Contract Over: Heiress Unmasked

The Billionaire’s True Colors

Gu Zechuan’s hand instinctually jerked away from the woman clinging to his arm. Chen Wan stiffened, her face clouding with a flicker of hurt that she quickly masked.

"I’m friends with Autumn too," Chloe said, her voice smooth as silk, a sharp, knowing smile playing on her lips. "Is it so strange for me to be at her birthday party?"

Zechuan’s jaw tightened. "No. I just... I didn't think you liked these kinds of scenes. I would have told you otherwise."

Chloe didn't miss the underlying lie. *Didn't think I liked the scene? Or didn't want me seeing who you were bringing as your plus-one?*

Zechuan scanned the room with a cold, predatory gaze, silently demanding to know who had invited her. Autumn shrank back, averting her eyes and suddenly finding her drink very interesting.

"You must be Chloe Ruan," the woman beside Zechuan said, stepping forward with a practiced, porcelain smile. "I’m Chen Wan. I’m sure Zechuan has mentioned me."

*The White Moonlight.* The legendary first love.

Chloe felt a dull ache in her chest. Three years of devotion didn't vanish in a heartbeat, no matter how much she wanted them to. But she had spent years perfecting her poker face. She nodded gracefully. "Miss Chen. Your reputation precedes you."

Chen Wan’s smile widened, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Has anyone ever told you that we look... strikingly similar?"

The temperature in the room seemed to drop ten degrees. Zechuan’s expression darkened instantly.

Chloe let out a soft, melodic laugh. She met Chen Wan’s provocative stare with wide, innocent eyes. "Oh? Really? I don’t see it at all. For one thing... I’m much prettier than you."

A collective gasp rippled through the room. The "meek and gentle" Chloe was gone, replaced by a woman who drew blood with every word.

Sensing the impending explosion, Autumn rushed over. "Come on, let’s not just stand here! Everyone, take a seat!"

Chen Wan forced a tight smile, thrusting a gift bag toward Autumn. "Happy Birthday, Autumn. A little something from me."

Autumn opened it, her eyes lighting up. "Oh, wow! I’ve wanted this necklace for months! Thank you, Chen Wan!"

Chloe’s heart sank as she recognized the box. It was identical to the one she had handed Autumn minutes ago.

Autumn reached for Chloe’s gift and pulled out the second necklace. Her smile faltered. "Oh... Chloe, you got me the same one."

"It’s a fake," a voice piped up from the back. One of the socialites, a girl who had always looked down on Chloe, sneered without even touching the jewelry. "That’s a fifty-thousand-dollar piece. Chloe’s just a junior lawyer. How could she possibly afford the real thing on her salary?"

Silence fell like a shroud. The judgmental glares shifted toward Chloe, heavy with silent agreement.

Zechuan’s face was a mask of humiliated rage. "Chloe, if you were short on cash, you should have just told me. I could have helped you pick something out. Why would you...?"

He couldn't bring himself to say the word 'fake' aloud, but the accusation hung in the air, rotting.

Chloe looked him dead in the eye, her voice cold and hollow. "So you think it’s a fake too, Zechuan?"

He didn't answer. His silence was the ultimate betrayal.

Autumn tried to play peacemaker, though Chloe could see the slight curl of her lip—the faint, unmistakable scent of pity. "It's fine, really! Chloe is a good friend, she wouldn't do that on purpose. Let’s just move on."

Chloe felt the last thread of her affection for this circle snap. For three years, she had played the "poor girl" to escape her father's shadow. She had worked for four thousand yuan a month, enduring the subtle snubs and the cold shoulders of Zechuan’s elitist friends. She had thought Autumn was different. She was wrong.

"Give me the necklace," Zechuan commanded, turning to Autumn. "Chloe wasn't thinking. I’ll replace it with a proper gift later."

Chloe crossed her arms, her gaze icy. "If he wants it, let him have it."

Chen Wan stepped in, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness. "Don't be too hard on her, Zechuan. I'm sure she meant well."

Zechuan didn't speak. He grabbed the box and sat down. To ease the tension, someone suggested a drinking game. Chen Wan joined in immediately, laughing and flirting with the crowd. Chloe retreated to a lonely sofa in the corner, focused entirely on her phone.

Zechuan eventually marched over and sat beside her. "You could have just bought something cheaper," he hissed. "Better than a counterfeit that embarrasses me."

"If you're so sure it’s fake, give it back," Chloe replied, not looking up.

"Do you have any idea how much face I lost because of you?"

Chloe took a deep breath and turned to him. "What face? The receipt is inside the bag. If you're too lazy to look, I’ll take you to the boutique myself so the clerk can embarrass you for being an idiot."

Zechuan froze. He reached into the bag and pulled out the crumpled receipt. His face went through a kaleidoscope of emotions before settling into a sheepish soften. "Why didn't you say there was a receipt?"

"I didn't feel like it," she snapped, returning to her game.

"I’m sorry," he whispered after a long silence. "I misunderstood."

Chloe ignored him. Her attention was caught by the center of the room. Chen Wan had lost a round, and the crowd was chanting for her to drink. Zechuan sat rigid, watching. By the third shot, he snapped.

He lunged forward, snatching the fourth glass out of Chen Wan’s hand. "Your stomach can't handle this! Are you trying to kill yourself?"

The room went dead silent. The raw concern in Zechuan’s voice was impossible to ignore.

Chen Wan looked up at him, her eyes misty. "What do you care?"

"You're done drinking," Zechuan growled, glaring at the group. "Anyone else tries to give her a glass, and you answer to me."

Chloe watched the drama with a ghost of a smirk. *How touching.*

Chen Wan tried to grab the glass back, tripping in her high heels and falling directly into Zechuan’s arms. His hand flew to her waist, holding her tight. "Careful. Years later and you're still this clumsy."

Chen Wan flushed deep crimson, leaning into him. "I hate you, Gu Zechuan."

The crowd began to hoot and cheer. Zechuan looked up, his eyes meeting Chloe’s cold, unblinking stare. He jumped back as if burned, releasing Chen Wan instantly.

The awkwardness was thick. "Let’s keep playing!" someone yelled. "Truth or Dare! Chen Wan, you lost again. What’s it gonna be?"

Zechuan’s eyes were glued to his ex.

"Dare," Chen Wan whispered, her eyes locked onto Zechuan’s.

The person drawing the slip of paper gasped. "Pick a member of the opposite s*x in this room... and kiss them."

Zechuan’s face turned into a mask of thunder. The room felt like a freezer.

Chen Wan didn't hesitate. She stood up and walked toward a handsome man named Lin Chenan. "Chenan, mind if I kiss you?"

Lin looked at Zechuan—who looked ready to commit murder—and turned pale.

As Chen Wan leaned in, reaching for Lin’s neck, Zechuan lost it.

"Enough!" he roared. He stormed over, grabbed Chen Wan by the wrist, and dragged her out of the room without a single backward glance.

The remaining guests looked at Chloe with profound pity.

Chloe took a slow sip of her juice and smiled. "Why is everyone looking at me?"

She stood up and went to the restroom. Through the stall door, she heard the whispers of the other girls at the sinks.

"Zechuan is insane. He just abandoned his girlfriend to run off with Chen Wan."

"Well, she’s just a stand-in anyway. Everyone knows he’s still in love with his First Love."

"Poor girl. She's going to get dumped any second now."

Chloe stepped out and began washing her hands. The girls froze and scurried out like frightened rats.

Chloe looked at her reflection. They were right about one thing—a breakup was coming. But Zechuan wouldn't be the one doing the dumping.

She was done being a shadow. She was going home to claim her throne.