Jinhai said, “Now you see, you have paid the price for what you did to my wife that night. You hurt Nana, and I hurt you. I couldn’t overlook your mistake, and now it’s balanced.”
Huian knew he had more to say. She felt a dread rise in the pit of her stomach.
“But…” He held her hand and squeezed the needle, shooting pain there and bringing tears in her eyes. “I think you were about to say something to Uncle and Aunt, which is not necessary anymore.” He smirked. “I made you pay the debt that you owed Nana with your blood. So, now I don’t hold any grudge against you anymore. I wanted to see you suffer to avenge my Nana and I did just that. So, we can all move on in our lives since there is no accountability left anymore.”
Huian was dumbstruck. She was lying there in such a state, and he wanted her to forget about it?
“But…” Jinhai narrowed his eyes. “If you try to get between Nana and me again or try to harm her, then remember that you are dealing with Liu Jinhai. I can make your life worse than it is now. And trust me, I will do it.”
He came closer to her as he whispered near her ear. “If I can push you off the balcony, then I can do anything, Huian.”
Huian numbly stayed as she was. Even if she couldn’t move, a plethora of mixed feelings was raging inside her.
Was this the man I loved all these years? How did I never get to know this side of his?
Was he good in hiding it, or was I too blind to notice it?
He was cruel. But he was cruel for Nana.
All these years I wanted that love from him; the way he is so protective, the way he could and would cross any limits for her, the way he is cold to everyone else but warm only to the one he loves.
I chased after him for so long, but it was all fruitless.
But now it was already as clear as day, not only his feelings for her but what now she felt for him.
Fear. And resentment too.
The love for him died that moment when he opened his fist, and she fell.
If he knew the truth, then why didn’t he confront me? Why didn’t he expose me? Forget about being his wife; he didn’t even care that we were childhood friends. Did he have to teach me a lesson like that?
Jinhai got up and smiled. “Get well soon, ex-wife.”
Huian watched him leave. She was sure that Nana must not be knowing about this truth. And she wanted to tell her that, not because she wanted her to hate him or create misunderstandings and separate them this time, but because she had to know what kind of a calculative monster Jinhai was.
Not only was he the cause of her condition, but he was also the reason why Suyin was raped.
‘There are many secrets hiding in here.’
Nana had to know to what lengths Jinhai could go.
—
Nana asked Jinhai as he came out. “Jinhai. How is Miss Huian?”
Jing and Yukira also got alert.
Jinhai sighed. “She cannot talk, but I sensed her hostility for me. But it is a given. She has just woken up. She will need time.”
Nana nodded.
Jinhai held her face. “Also, it is better that you stay away from her. It is not good either for her or for you. I don’t want that you to feel hurt with her reactions. Don’t listen to what she might want to say to you. It is not easy that her resentment for you will go away so soon.”
Nana faintly smiled. If it was possible, then she wanted everything to settle down. But she knew that it wouldn’t be so easy. She didn’t know what Huian would do once she fully recovered.
Will she still chase after Jinhai?
Jinhai smiled. “Let’s go.”
“Ah Jinhai, can you please drop me to Natsukashi?”
Jinhai frowned. “No. In this condition, I will not let you work. I think we had already discussed this.”
Nana shook her head. “It’s not for the whole day—just two hours max. I just want to check on it. It’s been a long time, too, that I haven’t visited it.”
Jinhai nodded. “Okay. But only two hours. Driver Mu will come at exactly one to pick you up. And you will not do any work. You will only sit and supervise.”
Nana internally face-palmed.
“Yes, husband, as you say.”
—
At Natsukashi, holding her tummy, Nana slowly walked in.
“Boss!” Dong Meiling exclaimed and hugged her.
Nana smiled. “Meiling. How are you?”
She pouted. “Not good, boss. We all here miss you very much. Natsukashi seems so empty without you.”
Nana chuckled. “I also miss you and working here.”
Meiling looked at her belly. “Wow, boss. Your belly has become so big. Is it only me, or it’s a little bigger than the average?”
“Jinhai also had the same worry. But the doctor said that it’s normal. The baby is quite chubby and big, and so is my tummy.” Nana patted on it.
Meiling’s face paled. “Will it hurt a lot? Of course, it will! The delivery will be so painful.”
Nana’s eyebrow twitched. “Are you and Jinhai some long lost siblings? Your doubts and worry are exactly the same. Even I’m not that scared as much as you both are.”
Then from the corner of the eye, Meiling saw someone familiar, and her expression turned a bit serious.
Nana noticed it and asked. “Anything wrong?”
Meiling was hesitating whether to tell this to Nana or not.
“Tell me.”
“Um, boss…” Meiling pursed her lips. “Miss Serena comes here every day, watching Natsukashi from afar. Today also she is standing there.”
Nana froze.
“She doesn’t come inside, but she just sits on the bench opposite our place. Then after a few hours, she leaves. Many times, she had asked about you, but you were on leave.”
Nana slowly turned and saw Serena sitting on the bench. She blinked her eyes rapidly as she had to check if she saw it correctly.
Serena looked so different and not in a good way. She had become too thin. She looked sick and weak. Her pregnant belly looked way more disproportionate as compared to her body. There was something in her eyes that said that she didn’t even look as if she was in her senses.
Her gaze looked… dead. It was as if Serena thought that was no meaning to her life anymore, or why was she living in the first place?
Then Nana saw a woman bump into her, but Serena said nothing. It was that woman’s fault since she was looking at her phone, yet Serena didn’t even faze a bit. If this were the Serena she knew before, then she would have created a huge ruckus and already beaten up the woman.
Serena just sat there and kept staring at Natsukashi.
Nana stood there in silence for quite some time. She didn’t want to, but the good memories spent with Serena came rushing in her mind, but then came the betrayal too.
“It wasn’t a coincidence that Serena was admitted to your school.”
“She brought Suyin back.”
“She was more of a spy than your best friend.”
Meiling interrupted her train of thoughts. “Boss, should I tell her to leave?”
But Nana said nothing.
“Boss…” Meiling didn’t know what happened between them, but she only knew that there had been a huge fight between them, which had soured their relationship.
‘This place was even livelier when Miss Serena was here too, but now…’
Nana once again didn’t reply, but instead, this time, she stepped out of Natsukashi. She crossed the road and stood in front of Serena.
Serena blinked her eyes rapidly as she realized who was standing before her. She snapped out of her stupor. She clearly didn’t expect this to happen, and now that it did, she panicked.
Serena tried to get up in haste, but it put a jerk on her belly, and she whimpered. “Ah!” She clutched her stomach.
Nana widened her eyes. “Sit! Why did you stand in a hurry?”
But Serena said nothing. Suddenly, tears gushed out of her eyes, but she did nothing to wipe them. It was as if she wasn’t in control of her emotions.
Nana was stunned.
‘Serena looks…lost.’
Her whole body language said that she was confused and anxious. She was taking deep breaths as if she had run a marathon.
Serena didn’t meet her gaze. She picked her bag and fumbled inside it. After much searching, she finally found what she was looking for.
Nana saw her take out a small bottle of pills. She popped out two of them. Serena was about to ingest them, but Nana raised her hand and stopped her.
“Wait a minute. What are those pills for?”
