The Cunning CEO's Contract Wife

Chapter 229 Why Won't You Believe Me

The air in the study seemed to freeze solid. A cool glint crossed Xiao Jingchen's lips, but his dark eyes remained completely still.

Besides anger, there seemed to be a hint of barely perceptible disappointment.

Xiao Jingchen opened the window, letting the sweet smell in the room dissipate, and picked up a cigarette with his slender index finger and started smoking.

He took a deep breath, his dark gaze obscured by the rising smoke.

How could you do this?

Xiao Jingchen murmured to himself, his tone full of regret.

Perhaps because he was so exhausted, he fell asleep leaning against the sofa and didn't wake up until the sun was fully up.

For a moment, Xiao Jingchen's eyes showed a blank expression, but the next second his gaze returned to normal.

He stretched his limbs briefly, smoothed out the wrinkles in his clothes, and then left the study, heading straight for Lin Ran's room.

Bang bang bang.

Even at this point, Xiao Jingchen still didn't barge in directly, but after knocking on the door a few times, he realized something was wrong.

There wasn't a sound coming from inside the room.

Xiao Jingchen's heart tightened, and he immediately opened the door and rushed in.

The room had very few items, but everything was neatly arranged and clean, which made a good impression.

But Xiao Jingchen had no mind to appreciate it. His sharp eyes scanned the room, a flash of resentment crossing his face.

That woman escaped so early!

Xiao Jingchen narrowed his eyes slightly, about to call for someone to go look for him, when he heard a surprised voice from behind him.

What are you doing in my room?

Xiao Jingchen suddenly turned his head and saw Lin Ran dressed neatly, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He then pulled her into the study.

Lin Ran glanced subconsciously at the documents on the table, her eyes revealing a guilty conscience.

"Should you tell me yourself, or should I ask you?"

Xiao Jingchen sat on the sofa with his long legs crossed. It was a very simple action, but the way he did it inexplicably exuded a sense of nobility.

That sharp gaze made Lin Ran almost afraid to look directly at him.

"What is your purpose in marrying me? And when did you and Xiao Yunsi start getting involved?"

Seeing that Lin Ran refused to answer, Xiao Jingchen asked again with some impatience, but this time his tone was even colder than before.

Lin Ran had been keeping her head down, not intending to answer, but after hearing these words, she suddenly looked up, her dark eyes reflecting a hint of anger.

"Xiao Jingchen! What are you saying!"

"What? Am I wrong?"

Xiao Jingchen curled his lips slightly, but there was no smile on his face.

He reached out and gently stroked Lin Ran's cheek, his voice so tender it seemed to melt hearts.

"You should tell me the truth yourself. I don't want to force you."

"Forcing me?"

All of Lin Ran's carefully constructed defenses crumbled instantly, and her round eyes filled with tears.

Remembering the hardships she had endured these past few days, all her pent-up grievances seemed to erupt instantly, and she slapped Xiao Jingchen's hand away.

"Xiao Jingchen, you've been forcing me all along."

“I have no relationship with Xiao Yunsi. You have never believed me, and you can’t see any of the things I do.”

"Clearly... I like you so much."

Lin Ran's voice was so faint in the last sentence that it was almost inaudible, but Xiao Jingchen still managed to catch that faint sound.

"Why won't you believe me?"

Lin Ran stubbornly bit her lip, refusing to make a sound, but tears streamed down her face, a sight that broke one's heart.

A crack appeared on Xiao Jingchen's cold face. He looked at the woman in front of him, and a sharp pain shot through his heart.

Some even couldn't help but want to reach out and comfort them.

Just as he was about to reach out, he caught a glimpse of the documents on the table out of the corner of his eye.

My heart, which had softened somewhat, instantly turned cold again.

This woman is truly a menace. Not only did she collude with Xiao Yunsi to steal the documents, but now she's even feigning helplessness.

Most importantly, he actually softened his heart.

Xiao Jingchen closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, there was no warmth left in them.

He stared coldly at Lin Ran for a long time before suddenly letting out a cold laugh.

"Lin Ran, you must remember your place and stop doing things that are inappropriate."

"We will get a divorce as soon as the time stipulated in our contract expires."

Lin Ran, who was still crying, panicked instantly upon hearing these words.

Through her teary eyes, she looked at the man before her, trying to ignore the coldness in his eyes, and asked cautiously.

"Is divorce absolutely necessary?"

Those moist eyes stared straight at Xiao Jingchen, seemingly with a hint of pleading.

But right now, Xiao Jingchen's mind was filled with the fact that Lin Ran had stolen the documents, so he wasn't bothered by these things.

He tilted his head to the side, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"if not?"

"What? Have you become addicted to being Mrs. Xiao and can't bear to leave?"

"Don't worry, I'll give you enough money, you won't suffer any losses."

Seeing the mockery on Xiao Jingchen's face, Lin Ran felt heartbroken.

That heart felt like a lead weight, cold and hard, constantly sinking inside my chest, almost about to fall out.

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out because of her grief.

Lin Ran pinched her palm hard until tears streamed down her face before she calmed down a bit.

"Xiao Jingchen, what if—and I mean what—I'm pregnant? Would you still want a divorce?"

After saying that, Lin Ran seemed to have used up all her strength and could no longer say anything else.

She stared intently at Xiao Jingchen, not wanting to miss a single expression.

If Xiao Jingchen hesitated even slightly, she would tell him about her pregnancy.

Meeting those expectant eyes, Xiao Jingchen's heart trembled violently, and the image of an adorable little child involuntarily appeared in his mind.

But his face didn't change at all; it remained indifferent.

He even glanced at Lin Ran's stomach with a mocking expression.

Lin Ran even suspected that Xiao Jingchen might already know about that matter.

But the next second, Xiao Jingchen's words seemed to plunge her into hell.

"Children? You think you're worthy of having my children?"

Lin Ran trembled, but still looked at Xiao Jingchen with unwavering determination, only to catch a glimpse of undisguised disgust in his eyes.

"Besides..."

Xiao Jingchen continued, his tone filled with malice.

"Who knows whose child this is, mine or Xiao Yunsi's?"

"Even if it were really mine, I wouldn't want it. Lin Ran, you don't deserve to be the mother of my child."

Xiao Jingchen spoke slowly and deliberately, completely oblivious to Lin Ran's increasingly pale face. Of course, even if he had noticed, he would still have said those words.