The ride home that evening was unusually quiet.
Lin Yue sat by the window of the car, watching the city lights blur past. Normally she would have complained about something or made a sarcastic comment to Zhang Ming, but today she said nothing.
Chen Tao's sudden appearance had stirred memories she thought she had already buried.
Li Wei Chen noticed.
He didn't say anything at first, but after a few minutes he finally spoke.
"You've been quiet."
Lin Yue kept her eyes on the window.
"I'm thinking."
"About him?"
She didn't answer immediately.
"About everything," she said finally.
Zhang Ming, who was driving, quietly turned the music volume down. Even he could feel the tension in the air.
When they reached the house, Lin Yue stepped out of the car first.
She walked straight inside without waiting.
Li Wei Chen followed her.
By the time he entered the living room, Lin Yue was already pacing slowly.
"This situation is getting messy," she said.
Li Wei Chen remained calm.
"What situation?"
She turned toward him.
"The fake marriage."
He didn't react.
"You knew something like this could happen," he said.
"I know," she replied, frustrated. "But I didn't expect my ex-boyfriend to walk into your company like that."
Zhang Ming quietly slipped away toward the kitchen, wisely deciding not to be involved in the conversation.
Lin Yue sat down on the couch and rubbed her forehead.
"For months I thought I had moved on," she said quietly.
Li Wei Chen stood near the window.
"Have you?"
She looked up at him.
"Yes."
But her voice didn't sound completely confident.
Li Wei Chen noticed.
"You're unsure."
"I'm not unsure," she said quickly.
He didn't argue. He simply watched her.
That made Lin Yue more uncomfortable.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Because you're lying."
She frowned.
"I'm not."
"You are."
Lin Yue stood up again, clearly annoyed.
"You don't know anything about my past."
"That's true," he admitted.
"Then don't judge it."
For a moment the room became silent.
Finally Li Wei Chen spoke again, his voice calm but firm.
"If your past still affects you, it could affect this arrangement."
Lin Yue stared at him.
"You mean our contract."
"Yes."
Something about the way he said it made her feel strangely irritated.
"Relax," she said. "I'm not running back to my cheating ex."
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?"
Li Wei Chen hesitated for a brief moment before answering.
"I mean emotions complicate things."
Lin Yue crossed her arms.
"You're the one who said this marriage is only business."
"And it still is."
For some reason, hearing that suddenly felt unpleasant.
Lin Yue didn't know why.
She walked toward the stairs.
"Good," she said. "Then there's nothing to worry about."
Li Wei Chen watched her carefully.
"Lin Yue."
She stopped halfway up the stairs.
"Yes?"
"If he contacts you again…"
She turned back.
"What?"
"Tell me."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"Because it may affect the reputation of this marriage."
Again, his answer sounded purely logical.
Professional.
Cold.
Lin Yue forced a small smile.
"Of course, President Li."
The title sounded strangely distant.
She continued upstairs without saying another word.
Li Wei Chen remained in the living room for a long moment.
He wasn't sure why the conversation had bothered him.
After all, everything about this marriage was supposed to be strictly contractual.
No emotions.
No complications.
No personal attachments.
Yet when Chen Tao had appeared earlier that day…
Li Wei Chen had felt something unexpected.
Something close to irritation.
Maybe even jealousy.
But that made no sense.
Because Lin Yue was only his contract wife.
Nothing more.
Upstairs, Lin Yue stood quietly on the balcony outside her room.
The night air felt cool against her skin.
She replayed the conversation in her head.
"Only business."
"Just a contract."
She leaned against the railing and sighed.
"Why does that suddenly sound disappointing?" she murmured.
Neither of them realized it yet.
But the lines between pretending and feeling something real were beginning to blur.
And soon, the contract that brought them together…
might be the very thing that tears them apart.