Chapter 1: Innocence Lost

"It hurts... stop..."

In the dimly lit luxury suite, a silent, bloodless battle had just come to an end.

From the darkness came a man's low, muttered "I'm sorry," followed by the sound of a door opening and closing as he departed.

Lu Qiqi lay limply on the bed, staring blankly at the pitch-black ceiling as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Today was her wedding day with Si Qinyu.

Yet, she had just been taken completely by a stranger!

She had tried to see his face, but the room was pitch-black, as if by design. Aside from feeling that he was wearing what seemed to be a formal wedding suit, she had no way of knowing his identity.

After the reception, she realized she had left her handbag behind. When she returned to look for it, she was dragged into the room and forced to surrender her innocence.

How was she supposed to face Si Qinyu now?

At the thought of how Si Qinyu had restrained himself time and again—even falling ill from taking cold showers because he couldn't bear to touch her before they were ready—Lu Qiqi felt a twist of agony in her heart.

She desperately wished this was all just a nightmare.

Slowly pushing herself up, she fumbled in the dark to gather her scattered veil. With trembling hands, she pulled up her gown, which had been dragged down to her waist. The physical pain was nothing compared to the searing ache in her soul.

This did not just mean a ruined reputation; it could also affect the future of the Lu family and their corporate restructuring. If they were severed from the Si Corporation, what would happen to their bank debts?

Most importantly, she could never face the man who loved her so deeply again.

Walking out of the bedroom like a lost soul, she passed through the living room and quietly opened the door.

Looking out, she saw no one.

Lu Qiqi bit her lower lip. Though she felt she owed Si Qinyu far too much, he must never find out about this. She couldn't tell a soul!

A look of resolve flashed in her eyes. Wiping away her tears, she left quickly.

The most urgent task now was to get back to the wedding car and return home before Si Qinyu noticed anything.

*I'm sorry, Si Qinyu...*

Once the company's operations were back on track, she would confess and ask for a divorce. She would not live a lie.

But as she reached the parking lot, her heart heavy with torment, the sight before her struck her like a bolt from the blue, leaving her utterly dumbfounded.

The hood of the car in front of the windshield was covered in fresh, vibrant roses, but inside, two people were lost in a passionate embrace.

"Hubby... mm... you're hurting me," a woman cooed in a sultry voice.

And there, her groom, Si Qinyu, was working fervently. "This is what you wanted. I can go harder, baby."

The car rocked gently with their movements, like a small boat tossing on the water.

Lu Qiqi took a step back, then another, feeling as though a bloody wound had been violently ripped open in her chest.

Their beautiful past now felt like sharp knives, stabbing mercilessly into her heart.

She couldn't believe it. The man who had stood in the pouring rain just to bring her late-night snacks, catching a cold in the process; the man who remembered every detail of her menstrual cycle and brewed ginger tea for her; the man whose social media was filled with nothing but snippets of her life...

The woman's pleasurable moans suggested this was far from their first time.

He had claimed he would die without her, yet here he was, perfectly fine.

Just moments ago, she was drowning in guilt and self-loathing over losing her innocence. In the blink of an eye, she had become the victim!

Ha, what a joke.

Fortunately, the rocking didn't last long, subsiding in less than ten minutes.

Once the wedding car fell still, the two sweethearts took their time adjusting each other's clothes. It was then that Lu Qiqi composed herself and walked forward.

Perhaps out of a guilty conscience, Si Qinyu noticed her the moment she approached.

"Qiqi, you're back! I was just about to look for you. What took you so long?" Si Qinyu stepped out of the car, a light sheen of sweat still on his gentle face.

His peach-blossom eyes looked as clear and gentle as a fresh spring.

It was this very refined, elegant appearance, paired with his hypocritical actions, that had deeply deceived Lu Qiqi into believing he truly loved her.

Looking at his face now, she felt a sudden wave of revulsion.

Bypassing Si Qinyu, she peered inside the car at the other woman, who was still adjusting her bra. "Oh, Manli is here too?"

Shen Manli had attended the wedding as her bridesmaid.

No one knew Shen Manli's background better than Lu Qiqi.

On her eighteenth birthday, during her first visit to a bar, Lu Qiqi had pitied Shen Manli, who was working as a promoter. Out of kindness, she pulled her out of that life and arranged a secretarial position for her in her family's company.

As they say, you can't save a woman of the streets. Shen Manli was rotten to the core with greed, entirely lacking in gratitude, and an expert at stealing other people's men.

Lu Qiqi had wasted her friendship on her.

Suddenly put on the spot, Shen Manli flinched. She shot a guilty glance at Si Qinyu before looking at Lu Qiqi. "Young Master Si told me to wait for you so we could head back together."

A convenient excuse.

Lu Qiqi smiled faintly, lifting her skirt as she stepped forward. "I was seeing some guests off. Sorry to keep you waiting."

Seeing her behave normally, Si Qinyu let out a visible sigh of relief.

Yet, as she opened the passenger door, sat down, and buckled her seatbelt, she glanced casually at Si Qinyu's neck. Her delicate brow furrowed. "How did you get lipstick on your neck? So careless."

Si Qinyu froze. He twisted his neck at an awkward angle to glimpse the collar behind his ear.

Seeing the smudge of bright red, his pupils contracted. Yet, he managed to force a warm smile. "It must have gotten there when we hugged during the wedding. Qiqi, you know I have absolutely no interest in any woman but you."

A woman's knowledge of lipstick shades is like a man's expertise in car performance.

That particular shade—a seductive pink—was not one she used.

In the past, she might have let it go, but now, it was a blatant provocation.

Lu Qiqi deliberately flipped down the vanity mirror on the sun visor. She traced her fingertips over the peak of her lips. Her lips, shaped like full tulips, were painted in her usual watermelon red—a shade that had faded significantly after the long wedding ceremony.

Her casual gesture made Shen Manli feel like she was sitting on pins and needles. Anxious to change the subject, Shen Manli spoke up, "Sister Qiqi, Young Master Si, aren't you two supposed to leave for your honeymoon? Maybe I should just call a cab home."

"Sure."

Lu Qiqi snapped the sun visor shut with a sharp *clack*, agreeing without hesitation.

The better she had treated Shen Manli in the past, the more she loathed herself now for being so blind.

Send her home? How about sending her straight to hell?

Even though it was Shen Manli who had suggested it, she froze for a moment. She could feel the subtle, chilly distance radiating from Lu Qiqi.

Si Qinyu, being less perceptive, noticed nothing amiss. He was on edge; if Lu Qiqi hadn't just arrived, he would have sent Shen Manli away long ago.

Now, all Si Qinyu wanted was to erase the evidence. Clearing his throat, his fingers tapped anxiously on the steering wheel. "It's for the best. You can go back to the Shen house and bring Qiqi's luggage to Yunjing Garden."

With both husband and wife in agreement, Shen Manli suddenly felt entirely out of place.

"Have a nice trip," she said, blushing with embarrassment as she opened the door and got out, her heart brewing with jealousy.

Once Shen Manli was gone, the warmth returned to Si Qinyu's veins. Feeling as if a heavy burden had been lifted, his tone grew much lighter. "Qiqi, shall we head to the airport now? I've prepared a surprise for you."

They had booked a hotel in Bali. If all went according to plan, they would depart at six.

As the wedding car slowly rolled out of the underground parking garage, a few petals drifted off the roses swaying on the hood. The memory of what the two had done inside the car made Lu Qiqi feel as if she were sitting on a bed of nails.

"I'm tired. Cancel it."

She closed her eyes in pain, doing everything she could to empty her mind of all thoughts.