Chapter 9: He Already Had Someone Else in His Heart
1682 Words
It was her mother-in-law, Zhang Lan.
Wen Yan picked up the phone. “Hello, Mom.”
Zhang Lan sounded a little anxious on the other end. “Come back. I have something to talk to you about.”
Wen Yan was silent for a few seconds before finally replying, “Okay.”
Her mother-in-law was the kindest person to her in the Gu family. Even the hospital fees for Grandma were paid by her voluntarily.
When she brought up divorce, Gu Jinmo had told her not to let his mother know.
But there are no secrets that time won’t reveal. Zhang Lan would find out eventually.
Rain drizzled down like countless silver threads tapping on her umbrella.
Wen Yan closed the umbrella and stopped in front of the villa.
It was a standalone villa, almost the size of a small estate. When she first moved in, she felt overwhelmed, but Zhang Lan never looked down on her and patiently helped her get used to everything.
But now things had changed…
She knocked on the door. Aunt Zhang answered it.
Aunt Zhang greeted her with a warm smile. “Young madam, Madam has been waiting for you.”
As Wen Yan stepped inside, she immediately saw Zhang Lan sitting on the sofa scrolling through her phone, frowning as if she’d seen something unpleasant. “You’re here,” Zhang Lan said, glancing up and patting the seat beside her. “Come, sit.”
“Good child, I’ve heard about everything recently. You’ve suffered.” Zhang Lan’s eyes were slightly red, clearly from crying in secret. “Ah Mo is so foolish. How can anything outside be better than home? You’ve done so much for him. He shouldn’t treat you like this. Ah Mo will come over later. You two should talk it out face-to-face.”
Wen Yan felt uneasy at those words. “Mom, we…”
“I know you’re not the type to fight or compete, and that kind of personality is easy to suffer. I’ve tried not to interfere over the years, but I can’t just watch you both drift further apart.” Zhang Lan held her hand tightly, tears brimming again. “Xiao Yan, I really like you. I can live without that son, but I must keep you as my daughter-in-law!”
A wave of warmth swept through Wen Yan’s heart. Over the years, she had managed to survive in the Gu family all thanks to Zhang Lan’s protection.
Her eyes turned red. “Even if I don’t file for divorce, Gu Jinmo would have.”
She hesitated, wondering whether to tell Zhang Lan what Gu Jinmo said to her on their wedding night.
That night, he told her he could give her money and status, but not love.
That said everything—his heart already belonged to someone else.
She had spent years being the perfect wife, hoping one day he might turn around and notice her. But now she realized that as long as Gu Jinmo kept protecting Su Qianqian, they would never reconcile.
“I know you care about Su Qianqian. But don’t worry, as long as I’m here, she won’t ever enter this family,” Zhang Lan said coldly, a flicker of harshness in her eyes. “No matter how good her background is, she is not the daughter-in-law I accept.”
That Su Qianqian—knowingly playing the third wheel—was a disgrace to women everywhere.
Looking at the daughter-in-law she liked so much, Zhang Lan made a decision. She would finally tell her son the truth about that night. That night was her fault, not Wen Yan’s.
Not only that, but she would also tell him everything Wen Yan had done for him over the years. He needed to know—Wen Yan loved him, cared for him—and he must not let her down. Otherwise, he would regret it for the rest of his life.
“Don’t worry. I know what’s really causing the rift between you two. Tonight, I will clear up all the misunderstandings.”
Misunderstandings? What misunderstandings?
Wen Yan bit her lip. Could all of this really be fixed just by clarifying a few things?
She opened her mouth to speak, trying to explain it wasn’t just about Su Qianqian—but the sound of the door interrupted her.
It was Gu Jinmo. And ironically, Su Qianqian walked in beside him.
The moment Zhang Lan saw her, she shot up from the sofa. “What are you doing here?!”
Su Qianqian shrank behind Gu Jinmo, her voice barely a whisper. “Auntie…”
“Get out!” Zhang Lan pointed to the door, furious.
“I brought her,” Gu Jinmo said.
Zhang Lan trembled with anger. “Do you even know what you’re doing? You brought her here—what about your wife’s dignity? Get her out! I need to speak to you.”
Gu Jinmo looked at Wen Yan. Thinking of Xie Yiye risking his reputation for her, his expression grew darker.
He used to just suspect something between her and Xie Yiye. But now? It seemed almost certain.
After all, Xie Yiye had even gotten into a “scandal” because of her.
