Chapter 10

From that day on, Shen Jibai changed.

The aloof, restrained CEO became hopelessly clingy, openly pestering me for kisses and cuddles.

Naturally, this led to a period of thoroughly shameless living.

How shameless, you ask?

Put it this way: even I started worrying that he was getting too distracted by his beautiful wife. I had to coax him into going to work every day!

There was still a malicious Shen Yi out there, eager to watch him twenty-four hours a day and pounce on any mistake.

But Shen Jibai seemed never to take him seriously. He kept doing exactly as he pleased.

At last, the day came when the Shen family’s heir would be formally chosen.

A fierce battle lay ahead. Nervous, I clutched Shen Jibai’s hand.

He looked torn between laughter and exasperation, and patted my head. “Darling, relax.”

When we finally reached the estate, all the family elders were there.

With the grim resolve of someone prepared to sacrifice a limb, I pulled Shen Jibai into a seat beside me.

His father glanced at us, then spoke. “I hereby announce that, as of today, I will be stepping back. My son Shen Jibai will formally take over all the Shen family’s business interests.”

Huh?

My eyes widened.

That was it?

He’d secured his position as heir just like that?

That made no sense!

Where was Shen Yi?

Why wasn’t he here on such an important day?

Shen Jibai explained with a smile. “Sweetheart, not just anyone can do this job. My father’s illegitimate son has gaps in his knowledge that a year or two could never make up for.”

“My father already sent him to a subsidiary. He won’t be coming back to headquarters.”

Oh.

So that was how it was.

Events had turned out nothing like I’d expected.

After that, I never saw Lin Yao again. She and her father seemed to vanish from my life entirely.

Knowing those two, there was no way they would see me prosper and fail to come knocking with their hands out.

So I suspected my Mr. Shen had arranged it all.

One day, on our way home, I unexpectedly saw the original woman’s mother outside the villa.

Shen Jibai and I exchanged a look. He seemed to have known already and showed no surprise. He simply patted my shoulder. “Go on. I’ll wait right here.”

The woman hurried over and seized my hands, tears filling her eyes. “My child, I’m sorry. I let you suffer so much. But I had no choice. We both depended on your stepfather to survive. I was useless. I failed you…”

The original owner of this body had taken her own life on the very day I arrived.

I wasn’t her. I hadn’t lived her life, and I had no right to grant generous forgiveness on her behalf.

Silently, I withdrew my hands. In the end, all I said was, “Go home. Lin Chenxue has heard your apology.”

I turned. That man, who seemed like a god to me, stood ten paces away, waiting quietly.

I walked over and laced my fingers through his.

Side by side in the setting sun, we went home.