Chapter 1: The End Between Them

Heavy curtains blocked out the night beyond the window. The rolling thunder and the torrential downpour drowned out the sounds of gasping, breathless passion. The air hung thick with the lingering scent of intimacy.

Wei Yang leaned lazily against the headboard, her eyes weary as she watched Xie Yanli get dressed by the bedside. In the dim light, his cold, handsome face looked almost ethereal. His dark hair fell across his forehead, damp and rebellious. As he bent down to pick up the black hoodie he had discarded on the floor, the muscles of his back were taut and provocative. With his movements, his lean waist and the V-taper of his lower abdomen teased the sight, disappearing into the edge of his trousers, making it impossible to look away.

After tonight, this man would no longer belong to her.

"Don't go, please? I promise I won't ever appear in front of her."

Wei Yang gently tugged at the corner of his shirt, lifting her small face to gaze at him. Her beautiful eyes were clouded with a mist of tears, so pitiful and moving that they stirred a sense of desire in anyone who looked at them.

Xie Yanli’s cold gaze swept over her face, which was more radiant than a peony, suppressing the surging desire in his eyes. He set a bank card on the edge of the bed. "There are five million in this card. Consider it hush money."

Wei Yang froze for a moment, then let out a scoff. She had known all along; he never wanted anyone to know about their relationship. After all, his "white moonlight," Zhao Wenqian, was returning, so he had even more reason to keep their connection a secret.

She lifted her chin slightly, deliberately letting a hint of bitterness and resentment show in her eyes. Biting her lip, she said, "Don't worry, Young Master Xie. There is nothing between you and me."

Xie Yanli narrowed his eyes. "That's good."

After a pause, he added coldly, "I have instructed Zhou Qin to transfer the deed of this apartment to your name. You may continue to live here."

Wei Yang felt a slight shock, a flash of surprise crossing her eyes. A moment later, her eyes reddened, and she thanked him sincerely. She had been Xie Yanli’s mistress for three years—something no one would believe—yet she hadn't saved a single penny, leaving her with nowhere to go now that he had discarded her.

"It’s what you deserve," Xie Yanli said.

"I understand, Young Master Xie. Please, take your time leaving. I won't see you out."

Xie Yanli never stayed the night. No matter how late it was, he would always leave. In the past, she would have insisted on walking him to the door, clinging to his arm with an expression of reluctance. Their relationship had been nothing more than mutual need: he enjoyed her body, and she needed his money.

Xie Yanli glanced at her with cold indifference, his eyes deep and unreadable, before turning to leave.

Wei Yang kept her head lowered. Only when she heard the soft click of the door closing did she slowly lift her eyelids. Her expression was devoid of emotion. She reached into the drawer of the nightstand and took out a cigarette. She lit it and placed it between her lips. The glowing ember flickered in the dark, illuminating her exquisitely beautiful face.

Once the cigarette was finished, she struggled to get out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash. Gazing at the marks of intimacy on her chest, she hugged her body tightly and submerged herself in the water, telling herself over and over that it was over, it was finally over.

Only when the sensation of suffocation gripped her heart did she slowly lift her head.

After her bath, she changed the sheets for fresh ones and lay in bed, staring into the darkness until dawn.

The next morning, she went to the company to handle her resignation. Aside from being Xie Yanli’s secret mistress, she was also his secretary. She didn't see Xie Yanli at the office, but a few colleagues she was on good terms with gathered around her, gossiping.

"I heard the boss's 'white moonlight' is coming back. She's his childhood sweetheart, the one he’s loved for over a decade. She must be absolutely stunning!"

"Wei Yang, you aren't quitting early because you're worried about the boss's white moonlight getting jealous, are you?"

"But honestly, if our boss wasn't so known for his self-discipline and clean reputation, I’d almost suspect he had a thing for you!"