Chapter 192 - Twisted Truth [2]

"Why did you came to revenge on us when you were the one who killed him?" 

"I didn't expect your family to bury him" he snarls, raging radiating from him. "All I wanted was him to get fired!"

"You clearly wanted that otherwise why would you do all those things to him? You even thought to kill him!" Shi Lian yells. She earlier felt sorry for the both of them but now she knows that this man doesn't deserve her pity. She thought that her family is at fault but they aren't. Although the murder was wrong what Tingyu Gu was unacceptable. 

"I didn't kill him! Your family did!" he bellows. He does not want to accept the fact that he is the one who killed his brother.

Shi Lian does not understand why would he still show emotions when he clearly hated his brother? He should be happy when his brother died. That should be the case, right? 

"But you planned it all" Shi Lian fires back, her face serious and she glaring right at him. 

His face twists in anger and he is shaking because of how much pumped he is. "I thought they will only fire him but I didn't know they wanted to kill him" his voice cracks as he looks down. 

He is more twisted than anything Shi Lian has thought of. Wasn't he the one who recorded their plan of killing him? So why is he saying he has no idea about the plan? 

"The video wasn't recorded by me" he speaks before Shi Lian can ask him. "I went to do your third uncle's work somewhere and told Yu, another worker to record it."

"When did you know about it then?" she asks, her eyebrows are knit together and she trying hard to comprehend what this man wants. 

He says keeping his head down. Shi Lian is surprised to see him emotional for the first time and so submissive. "When they went to kill him. I went to the location as fast as I could but when I reached there, they have already killed him."

After a pause, he adds, "I recorded their dirty deeds and swore to take revenge on you people."

He tilts his head and glares at her. 

Shi Lian knows one thing which is, her family isn't at fault. This man who claims that her father and uncles killed his stepbrother is the wrong one 

"Stop saying that you want revenge," he says firmly. She is tired of yelling and tired of all this drama. "You did the plotting, you made your brother the scapegoat, you pushed him and at the end because of you, he was killed."

"No!" he bellows. Hearing what is actually the truth tightens his chest with pain. He hated his brother. Did he really hate him? 

No, he didn't. He loved him, deep down he did but eventually his hatred took over him and destroyed everything. 

"I didn't kill him! No, I didn't!" he screams, and tears come out of his eyes without stopping. His emotions are choking him and his chest feels so tight that he feels he cannot breathe. 

Shi Liam sighs and decides to leave the room. Whatever answers she wanted she have it now. She feels sad for Chuanli actually. He was innocent after all. Her face sulks as she steps out of the room, leaving Tingyu Gu in that state. 

Zichen immediately comes to her side and holds her by her shoulder. "Are you okay?" he asks gently. He does not know what they talked about and he isn't going to ask her either. He won't ask anything unless she volunteers herself to say so. 

"The truth was much twisted than I imagined" she sighed heavily. Zichen walked with her out of the building, telling his guards to watch out for the man. 

Her head remains downcast and all that he told her is roaming in her mind. Her father still thinks the murder was wrong and it was their fault. She should tell him; she wants to but she is afraid. She cannot bear to see her father in any sort of problem. He isn't fully healthy yet and telling him the truth might not be the best time. 

Once they are out, Zichen asks her in a worried tone, "Will you be able to go? Shall I drop you home?"

She shakes her head and gives him a faint smile. "I can manage. Thank you." She kisses him on his lips softly before going to her car. 

He can see Shi Lian isn't in great condition and that worries him. He stands by the side and watches her getting inside her car. The engine starts and within seconds Shi Lian is out of his sight. 

**

When she reaches home, she sees a familiar figure from inside her car. She steps out of her car and walking closer, she finds Evelyn who is standing leaning on her car, and her eyes are glued to her phone. 

"What are you doing out here?" Shi Lian asks, pushing the strand of her hair behind her ear. 

When Evelyn turns her head to her side, instead of smiling, she narrows her eyes and frowns at her. "Wow! You are asking me? Where were you when I tried reaching you? Do you even have a phone with you?"

Shi Lian remembers the numerous times Evelyn called her but she didn't receive a single one because of the situation. She feels guilty that despite she is her best friend, Shi Lian cannot tell her what is going on. 

"I...well...I was busy...and—" 

"Shut up! Stop bringing up the same excuse!" Evelyn cuts her midsentence fiercely. Shi Lian can say that Evelyn is furious and upset too. "You didn't even bother to receive one call of mine. You didn't even reply to any of my texts! What is wrong with you Shi?"

Shi Lian opens her mouth to say but nothing comes out. What is she supposed to say? Her family secrets are too twisted. Telling more people will only bring harm. 

The more Shi Lian remains quiet, Evelyn gets furious more. "Say something, Shi Lian!" she demands, her tone loud enough for the people inside the house to hear. Evelyn is disappointed. She thinks that Shi. Lian has changed, she has changed so much after coming here. She rarely talks and she keeps secrets. She is afraid if their friendship starts to falter. 

"I can't! Sorry, but I can't" Shi Lian lets out, her expression grave that she cannot meet her eyes. Evelyn is having a hard time understanding what is going on with her. She once used to tell her everything but now? She barely says anything to her. 

Evelyn sighs heavily and asks her in a more neutral tone, "Shi, is there anything bothering you?" She searches her face, finding something but her head remains downcast and her body shakes. 

"I can't tell you, Eve...I am sorry" she asserts with her voice thick with emotions. 

It pains Evelyn to see Shi Lian like this. She also notices that Shi Lian has lost weight snd something about her is off. Without thinking about anything, she hugs her tightly and gently rubs her back saying everything will be fine. 

Shi Lian thought she will make it out without crying but she cannot hold herself. Her chin quivers and she sobs. 

"Hshhshh...there there" Evelyn assures her, gently rubbing her back and forth. "Don't hold back."

All the emotions, everything that was choking her, she chooses to let it all out. Shi Lian knows that she can never put her strong exterior in front of Evelyn.. She knows her too well.