Lin Yu Yan had been crying her hearts out for almost an hour now. She could feel herself weakening as time passed by. Is she going to faint like this? Where are the people who were supposed to look for her? How about Zhuo Jingren? Did he even cared that she disappeared and stopped answering her phone? Glancing at her vibrating phone, she let out a curse. It was not Zhuo Jingren. If he would call her, she would surely answer. Didn’t he know this? Doesn’t he care at all?
The people who had been calling her are all staff and people who work directly under her. There was no Zhuo Jingren or even Bei Tian! What was happening? What about her speech? Did they forget about her?
“You are extremely stupid.” a cold voice interrupted her thoughts. She instantly froze, hoping that it was Zhuo Jingren. “For you to come here and wait for someone to find you is just stupid.” Lin Yu Yan suddenly turned around, only to see Qi Xia smoking just a few feet away from her.
“Why are you here?” she asked.
“I could ask you the same. But I already know why you are here.” he scoffed. The nearby post illuminated half of his face in the park. The smell of cigarettes instantly assaulted Lin Yu Yan’s senses.
“You were supposed to stay at the party and try to talk to Lily!”
“Like that is going to happen with her husband around.” another scoffed escaped his lips. “Bei Tian was the one who made the speech by the way and he told everyone. Including your dear father that you are sick. He got worried and left. He should be on his way to your place.”
“What!?” Lin Yu Yan rose from one of the stone benches that was placed at the park for visitors and kids to sit. “Why would they do that? I…”
“You left. Did you expect them to come and find you? Call the police because a mature woman disappeared?”
“You-“
“I am getting tired of your plans Yu Yan. Mr. Zhuo Kang had contacted me and told me that you will be in charge of having Zhuo Jingren. If you will continue doing this… then I’m afraid that he will have to ask your father to pay for his debt with him.” Qi Xia said. After his last talk with Lily just a couple of nights ago. He had realized that it would be difficult for him to have a decent conversation with Lily. She was guarded, and her sharp tongue, as well as her ability to make people mad, was top class. He had never met anyone like Lily. However, instead of losing hope and giving up, Qi Xia felt challenged. A woman like Lily deserved it all. “We both know Mr. Lin cannot afford that. Right?”
“Can’t you see? I have been extremely pushy, and I am doing my best to attract his attention. I like Jingren for a long time now! I truly do! But look! He won’t even consider all the efforts I made in arranging this whole thing! If not for him… do you think… do you think I would do all this? He originally declined this invitation! And I am sure he only agreed because of his wife!”
“Then do better! Do something more! Just do everything to get your goal!”
“Shut up!” Lin Yu Yan glared at the man in front of her. “I know you are only pushing me to do it because you like that woman! Why don’t you get her by yourself? You coward!” Lin Yu Yan snapped. She had been incomplete stress lately because of her father receiving threats from Zhou Kang and the Zhuo Family Patriarch. Because of a ‘debt’ that her father was not even aware of, she had been forced to meet a lot of men lately for marriage prospects. People with good backgrounds and family money that could potentially save them.
“Well… If you don’t want to… I can just-” he threw away his cigarette and turned his back on her.
“Stop! Qi Xia stop right there!” Lin Yu Yan ran towards Qi Xia and blocked his way. “You can’t do that! Just- Just give me time! That’s all I need. A little more time!”
“Right. Stop saying it. Show it.” Qi Xia said as he gritted his teeth. Irritation flashed in his eyes. He then left in a huff.
When Qi Xia finally left, Lin Yu Yan crumbled into a mess. She ran her hand into her hair as tears flowed into her face. The Zhuo Family was one of the most dangerous people in any industry. It was said that they have a long list of people owing them ‘favors’ – countless favors. Until now, she still wondered how her father stumbled into these kinds of people.
…..
Meanwhile, the party had been going on for over two hours now. After Old Man Lin left to go to Lin Yu Yan’s place, everyone just assumed that the latter left the party early and informed her father.
“It should be because President Zhuo brought his wife. He even insisted that she sat next to him when she was not originally invited to sit in the VIP table.” a woman wearing a purple qipao said.
“I know! Isn’t he just sweet?”
“What is so sweet about that? Flaunting their love in front of a woman who loves him? That is just selfish.” a sneer escaped the woman’s lips.
“Why do they still need to consider Miss Lin’s emotion? This party is not Miss Lin’s party, no?”
“Still-“
“Are you saying that they should agree to sit in separate tables as a respect to Miss Lin’s feelings? Isn’t that too silly? Miss Lin is the selfish person to think that she could separate a couple with her petty tricks!”
“I agree! Hmph! I hate women like this. Why would she even insist on sitting next to a married man? How shameless is that?”
The group of women continued to gossip unaware that Lily was just standing nearby listening to their conversation with a small smile on her lips. She eyed the woman in purple and slowly held her wine glass towards her. Both women gave each other a meaningful gaze before they shifted their eyes back to the people they were having the conversation with.
