Chapter 152: Chapter 152: Madam He Is Plotting
"Three days had passed since the grand wedding that painted the city in gold and envy, but also ended in chaos due to Madam He’s collapse.
The He family resort carried the faint smell of lilies and champagne, but the applause had long since passed. What remained were polite silences, unspoken vows, and the heavy air of arrangement.
Yun Li sat by the balcony of their honeymoon suite, a cup of untouched tea cooling beside her. The ocean stretched endlessly before her eyes, glittering under the afternoon sun. It was beautiful. Yes, but indifferent.
Everything felt staged — the marble floors, the soft curtains, the breakfast spread she hadn’t asked for.
Behind her, He Yuchen adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, his movements precise and mechanical. "You didn’t sleep much," he observed quietly, not turning toward her.
"I’m fine," she replied, her tone calm. It was a sentence she had used far too often these past three days.
He nodded, as though the conversation were complete. Between them stood a polite wall — transparent, yet impossible to cross. She was different from the loud and proud girl people knew her. Perhaps... He Yuchen wasn’t privileged to see such a side of her.
They had shared a ceremony, a surname, and a thousand polite smiles. But not a single real conversation.
The marriage had been one of necessity. It was a union meant to protect reputations and stabilize family interests. Love had never been part of the equation.
Still, in the quiet corners of the suite, the pretense shook. It wavered.
Yun Li’s gaze drifted toward the breakfast table. "You’re leaving for the city today?"
"Just for a few hours. The company needs my signature on a few contracts." He hesitated before adding, "You can explore the resort if you’d like. The staff has been instructed to accompany you."
She gave a small nod, her expression unreadable but her eyes carried faint teasing. "You think I can’t take care of myself?"
His brow lifted slightly. It was the first hint of expression in hours. "I think someone might try to take advantage if you wander alone."
Unfortunately, he didn’t know how right he was because—
Far away, in a dimly lit office, Madam He sat surrounded by cigarette smoke and papers. Each sheet carried Yun Li’s name. Her lips curved into a sharp, cold smile.
"Since I can’t touch Yue Ning..." she murmured, tapping the ash from her cigarette into a porcelain dish. "Then I’ll make her watch her best friend bleed."
A single photo of Yun Li and He Yuchen on their wedding day lay on the desk. They were both smiling faintly for the camera, both strangers to each other.
Madam He’s finger traced Yun Li’s face with eerie fondness. "She really is beautiful. Such a pity... she’s Yun Meili’s daughter and Yue Ning’s best friend."
Her laughter echoed through the empty hall, sharp and shrill. It was the kind that promised disaster as it came.
Back at the seaside villa, Yun Li looked out over the waves, unaware that her life which was already bound by a loveless marriage was about to spiral into a far darker game."
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The afternoon sunlight dropped into a golden hue, brushing against the waves beyond the glass balcony. Yun Li had just finished replying to a few messages on her phone when a gentle knock came at the door.
"Come in," she said calmly, crossing one leg over the other.
A young maid entered, her head bowed, and her uniform crisp and neat. She carried a silver tray with a pot of jasmine tea and a small plate of almond biscuits.
"Your tea, Young Mistress," the maid said softly.
"Thank you." Yun Li’s tone was polite but distracted. She didn’t notice the faint tremor in the girl’s hand as the cup was set down before her.
Yun Li took a sip, letting the warmth spread through her chest. The jasmine aroma was delicate, almost too perfect. It lingered longer than it should. She leaned back into the chair, her gaze sweeping over the sea below
Couples strolled along the sand, laughter drifting faintly with the breeze. For a moment, she envied their simplicity.
Her hand brushed the pendant on her neck and she smiled faintly. It was a gift from Yue Ning. "You’d probably scold me for looking so gloomy," she whispered.
The wind outside shifted, carrying the faint scent of salt and rain. Somewhere deep inside, an unease stirred, but she ignored it, unaware that every heartbeat drew her closer to the trap already set in motion.
The maid’s eyes flickered—once, brief but knowing as she watched Yun Li take another sip. Then she smiled faintly, bowed, and stepped out of the suite.
Outside, her polite expression changed. Pulling out her phone, she sent a short message.
[She drank it.]
Miles away, Madam He’s laughter roared in the still air of her study.
"Perfect," she murmured, swirling the wine in her glass. "Let’s see how long that foolish girl lasts."
Back at the resort, Yun Li stared out at the ocean. The tea was pleasantly fragrant, calming even—but soon, a subtle dizziness began to crawl through her body. Her fingers twitched slightly against the armrest.
The edges of the horizon blurred. She blinked, her brows knitting into a frown.
"What’s... happening?" She murmured under her breath.
Her cup slipped from her hand, shattering on the floor, scattering droplets of tea across the marble.
"Young Mistress?" the maid called from the hall, feigning concern, though her voice carried no true panic.
Yun Li rose slowly, gripping the edge of the table for support. Her pulse thundered in her ears. "You—what did you—"
The maid hesitated at the doorway, guilt flickering for only a second. Before Yun Li could finish, the dizziness struck harder. Then—the world spun violently.
Her knees gave out.
The maid darted forward, catching her before her head hit the floor, easing her down with surprising gentleness. For the briefest moment, pity flickered in her eyes before it vanished.
She took out her phone again, sending another text.
[It’s done.]
Then she straightened her uniform, slipped quietly out of the room, and closed the door behind her.
Only the sound of waves and the faint ticking of the clock filled the empty suite.