Hou Xiran's heels clicked softly on the floor as she walked towards her husband's office. He Jinghao followed closely behind, matching her footsteps. Employees nodded respectfully as they passed, their eyes filled with curiosity and speculation.
Finally, they arrived at the glass door of Gu Zhiyan's office. Hou Xiran's gaze drifted to the line of engraved text etched into the glass: "GUYU."
The name held immense power and significance, representing the vast empire controlled by the Gu Family. Hou Xiran's husband, Gu Zhiyan, served as the CEO of GUYU Technology and GUYU Auto, and was set to inherit the GUYU Group.
With a soft sigh, Hou Xiran lifted her hand and rapped her knuckles against the door before pushing it open.
Gu Zhiyan looked up, his brow furrowed slightly as his eyes met with his wife's.
"Xiran," Gu Zhiyan greeted, his voice low and resonant. His muscular frame leaned casually against the desk, papers held loosely in one hand. The sleeves of his navy blue shirt were rolled up and a few buttons were left undone.
Hou Xiran felt a wave of conflicting emotions wash over her at the sight of her husband. There was a familiarity in his presence, yet a distance lingered between them. He remained the same perfect man she had fallen for in high school, but she had changed in countless ways since then.
Hou Xiran shifted her gaze away from Gu Zhiyan and focused on the papers scattered across his desk.
"Gu Zhiyan, you didn't come home last night," Hour Xiran began, her voice steady but tinged with a hint of frustration. "I've been trying to reach you, but you didn't respond to any of my calls or messages."
"I'm sorry. Something came up," Gu Zhiyan replied.
Of course.
Hou Xiran sighed softly. "It's okay. I just want to talk to you about something important. You can return to your work afterward," she said, her hands resting gently below her stomach.
But before Gu Zhiyan could reply, there was a knock on the door, interrupting their conversation.
Hou Xiran shifted her gaze towards the source of the sound. Her eyes narrowed slightly as the door opened to reveal a woman in a plain suit, her hair pulled back into a simple ponytail.
The woman's eyes widened in surprise when she saw Hou Xiran standing there, and she quickly bowed in apology. "I'm sorry for interrupting, Mr. Gu," she said calmly.
Hou Xiran expected Gu Zhiyan to dismiss the woman and return his attention to her, but to her surprise, he spoke up instead.
"It's okay, Ms. Ling. Give me the papers," Gu Zhiyan said, gesturing for the woman to approach.
Ms. Ling hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering between Gu Zhiyan and Hou Xiran, before she stepped forward and handed the documents to her boss.
Hou Xiran stood at the side like a mere observer in her husband's world. As Gu Zhiyan reviewed the documents, she couldn't shake the sense of invisibility that surrounded her—a feeling that had become all too familiar in their marriage. She lowered her head glanced at the floor as she waited patiently for her time to be noticed.
"Is everything in order?" Gu Zhiyan inquired.
Ms. Ling nodded respectfully. "Yes, Mr. Gu. Everything is complete," she replied, her voice calm and composed.
As Gu Zhiyan prepared to delve back into his work, Ms. Ling hesitated for a moment before speaking up again. "Also, the Children's Heart Hospital has reached out, requesting your presence at their foundation day event. They want to express their gratitude for your generous contributions as their biggest donor," she informed him.
Gu Zhiyan's brow furrowed slightly at the mention of the event. "I'll need to check my schedule," he responded.
Ms. Ling nodded understandingly. "Of course, Mr. Gu. I'll inform them accordingly," she said before turning to leave the room.
As Ling left the room, her eyes lingered on Hou Xiran for a moment before she disappeared.
"What kind of face am I making now?" Hou Xiran thought.
After checking the documents on his hand, Gu Zhiyan turned his attention back to his wife. "Now, what did you want to talk to me about?" he asked.
Hou Xiran turned her head away, hiding her face from her husband. "Was that a new employee?" she asked.
Gu Zhiyan glanced briefly at the door before nodding. "Yes," he replied curtly, his attention already shifting back to the documents in his hand.
"She looked pretty," Hou Xiran said, her voice barely audible as she tried to keep her emotions in check.
Gu Zhiyan paused, his brow furrowing slightly at her comment. "Beauty has nothing to do with excellence," he stated matter-of-factly.
Hou Xiran smiled. "Yes... of course," she said, a little to shaky than she hoped for.
Gu Zhiyan's phone rang, interrupting the atmosphere in the office.
Hou Xiran took a soft exasperated sigh. She knew all too well that her husband never answered calls in her presence. "Should I leave?" she asked.
Gu Zhiyan glanced at her briefly before turning his attention back to the ringing phone. "No, stay," he replied curtly as he left his desk. He moved towards a door connected to a private meeting room.
Hou Xiran remained standing. She watched in silence as he disappeared behind the closed door, leaving her alone in the room. She glanced around, her eyes taking in the minimalist decor that her husband favored. She remembered how she had come to appreciate this aesthetic, influenced by Gu Zhiyan's taste.
Her gaze settled on a shelf behind Gu Zhiyan's desk, where a familiar object caught her eye—a small boat figurine encased in a glass bottle. It was a gift she had given him during their university days.
But as she scanned the rest of the office, she realized something. There was nothing else that hinted at her presence in Gu Zhiyan's life. No photographs, no mementos—just the stark emptiness of a space that felt increasingly foreign to her.
"I guess you were really forced to marry me," Hou Xiran murmured softly to herself.
She walked around, hoping to find something that will help her feel closer to her husband. Her eyes moved to his neat desk, with piles of folders and papers. She didn't dare to look at the documents scattered across the surface, respecting her husband's space. But then, a single slip of paper caught her eye—a corner peeking out from beneath a pile of other papers. It was something she had seen before.
Hou Xiran's hand reached out, her fingers closing around the edge of the document. With careful movements, she pulled it free from the stack. Her eyes scanned the words on the page, disbelief washing over her in waves.
Divorce papers.
The realization hit her like a ton of bricks. She felt as though the ground had shifted beneath her feet, the stability of her world crumbling around her.
Her mind raced with questions, doubts, and fears. How long had Gu Zhiyan been planning this? Was their marriage truly so disposable to him? Was there really no chance for them?
Before she could process more, Hou Xiran heard the door click. With a start, she quickly placed the divorce papers back where she found them and moved away from the desk.
Gu Zhiyan glanced at her, his brow furrowing in concern. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Hou Xiran's trembling hands clutched the edges of her coat as she fought to steady her breathing. Her eyes darted around the room, avoiding direct contact, hoping to conceal the unbearable pain she was feeling. "It's nothing," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Gu Zhiyan raised a brow, his gaze piercing as he studied his wife's troubled expression. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a word, Hou Xiran turned away from him.
"I just came to say that mother-in-law said she wanted to come for dinner," she said quietly.
Gu Zhiyan watched as she walked briskly towards the door, her steps echoing faintly in the spacious office. There was a vulnerability in her posture, a fragility that he hadn't seen in her before.
For a moment, he hesitated. But then, with a subtle nod, he turned his head away.
"I'll be there," Gu Zhiyan replied softly.
As Hou Xiran reached the door, she paused, her hand resting on the handle. She didn't turn around. "You don't have to force yourself," she murmured.
And then she was gone, leaving Gu Zhiyan alone in his office.