The Cold CEO’s Rules

Yiran followed Lu Zeyan through the grand hallway, her fingers still loosely curled in his as he led her away from the reception.

The moment they stepped past the towering double doors and into the private wing of the estate, the sounds of the party faded behind them.

Silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating.

Yiran forced herself to breathe steadily, keeping her steps graceful despite the weight of her gown. She wouldn't be the first to break the silence.

But she didn't have to.

Because the moment they reached the dimly lit corridor leading toward what she assumed was their private suite, Lu Zeyan finally spoke.

"You wear her name well."

His voice was low, smooth—deceptively calm.

Yiran's breath caught.

She kept her expression neutral, but her pulse pounded in her ears.

He wasn't asking. He was stating a fact.

She turned her gaze up to him, searching for emotion—anger, mockery, anything. But his face remained unreadable, his dark eyes cool and assessing.

It was the same look he had given her since the ceremony.

As if she were a puzzle he had yet to solve.

Yiran forced a soft, polite laugh. "I'm not sure what you mean, President Lu."

His steps slowed.

And then, he stopped.

The sudden halt sent a sharp wave of awareness through her, but before she could step back, he turned to face her fully.

Too close.

The air between them crackled—not with warmth, not with passion, but with something more dangerous.

Yiran lifted her chin slightly, refusing to shrink beneath his gaze. "Is there something wrong, husband?"

The corner of his lips lifted slightly. Not a smile. Not quite.

And then, he leaned in.

Yiran's breath hitched.

She refused to move, refused to back away, even as the space between them disappeared.

His voice was barely above a whisper when he spoke next—but it was the most dangerous thing she had heard all night.

"Do you think," Lu Zeyan murmured, "I wouldn't notice the difference between you and your sister?"

Yiran's pulse pounded, but she kept her expression carefully blank.

Do you think I wouldn't notice the difference between you and your sister?

Lu Zeyan's words still lingered in the air between them, sharp and deliberate.

He was testing her. Watching her.

But she had played this game her entire life—standing in the background, adjusting, adapting, becoming whatever people needed her to be.

And right now, she needed to be Xia Yuxuan.

Yiran forced a soft chuckle, tilting her head slightly as if amused by his words. "My sister and I may be twins, but surely you know how different we are."

Lu Zeyan studied her, his dark gaze unreadable.

Then—unexpectedly—he smirked.

Not a real smile. Something colder. Sharper.

"Of course," he murmured. "After all, she ran."

Yiran's stomach twisted.

There it was. The first real strike.

He was letting her know—he knew Yuxuan had disappeared. He knew this marriage had been arranged in desperation.

But what did he actually know?

Did he suspect she was a replacement? Or did he believe she had willingly stepped into her sister's place?

She couldn't let him see her uncertainty.

Yiran let out a light breath, carefully placing her hands together. "She was never the responsible one."

Lu Zeyan hummed lightly, watching her reaction.

And then, suddenly—he stepped back.

Just like that, the crushing tension between them disappeared.

His expression was cool again, unreadable. As if the entire exchange had meant nothing to him.

But she knew better.

He had tested her. And for now, she had passed.

Then he spoke again.

"Since we are now husband and wife," he said casually, as if discussing a business contract, "there will be rules."

Yiran inhaled slowly, steadying herself. Of course there would be rules.

"First," he continued, "you will not involve yourself in my affairs."

A pause.

His voice was even, but there was an edge to it—a quiet warning.

"You are free to do as you please, as long as you stay out of my way."

Yiran's nails pressed lightly into her palms.

He wasn't treating her as a wife. He was setting boundaries.

This wasn't a marriage. It was an arrangement.

A cage with golden bars.

Yiran exhaled slowly, lifting her gaze to meet his. "Understood."

Lu Zeyan watched her for a second longer before turning away. "Good."

Then, as if the conversation was already over, he strode toward the massive double doors at the end of the hallway.

But just as he reached them, he paused.

Without turning back, he spoke—calm, indifferent.

"And one more thing."

Yiran braced herself.

Then—

"You will not run."

Her breath caught.

The words were quiet, spoken with absolute certainty. Not a threat.

A fact.

And somehow, that made it even more terrifying.

The words settled into the air between them, heavier than the silence that followed.

You will not run.

Lu Zeyan hadn't said it as a warning. He hadn't said it with anger or cruelty.

He had said it as a fact.

As if her thoughts of escape had already been predicted. Accounted for. Controlled.

Yiran inhaled slowly, steadying herself.

She wouldn't let him see that his words had shaken her.

