April 1, 20xx

Beijing

The Previous Day

The words were like a knife that plunge into her heart.

Yan Shi always treated Madam Bai as her second mother albeit the bland treatment the woman gives her. She reckoned that the elegant looking lady will be more satisfied of her if she changes herself and attend all those etiquette training she lacked. Often times, the woman criticized her behind his back but accepted them meekly and remained respectful due to the fact that she will be her future mother-in-law.

But apparently, her efforts to better herself never appeased the woman and the latter still considers her an outsider in this family. In fact, she is not the first one to remind her because she heard it repeatedly from Wang Nanfu's family and friends even in the presence of Yan Dengfeng but the man never said anything or corrected them.

And to experience being ridiculed as an intruder to a happy family is not only distressing but also humiliating.

It was only Bai Haifeng who made her feel different. He became her anchor at those times when she got verbally abused by these people.

He kept reminding her, she is not one.

But hearing the words from the mother of the person she thinks she loved, it's completely different.

Her eyes fell on her sister.

In her head, this woman's profession is just right for her.

On the outside, she looks pitiful but actually, her heart is very dark, always wanting to be better than anyone else.

At this moment, her emotions are in turmoil.

Anger, irritation, regret, despair and exhaustion.

They are taking toll on her body that her temples started to throb. Waves of nausea gave her feeling of suffocation and her only desire at the moment was to leave this place.

'Wow! What a day.'

She put on her smiling face to mask how she felt.

"Madam Bai is correct. I am just an outsider. There is no reason for me to stop your wedding. Why should I break the two of you?"

Yan Shi said seconds later after Madam Bai spoke. The words were directed to Yan Mei.

When the woman never said anything and held onto Bai Haifeng's arm for support.

"As I said, I don't care whether you both marry or not. Even if you kill the child, that has nothing to do with me. The moment he touched a woman like you, we've broken up."

The last sentence was said in ridicule that people will think Yan Mei is a dirty woman.

Yan Shi turned to her Grandpa Yan and said "I am sorry Grandpa. I have to go."

Seeing her turning away, Yan Dengfeng's anger rose. He hated this daughter of his.

After cursing her grandchild and being impolite to elders, she is just walking away.

"Yan Shi!!! I never allowed you to go." he shouted as he followed her but his wife's hard grip stopped him.

Seeing that Bai Haifeng was about to follow departing figure, Yan Mei spoke in a tearful voice.

"I am afraid sister is very angry. I don't want this. I want her to be happy. I am the one making her sad.Sorry, I don't agree to this wedding." Yan Mei stood but staggered immediately as she had been kneeling for a long time from grandfather's punishment .

The man next to her, instantly supported her and his plan to go after Yan Shi was stopped by his father.

"You accompany our daughter-in-law to rest first. She is still at her first trimester. Stimulating her emotions is bad for the baby."

Hearing the word 'baby' Grandpa Yan's worried voice sounded in the room. No matter how angry he is at these two, Yan Mei is carrying his great-grandchild.

"Go and rest for now. As for the punishment, both of you reflect on your own actions and apologized to Yan Shi."

His words were stern that the other people in the room has no room for negation. It's undeniable that the two caused pain to the eldest child. Bai Haifeng and Yan Shi are couples yet the former bedded his future sister-in-law.

If it is known in the society, imagine how much scorn their family will receive.

Hence both Madam Bai and Wang Nanfu planned on spreading the word that Bai Haifeng and Yan Shi broke up months ago.Then, Yan Mei wont become the third party.

But for now, they had to appease the Yan family patriarch's anger.

Dr Bai said "Your Grandfather is right. Both of you need to apologize as you are on the wrong. After all, you will be seeing each other as in the future as family members."

The two nodded and the man helped Yan Mei upstairs.

But unknown to all, there was a sneer inside Yan Mei's heart.

In her dreams! I will never apologize.

Who told her to appear in her family?

No way. Bai Haifeng is hers alone.

Whatever happened inside the living room when she left, she has no idea because she walked straight and never looked back.

The maids watched her cold back as she got into the car and drove off before the driver came.

***

Inside the car

She needed to vent out the suffocated feeling before it gets into her.

As the car's speed on the road increased, she reminded herself not to cry for that kind of man.

A man like her father.

Witnessing her mother weep uncontrollably because of a cheating man, she made a vow to herself. She will never put herself on the same predicament.

It is pointless to weep for a person who can't reign himself against temptation. If he really loved her, then sleeping with that sister of hers would have never materialized. It turns out, his feelings are shallow and he was easily tempted.

Whether it is her sister or other women, her reaction would be the same.

She is a strong believer of the idea, everything happens as a result of your own actions.

And regardless of his reasons, this is still constituent to betraying her trust. Thus making her disappointed and that friendship and love for the last 10 years evaporated into thin air.

She'd known him since she was 14 and they'd been friends. He asked her to be his girlfriend on her 18th birthday but it wasn't till she's 21 that she accepted his love, thinking it is better for them to stay as friends.

But his words made her believe in him.

He promised to cherish her. To take care of her as long as he lives. He said, if they marry, he will build her a home that would be filled with warmth and happiness like that seaside house where she spent the happiest moments of her childhood. There will be garden and a swing under tree so they can enjoy the view of the vast expanse of water. Especially, she likes watching as the sun rises slowly and sets on the other side, signaling the start and end of the day.

Then, they will travel around the world and complete her bucket list.

Together, they will discover what these beautiful places have to offer.

Apparently, those promises are simply empty words now.All along, he is no different with her father.

He painted her world with colors. But she'd forgotten one important thing.

There is no such thing as bed of roses.

Sighing, she muttered as if there's someone listening to her.

'It's really difficult to find an honest man.'

Minutes later, this followed.

"Bai Haifeng, I wish you happiness."

Somehow, that suffocation slowly diminished as she reasoned out with herself.

Now, all she just wanted to do is doze off.

Luckily, her shift resumes tomorrow morning.

As she was mentally planning what to do the minute she returns to the apartment, from the corner of her eye, a limping body behind the trees caught her attention.

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Extra:

Yan Shi: