The storm outside raged with relentless fury, the heavy rain beating down violently. The delicate willow branches and flowers along the roadside were bent and broken under the force. Time seemed to slow as the storm continued, finally subsiding after what felt like hours.
Inside the room, Nathaniel lay back lazily against the headboard of the bed. His upper body was bare, the golden hue of his skin marred by the scratches left by the woman on his chest and back. A quilt covered him, but he didn't seem to care. He reached for a cigarette from the bedside table, lighting it with a calm motion. Taking a long drag, he exhaled slowly, the smoke curling up around him.
As the smoke dissipated, his gaze drifted to the woman beside him. She lay curled up at the far edge of the bed, her back to him, as if afraid that a single movement might cause her to fall.
Nathaniel smoked several cigarettes in silence before finally rising from the bed. He dressed swiftly in his trousers and shirt, his voice hoarse as he spoke without looking back. "Take the medicine yourself, and don't get pregnant."
The woman didn't respond. Her eyes were closed, her face pale.
He paused for a moment, then added, his voice cold, "Also, break up with my nephew. If I see you together again, I'll handle it in front of him..."
Before he could finish, the woman pulled the blanket over her head, covering her face.
Nathaniel's brow furrowed, but he said nothing more. He grabbed his suit jacket from the sofa and left the room without a word.
Later That Night
Everything returned to a suffocating calm. Celia lay still in bed, her eyes swollen from crying, but she didn't care. She kept telling herself that it was over.
Yes, being a substitute was wrong, but he had played with her too. After using her, he had no right to hold her accountable. They owed each other nothing.
She had never imagined that this game of being a stand-in would end in such a cruel way.
The Next Morning
Nathaniel arrived at the office, his exhaustion visible in the way he walked. He entered the lounge, discarded his suit jacket, and fell back onto the bed.
His phone buzzed continuously as messages flooded in. Song Zilin and Wen Shaoqian were both asking about his date with Celia.
Song Zilin: "Why is my second brother missing on his first date?"
Wen Shaoqian: "It's not like Nathaniel to be out of contact at this time. He must be enjoying himself with Celia."
Nathaniel's reply was casual, even amused: "No, she coaxed me into buying strawberry ice cream at the amusement park entrance and then dumped me."
The group went wild with chatter.
He put his phone down, closing his eyes, but her scent lingered in his mind. Even though he hadn't held her to sleep that night, he found himself slowly drifting off, his thoughts filled with her.
Later That Morning
Secretary Song knocked on the door of the president's office before entering, his voice low as he reported, "President, I just spoke with the old lady from the imperial capital. She told me that she married Su Xue two years ago because of a jade pendant on her."
Nathaniel looked up sharply. "What jade pendant?"
Secretary Song handed over a jade pendant.
Nathaniel studied it intently, his expression unreadable. Today, he looked cold, his demeanor more distant than usual, as if he didn't want anyone near him. He glanced at the jade pendant and felt a sudden sense of familiarity.
"Isn't this the jade pendant that the Top Perfumer King from CC always wears?"
In recent years, Nathaniel had sent people to investigate the mysterious Top Perfumer King. A few years ago, intelligence had sent him a photo—a half-blurred figure dressed in black with a baseball cap, making it impossible to identify the person. But one thing stood out clearly: the jade pendant hanging from around the person's neck.
At the time, they had used 3D technology to reconstruct the image, and it became clear that the pendant around King's neck was the very same one.
He hadn't expected that investigating Su Xue would lead him to uncover more about this elusive Top Perfumer King.
"Yes, President. This jade pendant is indeed King's, but from what I know, Su Xue has no knowledge of perfume-making. Which means she isn't the real Mrs. Fu after all. The real Mrs. Fu is very likely this Top Perfumer King."