After returning home with the child, her ex-husband knelt down and gently coaxed her.

Every word she uttered felt like a sharp blade piercing Lu Xiyan's heart, causing him to tremble with pain.

He never imagined that his two years of selfless dedication would be rewarded with such heartless words from Anning.

He looked at her with red eyes, trying to discern whether she was sincere when she said those words, but all he saw in her eyes was impatience.

There was not a trace of pity for him.

An Ning looked away from him and left with her suitcase.

Lu Xiyan suddenly grabbed her hand, "Don't go!"

His voice trembled, helpless, and utterly lacking in conviction, "Anning, you can't do this!"

"Lu Xiyan!" An Ning shook off his hand. "You're really difficult to deal with. Haven't I made myself clear enough?"

"I don't know!" Lu Xiyan hugged her tightly, his tall body trembling uncontrollably. "I don't understand what 'tired of' or 'games' means. I don't get it! All I know is that we've been together for two years, and the sweetness and happiness of those two years are real. We can't just break up like this. We're married. Your decision to end things doesn't count!"

"Anning..." He held her tightly, tears dripping onto her shoulder, using both gentle persuasion and firmness, "You can't leave me... You can't get tired of me so quickly, I'll do better..."

"Lu Xiyan, stop fooling around."

An Ning tried to push him away, but he held her even tighter. Helpless, she let go of him and said, "I don't love you anymore. Pretending to be an actor is exhausting. Can you please stop bothering me?"

"I don't believe it!"

Lu Xiyan almost wanted to meld her into his very bones. "I don't believe you don't love me anymore. I don't believe everything before was fake... Ningning, is there something troubling you? Tell me, and we'll solve it together. Please don't be like this..."

He felt helpless, like a child who had been suddenly abandoned, wanting nothing more than to hold on tightly to Anning, afraid that if he let go, she would really leave.

"There's no reason why, I just don't love you anymore, I can't even pretend anymore!" An Ning said impatiently. "Lu Xiyan, I've made myself perfectly clear, why are you still deceiving yourself—"

"I guess I'm just fooling myself!"

Lu Xiyan interrupted her, his voice low and husky, "Even if you don't love me anymore, it doesn't matter, as long as I love you! You can continue to want me, my money, and my kindness, and we'll still be the same as before..."

Before he could finish speaking, he heard An Ning's soft, mocking voice, "Where do you get the confidence to say that?"

"Lu Xiyan, do you still think you're the second young master of the Lu family? You're nothing without the Lu family! The little money they took from you isn't even a tenth of what Old Master Lu gave you!"

Her blatant mockery ripped at Lu Xiyan's bleeding heart. Slowly releasing her, he asked incredulously, "You contacted my grandfather?"

A black card suddenly appeared before his eyes. An Ning's slender white fingers gripped the card tightly, and she curled her lips into a light sneer. "Your grandfather is much more generous than you. Do you know how much money is here? Thirty million! Lu Xiyan, how much is your prize money for winning a competition? How many years would it take you to earn thirty million? I don't have time to play along with your act for years. With your grandfather, all it takes is a word, and you get the money. It's that simple."

"I'm not after your money, but rather the money of the Lu Group chairman's grandson." She raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Lu Xiyan, you're so easy to fool."

The card was snatched from his hand and thrown to the ground. Lu Xiyan, his eyes red, struggled to suppress the anger surging in his chest. "Was it all just about money from beginning to end?"

"Otherwise what?" Anning bent down to pick up the card in front of him, wiping off the dust as if afraid of getting it dirty, and carefully put it back in her wallet. "If not for money, then for love?"

She chuckled, a mocking laugh. "Can love feed me? Can love cure my brother's illness? Can love provide us with a home and pay off our debts? Can love give me a better life?"

"No!" She smiled faintly. "Only money can do it. I've been able to live so easily these past two years thanks to you, but now you're worthless to me."

She patted her wallet and laughed, "This card is worth much more than you."

She picked up her suitcase, glanced at the man who was standing there in a daze, and said, "Lu Xiyan, go back to being your high and mighty second young master. Don't be so naive as to be fooled by a vain woman like me."

An Ning turned to leave, but just as she reached the door of the dressing room, a tall man's figure suddenly blocked her way.

Lu Xiyan stood blocking the doorway, his dim eyes lifting as he asked in a hoarse voice, "Even if what you're saying is true, can you not leave?"

"I know these past two years with me have been tough on you, and it's my fault for not being able to give you a better life." He carefully took Anning's hands, his tone almost pleading, "As long as you don't leave, I can fight for it, I can take over the entire Lu Corporation for you... Please don't leave, okay?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he knelt down, his handsome face stubborn and determined. When he looked up, a line of crystal tears slid down from the corner of his eye.

"Please, Ningning..." he pleaded, choking back tears, "Don't leave me..."

He set aside all his pride and dignity, only asking her to stay for the sake of their two years of relationship.

As long as she stays, he will have a chance to win her back.

but--

An Ning withdrew her hand without hesitation, looked down at him, and sneered, "Lu Xiyan, don't make me look down on you like a mangy dog."

She pushed her suitcase past his kneeling figure. "It's over."

"peaceful!"

Lu Xiyan, his eyes red, didn't turn to look at her. "If you walk out that door today, don't ever come back!"

His harsh words were his final attempt to persuade her to stay.

The sound of the suitcase wheels rolling paused for a moment, accompanied by a soft laugh, before resuming and disappearing at the gate.

"peaceful!"

Lu Xiyan roared almost furiously and chased after them like a madman.

A torrential downpour began in the early morning, the powerful rain curtain making the already unclear sky even more blurred, with everything in sight shrouded in a hazy white mist.

Lu Xiyan chased downstairs, only to see a black car speeding past him.

He rushed to the elevator, went straight down to the garage, and then a black sports car sped out of the underground garage.

In the midst of the storm, the black sports car cut through the rain and sped forward.

The phone connected in the car, and Bai Yi's anxious voice came through, "Brother Yan! 200 km/h, are you out of your mind?!"

"Brother Yan! Stop the car!"

"Lu Xiyan, stop the car!"

Lu Xiyan ignored him, his eyes red as he stared intently at the speeding black car ahead. He hung up the phone and slammed on the gas pedal.

Only one thought occupied his mind—An Ning can't leave! He can't let her go! If she leaves, it will truly be the end for them!

But in the end, she still left.

She left decisively, without looking back, not even sparing him a second glance.

......

In the darkness, something glistening slid down the man's cheek.

Four years ago, on that rainy day, he was completely soaked.

He never knew what he had done wrong that made her leave without looking back, and not even come back to see him once in four years.

Only today did he fully understand that the biggest mistake he made was that she didn't love him.

Not loving is the original sin.

The ash from his fingertips fell into the ashtray, and he gently closed his eyes.

Lu Xiyan, you should give up.