She tried calling him one last time. As always, she was met with the same cold and indifferent voice message that echoed through the line. She pressed her lips together to keep them from trembling, still wanting to believe that he was simply busy, that his meetings had run late, that his phone had died, or any other excuse she could cling to, to silence the ache blooming in her heart.
After the car accident three years ago, she pretended to be disabled so that he wouldn't feel overshadowed by her family background. She wanted him to feel needed and to prove that love was enough for both of them. However, she now understands that her love has become a wound that refuses to heal.
She recognised the hotel name, The Imperial Regency, known as one of the city's most luxurious accommodations, often frequented by high-ranking executives for private meetings or personal indulgence.
Her mind wanted to dismiss the thought, but her instincts urged her to pay attention. She recalled the faint scent of perfume on his suit from the previous week, a brand she had never used. She also remembered how he had started keeping his phone facedown during dinner and how his voice grew colder and more distant, as if her presence had become a burden.
Her breath caught painfully in her chest, and she wondered if he was truly there, if her fears were correct. She needed to see it with her own eyes; only then could she let go of the illusion she had been clinging to.
The drive felt endless. She felt every traffic light seemed to mock her, and each turn tested her resolve. By the time she reached the hotel, the sun was high in the sky, and the world outside gleamed with a cruel brightness.
She parked her car quietly and entered the lobby. Inside the hotel, chandeliers sparkled above the polished marble floor, and the air was filled with the scents of roses and expensive cologne.
With soundless steps, she approached the front desk.
"Good morning, Madam. How may I assist you today?" the receptionist greeted her.
Su Ruoyan met the receptionist's gaze with a faint smile, trying to maintain her composure. She replied, "My husband is currently in a meeting and has requested that I bring some documents for him. Would it be possible for me to get a second key card for his room?"
The receptionist lady looked at her suspiciously. "I'm sorry, Madam, but I can't issue a second key card without the primary guest's request. Could you please provide me with the room number to reconfirm?"
Despite the obstacles she faced, Su Ruoyan remained understanding of the receptionist's situation. "My room number is 2028. I believe you know my husband, Lu Shenyang; I'm his wife, and this isn't my first time staying here. I assume you are the new receptionist. Additionally, I am a good friend of your manager. Perhaps I should call her about this issue," she said, trying her best to sound assertive.
The receptionist looked at her with a look of fear and shock. "I am so sorry, Madam. It's my mistake for not recognising you. Please give me five minutes, and I will process a second key card for you now. Please have a seat first."
Su Ruoyan didn't mean to threaten the lady, but at this moment, she had no choice and needed to use every means available to secure the key card. After five minutes, the card was finally presented to her. She thanked the lady and then proceeded to the elevator.
She pressed the button, her fingers icy cold. The elevator doors slid open, and she told herself, "This is it; no more lies."
The elevator chimed softly as it reached the twentieth floor. The hallway was quiet, illuminated by elegant golden lights and adorned with plush carpet. Her heels sank soundlessly into the floor as she walked toward the suite number displayed on her phone screen.
With each step, her pulse quickened, a storm brewing in her chest. Finally, she stopped in front of the door: 2028. It was a lucky number, but a cursed one for her.
Her hand reached for the handle to tap the key card, and the door opened with a slight click. She entered slowly and stopped to take in the surroundings. From the layout, she recognised that it was a presidential suite, featuring a living room, a bedroom in the middle, and a kitchen off to the side. It was a prestigious room, but not one she was meant to occupy.
As she immersed herself in her thoughts, faint sounds filtered in from the bedroom. She heard soft laughter and the rustling of sheets, the unmistakable rhythm of two people entangled. At that moment, her heart stopped.
She froze in place, her body trembling despite her efforts to remain composed. The laughter she heard grew louder, and a woman's voice rang out, sweet but deceptive. It was a voice she recognised immediately.
It was Li Meixuan, who was both her husband's business partner and his maternal cousin.
The air escaped her lungs in a single, broken gasp. For a long moment, she stood there, staring at the golden door, her hand pressed against the wood as if she could feel their betrayal pulsing from the other side.
Then, slowly, very slowly, she turned the handle. The door creaked open just an inch, just enough for her to catch a glimpse inside.
It was a bright room filled with sunlight spilling through half-drawn curtains onto tangled sheets. Clothes were scattered across the floor, and a man and a woman lay entwined on the bed, whispering each other's names like poison.
She could hear her husband's intimate voice, a tone he hadn't used with her in years, now directed at another woman. She knew she should have screamed at this point; she should have burst in, thrown something, and demanded an explanation from her husband. But instead, she could only stand utterly still, as if the ground beneath her had disappeared.
Her vision blurred, tears burning behind her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Unbeknownst to her, she took a step back, her heel clicking faintly against the carpet. The sound was slight, but it was enough for the man on the bed to turn his head sharply toward the door.
His gaze met hers, and the silence between them exploded into something raw and brutal.
Su Ruoyan's breath caught, her lips trembling. She remained still, while Lu Shenyang's shock flickered in his eyes for just a heartbeat before he slowly sat up.
There was no trace of guilt in his eyes, only irritation.
"Ruoyan?" he said flatly. "What are you doing here?"
Her heart twisted painfully at the coldness in his voice, and she realised she had her answer. Her illusion was over.