Hades, the Urban Legend

Chapter 506: Now Answer Me

The sudden sound of the doorbell made Yang Chen immediately roll off the bed and stand up. He gestured to Catherine to be quiet and whispered, "Quickly get dressed. I'll check who's at the door before opening it."

Catherine seemed to understand right away, covering her mouth with a laugh and teasingly said, "I originally thought your marriage was just a farce, but now it seems you really care about her. I'm almost a bit jealous. Are you worried about being caught by your wife and having a hard time explaining?"

Yang Chen knew why Catherine was laughing. After all, he used to disregard women completely, and now he was so cautious and nervous. The change was indeed significant.

"As long as you understand. If my wife shows up and sees you here naked, I might not die, but I'd be frozen by her cold stare for three months," Yang Chen said, feeling exasperated.

Catherine pouted and stuck out her tongue at Yang Chen, reverting to her usual playful demeanor, making it hard to tell which side of her was real.

"I won't be seen naked, don't worry. I was going to get dressed anyway," Catherine muttered as she efficiently picked up her clothes from the floor and put them on piece by piece.

The doorbell rang a few more times. Yang Chen quickly got dressed, ran his hand through his messy hair, and walked to the door. He looked through the peephole to see who it was.

Despite his skills, Yang Chen always trusted his eyes and didn't rely on intuition to judge who was outside.

Seeing who it was, Yang Chen breathed a sigh of relief, patted his chest, and turned back to Catherine. "It's Edward. Looks like he's here to pick you up."

Catherine had already put on a thin white blouse that somewhat concealed her figure, although it was semi-transparent, revealing a hint of purple lace underneath. She paired it with light denim shorts, giving her a youthful and lively look, making her appear as if she were in her twenties.

Such attire was probably meant to disguise her identity, as it would be too casual for social events otherwise.

"I knew it. Last night, I asked Edward to pick me up in the morning. Without Jane by my side, I feel more at ease with him around," Catherine said as she walked to the door. She hugged Yang Chen's neck, kissed him on the lips, and said with a smile, "Dear Chen Chen, I'm leaving now. If you want more tonight, I'll come back, but you can't just sneak in through the back door."

Her parting words almost made Yang Chen's eyes flare up. This woman was not only as enchanting as a fairy but also incredibly captivating in her words and actions.

"Even becoming a queen hasn't made you more reserved," Yang Chen chuckled.

"In front of you, I always want to be the same as I was at the beginning, a pitiable woman who depends on you. I really like that feeling," Catherine said with a smile.

"I really can't handle you," Yang Chen said with a wry smile, giving her a playful slap on the butt. "Go on, though Edward isn't a stranger, we can't let him stand outside forever."

Catherine stopped messing around, obediently opened the door, and greeted the grinning Edward outside, "Wow, Edward, you're up early. Early menopause isn't good for you, you know."

Edward, who was about to joke with Yang Chen and Catherine, felt like coughing up blood after hearing her comment. He rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Aunt, you really know how to preemptively strike."

"Of course, my clever Jane came from my belly, so as her mother, I can't be too bad either," Catherine said proudly, pointing to her stomach.

The two joked around and then bid farewell to Yang Chen. He stood at the door, just about to say "goodbye," but the words caught in his throat as he saw a slender figure turning the corner in the hallway.

Dressed in a light blue blouse, a beige tailored blazer, a short white lace-hemmed pleated skirt, and crystal-glossy black high heels, Lin Ruoxi, who had clearly taken extra care with her appearance, seemed to be in a good mood. Her steps were light, and she walked with her usual elegant demeanor. But when she looked up and saw Catherine walking out of Yang Chen's room, her expression froze in bewilderment.

Yang Chen noticed Lin Ruoxi's appearance as well. However, given that he was in the middle of escorting Catherine out and had even patted her on the back, he found himself in a situation beyond redemption.

As Lin Ruoxi's face shifted from stunned to an icy cold expression, Yang Chen could only inwardly sigh and bitterly smile. His face showed an expression that was nearly in tears, unable to think of anything else.

Catherine and Edward also noticed Yang Chen's peculiar expression. Following his gaze, they saw the woman standing at the corner and immediately understood the situation.

Like a child caught doing something wrong, Catherine shrank her head down and secretly signaled to Edward to leave quickly. She then lowered her head and almost ran away.

Edward gave Yang Chen a helpless look, then hurriedly followed Catherine, fleeing the scene.

