Chapter 27: Struggle

Wen Xuxu stiffened instantly, her body taut as a wire, her chest suddenly lurching like a trapped bird. Even her breath faltered—gone in an instant.

She’d never been to his home.

Five years. That’s how long it had been since she married him—she’d seen his face only once, on their wedding day, and never again. How could she have ever gotten the chance to step inside where he lived?

She remembered back then, staying at the Huo mansion, knowing he had another place of his own—but she’d never dared go. His name? She wouldn’t even whisper it aloud. She feared that if she did, someone might carry the sound to him, and he’d grow angrier still.

Now, looking back, she realized just how low she’d sunk—so broken, so desperate, she’d lost all sense of self-worth.

And now, just days after returning, the first place they brought her to was *his* home—Shallow Water Bay. The irony wasn’t just bitter—it was laughable.

Wen Xuxu turned toward the window.

It was late autumn, and with nightfall, a chill had settled into the air. Outside, shadows flickered occasionally—a lone figure here, a silhouette there—giving the city a cold, hollow feel. Even the dim streetlamps seemed dusted with frost, casting pale halos over the quiet streets.

"Madam," the driver, Xiao Lin, said softly from the front seat, "the CEO just got out of the hospital today. When you get there, if he seems… unkind… could you please… try to hold your ground? I’m worried—if he gets angry again, he might…"

"I’ll be fine," Wen Xuxu cut in, her voice calm, almost detached. "I’m a doctor. I know exactly what to expect. I won’t provoke him."

She turned away from the window, her tone flat, dismissive.

Xiao Lin exhaled slowly, relief washing over his face.

He wanted to ask—how had she become a doctor? A respected one, no less, specializing in traditional Chinese medicine? But as the outline of the villa garden came into view ahead, he bit back the question. Instead, he pressed down harder on the gas pedal.

Ten minutes later, Shallow Water Bay No. 1, Imperial Court.

*Imperial Court?* This wasn’t a house—it was a palace.

The entrance loomed massive and majestic, flanked by rows of Hanbai jade pillars standing tall like sentinels guarding the estate. The arched corridor was adorned with golden rose carvings, each delicate bloom framed by natural marble tiles. Every detail screamed understated luxury. And beyond that—the garden itself—was a sight so breathtaking it stole the breath from your lungs.

Wen Xuxu’s mouth fell open. She stood frozen, eyes wide, blinking not once, not twice, but for what felt like minutes.

So this was where he lived.

It was beautiful. Too beautiful.

Should she be grateful? To finally see this place in her lifetime?

"Madam," Xiao Lin said, voice light, "I’ll drop you off here. That’s his villa—No. 1 Imperial Court. You can go straight in."

She snapped back to attention. “Wait—just… walk in?”

He didn’t come with her?

Wen Xuxu snapped her head around. “You’re not coming in? I’ve never been here before—and you haven’t even told him! What if he doesn’t want me to just… barge in?”

“Don’t worry, Madam,” Xiao Lin smiled, reassuring. “I already informed the CEO. You’re welcome to enter directly. Nothing will happen. He knows you’re coming.”

His smile was easy, genuine—like someone telling the truth.

But in reality?

Yeah, right.

His foot was already on the gas. As soon as she stepped through that gate, he’d vanish like smoke.

Wen Xuxu didn’t notice. She believed him.

So, clutching the small medical bag in her hands, she took a deep breath and walked forward.

To be honest, the thought of facing that tyrant made her skin crawl.

A few minutes later, she stood at the entrance of No. 1 Imperial Court.

Silence.

The moment she arrived, she looked inside—and found nothing. No guards. No servants. No sudden shouts. Just stillness.

So Xiao Lin had been telling the truth.

Her shoulders loosened slightly. With the needle case in hand, she noticed a soft glow spilling from the main door. She quickened her pace.

"Where is everyone?"

Something was off.

She stepped inside, scanning the grand hall—gold-trimmed, crystal chandeliers hanging like stars, marble floors gleaming under the light. But no one.

Was he upstairs?

She moved further in.

Then, near the entrance, on a temporary shoe rack, she saw them.

A pair of pink women’s slippers.

Tiny. Delicate. Adorned with tiny daisies—cute, cheerful, out of place among the black leather men’s shoes and little boy’s sneakers.

They stood there, perfectly placed.

Like a family.

Like a *home*.

Wen Xuxu froze.

One second.

Then, a dull, heavy pain slammed into her chest—like a fist wrapped in velvet. Her breath caught. Her limbs went numb.

That was *her*.

The woman who’d never been allowed to set foot here, not even once.

And yet—now, she was the mistress of this house.

With a child—*her* child.

A child who belonged to *her*, but now called another woman *mother*.

The irony was unbearable.

Wen Xuxu stood motionless, her face blank, expressionless. Her heart shattered—not with a crack, but with a slow, grinding ache. Blood seemed to freeze in her veins.

She thought of herself five years ago—broken, silent, obedient.

Now, all she felt was emptiness.

And rage.

Cold, sharp, relentless.

It crawled through her nerves, shaking her to the core.