Then the old man looked at Lu Shaohan and barked, "You fool."

He pointed a shaking finger. "You brought a divorce agreement? You want to drive away the woman carrying my great-grandson?"

His cane—someone had brought it near the bed—lifted.

And smacked Lu Shaohan’s arm.

Thwack.

The entire room nearly stopped breathing.

The heir of the Lu family—being hit like a child. By the old master. And unable to retaliate.

"Grandfather—"

"Shut up!"

Another hit.

Thwack.

"You dare divorce her—I’ll disown you first!"

Su Wan almost blinked. Even she hadn’t expected this much.

---

Then Old Master Lu suddenly pulled her hand, placed it over his, and declared, "Until my great-grandson is born... Su Wan will hold authority in the Lu residence."

Boom.

This time, even Lu Shaohan’s pupils contracted.

Authority? In the Lu residence?

That was power. Real power.

In the doorway, Su Yao’s nails cut into her palm so hard they bled.

Because everything—everything—was slipping away

Silence. Complete silence.

---

As the old master closed his eyes to rest, Lu Shaohan stepped closer to Su Wan.

His shadow covered her. His voice dropped low, only for her.

"You planned this?"

Suspicion. Pressure. Danger.

Su Wan met his gaze. And smiled.

"President Lu... if I could plan things this well..." She leaned slightly closer. "...shouldn’t you be afraid of me?"

For one suspended second, neither moved.

Then— for the first time— the ruthless Lu Shaohan smiled.

Just slightly.

And somehow, that was more dangerous than all his cruelty.

The ward doors opened.

The corridor outside was no longer quiet. Whispers spread the moment they stepped out.

"Old Master has woken up..."

"He protected Young Madam..."

"She holds authority now..."

Every gaze that landed on Su Wan had changed. No longer contempt. No longer dismissal. But something cautious. Something measuring. Something... wary.

Su Wan walked forward calmly as if she had always belonged in this position.

But before she could take more than a few steps—a hand caught her wrist.

Firm. Controlled.

She turned.

Lu Shaohan.

His grip wasn’t rough. But it wasn’t gentle either. It was ownership.

"From now on," he said, voice low and indifferent, "you move with me."

Not a request. An order.

Su Wan raised a brow. "Afraid I’ll run?"

His gaze flicked down to her. Cold. Unreadable.

"If you disappear now," he said flatly, "it will be troublesome to explain to Grandfather."

A pause.

Then—"Too many people are watching."

There it was.

Not concerned. Not care.

Calculation.

He released her and turned away. "Prepare the car."

"Yes, President Lu."

Su Wan watched his back for a moment.

Then followed.

Because she understood clearly now—returning to the Lu Residence was not protection.

It was containment.

-----

An hour later, a black Rolls-Royce stopped before the ancestral gates of the Lu Residence.

Iron gates opened. Ancient stone lions watched in silence. And Su Wan stared at the estate she was supposed to have been driven out of—only to enter now as someone with authority.

The irony almost made her smile.

Beside her, Lu Shaohan sat with his usual glacial indifference, flipping through documents as if she didn’t exist. Not one word during the entire ride.

Cold. Arrogant. Infuriating.

Yet somehow—his silence now felt less like disgust and more like calculation.

He was watching her. Measuring her. Trying to understand her.

Good.

Let him.

---

Soon, the car stopped and a servant opened the door.

The moment Su Wan stepped out, suddenly a sharp female voice echoed through the air.

"So this is the woman Father forced back into the family?"

Su Wan looked up.

Three women stood in the courtyard. Elegant. Jewels glittering. Smiles thin as knives.

One was Lu Shaohan’s aunt and another his second aunt. And his cousin, Lu Meiqi.

The original novel called them the vipers of the Lu household.

The first aunt looked Su Wan up and down, then sneered. "A woman accused of adultery... now entering as the mistress of the house?"

The second aunt laughed. "How shameless."