed and washed up. As I stepped into the living room, I realized the house was unusually quiet. Nobody was there. My parents must have taken Yi Cheng out somewhere.
Then I noticed a note on the dining table.
Yiluo, I had to go out early this morning. I'll be home late because I need to retrieve our car from the Duan family villa. I also want to spend some time talking with Yue Ning, so don't wait for me for dinner. Take care of yourself and don't drink too much next time. Love you.
I stared at the note for a long moment.
Yue Ran had gone back to the Duan family villa.
And she wanted to talk to Yue Ning.
My thoughts immediately returned to the previous night. I remembered seeing Yue Ran talking to Duan Wuqin outside the car. I also remembered what I had witnessed inside that room.
First, Yi Luoli. Then Yue Ning.
Both of them had been involved with the same disgusting man.
Was it possible that Yue Ran...
"No," I muttered, shaking my head.
Yue Ran wasn't like that. She was my wife, the woman who had stood beside me through countless difficulties. She loved me and our son, and I had no reason to accuse her of anything simply because I had witnessed something horrible.
I folded the note and put it back on the table.
I had to trust her.
After changing my clothes, I grabbed my briefcase and rushed out of the house.
By the time I arrived at Tang Corporation, I was already several minutes late.
I hurried into the office and went straight to Liu Waner's room.
"I'm sorry I'm late, Director Liu," I said as soon as I entered. "I wasn't feeling well this morning."
Liu Waner looked up from the documents on her desk. Her expression was calm, although her eyes lingered on my tired face.
"Did you drink too much last night?"
I gave an embarrassed smile. "A little more than I should have."
She sighed before gesturing toward the chair opposite her.
"Sit down. We have a lot to discuss."
I took my seat and opened my notebook.
"The preliminary review for the urban redevelopment project has been completed," she began. "Our proposal was accepted, but winning the tender is only the first step. The real challenge begins with implementation."
She slid several documents across the desk.
"The city expects us to submit a detailed schedule for the first phase. We need to coordinate with the relevant departments, review the existing infrastructure, and determine which sections of the old commercial district should be developed first. I want your team to prepare the revised implementation plan before the end of the week."
I nodded. "Understood. I'll have the team review the site conditions and update the schedule. We'll also identify potential delays and prepare alternative arrangements."
"Good. There will be a meeting with the senior management team this afternoon. I expect you to present the progress report and explain how your team intends to handle the initial phase."
"Of course, Director Liu."
She continued discussing the budget, staffing arrangements, and the schedule for the next round of inspections. I tried my best to concentrate, taking notes whenever necessary.
However, my mind kept drifting back to Yue Ran.
I remembered her standing beside Duan Wuqin. I remembered the way my heart had pounded when I saw them talking.
What had they discussed?
Why had she gone back to the villa? This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
And why hadn't she told me more about it?
"Yiluo."
Liu Waner's voice brought me back to reality.
I looked up. "Yes?"
"Did you hear what I just said?"
I hesitated.
She narrowed her eyes slightly. "You've been distracted all morning. Is something wrong?"
"It's nothing serious," I replied quickly. "I'm just a little tired from last night. I'll make sure it doesn't affect my work."
Liu Waner studied me for another moment before returning to the documents.
"Then get some rest after the meeting. I need you focused on this project. The company has invested a considerable amount of resources into winning this tender, and we cannot afford careless mistakes."
"I understand."
The meeting that afternoon went smoothly enough. I presented the initial schedule and answered questions about the budget and implementation plan. Although I managed to perform my duties, I knew I wasn't as focused as usual.
Every time my phone vibrated, I instinctively checked the screen, hoping to see a message from Yue Ran.
But there was nothing.
By the time I finally left the office, the uneasiness inside me had grown considerably.
When I arrived home that evening, I found my parents sitting in the living room with Yi Cheng.
My son immediately ran toward me.
"Daddy!"
I bent down and picked him up, forcing a smile as he wrapped his arms around my neck.
"Have you been a good boy today?"
"Of course!" he answered proudly.
My mom laughed from the sofa. "He was good for most of the day. But he kept asking when you and your wife would come home."
I smiled and ruffled Yi Cheng's hair before looking around the house.
"Where's Yue Ran?"
My mom glanced at me. "She still hasn't come home. She told us she had something to take care of today."
My heart sank slightly.
"She still hasn't returned?"
"No. Is something wrong?"
"No, Mom. I just wanted to ask her something."
I handed Yi Cheng back to my dad and went upstairs to our bedroom.
As soon as I closed the door, I took out my phone and called Yue Ran.
The call didn't go through.
I frowned and tried again, but the result was the same.
Her phone was switched off.
"Why is her phone off?"
I stared at the screen, my uneasiness quickly turning into panic.
Yue Ran had told me she would be late, but she hadn't said anything about switching off her phone. Normally, she would at least send me a message if her plans changed.
I paced around the bedroom, trying to calm myself down.
Perhaps her battery had died.
Perhaps she was busy talking to Yue Ning.
There were plenty of reasonable explanations.
But my mind refused to settle. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
The image of Duan Wuqin kept appearing in my thoughts. I remembered seeing him with Yi Luoli, then discovering him with Yue Ning. Both incidents had shaken me more than I wanted to admit.
And now Yue Ran had returned to the Duan family villa to speak with her younger sister.
Was Duan Wuqin there too?
Had he approached her?
I clenched my phone.
"No. I have to trust her."
I repeated those words to myself, but they did little to ease my anxiety.
After several failed attempts to reach Yue Ran, I decided to call Yue Ning instead.
The phone rang for a while before she finally answered.
"Hello, brother-in-law?"
Her voice sounded strangely tense.
"Yue Ning, it's me. I'm calling to ask about Yue Ran. She went back to the villa to retrieve our car and talk to you, but I haven't been able to reach her. Do you know where she is?"
There was a brief silence.
Then Yue Ning answered, "Ah... Sister? She... she already went home a while ago."
I frowned.
"She went home already?"
"Yes," Yue Ning replied hurriedly. "She left some time ago. You don't need to worry about her."
Something about her answer felt wrong.
"Then why is her phone switched off? Did she say anything before leaving?"
"No, she just—"
Suddenly, I heard a faint sound through the phone.
"Ah... ah..."
It was brief, almost drowned out by the background noise, but unmistakably a woman's strained moan.
I froze.
For a moment, I couldn't even breathe.
"Yue Ning?" I said slowly. "What was that sound?"
There was a sudden rustling noise on the other end, followed by a moment of silence.
"Nothing!" she answered too quickly. "It's nothing, brother-in-law. I have something to take care of, so I'll talk to you later."
"Wait, Yue Ning—"
The call abruptly ended.
I stared at my phone, my fingers tightening around it.
My thoughts had become a complete mess.
Yue Ran's phone was switched off. Yue Ning had sounded nervous. And that strange voice...
I tried to convince myself that I was overthinking everything because of what had happened the previous night.
But the more I tried to dismiss my suspicions, the more clearly I remembered Duan Wuqin's face.
I had seen him with my own eyes.
I had heard what he and Yue Ning had said.
Now, I couldn't even reach my own wife.
I sat down on the edge of the bed, running a hand through my hair.
For the first time in our marriage, I felt a fear I couldn't easily explain.
I wanted to believe Yue Ran would never betray me.
I wanted to believe that my suspicions were nothing more than the result of a terrible coincidence.
But as I stared at the silent phone in my hand, one question continued to haunt me.
Where was my wife, and what was really happening at the Duan family villa?