The Alpha’s Hidden Marriage, Public Obsession - Chapter 56

Lover?

Then what had she been?

Qu Mengxin and Lin Yulan hadn’t been together for an exceptionally long time, but strictly speaking, it was almost a year. That duration wasn’t particularly long, nor was it too short. Yet even so, she had never heard Lin Yulan introduce her so intimately in front of others.

Although it had been her demand that Lin Yulan not engage in any public displays she disliked Jiang Xue clearly didn’t like it either. Yet Lin Yulan had deliberately made such a possessive gesture.

Why?

Just why?

Qu Mengxin felt this was Lin Yulan’s way of retaliating against her, intentionally doing this to spite her. Otherwise, why choose a marriage partner who wasn’t just any other Omega, but Jiang Xue someone who bore a sixty percent resemblance to her?

“Yulan, what do you mean by this? Director Zhao already mentioned it earlier. There was no need to emphasize it again.”

Though she said this, Qu Mengxin’s expression was visibly unpleasant, her gaze fixed on Lin Yulan’s hand holding Jiang Xue’s. Had there not been others present, Qu Mengxin wouldn’t have hesitated to say something far more cutting.

But with so many people around, she had no choice but to swallow her words and force a smile. It made her feel humiliated in a way she had never experienced before.

Yet Lin Yulan paid no mind to Qu Mengxin’s inner turmoil. She only responded to the latter’s sharp tone. “Indeed, there was no need to emphasize it again. But I was worried Miss Asa might not have fully understood. Since Zhao Jin, our Director Zhao is also here, I’ll take this opportunity to formally introduce it once more. Jiang Xue and I are married. She is now my lover and, whether in the past or the future, the sole mistress of the Lin family. This is indisputable and will never change. So I hope both of you will show her the respect she deserves when speaking to her from now on. Otherwise, let me be blunt I may not hold back.”

Zhao Jin, for her part, was indifferent. She was merely here to watch the drama unfold, the one suffering certainly wasn’t her. She was rather curious to see how Qu Mengxin would react next.

To be defeated by a rival who resembled her, left utterly humiliated for someone as prideful as Qu Mengxin, this must be unbearable.

“Yulan, your words are going too far!” Qu Mengxin clenched her teeth, never expecting Lin Yulan to defend Jiang Xue so fiercely, even at the cost of embarrassing her in front of so many people. “Even if Jiang Xue weren’t the young madam of the Lin family, as an ordinary person, do you really think we wouldn’t respect her? You were her classmate, and so was I. Do you honestly believe I would do anything to her?”

Having said that, Qu Mengxin turned to Jiang Xue beside her.

“Jiang Xue, you tell me yourself. Back in school, when rumors spread that you and Yulan were involved because we looked alike, did I ever make things difficult for you or do anything bad to you?”

Truth be told, she hadn’t.

At the time, the rumors in school had been rampant. The most outrageous claim on the school forum was that Jiang Xue hadn’t originally looked like this that she had deliberately undergone plastic surgery to resemble Qu Mengxin, all to seduce Lin Yulan, who was already taken.

During that period, not only her classmates but also her roommates and even some people from school she didn’t know at all would give her strange looks whenever they saw her. Some would even say extremely harsh things right to her face, leaving her no chance to explain. Jiang Xue had no idea how she made it through that time. She could only immerse herself in studying every day, moving between the classroom and the library those two points forming the line of her existence. It seemed like the only way her world could find some peace.

“No,” Jiang Xue answered truthfully.

Qu Mengxin smiled and turned back to Lin Yulan. “Yulan, you heard it too. I didn’t do such things back then, let alone now. So in your eyes, am I really that despicable?”

Qu Mengxin might not have done it before, but times had changed, and people could change too. Lin Yulan couldn’t guarantee anything.

“Miss Asa, you’ve misunderstood. I didn’t mean anything by it, I was just worried that someone might pull another stunt like what President Zhao just did, so I thought I’d give a heads-up.”

Lin Yulan grabbed Jiang Xue’s hand, afraid she might try to pull away, and forcefully interlaced their fingers. “If President Zhao and Miss Asa have nothing else to discuss, you may leave now. I won’t keep you for dinner. As for the project issue, I already made it very clear to Miss Asa at the company. Did she not relay that to you, President Zhao?”

Zhao Jin had originally heard from Qu Mengxin that Lin Yulan was married, which shocked her. After all, as the future heir of the group, if even she didn’t know about such a marriage, it could only mean one thing, this Omega wasn’t officially wedded into the family.

So, she had come along with Qu Mengxin to see the spectacle.

But instead of witnessing a farce, she stumbled upon an unusual piece of gossip. No wonder Lin Yulan hadn’t held a wedding, she had found herself a stand-in lover. If a wedding were to happen now, the drama would be absolutely delicious.

