Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Confrontation
He Yuchen drove back to the He family mansion in silence, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles whitened. The streetlights passed in a blur, and every turn of the wheel echoed the turmoil in his chest.
For years, he had trusted his mother implicitly. She had been his guide, his anchor, the woman who raised him, protected him, and shaped the man he had become.
Yet now, everything felt wrong. Yun Li’s whispered warning, Yue Ning’s frantic plea, Lin Mei’s trembling confession—they all pointed to the same conclusion. And the thought that his mother might be the culprit gnawed at him relentlessly.
When he arrived at the mansion, he didn’t pause. He strode inside, the hallways familiar yet suddenly foreign. Madam He was waiting, as though she had expected him. She didn’t flinch. She didn’t try to hide the faint smirk playing on her lips.
"You came," she said, her voice smooth and a smile dancing on her lips.
"I need answers," He Yuchen said, stepping closer, his tone low and controlled but carrying a lethal edge. "About Yun Li, about Lin Mei. Why was she poisoned? Who’s behind this?"
"What are you trying to say, Son?" Madam He feigned ignorance.
He Yuchen’s jaw tightened. "Don’t act ignorant, Mom. You know exactly what I’m trying to say."
Madam He tilted her head slightly, eyes narrowing. "Is that what you think, Yuchen? That I would harm your wife?"
He Yuchen’s jaw tightened. "It’s not what I think. It’s what I know. Lin Mei confessed, and she didn’t lie. How could she? She was caught already."
Madam He’s lips curved, faintly. "And you believe every word she says?"
"Yes," he said, his voice firm. "Because the warnings, they’re all pointing at you."
Her laugh was soft but eyes flashed with coldness. "Pointing at me? My dear boy, you’ve finally started to see, haven’t you? Always so clever, even when blind."
He Yuchen’s chest tightened. "Why? Why target Yun Li?"
Madam He’s eyes glittered dangerously. "Because I never liked her mother, and I never wanted your life tied to the Yun family. Your position in this house, this board, your future, everything should have been protected for my son, not influenced by outsiders. She was a threat. Her daughter is a threat. And I do not tolerate threats."
The words hit him like ice. Every piece fell into place now. The timing, the subtle manipulations, the relentless control. His mother, the woman he had adored and trusted, had been working against him and the woman he had only just married.
He clenched his fists. "And I am meant to be your son? You raised me as your own, Mom? All these years?"
Her expression hardened. "Of course. I did what I had to. Your father’s first wife gave birth to you, yes. But she died after childbirth. I took you in. I made sure you grew up strong, prepared to inherit this family. And I ensured my son’s position would remain secure."
He Yuchen staggered back, his mind reeling. "You... you’re saying... I’m not your son?" He was not expecting this reveal.
Madam He’s eyes bore into his, folding her hands nonchalantly. "Yes. And yet you believed you were, didn’t you? You were mine to mold, mine to raise, mine to control. And you still have the audacity to doubt me now?"
He Yuchen’s vision blurred with rage and betrayal. The mother he had loved, the woman he had trusted, had lied to him for decades. The truth was a weight that pressed down on his chest, suffocating and sharp.
"Do you know what this means?" he asked, his voice low, trembling with restrained fury. "Everything I’ve believed... everything I’ve done... it was all under your control. You manipulated my life. My marriage. My choices."
Madam He’s lips twisted, unbothered by his anger. "I did what had to be done. I protected my own. I protected this family."
He Yuchen’s fists shook, but he forced himself to remain standing, to remain composed enough to think. "And Yun Li... you almost killed her."
A flicker of something—disdain, perhaps amusement—crossed her face. "She is a threat, Yuchen. Just as her mother was. I would remove any obstacle for my biological son."
The weight of her words settled in his mind. His mother had been his pillar, his guide, the woman he loved and respected. But now, she had been the mastermind behind every shadow, every danger.
He Yuchen took a deep breath, his voice steady now, cold and final. "This ends today. Whatever you’ve been planning, it ends now."
Madam He’s eyes narrowed, but her voice remained smooth. "You may think that, Yuchen. But remember... I’ve always been one step ahead."
He didn’t answer. He turned, storming toward the door, each step fueled by years of deception and betrayal. He needed to get back to Yun Li, to ensure her safety, to start undoing the web his mother had spun.
As he left, Madam He’s faint smile lingered in the dim light of the mansion. "She survived twice," she murmured, her voice almost to herself. "But let’s see how long she lasts. I won’t stop until I get what I want even if I drown in it."
He Yuchen didn’t look back. His mind was a storm of anger, heartbreak, and determination. He had a wife to protect, a family to save, and a truth to confront—no matter the cost.
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The drive back to the hospital was a blur of flashing lights and roaring silence. Every breath He Yuchen took burned like fire in his chest. His mother—no, Madam He—had built her life on lies. He had lived them, believed them, and now they had nearly cost him the woman he had married.
When he arrived, the guards at the hospital entrance straightened immediately. He didn’t stop to speak. His strides were long, and his expression unreadable.
Inside the ward, Yun Li sat up when she saw him. Her face softened, but one look at him told her something was terribly wrong.
"Yuchen... what happened?" she asked quietly.
He drew closer, his eyes shadowed. "It was her. My mother—she was behind everything."
He then explained everything which had happened earlier, not hiding any secrets from her.
Yun Li’s breath caught in her throat. "No..."
He Yuchen nodded slowly, taking a deep breath. "No more secrets. No more chances. She’ll face what she’s done."
Yun Li reached for his hand. "You’re not alone in this," she whispered.
His jaw tightened, but his heart eased slightly. "I know." He looked toward the window, where dusk was settling. "It’s time the world saw who Madam He truly is."
Outside, the sun began to set, a witness to the destruction which would unfold next.