Divorced from the Cold CEO Who Lived by the Rules - Chapter 44

Xu Zhen couldn’t help but laugh.

At that moment, her emotions were overwhelmingly complex. It felt like she had a thousand things to say, yet the intensity of her feelings left her speechless.

What did she even mean to them?

A mere brick—something to be moved wherever needed?

Xu Zhen curled her lips in self-mockery, growing calmer the angrier she became. Jiang Ruan had been busy keeping this secret locked tight, refusing to let even a whisper reach Xu Zhen.

Of course, Xu Zhencould understand.

Great undertakings required secrecy, especially for research that could overturn the very foundations of society.

But understanding didn’t mean acceptance. Right now, Xu Zhen was deeply unhappy, profoundly so.

She sat quietly on the sofa, and for a fleeting moment, she even thought: Maybe it was time to let go. Maybe this was it. She and Jiang Ruan had never been on the same path to begin with. Forcing it would only breed more conflict. Cutting her losses now might be the wiser choice.

Once that thought took root, it grew uncontrollably. The desire for divorce burned stronger until, almost unconsciously, Xu Zhen found herself consulting a lawyer.

After receiving a thorough legal explanation, she couldn’t suppress the impulse to sever ties with the Alpha immediately.

She was tired. She wanted to focus on her career without distractions—no people, no complications.

After the divorce, Jiang Ruan could go on reshaping society and playing with power, while Xu Zhen could quietly continue her acting career.

They’d stay out of each other’s way, and both would have bright futures.

Xu Zhen took a sip of water. Even now, Jiang Ruan remained missing in action as far as she was concerned, her whereabouts only known through news reports.

Xu Zhen didn’t see the point in this marriage anymore.

From the very beginning, all she’d ever wanted was a relationship filled with tenderness and passion.

She and Jiang Ruan had shared a brief period like that—and for Xu Zhen, that was enough.

To cut the Gordian knot cleanly, she hired a lawyer to handle the divorce proceedings. She had no interest in claiming half of Jiang Ruan’s assets; she just wanted a clean, amicable separation.

After quietly arranging everything, Xu Zhen made no announcement, simply instructing her lawyer to communicate with Jiang Ruan directly.

Jiang Ruan’s calls came in during this time, but Xu Zhen ignored every one. Assistant Lu seemed to hesitate, but ultimately said nothing—whether by Jiang Ruan’s orders or her own choice to stay uninvolved, Xu Zhen didn’t know.

Life went on. To distract herself, Xu Zhen buried herself in work, keeping busy nonstop.

She worked tirelessly, leaving no room in her schedule to dwell on her emotional turmoil.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, a formally dressed Alpha appeared before her. Xu Zhen was momentarily dazed. “I thought my lawyer made everything clear.”

“Now I’m just an ordinary person, no different from a Beta,” Xu Zhen and Jiang Ruan spoke simultaneously.

Xu Zhen froze. “What?”

“I’m no longer an Alpha. From now on, Omega pheromones won’t affect me at all,” Jiang Ruan said calmly. “I’ve become… normal.”

A person indistinguishable from ancient humans, capable of perfect self-control.

Xu Zhen was surprised. Alphas were noble, enjoying the highest societal privileges from the moment of their differentiation, basking in endless glory. So why would anyone willingly give up such privileges to become an overlooked ordinary person?

“Rather than being an Alpha, I’d rather be myself.”

“I want all my actions to stem from my own will, not physiological impulses.”

“Oh.” Xu Zhen snapped back to attention. “Congratulations on getting what you wanted. But let’s keep things separate. If you have any issues, talk directly to my lawyer. I need to get back to work now. Goodbye—”

Before she could finish, Jiang Ruan blocked her path.

Xu Zhen frowned, a hint of impatience flashing across her face. “Are you angry with me?”

“Is it because I used myself as a test subject without telling you?”

“No.” Xu Zhen felt an inexplicable pang in her heart, but it quickly faded. She hadn’t planned to waste words, but seeing the confusion in Jiang Ruan’s eyes, she couldn’t hold back: “You always keep everything from me. If that’s the case, then you might as well never let me know anything for the rest of your life.”

“I truly don’t understand—what exactly do I mean to you?”

“You and Xing Yan schemed meticulously, even going so far as to drag me into it. Did either of you ever consider my feelings?”

Jiang Ruan slowly lowered her head. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Since you’re here today, I’ll say it plainly—let’s part on good terms.” Xu Zhen took half a step back. “Let’s get a divorce.”

“I won’t take any of your assets, nor do I want anything from you. We’ll just pick a time to finalize the paperwork.”

“That’s all.”

With that, she turned and left without hesitation.

Jiang Ruan tried to follow, but a ringing phone quickly detained her. Xu Zhen paused slightly, but under the Alpha’s hopeful gaze, she lifted her chin and walked away resolutely.

The light in the Alpha’s eyes dimmed gradually Xu Zhen never noticed.

She hurried off, never realizing she could move so fast. It felt as though countless threads connected her to Jiang Ruan, and with each step she took, those threads grew thinner, as if they might snap at the slightest tug.

Perhaps their fate had long since run its course. It was just that Xu Zhen had clung too tightly, bound by the physiological attraction she couldn’t shake.