“President Lin, are you kicking out your guests? Our two families are currently in a partnership. Isn’t treating your business partner like this a bit inappropriate?”

Lin Yulan had never lost in a war of words. She had long disliked Zhao Jin, and now that she had the chance, if she didn’t retaliate, she wouldn’t be Lin Yulan.

“President Zhao, guests don’t usually invite themselves. Besides, whether you’re even a guest is debatable. Showing up at this hour, isn’t that like a weasel paying respects to a chicken? You’re hardly here with good intentions.”

The feud between Zhao Jin and Lin Yulan had started back in high school. Though they attended different universities, Zhao Jin would always find ways to provoke Lin Yulan during high-society gatherings. To put it bluntly, she was just being a nuisance.

Of course, most of the time, the two kept to themselves otherwise, their families wouldn’t have been able to maintain a working relationship.

“Don’t be so harsh, Lin Yulan. Miss Asa is currently my most valued associate. I heard she was your classmate, so as her employer, shouldn’t I accompany her to pay a visit?” Zhao Jin knew there was nothing more to see here. If she stayed any longer, given Lin Yulan’s current attitude, she might even resort to physical confrontation. “Since President Lin isn’t welcoming, Asa, let’s go. We shouldn’t disturb President Lin and her wife during their mealtime.”

Qu Mengxin was unwilling to leave just like that, but since Zhao Jin had spoken, she had no choice but to comply.

“Yulan, then Mr. Zhao and I will take our leave first,” Qu Mengxin said, her tone shifting. “Aren’t you going to see me out?”

She expected Lin Yulan to outright refuse, but instead, she heard him ask Jiang Xue, “Do you want me to see her out?”

Jiang Xue would rather pull her hand free and tell Lin Yulan directly that whether he saw her out or not had nothing to do with her, she didn’t want to be used as a shield.

But because of Qu Mengxin’s earlier words, Jiang Xue suddenly changed her mind.

“With Mr. Zhao as her escort, does Miss Asa really need anyone else? Don’t you think so, Mr. Zhao?”

Zhao Jin: “…” This Omega sure holds a grudge.

“You’re absolutely right, Madam,” Zhao Jin replied with an awkward smile. “Asa, let’s go.”

Left with no choice, Qu Mengxin forced a smile and left.

Once the two had driven far enough from the Lin family villa, Jiang Xue immediately pulled her hand free from Lin Yulan’s grasp and strode out without hesitation.

Lin Yulan hurried after her.

“Xiao Xue, listen to me!” Lin Yulan grabbed her arm in a panic, pulling out his phone and handing it to her. “I didn’t invite them here! Uncle Zhao called me, but I was talking to you in the car and had my phone on silent that’s why I didn’t know they were coming! It’s not what you think!”

“Not what I think? Then what is it?” Jiang Xue stared straight into Lin Yulan’s eyes. “Qu Mengxin returned to the country last night, didn’t she? And you went to see her, didn’t you?”

Lin Yulan nodded honestly. “Yes, she did return last night, but I had no idea she was back. I went to see her without knowing it was her. You heard it yourself Zhao Jin said they came for a joint project between our families. Last night, Qu Mengxin came to the company under the pretense of discussing the project, and she used an alias. I genuinely didn’t know it was her.”

So many excuses.

But Jiang Xue didn’t want to dwell on it anymore. She was about to divorce Lin Yulan, what was the point of arguing? It would only bring her unnecessary distress.

“Lin Yulan, in your eyes, do I look like a fool? Someone who can’t see or understand anything, naive as a girl under eighteen who can be easily fooled with sweet words?”

“No! I’ve never thought that!”

Lin Yulan gripped Jiang Xue’s hands in panic, his voice urgent. “This time, I’m not lying to you, I really didn’t know Qu Mengxin was back. If I had known, I would never have gone to see her! And tonight, you saw it yourself that bastard Zhao Jin obviously came here on purpose to stir up drama. I didn’t call her over!”

Jiang Xue slowly withdrew her hands from Lin Yulan’s desperate grip and said calmly, “Lin Yulan, the truth doesn’t matter anymore. There’s one more thing I came to tell you tonight. I’ve accepted the school’s proposal to join a research team heading to Melbourne soon. I don’t know when I’ll be back, so we need to finalize the divorce this week.”

“What did you say?”

“If you don’t agree to the divorce, that’s fine. Then I’ll just have to follow the legal process separating for a year or two. It might take a while, but I can wait.”

Jiang Xue continued, “I just don’t want things between us to reach that point. A clean break would be better, so that if we meet again in the future, it won’t be so awkward.”

Lin Yulan’s eyes instantly reddened. “You still want to divorce me.”

Jiang Xue averted her gaze, firm in her resolve. “Yes.”

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