Chapter 128: I Am Not
Zane had long ago been dropped in front of his home. Mina took the opportunity to jump into the front seat. It was as if she couldn't wait to rid herself of the person next to her. Mina said something to the driver and before Ian could protest the partition of the vehicle had already been risen.
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Mina felt a wave of relief wash over her. For the last few minutes, Lisa had been rubbing Ian's body and trying to kiss him. He stopped her, but Mina knew it was only because she was still next to them. As soon as Mr. Zane was gone, she asked the driver to give the couple some privacy and he did so without hesitation. Neither of them realized the consequences of what they had just done. To them, they were being respectful of the couple, but to President Lee, Mina was trying to shut him out.
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Mina alighted from the car in a hurry, she stumbled toward the door and barely made it without falling. President Lee was half carrying Lisa in front of her and Mina did her best not to distract him. She did not want him to concern himself with her. She knew that he should be totally focused on his girlfriend, so she hid the fact that she did not feel well. She told herself that if she made it inside without throwing up, she would never drink again. When the front door opened, Mina dashed up to her room and straight into the washroom. She had not eaten in hours, so there was nothing in her to come up. She laid in front of the toilet for several minutes before she forced herself into a shower.
Mina was dressed in her pajamas when she exited the changing area. She panicked when she realized the lights in her room were off. She had become afraid of the dark and had developed the habit of keeping the lights on. She fumbled around the room, trying to feel for the light switch but was startled by the appearance of a shadow that overtook her. The person grabbed both her wrists and although she could not see his face, she recognized his smell. She stuttered out his name and the man gripped her tighter.
"What were you doing with that man?"
"I… I was… We were just talking," Mina admitted. Mina thought that President Lee suspected her of trying to escape, and in truth the thought crossed her mind more than once, but she was not willing to gamble with her body again.
President Lee pulled Mina in closer, and she was feeling so weak, she did not have the strength to struggle. So, she just allowed herself to be pulled as her body began to tremble.
"I won't stop you if you want to be seen as a loose woman, but don't embarrass me or my family in the process," he spat.
When President Lee released her wrists, Mina collapsed. She held her knees and tried to recall what she had done to deserve such a speech. President Lee didn't look back once as he slammed the door shut behind him. Mina was alone in the dark again.
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Luna strolled into the Lee mansion a few hours later. Dr. Bell seemed to be fine, and his brother volunteered to swap places with her to watch him overnight. She was shocked to hear the television in the sitting room and was even more surprised to find her brother still awake. His face was brooding as he sat on the large plush sofa. He was absentmindedly swirling the liquid of the drink in his hand. Thinking her brother was angry with her, Luna explained herself.
"Nothing happened tonight. I just helped a friend home. That's all," she said, but Ian didn't even look at her. "Where is Mina?" Luna asked, and Ian snorted. Fearful that the woman did not return with her brother and Zane, she questioned Ian again.
"Luna, did I not ask you to watch Mina closely?" Ian asked, and his sister was a little shaken by his tone.
"What happened? Is she okay?" Luna said as she started her way up the stairs. Not done speaking, Ian followed his sister toward Mina's room.
"She is probably passed out by now. I haven't checked on her in a few hours." Luna ignored her brother as she pushed Mina's door open.
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Mina was sitting on the floor hugging herself when the lights flipped on. She was covered in sweat and it was clear she was in the middle of a panic attack. Luna ran toward her, while shouting back at her brother.
"What happened?" Luna asked, but Ian looked just as clueless as his sister. When he left Mina was fine. Wasn't she? Mina looked relieved to see Luna, but she soon looked angry.
"Is that what you think of me too?" she asked in a whisper. "Is that why you left me with him? Am I really a loose woman?" Mina was still trembling as she spoke, and Luna looked at her brother sharply.
"Who told you that?" She asked softly. Mina looked up; her eyes full of tears she was refusing to let fall.
"I am not," Mina said, as her voice cracked. Luna affirmed Mina's declaration and coaxed her into the bed. With Luna stroking her hair and walking her through her breathing, the girl slowly drifted into sleep.
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Closing the door behind them, Luna turned to her brother and demanded to know what happened. To her, it was obvious where the insults came from. Ian was too embarrassed to admit that he was the one who put Mina in that state, but he knew he couldn't hide it.
"If Mina is a loose woman, then what does that make me?" Luna retorted. "Better yet, what does that make Lisa?" Ian was quiet. He was about to tell his sister that he only said those things out of jealousy but was interrupted by the sight of a half-awake Lisa. Luna was startled to see the woman in the Lee mansion. She shot her brother a disapproving look.
"Fix it," she said sternly and walked away. She did not care how much her brother loved Lisa; he should never have disrespected Mina in that way.