Abandoned

"Why are you laughing?" Ahem questioned in an intimating tone.

"Nothing. Nothing. I just felt like laughing after what I went through last night."

I faced him again with my legs crossed and a hand still on my nipples. "How will you go back?"

Liang Yi sat on the bench to tower over me. The ruthless expression on his handsome face only gave him a kind of sexy detail.

I quickly gave myself a mental slap. How could I think about a man after what those men had almost done to me?

Not to forget that Liang Yi hated me to the cells in my hair and he had killed 'me' once.

If not for the bond/curse, he'd have happily let them defile and kill me.

This realization pushed my mind back into place.

I could not afford to waste my time pursuing him or anyone else. I had to find a way to save my ass and ignore all the handsome men I would meet.

"Can you send me back?"

I shook my head as I gathered the duvet stained with a few drops of his blood. Using the cleaner side, I covered up my bare chest. "Sorry, but I don't know much about the curse. However, I have confirmed that I can summon you when I'm in danger."

"Why me? You know very well how much I hate you. Or is this your way of getting back at me?"

Ignoring his question, I got up to leave the carriage. My clothes were still in the cave. But more importantly, the pill that could repair my dantian was in my pouch.

"Hey?" Liang Yi yelled grabbing my wrist when I was about to get off. "Answer me right now or I will not save your trashy life."

I frowned, cut deep by his insult. "Trashy life?"

He scoffed, getting up, but the roof was lower, refusing to accommodate his height. "Are you not the trash of the Lin family? Look at you. You cannot even protect yourself. You cannot settle with one woman. You cannot earn the loyalty of your servants. Is there anything you can do? How are you different from trash?"

So many emotions bumped into each other as I scowled at Liang Yi. 'Do it!' my anger screamed and I obeyed it.

Swinging my right palm, I smacked Liang Yi's cheek as hard as I could.

The slap echoed in the carriage from its intensity. Looking at my handprint on his fair skin, I felt very satisfied, and my anger alleviated. "That's for the constant insults, Liang Yi!" I hissed. "In case you haven't understood what is happening, you're like my slave now and I do not regret giving up my blessing to tie you to me. I'm in-"

He released my wrist and grabbed my throat.

The rage burning in those purple eyes would have blazed my soul to ashes if the curse didn't exist. "Go on, strangle me like you had. Go on and kill me!"

The duvet had long gathered at my feet, leaving me in only my pants, facing Liang Yi, who was in the sleeping light robe that was unfastened.

I had a clear view of his broad chest and his toned abs that spoke of the hard work he put into his training to achieve such perfection. My body was indeed lacking the manly touches if I were to compare to Liang Yi's.

Maybe I would start working out after settling in the sect to build it a little so no one would compare me to a woman and avoid what had happened last night.

"You're not worth it."

He let go of my throat and pulled me away from the entrance so he could get off first. "We'll go our separate ways from now on. My sister already cut ties with the Lin family, so don't bother me anymore. Even if you summon me, I won't save you."

"We'll see about that you big bastard!" I yelled watching him walk away under the morning light. "Argh! Why is this happening to me? I just wanted to get to that sect safe. Who knew the servants would turn around and betray me?

#############

With Liang Yi gone, I was all by myself in this unknown thick forest that gave off an eerie feeling.

I waited around the cave for a few hours, hoping someone would travel by and help me guide the horses, but no one showed up.

When I noticed that it was already past noon, I gathered all of my courage and grabbed the reigns. "You can do this Lin Hua. Haven't you always been proud of your ability to adapt? Why are you waiting here for someone else to save you?" I gave my self-esteem a little boost to prepare myself for the experience I was about to have.

'Deep breaths. Deep breaths.'

"Hya!" I cried as the coachmen had done when starting a ride. But the horses didn't move even half an inch. "Come on you stupid animals, start walking or running!"

Silence.

I got off and walked to stand between them. "Work with me, please. I don't want to spend another night in this scary forest. Please move or I'll be stuck here all alone. Look around dear horses. Please, please, please, please," I begged in a nicer tone without touching them. "I'll buy you all the apples and carrots you want when we get out of this forest."

One neighed as if agreeing with my negotiation terms, giving me hope.

"Then it's a deal, rig-"

"Hahaha!" Laughter suddenly cracked the air from nowhere and everywhere. "I've never seen a man plead with animals," a manly voice spoke.

I shot my eyes from one side to the other, searching for the person who had spoken yet all I could see were trees. "Who, who's th-there?"

"A passerby," it answered, sounding closer than before. So close that I concluded that he was right...behind me.

I jumped around with my weak fists in the air ready to throw some if needed. Though it'd be useless against a practitioner.

Seated behind the horses was a young man who looked about twenty-five twenty-six years old.

His hair was long, and snow white flowed down his body. It complimented his blue eyes perfectly. I did not miss his slender chin that gave him a delicate look without making him any less manly.

If I were to describe him in simpler words; he was both beautiful and handsome.

But his choice of clothes color made him a little too noticeable. Why wear white robes with such pale hair?

"Have they sent you here to kill me?" I demanded, my fists hardening.

I'd go all out to defend myself, but would probably end up summoning Liang Yi and each other again after he had taken care of the threat.

The stranger laughed raising his right leg to sit casually. "Little brother, what are you talking about? Do I look like an assassin to you?"

"Then, why are you on my carriage?"

He grinned teasingly. "I was taking a walk around when I heard someone talking to his horses. Of course I was curious. And now that I'm here, I feel obliged to help if you ask for it."