"A slight dip?" His voice was dangerously calm, sending shivers down everyone's spine. "Is that what you call a 12% loss?"
The room fell into silence, everyone too afraid to speak.
The finance manager broke into a cold sweat, fumbling with his words. "Sir… w-we're working on strategies to recover—"
Qin Yuheng closed the report with a loud snap. "Enough. If this issue isn't solved in a week then it won't just be the company losing money—you'll be losing your jobs."
"Understood, Sir!" the manager stammered, bowing his head.
"Meeting adjourned." Qin Yuheng strode out of the meeting room. The employees exchanged nervous glances, whispering softly once he was gone.
Back in his office, Qin Yuheng leaned against his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. His mind wandered back to the previous night and his conversation with his driver.
Flashback—
Qin Yuheng sat in the back seat, scrolling through his phone.
"Sir, may I take a leave tomorrow?" his driver's hesitant voice broke through the stillness.
"Hm?" Qin Yuheng looked up from his screen.
The driver's hands tightened on the steering wheel as he glanced briefly in the rearview mirror. "It's… actually, sir… my wife and I are getting a divorce."
Qin Yuheng frowned slightly, the unexpected response catching him off guard. "Divorce?"
The driver nodded, his voice heavy with emotion. "Yes, sir." His words faltered, then spilled out in a near sob. "What can I expect from marriage sir? She has been cheating on me since two months."
Qin Yuheng froze momentarily. A love marriage… now shattered by betrayal.
Marriage… love… betrayal.
— Ends of Flashback
A knock on the door pulled him back to the present.
"Come in," he said, his tone as cold as ever.
"Sir," Assistant Wang said, stepping inside with a file in hand, "there's an issue with the Hong Kong deal. It requires your presence."
"Arrange the earliest flight tomorrow," Qin Yuheng instructed curtly.
"Yes, sir." Assistant Wang nodded and left, closing the door quietly behind him.
It was nearly 10 p.m. when Qin Yuheng returned home. His tired footsteps echoed in the quiet hallway. As he entered the living room, he found Shen Ning sitting on the couch, a book in her lap.
"You're back," she said, her voice soft. "Freshen up. I'll heat the food."
He nodded and walked to their bedroom. As he reached for the bathroom door, something near Shen Ning's wardrobe caught his eye.
Frowning, he bent down to pick up the items—a strip of contraceptive pills.
His heart clenched as he examined them. The packaging was unmistakably Italian, a purchase from their recent trip. Slowly, he opened the drawer on his side of the bed. The condoms he'd purchased were there except few that they had used the previous week.
"So, she's been taking pills… in the mornings without telling me?" he thought grimly.
He closed the drawer and stepped into the bathroom. Standing under the shower, he closed his eyes, letting the cold water wash over him.
"She knows about the tampered condoms," his subconscious whispered. "She's so adamant about not having a child that she went this far."
A bitter smile tugged at his lips. His subconscious mocked him again: Aren't you just as adamant about having one with her?
He ran a hand through his wet hair. Aren't they husband and wife? When had things between them grown so cold, so distant?
---------
Descending the stairs, he found Shen Ning setting the dishes on the table.
He paused, observing her silently for a moment before moving forward. Taking a seat, he picked up the chopsticks and began eating without a word.
Shen Ning hesitated, her hands faltering over the plate. Finally, she asked, "Are you upset about last night?"
His hand froze mid-bite. Slowly, he looked up, his sharp gaze meeting hers. "Should I be?"
She looked down at her own plate. "I… I didn't mean to upset you."
"Hm."
He gave no further response, and the rest of the meal was eaten in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
---------
Later, they retired to the bedroom, the silence following them like a shadow. Qin Yuheng lay on his side of the bed, his back to her, just as he had the night before.
A few minutes later, Shen Ning slipped under the covers. She glanced at his back, hesitated before slowly reaching out, wrapping her arms around him.
Qin Yuheng stiffened at the contact but didn't pull away. After a moment, he turned to face her, his eyes softening as he noticed her even breathing.
He pulled her closer, his arms wrapping around her protectively as he drifted into a peaceful sleep.
In the morning, Shen Ning wake up hearing some movements. She opened her eyes drowsily and saw Qin Yuheng getting dressed.
"Why are you dressed so early in the morning?" she murmured, her voice heavy with sleep.
Qin Yuheng glanced over his shoulder, his expression unreadable. "I'm going to Hong Kong. It'll take a few days." He turned back, reaching for a tie.
Shen Ning propped herself up on her elbows, her brows furrowing. "You didn't mention this last night."
"I wasn't sure of the timing," he replied curtly, slipping the tie around his collar and knotting it.
A pang of unease settled in her chest, but she pushed it down. "When will you be back?"
"Depends," he said simply, adjusting the tie in the mirror. "Hopefully by the weekend."
Shen Ning swung her legs over the side of the bed, standing slowly. She walked over to him, "Have breakfast before you leave."
"I'll grab something at the airport," he said, brushing past her as he picked up his briefcase from the nightstand.