Marriage Of Convenience... Yizhan ff

Even before she finished going through the photos, the Princess shot to her feet, her face lit up with pure joy. No doubt, the time had finally come. The time to scatter the Queen and her family, to finally claim their long-awaited ambition over the throne of Tianjin. These photos were exactly what they had been hoping for, exactly what they needed...undeniable evidence. Even under the strictest scrutiny, no one could claim they were fake or edited.

Without wasting time, the moment she finished flipping through the pictures one by one, she called Sikong. He didn't delay in answering....he had been waiting for her call.

"The time has finally come. You've done well, Sikong. Exceptionally well. Honestly, I wish the photos were a little more scandalous, but this… this is good enough. What's the next step? How do we get these photos into the Palace?"

"First, my money, Mom."

"Ugh, money-hungry boy. Alright, I'll send you 1M."

"Only that?"

"Only? You're sitting there, doing nothing but scheming, and I send you 1M and you call it 'only'?"

"Mom, this wasn't easy work."

"Work that will benefit you more than anyone. After all, who will inherit the throne if all goes according to plan?"

"Oh yeah, I get it."

"Good."

"So, Mom, we should print tons of copies of these photos and spread them everywhere....every corner of the Palace, the whole city. Make sure everyone sees them."

"That's the idea… but we need to be careful. You know how much the people adore King Mo Yi. If these go directly to him, he might react badly, and we don't want that. But I just remembered… Qinnu. She should be the one to deliver them. I don't want your face or name anywhere near this, at least not yet. Besides, soon enough, Qinny will have her own part to play in this."

"Good, you finalize the plan. I've already seen the money alert."

"Alright… The perfect moment to strike is during the upcoming Tianjin Grand Horse Parade. The palace will be flooded with guests, and rumors will spread faster than wildfire across Tianjin… I want you there too."

"I'll be there," Sikong replied, already planning to use the parade as an excuse to meet the new girl he had in Wuhan. With that twisted scheme agreed upon, both ended the call, satisfied. Yet, Princess Dongxia couldn't sit still. She rushed off to find Qinnu, eager to share the news.

***

Meanwhile, even though Zhan wasn't in the best of moods, his eyes couldn't help but drift around the luxurious sitting room he was seated in. He'd never been in a hotel suite so grand, so meticulously designed. You wouldn't even guess it was a hotel room....it looked more like a private residence. Judging by how comfortably Yibo carried himself in the space, it was obvious this wasn't his first time here.

Zhan figured it must be one of those exclusive suites wealthy people rent indefinitely.....the kind they keep ready for themselves whenever they visit, with staff instructed never to let anyone else in, even when they're away… though they'd still be paying for it, of course.

What really confirmed it were the rows of plaques hanging neatly along the walls....almost ten of them....resembling awards or certificates of recognition.

With a quiet sigh, Zhan tore his eyes away and clicked his tongue in frustration, just as the Prince stepped out of the bedroom. He clearly heard the annoyed sound but pretended not to.

This time, Yibo was wearing an impossibly soft, designer shirt...the kind you could tell cost a small fortune at first glance. It looked so good on him it was unfair, amplifying his natural charm and the kind of quiet allure that easily snared the hearts of countless women.

Seeing him approach the door, clearly preparing to leave, Zhan sprang to his feet and called out sharply,

"Mister, hold on...you have to take back to where you kidnapped me."

"Since the day we met, you've been calling me 'hey' or 'mister.' Did you forget the name of your husband? The father of your child? Prince Mo Wang Yibo? But, if that's too hard for you, you can just call me 'baby's daddy or my husband'" Yibo replied with a sly smile, his hand resting casually on the door handle.

Zhan, realizing his chance to escape was slipping, hurried toward the door, hoping to slip past him....but before he could reach it, the Prince yanked it shut.

By the time Zhan reached the door, he pulled at it with all his strength, but it didn't budge....not even the slightest movement. That could only mean one thing: Yibo had locked it. His frustration boiled over. He pressed his palm to his forehead, fighting back the urge to cry. What annoyed him even more was realizing he had forgotten his phone in Yibo's car. Just one call to Dr. Adrian and he would've shown up here in no time.

Left with no choice, Zhan stepped back and sat down, mentally plotting exactly what he would do to Yibo....the kind of thing that would force him to finally give up and leave him and his children alone for good.

At least eight minutes passed before Prince Yibo opened the door and walked in, carrying Zhan's bag. In his other hand was Zhan's phone. Just as he was about to close the door, the phone rang.

Both their eyes snapped to the screen. Dr. Adrian's name was flashing across it, and the moment Yibo saw it, his eyes darkened. When he'd picked up the phone earlier from the car, he'd noticed countless missed calls from that same name. A wave of sharp jealousy shot through him.

Abandoning what he was doing, he answered the call and pressed the phone to his ear.

"Sweet angel… where have you been? Where did the Prince take you? We've been worried sick looking for you."

Those were Dr. Adrian's words, striking Yibo's ears like a match to gasoline. His tone shifted immediately.....gone was the soft, coaxing prince from earlier. In his place was the cold, commanding, possessive man beneath the surface.