As Catherine passed by Lin Ruoxi, she couldn't help but take a careful look at her face. The moment she did, she felt a chill down her spine, nearly on the verge of tears. Lin Ruoxi was indeed beautiful, but her cold demeanor was truly freezing. Catherine thought to herself how daring Yang Chen must be to have married such a woman. With these thoughts swirling in her mind, she quickly disappeared into the elevator with Edward.

Standing at the door, Yang Chen felt uncomfortable no matter how he positioned his feet or hands. Facing Lin Ruoxi's expressionless face, he awkwardly smiled and said, "Dear, why are you up so early? I thought you'd sleep in a bit more. Let me tidy up, and I'll join you for work."

Lin Ruoxi ignored Yang Chen, acting as if she hadn't heard anything, and turned to leave.

Yang Chen quickly caught up to her, blocking her path in the blink of an eye. He grabbed her shoulders to prevent her from leaving.

He wanted to explain but didn't know how to start. What could he say? That Catherine was just visiting? That they were merely friends?

Even trying to say such things felt foolish.

Lin Ruoxi looked up, her eyes as cold and deep as an abyss. She let out a mocking smile, "What, you don't even know how to explain it, right?"

Yang Chen remained silent, knowing he couldn't deceive this woman. Despite Lin Ruoxi's lack of experience with relationships, she wasn't easily fooled. More importantly, Yang Chen didn't want to lie to her.

Lin Ruoxi's eyes were slightly red, but she didn't seem about to cry. Instead, her expression was even more heartbreaking to Yang Chen.

"Let go, don't touch me," Lin Ruoxi coldly commanded, her gaze piercing through Yang Chen.

Yang Chen's hands trembled. Though he could hold a heavy machine gun without a hint of a shake, his strength seemed to drain away now, and his hands dropped weakly as he released her shoulders.

"Sorry," Yang Chen said, closing his eyes. "I know these words are cheap, especially now, but I have nothing else to say."

"No words, huh? That's a perfect answer," Lin Ruoxi scoffed, trying to stabilize her emotions. She turned her head away and spoke softly, "Yesterday, you asked me if I saw you as just a man who always wants to trick me into bed. I didn't know how to answer then, but now I do."

She paused, then laughed bitterly, "It's not a matter of whether I think so. You absolutely are, without a doubt."

"Ding!"

At that moment, the elevator doors opened, and a service attendant stepped out.

Without saying another word, Lin Ruoxi walked into the elevator.

Yang Chen didn't turn around, listening to the elevator doors close behind him, standing motionless.

After a long while, a self-mocking smile appeared on Yang Chen's face, almost like a madman's laugh. He patted his forehead and sighed, talking to himself, "Yang Chen, living with multiple women isn't easy..."

In the lobby of the Sofitel Hotel.

When Lin Ruoxi stepped out of the elevator, her mind was in a fog. Her eyes were red, but she told herself that now was not the time to cry over that man. He wasn't worth her tears.

When no one was looking, Lin Ruoxi quickly wiped the corners of her eyes with her fingers. Though her eyes were still red, it wasn't noticeable unless closely inspected.

Goodman had done a reliable job arranging a private driver for her. The car was waiting in the VIP parking outside the hotel.

Knowing she had important work to do, Lin Ruoxi quickened her pace. Despite the pain and frustration, her inner strength and independence had always been her greatest support.

As Lin Ruoxi passed by an Italian-style café inside the hotel, she suddenly heard someone calling her.

"Miss Lin, Miss Lin!"

She turned towards the café, the voice sounding familiar. "Over here! Please come over for a moment!"

A handsome man with striking features, wearing a pink Versace shirt and having an upright figure, was waving at her from a corner of the café. Beside him sat a beautiful woman with silver hair, also smiling warmly and waving at her.

"Mr. Stern, Miss Alice," Lin Ruoxi murmured their names to herself. Were they not the Cromwell siblings she had encountered last night while escaping together? Why were they calling her over?

Lin Ruoxi thought that a prestigious old British noble family like the Cromwells would undoubtedly look down on business people. So, although she and the siblings had shared a life-and-death experience, she assumed that now they were safe, they would have no further contact.

Thus, when she saw Stern enthusiastically waving her over, Lin Ruoxi was completely puzzled, to the point that she momentarily forgot about Yang Chen and the heart-wrenching situation he had caused her.