Chapter 3

Gu Xingwan swallowed her tears, still unconvinced, and said plaintively,

“Don’t lie to me!”

Gu Zeyan chuckled.

He ruffled her hair, his face full of affection.

“When have I ever lied to you?”

Exactly. Gu Zeyan would never lie to his own sister. Only to me.

He’d said he would love me forever. He hadn’t.

He’d said he would let me go out and work. He hadn’t done that, either.

Gu Xingwan was still fretting.

“I heard that girl would rather die than be a mistress.

“Do you still want Xu Wen, then?”

I couldn’t help pricking up my ears.

I heard Gu Zeyan’s answer.

“I don’t like keeping works of art once they’ve lost their beauty.”

So the inevitable seven-year itch was simply his love fading with my looks.

The corners of my mouth pulled up.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry…

Gu Xingwan was still pestering him with questions.

His assistant hurried in, panting as he spoke.

“Mr. Gu, Miss Jiang has run away again.”

Gu Zeyan swore.

“Useless idiots. You can’t even keep watch over one woman.”

Through the window, I watched him leave.

But his car had barely pulled away when he turned back.

With a grim expression, Gu Zeyan instructed the butler,

“We don’t need so many guards here anymore. Send half of them over there.”

The old canary had aged. She couldn’t fly anymore, and Gu Zeyan no longer wanted her.

He needed to send half the men

to imprison his new, young canary.

I leaned against the window and watched.

Gu Zeyan happened to look up and meet my eyes.

He glanced at me once, then calmly looked away.

He had more important things to do.

There were fewer people guarding this villa now.

The air no longer felt stagnant.

Wind swept into the villa, a place as dead as an abandoned city, and stirred something in my heart.

I could feel it. I was going to be free soon.

Gu Zeyan was far too rich.

Within three days,

the girl named Jiang had been found, brought back, and locked up.

I learned about it so quickly because most of this villa’s remaining security staff were transferred away, too.

I cautiously asked the butler,

“Uncle Zhang, may I go out for a walk?”

He shook his head, visibly nervous.

“Madam, you’ll need Mr. Gu’s permission.”

I nodded.

“I understand.”

I didn’t try to force my way out, nor did I ask Gu Zeyan.

I was afraid of provoking his contrary streak.

For all these years, I’d played my part well.

Pretended that time had worn down my spirit.

Pretended I’d really become a canary in Gu Zeyan’s hand, one that would never fight back.

But I’d always known he wasn’t a man who enjoyed a quiet life.

The more obedient I became, the more boring he would find me.

One day, I would leave this place.

I’d endured so many years. Now, near the end, I couldn’t afford to be impatient.