C1 Fifteen Years

If life offered a do-over, why not embrace a little greed?

Dark clouds gathered as rain poured down in torrents, drenching the courtyard of the Chi family villa and soaking through Lishan's thin blouse without mercy.

"Lishan, as per our agreement, if you haven't conceived my child within three years, we divorce," Jinxi declared, standing at the villa's entrance, his face devoid of emotion.

Three years ago, the Qiao family was at its peak, and she had pursued him relentlessly, determined to marry no one else. He was her dream—a dream she had cherished for fifteen long years. She had given up a chance to join a special agency, choosing instead to stay by his side as an unassuming housewife.

From childhood, through her vibrant youth, to now, she had devoted the best years of her life entirely to a man named Jinxi.

Standing in the rain, Lishan let the cold drops mix with her salty tears, cascading down her cheeks.

"Jinxi, you're leaving me for her, aren't you?"

"She's pregnant with my heir," he replied, his words striking like a slap across her face.

Lishan stood frozen in the rain, her eyes a fiery red, filled with despair, coldness, and mockery, all shattered into glistening tears.

It turns out, the woman he had been secretly seeing was pregnant. The Chi family line was dwindling, with Jinxi being the only male of his generation. Having a child sooner would put his ancestors at ease. This was his reason for marrying her.

Lishan stumbled over, looking lost and desperate, reaching out to hold him. He stepped back, avoiding her touch. "Dirty."

She had been married to him for three years, living like a widow. She never even got a kiss. Now, even a touch was too much to ask for.

"Jinxi, I've waited for you for fifteen years. Isn't that worth one night?" Lishan's face was pale, her eyes filled with despair as she looked at Jinxi. His eyes flickered with disdain, granting her a glance. After a long pause, he uttered three words, "Go take a shower."

How wonderful. On the eve of their divorce, she finally got to share a bed with him. Lishan tried to smile, but her lips barely moved, stiff and forced. She couldn't smile. It felt like something had shattered in her heart, and the cold wind blew through the cracks.

After taking a hot shower, Lishan put on heavy loungewear and appeared before Jinxi. The disdain and mockery in his eyes were unmistakable. "Trying to get into my bed while pretending to be a virtuous wife? Is this how you looked when you were fooling around with my uncle? Someone like you, and he still went for it? Even after a shower, you're still not clean. Who knows, you might even be sick!"

"I didn't..."

She didn't!

It was just a misunderstanding between her and her uncle!

Qiao Lishan's attempt to explain was cut off by the man's fierce glare. "Don't disgust me! There's half a million in the account. Take the money and get out of this city. The Qiao family is long gone; repeating the past is a waste of time."

She stared at the divorce papers, already signed, with a credit card attached.

Qiao Lishan felt an overwhelming chill.

She signed in a daze, and the man barked at her.

"Hurry up and leave; she's coming back soon."

His beloved woman was returning. What did that make her, his legally wedded wife?

Qiao Lishan reached out, trying to hold onto Chi Jinxi, but he pulled away in disdain. "I don't want the money!"

"Take it or leave it, but get out!"

Amid the urging, Qiao Lishan didn't know how she left the Chi residence. She wandered aimlessly through the pouring rain.

Holding the soaked divorce papers, she walked desolately along the highway. Passing by a building with flashing LED lights, a magnetic female voice filled her ears, "...Recently, the Qiao Corporation went bankrupt, and the CEO died despite rescue efforts. His secretary absconded with a large sum of money..."

"Thud—"

A violent impact sent her flying.

Pain spread throughout her body...