Contract Marriage: The President's Stand-in Lover - Chapter 10:

Beneath the Surface

That bowl of porridge was like a pebble dropped into still water quiet,

almost invisible at first, but the ripples it left between

Vivian and Gu Chen spread wider and deeper with every passing day.

The frost between them had not completely melted, but the suffocating tension in the air

began to ease. They still didn’t talk much, yet their silence was no longer hostile.

It was… gentler, almost calm.

One evening, when Vivian returned from the foundation, she was surprised to

find Gu Chen already home. He sat on the living room sofa,

his brows furrowed, eyes locked on the tablet in his hand.

For a moment she hesitated. Then she approached softly and asked what was wrong.

Something about his stillness felt heavier than usual.

He lifted his gaze briefly, said nothing, and handed her the tablet.

On the screen flashed a breaking headline:

Lin Corporation Faces New Crisis Core Technology Stolen, Partners Pull Out!

Vivian’s face drained of color. Her fingers trembled as she scrolled through the article.

The report detailed how the company’s newest research data had been stolen by competitors,

leading several major partners to terminate contracts. Funding was collapsing again.

How could this be happening… Her voice broke into a whisper, trembling with disbelief.

Her father’s company had only just begun to recover how could disaster strike again so soon?

I’ve already sent people to investigate, Gu Chen said. His tone was calm but steady,

solid in a way that steadied her too. Early signs suggest an inside betrayal.

Someone was bought off, working with competitors to set this up.

Vivian looked up at him, eyes wide and uncertain. For the first time, the strength she had tried so

hard to maintain faltered. Then what do we do now?

My father can’t handle this again…

He studied her pale face for a long moment before speaking, each word measured and clear.

Listen to me. Panic won’t solve anything. I’ve already taken steps.

He began to list them, organized and precise.

First, I’ve arranged an emergency fund through Gu Group to keep Lin Corporation’s

operations afloat. That will prevent immediate collapse.

Second, my legal and tech teams are tracing the data breach and

gathering evidence for prosecution. Third, and most importantly he paused, eyes steady on hers

I need you to keep your father calm, and use what you know about the company to

help us find the insider responsible.

His words pierced through her chaos like a lighthouse beam cutting through fog.

She hadn’t realized that while she was lost in fear, he had already moved quietly,

decisively, to protect everything she cared about.

Why… why are you helping me like this? she asked softly, her voice catching.

This isn’t part of our agreement.

Gu Chen’s gaze lingered on her, unreadable. There was curiosity there, and thoughtfulness

and something else she couldn’t quite name.

Lin Corporation carries Gu Group’s investment, he said at last. If it falls,

Gu Group’s name suffers too. And I don’t take kindly to people making moves in my territory.

It was a flawless, rational explanation. But Vivian couldn’t shake the sense that it wasn’t

the whole truth. If it were only business, he wouldn’t have involved her so personally.

He wouldn’t have looked at her like that.

What can I do? she asked, forcing herself to stay calm.

Her father’s company needed her more than ever, she couldn’t afford to lose focus.

You handle your father, keep him stable and out of the company’s affairs.

Leave the rest to us.

He walked to his desk and handed her a file. Inside was a list of former employees

who had access to the company’s core data.

Look through it carefully, he said. See if anyone stands out someone your father mentioned,

anyone who might have held a grudge.

She took the file. The weight of it felt heavier than paper it was trust.

I’ll go through it, she promised.

And another thing, he added, his voice taking on that commanding edge she knew so well.

Until this is resolved, don’t go anywhere alone. If you visit the hospital,

take the driver and a bodyguard.

She blinked. You think they might come after me?

He didn’t answer directly, but his steady gaze said enough.

Something warm something she didn’t dare name stirred quietly in her chest.

He was protecting her.

I understand. Thank you, she said softly.

The next few days blurred into long hours and sleepless nights.

Vivian threw herself into the investigation, combing through the list,

recalling old conversations with her father, interviewing a few trusted employees.

Gu Chen was busy too, often working late, but he always found time to hear her updates.

Their exchanges became natural, almost effortless. They talked not about

contracts or obligations, but about clues, leads, and strategies.

There’s a deputy manager in finance, Zhang Tao, Vivian said one evening,

pointing to a name on the list. My father once mentioned he was unhappy about

being passed over for a promotion.

Gu Chen took the file, his eyes flicking over the details. His expression softened slightly.

The tech team has already noticed unusual data access from the finance department.

Your information helps confirm that. Good work.

Those two words good work sent a faint thrill through her.

After days of anxiety, it felt like sunlight breaking through heavy clouds.

Tomorrow I’ll talk to Mr. Li from R&D, she said. He’s been there for years,

he might know something we’ve missed. Her tone carried an unspoken ease,

as if they were already partners.

Gu Chen looked up at her then. Her face was thinner from exhaustion,

but her eyes were bright with purpose.

Alright, he said simply. Take Chen with you for protection.

She nodded.

And so it went for days they worked side by side, silent allies drawn together by a common goal.

Vivian found herself no longer the passive, invisible wife bound by a contract.

She was contributing, acting, thinking. And in doing so, something between them began to shift.

He still spoke little, still wore that composed mask, but when he looked at her,

there was something new something warmer, almost approving.

Then, one night, she found it.

A pattern in the data. A name. Zhao Qian, an employee from marketing.

A week before the leak, Zhao had suddenly taken leave and booked a flight abroad.

That same day, her account received a large transfer from an overseas firm.

Vivian’s heart raced. She grabbed the documents and ran upstairs,

knocking on Gu Chen’s study door.

Gu Chen! I think I found something!

He was on a call. When he saw her burst in, he murmured a few words

to the person on the line and hung up.

Look Zhao Qian! she said, breathless, spreading the papers before him.

The timing, the money trail it all fits!

He read quickly, his eyes narrowing as he pieced it together.

A sharp glint flickered in his gaze. Then he looked up at her,

her cheeks flushed with excitement, and a small, rare curve touched his lips.

Well done.

The two simple words struck deeper than praise. Her pulse stumbled.

Their eyes met and, in that silence, something electric passed between them,

soft yet undeniable.

Only then did Vivian realize how close she’d come, how his familiar scent of cedar surrounded her,

cool and intoxicating. Her heart thudded in her chest, and warmth crept up her neck.

I… I’ll let you get back to work, she stammered, turning to leave.

Vivian.

His voice stopped her. Deep, low, and steady. It was the first time he had

spoken her name her name not as Miss Lin, not as Mrs. Gu. Just… Vivian.

She froze. Her breath caught.

Get some rest, he said quietly. Let the professionals handle the rest.

She nodded without looking back and left the room, her steps quick,

as if fleeing from something she couldn’t name.

Inside her room, she leaned against the door, pressing a trembling hand to her chest.

Her heartbeat was wild, her face still hot.

That voice, that look, that single word from his lips each fell into her

heart like stones in a still pond, sending endless ripples outward.

The Lin Corporation crisis was far from over, but Vivian could feel something else

shifting beneath the surface something fragile and dangerous taking root between them.

It scared her.

But part of her, the part she could no longer silence, was already waiting for what would come next.