CHAPTER 154: CHAPTER

The maid who had followed Lin Xu all the way to the inn finally arrived, panting softly as she hid in the shadows. She had been terrified the whole night, but she kept searching checking hallways, slipping between corners, and avoiding the guards who walked back and forth.

At last, she found the door that had been guarded earlier by the Crown Prince’s men.

But the guards were gone.

They had stepped out for only a moment.

This was her chance.

The maid held her breath, her hands shaking as she reached forward. She pushed the door open just a little just enough to peek inside.

The room was dim, barely lit by the moon.

She squinted.

For a second, she couldn’t understand what she was seeing.

Then her eyes widened.

Lin Xu was lying on the bed, in a man’s arms.

The maid’s jaw dropped so fast she almost gasped out loud. She slapped both hands over her mouth to stop the scream rising in her throat.

Her heart hammered.

What... what is this? How is Lady Lin sleeping in a man’s embrace? Who is he? Why—

She didn’t wait to find out.

Fear rushed through her. She quickly stepped back, almost tripping over her own feet. Without making a sound, she turned and ran down the hall, her steps light but frantic.

She didn’t stop running until she reached the exit.

Then she ran faster. She couldn’t find any ride back, so she had to use her feet, and it took hours. She had to report to her mistress.

All the way back to the Mo residence.

The maid reached the Mo residence just a few minutes before dawn. Her legs were shaking so badly she almost fell at the gate. She shoved past the outer guards, breathless, hair messy, face pale as paper.

She pushed against them, shouting loudly:

"Madam! Madam Sana! I must see Madam Sana! It’s urgent!"

The guards grabbed her arms to stop her from barging in.

But her shouting carried through the courtyard.

Inside, Sana already irritated from the long night, heard the noise. Her eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

"Who is making that noise at dawn?" she snapped. "Let her in before I lose my patience."

The guards quickly bowed and released the maid.

She stumbled inside, panting hard as she knelt in front of Sana.

Sana crossed her arms and glared sharply.

"Took you long enough," she said coldly. "If you shout like that again, I’ll have you beaten to death for disturbing the General."

The maid dropped her head low, shaking in fear.

"Forgive me, Madam... but it’s very important..."

Sana’s expression tightened.

"Speak," she ordered. "What did you see? And where did Lin Xu go?"

The maid swallowed hard, her voice trembling.

"Madam... Lady Lin went to an inn... and she is currently in the hands of another man..."

Sana’s eyes widened in shock.

"What did you say?"

The maid nodded quickly.

"I swear! I followed her! She went into a room... and I saw her lying in the arms of a man on the bed!"

Before Sana could react..

A low groan came from the bed behind her.

Both women froze.

Mo Ying’s fingers twitched.

His eyelids slowly opened.

At that exact moment, the first light of the sun rose over the horizon. Warm, golden rays spilled into the room.

Sana gasped softly.

The maid covered her mouth in surprise.

Mo Ying was awake.

Which could only mean one thing..

Lin Xu had completed the mission.

Mo Ying’s eyes opened fully, unfocused at first as he tried to understand why Sana was suddenly screaming.

"General! General, you’re awake!"

Sana rushed forward, throwing herself into his arms with tears streaming down her cheeks. Her voice cracked with relief and panic.

Mo Ying blinked, confused, his throat dry and weak.

"...What... happened...?"

His gaze shifted slowly around the room.

And then..

His heart trembled.

The first name that left his lips was barely a whisper, but it carried all his worry and longing.

"...Lin Xu..."

Sana’s entire expression changed instantly.

Her relief vanished.

Her eyes narrowed.

Her jaw tightened.

She pulled back slightly, her voice turning sharp with anger.

"General... even now, the first person you call is her?"

Mo Ying tried to sit up, breath shallow.

"Where is she...? Did something happen...?"

Sana’s lips curled in a bitter smile.

"Something happened, all right."

She stood, her voice rising in a mix of fury and disgust.

"The woman you nearly killed yourself for... the one you protected day and night..."

Her eyes flashed.

"...as soon as she learned you might not live, she ran into the arms of another man."

Mo Ying’s eyes widened slightly confusion, disbelief, and pain flickering across his pale face.

Sana continued harshly:

"Our maid followed her the whole night. She saw Lin Xu at an inn, lying in a man’s arms."

Mo Ying’s breath hitched.

His fingers tightened weakly around the blanket.

His lips parted..

But no sound came out.

Only a faint tremble.

Sana mistook his silence for heartbreak.

She pressed on, voice full of cold anger.

