Love is a mistake that cannot be escaped

Chapter 353 Shadow Looms

The anonymous letter felt like a thorn in my heart, causing a dull ache. Who was the woman in the photo? What was the relationship between that child and Gu Yichen? A series of questions swirled in my mind, refusing to leave. I couldn't imagine how Gu Yichen would react if he knew the truth, and I was even more afraid that this sudden turn of events would push him into the abyss once again.

"What's wrong? You look so pale?" Gu Yichen appeared beside me without me noticing and asked with concern. I hurriedly hid the envelope behind my back and shook my head, trying to appear calm: "Nothing, I'm just a little tired."

He clearly didn't believe my story. His deep eyes were fixed on me, as if trying to see right through me: "Tell me, what happened?"

I avoided his gaze, torn internally. In the end, I decided to tell him about the anonymous letter. When I trembled as I took out the photo, his face turned deathly pale, and his hands clenched involuntarily.

"What...what's going on?" His voice was low, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.

I shook my head, indicating that I didn't know either. We started asking around about the woman in the photo and eventually found a clue at a private hospital. It turned out that the woman's name was Su Wan, a distant relative of Du Yue from her youth, who had passed away from illness many years ago. And the child in the photo was Gu Yichen.

The truth struck like a bolt from the blue, shattering all our beautiful illusions. It turned out that Gu Yichen was not the biological son of the Gu family, but a child secretly adopted by Du Yue to consolidate her power!

This news was like a bolt from the blue. Gu Yichen's face turned deathly pale instantly, and the photo in his hand trembled slightly, as if it would slip from his grasp at any moment. My heart also felt like it was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, and even breathing became difficult.

"Impossible...this is impossible..." he muttered to himself, his eyes vacant, as if he couldn't accept this cruel truth. For so many years, he had regarded the Gu family as his support and Du Yue as his mother, yet all of this was built on a huge lie.

I hugged him tightly, hoping to offer him some comfort. "Yichen, no matter what happens, I will be by your side."

He hugged me tightly, his body trembling slightly, and it took him a long time to find his voice: "I'm fine, I will find out everything."

However, things took a far more complicated turn than we imagined. Upon learning that we had discovered the truth, Du Yue showed no remorse whatsoever; instead, she intensified her efforts and began plotting new schemes.

She first bribed some shareholders of the Gu Group to attack Gu Yichen at the board meeting, questioning his identity and abilities, and attempting to oust him from the company. Then, she spread rumors that Gu Yichen was an ingrate who would slander his adoptive mother to fight for the family fortune. In an instant, Gu Yichen found himself isolated and abandoned by everyone.

Despite the pain he endured, he was not defeated. He calmly gathered evidence to refute the unfounded accusations, while actively seeking out those who knew the truth back then, hoping to find evidence that Du Yue had adopted him. I know he was protecting this hard-won family bond and the love between us in his own way.

"Yan Yan, I won't give up," he looked into my eyes, his gaze resolute. "I want everyone to know that I am not anyone's substitute, and that I control my own life!"

I was moved by his determination and squeezed his hand: "I believe in you, we'll face this together."

During that time, we were practically inseparable, researching together, visiting people who might know the inside story, and battling the pressure from Du Yue together. We were like two warriors fighting side by side, supporting and relying on each other through thick and thin. Under pressure, our bond only deepened, and I felt an unprecedented sense of security and happiness.

However, just when we were about to find crucial evidence and were ready to expose Du Yue's true colors, an unexpected incident occurred.

That night, Gu Yichen was unusually preoccupied. He kept checking his phone, his brow furrowed, as if he had encountered some thorny problem.

"What's wrong? Is something going wrong at work again?" I asked with concern.

He looked up and forced a smile: "It's nothing, just a few minor issues, don't worry."

I could tell he was deliberately hiding something, but I didn't press him. I knew everyone has their own secrets and their own struggles to face alone; all I needed to do was quietly be there for him when he needed me.

I woke up groggily in the middle of the night and found that Gu Yichen was not beside me. I got up and went to the study, where I found him standing by the window, looking at something in the moonlight. I went closer and saw that he was holding a piece of paper with crooked handwriting, like a child's scribbles.

"What is this?" I asked puzzledly.

He was silent for a moment, then handed me the note.

"If you don't want anything to happen to her and your child, stop your stupid behavior."

My heart sank, a chill running from my feet to the top of my head. On the note, besides the words, there was a glaring drawing in red pen—a pregnant woman with a large X drawn on her belly. The note slipped from my cold fingers, and I collapsed to the floor, my mind blank. Our child, our secret yet to be revealed, had become a tool for someone else's blackmail. I couldn't imagine what I would do if I really lost this child, and I couldn't even imagine what Gu Yichen would do.

"Who? Who is pulling all this from behind?!" I murmured to myself, tears blurring my vision.

Gu Yichen held me tightly in his arms, his body trembling. I could feel his suppressed pain and anger. After a long while, he took a deep breath and said firmly, "I will handle all of this. Trust me."

In the following days, Gu Yichen seemed like a different person. He stopped mentioning his background and showed unprecedented obedience to Du Yue. I knew he was holding back, waiting for the right opportunity.

I pretended not to know anything and took care of his daily life as usual, but I knew that there was something between us, a barrier called "secret".

The apparent calm didn't last long. Gu Yichen suddenly announced that he would hand over all company affairs to Du Yue, and he would move with me to a villa in the suburbs, ostensibly for "rest and recuperation," but in reality, it was a disguised form of house arrest.

I know he's protecting me, but he doesn't realize that this protection only makes me more afraid. I feel like a canary trapped in a cage; though I have enough to eat and wear, I've lost my freedom and the right to fight alongside him.

That night, I had a nightmare. I dreamt that Du Yue led a group of people into the villa and snatched me and my child away from Gu Yichen. I woke up with a start, finding myself covered in cold sweat. Gu Yichen wasn't there; there was only a dim bedside lamp in the room.

I got up and walked to the window, gazing at the dark night sky outside, my heart filled with unease. Suddenly, I saw a black sedan parked in front of the villa. The door opened, and a familiar figure stepped out—Du Yue.

My heart sank suddenly, and an ominous premonition came over me...