You'll Never Get a Divorce as Long as You Live

A clear, mocking voice suddenly rang in his ears. "Mr. Gu, aren't you afraid Jiang Nan will be hurt if she finds out?"

Those words were like a bucket of cold water dumped over his head, instantly extinguishing the charged atmosphere in the car.

Qiao Hua looked at him with a smiling glint in her beautiful eyes, deliberately emphasizing Jiang Nan's name.

Gu Wenze's hand stopped moving against Qiao Hua's chest, and his expression instantly darkened.

Watching his reaction, Qiao Hua curled her lips.

Jiang Nan had always been Gu Wenze's sore spot. Nothing worked better than those two words.

Sure enough, her gamble had paid off.

Qiao Hua pulled up her neckline, blocking Gu Wenze's heated gaze. "If you really can't control yourself, Mr. Gu, go find Jiang Nan. I'm sure she'd be much more willing to do this than I am."

Those words finally quenched the burning fire in Gu Wenze's eyes. He abruptly sat up and said in a low voice, "Qiao Hua, unless I allow it, you'll never get a divorce as long as you live."

Feeling his weight lift off her, Qiao Hua silently breathed a sigh of relief.

For a moment there, she had felt that Gu Wenze really intended to go through with it.

Fortunately, she had been smart enough to use Jiang Nan as a shield.

Otherwise, who knew what that lunatic Gu Wenze might have done?

On the drive home, the atmosphere in the car was unusually icy, oppressive tension filling the cramped space.

Gu Wenze hadn't spoken again since his declaration. Qiao Hua was happy to be left in peace and wished he would stop bothering her altogether, so she closed her eyes to rest.

Gu Wenze watched Qiao Hua's profile reflected in the car window. This woman had met another man for dinner behind his back, yet she was still in the mood to sleep.

Even Gu Wenze himself hadn't realized that he was getting angry over something so trivial.

The car stopped outside the villa. As if sensing it, Qiao Hua opened her eyes. Just as she was about to get out, Gu Wenze caught her wrist from behind. "Did you take in what I told you earlier?"

Realizing he meant quitting her job, Qiao Hua turned back with a radiant smile. "I've already told you, too. I'll quit when you fire Jiang Nan and make me your secretary."

Gu Wenze would never fire Jiang Nan in this lifetime anyway, so that effectively meant she wouldn't have to quit.

When Qiao Hua brought up that condition again, Gu Wenze said coldly, "So all that friendliness toward Jiang Nan before was just an act, wasn't it?"

Qiao Hua nodded dismissively. "Yes, yes, yes. It was all an act."

Even if I genuinely treated her well, you wouldn't believe it. I might as well play the villain for once.

Besides, having to work under the same roof as you every day would be worse than death.

Jiang Nan can have that privilege. I'm not fortunate enough to enjoy it.

Gu Wenze's eyes were like a dark abyss, his emotions impossible to read.

As far as he was concerned, Qiao Hua refused to quit because of that man.

Otherwise, if he had offered to let her work at his company in the past, she would never have reacted like this.

When they returned to the villa, they found someone crouching outside the entrance.

The moment he saw them, Gu Junxing stood up. "You're back, Wenze, Qiao Hua."

Qiao Hua gave a perfunctory reply. Unwilling to make small talk with either brother, she went straight upstairs.

Sensing that something was off between them, Gu Junxing couldn't help asking, "Wenze, did you and Qiao Hua have a fight?"

Gu Wenze's face was grim as he watched Qiao Hua head upstairs. Her blouse outlined her alluring curves, and her long legs beneath her fitted skirt were fair and sexy.

The scene in the car flashed through his mind again, and his body, which had only just calmed down, seemed to stir once more.

Gu Wenze didn't answer. His gaze shifted to Gu Junxing's face. "What are you doing here?"

"I just went home and apologized to Mom." There was a hint of pride in Gu Junxing's voice. "She couldn't bear to stay mad at me after all."

Gu Wenze wasn't surprised by the outcome. A mother and son wouldn't hold a grudge for long.

Besides, Gu Junxing had been deceived by Tan Ruiyu, too.

"Now that you've apologized, don't be so foolish again," Gu Wenze said gravely. "If there's a next time, I won't clean up your mess."

Gu Junxing seemed to recognize his mistake as well. "I understand," he said quietly.

He seemed to have something else to say but kept hesitating. Gu Wenze noticed and said evenly, "If you have something to say, say it."

Gu Junxing glanced in the direction Qiao Hua had gone. "Wenze, I only found out tonight that Qiao Hua saved Mom."

Gu Wenze's brows drew together almost imperceptibly. "Saved Mom? When?"

"Not long ago, when she went to get a cosmetic procedure with her friend. Qiao Hua warned her that there was something wrong with the clinic, and that's how she avoided disaster. Otherwise, she'd be the one lying in a hospital bed right now." Gu Junxing told him the whole story.

Gu Wenze had heard that news story, too, but he hadn't known his mother was involved.

Qiao Hua hadn't mentioned it to him, either.

Seeing that Gu Wenze seemed unaware, Gu Junxing asked curiously, "Didn't Qiao Hua tell you?"

Gu Wenze's expression was grave. Clearly, he knew nothing about it.

Understanding dawned on Gu Junxing, and he continued, "And... and Mom said Jiang Nan knew there was something wrong with that clinic, but didn't warn her. Afterward, she even acted as though nothing had happened."

He had expected his brother to defend Jiang Nan upon hearing this. Instead, Gu Wenze merely remained silent, and Gu Junxing couldn't tell what he was thinking.

After the last few incidents, Gu Wenze had begun to feel that Jiang Nan might not be as innocent as he had imagined.

Silence settled between them. After spending a long time gathering his courage, Gu Junxing finally voiced what was on his mind. "Wenze, there's something I want to say, but don't get upset."

Gu Wenze raised his eyes to look at Gu Junxing.

Gu Junxing stammered, "That incident between you and Qiao Hua back then... could there have been some misunderstanding?"

They both knew he meant the time Qiao Hua had drugged Gu Wenze.

When Gu Wenze said nothing, Gu Junxing continued, "I don't think Qiao Hua is that kind of person. Maybe there was some misunderstanding?"

"A misunderstanding?" Gu Wenze sneered. "What misunderstanding could there be?"

The waiter who had drugged him had already confessed that Qiao Hua had instructed him to put the drug in his wine.

And after he had gotten drunk, Qiao Hua had followed him into the room and slept with him while he was under the drug's influence. The next day, photos of them in bed had spread everywhere.

Qiao Hua was the one who had benefited from the incident. Who else could have done it?

Noticing that Gu Junxing was showing a little too much concern for Qiao Hua today, Gu Wenze gave him a searching look. "Why have you suddenly started speaking up for her?"

Gu Junxing's gaze flickered. "It's just that I heard those things from Mom, and after spending time with Qiao Hua lately, I don't think she's a bad person. I just wanted to remind you not to fall for someone else's deception."

Going on secret dates with another man behind my back-how could Qiao Hua possibly be a woman who behaved herself? Gu Wenze thought coldly.