A Blighted Belle
Inside the cruise ship restaurant, a lady sat alone by the window. The light illuminated her petite figure, making her very noticeable in the sparsely populated room. Several people, especially men, couldn't help but glance in her direction.
She doesn't have the most beautiful face but, her every move is full of charm. The way she batted her eyes or that yearning look she showed when her watery orbs wandered at the scenery.
Her pair of scarlet lips, matching her red, off-shoulder dress, pouted now and then as she savored her coffee. And as she licked the corners of her lips, the males couldn't help but swallow.
She appears so pure and delicate due to her innate profile. However, the way she dressed, the glaring pigment of her lips, and how she carried herself say she is everything but an innocent sheep. Of course, the most crucial factor that affects their judgment is the heavy existence seen on her chest!
Those jugs, they approximate to be more than double d's in size, okay!
Just look, they are about to jump off from her dress.
The pair of fair and hefty stimuli tickled their animalistic desires that they could not look away.
They have been eyeing her for months now. It's a pity that such a fragrant flower came with her master.
Fortunately, they can spot her alone sometimes, letting them feast their eyes without worry.
Sensing the heavy gazes at her, the lady smiled sweetly.
[ Ah, I still have it.] She pursed her lips as she commended her fatal charm.
Who else could this self-proclaimed femme fatale be but the heavenly being's mother, Hemiura Qin?
Hemiura mounted her coffee and twirled her hair behind her ear. Lowering her eyes, she appeared to fall into deep contemplation.
She's indeed contemplating.
She's meditating about life and how the universe seemed to wanna fuck her up.
These past few months, Hemiura has been very stressed.
She couldn't fathom what kind of evil she met that she has been full of ill luck.
Don't look at her appearing so lax and carefree. Underneath her facade, she felt so unwell all over.
Inside her off-closed heels, her toes wrapped in band-aids pulsatingly ached. She got several minor injuries from accidentally banging them on the furniture. The worse is, those mishaps tend to occur frequently. Hemiura even mused whether her toes had fallen in love with the furnishings. How else would she constantly bang her feet on them like a metal attracted to a magnet?
There are also multiple bumps on her face she could barely conceal with makeup.
And worst of all, her backside hurt like hell.
Every time she went to the bathroom for her ritual, she felt like dumping bricks. It's a whole lot painful than doing it in the back. That agony made her fear eating a lot. Hence she had lost weight.
Poor Hemiura didn't understand that eating less invariably leads to constipation, tormenting her underside further. Such a vicious cycle, for her, had no end. At least, that's what a particular goddess of bad luck had arranged for her.
In the end, Hemiura's petite figure has gone a circle slimmer. Thankfully, the lumps on her chest are tenacious, refusing to let go of the stored fats.
That is the reason she had been dressing more ostentatiously, just to let people be distracted by her chest and not her haggard face.
Suddenly, a person approached her table and sat uninvited.
Hemiura was not annoyed. Instead, she picked her cup, sipped elegantly then smiled flirtatiously at him.
The man has dark hair, bright brown eyes, an attractive face and, a perfect figure.
Hemiura had long been pleased by this fellow's powerful muscles and desired to play with him.
Regrettably, she is with her beau and couldn't slip away.
That is why she didn't approach him.
Nevertheless, that didn't stop her from sending him glamorous glances and exchanging a few words when they "coincidentally" met in the crowd.
" We are about to dock." The man said as he cupped his chin and stared at Hemiura with hunger in his eyes. He then continued,
" I wonder if Miss Qin will give me the pleasure of her company afterward?" He presented his best side at her, like a peacock in full bloom.
Letting out a soft chuckle, Hemiura responded with a playful gaze,
" I thought you'd never ask."
The two exchanged information after a few more words. They couldn't play at the moment because of their companions. Hence, they could only set an appointment after going offboard, looking forward to that day.
After the man left, Hemiura fixed her curly brown hair behind her ear once again. She then lowered her eyes to hide her disdain.
Despite loving the feeling of being idolized, she finds it contemptuous how easy they get drawn to her without effort.
A mere few coquettish glances and sweet smiles and, she got him.
Well, what can she say?
If she wanted to, she could get any man she wanted.
Just by her figure, she can enamor them.
And if by chance, she couldn't tempt them by mere looks, she could seduce them with her charm.
With years of expertise, Hemiura is confident to do so.
Hemiura doesn't want to admit it but, she is indeed lacking in facial value.
Without make-up she could only rate her face to a damnable 5.
If it weren't for her pair of alluring, big limpid eyes, and graceful figure, she'd go unnoticed in the crowd.
