Chapter 9
Edward Quan ·
“When you came back this time, you said you wanted closure. You used the fact that you’d saved my life as a bargaining chip.
“I thought we should put our relationship behind us too. That was why I kept making exceptions and helping you.
“But how could you do this?
“Xia Miao, was anything you told me true?”
Dongdong helped me sit down.
Lu Chenzhou knelt on one knee in front of me.
“Darling, she deceived me.
“On that graduation trip, a girl saved me. Later, while I was drifting in and out of consciousness, all I saw was her back as she left.
“When I saw Xia Miao’s painting, I thought I’d finally found you.
“The sunset in that painting—that was where we met!
“I wondered so many times whether she could really have been the woman who painted it. But from behind, she looked so much like you. So I kept lying to myself.
“I’m sorry. I was wrong. More wrong than I can say.
“But thank God it isn’t too late. We can have a good life together. I’ll make up for everything I owe you.”
Xia Miao burst into shrill, grating laughter.
“Lu Chenzhou, even you know how to get on your knees and beg?
“Too bad! Your wife stopped wanting you a long time ago!”
14
“Shut up, you crazy woman!” he roared.
She slowly took a sheaf of papers from her bag.
“You still don’t know?
“Your wife has wanted a divorce for ages.
“You’re trying to hold on to a woman who’s already stopped loving you!”
The divorce agreement fluttered down over his head.
He read the words, his pupils contracting.
“Wen Yu, tell me this isn’t true. She’s lying to me again. She has to be.”
I smiled faintly.
“I drafted that agreement, Lu Chenzhou.
“Sign it when you have time.
“Don’t worry. I won’t take a single penny from your family.”
As Dongdong helped me leave, he was still muttering.
“Impossible. Impossible…”
Thanks to Xia Miao’s attempt to frame me, the insurance company paid me a large sum.
But my company’s reputation had taken a considerable hit.
I decided to close for a break and stay home to recover.
Lu Chenzhou came every day.
Dongdong stopped him at the door every time.
“You cheating bastard! Are you blind? Get lost!
“You had a woman as good as Wen Yu, and you let that snake lead you around by the nose. Go spend the rest of your life alone!”
She came back inside still swearing. Then she saw me and got angry all over again.
“And you! You’re blind too!”
I was too frightened to say a word.
Today, his lawyer came to the house.
“Mr. Lu has agreed to the divorce. But the division of assets must be on his terms.”
I nodded resignedly.
Fine. I could leave with nothing.
As long as I could get divorced as soon as possible.
“Mr. Lu says you have sacrificed a great deal for the family over the years and suffered many injustices. His condition for the divorce is that you must accept a gift of two billion yuan.”
Dongdong and I gaped.
After I signed, the lawyer continued.
“Mr. Lu asked me to say that agreeing to the divorce doesn’t mean he no longer loves you. Your relationship began badly. He wants to court you again, properly, from the beginning.”
To hell with him and his entire goddamn family.
I kept that thought to myself. I couldn’t very well say it aloud.
After the lawyer left, Dongdong looked at me in absolute awe.
“My friend. Teach me. How does a girl marry a blind idiot like that?”
15
Lu Chenzhou’s flowers arrived punctually every day.
On the twentieth day, the florist told him Mrs. Lu hadn’t sent them back.
His eyes reddened right there in the conference room.
He ended the meeting early, then took great care getting himself ready.
He left work ahead of time and went to Wen Yu’s rented home.
“Wen Yu, it’s me. I’m so happy today. Let’s have dinner together tonight.”
The landlady came over.
“She checked out today. She’s gone.”
“Gone?” Alarm gripped him. “Where?”
“I don’t know where exactly. Abroad, though, that’s for sure.”
The tall man collapsed to the ground with a thud, sending dust billowing up around him.
16
I had just stepped off the plane and was consulting my guidebook, looking for a sign for the stop I needed, when a tall man appeared in front of me.
Broad shoulders, a narrow waist, straight brows, bright eyes—and a remarkably refined air.
“Wen Yu? My uncle asked me to pick you up.”
I swallowed.
“Your uncle? Who is he?”
“His surname’s Wang. Sells fake paintings,” the man said.
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