Chapter 6 No excuses

Chapter 2: Unspoken Wars

The silence stretched between them like a taut wire, delicate yet ready to snap.

Ye Fen stood motionless, his gaze flickering between Lin Er and Xue Er, his mind struggling to piece together the reality in front of him. He had not expected this.

Had not expected her.

Xue Er's calm, unreadable expression was a mask, but her eyes burned with an emotion too deep to name. Anger? Disappointment? Betrayal? It was all there, but buried beneath an exterior of practiced poise.

She let none of it show.

Instead, she turned her attention back to Lin Er, her fingers still lightly grazing the younger girl's hair, an intimate, almost protective gesture.

"You should have told me, Lin Er," Xue Er said softly, her voice smooth—too smooth.

Lin Er, unaware of the storm brewing beneath her friend's elegant demeanor, pouted.

"But I wanted it to be a surprise! You're always so busy, Xue Er. I thought you'd be happy to see my brother!"

Xue Er's lips curved slightly, though the amusement never reached her eyes.

"A surprise?" she echoed, her tone light, almost teasing—but something about it felt dangerous.

Ye Fen finally snapped out of his shock. His hands clenched at his sides, and for the first time, he opened his mouth to speak—

"Xue Er, I—"

But she didn't look at him.

Didn't acknowledge his voice.

Didn't even seem to hear him.

Instead, she reached out, taking Lin Er's hand in hers, her red-painted nails gleaming under the sun as they rested lightly against Lin Er's delicate fingers.

"You've grown thinner," Xue Er murmured. "Have you been eating well?"

Lin Er blinked at her, surprised by the sudden shift. "Of course! Brother takes care of me."

Xue Er's grip tightened ever so slightly.

"Does he?"

It was a simple question. Casual, almost. But Ye Fen felt it like a blade to the chest.

Finally, Xue Er turned her head—slowly, deliberately—and looked at him.

The eye contact lasted only a second.

But in that second, Ye Fen knew.

Knew that she was angry.

Knew that she was furious he had never told her about Lin Er.

Knew that she wouldn't forget this.

But she would never say it.

Never show it.

Because that wasn't who Xue Er was.

She collected debts in silence.

And one day, she would make sure they were paid in full.

Ye Fen's throat felt dry, but no words came.

Lin Er, still oblivious to the tension thickening around them, beamed at her friend.

"I'm so happy you're here! You two haven't seen each other in so long. Isn't this great, Brother?"

Ye Fen didn't answer.

Because he didn't know what to say.

And because he knew—Xue Er was waiting for him to speak.

Waiting to see what excuse he would come up with.

Waiting to see how he would explain himself.

But she already knew.

There was no excuse good enough.

So instead, she smiled.

A small, elegant, devastating smile.

And Ye Fen realized something terrifying.

She wasn't going to argue.

She wasn't going to fight.

She was going to wait.

And when the time was right—she would make him regret it.

Roxue, still standing nearby, watching the silent war unfold, felt an unsettling chill crawl down her spine.

She had asked for a divorce.

She had thought she was leaving Ye Fen behind.

But as she watched Xue Er and Ye Fen exchange that one, single glance, she realized—

This wasn't the end of anything.

This was just the beginning.