Things others worked hard for

Lin Meilin was seated on a chair in her room. The luxurious and grand Lin Mansion was especially dark in this room and only the little light rays would make you notice the presence in that room.

The moon outside bore witness to this beautiful young lady who perfectly blended with the darkness in the room,it was as though they were one.

Yue Ling's arrival brought back the many insecurities, agony and anger hidden within her heart. One thing she learned from snatching what wasn't hers was that in the end it isn't hers and has an owner,it would be taken from her. It took her nearly her whole life to this point in life where she wouldn't be addressed as Yue Ling mistakenly or hearing things like "oh, the extraordinarily beautiful Yi Shuyan's daughter or Yue Ling."It was now Lin Meilin,the accomplished, beautiful and intelligent. Naturally it was harder to get equal standing in the family and even harder to get the success she had in the medical field and business world. She wouldn't allow it to be taken away by people who decided to show up from nowhere.

She suddenly chuckled evilly. She kept an eye on people at home and knew through her father one day that Yue Ling seemed to have left the country. She knew where Yi Shuyan lived but didn't go there as it wasn't necessary. It wasn't easy to live a life like hers, keeping tabs on everybody at home as well as the potential threats and being calculative every minute of the day. She had nobody in the family she could trust and neither did they trust her.

On the surface things in their family seemed like the things that normally happened in rich families but this was different. The pure family love ended long ago when Yue Ling and Yi Shuyan left as it was best understood by the family of three and maybe even the late Elder Lin. The one who had the most power and control earned respect and even a bit of fake love and kindness. Lin Yaoha struggled for herself and her daughter. Her daughter fought for herself and her mother while the grandmother looked like she wasn't part of it all but she supported her son.

Lin Jingxuan noticed it all but wasn't involved,he withdrew from others affairs when he lost his family.

Lin Meilin was running mad, she was suppressing who she really was all this time. She lived her life just as Yue Ling was expected to live,it was as though she was the shadow.

She lived with the fear of people not accepting the real her. People accepted Yue Ling so she believed that was the way she was supposed to be.

Lin Meilin wiped the little tears that had escaped her eyes and said," Everybody protects what they have worked hard to achieve at whatever extent,I won't be the worst person out there." She smiled happily and went to bed.

Yue Ling was sweating profusely and turning around the bed. The duvet had fallen off the bed and the pillows were following the same fate. She was having a nightmare and couldn't wake up,it was just like those times before.

" Thank you for being born in a rich family, all this wouldn't have been successful without that,it's just that you have to help me with a last request, I need you to stop fighting and die," he said to Yue Ling as she was tied to the metals.

"You are right, she claimed she would do anything for you, sister most certainly fulfills her promises, hmmm."

They both chuckled loudly when Yue Ling tried to pull out and free herself.

"Sister,I'm really sorry this happened to you,it's just that nobody controls destiny, even I didn't know that you'll end up this way." You just need to die peacefully so that the rest of us can be happy. Me and Laotian will take care of your Grandfather's hospital, we can be a little kinder and give the house back to aunt, Lin Meilin spoke seemingly thinking about it.

Yue Ling struggled once more and even tried to shout when nothing came out. Her voice was gone and her throat was too itchy from being dry, straining it made her cough hard with blood coming out of her mouth. The thirst was too much yet she couldn't speak to ask for water and even if she spoke, the water wouldn't be given to her,it would be poured right in front of her so that she tries to crawl a bit and lick it which wasn't successful due to how short the chains were,it eventually dried before her eyes. She needed food too and her stomach no longer rumbled when hungry,she felt the acids burn in her stomach adding to her problems.

Her original look was altered by the now dry disheveled hair, paler skin highlighted by the very dark eyelids and overly chapped lips that bled whenever there was movement around her mouth.

Escaping from that place gradually left her mind remembering the calamity that had befallen her. There was nothing she hadn't destroyed outside,no body was left apart from her mother. The regular coughing of blood indicated that her insides weren't doing well either. She was dying slowly and none of her plans were successful.

Yue Ling was struggling on her bed but couldn't wake up,she was now starting to think the days she lived before were a lie and this was reality. It seemed like forever in her thoughts but she held on as she felt her slightly hard bed and the wet bed and clothes she wore. She now thought,"It could be sleep paralysis."

Nothing brought her the most relief such as that of this thought.

She felt her bedroom door open and her bed sink a little indicating a presence. It all suddenly made sense,it was a nightmare.

"Yue Ling my child,wake up," her mother's voice spoke.

Her mother's face even moved nearer and her ears listened for a heartbeat.

"You aren't running a fever, what's happening to you,"Yi Shuyan spoke sadly as she felt the cold caused by the sweat.

"I know you can hear me, please try to wake up,"Yi Shuyan spoke.

She tried her best to talk about random things to bring Yue Ling's mind back. She wasn't new to such a situation and neither was Yue Ling.

After a few minutes Yue Ling opened her eyes,she took a few minutes more to sit up. Before her now was the one person who would never leave her,her mother.

Yi Shuyan didn't know what to say and just got up and supported Yue Ling to the bathroom before she went downstairs to make tea to cool down their minds.

She had taken long to sleep today and slept quite late. In the middle of the night she felt her phone ring but it got disconnected and she didn't know the number so didn't call back. From then it was like her sleep washed away. She had a bad premonition for a long time before she decided to go to Yue Ling's door. She tried to hear anything through the door but the sound proofing was good and she didn't hear anything. She gathered all her courage to open the door which was fortunately not locked and she was welcomed by a painful sight.

Yue Ling was almost falling of the bed just like her beddings. It looked like she was struggling in her sleep. She went to the bed and the there was a noticeable patch something that looked like water but was sweat. When she touched her daughter's forehead it was proven that it wasn't fever. Yue Ling must be having a nightmare,she thought. She tried talking to Yue Ling to get her to wake up . The sleep paralysis had become a thing of the past, what was going on now.

That was the same question on her mind now as she entered Yue Ling's room with tea.

They both had tea in silence. The look Yue Ling had was silently telling Yi Shuyan not to ask any questions. She went and hugged Yue Ling for a while and went to her room with so many un answered questions. "Was this happening often?"

"Are you facing any difficulties?" "What were you dreaming about?" "Can I accompany you?" "Will you please trust me?"

Her questions weren't with answers now but maybe one day she'll get them. The dazed look Yue Ling had on her face ever since she woke up wouldn't let her sleep. Their lives changed years ago. She knew she saw the signs but unfortunately nobody else noticed. The aftermath of it all now changed everything. She deeply hoped this was temporary.