Chapter 109 - The dream was a memory

The following few days were tense and uncomfortable for both Shen and Lina. 

After their argument at the fair and in the car back home, they two had hardly spoken even though they slept in the same bed. 

The misunderstanding seemed to create a vast distance between them. 

Shen stayed at work much later than usual to work on his upcoming meeting with the Lim heir and the investigation on his escaped brother, while Lina continued her research at home about Magnolia Holdings with Mei. 

She also kept up with all her case work and sent instructions to her teams through Mei. 

She felt betrayed by Shen, that he didn't trust her to look after herself and chose to stifle her like a prisoner at home when she had responsibilities back at work. 

On Friday night, she lay awake in bed, unable to sleep, thinking about the plan she and Mei were going to put into action the next day. 

They had to come up with an operation to put them in contact with Lila Lim to get more information on Magnolia Holdings. 

But her mind drifted to the empty space next to her. Shen still wasn't home. 

She thought about the few days ago, when they were almost intimate and her memories of him returned. 

How she craved his touch in this moment. But she never remembered him trying to control her to this extent. 

The bitter feeling in her heart grew, as did the unease. She thought of calling him, picking up her phone and staring at his number. 

Finally, she decided not to. 

"Hmph. He thinks he can stay at work all night and leave his wife alone! What kind of a husband doesn't care how I feel! Here I am, investigating Magnolia Holdings for him! Fine, then. Stay there!" she said to herself angrily. 

Soon she drifted off to sleep. 

A dream floated before her eyes soon after she drifted into her subconscious. 

She saw the little girl again...the little girl in front of the burning house. Her heart filled with worry, she moved towards the little girl. 

She was wailing for her mother again. But she stood all alone in front of the burning house, nobody answering her cried for help. 

But suddenly, time reversed itself, and her surroundings spun out of control. She found herself in that house, the little girl nowhere to be seen. 

The house wasn't yet burning, but it was cosy and pristine. A woman, who looked very familiar, an older reflection of her own self, came to her and knelt before her. 

"Lili, my dear girl, mother has something to tell you..." the woman's eyes were large and kind, but filled with a kind of sadness. 

It seemed like...she was the little girl. 

She heard a small child's voice, that was coming from her own self! 

"What is it mother, why do you seem sad?" the child asked intuitively, seeing her mother's expression. 

"Because, my sweet girl, daddy and I have to go away for some time." the mother said quietly, unable to explain further. 

Lina felt her own heart breaking, as she looked deeply into the mother's eyes, her own eyes filled with tears. 

"No, mother, don't leave me! Take me with you!" she cried. 

Suddenly she felt a very real, very warm, protective embrace envelope her from behind. She felt her tiny child body being lifted into the air. 

"My little angel..." the voice said. It was a man's voice, deep and rich and full of assuredness. 

"Daddy..." she felt the little girl inside her say. 

"Daddy is sorry. Daddy is sorry that mommy and I have to leave. But aunt will take care of you and we will see you soon, Lili." 

But the little girl inside her clung on to her father. She didn't turn to see his face, but she just clung on to the strong arms holding her and tried to hold the feeling close. 

Her mother stood in front of her, smiling. She didn't want her child to see her sad. She was trying to be strong. 

"Lili, your parents will always love you. We have a present for you. Don't forget to get your present from mommy and daddy ok?" her mother said, coaxingly. 

But the little girl just cried, and cried inconsolably. 

Suddenly, her mother's face turned dark. Her hair was a mess and she began screaming. She was pushing Lina away...out of the burning house. 

She was screaming at the little girl to run, but Lina couldn't move. She began to cry, uknowingly. 

But when she woke up, with a start in cold sweat, it was already 3 am. 

She looked to her side, but Shen still wasn't there. 

Lina wiped the tears away, it was just a bad dream. She had to be strong. But why did it feel more like the dream was actually a memory? Was that her own mother? She had called her Lili in her dream...was that what her mother called her? 

And her father...she couldn't see his face, but the way he called her 'my little angel', it made her feel warm and safe. 

Just like when Shen called her his angel. 

She sighed. Maybe they should put aside their differences and reconcile. As much as it hurt her ego, she decided to check if he was in his study. 

She quietly tiptoed through the dark mansion floors to get to his study. 

As expected, his lights were on inside, and the door slightly ajar.

She peeked through the little opening to see what he was doing. 

Shen was sitting at his desk, a tray of food at his side, probably his dinner gone cold. He raked his hand through his hair several times as he flipped through various doc.u.ments. 

He looked a little haggard, with dark circles under his eyes and it seemed like he was a bit frail since the beginning of the week. 

Lina berated herself internally for being a bad wife and not looking after him. He had gone through so much this week and had an important meeting the next day. 

She decided not to disturb him then, but wake up early and prepare a large breakfast for him. 

She quietly tiptoed back to the bedroom and fell back to sleep.