Gu Jinmo turned his face away. “Wen Yan and I are already divorced.”
Zhang Lan’s face turned pale. “What did you say?”
“We’ve signed the papers. The divorce certificate is done too.” He looked at Wen Yan deeply.
Wen Yan gave a bitter smile.
They had only signed the agreement, but Gu Jinmo said they already had the certificate. He clearly wanted to crush his mother’s hope of reconciliation completely.
Even though she had prepared herself to never look back, hearing him say it still hurt.
Standing to the side, Su Qianqian curled her lips into a slight smile.
Zhang Lan noticed the expression and narrowed her eyes. “Even if you’re divorced, I will never let Su Qianqian into this family.”
“Auntie, do you really hate me that much?” Su Qianqian couldn’t hold it in anymore.
She was a daughter of the Su family, used to being flattered by everyone. Even Zhang Lan had once liked her.
So why this sudden hatred?
Zhang Lan sneered. “Yes, I don’t like you.”
“You ruined one of my sons. Now you want to ruin the other. How could I possibly like you?”
“Should I like the fact that you caused my elder son’s death? Or that you destroyed my younger son’s marriage? Su Qianqian, if you had even a shred of shame, you wouldn’t be asking me that ridiculous question.”
Tears streamed down Su Qianqian’s face.
Wen Yan, however, was in shock.
She had always known Zhang Lan had two sons. But hadn’t Gu Jinmo’s older brother, Gu Jinxiao, died in an accident? What did that have to do with Su Qianqian?
Su Qianqian clenched her sleeves, looking like a fragile leaf. “Auntie, can’t you give me another chance to be your daughter-in-law?”
“Shut up! You still have the nerve to say that?” Zhang Lan stood up.
“If it weren’t for you, Ah Xiao wouldn’t have died. It was all you—you’re a jinx!”
Su Qianqian’s eyes flashed with hatred. “I told you, his death had nothing to do with me.”
Wen Yan’s expression darkened.
Wasn’t Gu Jinxiao killed in a fire?
Something was off about Zhang Lan’s attitude.
Could there be more to his death than she’d been told?
Su Qianqian still smiled sweetly. “Auntie, if you really cared about Brother Xiao, you’d let Brother Mo marry me. Brother Xiao was so kind. He’d want me to be happy…”
Zhang Lan could no longer contain her fury and slapped her across the face.
A loud slap echoed. Su Qianqian’s face turned red immediately.
Gu Jinmo quickly shielded her. “Mom!”
“Get out!” Zhang Lan shouted, face like ice.
“Auntie, do you know what your perfect daughter-in-law has done?” Su Qianqian sneered.
Xie Yiye had secretly visited the hospital recently. With the way he and Wen Yan were sneaking around, there was a good chance she was pregnant.
If Zhang Lan found out her daughter-in-law was carrying another man’s baby, would she still be so calm?
“My daughter-in-law’s actions are none of your business. She will always be my daughter-in-law—not like you, a shameless homewrecker!” Zhang Lan glared at Gu Jinmo. “If you care about me as your mother, get her out of here right now!”
“Mo…” Su Qianqian clung to him, trembling like a delicate flower.
Seeing her hide behind Gu Jinmo and watching him do nothing, Zhang Lan’s face turned purple with rage. Her legs gave out and she collapsed.
“Mom!”
“Auntie!”
…
In the hospital emergency room.
Standing in the familiar hallway, Wen Yan trembled slightly.
The last time she was here, it was when she learned of her grandmother’s death.
“It’s all my fault…” Su Qianqian sobbed. “If it weren’t for me, Auntie wouldn’t have fainted…”
Wen Yan stared at the emergency room doors, her mind echoing with painful memories.
Su Qianqian kept crying. Wen Yan finally stood up, irritated. “Can you shut up?!”
Su Qianqian immediately fell silent.
Wen Yan glared at her, hate rising again.
“Mo…” Su Qianqian tried to get closer to Gu Jinmo, who remained expressionless.
Wen Yan pressed her lips together and returned his stare, cold and calm. “I suggest you get rid of her before Mom wakes up.”
“No!” Su Qianqian panicked. “I want to stay and take care of Auntie. Mo, please, let me stay—I want to atone for my mistakes.”
“Atone?” Wen Yan sneered.
Her grandmother had died, and Su Qianqian had acted like nothing happened.
Now that her mother-in-law was sick, she suddenly wanted to “atone”?
- Writer
