Silence filled the air.
Gu Anran lowered her head and ate quietly, refusing to even glance at Lu Zhenyu.
Finally, Lu Zhenyu spoke first.
"Darling, I'm sorry," he said in a low voice. "I came home late yesterday and left you eating dinner alone."
His tone carried rare patience.
"Something unexpected came up, so I had to stay behind and deal with it. Don't be angry anymore, hm?"
It was the first time in his life that Lu Zhenyu had ever apologized to someone.
Unfortunately, his explanation only made things worse.
In Gu Anran's ears, his words sounded like an excuse to cover up spending time with that woman.
The image of the sweet female voice answering his phone replayed in her mind again.
Clang!
She suddenly dropped her spoon onto the table.
The sharp sound echoed through the dining room.
Without saying a word, she stood up and stormed out, leaving Lu Zhenyu sitting there in confusion.
He genuinely couldn't figure out what he had done wrong.
Frowning deeply, he followed her upstairs.
But when he reached the bedroom—
Click.
The door was locked from the inside.
"Anran."
He knocked on the door.
No response.
"Darling, open the door."
Still nothing.
After waiting for a while with no answer, Lu Zhenyu could only go back downstairs and wait for her, hoping she would calm down soon.
Thirty minutes later—
Footsteps finally sounded from upstairs.
Lu Zhenyu looked up instantly.
Gu Anran slowly walked down the stairs dressed beautifully, carrying a handbag. She had even put on light makeup, making her already delicate features even more stunning.
The moment Lu Zhenyu saw her appearance, an uncomfortable feeling rose in his chest.
"Where are you going?" he asked immediately.
Gu Anran didn't even spare him a glance.
"Mr. Lu," she said coldly, "that's none of your business."
Lu Zhenyu's brows knitted together tightly.
"Darling, are you still angry?" His voice softened instinctively. "I already admitted I was wrong. It won't happen again."
He reached out, trying to hold her hand.
"Be good and stop throwing a tantrum. It's not good for you or the baby."
But the moment his fingers touched her wrist, Gu Anran flung his hand away.
Her eyes were already red.
"Lu Zhenyu," she said, struggling to keep her voice steady as tears gathered in her eyes, "if you truly cared about me or the baby…"
"…you wouldn't have done what you did yesterday."
The hurt in her eyes struck Lu Zhenyu like a knife.
Yet before he could understand what she meant, Gu Anran suddenly laughed softly.
It was a cold, self-mocking laugh.
"Mr. Lu," she said calmly, forcing her emotions back down, "you already had your fun yesterday."
She looked straight into his eyes.
"Now it's my turn to have fun too."
Lu Zhenyu's expression changed instantly.
Before he could stop her, Gu Anran turned around and strode out of the villa without looking back.
Lu Zhenyu frowned deeply.
He didn't believe that merely coming home late would make Gu Anran react this strongly. Something else must have happened—something he didn't know about.
His expression darkened as he pulled out his phone and made a call.
"Sir," Lin Feng's respectful voice came from the other end almost immediately.
"Find out if anyone visited my wife yesterday," Lu Zhenyu ordered coldly.
Lin Feng instantly sensed the seriousness in his tone.
"Yes, sir."
"And," Lu Zhenyu added after a brief pause, "send someone to follow and protect my wife secretly."
"Understood."
The call ended.
Lu Zhenyu leaned back against the sofa, his brows tightly furrowed.
For the first time in years, he completely lost the motivation to go to the company.
Instead, he stayed home all day, waiting for Gu Anran to return so they could properly talk things out.
But hour after hour passed.
From afternoon to evening.
From evening to night.
Yet Gu Anran still didn't come back.
By the time the clock struck past ten at night, the sound of a car engine finally came from outside the villa.
Lu Zhenyu immediately stood up.
The door opened.
Gu Anran walked in slowly, a faint smile lingering on her lips as if she were in a good mood.
The moment Lu Zhenyu saw her, the frustration and worry he had suppressed all day erupted instantly.
"Gu Anran!" he snapped angrily. "How could you come home this late?"
Gu Anran paused in her steps.
"Do you know how dangerous it is?" he continued coldly. "And you didn't even bring the driver with you. Are you trying to risk your life and the life of my baby?"
She let out a mocking sneer upon hearing his words.
As expected.
In his eyes, only the baby mattered.
He married her to bear him a child while he fooled around outside with other women.
Her eyes reddened instantly.
"Mr. Lu," she said with a bitter smile, "I know very well that I'm pregnant, so I took precautions.
Then she looked at him directly.
"But do you still remember that you're a married man?"
Lu Zhenyu froze slightly.
"What are you talking about?" he asked, genuinely confused. "I don't understand."
But he still answered seriously,
"And yes, I know very well that I'm married.
Ever since I married you, I've deliberately kept my distance from other women."
His voice was calm and firm.
He was certain now—someone must have said something to her.
Unfortunately, Gu Anran couldn't believe a single word.
That sweet female voice from yesterday still echoed clearly in her mind.
"I don't think so," she said coldly.
Her eyes filled with disappointment.
"Lu Zhenyu… you've disappointed me once again by lying to me."
After saying that, she turned and walked away without giving him a chance to explain.
Lu Zhenyu instinctively took a step forward, but before he could stop her, his phone suddenly rang.
His expression darkened the moment he saw the caller ID.
Without hesitation, he grabbed his coat and strode out of the villa.
Inside the guest room upstairs, Gu Anran stood quietly by the window.
She watched as Lu Zhenyu's car drove farther and farther away until it completely disappeared into the night.
Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.
"So he really went back to that woman…" she murmured bitterly.
She had often heard people say that arguing with your husband over another woman would only push him farther away.
But she couldn't bring herself to care.
Because she couldn't share Lu Zhenyu with anyone else.
Either he belonged to her completely—
Or she would force herself to let him go.
But just the thought of losing him made her chest ache unbearably.
Slowly, she lowered her head and placed a gentle hand on her stomach.
"Baby…" she whispered softly, her voice trembling, "it seems Daddy won't be staying home with us for a while."
The room fell silent again.
With a heavy heart, Gu Anran slowly climbed into bed, hugging herself tightly as loneliness swallowed her whole.