Chapter 28: The Real and Fake Heiresses 28

Huai Ying’s face was deathly pale, and she leaned heavily against her chair, barely managing to keep herself upright.

Xiao Hong, noticing her distress, fluttered around her in a constant, anxious blur. "Boss, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Bai Jinwei watched the scene unfold, her eyes dark and inscrutable. If she remembered correctly, after the incident at the laboratory, Huai Ying had lain in bed, pale and unresponsive, for three days. Those deranged scientists had ended up with mental illnesses, trapped in a cycle of torment within their own minds. The situation today seemed hauntingly similar. Could it be?

Huai Ying ignored Xiao Hong, letting her head loll to the side as she lost consciousness. Xiao Hong cried out in desperation, but there was no response.

Nearby, the noise grew louder. The men were lost in their own ecstasy, their eyes unfocused, completely consumed by the experience. Bai Jinwei sat bound, her face swollen and red, unable to move. Huai Ying remained slumped in her chair, head lolled to the side. Xiao Hong flew in frantic circles. "The Bai parents, Mu Jinnian, and Gu Mingxu are almost here! Boss, please don't scare me like this!"

But no one could answer her.

When Mu Jinnian and the others arrived, this was the bizarre scene that greeted them. They had been waiting for the kidnappers to contact them regarding the ransom, but after hearing nothing for so long, their anxiety had spiraled. Gu Mingxu had even nearly come to blows with Mu Jinnian. It was only after Mu Jinnian received a message from Xiao Hong that he had rushed over with the group.

For a moment, the crowd didn't know where to look. Mu Jinnian strode straight toward Huai Ying, his heart aching at the sight of her pale face as he gathered her into his arms. "I'm taking her to the hospital. Leave the rest to the police."

During the drive, Gu Mingxu sped along, his mind racing as he replayed the messages he had received on his phone. This was the same number that had sent him a distress signal once before. Afterward, he had hired the country's top hackers, yet they couldn't trace the IP or identify the owner of the number. It was as if the number had appeared out of thin air, leaving no trace behind.

Mu Jinnian looked down at Huai Ying, remembering the name "Xiao Hong" he had heard her mutter. Could it be?

***

Three days later, Huai Ying opened her eyes once more. She lay in her hospital bed, staring at the ceiling. Just like last time, everyone gathered around her, fussing with concern. She felt dazed, staring at them blankly.

"Didn't Bai Jinwei explain it to you? I was the one who conspired with the kidnappers to abduct her." She admitted it frankly.

Bai’s mother felt her eyes sting with tears; the look she gave Huai Ying was filled with nothing but heartache. "We know." She reached out, gently stroking Huai Ying’s hair. "You have truly suffered. It is our fault for not caring for you enough. From now on, we will make sure to take better care of you."

Huh?

Huai Ying froze, stunned beyond belief. Had she missed something? She summoned Xiao Hong to check the favorability rating. Sure enough, it had risen again.

What was going on? She was supposed to be the Great Villain! How had she ended up being "washed clean" for no reason?

Xiao Hong coughed awkwardly, stifling the laughter bubbling in her throat, especially when she saw Huai Ying’s displeased expression. She was afraid the other girl might fly into a fit of rage. Finally suppressing her joy, she leaned in and comforted her, "Boss, you really are amazing. You completed the mission without even making a sound. You’re incredible."

But as she spoke, she trailed off. Why did that sound so mocking?

Huai Ying glared at her, and Xiao Hong quickly covered her mouth, retreating into a corner. She decided she would just hide in the corner and laugh to herself. Who would have thought a 3S+ mission could be this simple? She had hit the jackpot!

"I conspired with those people to kidnap Bai Jinwei. I was the one trying to ruin her, and I was the one who harmed those men. Do you really have no other thoughts on this?" Huai Ying took a deep breath, laying everything out. "Every single detail was my doing. I didn't want anyone to be happy; I wanted everyone to suffer along with me. Do you understand?"

Surely, the favorability rating would drop now.

"I knew it! You vicious woman! Vivi was so good to you—how could you conspire with those scumbags to hurt her? Have you lost your conscience?"

The sound of angry shouting reached her ears, and Huai Ying finally felt a bit of relief. She looked up and met Gu Mingxu’s furious glare, a flicker of excitement igniting in her chest. Yes, that was it.

"Shut up!" Bai Jinwei grabbed him, her eyes flashing with a warning. "This has nothing to do with Huai Ying. She protected me; she never intended to harm me."

Gu Mingxu laughed in disbelief. He pointed a finger at Huai Ying, blurting out, "Those men already confessed! Huai Ying agreed to kidnap you and threatened to take nude photos. You heard it yourself, didn't you?"

"She didn't," Bai Jinwei said, her expression grave, enunciating every word. "I said, she didn't."

Gu Mingxu was beyond frustrated. "Are you all brainwashed by her? The surveillance footage is crystal clear—that Lu Ziming approached Huai Ying for a partnership, and she agreed, didn't she? Do you have to be killed by her before you realize she can't be trusted?"

Bai Jinwei’s face grew colder, her eyes filled with disappointment as she looked at him. "I’ve already told you, she was only playing along with him. She never truly intended to do anything to me."

"Fine." Gu Mingxu turned back to Huai Ying, demanding sharply, "Then tell me, did you really intend to go along with him, or were you cooperating with him to target Vivi?"

Huai Ying was about to admit it without a second thought, but Bai Jinwei didn't give her the chance.

"If she were going to harm me, do you think I wouldn't have noticed? From start to finish, she never had any intention of hurting me." Bai Jinwei looked at him coldly. "If you continue like this, I don't think there's any point in our marriage continuing."

Gu Mingxu’s eyes were filled with profound hurt. "You’re choosing her over me?"

Bai Jinwei avoided his gaze, her voice stiff. "Do you think I’m stupid enough to be toyed with?"

"I didn't think so before, but now, I’m not so sure." Gu Mingxu’s eyes were clouded with worry. "You feel indebted to her, so you keep making concessions. I don't know how far you’re willing to go for the sake of this guilt you carry."

In his eyes, Bai Jinwei was fully aware of everything Huai Ying had done. Her refusal to expose her—and her insistence on defending her—was merely an attempt to find peace of mind. But this would only make the other woman more emboldened. He was terrified that Bai Jinwei would sink into the darkness, consumed by her own guilt, unable to climb back out.

At the thought, he trembled with fear. The terror in his eyes was so evident that Bai Jinwei’s heart wavered. Finally, she sighed, unable to bear it any longer. She stepped forward and gently pulled him into her arms. "Don't worry. I’m not that fragile. Trust me, okay?"

Under normal circumstances, being held by her would have filled Gu Mingxu with nothing but joy. But this time was different. He hugged her back, his voice muffled. "But you’ll get hurt. She will harm you. She is not a good person."