Chapter Fifteen: Divorce Is Not an Option

Xiao Yuan drew a business card from his cardholder and handed it to her. "My name is Xiao Yuan. I'm the general manager of the Xiao Group. I was just with Ye Huai."

He stated his identity. Li Ran examined the business card carefully. As a sales manager, she had certainly heard of this figure, and her company also had minor dealings with the Xiao Group.

She hesitated slightly but still got in the car, sitting in the back seat and keeping a distance from him.

Xiao Yuan noticed her guarded demeanor but didn't mind. He casually asked, "When did you meet Ye Huai?"

"I don't know him." Li Ran turned her head away, unwilling to mention Ye Huai, and simply denied knowing him.

How could Xiao Yuan not detect the tone in her voice? It was obvious she just didn't want to talk. He didn't press the issue, and continued, "If you don't know him, would he help you? I've known Ye Huai for a long time, and I've never seen him show any care for a woman."

Care? Li Ran was clearly skeptical of that word. That wasn't care at all—it was simply using any means possible to satisfy his own desires.

Besides, Ye Huai obviously had ulterior motives. Facing this man she had just met, Li Ran didn't intend to explain much.

The car fell into silence. Xiao Yuan turned his head slightly to look at Li Ran; her cool, composed manner was unlike other women, which only sparked his curiosity further.

Soon, they arrived at her doorstep. Li Ran thanked him, then got out and went inside.

Xiao Yuan reached out to touch the spot she had just vacated, still faintly warm, and watched her departing figure. She seemed weighed down by many thoughts.

When she entered the house, she found that Zhang Fan and her son were both out. Li Ran was glad for the peace and quiet, washed up early, and went to bed.

The next morning,

Li Ran changed clothes and went downstairs to have breakfast. In the living room, she saw Zhang Fan and another man in a suit talking. When they saw her, they both stopped and looked her way.

"You're up. There's something I need to discuss with you," Zhang Fan greeted her coldly, the disdain in her voice obvious. She then introduced the man, "This is Chen Da, Lawyer Chen. He's here today to handle our divorce proceedings."

"What did you say?" Li Ran thought she had misheard. Zhang Fan had actually brought a lawyer to handle their divorce?

"Zhang Fan, are you sure you want to do this? Think carefully—if you bring in a lawyer, don't expect to get a single cent from this family!"

Li Ran knew exactly what he was after. In such a rush to divorce, wasn't it just to be with An Qi?

Zhang Fan snorted and tossed a few photos from his pocket onto the table. "I have proof you cheated! The one leaving with nothing will be you!"

The photos were strewn messily across the table, showing her and Hu Jin Hong going upstairs together, and scenes of them in the corridor—clear evidence laid out in front of her.

Li Ran was shocked, but outwardly she remained calm. Inwardly, she realized why An Qi, who had slapped her yesterday, hadn't retaliated further; they had been setting her up for this moment. She had been careless.

"My client had too much to drink, so I simply helped him upstairs to rest. As for the rest, how do I know you didn't doctor the photos to set me up?" Li Ran answered rationally. After years in sales, she had learned to face crises with composure.

Zhang Fan's motives were all too clear—he had hired someone to secretly photograph her and fabricate evidence of infidelity, all to claim the assets and be with An Qi openly.

Li Ran was no fool; she knew a thing or two about marital law.

If either party in a marriage is proven to have committed adultery, the lawyer will divide assets accordingly, or the guilty party may be left with nothing.

Zhang Fan had only one goal: to leave her penniless.

"All the evidence of your infidelity is here. What more do you have to deny?" Zhang Fan, clearly impatient, snatched the divorce agreement from the lawyer. "Lawyer Chen, I think we can proceed."

"Alright," Lawyer Chen replied, not bothering to ask Li Ran any questions, and began preparing the documents.

"Wait," Li Ran interjected, unhurried. "If I have proof that we can't get divorced, does that mean we don't have to go through with it?" she asked Chen Da, her tone almost leisurely.

Chen Da considered it. "We'd have to be sure. What proof do you have?"

Before Li Ran could answer, Zhang Nan emerged from a room, pointing at her and shouting, "You cheated, yet you still have the nerve to keep Fan from divorcing you? What a shameless woman!"

Li Ran laughed coldly. "Shameless? Just a few days ago, your son and An Qi spent the whole night together in his room. Why didn't you call them shameless? He was carrying on right under your roof."

Zhang Nan opened her mouth but was lost for words.

"If there's no evidence, Miss Li shouldn't make baseless accusations," Lawyer Chen Da said.

"Evidence? I have it!"

Li Ran noticed Zhang Fan's flustered expression, and her smile deepened.

She slowly took a slip of paper from her pocket and placed it on the table. "I'm pregnant. According to what I know, divorce isn't permitted during pregnancy, is it, Lawyer Chen?"