"What night?"
I blurted out, my body iced out. Not because of the question, but because of the way his eyes looked at me, warm and filled with an unsettling affection that sent shivers down my spine.
His eyes darkened. "Don't tell me you forgot." His voice was quiet, soft, and my heart fluttered despite the alarm bells going off.
I gulped as his fingers pressed lightly against a certain spot on my neck.
I was so stiff in his arms that whatever he did raised red flags. Up close, he was so scarily beautiful I barely dared to breathe.
"This was the spot. I had made quite a beautiful bite." He gently caressed the skin, and my mind blanked. He said what?
I blinked at him, truth be told, I forgot how to breathe and just awkwardly smiled.
"Say what?" My voice trembled. He chuckled, a sound so vibratingly charming that I gulped for a second time. Was this really my husband who never smiled for anyone?
"Did something happen? Your face looks stiff," he asked, leaning closer. I could feel my heart go haywire.
But that was not the most important thing right now.
I struggled out of his embrace, and he easily let me stand on my own. He had this innocent look in his eyes as he gazed at me, with a cute tilt of his head.
Wait, cute? I scoffed at my own thought. Mo Yichen was never cute. Dam, I was going crazy. I ran a hand through my hair, pacing about.
The food was getting cold, but right now I couldn't stomach it.
"Where were you the night before yesterday?" I asked, crossing my hands. I watched him ignoring the fact that I was going crazy.
My hands trembled, and it felt like all the beautiful freedom I had imagined all shattered into pieces.
"Tending to your body." He replied non-chalantly, as he slurped on the noodles.
"So you are saying that I slept with you, and nobody else?" I repeatedly asked. He nodded, then looked up and met my crumbling gaze.
"Wait, were you thinking that you slept with someone else?" he asked. An exasperated sigh escaped my lips.
That would have been better.
"..."
Instead of answering, I settled into the chair opposite him and poured myself a very strong strawberry wine. Tears stung the corner of my eyes; there was no way to escape him.
I lost my appetite and kept drinking until I couldn't discern what was happening anymore.
"So now that you are back, when are you going for your next meeting?" I burped, leaning back and stretching. I didn't even care when Yichen stood up and walked to me, his presence towering over me and assaulting my senses with that clean, intoxicating scent.
Why didn't I realize this sooner, he really was the one I slept with that night.
I should be happy, but yet I am not because now we can't get divorced.
"Do you want me to go to another meeting?" he asked, his fingers carefully pulling my hair back as he effortlessly swept me into his arms. I leaned lazily against his chest, loving his scent.
"Yes, go and never return," I blurted, unable to stop myself.
I was drunk.
He froze, then chuckled. "That won't be happening, sweet wife. I am here to stay." He declared, leaning in and nuzzling into my neck. I rolled my eyes and looked elsewhere.
"You never cared enough to stay before," I mumbled softly.
Yichen laughed, a hearty sound that scraped my insides. I pouted. What was he laughing for? as if it were not enough that he came and ruined my plans, he was laughing at my misfortune.
I wrapped my arms around his neck as he walked into our bedroom, the one he never cared for. He paused at the doorway for a second, then walked to the bed and quietly laid me down.
A moan of satisfaction escaped my lips as I melted into the comfort of the bed.
The space at my side dipped, and Mo Yichen leaned over me, his dark eyes looking at me with deep fondness. My eyes fought to stay awake as I stared at him.
"Now that your husband has come, you can lean on me, Mo Yi." He muttered.
I felt a sting in my heart. I bit down on my lower lips, tears gathered at the corner of my eyes. The next second, I coughed out a cry, from there I began to sob.
"You don't know how much I had to put up with! You always travel and never come back! Now you are coming back and doing this damage to my heart, when you never even cared for me one bit." I rambled, sniffing, rambling all my thoughts that hung at the tip of my tongue.
Only stopping to breathe.
"Even if you were the one I slept with that night, it doesn't matter! Just give me the divorce papers so I can go on my way. Why do you have to come back and ruin my plans, when I never mattered to you?!"
I didn't stop there, as if a dam had broken in my heart and I kept on pouring them out.
"Even when you are in the country, you stay at your family home and keep avoiding me. If you found me so repulsive, then why did you agree to the flash marriage? Was it only pity you felt for me?! What about humanity?!"
I swallowed, my throat burning with anger. I stared into Mo Yichen's cold eyes, which seemed to tremble with something I couldn't name, probably pain or guilt.
But it could never compare to the pain I felt, when I laid in the hospital bed, couldn't scream, couldn't beg for help, only to receive the pain and wait till death came and took me.
I gritted my teeth, not even noticing how much I was trembling. I hated this feeling.
"I hate you, Mo Yichen. Coming back and pretending that our marriage is beautiful just because of a fleeting moment won't change anything. I hate you, and I would never love you." I snarled, my voice low with rage.
The next moment, Yichen grabbed my hand and pulled me close. His eyes were desperate and searching as they stared at me.
"Tell me, who is it." He asked and I looked at him confused and at loss.
Why was he scrutinizing me? He continued. his voice rough.
"Who hurt you, Mo Yi?"