Chapter 11 – Whispers in the Dark
Sleep evaded Lin Yue that night. She lay awake, staring at the ceiling, replaying every word Mo Chen had said in the study. "You think you're the only one who lost something?"
What had he meant? His voice had carried more than anger—it had carried grief. A grief she had never associated with him.
At dawn, she rose, her eyes shadowed from exhaustion. The mansion was silent, the staff moving like ghosts through the halls. She wandered aimlessly until she found herself outside Mo Chen's study door. The memory of his furious gaze warned her to turn back, but curiosity tugged harder.
She pushed the door open.
The study was immaculate, every book lined up perfectly, every surface polished. Yet something felt… heavy, as though secrets seeped from the very walls. She approached the desk, her fingers brushing against the mahogany.
There, half-hidden beneath a stack of papers, was a photograph.
Lin Yue froze.
It was an old picture, edges frayed. Her father stood in it, smiling broadly, his arm around a younger Mo Chen. They looked like… friends.
Her breath hitched. Impossible. Her father had always spoken of Mo Chen's family with bitterness, warning her to stay far from them. How could they have once been so close?
"Enjoying yourself?"
The deep voice cut through the silence. Lin Yue's blood ran cold. She turned slowly, clutching the photo behind her back. Mo Chen stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable, though his eyes burned with an intensity that made her knees weak.
"I—I was just—"
"Searching for something?" He stepped closer, each stride deliberate, predatory. "Or do you make it a habit to invade other people's private spaces?"
Her pulse quickened. "If you have nothing to hide, then why does it matter?"
His eyes narrowed. In one swift motion, he closed the distance between them, towering over her. "Give it to me."
Her grip on the photo tightened. "No."
For a long moment, neither moved. His gaze locked onto hers, a storm brewing in the depths of his eyes. Then, to her shock, his hand didn't reach for the photo. Instead, it landed on her shoulder, firm but not harsh.
"You think you know everything," he murmured, his voice low and rough. "But you don't. And until you do, stop playing with fire."
Her heart pounded. For the briefest second, she thought she saw vulnerability flicker across his features. But then it was gone, replaced by his usual cold mask.
Mo Chen plucked the photo from her trembling hands and slipped it into his coat pocket. Without another word, he turned and left the room, leaving her breathless and furious.
---
That evening, Lin Yue confided in Su Mei again, her voice hushed over the phone.
"They knew each other, Mei. My father and Mo Chen—they were friends. I saw it with my own eyes."
Su Mei gasped. "Then why—why would Mo Chen destroy your family?"
"That's what I need to find out," Lin Yue whispered, her fists clenching. "There's something he's not telling me. Something big."
"But Yue… be careful. If he catches you digging too deep—"
"I don't care," she interrupted, her voice fierce. "I can't live like this, not knowing the truth. If Mo Chen thinks he can keep me in the dark, he's wrong."
---
Late that night, Lin Yue crept through the mansion again. Every creak of the floorboards set her nerves on edge, but determination fueled her steps. She slipped into the study once more, searching drawers, rifling through documents.
Her fingers brushed against a locked box hidden behind stacks of ledgers. She tugged it free, heart hammering. The box was heavy, the kind that promised secrets inside.
She bent closer, running her hand along the lock. If she could just—
"Curiosity will be your downfall."
She jumped violently, nearly dropping the box. Mo Chen leaned against the doorframe, shadows cloaking his figure, his gaze piercing through the dim light.
Her breath came in ragged gasps. "You're hiding something from me. Something about my father. Tell me the truth!"
His expression was stone, but his voice was quieter than before, almost pained. "The truth will destroy you, Lin Yue."
Tears burned her eyes. "You've already destroyed me. What more can you take?"
For a moment, silence stretched between them. Mo Chen's jaw worked, as though he were holding back words. Then, with a sigh that seemed to come from the depths of his soul, he stepped forward and gently took the box from her hands.
"You want answers," he said. "But once you know them… you'll never look at me the same way again."
And with that, he turned, the box clutched tightly in his grasp, leaving Lin Yue standing in the dark, her heart splitting between fear and desperate longing for the truth.