The press conference took place the next morning.Yuexi didn't attend—it wasn't her place. Or rather, Chenxuan had made sure it wasn't.
Still, she watched the live broadcast on her phone, seated on the edge of their bed.
The cameras flashed wildly as Chenxuan walked onto the stage, dressed in his usual tailored suit, composed and untouchable.
A reporter raised a hand."President Lu, is it true your wife was seen at Galaxy Studios yesterday? Is she planning a comeback?"
For a split second, Yuexi prayed he might acknowledge her dream, even slightly. But his words cut sharper than any blade.
"My wife has no plans to return to the entertainment industry. She is focused on her family, and any speculation to the contrary is baseless rumor."
Her chest tightened, fingers trembling around the phone.
The reporter pressed, "But there are photographs—"
"Fabricated. Misinterpreted." His voice was steady, dismissive. "My wife is not interested in acting. Please respect our family's privacy."
The room buzzed with more questions, but Yuexi stopped listening.
Her dream had just been erased—by the man she married.
That evening, he returned home as though nothing had happened.
Dinner was served. The butler retreated. The silence between them was suffocating.
Finally, Yuexi spoke. Her voice was quiet, but it shook with restrained fury."You denied me."
Chenxuan set down his chopsticks slowly. "I protected you."
"Don't twist it." Her nails dug into her palms. "You stood in front of the world and said I don't matter."
His jaw flexed. "I said you're not going back to a place that will tear you apart. That's what matters."
"Matters to you." She rose from the table, her chair scraping harshly against the floor. "But what about me, Chenxuan? Did it ever occur to you that my dream is part of who I am? That without it, I'm just… a shell you put in your house to look perfect?"
The air vibrated with the weight of her words.
For the first time, he looked shaken, but he didn't move to stop her as she stormed upstairs.
Hours later, Yuexi packed a small suitcase. Her hands shook, but her resolve was steel.
Chenxuan appeared in the doorway, his silhouette framed by the hall light. His voice was rough, colder than the night outside."Where are you going?"
"Somewhere I can breathe." She zipped the bag shut. "Don't worry—I'm not running to the media. Not yet. I just need space. Away from you."
His steps echoed as he crossed the room. He reached for her wrist, gripping it tightly. "You think leaving will solve anything?"
"It will solve me." She yanked free, meeting his gaze with fire in her eyes. "You can control the headlines, Chenxuan. But you don't get to control my soul."
For a moment, raw emotion flickered across his face—anger, desperation, something else she couldn't name. But he didn't stop her when she dragged her suitcase out of the room.
The sound of the front door slamming reverberated through the empty house.
Chenxuan stood in the silence she left behind, his fists clenched at his sides.
That night, Yuexi checked into a small hotel under a false name. For the first time since their marriage, she slept in a bed that wasn't his.
Yet as she lay in the quiet darkness, she couldn't stop the image of Chenxuan's face—the way his eyes had almost begged her not to go.
Almost.