Contract Over: Heiress Unmasked

Chapter 15: No Apology, No Forgiveness

After hanging up, Ruan Chutang replayed the night’s events in her head. Why had Chen Wan snuck into her room while she was in the shower? It certainly wasn't just to "look around."

Chen Wan was up to something. Chutang scanned her bedroom, checking the placement of her belongings. Aside from the shattered doll, everything looked untouched. Then, her eyes landed on the glass of milk on her nightstand.

Chutang had a routine: a glass of warm milk before bed. She’d asked the housekeeper to bring it up before her shower so it would be ready when she got out. The ceramic doll had been sitting right next to that glass.

If Chen Wan broke the doll, she’d been hovering right over that nightstand. Which meant that milk was almost certainly tainted.

***

Jiang Shixu touched down in Haicheng three hours later.

When he called, he was already in a car heading toward the villa. Chutang was outside, hauling bag after bag of her discarded belongings to the curb.

"Shixu-ge, I’m not staying here tonight," she said into the phone. She was clearing out the last of her things, moving fast so she wouldn't have to wake the housekeeper. She was done with this place—and with Gu Zechuan.

Shixu didn't pry. He simply said, "Okay."

"Did you book a hotel?" she asked. He gave her the name of a high-end spot. "Perfect. I’ll book a room there too. Don't come here; just head straight to the hotel and I'll meet you."

Chutang loaded her suitcases into the trunk and pulled up a booking app, only to find the hotel was completely sold out. A massive regional exam was happening nearby the next day, and every decent room within a five-mile radius was booked solid.

The only thing left was a sketchy motel with a comment section that read like a horror story. One review stuck out: *Walls are paper-thin. I had to listen to the couple next door go at it all night. Felt like a front-row seat to a live show. Didn't sleep a wink.*

Chutang sighed. Her court hearing was at 3:00 PM tomorrow. Between the three-hour drive, prep, and getting ready, she needed to be up by 10:00 AM. She couldn't afford a sleepless night.

She bit her lip and messaged Jiang Shixu.

[The hotel is full, and everything nearby is packed. Can you help me get a room?]

Luxury hotels always held a few VIP suites for people like him. As the CEO of the Jiang Group, a single word from him would open any door.

His reply came seconds later.

[I have the penthouse suite. It’s a duplex with two bedrooms—one upstairs, one down. If you don't mind sharing the suite, you can stay here.]

Chutang hesitated. It had been three years. Crashing in his suite felt... intense. But the alternative was a sleepless night in a flea-bag motel. A duplex meant they’d be on different floors. It was fine. It had to be fine.

She messaged her agreement. Just as she was about to start the car, her phone chimed again.

It was Gu Zechuan. He sent a series of photos showing Chen Wan’s hand wrapped in layers of thick gauze. It looked dramatic.

[Ruan Chutang, you crossed a line this time. Get to the hospital and apologize to Wanwan right now.]

[I’m not forgiving you until you make this right. Apologize, and I’ll let you keep living in the villa.]

Chutang let out a cold, sharp laugh. She didn't bother replying. Instead, she deleted his contact and blocked his number. Permanent.

***

At the hospital, Gu Zechuan stared at the glowing red exclamation mark on his screen. His face twisted into a dark scowl.

*Ruan Chutang has enabled Friend Validation. You are not her friend.*

She had blocked him. The audacity. His blood simmered. *She’s actually trying to play hardball?*

On the hospital bed, Chen Wan watched his expression sour. "Zechuan? What is it?"

He snapped out of it, his voice tight and dismissive. "Nothing."

Chen Wan didn't push it. She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears, looking as fragile as glass. "Zechuan... is my hand ruined? Will I ever be able to play piano again?"

Before moving abroad to a prestigious music conservatory, Chen Wan had built a following on social media. She was a rising influencer with over a million fans. Her "talent" was her brand.

Zechuan’s gaze softened with pity. "Don't say that. The doctor said it’s just a surface wound. No nerves or tendons were hit. You’ll be fine in a few days."

"Are you sure?" she whimpered. "You're not just saying that to make me feel better?"

He reached out, smoothing her hair. "I'm sure."

She leaned in, her voice small and vulnerable. "Zechuan... if my injury were worse... if I could never play again... would you still forgive Chutang?"

Zechuan’s eyes went cold. "Even with the way it is now, I won't forgive her until she begs for your pardon. If you actually lost your ability to play, I’d make sure she paid a heavy price."

Chen Wan leaned her head against his shoulder. "I knew I could count on you."

Zechuan pulled her close, but his mind was elsewhere. He wondered if telling Chutang he never wanted to see her again had been too harsh. But then he remembered Chen Wan’s blood on the floor. Chutang had started this. She was the one in the wrong. She probably blocked him just to get a rise out of him, waiting for him to come crawling back.

Well, this time, he wasn't chasing.

***

Chutang stepped into the hotel lobby and saw him immediately.

Jiang Shixu was leaning against a pillar, dressed in a black shirt and charcoal slacks. He was even more striking than she remembered—broad shoulders, lean waist, and a face so perfectly chiseled it felt criminal.

An assistant stood by his side, looking small in his shadow. When Shixu saw her, he strode across the marble floor in a few quick, urgent steps. He reached out and took the handle of her suitcase. "Chutang. Are you okay?"

She looked down, her voice a soft murmur. "I'm fine."

"Mr. Jiang, I'll head out then," the assistant said with a respectful bow. Shixu nodded, dismissed him, and led her toward the private elevator.

The penthouse was breathtaking—all floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking the shimmering lights of Haicheng.

"Do you want the top or bottom floor?" Shixu asked.

Being alone in a room with a man this gorgeous made Chutang’s pulse race. "I... either is fine."

She caught the faint sound of a low, amused chuckle. "Take the upstairs. It’s more private. Let me know if you need anything."

Chutang felt a flush creep up her neck. "Okay."