Jiang Yuxi sat at the edge of her bed, her fingers gripping the blanket tightly as she stared at the floor. Sleep had been a distant luxury, slipping further from her grasp the longer she lay awake. The events of the past few days played over in her mind like an endless reel—Lin Cheng's departure, her father's threats, the humiliating job rejections, and finally, Gu Zeyan's offer.
"Work at Gu Corporation. Earn your living. Prove you can do something on your own."
His words echoed in her head, both a challenge and a trap.
She knew exactly what he was doing.
Gu Zeyan wasn't helping her—he was containing her. This was just another way to keep her under his control, to make sure she remained tethered to him even as she tried to gain independence.
But if she rejected his offer, what then?
She had spent days searching for a job, only to be shut out from every opportunity. No one wanted to hire the infamous Mrs. Gu. Employers either feared offending her husband or assumed she was not needed for real work.
She had no illusions left. If she kept resisting, she would be left with nothing.
A sharp knock on her bedroom door startled her out of her thoughts.
"Miss Jiang," a maid called from outside. "Breakfast is ready."
Yuxi didn't answer right away. She took a slow breath, rubbing her temples.
There was no more time to waste.
If the world refused to give her an opportunity, she would take the only one available to her.
Even if it meant walking straight into Gu Zeyan's den.
By mid-morning, Yuxi found herself standing outside Gu Corporation's massive headquarters, staring up at the sleek glass building that reached toward the sky.
It was a symbol of power, wealth, and control—all of which belonged to Gu Zeyan.
Am I doing this?
Her fingers curled into fists at her sides. She had no other option. This wasn't about pride anymore—it was about survival.
With a steadying breath, she stepped inside.
The marble floors gleamed under the bright lights, and the air was filled with the quiet hum of efficiency. Employees in crisp suits moved about with purpose, their conversations brief and professional.
The moment Yuxi walked in, subtle glances flickered in her direction.
They recognize me.
It was impossible not to. She had been all over the media as the woman who married Gu Zeyan in a contract marriage.
She ignored the whispers and made her way to the private elevator that led to the top floor.
When the doors slid open, she stepped into a space that was both familiar and intimidating.
The executive floor.
Gu Zeyan's domain.
His secretary, Zhao Liying, glanced up from her desk, her expression impassive.
"Mrs. Gu," she greeted, her voice polite but distant.
"I need to see him," Yuxi said, straightening her posture.
Zhao Liying pressed a button on the intercom. "Sir, Mrs. Gu is here."
A beat of silence. Then—
"Let her in."
Yuxi pushed the doors open and stepped inside.
Gu Zeyan sat behind his massive mahogany desk, flipping through documents with his usual air of effortless control. He didn't look up immediately, but she knew he had been expecting her.
When he finally met her gaze, a slow, knowing smirk tugged at his lips. "You're here early."
Yuxi didn't waste time. "I'll do it."
Something flickered in his gaze—satisfaction, amusement, or perhaps both—but his voice remained neutral.
"Good," he said, setting down his pen. "You'll start tomorrow."
Yuxi expected him to place her under his direct supervision, maybe as his assistant, where he could monitor her every move.
But then—
"You'll be reporting to the Public Relations Department," he said smoothly.
She blinked. What?
"I thought—"
"You thought I'd make you my assistant?" His smirk deepened. "That would be too easy."
Her jaw clenched.
So that was his plan. He wanted her to struggle—to prove that she could survive in his company, not by using his name, but through her merit.
Fine.
"If I'm just another employee, then I expect to be treated like one," she said firmly, lifting her chin.
Gu Zeyan's gaze darkened, his amusement flickering into something sharper.
"That's what you want?"
"Yes."
His silence stretched between them, heavy and unreadable. Then, slowly, he leaned back in his chair, watching her as if he were committing this moment to memory.
"Very well," he murmured. "But make no mistake, Yuxi. Even if you work in my company, you are still under me."
His words sent an involuntary shiver down her spine.
But she refused to back down.
No matter what, she would prove herself.
Even if it came at a cost.
When Yuxi returned home that evening, she barely had time to compose herself before Yang Meilin's mocking voice greeted her.
"I heard you went to see Gu Zeyan today," her stepmother mused, sipping her tea leisurely. "How desperate you must be to finally go crawling back to him."
Yuxi exhaled sharply, unwilling to engage.
"I'm going to work at Gu Corporation," she stated simply, walking past her toward the staircase.
Yang Meilin let out a short laugh. "Work? What nonsense."
Yuxi paused but didn't turn around.
"I suppose it was inevitable," Yang Meilin continued. "No company wants to hire someone like you. No one trusts a woman who betrayed her own family."
Yuxi's hands tightened into fists.
She had learned to endure this. She had lived through years of Yang Meilin's taunts and Jiang Haotian's indifference. But tonight, with everything weighing on her, the words cut deeper than usual.
Taking a steady breath, she turned slightly.
"I may have no choice but to work at Gu Corporation," she admitted. "But at least I am working. Unlike you, whose only skill is leeching off my father's wealth."
Yang Meilin's expression darkened instantly.
Before she could retaliate, Yuxi walked away, refusing to let the woman get the last word.
When she reached her room, she closed the door and leaned against it, pressing a hand to her chest.
Her heart was pounding.
This was only the beginning.
Tomorrow, she would step into Gu Corporation—not as Gu Zeyan's wife, but as an employee.
She would prove herself.
And she would survive.
No matter what it took.