Ruan Meilin had been in a daze since this morning. She couldn't process the news that she came across early in the morning. She had been under the impression that Shui Xian got back together with Tang Hebe. But now, it seemed she was wrong.
From the moment she saw Raelle and Shui Xian's picture together, she was stunned. She felt stifled as she stared at Raelle's face intently. She couldn't look away. She usually would find it difficult to focus on anything else once Shui Xian was in her sight. But for the first time, she didn't even look at Shui Xian as her eyes were glued to that confident, gorgeous lady in his arms. She could feel the regal aura engraved deep in her bones even from just a picture.
It sucked her breath away and she went blank.
She thought having Tang Hebe back in Shui Xian's life was the worst of the possibilities. It was only now that it struck her that it wasn't true. Seeing someone like Raelle standing side by side with Shui Xian was worse. Because they actually looked very well matched. Both were at the top of their fields and both had an aura that couldn't be ignored.
Her fingernails dug into the skin of her palm as she wondered how or why this happened? She had been beside Shui Xian for years. Since the time Tang Hebe left him, she had been by his side. But how come he never noticed her? Why did he end up noticing Raelle Xiang?
But then again, she couldn't really complain either.
Who was Raelle Xiang? Who in their business circle hasn't heard of that woman? By the time Ruan Meilin graduated from University, Raelle was already ruling the business world. And ironically, Raelle was even younger than her!
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAlthough she had heard about Raelle's notorious mouth, that never stopped people from admiring her talent. She wasn't a social person but people really wanted to suck up to her. And yet, she was the person people were most scared of approaching as well. After all, it was said that she was the most difficult kind of person.
Why difficult?
Because she meant what she said. She never had a double meaning behind her words. She always spoke things in a brutally honest way that pierced through the hypocrisy filled in this corporate world. She neither liked to be flattered nor did she ever flatter others.
Even when she first started working at a young age, there were hardly people who could stand against her.
"But such a domineering person couldn't possibly be a right fit for Xian," she wondered out loud to herself. She thought that they both had a domineering personalities so their relationship couldn't possibly work.
The poor woman didn't even know that Shui Xian and Raelle were like two pieces of a puzzle that seemed to fit perfectly well. After all, they both took the active or passive position in their relationship. It's just that Raelle seemed to be the dominant one at times. And it couldn't be denied that Shui Xian didn't mind at all.
He loved seeing her taking control of things. Even if it was taking control of him!
"Maybe they are just friends and it's all media speculations," she tried to deceive herself with those words. But her inner voice got to her with, "But when did the media become so daring to write about Shui Xian without his permission?"
Ruan Meilin seemed to have felt the crisis, even more, when she was reminded of that. She could deceive herself that there was nothing between them but she really wasn't able to do so. The truth was laid before her eyes and she couldn't delude herself with lies anymore.
Her nails had dug into her palms and even blood had come out. But she didn't care. She angrily stood up and walked to Shui Xian's office. If she couldn't get what she wanted, she'd not allow others to be so happy either.
"What is it?" questioned Shui Xian in a business-like manner.
"Bebe is back at her parents' home," she told him while observing his expressions.
There was no change in Shui Xian's expressions. Although his hand did pause for a split second, he resumed his activities after that. Tang Hebe was after all his ex-wife, he'd at least have some reaction to her name. But this split second's pause wasn't exactly because she was his ex-wife once. It was because they were good childhood friends once as well. Something he couldn't possibly deny.
"Oh? And why are you telling me that?" he asked.
"She brought a four-year-old kid with her," added Ruan Meilin with a twisted expression. "I thought you'd like to know."
"It has nothing to do with me, why should I know about it?" he retorted.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmRuan Meilin was stunned by his reaction. That was so not the reaction she was expecting from him. Shouldn't he be doubtful about the kid? Doesn't he want to know if it's his kid or not? Why is he so calm? Or is he pretending? she thought to herself.
However, whichever it was, she couldn't tell. Because Shui Xian's expressions didn't give away anything.
"Meilin, if you want to work, focus on work," warned Shui Xian. "I don't need to hear gossips."
"But... I thought you should know about this," she added. "That kid..."
Shui Xian raised his hand to cut her off, "Leave. Whoever's kid that is, I don't care."
"Even if it's yours?" she didn't know why she asked that with a raise in her voice.
Shui Xian looked up at her and added, "Even if it is mine, I don't care."
Ruan Meilin was taken back by that answer. She did not expect to hear something so heartless from him. How could he even say that? Was he really not curious?
Shui Xian watched her leave and sighed as he rested his head back and rubbed his temples. Obviously, he wasn't really heartless but as for that unknown kid.... He knew it wasn't his.