Imperfect Desires

historical

547 Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Xiu didn't know why but after her words left her mouth, Zhou Xichen looked very satisfied. In fact, his smile didn't even feel forced any longer. And when he spoke, Xiu finally understood why he looked so pleased.

"Since she did everything just to get the status of my wife, that's exactly what I won't give her!"

"You mean..." Xiu didn't know what to say or how to continue her on conjectures. Darren's father apparently wasn't that different from Darren. How naive of her to think Darren had no resemblance to him!

"I mean exactly what I said! Even though she likes to flaunt around as my eldest son's mother, she can never claim to be my wife because I never married her. My wife from the beginning was Florence and I won't ever change that!"

No wonder her Regan loved her so devotedly, passionately and whole-heartedly. He got it in his genes. Even his father still loved his wife and wasn't willing to give her place to anyone. But now, Xiu also understood why that woman was so desperate to control Zhou Jinhai since she never was able to win over her Zhou Xichen she didn't want to lose her son.

"Then where did Zhou Liqiu come from? Did she drop from the sky?" Xiu immediately slapped her mouth for spouting that nonsense. She needed a lock for her tongue, a filter might also do the charm because right now, she certainly had no control over her own tongue.

She could overlook it when Zhou Jinhai's mother humiliated her or tore her life apart. But right now, the fury she was feeling couldn't be extinguished at all. After all, the same woman ruined her Regan's childhood and his chance to have a complete family. She could take it but she'd never let it go when it involved the person she loved beyond her own capabilities now.

"Do you really think I'd let the same wolf devour me twice? I'm not that out of my mind to fall for tricks repeatedly. Even though my whole family urged me to marry that woman who gave me my son, I still resolutely refused. Besides, after Florence left, I had nothing else to lose. And without Florence, they couldn't tame me like before." He took a pause before adding, "You can really say that Zhou Liqiu dropped from the sky."

Xiu took her time sipping on her tea while digesting everything she just heard. It'd be odd if she said that she was alright. Because she certainly wasn't. She felt so many emotions but in the end, she only felt sad. Sad for her Regan who couldn't have a happy family because of others. Clearly, Darren loved his father but...

Although Xiu didn't know anything about Darren's birth mother, Florence she couldn't say much. But she was certain that if that third party hadn't conspired, they would have had a very happy family.

That thought brought her next question...

Zhou Xichen looked at the tea leaves floating in his cup as he answered, "Florence was a very beautiful person. But unlike Francesca, Florence was a very simple person. She was soft-spoken, kind, compassionate, and also a bit timid. Even though she was from a big family, she was very shy. Like an introvert."

"No wonder your family easily pressurized her. Her personality had a big tag on her face, 'Easy to bully'. Who won't take advantage of that?"

"You really don't think before speaking, do you?"

Xiu pressed her lips together before answering, "I've been better lately but your story just made me too excited. My mind is slow and my tongue is working fast. They both are not in sync. I apologize for that."

Zhou Xichen shook his head at her.

"Don't mind me saying this, I still am not able to control my tongue so I'll just say it. The way you described your wife... It's hard to believe that such a person actually left her newborn son behind and never looked back." Zhou Xichen was startled by her words and it gave way to the sadness he had been burying in his heart. "Don't you hate her for that? After all, I can accept that she punished you by leaving you. She convicted you as a criminal in her own mind. Whether you did it intentionally or not, in the end, Zhou Jinhai was still your blood. But punishing her newborn baby? What was Regan's fault?"

"Hate her?" He repeated softly seemingly lost in his own thoughts. "I never really thought about this. I know I still love her but hate? Am I allowed to hate her? After all, she left our son behind because of me. She didn't want our son to become a reminder of my betrayal. How am I supposed to hate her?"

Xiu was staring at his face in a daze when she heard, "Sir, your flight is in an hour. We should be leaving now." Only then did Xiu notice that an assistant had come to stand beside Zhou Xichen who nodded after hearing his assistant's words.

Then he turned to Xiu and pulled out a small rectangular box which he stretched out to Xiu. "This is for you. It's the only thing I have of Regan's mother. I don't know whether it's appropriate to give it to you or not. But I think it's better if you keep it." He stood up and turned to leave saying, "I hope you invite me to your wedding soon. For now, take care of yourself."

Xiu blankly saw him leaving and didn't know what she was doing because her thoughts were elsewhere. "Are you trying to get fat?" It was Gigi's kind reminder that made Xiu look down and see that she had already eaten all four flavors of the cake that she ordered. And she still felt like eating something sweet.

"I don't think getting fat is that bad," muttered Xiu before she stood up to leave herself.