"Don't call Zhan again," he said, voice sharp and deadly calm. "He's with his husband. If you insist, I won't hesitate to take harsh action against you. Fool." He ended the call with a disgusted scoff.

Yibo planned to put the phone on airplane mode, but then… he saw it. The homescreen wallpaper....a picture of Jiangji and Jianghu....the twins. The sight nearly knocked the air from his lungs. His breathing faltered, his chest tight, and for a brief moment, it felt like his body forgot how to function altogether.

Before he could fully process it, Zhan snatched the phone back and stood firmly in front of him.

"Who do you think you are, telling people you're my husband? What kind of person are you, really?" Zhan snapped, glaring at him.

But Yibo wasn't even listening to the words. His mind was racing somewhere entirely different. Over and over, it whispered:

"They're your twins. Two of them. Zhan gave birth to your twins."

Before Zhan knew it, Yibo grabbed him, pulling him....and the phone....firmly into his arms, locking him there. He didn't care about Zhan's fists pounding his chest, the angry warnings, the threats to let him go.

"Thank you… thank you…" Yibo muttered breathlessly. "Thank you, Zhan…Thank you for not letting me leave like this… for not letting me walk away… Thank you for the fate that tied you to me… I'm grateful for what brought you into my life… Even after just a week apart… all this time… I had no idea… You… you've been carrying my two precious children all along… without me even knowing…"

As he spoke, his hand drifted down to Zhan's stomach, gently running over it. Instantly, Zhan slapped his hand away, tears brimming in his eyes from the overwhelming mix of anger and helplessness.

But Yibo showed no signs of letting him go…and no signs of giving up. His words carried the weight of a man determined to reclaim everything....no matter the cost.

Yibo turned him around so they were face to face, locking eyes with Zhan, his gaze dark and unreadable. His hands gripped both of Zhan's shoulders tightly as he continued speaking.

"So all this time, I've had two children… my own flesh and blood… and I didn't even know? They've been living in an entirely different world while I was stuck in mine?"

Before Zhan could react, Yibo dropped to his knees, wrapping his arms around Zhan's legs.

"Please… I'm sorry and begging you… let me see my children. Even if you decide to punish me afterward… I'll accept it… I deserve it…"

With force and anger, Zhan yanked his legs away from him. Zhan tried his best to remain composed, to stay strong, but he failed. The moment his legs fell empty, a choked, painful sob escaped him. Through his tears, he spoke:

"Children? You and your entire circle… you all convinced yourselves those children never existed. You gave them away to the strangers before they even had a chance to live their lives. You gifted them to the world as if they were never yours. You denied their existence. So… just like you've denied them all this time, keep living that lie. Because they'll never be yours again."

Zhan tried to pull his arms away, but Yibo reacted fast, grabbing his hands and locking them tightly within his own.

"It wasn't my fault, Zhan. It was out of my control. The way things were… defying it could've destroyed everything I had…"

"And now look how it's destroyed your own blood," Zhan shot back coldly.

Yibo nodded in bitter agreement. "You're right… but believe me… I had no choice. Even if I'm guilty… my guilt is small compared to the system I was trapped in. I followed orders… it's how I survived. But if you'd just sit and let me explain… maybe… maybe you'd understand."

Zhan yanked his hands free with a final, sharp tug. His expression hardened.

"Don't touch me again. Stay away from me. Open that door and let me leave. You might not understand the damage this caused, but I do."

"There's no damage… and no shame between us. Because… you're my husband."

Zhan's eyes widened in shock. He had assumed Yibo had only thrown those words around earlier to manipulate him, to stop him from leaving.

But now, with Yibo standing close, his eyes fixed intently on him, his voice steady, he confirmed it again.

"Yes… you're still my husband."

Unable to hold Yibo's intense gaze, Zhan looked away. His shoulders tensed, the weight of the situation pressing down on him.

"Stop with the fairytales," Zhan replied sharply, walking toward the door. "Just open it. You can spin whatever story you want, but I'm not listening to this one."

Yibo calmly followed him, stopping just behind him.

"It's not a story. It's the truth. I have three witnesses that can confirm it.....real, legal witnesses. I can prove it, even in court."

With that, he stepped past Zhan, opened the door, and left without looking back.

Zhan felt numb, like a shell of himself. His legs felt heavy, like they were bolted to the floor. But after a moment, he forced himself to move and quietly slipped out as well.

✨✨✨

From that day, Zhan no longer attended the events. He locked himself away in his room, physically fine, but mentally and emotionally drained. Luckily, Dr. Adrian was managing everything on his behalf, so Zhan's absence didn't cause any major problems. He received all the necessary updates and details through calls and notes.

Staying in his hotel room gave him peace of mind. He knew as long as he stayed hidden, Prince Yibo wouldn't be able to find him. He was certain Yibo was still running around, desperate to track him down....it didn't take long to figure out his obsessive personality.

But something odd kept nagging at Zhan....the messages. Sweet, persistent messages flooding his phone from an unknown number. They were filled with concern, longing… almost desperation. He never bothered to figure out who it was. He simply read them, deleted them, and moved on.