"General, open your eyes. That girl only stayed by your side because of your power. The moment she believed you were dying, she abandoned you."

Her voice sharpened like a knife.

"She didn’t even wait for your last breath."

Mo Ying’s heartbeat echoed painfully in his ears.

Another man. Lin Xu. In someone else’s arms?

A stab of pain shot through his chest but then something in his eyes sharpened.

"Enough."

Though weak, the command cracked through the air.

Sana blinked, startled.

"General, I—"

Mo Ying suddenly shoved her away.

Even in his condition, the push was forceful, sending her stumbling several steps backward.

His eyes burned with fury.

"Stop spouting nonsense!"

Sana stood frozen as Mo Ying glared at her, trembling from anger rather than weakness.

"Lin Xu is not that kind of woman. I would sooner doubt my own life than doubt her character."

His voice tightened.

"Do not twist her actions to suit your jealousy."

Sana’s face flushed red, humiliated and furious.

Before she could retaliate...

Hurried footsteps echoed in the hall.

The guards had already spread the news through the residence:

"General Mo is awake!"

Moments later, Grandmother Mo, Madame Mo, and other family members entered.

They stopped at the scene before them.

Mo Ying, pale but standing.

Sana, defensive and shaken.

The maid kneeling on the floor, terrified.

"What is going on?" Grandmother Mo cried. "Ying’er, why are you out of bed?!"

Mo Ying ignored her, his gaze steady and cold.

"Fuhan!"

"Yes, General!"

Mo Ying forced himself to stand straighter, though his legs trembled.

"Prepare the carriage."

Fuhan hesitated, shocked.

"General, you just woke up—"

"Go."

The order was sharp as steel.

"Now."

Fuhan bowed deeply and bolted from the room.

Grandmother Mo panicked and tried to hold Mo Ying back.

"Ying’er, please! You just returned from death’s door—don’t move around!"

But he shook her off, cold sweat trickling down his neck.

His voice was hoarse but unwavering.

"I need to see her."

Sana stepped forward sharply.

"Old Madam," she said with false concern, "let him go."

Everyone turned to her.

Sana lifted her chin, eyes gleaming with a cruel certainty.

"He should see with his own eyes the kind of woman he nearly died for."

Mo Ying’s jaw tightened, his face pale yet resolute.

He staggered forward, grabbing the doorframe to steady himself.

Grandmother Mo cried out desperately:

"Ying’er, don’t do this!"

But Mo Ying didn’t look back.

His voice was low, strained, but firm:

"I will not believe a single word until I see Lin Xu myself."

And with that, he stepped out of the room.

Mo Ying stepped toward the door, but before he could take another step, Mo An rushed forward and grabbed his wrist tightly.

"Brother, stop! You just woke up your body can’t handle this!" Mo An cried, trying to hold him back.

But Mo Ying’s expression didn’t change.

His eyes were cold. Hard. Determined.

"Let go," he said quietly.

Mo An shook his head. "Brother, please—"

"I said let go."

The sharpness in his voice made Mo An freeze. Slowly, his fingers loosened, and Mo Ying pulled his hand away.

Behind them, Madame Mo and Mo Lan simply stood there watching, neither stepping forward nor showing much concern. They weren’t surprised. They weren’t alarmed. It was as if the situation didn’t matter to them at all.

Grandmother Mo, however, was furious and confused.

"Ying’er! What is happening? Sana, explain this madness!"

Sana folded her arms, pretending to be calm.

"Old Madam... I think the maid should explain."

She nodded toward the trembling maid.

The maid fell to her knees, bowing so low her forehead nearly touched the ground.

"Old Madam... Lady Lin... she went to an inn... and I saw her in the arms of another man..."

A loud scoff came from Uncle Mo.

"Hmph! I always said that girl was pretending. She fooled all of you—"

He didn’t finish.

Because the moment those words left his mouth, Mo Ying turned sharply, his eyes blazing with a deadly warning.

Even weak, even pale, his presence was enough to silence the whole room.

"If you were not my uncle," Mo Ying said slowly, "you would be dead where you stand."

The room went cold.

Madame Mo and Mo Lan looked away, clearly not caring enough to intervene.

Mo An stood frozen.

The maid trembled harder.

Sana clenched her jaw in anger.

Mo Ying swept his gaze across the room.

"No one," he said, voice cold like steel, "will insult Lin Xu again. Not a single word."

He took a shaky breath, but his resolve didn’t waver.

"If anyone dares, you will answer to me."

Everyone went silent.

Slowly, Mo Ying turned toward the door again, gripping the frame to steady himself.

"I will see her myself," he said.