CHAPTER 1 — The Collapse
Shi Yunxi had always believed that enduring pain in silence was the safest way to survive in the Shi household.
But on this morning—the morning after the hotel incident—silence felt like a noose tightening around her throat.
She stood at the entrance hall of the Shi mansion, her hands shaking as she waited for her father to return.
Her stepsister, Shi Roulan, lounged nearby with an expression that was almost pity on the surface… but sharpened with triumph beneath.
"Yunxi, why do you look so nervous?" Roulan asked, voice dripping with sweetness.
"As the future daughter-in-law of the Qin family, you should be more composed. Father won't like seeing you flustered."
Yunxi swallowed hard.
A cold sweat covered her palms.
She had attempted to call her father since dawn, but every call went unanswered.
Roulan hummed softly, examining her nails.
"It's strange, isn't it?" she murmured.
"You were supposed to meet Father's business partner last night… yet you came home so late."
Yunxi's heart stopped.
Roulan knew.
Somehow—she knew.
But Yunxi could say nothing.
Her head was still pounding, memories from the night fragmented and foggy.
She had returned home confused, trembling, unable to piece together what happened.
And Qin Yuchan stood in the room as well, leaning against the table with his hands crossed.
His gaze on Yunxi was cold, almost disgusted.
He had once promised to marry her.
Promised to protect her.
Promised she was the only one he wanted.
Now he looked at her like she was dirt.
"Father is coming," he said curtly.
"Explain properly. Don't disgrace our families."
Yunxi stiffened.
"Explain… what?"
Roulan laughed softly.
"Oh Yunxi… if you really don't know, then you're even more foolish than I thought."
Before Yunxi could respond, heavy footsteps echoed.
Shi Zhenguo—her father—entered the hall with a face like thunder.
The moment he saw her, he slapped her.
The sound cracked through the entire mansion.
Yunxi staggered backward, her cheek burning in shock.
Her father had raised his voice before, insulted her before… but he had never hit her.
"Y-Father…" she whispered, eyes stinging.
"You ungrateful, shameless thing!" he roared.
"You dare ruin an important partnership? You dare throw away decades of business ties?!"
Her vision blurred.
"I didn't—"
"Enough!" he barked.
"Manager Zhou called me last night—he waited in Room 1806 for an hour! You stood him up! And instead—"
his voice shook with fury,
"you were found by hotel staff in the same room with a man!"
The world stopped.
The air disappeared from Yunxi's lungs.
Hotel staff?
A man?
Who?
Roulan gasped theatrically.
"Sister… I told you not to embarrass yourself…"
Qin Yuchan smirked faintly, watching Yunxi crumble.
Yunxi shook her head violently.
"No! I didn't— I don't know anything— I didn't meet anyone! I didn't even see—!"
"Silence!" Shi Zhenguo snapped.
"Do you think anyone will believe such a ridiculous excuse?!"
Tears spilled down her cheeks helplessly.
She hadn't seen anyone.
She hadn't known.
She hadn't understood what was happening.
She had walked into that hotel room trusting her family, trusting her sister, trusting her father… and all it had given her was a nightmare she could not explain.
Roulan stepped closer, gently touching Yunxi's shoulder.
Her voice was soft—too soft.
"Yunxi, maybe you truly don't remember… but refusing to admit your mistake won't help now."
Something inside Yunxi snapped.
She slapped Roulan's hand away, trembling.
"You planned this. Didn't you?"
For a moment—just a moment—Roulan's smile slipped.
Then she laughed lightly.
"Sister… how could you even think something like that?"
But Yunxi saw it.
The glint in her eyes.
The satisfaction.
The victory.
This was all Roulan's doing.
Her father continued, voice cold as ice.
"You have disgraced us. And from today onward— you are no longer engaged to Qin Yuchan."
Shock rippled through her.
Qin Yuchan stepped forward calmly, his lips lifting in a cruel, mocking curve.
"Yunxi, you shouldn't cling to what doesn't belong to you. You were never qualified to be the Qin young madam."
The pain of betrayal sliced through her chest.
Shi Roulan slid beside him, linking their arms in front of Yunxi.
The truth hit her all at once.
They were together.
They had always been together.
And she had been nothing but an obstacle.
Shi Zhenguo turned away in disgust.
"As of today, Roulan will take your position beside the Qin family. You will stay silent and avoid further humiliation."
Yunxi felt the last piece of her world shatter.
Her sister had snatched everything—
Her reputation.
Her engagement.
Her family.
Her dignity.
And Yunxi…
Yunxi had nothing left.
Except the faint, gnawing dread in her stomach—
A feeling whispering that last night's nightmare…
was only the beginning.