As for Yibo, he hadn't hidden anything from Xielin, who only encouraged him to stay strong and believe things would work out.

Still, not seeing Zhan was eating away at him. He hadn't gotten the answers or closure he wanted. But two things gave him some comfort.

First, he had secretly connected Zhan's phone to his. Every time Zhan changed locations, Yibo knew. Once he returned to Washington, he could track Zhan's exact address. Through that same connection, Yibo had also accessed Zhan's gallery....stealing every photo of their children, Jianghu and Jiangji.

That night, Yibo lay awake, staring at the photos as though they might disappear if he blinked. He stared at them like he was memorizing every detail, as if preparing to say goodbye to the world.

Even with all his pride and strength, even with his calculated patience.....this time, the tears came. Silent but unstoppable, falling as he stared at his children's striking resemblance to him.

In that moment, all he could think about was the Queen, how she would react to the truth, how she would look at them, how she would accept....or reject....their children.

But no matter what, Yibo had made up his mind.

This time, he was ready to challenge anyone....the Queen, the Palace and the world....for his sake, his twins and for them.

***

Prince Yibo possessed a graceful allure and quiet charm. Alone in his bedroom, his phone pressed to his ear, he was answering Qiantang's call while flipping through contract documents. His business affairs had piled up significantly, but he had abandoned everything. Zhan had frozen his entire world. It had now been seven days since Yibo last laid eyes on him, and he could feel that if another day passed, he wouldn't be able to hold himself back.... he'd go straight to the hotel room where Zhan was staying, because his heart was reaching its breaking point.

Qiantang's words pulled him out of his thoughts and made him pause, pen hovering over the papers.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you at this year's Horse Parade… everyone will be there. I'll be there too. I've missed you."

He knew Qiantang had feelings for him. She always had. She longed to be with him. But there were things.....differences in their values, and ways they never aligned.....that always made their relationship feel incomplete. Despite that, she was still his wife, and she had rights over him. So, with a composed voice, he replied:

"Don't worry. There's a major deal holding me up here. I can't guarantee I'll make it, but if everything wraps up, I'll come back so we can sort everything out."

Qiantang's voice immediately dropped with disappointment.

"Just say you're not coming," she muttered.

Yibo shook his head, chuckling. "That's not what I'm saying. I just can't confirm anything… yet."

She was about to say more, but he cut her off as a specific light and sound from his phone caught his attention....a special alert he had set.

It was confirmation: Zhan had just arrived at the airport. That meant Zhan was leaving Dubai. No problem....Yibo had people working at the airport. He quickly had them track down Zhan's flight details. The moment they confirmed it was headed to the United States, his plan shifted.

Fortunately, he already had a visa. His team found him the next available flight to the US....unfortunately, it wouldn't leave until the following evening. It wasn't ideal, but he had no choice but to accept it. He immediately began preparing for his journey, organizing everything he would need to handle the moment he landed in Washington.

Tianjin Palace, China

Dressed in an outfit radiating power, nobility, and unmatched elegance, the Queen made her way through the royal residence. She was responding to a direct summons from His Majesty himself.

Only two of her trusted aides accompanied her, Kuo yi and Ye Hai carefully chosen for the task.

Three times along the way, groups of people halted as she passed, bowing and offering their respectful greetings. She responded with the grace and authority expected of her, never missing a step.

It was as they passed the third group that she caught one of her maids, Kuo Yi, whispering behind her.

"Your Majesty, may I speak freely?"

The Queen paused slightly, her gaze forward, but her attention focused.

"Speak, I'm listening."

Kuo Yi lowered her head further in respect before continuing.

"Have you noticed… how the people we passed seem to be hiding something the moment you approach? Their body language shifts.....they act like they've seen something… something they don't want you to notice."

The Queen froze completely for a few seconds before turning to look at Kuo Yi, who, along with Ye Hai, kept their heads bowed low.

"What do you mean, exactly?"

Kuo Yi explained softly, "It's as if they've seen something… and your sudden appearance forces them to conceal it. Did you notice it too, Ye Hai?"

Ye Hai nodded firmly. "I did. Twice, before we even arrived here."

The Queen fell into deep thought for a few moments. Her expression tightened, but she remained silent.

Finally, Kuo Yi spoke again. "Your Majesty… perhaps we should keep a sharper eye out as we walk. We may see something ourselves."

The Queen nodded in approval and resumed walking, but this time her sharp gaze swept every corner, every shadow, every unfamiliar face.

Sure enough, her eyes soon caught them....a small group near one of the inner courtyards, four people in total, two men and two women. Their nervousness was obvious. One of the men, standing behind the others, had his hands hidden behind his back. They all bowed deeply upon seeing her, but their discomfort was plain.

The Queen didn't respond. Instead, she strode directly toward them, each step deliberate and commanding. None of them dared move. Her sharp eyes assessed them one by one, finally settling on the man at the back with his hands concealed behind him…

Zhanxianyibo💚❤️💛