Chapter 122

Lin Ye: "Are you really Aria's fiancé?"

Alistair: "I..."

Lin Ye: "You don't need to answer. Even if you are, the two of you will eventually split up. I see Aria every day, and I've never seen you call her or pick her up from work. What good is a fiancé like you?"

Alistair: "You..."

Lin Ye: "Me? I'm Lin Ye, and as you just heard, I'm going after Aria. Since you don't seem to care about her, why not be a good person and let me have a chance? If you can't be a good person, then let's compete fairly. But you probably won't win, because you look... too old."

Alistair: "..."

Old? Too old? Alistair still regrets not punching him then and there. He'd grown up adored by everyone, never having been challenged like this. He blamed his own good manners. Though his anger boiled up to his temples, all he did was snatch the rose from Lin Ye's hand and give it to his driver, earning a frightened, suspicious look from him. It was a disaster. He didn't throw a punch that day, resulting in a sleepless night. The next day, he went to the boxing gym and worked himself to exhaustion, sweating profusely, yet still unable to vent his frustration.

Later, when Aria called and suggested having dinner with Mi Shan, something snapped in him, and he turned her down, claiming he was busy. For two days, he felt as if he were being roasted over a fire, every little thing setting him off. He was so irritable that even his secretary stepping into his office with the wrong foot would get a scolding.

This couldn't continue, especially when he looked in the mirror one morning and, for a moment, truly felt old. So, he planned a yacht party to lift his spirits, inviting a bunch of friends to eat, drink, and be merry. He thought about inviting Edmond but cursed and closed the app after seeing the message history.

Edmond had sent him a picture on Mid-Autumn Festival: a pair of yellow diamond cufflinks and earrings.

Edmond: [Birthday gift from my wife, a matching set. Do you like it?]

He'd replied: [Showing off your love? That's risky.]

The main festivities of the yacht party were scheduled for the evening. He arrived early to catch up on sleep in the cabin while the others drank and played cards. He was napping when Selena called.

"I'm Selena."

Hearing this, Alistair immediately thought of his earlier comment about showing off love being risky. If he'd known he was cursing himself, he would have saved his first curse for Lin Ye, hoping he'd go bald this year.

Selena said Edmond wouldn't see her and that she should go back. Initially, Alistair agreed that she should leave. Though he was certain Edmond only felt a sense of duty towards Selena and no romantic feelings, it was still inappropriate for her to show up now. Women were sensitive about these things.

Just like Aria with Mi Shan—despite him repeatedly saying there were no romantic feelings left, Aria still cared. And Lily, having been betrayed by Royce, was even more sensitive. It was not wise for her to know about Selena's existence now, at least not until Lily's feelings for Edmond deepened. So, Alistair also advised Selena to return to her filming.

But Selena said, "I won't cause any trouble. I just want to hear him say he's married. I've waited so many years, I just want to hear it from his mouth. Is that too much to ask?"

"Alistair, you understand. If I really wanted to see him, I'd mention my brother. He'd come. I don't bring it up because I don't want to remind him of the burden he carries."

The last sentence was a threat. And for Alistair, it was the most effective kind. He knew too well the heaviness and helplessness of such a burden. For years, Mi Shan had reminded him of his own burden, using it to get what she wanted by simply saying, "Alistair, you owe me this."

Edmond and Selena were connected by a life debt, a heavier burden than his.

Alistair called Edmond, using Lily as an excuse.

"Aren't you looking for someone related to Zoya's biological father? I found one, come quickly."

One call brought him over. Once there, he locked Edmond in a cabin, kicked everyone else off the yacht, and waited for Selena to arrive. Knowing Edmond would be furious, he wanted someone to take the heat. He considered Franklin but realized Franklin's feelings for Lily would only complicate matters. Ultimately, he called Octavian. No one understood Edmond better than his assistant.

By six o'clock, Octavian warned him, "If you dock the yacht now, you won't get beaten up today."

He didn't believe it.

Octavian explained, "It's dinner time. Mr. Zhou is in a hurry to get home and have dinner with his wife. I asked Mrs. Zhou, and she said Mr. Zhou will be home for dinner."

Though Alistair had many ex-girlfriends, none had ever made him care about dinner plans while he was angry. He couldn't comprehend it but was astonished.

Octavian was right. Edmond saw the yacht docked and immediately left without even looking at him.

Octavian said, "He didn't even glance at you, Mr. Qin. You're on your own now."

Alistair knew he'd truly angered Edmond this time. So, he chased after Selena to explain.

"Edmond was in a rush to get home to his wife, no time to kill me."

Selena, feeling the chill of the sea breeze, put on her sunglasses to hide her red eyes.

"In a hurry to see his wife? Are you saying Edmond loves his wife very much?"

"Yes."

Alistair didn't mince words.

"Selena, everyone has their struggles. You only see the glamorous Edmond from Jingxiu, but you don't know what he went through. He was born into the Zhou family, but his suffering wasn't any less than yours."

Selena knew nothing of Edmond's past. Her first sight of him was when he was twenty, a man whose looks and demeanor could make anyone fall. Just as memories were about to surface, Alistair's cold voice pulled her back to reality.

"Selena, Edmond has done enough for you over the years. He spent the first half of his life repaying debts and worrying about others, without a single good day for himself."

"Now, at thirty-three, he's finally living the life he wants, finally married the woman he wanted. Please, don't disturb him, okay?"

"Selena, the reason I'm helping you today is that I think you're sensible. Your successful career comes from your own hard work. It wasn't easy. Take my advice, don't be confined by love."

After Alistair left, Selena stood there for a long time. His final words echoed in her mind.

She asked him, "Compared to that woman, do I have no chance at all?"

Alistair hadn't hesitated, "Not even a bit."

Was it about to rain? The sky had darkened, the distant mountains blurred. Selena took off her sunglasses, her eyes still stinging, squinting into the wind. It was getting windy. Half the sky was clear, the other half ominously dark.

---

Lily felt something was off when Alistair urgently called Edmond out. Otherwise, why would Edmond suddenly be so clingy after returning? When he came back, she was learning to make the final dish of squirrel fish with Aunt Fang. She was cutting the fish at a 15-degree angle when he entered the kitchen, asking Aunt Fang to leave so he could teach her.

Lily was quite satisfied with his cooking skills. Though not as good as a five-star chef, his dishes were exceptionally delicious and suited her taste perfectly. Whenever he was home and free, he would cook for her. Her favorite dish was his spicy chicken, not his specialty, but she loved the flavor.

At first, Edmond taught seriously. But soon, he started to get playful.