The ancient war between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in a wealthy family

The threat from the anonymous text message was like an ice-cold needle, piercing my already tense nerves.

Fear came like a tide, almost swallowing me up.

I curled up on the sofa, gripping my phone so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

Zhan Yu was on a business trip, and I was the only one in the huge villa. The empty space made me even more uneasy.

The servants came and went, but it was as if there was a thick layer of glass between them and they could not touch my heart.

"Young Madam, you don't look well. Would you like a cup of hot milk?" Aunt Zhang's concerned voice came from a distance, with a hint of caution.

I forced a smile and said, "No, Aunt Zhang, I'm a little tired and want to rest for a while."

Aunt Zhang sighed and quietly retreated.

I knew she was worried about me, but I couldn't tell anyone about my fear at the moment.

I feel like a butterfly entangled in a spider web. The more I struggle, the more powerless I feel.

I opened the text message again. Those few short words felt like a sharp knife hanging over my head, making me unable to sleep or eat.

I began to doubt myself, should I not continue to investigate?

Perhaps, some secrets really should not be revealed.

I stood up and walked to the window, looking at the bustling city night scene outside, but my heart was confused.

There is a lot of traffic and people coming and going downstairs. Everyone seems to be living a peaceful and stable life. Only I am caught up in this invisible war, isolated and helpless.

At this moment, the phone vibrated again. It was another anonymous text message: "Miss Bai, don't refuse a toast and then drink a forfeit."

My hands trembled violently and the phone almost fell to the ground.

The tone of this text message is tougher than the previous one and is full of threats.

I took a deep breath and tried to keep myself calm.

I can't be intimidated. I must find out who is behind this and protect myself and Zhan Yu.

I began to think back on everything that had happened during this period, trying to find some clues.

Boss Cai's abnormal behavior and the threats from anonymous text messages all point to one possibility - someone is manipulating all this behind the scenes, and I have touched their interests.

"Knock knock knock..." A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.

"Young Madam, a guest came downstairs and said he is your friend." The servant's voice came from outside the door.

Friends? My friends are all abroad. Who would come to see me at this time? I was puzzled and walked to the door and opened it.

A strange woman was standing outside the door. She was wearing a black windbreaker and sunglasses, and her expression could not be seen clearly.

She handed me a business card with just one name on it: Susan.

"Miss Bai, I want to talk to you." Susan's voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of imperceptible warning.

Susan's sudden appearance made me even more alert.

I took the business card and my fingertips felt the texture of the paper, which was cool and smooth, like snake scales.

I stepped aside to let her in, wondering what the purpose of this woman who called herself a "friend" was.

Susan took off her sunglasses, revealing a pair of shrewd eyes, and the fine lines at the corners of her eyes revealed her age and experience.

She looked around my magnificent living room, a barely perceptible sneer appearing at the corner of her mouth.

"Miss Bai, your life is really enviable."

I smiled faintly and said, "Thank you for the compliment, Ms. Susan. I wonder what brings you to see me today?"

Susan didn't beat around the bush and went straight to the point: "I know who's behind you."

My heartbeat suddenly quickened, and I tried to maintain a calm expression: "You know?"

"I know," Susan said confidently, "It's Lu Ming, the chairman of Universal Art."

Lu Ming?

This name exploded in my mind like a thunderbolt.

Universal Art is the biggest competitor of the Zhan Group in the art market, and Lu Ming has always regarded the Zhan family as a thorn in his side.

I had suspected him before, but I never found any solid evidence.

"What evidence do you have?" I tried my best to keep my tone calm.

Susan pulled a stack of papers from her bag and placed them on the coffee table in front of me.

"These are records of him instructing people to spread rumors and fabricate evidence. They also include records of his transfers to bribe Mr. Cai."

I flipped through the documents, and every page clearly recorded Lu Ming's crimes.

He planned all this carefully, trying to hit the Zhan family by discrediting me.

My hands trembled slightly, and a flame of anger burned in my chest.

"Why would he do that?" I asked, even though the answer was obvious.

"Jealous," Susan smiled contemptuously, "He's jealous of the Zhan family's status and Zhan Yu's talent. He's always wanted to trample the Zhan Group under his feet, and you've become his target."

I took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. "Thank you for telling me this, Ms. Susan."

Susan stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the traffic downstairs. "Ms. Bai, I know you are smart and capable. I believe you can handle this matter well."

I nodded and watched Susan leave.

I picked up my phone and called Zhan Yu.

The moment the call was connected, my voice trembled slightly: "Zhan Yu, I found the mastermind behind this..."

The next day, I made an appointment with Lu Ming to meet at a private club. As soon as he walked in, he said with a hypocritical smile: "Miss Bai, long time no see."

I looked at him coldly and threw the documents Susan gave me in front of him. "Lu Ming, do you have anything else to say?"

Lu Ming's smile froze on his face and his complexion gradually turned pale.

He tried to quibble, but faced with the series of solid evidence I presented, he had nothing to say.

The expression on his face changed from shock to anger to despair, like a wonderful face-changing drama.

"Miss Bai," Lu Ming's voice trembled, "this matter..." He paused, his eyes flickering, "We can talk about it."