By the time she lifted her gaze again, he was already walking away, his tall frame disappearing behind the heavy double doors at the end of the hallway.

And just like that, she was alone.

Yiran barely had time to exhale before a new presence entered the space.

A maid appeared, her steps quiet but purposeful.

"Madam," the woman said softly, lowering her head in a respectful bow. "Your room has been prepared."

Yiran's fingers curled slightly.

Her room.

Not their room.

So that was how this would go.

There would be no wedding night. No warmth. Not even the illusion of a real marriage.

Somehow, she wasn't sure whether to feel relieved—or insulted.

Still, she forced a polite smile and nodded. "Thank you."

The maid stepped aside, guiding her toward a separate wing of the estate.

Yiran followed, her mind whirling with unspoken questions.

Why had Lu Zeyan married her? If he knew she wasn't Yuxuan, why hadn't he exposed her?

And most importantly—

What did he truly want from this marriage?

The doors to her bedroom opened.

The space inside was luxurious—a gilded cage of marble and silk. Everything was flawless, untouched, arranged to perfection.

Yet somehow, it felt colder than any place she had ever been.

The moment she stepped inside, the doors clicked shut behind her.

And for the first time that night, Yiran felt the weight of it all.

This wasn't just a marriage of convenience.

It was a power game. A silent battle.

And she had just become a player in a game she didn't even know the rules to.

Yiran sat on the edge of the massive bed, staring at the dimly lit room around her.

Silence.

Not the peaceful kind. The suffocating kind.

The events of the day pressed down on her like a crushing weight—her forced marriage, Lu Zeyan's unsettling words, the realization that she wasn't just trapped in a loveless union.

She was trapped in something far more dangerous.

Her fingers traced the delicate embroidery of her gown. Still in her wedding dress.

Still in a stranger's house.

Her house now.

The thought made her chest tighten.

She exhaled, slowly pushing herself off the bed. The fabric of her gown whispered against the marble floor as she moved toward the vanity mirror.

Her reflection stared back at her, perfect and polished—a bride in name only.

She reached up, fingers brushing against the delicate earrings Yuxuan had once chosen for herself.

She had stolen someone else's life.

Or had it been stolen from her first?

A soft knock at the door made her freeze.

She turned sharply, heart hammering.

"…Yes?"

A maid entered, carrying a small wooden box wrapped in gold ribbon. "Madam, this was left for you."

Yiran's brows furrowed. "By who?"

The maid hesitated, bowing slightly. "It was already here when we prepared the room."

Yiran swallowed. Already here?

Her fingers curled around the smooth edges of the box as the maid quietly left the room.

She stood there for a long moment, staring at it.

Then, slowly, carefully, she pulled the ribbon loose and lifted the lid.

Inside was a single folded note.

Yiran's pulse quickened as she picked it up, her hands unusually cold against the fine paper.

She unfolded it, scanning the words.

And then—

Her breath caught.

"You shouldn't be here."

The handwriting was clean. Precise.

But the message was clear.

Someone wanted her gone.

Yiran's grip tightened on the note.

"You shouldn't be here."

The words stared back at her, sharp and deliberate.

Her mind raced. Who had sent this?

Someone from the Lu family? A servant? A stranger who knew the truth?

Or worse—was it meant for Yuxuan?

The thought sent a cold shiver down her spine. If this note had been left before she arrived, then whoever had written it had been expecting her sister.

Not her.

Yiran exhaled slowly, forcing herself to think.

If this was a warning, then it meant two things.

One: There was a secret in this house—one big enough that someone wanted Yuxuan gone.

Two: Whoever left this note had no idea that the wrong sister had taken her place.

Her fingers curled around the fine paper, the edges slightly crinkling under her touch.

If she revealed that she wasn't Yuxuan, would that make her a target?

Her heart pounded.

A flicker of movement in the mirror caught her eye.

She stiffened.

Slowly, carefully, she turned her head toward the open balcony doors. The curtains billowed slightly, swaying with the cool night breeze.

Had she left them open?

The thought made her blood run cold.

Yiran set the note down on the vanity, moving toward the balcony with careful steps. Her silk gown whispered against the marble floor, the only sound in the silent room.

Her pulse drummed in her ears as she reached the doorway, her breath shallow.

She stepped outside.

The night air was crisp against her skin. The city lights sparkled below, stretching far beyond the estate's gated grounds.

Everything looked normal. Empty.

And yet—

She couldn't shake the feeling that someone had been watching her.

Her fingers tightened around the railing.

Whatever this was, whatever game she had been forced into—she wasn't the only player.

And now, it was only a matter of time before the real opponent revealed themselves.