The days following Qin Lan's visit to her father passed in a haze of unease. The note, the phone call with Lu Yan, the questions about Ji Yi—they all swirled together, tightening around her like a net. Lu Yan hadn't returned home since their conversation, and though that wasn't entirely unusual, the silence between them now felt colder, more deliberate.
But Qin Lan had no time to dwell on it. She had always been someone who pushed through, and today was no different. She had errands to run, meetings to attend, and most importantly, a charity gala to prepare for—a function Lu Yan had agreed to accompany her to weeks ago. Whether he remembered or not was another story.
The thought of him showing up—or not showing up—hung in her mind as she entered the office of Xinyi Group, one of the country's largest conglomerates, with whom she had secured a meeting. As part of her efforts to maintain her public persona, Qin Lan had recently become involved in charity work, organizing events through the Qin Family Foundation, which she now headed. It was something she was genuinely passionate about, and it also helped fill the void in her personal life.
Today, she was meeting with the CEO of Xinyi Group, Li Ming, to discuss a potential partnership for an upcoming project. She knew little about him other than his reputation as a shrewd businessman with a penchant for privacy. His company's involvement would be a huge boost for her foundation, but the man himself remained an enigma.
When she arrived at the conference room, Li Ming was already waiting, standing by the window, his back turned to the door. He was tall, with broad shoulders and a posture that exuded quiet confidence. As she entered, he turned, and Qin Lan found herself momentarily caught off guard by his appearance. He was younger than she expected, probably in his early thirties, with sharp, handsome features that were framed by dark, neatly styled hair. But it was his eyes that struck her the most—intense, calculating, yet not entirely cold.
"Mrs. Lu," Li Ming greeted, his voice smooth but distant as he extended a hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"Likewise, Mr. Li." Qin Lan forced a polite smile as she shook his hand, though she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more behind his formal greeting. His gaze lingered on her a little too long, and it made her uneasy.
"Please, have a seat," he gestured to the table, and Qin Lan complied, her mind already switching to business mode. They spent the next thirty minutes discussing the details of the charity project, and to her surprise, Li Ming seemed genuinely interested in the cause. He asked thoughtful questions, offered valuable insights, and by the end of the meeting, Qin Lan was certain she had secured the partnership.
But just as she was preparing to wrap things up, Li Ming shifted the conversation.
"I must admit," he began, his tone casual but with an underlying edge, "I've heard quite a bit about you, Mrs. Lu. You've built quite a reputation for yourself over the past year."
Qin Lan blinked, taken aback by the sudden change in topic. "I'm not sure I follow," she said carefully.
Li Ming leaned back in his chair, his gaze unwavering. "The marriage between you and Lu Yan—it's been the subject of much speculation. People wonder how someone like you ended up tied to someone like him. A man with a heart still caught in the past."
The mention of Lu Yan—and more specifically, Ji Yi—was like a punch to the gut. Qin Lan stiffened, trying to keep her composure. "Our marriage is private," she replied, her voice cool. "And what people speculate about it is none of my concern."
Li Ming chuckled softly, the sound sending a chill down her spine. "Of course, of course. But rumors have a way of becoming truths in the minds of the public. It must be difficult, being compared to someone who isn't even here anymore."
Qin Lan's heart raced. She knew exactly what he was referring to, but she couldn't show it. "I'm not sure what you're trying to say, Mr. Li," she said, her voice tight.
Li Ming's expression softened, though his eyes remained as sharp as ever. "I'm saying that you deserve better than to live in someone else's shadow. You've built something of your own, something admirable. It's a shame to see it tied to a man who can't seem to move forward."
Qin Lan's breath caught in her throat. Was this man really insinuating what she thought he was? "I appreciate your concern, but my marriage is not up for discussion," she replied, her tone as firm as she could manage.
Li Ming leaned forward slightly, his gaze piercing. "Perhaps it should be. A woman like you deserves to be appreciated, not treated as an afterthought. If Lu Yan can't see that, then maybe it's time you consider other options."
Qin Lan stared at him, stunned. There it was—an offer, plain as day, from a man she had just met. And though part of her wanted to dismiss it outright, another part of her—one that had grown weary of Lu Yan's coldness and distance—couldn't help but feel the tiniest spark of intrigue.
"What exactly are you suggesting, Mr. Li?" she asked, her voice quiet but steady.
Li Ming's lips curved into a small, knowing smile. "I'm suggesting that if you ever find yourself in need of a better arrangement, I'm here. I can offer you more than just a business partnership, Mrs. Lu. I can offer you freedom."
Freedom. The word hung in the air between them, heavy and tempting. For a moment, Qin Lan felt the weight of her current life pressing down on her—the cold mansion, the empty marriage, the ever-present shadow of Ji Yi. It would be so easy to take this man up on his offer, to break free from the chains of her contract with Lu Yan and start anew.
But as tempting as the thought was, Qin Lan knew that nothing came without a price. And she wasn't sure she was ready to pay whatever price Li Ming was asking for.
