The CEO's Substitute Ex-Wife-Chapter 154: A Friend in Despair

That evening, Tang Mandong drove Wen Nuan home. They had planned to go singing, but Wen Nuan had to work tomorrow and wanted to get some sleep early. However, just as they were about to arrive home, Wen Nuan received a call from **Chen Xueru**.

The voice on the phone was somewhat muffled, filled with grievance and a deep sense of despair. Wen Nuan was startled and quickly asked what was wrong and where she was. Chen Xueru was at a bar. Hearing her crying so heartbrokenly, Wen Nuan pursed her lips and said, "Mandong, let’s go to Maeling Bar. Chen Xueru seems to be in trouble."

"Why would she call you if she’s in trouble?" Tang Mandong said, but obediently turned the car towards the bar.

Wen Nuan smiled faintly. "**Sister Xueru seems to have no friends.**"

"No way, she’s been in the entertainment industry for several years; how could she have no friends?"

"It’s true," Wen Nuan said. "Last time I helped her charge her phone, her personal mobile only had two numbers: one was her agent, and the other I didn’t recognize."

She had accidentally opened it, accidentally glimpsing it, not intentionally prying into someone’s privacy.

"That’s so sad," Tang Mandong sighed. Soon, they arrived at the bar. This bar wasn’t chaotic; it was an elegantly styled establishment with tasteful decor, hazy lighting, and graceful piano music.

There were no fast songs or hot dances, only music flowing like a river, very soothing.

Chen Xueru was drinking on the sofa, having consumed an entire bottle of Bordeaux and a small portion of another. Yet, she wasn’t drunk, merely leaning against the sofa, looking sorrowful.

Tang Mandong and Wen Nuan walked over. Having worked together on a drama set, Tang Mandong wasn’t intimately familiar with Chen Xueru but held some fondness for her and didn’t leave immediately.

"Sister Xueru, why have you drunk so much?" Wen Nuan took her wine glass and placed it aside. Tang Mandong hastily moved the bottle further away.

Chen Xueru squinted, tears streaming down her face, then suddenly hugged Wen Nuan. "Wen Nuan..."

She began to sob, her tears soaking Wen Nuan’s shoulder.

"Sister Xueru, don’t cry. It’s okay, it’s okay," Wen Nuan held her. Seeing her cry so heartbrokenly, Wen Nuan felt sad too.

Tang Mandong didn’t like women who cried, but not knowing what had happened, she couldn’t comment.

Chen Xueru cried for a while before saying, "I really don’t know what to do. My heart is so bitter, so sad, and I have no friends to confide in. I could only call you, Wen Nuan, I..."

"Sister Xueru, it’s okay, it’s okay. Don’t cry first. What exactly happened?" Wen Nuan pulled out a tissue to wipe her tears.

Chen Xueru said, "My son..."

"Son?" Wen Nuan and Tang Mandong exclaimed, deeply shocked by this news. Chen Xueru was only twenty-five and unmarried. A few years ago, she had a pure, innocent image. Although she had been sidelined for these past few years, she still had high public visibility. How could she suddenly have a son?

Chen Xueru gritted her teeth, nodded, and pulled out a photo. "**This is my son.**"

Wen Nuan took it and saw a very cute little boy, around three years old, with clear features and bright eyes that conveyed intelligence. He looked very clever, but...

Why did his face look a bit familiar?

"Sister Xueru, did something happen to your son?" Wen Nuan’s only thought was this possibility. Chen Xueru shook her head, holding back the tears in her eyes, looking at Tang Mandong, then at Wen Nuan.

She wiped away her tears and continued, "Do you know about my kept woman scandal a few years ago?"

"Yes!"

"It was Gu Rui’s doing," Chen Xueru said. "I entered this industry when I was 18 and it was always smooth. Relying on my own efforts, even though I wasn’t hugely famous, I could support myself. But later, my mom got stomach cancer and desperately needed money. I was at my wit’s end. I couldn’t raise the money for my mom’s treatment. I met Gu Rui, and he was willing to pay for my mom’s treatment, but the condition was that I had to be his mistress. I had no choice; my mother’s illness required a considerable sum, and I was young and had no connections, so I could only agree to him. My mother eventually passed away. I had no family, no one. At that time, Gu Rui treated me very well, caring for me wholeheartedly, and I slowly fell in love with him. But..."

Chen Xueru pursed her lips, gritting her teeth, and said, "Later, he met Han Bi in the US and fell in love with her. I was kept completely in the dark, thinking Gu Rui would take care of me and keep his promise to marry me. My entire life revolved around him then. Once, he and Han Bi went to Las Vegas to gamble, and for some reason, they got into a conflict with the local gang leader and were captured. I was in the US at the time. Gu Rui told me to take money to ransom him and not to call the police. I foolishly went, only to find out there that the gang leader had taken a fancy to Han Bi and wanted her to spend a night with him. If Gu Rui couldn’t bear to, he would let me be the exchange."

"Damn it, that bastard! Is he even a man?" Tang Mandong exploded in anger, her temper flaring. Before Chen Xueru could finish, she burst out, "Dressed like a human, how could he do such a beastly thing? Han Bi is a person, and Sister Xueru isn’t?"

Wen Nuan pulled Tang Mandong, signaling her not to speak. This incident was a great trauma for Chen Xueru. It was amazing that Chen Xueru could still maintain her composure when she saw Han Bi that day. "Then what? What happened next?"

Chen Xueru paused. "Of course, I refused. I desperately begged Gu Rui to save me, but he hugged Han Bi and hid to the side, not daring to speak. I heard that gang was very powerful in the US, and Gu Rui simply didn’t dare to oppose them. I was originally tied up and taken to a hotel. Along the way, that man gave me a lot of drugs. I was groggy when he dragged me upstairs. Just as he was about to rape me, something happened, and he cursed a few times and left. Soon after, two people came in and took me to another room. Later... I spent a night with a stranger. I woke up in the middle of the night, terrified. Those gang members kill without batting an eye. I didn’t dare to stay and escaped that very night. After I came back, I confronted Gu Rui fiercely. Fearing I would cause more trouble, he exposed my kept woman scandal. At that time, my career was at its peak, and his exposé completely ruined it. Later, I got pregnant with Xiao Nian and gave birth to him. I left him with an aunt in the US to care for. A few days ago, Gu Rui accidentally ran into him and now he wants to snatch Xiao Nian. I’m really going crazy. I have no background whatsoever, only Xiao Nian. The Gu family is a huge business; I’m no match for them at all. Wen Nuan, what should I do?"

Wen Nuan was also furious after hearing this. What kind of situation was this?

A man did such a despicable thing and now wanted to snatch their son?

"Does he want to marry you, or does he simply just want the son?"

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