XII: Rio Haze meets Rei's wife

The woman who came in the door took away all his thoughts and words.

His heart pounded and his veins pump blood, hasty and more violent. It's like battling to his senses.

It would be an overstatement to say that the girl looked out of this world... But her looks are really calm. It gives you a natural calm feeling when she's near. Like an unperturbed lake.

"Where is my husband?"

Her voice is even more compassionate than her looks. Like a soothing mother caring for everyone. In this cruel world where Rio lives in, it's rare to find someone this peaceful and calm.

"He's in there. He fainted." he answered trying to collect himself.

Alina rushed to the sofa where his husband is lying.

Her heart is thundering in its cage. She's worried sick, but she didn't know why. She felt it when he's in danger. She felt connected to him in a certain inexplicable way. That connection she tried to ignore is getting stronger. To the point where she starts to get worried.

She sat beside of him. Oblivious of the three idling guys who is staring at him in awe.

'Is it exhaustion? Why would you faint? Do you fail to care for yourself to?' she thought the questions she wanted to ask. But the unconscious guy remained lying there... Pale and sweating.

"Is any of you here a doctor? Can anybody tell me why he fainted?" she looked up to the dumbfounded guys staring at her with wonder.

"Is it exhaustion? I know how he overwork himself every day... He always come home late."

Rome had the urge to spout blood, and Libean almost stumbled out of his chair. Never in their lives did they imagine witnessing this kind of situation. Their friend's romantic affair. Rei would kill them first, but he will never spill about his romance. Not unless they are absolutely necessary.

"I think the best solution is to ask him when he's awake. He will kill us if we say a word."

Alina's eyes went round when he heard Rome. The guy looked cautious... Almost as if he's threatened.

"He's always like that. He always keep me in the dark. Never tell me about things. But I know... I'm not qualified to demand." she quietly said.

The three guys immediately felt her loneliness. After all, who liked to be kept in the dark? It's like wanting to reach out for someone so bad, but that person keep pushing you away without even saying their reasons. It's utterly depressing.

"I can't tell you the exact reason but I'll only tell you this. His keeping of secrets is to protect you." Rome said with a reassuring smile.

'Why do they both have to be in this pain? If only I could do anything...' he thought in despair.

Fate... Is something out of our realm of understanding.

"We'll go out first. Hit the buzzer if you need anything, we'll stay in a different room." Libean said and pulled the nosey doctor out of the room.

"Alright. Thank you for taking care of him."

"Always welcome." Rio almost have to shout as Libean is pulling him aggressively in his collar.

Alina saw the interior of the whole office. Just like what she expected... The tone of the interior is monochromatic and the designs are for minimalist.

"Why am I so worried about you? Am I forgetting my real objectives now? I'm doing this for my selfish reasons... I don't plan to fall in love with you." she spoke in soft tone... Watching and admiring beneath him the contours of his face, from every line and curve.

She might not get any chance to touch him if he did not faint like this. So taking advantage of the situation she reached out her hands and tugged his hair gently.

"I'm actually so cruel. I don't plan to fall for you. But I want you to open up to me completely. If you knew..." she stopped brushing his hair.

"You would probably hate me."

Tears blurred her vision.

"Please forgive me if you found out about this... I never wanted to do this in the first place. For my father I married you... But I did it just to save my family's business. I—" she wiped out the tears who suddenly came rushing from his eyes.

"I don't know why... But the thought of hurting you actually brings me pain... So much pain that I can't even breath... I don't know what's wrong with me..." she continue to cry like a child.

She is a sinner for lying. But the pain in her chest is more devastating than everything.

"Why is there something in my head telling me not to hurt you?" she asked despite the tears.

Her breathings got heavier... All she did is to continuously wipe all the tears that she didn't even expected. It's all falling out naturally. Why am I actually crying because of you?

Ever since birth, she had that mole under her right eyes. Her parents always told her it is pretty, and she need not to be bothered. She always look up in the mirror and she agree, it's actually so pretty. She had once heard in a Chinese belief that having a mole in your eyes means that your love from the past life is tragic.

It means that your lover from your past life ended up in tragedy, and the mole is a reminder that you have to cry for him in your next life. She didn't mind it then, but as she cried so hard in pain, she remembered that tale.

'This pain is so unfounded. It's heavy and domineering. Why did I suddenly felt it?' she asked herself. She dried her tears desperately as stared the man lying beside her.

Just then, his long lashes fluttered and his eyes slowly opened.

Rei thought that he's having a dream. He actually saw her beside him, worried and crying for him. He reached out his hands and tried to touch the image. His senses suddenly are awaken when the image is actually soft and warm. Like when Pygmalion held up his sculpture and expected the stone cold and rough statue... But the statue actually came to life in aid of the goddess Venus.

He adjusted his senses and his vision is welcomed by the crying girl. He cupped both her cheeks to confirm he's not dreaming.

"You're actually here..." he muttered in disbelief.

The girl between his hands smiled sweetly, although her face is definetely crying and wet of tears.

"Why are you crying?" he asked. He actually touched her. He took the initiative to touch her. He admired her soft skin beneath his hands... As he stroked her face. He had dreamth of this face countless times.. Although the dream bring him endless pain.

"I'm just worried. Why did you faint? I asked your friend but they refused to tell me." she asked. She is slightly overwhelmed when he touched her. Reiven touching him is rare... But it felt right.

"Just tired. But why are you crying?"

She felt dumbfounded. 'Is it my imagination? Or his voice is really worried?' the trace of weariness actually came like a passing breeze, gone in a whim. It almost felt like a figment of imagination.

"I'm worried."

'I'm worried of why I'm so pained at the thought of leaving you.'

He retracted his hands then gave him a reassuring look. "I'm definitely fine. You don't need to be worried. It's just lack of sleep. Don't you have work?"

"Were shooting but I decided to check on you for a bit." she answered.

"I'm fine now. You can go back." he put his hands on top of her head, like patting but he didn't pat, just enough to touch it. She cautiously checked him, hesitant if he really is alright now.

Except that Rei is very pale, nothing seems to be wrong about him.

She stood and sighed. "Then I'll go now." she walked to the door in soft strides, like when you still want to say something but don't know the right words to say. She turned the knob with a soft click but for a moment

"Please take care of yourself Mr. Lee. After all, no one will take care of your empire if your sick." then she gave him a lopsided smile.

It's not even sweet. It's not fake concern or cheesy yet it made him dumbfounded.

'Please take care of yourself Mr. Lee. After all, no one will take care of your empire if your sick.'

His heart actually quickened and he failed to utter something before she waved her hand and go away. For a fleeting moment he felt abnormal.

'I must really be sick.'