"I appreciate your offer," she said slowly, choosing her words with care, "but my decisions are my own. I don't need saving."
Li Ming's smile didn't falter, though his eyes flickered with something unreadable. "Of course," he said smoothly. "The choice is always yours, Mrs. Lu. But should you ever change your mind, you know where to find me."
Qin Lan stood, the meeting clearly over. As she gathered her things, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had just walked away from something dangerous—something that could have changed everything. But what unsettled her most was the realization that, for the briefest of moments, she had actually considered it.
---
That evening, Qin Lan returned to the mansion to find it as quiet and empty as ever. Lu Yan still hadn't come home, and there was no indication that he would anytime soon. The note on her bed and the messages on her phone still weighed heavily on her mind, but now, after her encounter with Li Ming, a new thought had entered her mind—one that made her stomach twist in knots.
What if Lu Yan wasn't the only one with secrets? What if her marriage was only the beginning of the web she was now entangled in?
She wandered through the house, her footsteps echoing off the marble floors. In the back of her mind, Li Ming's offer lingered, like a whisper she couldn't quite shake. And as much as she tried to push it away, the temptation was still there, gnawing at the edges of her thoughts.
As she reached the window that overlooked the sprawling garden, Qin Lan stared out
at the darkening sky. The garden, once a source of tranquility, now felt like a reflection of her own heart—beautiful, but empty, devoid of life. She wondered how long she could continue living like this, trapped in a marriage with no warmth, no connection. How long could she endure being treated as a stand-in, a substitute for a woman she had never met but whose presence haunted every corner of her life?
Her thoughts drifted back to the phone call with Lu Yan. His coldness still stung, and his refusal to speak about Ji Yi left her feeling more isolated than ever. He hadn't even mentioned the charity gala, despite agreeing to go. She wasn't sure whether to expect him or not, and the thought of attending alone made her heart sink.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed, pulling her out of her reverie. It was a message from an unknown number. Her pulse quickened as she opened it, half-expecting another cryptic threat. But this time, the message was different.
"He won't show. You know that, right?"
Qin Lan's blood ran cold. Her hand trembled as she stared at the screen. Whoever this was, they knew. They knew about her marriage, about Lu Yan's absence, about the hollow lie she was living. Her first instinct was to delete the message, but something inside her made her hesitate. She needed to know who was behind this—who was watching her, taunting her, making her feel like her every move was being monitored.
She quickly typed a reply: "Who are you? What do you want?"
The response came almost immediately.
"I want you to see the truth."
Qin Lan's breath caught in her throat. What truth? She felt a chill creep down her spine. She didn't have the answers, but one thing was clear: this wasn't just about Ji Yi anymore. Someone was pulling the strings, and she was caught in the middle of their game.
Her phone buzzed again. This time, it was a calendar notification—a reminder for the charity gala tomorrow evening. Qin Lan swallowed hard. The gala had been her escape, something she had looked forward to as a break from the suffocating weight of her marriage. But now, even that felt tainted by the messages, by the looming presence of whoever was watching her.
She stared at her reflection in the glass, her face illuminated by the dim light of the room. Was this who she had become? A woman who allowed herself to be trapped in a loveless marriage, clinging to the hope that something—anything—would change?
For a moment, Li Ming's words echoed in her mind: "You deserve to be appreciated. You deserve more."
But what was more? Was it freedom from this marriage? Was it the possibility of a life without Lu Yan and the ghost of Ji Yi? Or was it just another illusion, another trap disguised as an escape?
She wasn't sure. But one thing was certain: she couldn't continue living in this limbo, constantly waiting for Lu Yan to acknowledge her, for Ji Yi's shadow to fade. She needed to take control, to confront the truth—whatever that truth might be.
---
The next evening, Qin Lan stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the emerald green gown she had chosen for the gala. It was elegant, understated, but still striking enough to turn heads. She had always believed in presenting herself with confidence, even when she didn't feel it inside.
As she applied the finishing touches to her makeup, she glanced at her phone. No messages from Lu Yan. No indication that he would be attending the gala with her, despite his earlier promise. A bitter smile tugged at her lips. She had known this would happen, hadn't she? Deep down, she had always known that Lu Yan wouldn't show. He never did, not when it mattered.
Taking a deep breath, she slipped her phone into her clutch and headed downstairs. The car was already waiting to take her to the event. As she stepped outside into the cool evening air, a sense of determination washed over her. If Lu Yan wouldn't show up, then she would attend the gala alone. She didn't need him, or anyone else, to define her worth.
As the car pulled away from the mansion, Qin Lan stared out the window, the city lights blurring into streaks of gold and white. She wasn't sure what would happen tonight—whether the messages would continue, whether Lu Yan's absence would raise more questions than she could answer—but for the first time in a long while, she felt a glimmer of strength.
She wouldn't be a pawn in someone else's game anymore. Not in Lu Yan's, not in Li Ming's, and not in whoever was sending those messages.
Tonight, she would take back control.
---
End of Chapter 6
---