Divorced from the Cold CEO Who Lived by the Rules (GL, ABO) - Chapter 1

Today is the Qixi Festival. Xu Zhen is working overtime on a magazine shoot. Her S-class Alpha wife, Jiang Ruan, whose beauty is cold and refined with sculpted brows and eyes that seem to hold distant stars, is currently accompanying her first love, Xing Yan, a 100 percent compatibility Omega.

Xu Zhen stares blankly at the scandalous photo on her phone. Xing Yan embodies the classic Omega beauty: long silky hair, delicate features enhanced by subtle yet exquisite makeup, warm amber eyes that stir tenderness, and a doll-like face that naturally invites protection.

Standing next to Jiang Ruan, one cold and detached, the other gentle and affectionate, they look like the perfect match.

“Not going to catch them in the act?” her Alpha colleague Xue Long leans over, the soft scent of perfume drifting between them.

“No.” Xu Zhen subtly leans away to show her disinterest.

Xue Long’s smile fades slightly. “You’re surprisingly calm.”

Xu Zhen ignores the sarcasm. Their relationship has always been strained. Both are artists under Jiahua Entertainment, but Xue Long receives far better treatment.

With powerful connections, supportive parents, and society’s expectation that Alphas pass on superior genes, Xue Long is the company’s shining star. Her status is unshakable.

Xu Zhen, by comparison, is easily overlooked.

Since Xing Yan returned to the country and rumors of trouble in Xu Zhen and Jiang Ruan’s marriage spread, many have distanced themselves, eager to side with whoever seems to be winning.

Xu Zhen is used to it. She doesn’t care about people’s shifting loyalties. But with her contract at Jiahua about to expire and no plans to renew, the company has begun retaliating more openly.

First, they forced her into low-budget films with inexperienced actors. Then they restricted her public appearances and canceled most of her scheduled work. When Jiang Ruan didn’t intervene, they stripped away all of her endorsements.

Today’s shoot only happened because the brand specifically requested her.

Xu Zhen feels no loyalty to Jiahua. Her manager has been useless from the beginning. Every job she landed came from her own auditions. Even after gaining popularity for playing a villain, she never received strong scripts.

She knows how the company sees her. To them, she is just Jiang Ruan’s wife. They expect Jiang Ruan to fund projects for her, saving effort while enjoying the benefits.

But Xu Zhen refuses to rely on Jiang Ruan for everything.

Their love was impulsive. They fell for each other at first sight and got married within a month. At the time, Jiang Ruan was under pressure from her family to settle down, while Xu Zhen was tired of her mother Bai Zhi’s constant matchmaking. They eloped, catching both families off guard and infuriating them.

The Jiangs wanted Jiang Ruan to marry a gentle, well-bred Omega. Bai Zhi hoped Xu Zhen would end up with a dependable Beta.

Bai Zhi, who was frail and bedridden, feared dying and leaving her daughter alone. So she obsessed over finding her a stable marriage.

In her eyes, whether Alpha or Omega, neither made a suitable daughter-in-law. Both could fall into uncontrollable heat or rut cycles and cheat under the pull of pheromones. But Xu Zhen ignored all of that and chose an Alpha, which only deepened her mother’s disappointment.

Even setting aside outside pressures, the distance between Xu Zhen and Jiang Ruan shaped much of Xu Zhen’s personality.

Jiang Ruan ran her family’s business and was constantly swamped with work. When Xu Zhen was busy filming, it wasn’t unusual for them to go six months without seeing each other.

Xu Zhen often felt their three-year marriage had survived this long only because of physical attraction.

They rarely talked. Communication was limited. But every time they reunited, it was like striking a match. The chemistry was immediate, intense, and flawless behind closed doors.

Xu Zhen was content with that. She assumed Jiang Ruan felt the same.

Lost in thought, she barely noticed when Xue Long waved a pale, elegant hand in front of her face. The movement of her slender fingers was oddly attention-grabbing.

“What’s going on in that head of yours? You’ve been zoning out for ages.”

“None of your business,” Xu Zhen replied without even looking at her.

Xue Long followed her with a smirk. “Feeling a little off? Maybe try some herbal medicine?”

“No thanks,” Xu Zhen said dryly. “At this point, herbs won’t help. I’d need something stronger. Like pesticide.”

Xue Long blinked in surprise, but Xu Zhen wasn’t done.

“And maybe you should stop drinking those weird detox things. You might lose all interest in life.”

“Wait, seriously?” Xue Long’s eyes lit up in amusement, then her tone softened. “Are you… worried about me?”

Xu Zhen paused and replied in a flat voice. “No.”

“I was being sarcastic. Can’t you tell?”

Xue Long was always like this. Aloof, hard to read, and emotionally out of sync. Xu Zhen felt like they were on completely different wavelengths. Add to that their status as direct competitors within Jiahua, and the gap between them only widened.

Sometimes, Xu Zhen was thankful to be a Beta. If she had been an Alpha, she and Xue Long would likely be locked in open rivalry.

Betas were seen as ordinary and non-threatening. Xu Zhen flew under the radar, and most of her fans were Betas like her.

She had influence, especially within that demographic. But even then, she couldn’t shake the feeling that her presence barely registered among the Alphas’ priorities. Maybe that was why Xue Long even bothered to talk to her. Why waste energy on someone who posed no real threat?

