Choices

"Mei had already been sick for a while when I found out", Han said. "And I found out completely by accident while I was visiting a friend in hospital. All those times, she said she was visiting the Ren ancestral home to pray for her parents and grandparents in the countryside, she was actually in hospital. She hid it so well", he told Shun. "I've been friends with Mei since I was a child and I'm one of the few people in this family she could confide in, so I felt terrible".

"And how do you think I'm feeling right now?" Shun asked in a strained voice.

"Like you're the worst person in the world", Han replied without hesitation. "And I'm going to be brutally honest, you are the worst person in the world. Back then, and also right now. I don't understand how you could be so cruel to the woman you clearly love!"

"Because you love her too!" Shun shouted with anger, banging his hand hard on one of the boardroom tables. "You once told me that you loved a girl since you were a child, but you couldn't marry her. Do you know how guilty I felt when I found out that girl was Mei? Both towards you and her? I had ruined the happiness of the two people I cared about the most!"

"Oh my god! What are you talking about?" Han asked with disbelief as he turned away from Shun and locked his hands on his head trying to make sense of what he just heard. "Did mother tell you that?" he asked as turned back towards Shun with sudden realisation. "She lied to you! That girl was not Mei! I have never loved Mei! We are friends! And were in-laws and that's it!"

"Then who is that girl? And why on earth would mother lie to me?" Shun asked angrily in his confusion.

"Because that girl is Yang Fan! Mother's only choice as a wife for you! Not for me! But you!", Han shouted angrily as well. "Why do you think I can't marry her? I've seen how vicious mother was to Mei! She made her life a living hell! Mother was the reason Mei divorced you! Do you honestly think she would've treated Fanny well if I had married her instead of you?"

"What … what did you just say?" Shun asked tuning out halfway. "Mother was the reason Mei divorced me? What does that mean exactly? Explain it to me!"

Han took a deep breath before speaking calmly again. "Look I'm going to try and explain something to you. You and I have a very different relationship with our mother. You are the eldest child in the Li family, the golden child, the heir and mother's pride and power. Whereas I am the child she carried when she found out about our father's first mistress. I am the child that she blames for his infidelity. How mother talks to you, treats you, or lets you see about her personality is different from how she truly is", Han said.

"When she found out that Mei was sick, instead of helping her like family should, do you know what she did?" Han asked, not expecting a reply. "She gave Mei two choices. The first was the choice to live. Mother would send Mei abroad to get the best treatment available, but she would have to divorce you. The second choice was death. If Mei did not agree to the divorce, she basically tried to undermine her treatment. Our mother tried to kill someone Shun!".

"You're lying!", Shun said in disbelief. "Mother would never do that!"

"But she did!", Han reaffirmed. "And you know the incredible thing was that Mei chose to stay at first. She tried to reach out to you even though grandmother and I both told her that you were not worth her life. If grandmother had not eventually cajoled her into signing the divorce papers, you would've been a widower right now".

The guilt in Shun's heart instantly amplified into pain as he registered that word. Widower. He still couldn't believe what he was hearing. Everything he had believed about his marriage, his mother, brother and Mei was crashing down around him. Everything he had used to justify his behaviour and actions over the years towards Mei were all lies. Was he really so gullible that his own mother had him wrapped around her fingers? And how had he never noticed the deep resentment of his brother.

"If what you've just told me is true, then I am the world's biggest fool", Shun said softly.

"I can confirm that you are indeed the world's biggest fool. A fool who I have every right to punch in the face as revenge", Han said. "But I'm not going to, because I knew this day would come and I already know the pain of not being able to protect the woman you love".

"Yang Fan. Is it mutual? Do you both love each other?" Shun asked.

"Yes", Han replied.

"Then she shall be your wife", Shun said decisively. "I never intended to marry her. But I wish you had told me all of this a long time ago. Then maybe things would've been different. As it is now, I shall have to have a good think about what to do next. I will not lose Mei again".

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