Chapter 9 – The Unseen Strings
The morning sunlight streamed into the grand villa, spilling across the polished marble floors. Xia Wei stirred awake, her head heavy from the restless night. She had dreamt of her late mother again, of her warning voice whispering, "Trust no one with your heart."
Blinking, Xia Wei found herself alone in the bed. Li Chen had already left. She didn't know if that brought her relief or disappointment. His absence meant no sharp remarks, no cold stares—but also no chance of softening the steel wall that stood between them.
She dressed quickly and went downstairs. The aroma of breakfast wafted from the kitchen, but what made her pause was the low murmur of voices. As she neared the dining hall, she realized Li Chen wasn't alone.
His mother, Madam Li, sat at the head of the table, sipping her tea with a look that could freeze a storm. Across from her sat Li Chen, posture rigid, his jaw tight.
"You should not indulge her," Madam Li was saying, her voice as cutting as glass. "Xia Wei is not fit for this family. Her background is a stain. Do you think the shareholders will take kindly to her presence?"
Xia Wei's breath hitched, and her nails dug into her palm.
Li Chen's voice, calm but edged with steel, cut through. "This marriage was arranged by both families, Mother. It is done."
"Arranged, yes," Madam Li sneered, "but I never agreed to be humiliated by a daughter-in-law who was raised like a servant in her own household."
The words sliced through Xia Wei's chest. She almost turned away, but her pride anchored her feet to the ground. She pushed open the door, her eyes meeting Madam Li's without flinching.
"If I am so unworthy, Madam Li," Xia Wei said, her voice steady though her heart raced, "then perhaps you should blame fate for tying me to your son. I didn't ask for this marriage either."
The room fell silent. Li Chen's eyes flicked to her, sharp and unreadable. Madam Li's lips thinned, as if she had tasted poison.
"You dare speak back to me?" Madam Li snapped.
Xia Wei straightened her shoulders. "I dare to speak the truth. I may not come from wealth, but I have dignity. And if you think I'll bow and scrape just to be tolerated, you underestimate me."
Madam Li's teacup clattered onto the saucer. She rose, her silken gown rustling like a warning. "We'll see how long you last in this house." With that, she swept out, leaving a trail of cold disdain.
The silence that followed was heavier than the storm.
Li Chen stood, his gaze pinned on Xia Wei. "You shouldn't have confronted her."
Her chin lifted. "So I should've let her insult me while I hide like a coward?"
"She is my mother," he said sharply. "Respect is not optional."
"And I am your wife," Xia Wei shot back, her voice trembling with restrained fury. "Respect isn't optional for me either."
The clash of their words reverberated through the dining hall. For a long moment, neither moved. Then Li Chen's expression shuttered, cold and detached once more.
"Do as you wish," he said flatly, turning on his heel. "But don't expect me to clean up the consequences when she decides you've gone too far."
His footsteps echoed until the door slammed behind him.
Xia Wei stood frozen, her throat tight. The world around her felt too big, too hostile. For the first time since she had stepped into this marriage, she realized that the battlefield wasn't just between her and Li Chen—it was the entire Li family.
Later that day, when she retreated to the garden for air, her phone buzzed. A message flashed across the screen from an unknown number.
"Do you think Li Chen will still defend you when he learns the truth about that night five years ago?"
Xia Wei's blood ran cold. Her fingers trembled as she stared at the message, the words blurring before her eyes. Only a handful of people knew what had happened that night—the night that had forever scarred her and shaped her future.
Her heart pounded. Who could it be? Why now?
The unseen strings that tied her life to Li Chen's suddenly felt like shackles, and somewhere in the shadows, someone was tightening them.