"Madam, CEO Gu's divorcing you! Stop hogging the master bedroom—move out, now!"
Footsteps clattered at the door. Meng Shutang turned. Sister Li leaned against the frame, her nose turned up, eyes dripping with contempt.
Meng Shutang was already packing. But she froze at a black silk dress—tag still on. Gu Yunci bought it for her. She'd never worn it.
She was tossing everything from this place. Everything except this dress. Her fingers tightened around the hanger, aching.
Sister Li sneered. "Three years here, and all you've done is play with those useless old pearls! Oh, and one more thing—you tore his brother apart. A joke that'll haunt the Gu family forever!"
She meant Gu Yunci and Gu Jinxing's feud. The one that started because of her. The one that almost destroyed the Gu family.
Meng Shutang hung the dress back. She tucked her bank card into her wallet. Gu Yunci gave her living expenses every month.
She never used it for herself. But she'd buy him clothes, shoes, ties—anything he might like. With his own money.
Only a million yuan left. Enough for one course of treatment for her mom. She had to take it.
Sister Li opened her mouth to snarl more. But Aunt Zhang glided past her, taking the suitcase from Meng Shutang's hand. She didn't glance at Sister Li.
"Madam, I cleaned the attic," she said softly. "It gets morning sun—bright. I moved your books and pearls up there, too."
"Aunt Zhang, you're too soft!" Sister Li huffed. "She's nothing but a home-wrecker—"
"Sister Li," Aunt Zhang cut her off, gentle but sharp. "CEO Gu told me to help Madam. Not to let you run your mouth. The soup's simmering. Burn it, and you'll answer to him."
Sister Li's face turned red. She glared at Meng Shutang, then stormed off.
Aunt Zhang was quiet, always. But today, she talked.
"I've worked for the Gu family since Madam was alive. I watched Yunci and Jinxing grow up. They've hated each other forever. Things festered. Turned to hate."
They reached the third-floor attic. Aunt Zhang helped her unpack.
"About the brothers. About Madam's death. Ask me anything. I'll tell you the truth."
After Aunt Zhang left, Meng Shutang sat on the small single bed. She twisted her wedding ring, cold against her skin.
She remembered her engagement banquet. Gu Yunci had looked like a devil. He'd snatched her from Gu Jinxing, in front of everyone.
"You're mine, now."
He didn't love her. He'd taken her to get revenge. Now he was done. Done with her.
Meng Shutang pulled out the divorce agreement. She flipped to the last page. But her hand shook—her mom's pale face flashed in her mind. The clause stared back: "Medical fees stop after divorce."
She stuffed the agreement away. She grabbed her coat, her bag, and ran downstairs.
"Madam, where are you going?" Aunt Zhang called.
"I have to go," she said. "Don't wait for me."
Jiangcheng Hospital.
Inpatient Corridor.
A young nurse ran over. "Miss Meng! The Gu Group paid the fees, but your grandma moved your mom to a regular ward. What do we do?"
Meng Shutang gripped her card, no hesitation. "Move her back to ICU. Now."
"But your grandma said—"
"Do as I say." Her voice was cold, firm.
As they filled out paperwork, Meng Shutang asked about the fees. The nurse mumbled:
"They used to pay early. Now we have to beg. CEO Gu's not broke… why the delay?"
She clamped her mouth shut, red-faced. Meng Shutang said nothing.
It was midnight when they finished. Meng Shutang sat by her mom's bed. Zhou Xingfan lay there, pale as a ghost, eyes closed.
Ten years ago, a car accident turned her into a vegetable. Three years ago, she got worse. Gu Yunci paid for ICU, for expensive meds. Without him, her mom would be dead.
Meng Shutang held her mom's cold hand. "Mom, wake up. Please."
She stayed for two days. She had nowhere else to go.
Studio? She couldn't focus. Grandma's house? She'd only worry.
On day three, she dragged herself to the studio. She put on a plain jacket, white gloves. She sat at her workbench. Tried to work.
Her phone rang. It was Chen Man—her best friend, her business partner.
"My prenatal checkup's bad," Chen Man panted. "Doctor says bed rest for a month. You'll have to handle Gu Group stuff."
"Okay. Rest. Don't worry."
Chen Man rambled about her husband's promotion. "Thank Gu Yunci for us, okay? All the girls still envy you—how'd you land a man like him? He's the Gu Group's boss! One word, and the business world shakes!"
Meng Shutang's voice was flat. "We're divorcing. He asked."
"WHAT?! Why?!"
"His ex is back."
Chen Man screamed. "Is he out of his mind?! He promised to protect you! Why'd he dump you? If that woman's so great, why'd they break up three years ago?!"
Meng Shutang heard her gasp—false contractions. "Calm down. Add me to the Gu Group chat. I'll handle work. Rest."
She hung up. Chen Man added her to the chat, sent a reminder from Gu Group's tourism department.
"An An, watch the shop," Meng Shutang said. "I'm going out."
She went to Gu Group. On the seventh floor, she ran into Bai Cixian.
"Miss Meng, hello. I'm Bai Cixian. You know who I am, right?"
"What do you want?" Meng Shutang's voice was cold.
They looked identical—same eyes, same long hair. From the back, no one could tell them apart.
"Yunci's never been happy with you," Bai Cixian said, smiling softly. "You're too busy with pearls to care about him. I know him. No sugar in his coffee. Hates the dark when he sleeps."
She stepped closer, voice sharp. "He said marrying you was a mistake. A stupid one. He loves me."
Meng Shutang's heart twisted. Her fingers curled. But her face stayed calm—like she didn't care.
Bai Cixian pulled a tie from her bag. She stroked the knot, slow, taunting.
"Yunci left this the other night," she said, holding it out. "Give it back to him, will you?"
Meng Shutang's eyes locked on the tie. A faint lipstick stain smudged the collar—one she'd never worn. And that shade… it was exactly the lipstick her mom wore, right before the accident. Did Gu Yunci lie about her mom's crash? Did he know something she didn't?! And what really happened between him and Bai Cixian that night?