Volume One, Chapter 45: He Doesn’t Want a Divorce?

Although Lin Qiyue didn’t know what Lin Chaochao had said, she didn’t make things difficult for her at work. Instead, she extended her probationary assessment.

Sang Wan felt that things were not as bad as she had imagined.

“Manager Lin…”

Sang Wan walked back to Lin Qiyue. “I don’t know what Lin Chaochao told you, but my conscience is clear. I haven’t done anything to wrong the company or Lin Chaochao! If there’s anyone who should apologize, it ought to be Lin Chaochao, not me.”

“What do you mean?” Lin Qiyue was stunned.

Sang Wan smiled, “Aren’t you two sisters? Don’t you know what Lin Chaochao has been up to?”

Lin Qiyue shook her head.

Sang Wan paused, “Then, do you know Lin Chaochao is in a relationship?”

Lin Qiyue nodded, “Yes, she told me you’re pestering her boyfriend.”

Just as she suspected.

Sang Wan smiled gently, “But did Lin Chaochao tell you that her boyfriend is my soon-to-be ex-husband?”

The revelation was not insignificant.

Lin Qiyue took quite some time to digest it.

She had been the first to hear about the commotion in the lobby downstairs, where Sang Wan’s mother-in-law was making a scene, accusing Sang Wan of infidelity.

Upon hearing it, Lin Qiyue felt three kinds of resentment.

First, she hated herself for being blind—she’d rushed to bring Sang Wan into the design department without asking questions or even reading the HR background report.

Second, she hated Sang Wan’s shamelessness. Talented and attractive as she was, why must she do such disgraceful things?

Third, she hated Sang Wan for tarnishing the reputation of the design department.

One crime: cheating while married.

Two: entangling herself with Lin Chaochao’s boyfriend.

Three: failing to keep the matter under wraps, letting it explode until everyone in the company knew, compounding the disgrace and making it impossible for the other women in the department to hold their heads high.

One rotten apple spoils the whole barrel!

But Lin Qiyue had never dreamed that Sang Wan would drop such a bombshell the moment she spoke.

“You mean… Lin Chaochao is the mistress?”

Lin Qiyue cut straight to the heart of the matter.

Sang Wan nodded, “If you don’t believe me, you can call Lin Chaochao here and confront us both!”

Lin Qiyue fell silent.

Sang Wan turned and entered the break room.

The scent of oatmeal spread through the air. Lin Qiyue glanced at Sang Wan, her expression complex, and returned to her own office.

Lin Chaochao was admiring her freshly done nails when she received Lin Qiyue’s call.

In the vast secretary’s office of the Lu Corporation’s president, only Yang Yan and Lin Chaochao had their own private offices.

Though people often gossiped about her, claiming she lacked professionalism, seduced the boss, and made the already maligned secretary profession even less respectable, Lin Chaochao didn’t care.

This world is like that—the process doesn’t matter, only the outcome does.

It wouldn’t be long before she could stand openly beside Lu Jinnian.

Then, marry him.

By then, not only Yang Yan, who never took her seriously, but everyone else would have to respectfully address her as “Madam President.”

As for her shady past, who cares?

Who would even remember?

The joy on her face vanished instantly when she saw the name on the screen.

Lin Chaochao answered, “Sis?”

“Lin Chaochao, you should be grateful you’re dealing with Sang Wan. If it were someone else, the lightest outcome would be disfigurement, the worst, death!”

“…Please, if you’re intent on self-destruction, don’t drag the Lin family or our parents down with you!”

Lin Qiyue’s voice was calm, full of admonition.

Lin Chaochao was indignant, “Only those unloved are mistresses. Lin Qiyue, do you even remember your own surname? Whose side are you on?”

Sang Wan was counting down her calm period.

Lin Chaochao was counting down too.

The thought that Lu Jinnian would be single in just six days filled her with anticipation.

In a week, she could officially become Lu Jinnian’s girlfriend.

