Take Back What Belongs to Me

Lin Wan was stunned for a moment, surprised that he was willing to listen to her.

He clearly despised her to the core, so how could he believe what she said?

Besides, everything she wanted to tell him was something he could never know.

She tried to suppress her uneasiness and forced a smile.

"What can I say? I just want you to treat me better and stop bullying me."

The man's dark eyes studied her carefully, sharp like an eagle’s. After a long time, he smiled and asked,

"Just that?"

His smile wasn’t genuine. Although his lips curved slightly, his black eyes remained cold and unreadable.

Lin Wan quickly realized that he was testing her.

But there were too many things holding her back. Even if she wanted to tell him the truth, she had too many concerns.

She couldn’t let him be in danger again.

She forced herself to calm down, then smiled sweetly and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Just that? Husband, could it be that you've fallen in love with me, so I can speak freely now?"

Her smile was bright, her hands soft and delicate. The faint scent of her lingered in the air around him.

Huo Tingxiao remained expressionless as he removed her hands from his shoulders.

"Miss Lin's eyes are truly deceiving."

Her almond-shaped eyes looked so innocent, yet her heart was full of secrets.

He sneered silently, glad he hadn’t been fooled by her. But for some reason, he still felt annoyed.

His gaze shifted behind her, landing on the medicine bottle. He reached out and handed it to her.

Lin Wan was a little surprised by his unexpected kindness, but it also made her uneasy.

His expression was strange. She tried to remain calm as she took the medicine, but then she heard him chuckle softly.

"Miss Lin, you must protect the child in your belly. After all, besides him, who knows what else is true about you?"

Lin Wan choked on the bitter medicine and coughed violently.

Her face turned red, and the discomfort made her stomach ache again.

Just then, a hand gently landed on her back.

He patted her back lightly, patient and careful.

After a while, her coughing stopped. Huo Tingxiao asked softly,

"Feeling better now?"

Lin Wan was still in shock. She felt like this man had suddenly changed.

But the moment his hand rested on her stomach, her anxiety returned tenfold.

The warmth in his eyes was something she had never seen before. It didn’t feel like the right expression for someone facing her.

She was terrified and instinctively stepped back.

"W-What do you want?"

The man smiled gently, but his hand didn’t move away.

"He seems to like me."

Lin Wan was about to mock him, but suddenly, her stomach moved.

Huo Tingxiao’s eyes lit up with amusement.

"See? He moved."

Lin Wan was completely stunned.

Was this… the power of family?

At that moment, she had the urge to cry, but she didn’t dare to let him see her weakness.

She forced down her emotions and put on the same smile he was used to seeing.

"He's saying hello to his dad, honey. Do you like him too?"

Lin Wan smiled brightly, but her heart was full of anxiety.

Huo Tingxiao looked at her forced smile and suddenly lost interest.

"I think your stomach is fine now. Go back to your own bed."

After speaking, he called for Jin Bei and told her to help Lin Wan back.

The moment Lin Wan turned around, her smile froze, and panic filled her heart.

At that moment, she had no idea what he was thinking.

Jin Bei helped her lie down, carefully tucked her in, and cleaned up the dishes before leaving.

Lin Wan closed her eyes, but all she could think about was the way he had just touched her stomach.

For a brief moment, it felt like something belonged to the three of them.

She could feel that, at that moment, the child in her belly had wanted to be close to him.

Just a little warmth and tenderness—now ruined by her own hands.

Her heart was filled with bitterness.

Even though the bowls of Chinese medicine hadn’t made her cry from pain, the bitterness in her heart felt like it was about to spill over.

She wanted him to know the truth, but at the same time, she was terrified of him finding out. This contradiction tormented her to the point of despair.

What she didn’t know was that a pair of deep eyes had been watching her from the moment she lay down. Those eyes seemed as if they wanted to see right through her.

From that day on, something between them had changed.

Huo Tingxiao didn’t speak to her as harshly as before. He no longer forcefully grabbed her or choked her without warning.

Lin Wan felt like she should be happy about this, but the coldness in his eyes made her realize that something was wrong.

Maybe he had simply thought of another way to torment her.

So she pretended not to notice. She ate her meals on time, acted carefree, and sometimes even deliberately provoked him—just to keep up appearances for those around them.

In the blink of an eye, the year was coming to an end.

Her belly had grown much bigger, and Huo Tingxiao's legs were slowly recovering. He could now walk a few steps while holding onto the wall.

Lin Wan was happy for his recovery, but deep down, she felt a strange sense of loss.

It felt like something important was slipping away, but she was powerless to stop it.

That feeling of helplessness stayed with her for a long time—until that night.

The Huo family’s old mansion was unusually quiet. Even Jin Bei had disappeared after delivering dinner.

Lin Wan felt uneasy. She secretly opened the door and peeked outside, but there was no one in sight.

It was strange.

No matter what had happened before, there had always been at least one person left behind in the mansion.

Her heart pounded, an eerie feeling creeping over her, but she couldn’t figure out what was wrong.

She only understood when she saw Huo Tingxiao standing in the room, dressed in a sharp suit, holding a cane.

It was at that moment she realized—the Huo family was about to go through earth-shattering changes.

She looked at him, calm and composed, as if he had always known this day would come.

He had been prepared all along.

But as she watched him walk step by step with his cane, she couldn’t help but feel worried.

"Where are you going?"

Huo Tingxiao turned slightly and tugged at his tie with one hand. The cold, noble aura around him was something Lin Wan hadn’t seen in a long time.

At that moment, she knew—the old Huo Tingxiao had returned.

He parted his thin lips, his voice carrying the weight of someone in control.

"To reclaim what belongs to me."