Heh. Beauty has its merit in gaining affection. Still, the most important is means. Without means, beauty could be buried, forgotten in the shadows of time. With it, you can fly upwards and enjoy whatever you desire.
Just look at that man.
She knew he had a lovely companion, more enchanting than her. And she has to admit that it does tickle her envious bones- especially that kind of noble and elegant appearance.
But, what of it?
Just a few flirtatious moves had drawn him to her like a moth to a flame.
[ What about elegance? What of beauty? What mattered most is the skill to tempt them and wrap them in your fingers. ] Hemiura snorted.
Reminded by the word elegance, a certain someone she had loathed for so long flashed her mind.
A person imbued with grace and nobility- Lilian Cross.
Hemiura can still recall every bit of Lilian's appearance.
How could she not when everything about her is the opposite of what she is.
And her face is a whole lot more exquisite than hers.
She is prettier, richer, and more talented than she'll ever be.
Hemiura reminisces through gritted teeth.
Her eyes narrowed due to the boiling envy filling her soul.
Then she giggled.
[ Ah Lilian. So what if you are better than me? You're dead and, sooner or later, Sylvius will finally be with me.]
If she must feel anything for Lilian, that should only be regret.
Regret that she did not ruin Lilian's face.
Regret not witnessing Lilian die so pathetically.
Regret not being able to watch Lilian's crumbling expression when she learns her husband made another woman pregnant.
Hahaha
Just that thought gives her satisfaction.
What more if she accomplished such an idea.
[ A pity.] Hemiura sighed, then as she recalled someone, she beamed sweetly.
[ Sylvius, I look forward to meeting you again, my dear. I hope you missed me. Don't worry, your daughter and I will be coming home to you soon.] She sank in delusion.
For her, Sylvius is an entity that is akin to the stars. Hemiura isn't sure if she loves him. But, she believes that she adores him a lot, obsessed even.
[ I wonder if you're still as taciturn as before, my dear.]
Hemiura's heart and mind fluttered to the past- the moment she saw him for the first time.
She still recalls that day vividly.
It was summer, and several students from her academy got the chance to visit Callidus for a particular program. She was one of them.
At first, she was annoyed to attend such a boresome matter.
However, thinking of the aristocratic boys studying in that place changed her mind.
She found an excuse to separate from the group to search for a target. Unfortunately, she got lost.
And when she was dead tired walking in circles, she saw him.
A young man dressed neatly in his school uniform.
He sat, leaning on a tree, looking so serene as he slept.
He looked so regal and so handsome that she could only stand there stupid and watch him.
And then an idea came to her-
[ What if this man is mine?]
She could care less whether he is wealthy or not. What mattered to her was that his face was to her liking.
It's a pity that before she could approach the young man, she was frozen in place by his cold gaze, like looking at a dying ant.
With such emotionless orbs, coupled with his noble temperament and striking appearance, Hemiura has an illusion that she is in front of a god. A distant God, ruthless and indifferent, and she, before him, is nothing but a mere humble mortal.
Then the god left without a word.
But that didn't douse her spirit. Instead, it made her excited.
[ Such cold eyes. I wonder what they would be like when desire fills them? Desire. Yes, desire, desire...for me? ]
That notion sprouted in her heart, unable to stop growing into a tree of desire that filled her body and mind.
From that point on, getting Sylvius Tang became Hemiura's idée fixe.
From his name, background, likes, and hobbies- Hemiura learned everything she could about him.
Sylvius Tang.
Sylvius Tang.
Sylvius Tang.
Ah, my Sylvius
To Hemiura, getting him would fulfill her fantasies and affirm her charm.
It's just that, as he treated her like dust, it ignited her fighting spirit to conquer.
Simply put, it wasn't easy to entangle Sylvius Tang. Nonetheless, she was confident that all she needed was a chance to succeed.
Still, over and over, she hit the wall when it came to him.
His name became a mantra she had uttered in her heart and mind a thousand times.
She watched him from afar and followed news about him religiously.
For many years she had coveted him and dreamt of him.
She had tried various ways to be acquainted with him but, it wasn't smooth sailing like in her dreams.
Nevertheless, she didn't give up.
Year after year, her desire to get him got more potent, more complex, and more obsessive.
From admiration, it quietly transformed into an obsession that corroded her.
But, her delusion burst like a bubble.
Because one day, a woman appeared by his side.
All at once, Hemiura knew that her opportunity had dwindled to a critical level. She retaliated with a more ardent pursuit but, it was for naught. Their feelings did not allow a third person at all. That notion made her crazy jealous.
She was mad and desperate.
That was also the time she started doing outrageous things.
