Chapter 196: Subtle Threats

*Runze’s POV*

"You’re coming with me to the office today."

I blink up at him through the lingering haze of sleep, my voice raspy.

"...Why?" I murmur, staring at Bael’s calm, unbothered face.

"Because if I leave you here, you’ll spend the entire day staring at your phone," Bael says smoothly, his thumb giving my cheekbone one last gentle stroke before he sits up on the edge of the mattress. "Sitting here alone all day spiraling over Ling Yue isn’t going to help anyone. You’re coming with me."

Before I can even deny it, he pulls back the duvet and stands up, leaving no room for argument. I lie there on the pillows for a moment, letting out a soft, resigned sigh, but deep down I know he’s right. Staying home alone with my thoughts would drive me crazy by noon.

***

An hour later, I lean back against the leather seat of the car, looking out at the city traffic.

Beside me, Bael is already working on his tablet, reviewing early-morning market reports and signing off on documents with effortless, practiced focus. He looks impeccably sharp in his dark suit, completely in his domain.

I, on the other hand, am staring down at my phone with a mix of disbelief and rising anxiety.

Read.

The small status update sits right beneath the text I sent Ling Yue before falling asleep last night.

He opened it.

He didn’t reply, but he *saw* it. The timestamp indicates he opened it just minutes ago.

I tap out a new message, my thumb flying rapidly across the keyboard while Bael’s hand casually finds its way onto my thigh. Without taking his eyes off his tablet, his palm rests warm against my leg, his thumb rubbing idly back and forth through the soft fabric of my trousers in a habit that has become entirely second nature to him.

*I know you’re seeing these. Mrs. Zhou heard through people in the circle that Jin Hao is silently looking for you too. You aren’t at your apartment, and you aren’t with your family.*

She had sent me a quick message over breakfast this morning to warn me, and the news had immediately set off alarm bells in my head.

I pause, letting my thumb hover above the display as I calculate how best to provoke a response from him before typing out the rest:

*Tell me where you are so I can pick you up quietly. Otherwise, I’ll have Bael find you—and when he does, it won’t be quiet. Or I can just step back and let Jin Hao find you first.*

It’s a gamble, but I can only guess how he’s feeling right now. If I were in his shoes, processing a betrayal like this, Jin Hao is the absolute last person I’d want to face.

And if Ling Yue needs a sanctuary where no one, not even someone with the Jin family’s vast resources can force their way through the front door, the Wuchen family is his safest bet.

I hit send.

*Delivered.*

I wait to see if the status will change to *Read* again, but the car glides smoothly into the private underground garage at the Wuchen Group headquarters.

Back when we first got married, Bael had us arrive right at the main entrance, ensuring every camera and reporter caught us walking in together. But today, with my bump so visible, Bael isn’t interested in media spectacles or letting photos of his pregnant wife circulate online.

The car comes to a halt near the private executive elevator.

Bael sets his tablet aside, adjusts his cuffs, and steps out first, holding his hand back out for me. I place my fingers in his, stepping onto the polished floor.

The shift in atmosphere is immediate the moment the elevator doors part on the executive floor.

Months ago, the staff would observe me with cautious curiosity, whispering under their breath. Today, the reaction is instant and entirely unified.

The moment Bael and I step into the hallway, employees freeze in their tracks, dropping into bows far deeper and more respectful than before.

"Good morning, CEO. Good morning, Young Master."

"Welcome back, Young Master Wuchen."

As we walk past them, low chatter breaks out in our wake—soft, happy gossip that drifts toward us in warm ripples.

"Young Master is here..."

"He’s showing already..."

"The little heir..."

"They’re holding hands again..."

I keep my posture composed, giving a quiet nod of acknowledgment, though I can feel a faint warmth prickling at the back of my neck. Bael doesn’t bother masking his subtle pride, his fingers tighten around mine, drawing me closer to his side as we approach his private office suite.

Three people are already waiting outside the office.

Shen Rui stands at the front.

He looks noticeably better than the last time I saw him at the estate. The dark shadows beneath his eyes have faded enough that he no longer looks like a ghost in a suit. His complexion has recovered, and the exhaustion that once clung to him isn’t nearly as obvious anymore.

Standing a respectful step behind him are two unfamiliar faces.

Both are taller than Shen Rui. Both carry broader shoulders beneath perfectly tailored suits.

The one on the left has neatly styled brown hair and warm, approachable eyes that soften his otherwise imposing build. The other is slightly taller still, his features sharper, a sleek tablet tucked neatly beneath one arm.

Standing between the two of them... Shen Rui looks remarkably lean.

The thought almost makes me smile.

The moment we stop in front of them, Shen Rui bows slightly.

