Lin Xin'er stood alone in the office, holding her wallet like it was some kind of emotional support item. Her expression shifted subtly as she stared at the now-empty lounge.
Hailey Tang didn't throw a tantrum?
That wasn't right.
That woman had the temper of a volcano. Lin Xin'er was sure she would blow up the moment she saw the clothes. She should've stormed out, started screaming, maybe even slapped someone. That was her style.
But this time… nothing.
So it must've been Ethan Yu who stopped her.
Lin Xin'er smirked faintly to herself. Of course. It made perfect sense. Hailey probably came running over to pick a fight, and the CEO—sick of her antics—dragged her away before she could make a scene. Classic.
That thought brought Lin Xin'er a twisted sort of satisfaction.
Back when Hailey had just moved into the CEO's house, she was always starting fights—shouting, threatening, kicking up dust. Every time, Ethan would check in on Lin Xin'er afterward, making sure she was okay. Sometimes he'd even apologize on Hailey's behalf.
But recently?
Nothing.
No comforting text. No warm glance in the hallway. No "thank you for your hard work" even when she'd shown up to meetings with bandages still on.
It was like he'd… forgotten her.
That terrified her.
So when she saw a sliver of an opportunity today, she couldn't help herself. She just had to do something.
The clothes she picked were never about "helping." They were bait. Bait for Hailey to snap, so Lin Xin'er could step in with innocent eyes and say, "Oh no, she didn't like what I bought her?" Then Ethan would scold Hailey and maybe—just maybe—look at her again.
That was the plan.
She even pretended to "forget" her wallet so she could come back upstairs and conveniently catch the aftermath.
But when she returned… both of them were gone.
Not just Hailey.
Ethan too.
That wasn't in the script.
Still, Lin Xin'er convinced herself it had gone her way.
It must have. She imagined Hailey throwing a fit, Ethan stopping her, maybe even dragging her out physically.
Just picturing it made Lin Xin'er's heart flutter with guilty delight.
She didn't mean to sabotage their relationship—not really. But Hailey Tang was so wild, so uncouth. Someone like her could never be a good match for a man like Ethan Yu. Their marriage wasn't built on love or respect—it was just a ticking time bomb.
They're going to get divorced anyway, she told herself. It's inevitable.
So what if she gave the bomb a little push?
It wasn't that wrong… was it?
Besides, lately Ethan had been keeping his distance, and that hurt more than anything else. The silence, the coldness, the absence of his usual care—it was unbearable.
She missed him. Terribly.
So yes, she did something petty.
But if it brought her a little closer to him, even just for a moment… wasn't it worth it?
After all, she hadn't done anything truly evil. No backstabbing. No sabotage. Just… nudges.
Little things.
"Lin Team Leader?" Secretary Li's voice cut through her daze. "Did you find your wallet?"
Lin Xin'er blinked and quickly tucked it under her arm. "Yes, here it is."
"Then let's go," Li said gently. "We're not supposed to linger in the CEO's office."
"Right." Lin Xin'er forced a smile, placing the shopping bag back down. She followed the secretary toward the exit.
As soon as they stepped out, someone rounded the corner and—
Crash!
Lin Xin'er collided straight into a tall man in a sleek black suit. She stumbled backward, nearly falling, but the man's arm shot out and caught her around the waist.
She gasped as she fell into his chest.
"Ah! I'm so sorry, I didn't see—" she looked up and froze. "Mr. Chai…"
Chai Xiyang's lips curved into a devilish smirk. "Well, if it isn't Miss Lin. What a charming surprise."
Lin Xin'er's face turned bright red. Why now, of all times?
—
Meanwhile, in the underground garage…
Hailey Tang crossed her arms, legs stubbornly planted in place like a mule refusing to budge. "Seriously, Ethan. Where are we going?"
Ethan Yu said nothing. He tapped his key fob, and the sleek silver Porsche blinked in response.
Before she could protest, he opened the passenger door and—without asking—shoved her inside.
"Hey! You can't just throw people into sports cars!"
"Seatbelt," Ethan said, climbing in from the other side. "Unless you want a quick trip through the windshield."
"I'm not moving until you tell me where we're going!"
"Too late. You already moved," he said, starting the engine.
She groaned and yanked the seatbelt into place. "You have seven cars here. Are you trying to compensate for something?"
Ethan raised a brow. "What, you jealous I don't have a pink scooter like your high school boyfriend?"
"Don't make me bite you again."
"You bite me one more time, and I'm sending you to a rabies clinic."
"I will jump out of this moving car."
"You will land in a lawsuit for damaging my hood."
She threw her hands up in frustration. "Fine! Take me wherever you're taking me. Just know that I hate you the entire way there."
Ethan glanced sideways at her, a slow grin tugging at his lips. "Good. Hatred makes for great conversation."