237: Chapter 237 Desperate Xia Linzi

Xia Linzi leaned into his embrace, feeling his false tenderness as the grievances and pain in her heart were temporarily suppressed.

She didn't know that this was merely Zhou Chong's delaying tactic; he had never intended to marry her, let alone compensate her.

In his eyes, she was just a tool to be sacrificed at any time, a pawn to help him cling to the powerful and move toward success.

From that day on, Xia Linzi returned to Wang Peng's villa, continuing to endure inhuman abuse.

She spent every day in agony, caught between Wang Peng's beatings and humiliations on one side, and Zhou Chong's sweet talk and empty promises on the other. She was like a marionette controlled by these two men, walking step by step into the abyss.

With Wang Peng's help, Zhou Chong's company developed faster and larger, growing from a small firm into a medium-sized one, and then into a large corporation.

Zhou Chong became a successful man, buying luxury cars and mansions, surrounded by endless flattery and pursuit, thoroughly integrating into Zhongzhou's high society.

He even went behind Xia Linzi's back to date a wealthy girlfriend—the daughter of a local tycoon, with a privileged background and beautiful looks.

With the financial support of the woman's family, his company went public directly.

Meanwhile, Xia Linzi continued to endure Wang Peng's abuse, waiting for a promise that would never be fulfilled.

...

On the day the company went public, Zhou Chong held a grand celebration banquet, inviting all the business moguls and partners, but he did not invite Xia Linzi.

He didn't even tell her the news of the company going public, as if she had never existed.

Xia Linzi saw it on the mobile news.

On the screen, Zhou Chong wore an expensive custom suit, standing on stage in high spirits with his wealthy socialite girlfriend by his side. The two were a perfect match, receiving everyone's blessings and admiration.

At that moment, Xia Linzi's heart completely shattered.

She called Zhou Chong to congratulate him, but the phone indicated it was powered off.

She sent a message on wechat, only to find she had been deleted as a friend.

She immediately went to Zhou Chong's company to find him, but the security guard stopped her, his tone cold: "President Zhou ordered that no strangers are allowed in. Leave immediately."

Xia Linzi stood below Zhou Chong's company, looking at the skyscraper reaching into the clouds and the brightly lit scene inside, feeling it was incredibly ironic.

She had waited for eight years, sacrificed for eight years, given up her studies and her youth for him, endured inhuman abuse for him, and given everything for him. Yet, once he achieved fame and fortune, he turned his back on her, discarding her like trash.

She asked around and finally learned about Zhou Chong and the wealthy socialite, discovering the truth that he had risen to the top by relying on the woman's family.

She remembered Zhou Chong's past promise: "When the company gets better, I'll marry you."

"When I succeed, I will definitely treat you well."

"I will only love you in this lifetime."

Those promises were still vivid in her mind, but now they had turned into the sharpest blades, stabbing deep into her heart and leaving her in unbearable pain.

Xia Linzi was unwilling to accept this; she couldn't just let it go.

She found Zhou Chong's mansion and waited at the cold gate for an entire night, from dusk until dawn. The biting wind made her whole body tremble, but she did not leave.

At dawn, Zhou Chong drove back in his luxury car with his wealthy socialite girlfriend.

Seeing Xia Linzi, there wasn't a hint of guilt on his face, only disgust and impatience. He looked at her as if she were something filthy, his eyes full of disdain.

He told his girlfriend that Xia Linzi was a cousin from his Hometown and asked her to go inside first.

Once his girlfriend was inside,

he walked up to Xia Linzi.

"Why are you here? Leave quickly. Don't embarrass yourself here and ruin the mood for me and my girlfriend."

Zhou Chong's tone was icy, without a trace of warmth, as if he were speaking to a total stranger.

"Zhou Chong, tell me, what is going on?"

Xia Linzi looked at him, tears falling uncontrollably, her voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible.

"You said you'd marry me when the company went public, you said you wouldn't fail me, you said you'd give me a good life! Have you forgotten all those words?"

"Marry you?" Zhou Chong sneered, his eyes filled with mockery and contempt.

"Xia Linzi, look at yourself. A working girl from the countryside with no education, no background, and just average looks. Do you deserve me? Do you deserve to be the wife of the owner of a listed company?"

"I was only nice to you before to use you—to use your money, your connections, and to use you as a stepping stone."

"Now that I've succeeded, you have no utility left, so it's time for you to get lost."

Zhou Chong's words were like sharp knives stabbing into Xia Linzi's heart. "I'm telling you, I never loved you, and I never intended to marry you. You were just a stepping stone on my path, a mere tool."

"You worked for me, sacrificed for me, and even became someone's mistress for me—that was all your choice. You were stupid and naive; you can't blame me."

Xia Linzi trembled all over, unable to believe her ears, unable to believe that the man she had loved for eight years could be so cruel and heartless.

She looked at Zhou Chong, her vision blurred by tears. "How can you say that? I gave up everything for you and endured so much pain. How can you treat me like this?"

"You brought it on yourself," Zhou Chong said coldly, without a hint of lingering affection. "Get lost now. If you don't leave, I'll have security kick you out."

After saying that, Zhou Chong walked into the mansion without looking back, slamming the heavy door shut, shutting Xia Linzi out—shutting her out of his world.

After Xia Linzi returned, she cried for an entire night, and her heart completely died.

She finally realized that her eight years of sacrifice, eight years of love, and eight years of waiting had all been thrown away on a dog.

Zhou Chong had been using her from the very beginning. He had never loved her; all his promises were a scam, a pack of lies.

Drowned in anger and despair, she decided she couldn't just let it go. She wanted to make Zhou Chong pay the price.

She would expose his true face to the public, letting everyone know he was an ungrateful, selfish, and cruel piece of trash.

She found Zhou Chong again and threatened him.

"Zhou Chong, if you don't marry me or give me an explanation, I will expose everything you've done."

"I'll tell your girlfriend, your shareholders, and everyone else how you used me, how you lied to me, and how you used me and Wang Peng to rise to the top. I'll ruin your reputation!"

Zhou Chong panicked. He was afraid—afraid of his secrets being exposed, afraid of losing the wealth, status, and love he now possessed.

He immediately put on a face of guilt and began to coax Xia Linzi with sweet talk, pretending to be regretful and affectionate.

"Linzi, I was wrong. I was confused for a moment. I didn't mean it; I was just blinded by money."

"Give me another chance. I'll break up with that woman and marry you, okay? Don't be impulsive. Making a scene won't benefit anyone."

Xia Linzi believed him. She still held a sliver of hope, thinking Zhou Chong really had a change of heart and would fulfill his promise.

But she didn't know that this was just Zhou Chong's delaying tactic.

While coaxing Xia Linzi, he had already begun to devise a wicked plan.

To eliminate Xia Linzi and end the trouble forever.

He spent five hundred thousand to find a killer named Scarface to murder Xia Linzi.

...