"President Wuchen." Then his gaze shifts toward me, the rigid professionalism in his expression easing ever so slightly. "Young Master."

It isn’t a smile.

But after our conversation at the estate, I understand what that tiny change means.

"I’m glad you’re looking better," I say honestly.

A faint pause.

"...Thank you."

The words are as concise as ever, yet somehow warmer than they would have been a few months ago.

Only then does Shen Rui step slightly to one side.

"Young Master, these are my new assistants." He gestures toward the brown-haired man first. "Pei Xuan."

Pei Xuan bows neatly.

"Good morning, Young Master."

Shen Rui turns toward the taller man. "Mu Huang."

He lowers his head as well. "It’s an honor to meet you, Young Master."

I nod politely.

"Good morning. I hope Shen Rui won’t be working himself to death anymore."

For the briefest second... I could have sworn I saw Shen Rui look faintly embarrassed.

"I’ll do my best," he replies.

Bael accepts the tablet Shen Rui offers him, scanning through the morning schedule with practiced efficiency.

After a moment, he gives a small nod.

"No interruptions for the next hour."

"Understood, Sir." Shen Rui accepts the instruction immediately.

Bael reaches for my hand.

"Come."

I let him lead me toward the office doors.

Just as we walk past them, quiet voices drift behind us. Shen Rui’s calm tone comes first.

"You’ll both be handling President Wuchen’s morning schedule today."

"Understood."

That is Pei Xuan. Steady. Professional.

Then Mu Huang answers, sounding noticeably brighter.

"Leave it to us."

A quiet sigh escapes Shen Rui.

"...Don’t make me regret this."

There is a beat of silence. Then Mu Huang chuckles.

"Too late."

I can’t help glancing back over my shoulder.

Shen Rui has already started walking away, looking exactly as composed as ever, while Mu Huang casually catches up beside him. Pei Xuan merely shakes his head with a resigned smile before following after the two of them.

Somehow...

The three of them look unexpectedly... compatible.

Before I can think any further about it, Bael gently squeezes my hand and guides me through the office doors.

The doors close softly behind us, shutting out the quiet morning bustle outside.

I turn around, opening my mouth to say something, but Bael catches my waist before I can speak.

"Bael—"

With practiced, effortless strength, he lifts me slightly, walks over and sets me directly onto the edge of his big executive desk. I let my phone drop onto the smooth surface beside my hip as he steps right into my space, positioning himself between my knees. A few loose documents shift beneath my thighs, but he ignores them entirely.

He leans down, trapping me against the sleek desk.

"Remember everything we did on this desk, Runze?" Bael murmurs, his voice dropping into a low, quiet register as his hands slide up my back, supporting my weight so there is zero pressure on my stomach.

Of course I do.

My breath hitches in my throat as the memory comes rushing back.

Bael’s hand slides up to the nape of my neck, his fingers tangling into my hair as he tilts my head to the side. He bypasses my lips completely, pressing his mouth against the warm skin beneath my jaw before his tongue slowly traces the shell of my ear.

"Ngh..."

A soft gasp slips past my lips before I can stop it.

Ever since he discovered last time that my ears are my absolute weakest spot, I knew he wouldn’t hesitate to use it against me. Now, he licks the soft lobe, nipping it gently between his teeth and pulling just enough to send a sharp, shivering pulse straight down my spine.

"The doctor said we had to wait a week," Bael says against my neck, his hot breath brushing against my skin. "Do you realize it’s been a week since that appointment?"

He shifts his weight forward, nudging his hips against my thigh so I can feel the hard, undeniable pressure of his body against mine. My heart begins hammering wildly against my ribs.

"B-Bael, wait—" I stammer sweetly, bringing my hands up against his chest to hold him back. "Not right now... there are three assistants standing right outside that door. It’s not like last time when it was just Shen Rui..."

Bael pauses, pulling back just enough to look down at me. He raises one eyebrow, an amused glint lingering in his eyes.

"And why would my employees care where their boss fucks his pregnant wife?" he asks smoothly, completely devoid of any shame.

My jaw drops slightly. Looking into his dark grey eyes, I realize with a sudden wave of heat that he isn’t joking in the slightest—he is fully prepared to take me right here on this desk, three assistants outside be damned.

"Bael, you can’t—"

Suddenly, a loud, sharp ring cuts through the heavy air of the office.

Ring! Ring!

My phone, resting on the desk right beside my hip, lights up brightly and vibrates hard against the surface.

The name on the screen makes my breath catch.

Ling Yue.

Bael’s eyes flick down to the glowing display, his jaw tightening and his brow twitching in irritation at the sudden interruption. Even with the phone ringing insistently between us, his hands remain firmly around my waist.

I freeze completely, my heart pounding in my chest as I look from the ringing screen back up to Bael’s dark gaze.