Once she was far enough away, Xu Zhen felt a sudden lightness, but it was quickly replaced by an overwhelming wave of confusion and panic. She felt like a sailboat teetering in a storm.

Separation was painful. Xu Zhen could only numb herself with work.

When she was busy, she had no time to dwell on things.

Thanks to the rumors involving Jiang Ruan and Xu Zhen, Xing Yan had initially entered the public eye. Now, as she ran for election, the fans she’d gained over the year voiced their support.

Using the tactics of fandom culture, Xing Yan’s popularity soared, making her the center of attention.

Omega politicians were rare in the world, but Xing Yan was determined to break that record. Her inspiring manifesto won the support of countless Omegas, who voted for her in droves.

With Jiang Ruan’s successful experiments and the company’s “becoming normal humans indistinguishable from ordinary people” technology, the long-overlooked and oppressed betas began joining Xing Yan’s camp in droves.

No one desired equality more than the betas.

From birth, betas were never valued. Their descendants were destined to serve alphas and omegas, becoming mere fuel for society. So, with Xing Yan as their champion, the betas were willing to risk everything to secure a normal life for their children.

Xing Yan was the most popular among all the candidates. Even if Xu Zhen didn’t actively pay attention to her, countless updates about her were inevitably relayed through others.

One day, while attending an event, Xu Zhen happened to run into Xing Yan, who was, as always, impeccably dressed and polished.

Their eyes met. Xu Zhen froze for a moment before walking past her as if she hadn’t seen her.

Her relationship with Jiang Ruan was over, so there was no need to engage with Xing Yan anymore. After all, Xing Yan had always been cold and indifferent toward her, devoid of any warmth.

“Wait.”

Xing Yan suddenly spoke up, striding forward.

Xu Zhen stopped. “What is it?”

The beta’s tone was frosty, and someone as sharp as Xing Yan could easily guess the reason. “It was wrong of me to manipulate you. I apologize. But to achieve my goals, I had no other choice.”

“No other choice?” Xu Zhen let out a bitter laugh. “Why did you assume I’d refuse if you’d just been honest with me? No one—no beta—wants fair treatment more than I do.”

“We’ve been ignored by society for too long. All we’ve ever wanted is to be seen as equals.”

“I thought you were different from other omegas. But in the end, you’re just like them—just as arrogant, just as self-righteous.”

After a few more words, Xu Zhen suddenly lost interest. “I have things to do. I’ll be going now.”

“Sorry,” Xing Yan said.

Xu Zhen lowered her lashes slowly. “We were never close to begin with. There’s no need for apologies.”

Ignoring Xing Yan’s reaction, Xu Zhen hurried away.

After she left, Jiang Ruan suddenly appeared and walked briskly toward Xing Yan. “Well?”

“Not well,” Xing Yan frowned. “Didn’t I tell you to be more affectionate with her? What have you been doing?”

Jiang Ruan replied, “The company was too busy recently, and there were post-experiment rejection symptoms. I was afraid she’d notice something was off. Plus, she’s been traveling for work…”

“Useless,” Xing Yan cut her off coldly. “You can’t even handle comforting a woman.”

“Honestly, I don’t know what she ever saw in you.”

Jiang Ruan: “…”

“If you’re so good at it, you go.”

“She’s not my wife. If I comfort her, then she’d be mine.”

At that, Jiang Ruan fell silent for a moment before finally saying, “She wants a divorce. She’s already hired a lawyer to negotiate with me. She doesn’t want anything—not my money, just a clean break.”

“Serves you right,” Xing Yan said mercilessly. “You brought this on yourself.”

“Stop lecturing me and help me fix this,” Jiang Ruan sighed, closing her eyes briefly. “Just because you don’t have a wife doesn’t mean you get to ruin mine.”

“Besides, you deceived her even more. She used to adore you.”

Xing Yan was at a loss for words. How could she, someone who had been single her whole life, possibly know how to cheer a girl up?

In the end, the two of them found seats and sat down. “But right now, we shouldn’t have too much contact with her. My political opponents might target her.”

“No, I disagree,” Jiang Ruan objected. “If we delay any longer, I’ll lose my wife.”

Xing Yan gave her a complicated look. “First, send people to protect her properly. The slightest misstep could lead to another incident like the drowning.”

“I know, I’ve already ensured her safety. What I’m concerned about now is—how to get her to acknowledge me again.”

“Did you tell her you conducted the experiment?”

Jiang Ruan nodded. “I did. She didn’t react.”

Xing Yan laughed with schadenfreude. “Then you must have broken her heart.” The Omega shrugged. “If there’s really no other way, you could kneel and beg for her forgiveness.”

Xing Yan said it offhandedly, but Jiang Ruan took it seriously. She carefully considered the possibility, then sneaked into Xu Zhen’s hotel room when she wasn’t paying attention and put the plan into action.

That night, when Xu Zhen returned to her room after work and opened the door, she was met with the sight of the usually composed and impeccably dressed Alpha kneeling on both knees.

Her heart skipped a beat. Reflexively, Xu Zhen stepped inside and closed the door behind her, blocking Lu the assistant’s view. “What are you doing?”

Support