Xue Long tilted her head. “And here I thought you cared.”

She changed the subject quickly. “The shoot’s dragging on. Want to grab dinner later? You’re by yourself anyway.”

Xu Zhen saw through her in an instant. She turned and looked at her directly, eyes narrowing.

Xue Long shifted under the weight of her gaze. “What’s with the look? Is that a yes or no?”

“Thanks, but no.” Xu Zhen answered without hesitation. “I haven’t even sorted things out with Jiang Ruan. I don’t have the time or energy to get involved with another Alpha.”

Xue Long’s face showed a trace of regret. “If you can’t hold onto the sand, it’s better to let it slip through your fingers. Staying stuck in this love triangle won’t do you any good.”

“Other than damaging your reputation,” she started to say, but under Xu Zhen’s cold and slightly impatient gaze, she quickly changed the subject. “So you’ve made up your mind to leave Jiahua?”

“Yes.”

“Where are you planning to go next? Sign with another agency or start your own studio?”

Xu Zhen didn’t respond. She hadn’t thought that far ahead. After years of fame, she had earned more than enough to live comfortably. Even if she left the entertainment industry now, she had no urgent financial concerns and could afford to act on impulse.

Her thoughts drifted. In the past, she had pushed herself to the limit to cover Bai Zhi’s medical expenses, working non-stop for years without rest. Maybe now it was finally time to pause and clear her mind.

Xue Long studied her. Xu Zhen was undeniably beautiful. Every facial feature, both individually and combined, was striking. She had long, graceful eyebrows, perfectly shaped double eyelids, and eyes with a natural seductive curve that lifted outward. Her dark pupils were soft and deep. Her high, elegant nose gave her profile a proud and refined appearance. She carried an air that was both alluring and distant.

What Xue Long disliked the most were Xu Zhen’s lips. Though they were full, red, and lovely like rose petals, they had once kissed Jiang Ruan.

“Why not join my studio?” Xue Long asked, cautiously choosing her words. “I’m planning to leave Jiahua and set up my own team. I can give you the best terms.”

She added more deliberately, “For old times’ sake. We’ve worked together for seven years.”

Xu Zhen turned her down as always. “Thanks, but I’m not planning to sign with anyone right now.”

A crew member walked over carefully. “Ladies, we’re ready to continue. Please get your makeup touched up.”

Xu Zhen nodded and walked away without looking back.

Xue Long remained in place, her eyes filled with quiet resignation.

The shoot finished without a hitch. By 11:30 p.m., Xu Zhen had wrapped up all her work. She gathered her things, said goodbye to the crew, and headed toward the elevator that led to the parking garage.

Just as the doors were about to close, Xue Long stepped inside. “Just made it.”

Xu Zhen glanced at her briefly but didn’t respond. She crossed her arms and looked away.

Xue Long tried again. “Did you drive? Want a ride? It’s late and not the safest time to be out alone.”

“No need.” Xu Zhen held up her phone. “I drove.”

Xue Long fell silent. Before she could say anything more, the elevator arrived on the ground floor.

Xu Zhen stepped out without hesitation, the sound of her heels echoing sharply. Xue Long hesitated for a moment, then followed her but stopped after a few steps. She lingered in the shadows and looked ahead.

Jiang Ruan was standing there.

Clearly, she had been waiting for Xu Zhen for a while.

Xue Long had assumed that Jiang Ruan would be spending the whole night with Xing Yan.

Jiang Ruan stood quietly beside the car, tall and calm, naturally drawing attention. Xu Zhen glanced at her briefly but quickly looked away and continued walking toward her own car.

Their relationship was messy and ambiguous. But that didn’t mean Xu Zhen could accept seeing her legally married wife spend such a significant night with someone else.

Her expression stayed cold as she walked faster.

Her car was parked farther away. The sharp clicking of her heels echoed through the parking lot, steady and clear.

Another set of footsteps soon followed her. Out of the corner of her eye, Xu Zhen saw Jiang Ruan catching up. She was wearing a mask and reached out with her hand.

Xu Zhen sidestepped to avoid her and walked faster toward her vehicle.

But Jiang Ruan moved even faster.

She caught Xu Zhen’s arm. Her calm voice carried a trace of confusion. “Why didn’t you wait for me?”

“Don’t you want to see me on Qixi Festival?”

That question pushed Xu Zhen past her breaking point. She shook Jiang Ruan’s hand off, and when Jiang Ruan stepped closer again, she slapped her forearm sharply.

The sound echoed clearly in the quiet air.

“You’re angry,” Jiang Ruan said quietly. Her lips curled slightly. “You hit my left arm. Want to hit the right one too?”

She turned slightly and offered her other arm without saying a word.

But Xu Zhen didn’t want to argue anymore. She was simply too tired. She gave Jiang Ruan a push and muttered, “Enough.”

“Go home. I want to be alone tonight.”

Jiang Ruan didn’t let go. She tightened her grip and frowned.

“Why?”

“I prepared a surprise for you. Don’t you want to see it?”

Backed into a corner, Xu Zhen slowly turned around and looked at her.

“Oh? Was Xing Yan part of that surprise too?”