191 — Secrets Unfold, The Quarrel (2)

"She came to see me after we returned from Country F."

Pei Yueran's eyes flashed open again. That was more than five months ago, yet he didn't bother to tell her?

"Is there a specific reason why you didn't tell me?" She asked calmly.

"Not really. The timing was just bad."

Pei Yueran found it hard to believe that in all of five months there wasn't a single "good time" to tell her such an important thing, but she let it slide.

She tried to tell herself that it was not that big of a deal and there was no need to be too emotional.

Besides, she still had more questions. Something was not adding up.

"Fine. About today, how did I get to the hospital? Was it Mr Gao?"

"No, I brought you here."

"You?" Pei Yueran's tone was full of incredulity. "How did you know I would be there?" She remembered deciding not to call him and call the police instead, though she wasn't sure if she eventually called him.

She didn't even tell him that the meeting place had changed, so how did he know where she would be today?

Li Chuanmo knew he was treading on thin ice at the moment, but ultimately decided it would be better to tell her everything once and for all.

"I followed you."

"What?" Pei Yueran asked blankly, unable to process his words immediately.

"I received an email sometime last week that you would be at Tanlian & Suites today, and that I should go there to catch you in the act." The more he spoke, the more he realized how bad it sounded.

Under Pei Yueran's disbelieving stare, he continued, "I got back from my trip this morning and followed you there directly."

Under Pei Yueran's stare, Li Chuanmo almost squirmed.

Then she started to speak slowly. "Help me understand: Not only did you know that your ex-wife had returned, but you also knew she was the one with the greatest motive to harm me, yet you didn't bother to let me know.

"Not just that, you received a tip off saying I was going to cheat on you, but instead of letting me know, you decided to go there and wait? To do what? Catch me in the act?"

Her words made his brows furrow as he subconsciously tried to explain, "Ran, it's not like that—"

"Then how is it like? You tell me! Did you even trust me at all? So, what were you expecting to see? Me cheating on you with a strange man?" By now, her voice had gone up a notch and was shaking purely due to anger.

"Of course not. I know you would never do that. I just didn't want to alert the person behind all this. I wanted to catch her red-handed."

"And you wanted that so much that my wellbeing didn't matter to you? Did it occur to you that anything could have happened to me while you were busy trying play the part of the police?" Her eyes were flashing so brightly that her previous weakness seemed like an illusion.

But what made them look bigger and even more luminous was the sheen of unshed tears.

Her biggest disappointment wasn't even the fact that he hid things from her or didn't exactly take her safety and feelings into account.

The major thing was the unspoken implication of his actions.

That in essence, he didn't trust her.

He didn't trust her enough to tell her about Xie Weiwan's presence, or about the mail he received or even about his plans.

What a time to find out, what with the wedding being about a week away.

"Ran, Honey I—" Li Chuanmo moved his hand to pat her forehead as he tried again to say something, but Pei Yueran cut him off, blocking his hand.

"Chuan, you tell me: Am I overreacting right now? Is this me being too emotional? Am I the only one that can see a problem with all these?"

After a sigh, Li Chuanmo responded to all three questions with one word, "No."

"That's good to know, because right now, I'd like to be left alone." Pei Yueran threw the words down before turning her body to lie on her side.

She wanted to be left alone, especially since her eyes were smarting. She hoped it wasn't showing in her voice.

"Ran please, I'm sorry." Li Chuanmo said in a low voice, his hands clenched tightly.

"I need some time alone, please. I need to gather my thoughts." Pei Yueran didn't think she was asking for too much. It was not as if she was calling off the wedding or something, she was just asking him to leave for now.

Li Chuanmo had to surrender. "I'll be back Ran. Please rest well."

Pei Yueran didn't respond, and when Li Chuanmo stepped forward to kiss her forehead, the way she stiffened made his heart twist in pain.

What had he done?

It was after Pei Yueran heard the door open and close that she finally let her tears fall.

*****

Standing at the balcony on the third floor, Han Leifeng stared out at the garden below as he blew ring after ring of tobacco smoke. The white fog obscured the view he had of the snow-laden tree magnolia tree, but he wasn't paying attention in the first place. His mind was somewhere else.

Since coming to live with his father, Liu Zhizhen had tucked her tail in and behaved herself. His father and grandfather were also growing to trust him more and more, so things were generally heading in a good direction.

Or so it seemed.

Just ten days ago, he closed an important deal for the company. The Han Corporation had been on this project with a foreign company in Country D even before he returned, but they were only able to close it last week, after almost a year.

He wasn't expecting thanks, but he was also not expecting their casual words and attitude of assigning him another project immediately. Recalling it again made him rub his brows in irritation.

He winced as hot ashes fell off his cigarette stick onto his hand in a moment of carelessness.

This time, they were aiming for the Gaoyi Group, and they wanted him to reach out to them first, proposing a collaboration.

Due to the numerous scandals that have rocked the Han family for years, they were finding it difficult to get collaborations with new partners. He understood that for the Han Corporation, the Gaoyi Group was their best bet if they wanted to gain a foothold in the country, but the approach was what was causing his blood to boil.

It made him feel like a tool to be used, and the feeling was unsettling.