And soon, she’d appear at the bidding conference, arm in arm with him.

She would win Lot 3 under the gaze of all, and the Lu Corporation would reach new heights.

And she—

Whether as new girlfriend or fiancée, whatever her title, she’d be the one standing beside Lu Jinnian.

What Sang Wan had spent years trying to win over, she had melted in less than half a year.

One day, she’d make Sang Wan, Lin Qiyue, and her own parents, who couldn’t distinguish good from bad, eat their words.

She’d show them that she didn’t need overseas experience or their feigned affection—she could make it to the top all on her own.

Even if her final support was Lu Jinnian.

But conquering a man like Lu Jinnian was a skill in itself.

Wasn’t it?

The only flaw was that Lu Jinnian had a son.

She’d have to be a stepmother.

But the painless experience of motherhood wasn’t so bad either.

The thought of Lu Xiaomu clinging to her while Sang Wan pretended calm but was in fact torn apart inside, crying rivers of tears, gave Lin Chaochao secret satisfaction.

Serves her right!

She deserved every bit of this!

“Lin Qiyue, mind your own business! I know what I’m doing. Spare me the moral lecture!”

Lin Chaochao angrily hung up.

She glanced at the time—Lu Jinnian should be back soon.

No matter how things ended, he would be furious.

Lin Chaochao got up and went to the kitchen to prepare a meal.

She also brewed his favorite coffee.

When Lu Jinnian entered, the table was set and the air was filled with a subtle fragrance of coffee.

His anger eased somewhat, and he leaned back on the sofa, letting Lin Chaochao tenderly wipe his face and massage him.

Steam rose, his throbbing temples gradually relaxed.

Lu Jinnian let out a comfortable breath.

The lawyer had intervened, and Su Baohui had already been released from the police station and sent home.

Whether Sang Wan signed the letter of forgiveness hardly mattered anymore.

But the unprecedented firmness in Sang Wan’s voice, even threatening him with his mother, made Lu Jinnian wish he could destroy her.

To ruin someone, one must first drive them mad.

And the root of pain lies in desires unfulfilled and attachments unbroken.

In the past, Sang Wan’s attachments were him and their son.

But now, whether she was pretending or sincere, she acted as if none of it mattered anymore.

As if she had let go.

That left only the unfulfilled desire.

She wanted a divorce so badly—if he refused, only she would suffer the torment.

“Chaochao…”

Thinking this, Lu Jinnian grasped Lin Chaochao’s hand as she massaged him. “If I don’t get divorced, are you willing to stay by my side forever?”

He wasn’t going to divorce?

Her heart raced, but her face betrayed nothing.

Lin Chaochao nestled into his arms and nodded, “I’m willing!”

A young and beautiful girl, her eyes red from grievance, yet for love, she willingly endured it all and gave him her heart, open and sincere.

“Silly girl…”

Lu Jinnian brushed her vivid lips with his thumb, kissed her, “How could a man who truly loves you bear to let you suffer like this? I was teasing you.”

“Lu Jinnian, you’re terrible!”

Lin Chaochao pouted angrily, tears falling in big drops.

Lu Jinnian’s gaze paused.

On one side was Sang Wan, stubborn as a mule, never willing to yield.

On the other, Lin Chaochao, gentle as water, who took every joke seriously.

He wiped the tears from Lin Chaochao’s face.

The anger in his heart dissipated with them.

Lu Jinnian turned to look at the distant, towering Lou Corporation outside the window.

Then he squeezed Lin Chaochao’s hand, “After the formalities are done next Monday, move into the villa with me and Xiaomu.”

“Really?”

Lin Chaochao’s tears stopped on her cheeks in surprise.

But through her astonished, clear eyes, Lu Jinnian saw another face.

Sang Wan, what you don’t want, others are desperate for!

One day, I’ll make you kneel at my feet and beg me—

Beg to return to my side!