Episode Summary
Xu Yan confronts Shen Haoming after learning the truth about his child and his manipulation of her career. He admits their marriage is a transaction, leaving her heartbroken. He uses her job to keep her in line, forcing them into a public performance of a happy marriage. At a charity event, a changed Xu Yan begins to extravagantly spend Shen Haoming's money, signaling a new phase in their conflict.
Spoiler Alert
The Truth Comes Out
Xu Yan Confronts Shen Haoming
Xu Yan knows. Fang Lei told her everything. She comes home, and Shen Haoming is laying the loving husband act on thick. It doesn't work. She feels completely empty.
She tells him straight up. She knows about his illegitimate child. She knows he's been pulling strings in her career. She even knows the people around her are his plants. They are all there to boost his own business.
Shen Haoming doesn't take it well. He gets angry and pulls out a file. It's a full background check he ran on her and her family.
A Marriage Built on Lies
He drops the bomb. He knew her family background was fake the whole time. He says he was attracted to her ambition. So he helped her build this new identity. He wanted to marry the "perfect" woman he helped create.
It all clicks for Xu Yan. Their entire relationship was a transaction. It was never about love. It was about his goals. Shen Haoming doesn't even deny it. He admits everything he did had a purpose.
All those expensive gifts he gave her? They weren't from the heart. They were payments. They were bonuses for a job well done in their business partnership. Xu Yan is completely heartbroken. She now knows for sure that her husband feels nothing for her.
The Aftermath
A Power Play
Xu Yan is surprisingly calm. She tells Shen Haoming she will agree to a divorce. She is done pretending.
But he's not letting her go that easily. He threatens her with her career. He reminds her that her position as the main news anchor isn't permanent yet. The job suddenly feels like a trap she wants to escape.
Later, her boss praises her work. She's told the higher-ups are happy and want her to stay. Xu Yan realizes Shen Haoming was right. Her job is a huge asset to him.
The Public Performance
Xu Yan tries one last time. She cooks for him. She admits she lied, but only because she loved him so much. She just wanted to earn his love. She even says she will accept his child.
His response is brutal. He just calls her a good actress.
So, they become a couple for the cameras only. During a press event, he's all over her, faking affection. Xu Yan can barely speak. She feels like he's sending her secret warnings right there in front of the reporters. He can also understand the hidden meanings in her words. After the cameras are gone, he treats her like an employee. He orders her to smile more for the charity event the next day.
Tangled Side Plots
Fang Lei's Desperate Move
Fang Lei calls Shen Haoming and threatens to kill herself. He rushes to her place. He is ice cold. He tells her she should die for telling Xu Yan the truth. He literally says he wants to watch her do it.
Of course, Fang Lei is just bluffing. She's scared of dying and has a total meltdown.
Qiao Lin's Messy "Help"
Qiao Lin goes to see Yu Yiming. She finds a patient's family yelling at him. She decides to handle it. She secretly meets the family and offers them money to go away. To make it convincing, she claims she's Yu Yiming's lover.
Yu Yiming gets reported and has no idea why. He eventually forgives Qiao Lin, which makes her happy. The hospital talks to the family, and they finally understand the situation was complicated.
The Charity Gala Showdown
At the big charity event, Xu Yan and Fang Lei are surprisingly civil to each other. They act like good friends. This makes Shen Haoming furious. He tells Fang Lei to get lost.
He looks at Xu Yan and sees she's changed. She's quiet and distant. Then the auction starts. Xu Yan begins bidding wildly on items. She's spending his money like there's no tomorrow.
Shen Haoming can't do anything. They are surrounded by people. He just watches, thinking she's finally showing her true colors as a gold digger.
