CHAPTER 48: CHAPTER 48; SHE DIDN’T STOP

The small suitcase she had packed sat at her feet, its zipper half-open, revealing a few folded clothes, her ID, and a sealed envelope labelled "Final Will."

Her phone lay silent beside her.

She stared blankly at the locked door, her chest rising and falling with shallow, controlled breaths.

Outside, faint murmurs of the household staff filtered through the quiet corridor.

Every now and then, she heard Shen Xuan’s childish giggle echo from the living room downstairs, mingling with Bai Zhi’s soft, affectionate laughter.

She closed her eyes as bile rose in her throat.

Downstairs

Bai Zhi sat gracefully on the ivory suede couch, peeling an apple for Shen Xuan. Her elegant fingers worked slowly, the blade glinting under the chandelier light.

Shen Xiao sat across from her, reading company reports on his tablet. His brow was furrowed in silent concentration.

Suddenly, Bai Zhi’s soft voice broke the calm.

"Ah Xiao," she began delicately, her lips curving into a small, thoughtful smile, "are you sure it’s wise to keep her locked up like this?"

He didn’t look up. "She won’t leave. I won’t allow it."

Bai Zhi lowered her lashes demurely, slicing off a thin crescent of apple and feeding it to Shen Xuan. The boy chewed happily, oblivious to the conversation swirling around him.

"But... will it be good for the company image if word gets out that your... wife tried to run away?" she asked softly, her voice tinged with feigned concern. "Investors might think your household is unstable... They may start questioning your leadership."

Shen Xiao’s fingers paused over his tablet screen. His obsidian eyes lifted slowly to meet hers.

Bai Zhi blinked innocently, her face the picture of gentle worry.

"Of course," she added with a soft sigh, "I’m only thinking of your reputation, Ah Xiao. You have worked so hard to build it all. I would hate to see it tarnished because of... her."

Shen Xiao’s jaw tightened slightly, the vein in his temple pulsing faintly. He turned back to his tablet without replying, but his knuckles were white as he gripped the edge.

"I know what I’m doing...."

That night, Yueyao didn’t sleep.

She lay under the heavy duvet, staring blankly at the shadows dancing across the ornate ceiling, her body trembling with silent dread.

She waited until deep into the night, until the mansion fell silent and only the rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock echoed down the dim hallways.

Slowly, with trembling limbs, she slipped out of bed and tiptoed to the window.

Her heart pounded painfully against her ribs as she pried it open, the old hinges groaning softly. She froze, listening, her pulse roaring in her ears.

No footsteps. No voices.

She climbed out onto the narrow ledge, the cold night air biting into her thin clothes as she carefully lowered herself down onto the grass.

Her bare feet burned against the rough stone, but she forced herself to keep moving, crawling across the manicured lawn towards the east side where the kennels stood dark and empty.

The small dog hole under the wire fence was just wide enough. She pushed her trembling body through, scraping her elbows and knees on the gravel as she emerged on the other side.

She didn’t stop.

She ran.

Down the dark street, away from the towering mansion gates, her tears mixed with the night dew on her cheeks.

When she reached the main road, she staggered to a halt and flagged down a passing taxi, clutching her small hidden phone tightly to her chest.