"Talk about it?" I sneered, my tone as cold as ice. "Do you think this matter can be kept private? In order to strike down the Zhan family, you didn't hesitate to fabricate rumors and slander, damaging my reputation, and even resorting to illegal means. Do you think I will let you go so easily?"

Lu Ming's face became even paler, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Miss Bai, I know I was wrong. I'm willing to compensate you for your losses. I only ask that you please be kind and not make a big deal out of this." He pulled a check from his briefcase and handed it to me with trembling hands. "This is a small token of my appreciation. Please accept it."

I looked at the check with disgust. There was an astronomical figure written on it.

I pushed the check back and said firmly, "Lu Ming, do you think money can solve everything? What I want is not your money, but justice! You must pay for what you have done!"

I stood up and looked down at him, my eyes full of contempt.

"Do you think what you did was flawless? Do you think you can cover up everything? I tell you, in this world, justice will never be absent!"

I turned and left without hesitation.

I made Lu Ming's crimes public, and all the evidence pointed to him. His carefully woven lies collapsed in an instant.

Colleagues in the art world were shocked. They could never have imagined that Lu Ming, who was always highly respected, would do such a despicable thing.

His reputation plummeted, and Universal Art's stock price plummeted. Everything he had painstakingly built over the years was destroyed.

Mo's ex-girlfriend, the woman who once tried to destroy the relationship between me and Zhan Yu, also received the punishment she deserved for participating in Lu Ming's conspiracy.

She was despised by everyone, and her former glory disappeared. She became a rat crossing the street, and everyone wanted to kill her.

The crisis of the Zhan Group was completely resolved. At the celebration banquet, Zhan Yu hugged me tightly in front of everyone.

His embrace was warm and strong, making me feel extremely safe and happy.

"Thank you, my wife, you have saved the Zhan family again and saved me." His voice was low and full of love, and my heart melted by him.

I leaned on his shoulder, feeling his body temperature, with a happy smile on my lips.

I know that although this crisis has been completely resolved, there is still a long way to go, and there will be more challenges waiting for us in the wealthy and artistic circles.

However, I am no longer afraid because I know that no matter what happens, Zhan Yu will be by my side and fight alongside me.

I raised my head, looked into Zhan Yu's deep eyes, and whispered softly in his ear, "Zhan Yu, we..." Before I could finish my words, I was interrupted by a sudden applause...

"Zhan Yu, we..." Before I could finish my words, I was drowned out by thunderous applause.

The celebration banquet was filled with cheers and excitement.

I looked around and saw familiar faces all with sincere smiles. They were delighted that the Zhan family had turned the corner, and were also moved by my fighting side by side with Zhan Yu.

Zhan Yu gently put his arm around my waist and whispered in my ear, "What do we do?" His breath was warm, brushing past my ear, bringing a tingling sensation.

I raised my head, met his deep gaze, and smiled slightly: "We...will always stay like this, right?"

Zhan Yu's lips curled up into an indulgent smile. He lowered his head and gently kissed my forehead. "Of course, we will always be together and face all challenges together."

Although this crisis is thrilling, it has also made us more deeply aware of the importance of each other.

After going through the baptism of wind and rain, our feelings have become stronger and deeper.

In the next few days, I began to deal with the company's affairs.

Lu Ming's downfall reshuffled the art world and also brought new opportunities to the Zhan family.

I decided to strike while the iron is hot and hold a large-scale art exhibition to enhance Zhan’s influence in the industry and further consolidate our position.

This idea received full support from Zhan Yu, who mobilized company resources to provide me with all necessary assistance.

I threw myself into the preparations for the exhibition with great anticipation. From choosing the venue to inviting artists and then to screening the works, I personally took care of every step and strived to achieve perfection.

I submitted the preliminary plan to Zhan Yu. He read it carefully and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"You are worthy of being my wife. You have a unique vision and a brilliant plan." He looked at me with admiration, his eyes full of pride.

My heart is filled with joy. With Zhanyu's support, I believe this exhibition will be a complete success.

I seemed to have seen the grand opening of the exhibition and art lovers from all over the world gathered together to appreciate the works of art we carefully selected.

However, just when I was looking forward to the future, a phone call broke my peace.

"Hello, Miss Bai. I am art critic Shen. I would like to invite you to meet me in my studio at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. Do you have time?" The voice on the other end of the phone was low and slightly hoarse, which made me feel a little uneasy.

Critic Shen is a highly respected figure in the art world, and his comments are crucial to an artist's development.

I have read many of his commentary articles and I deeply admire his professionalism and sharp vision.

However, I had never met him before, so why did he suddenly invite me to meet him?

I felt a little uneasy, not knowing what he was up to. I accepted his invitation, but my heart was filled with doubts and trepidation.

After hanging up the phone, I walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looked at the bustling city night view outside the window, and my mind was full of thoughts.

This exhibition means a lot to me, and I have to give it my all to make sure everything goes well.

I took a deep breath, turned back to my desk, and began preparing for tomorrow's meeting.

I had a feeling this meeting would be extraordinary... I picked up my phone and called Zhan Yu, "Zhan Yu, tomorrow..."