The word "uncle" slipping from Ye Yanbin’s lips left Shen Ningxuan stunned. Chu Haoxuan was Ye Yanbin’s uncle? The man she had just decided to marry was the uncle of the man she had once loved.

Her eyes widened as she stared at Chu Haoxuan. "You're his uncle?"

Chu Haoxuan met her gaze, puzzled by her reaction. Why does this matter so much to her? "Yes, he’s my nephew."

The confirmation hit Shen Ningxuan like a thunderbolt. Fate really had a cruel sense of humor. Just when she thought she could hate, escape, and move on from her past love, destiny had tangled their lives together again. Not only was he Ye Yanbin’s uncle—he was family to the man she had once loved most. Was his family the powerful backbone that had propelled Ye Yanbin to the position of vice-governor?

"Heh," Shen Ningxuan let out a bitter laugh.

Ye Yanbin and Chu Haoxuan exchanged a glance, both baffled by her reaction.

At that moment, Shen Yujin sauntered over, swaying her slender figure. "I knew it—Yanbin saw someone and rushed over like that. It’s his old flame, isn’t it?"

The word "old flame" sent a ripple through Chu Haoxuan’s expression. His eyes darkened as he shot Shen Yujin a venomous glare before turning his piercing stare on Ye Yanbin. So this little nephew had been involved with the woman beside him?

Ye Yanbin ignored Shen Yujin’s jab and Chu Haoxuan’s glare, his entire focus on Shen Ningxuan. His gaze softened as he asked, "Ning’er, what are you doing here? How do you know my uncle?"

The way he called her "Ning’er" made Chu Haoxuan’s jaw tighten. The woman he was about to marry was being called by an intimate nickname by his nephew? Even if they had a history, she was his now—and no one else had the right to use such familiarity.

"Ye Yanbin," Chu Haoxuan said coldly, using his full name for emphasis, "she’s your aunt."

Aunt? Ye Yanbin’s face twisted in disbelief. In just a few days, Shen Ningxuan had gone from his lover to his uncle’s wife? Was this some kind of joke?

He shook his head, staring at her in shock. "Ning’er… you’re really my aunt now?"

Another "Ning’er." Chu Haoxuan clenched his teeth, forcing down the rage boiling inside him. This nephew clearly needed a lesson in respect.

Shen Ningxuan’s face remained expressionless. After a pause, she turned to Ye Yanbin and, with deliberate slowness, withdrew her arm from Chu Haoxuan’s grasp. Then, with a calculated smile, she draped her arm around Chu Haoxuan’s, leaning into him as she addressed Ye Yanbin. "Yes, Vice Governor Ye. I’m your aunt now."

She didn’t wait for his reaction before turning to Shen Yujin beside him. "And Sister, if you marry Ye Yanbin, does that make me your aunt too?"

"Y-You—" Shen Yujin’s face turned beet red. Why did this woman always outmaneuver her? First stealing Ye Yanbin, and now worming her way into his family? How would she ever compete if Shen Ningxuan became part of the Ye clan?

Shen Ningxuan’s gaze returned to Ye Yanbin. "I already told you—I’m your aunt. As for the past, I hope you can forget it. You’re with Shen Yujin now. Please, have some self-respect."

Ye Yanbin refused to back down. "You’re lying, right? You promised to stay with me forever. Why are you with my uncle now? Ning’er, I was wrong. Come back to me."

Desperation laced his voice as he reached for her other arm.

Shen Ningxuan yanked herself free and pressed closer to Chu Haoxuan. Even if she had to cling to a stranger, she would never rely on Ye Yanbin again. Love, when tainted, either transformed into hate—or vanished entirely.

Chu Haoxuan felt her movement and slipped his arm from her grasp, instead wrapping it around her waist in a firm but silent gesture.

Shen Ningxuan looked at Ye Yanbin. "I’ve made myself clear. Let’s leave the past behind. You’re with Shen Yujin now—act like it."

But Ye Yanbin lunged forward, determined to pull her away.

Before he could reach her, Shen Yujin grabbed his arm.

"Yanbin, we’re here for coffee," Shen Yujin said weakly, trying to diffuse the tension.

But Ye Yanbin shook her off and took another step toward Shen Ningxuan, seizing her arm to drag her from Chu Haoxuan’s embrace.

The moment his fingers touched her, Chu Haoxuan’s hand shot out, gripping Ye Yanbin’s wrist with crushing force. With a sharp twist, he flung Ye Yanbin backward, sending him stumbling several steps.

Shen Yujin rushed to steady him. Ye Yanbin straightened, his eyes wide with fear as he met Chu Haoxuan’s wrath. This uncle was no ordinary man—and his military background made him all the more terrifying.

Chu Haoxuan’s voice was ice. "Ye Yanbin, remember your place with your aunt."

Ye Yanbin didn’t dare speak, his gaze fixed on the floor.

Shen Ningxuan’s head throbbed. She felt like she was about to explode. Seeing Ye Yanbin’s face again was too much—every second risked her losing control.

She turned to Chu Haoxuan. "Let’s go. I want to go home."

"Mm," he replied simply. He had already pieced together the situation—their tangled history, her past with his nephew. The fact that the woman he was about to marry had once been intimate with his own flesh and blood made this all the more intriguing. game worth playing. This was only the beginning.

He pulled Shen Ningxuan into his arms and led her out of the café.

Ye Yanbin watched them go, his expression one of despair—but he couldn’t even muster a word.

Shen Yujin, seeing his misery, sneered inwardly. Slutty Shen Ningxuan really was insufferable—wherever she went, chaos followed.

Moments after leaving the café, Shen Ningxuan wrenched herself free of Chu Haoxuan’s grip. The act was over; the performance had served its purpose.

Chu Haoxuan felt a pang of disappointment at her abruptness. Had she thrown him off just to spite Ye Yanbin? Did she think so little of him?

Then it hit him—he was an idiot. He had let himself believe her resistance was real, that she wanted to lean on him. But in truth, she had only been putting on a show for Ye Yanbin.

And damn it, he had fallen for it.