She began acquainting with certain people, hooked them with her charm to do things for her and, getting better at using her hue to accomplish her plans.
Until one day, she did the boldest thing she never thought she would ever do.
Hemiura remembered the incident she weaved to get Sylvius and, her calm heart started getting hot. However, not long after, bitterness engulfed her.
Why did she need to flee?
She did not want to escape from that sweet moment at all.
The man she had yearned for did not even get the chance to know who she was!
How could she leave without a word?!
But, Hemiura knew full well that she had to because Sylvius Tang isn't someone to be reckoned with.
More so, she calculated him.
Fear doused her joy, and in the end, she fled.
Many times she wanted to return to him and tell him that it was her that day. It was her that he shared that night. It was her who cured him.
But, unfortunately, it was also her who drugged him.
She spent days and nights entangled in such conflicting moments. Then one day, she found out she was pregnant.
She was jubilant. She thought it was heaven-sent.
So she planned to lay low until she gave birth to their child before telling him. How could he turn his back on them and even punish her if he knew she bore him his child?
However, all her plans got ripped to pieces when he learned that Sylvius suddenly got married.
[ Lilian. Lilian. You should be thankful you are dead!]
Hemiura gripped her dress, trying to suppress her resentment.
She cursed Lilian in her heart that even in death, she pesters her.
But thinking that it was her who issued her death card, Hemiura giggled once more.
Several men had noticed that the beauty seemed to have a labile mood. She had been gracefully seated one moment, smiling one moment, looked troubled one moment. Afterward, she chuckles in a particular manner- like a mixture of joy and wry expression. Then she returns to calm.
They pondered if perhaps she had a mental condition and apprehended if it would be alright hooking up.
Hemiura did not know their musing, nor did she care.
Right now, she is still down in memory lane, lost in the spiral of obsession, hatred, and desire.
How long had she been hiding in fear that they would catch her?
Those people who helped have yet to be arrested. It made her both anxious and confident. Nonetheless, the fear when recalling the tempest the Tangs had unleashed to capture the felons behind that accident made her wary that until now, she refused to meet Sylvius.
In any case, the knowledge that he has been single after all this time made her complacent.
As long as he was alone, she could still play.
He can't go anywhere anyway.
Not to mention, she still has a very important card in her hand- their child.
Once again, she savored the coffee that had gone cold after all her musing. She watched as more people came inside the restaurant, causing a livelier environment.
One of the guests requested to turn on the television to watch the news.
The personnel has been changing stations and ran on a tabloid-like one. Hemiura was heedless of this, merely lost in thought, until a sentence captured her attention.
" Business tycoon, Sylvius Tang, has been spotted getting out a well-known restaurant with a woman. Has he finally let go of his agony and is now welcoming a spring?" The voice sounded a bit faint in an already noisy place. However, Hemiura, who heard such a scoop, heard them like lightning blasting her ears.
When the crew wanted to change station, she abruptly shouted.
" Stop!" Her voice was urgent, causing the diners to look at the woman who was acting gracefully just moments ago. Now, she wears a distraught expression as she stares at the television. The staff heeded her command, letting the anchor continue,
" The unidentified woman has been spotted with the business mogul for many times now, causing the public to believe that the very-known widower is about to usher a new relationship. Could it be that we will be hearing the news of his second marriage soon?" The host used words to stir the watcher's gossip hearts.
The famous Sylvius Tang has always been the heartache for many women. They still recall how the news of his grand wedding and the subsequent wife's accident and death brought a storm to Xia.
Hence, his single status since then has gained respect and worship.
They concluded that he loved his late wife very much.
It was such a pity that she departed soon, leaving her husband and baby.
That incident happened a decades ago, but still, everyone remained interested in his affairs- both in the business sense and his love life.
Therefore, news about him has always been a hit.
It's not a joke to say his fame is comparable to that of popular celebrities.
The sight of Sylvius and the unknown woman ignited something within Hemiura. She felt her buried obsession and unreconciled yearning explode terrifyingly.
[ Nooo! No! How could this be!] Hemiura screamed in her mind.
Then, the anchor uttered his speculation once again. This time, they showed a picture taken secretly.
It's a photo that shows Sylvius' handsome face, with an affectionate smile as he gazes at the woman.
Such sight horrified Hemiura.
That familiar smile stirred her insecurities all at once, that it made her stand up in shock.
" Agh!!!" She couldn't help but scream when she banged her foot on the table's leg. Both physical and psychological pain and the shock drained the color off her face.
The diners were alerted by her shout. Some gentlemen went to her table to ask if she was okay. However, no one could console her at the moment.