Chapter 9

After a few days, the company started receiving all sorts of inexplicable deliveries.

When I opened them, every item inside was worth a fortune.

A Harry Winston diamond necklace, a Hermès lizard-skin Birkin bag, and plenty of other luxury brand jewelry.

I’d seen this kind of apology before.

Back then, he’d send something romantic, I’d give him an out, and we’d both be happy.

Now, pulling this stunt just feels annoying.

I checked the company’s accounts, then turned around and sold off the pile, making a sum of money.

Just like that, the deliveries kept coming for over ten days, until Zhong Yichen showed up.

At an investors’ banquet, he arrived uninvited, standing there like a door god, making everyone stand up to greet him.

Curious glances flickered between me and Zhong Yichen, but no one brought up the topic of divorce.

Bangsheng Group’s public divorce announcement had already made the news several times on the mainland.

A few days ago, I’d heard Mrs. Xu gossiping about it quite a bit.

No one expected that the Zhong Family, who wanted to brand it as an amicable divorce, would have their plans disrupted by a little troublemaker.

It turned out that after Zhang Jiamin heard about the divorce, she couldn’t wait to post photos of herself with Zhong Yichen online.

Even though only half of Zhong Yichen’s back was visible in the photos, and it was pixelated, sharp-eyed people still managed to figure it out.

Fired-up netizens divided up the task of analyzing Zhang Jiamin’s over a thousand posts, and timelines matched up in PPTs that spread all over the internet.

She opened alternate accounts to clap back at people one by one, but ended up getting dragged even more.

She said, “He doesn’t love his wife, if she can’t keep a man’s heart, who’s to blame?”

Someone replied, “So funny, he doesn’t love his wife but loves you, you dumb bitch? That necklace you showed off in March was made from leftover materials of the one his wife wore at last year’s anniversary-wow, so much love.”

“Where the money is, that’s where the love is, let’s just say that. Last year, Zhong Yichen donated a golden Buddha statue worth thirty million to Tsz Shan Monastery in his wife’s name.”

The arguing went on and on, and eventually I got tired of listening.

Looking at Zhong Yichen again, divorce and cheating seemed to have no effect on him at all.

In fact, because of the netizens’ confrontation with Zhang Jiamin, the word “cheating” became a mark of his charm, proof of his allure.

Meanwhile, the same “sinner,” Zhang Jiamin, had already been attacked until there was nothing left of her.

Just like now, he smiled as if nothing had happened.

Footsteps followed behind me, neither hurried nor slow. I stopped. “Just say what you want. I don’t have time to play games with you.”

He put down his wine glass and said unhurriedly, “You don’t know how the media praise you. They say you’re so strong, everyone knows the Zhong Family has produced a woman who’d rather break than bend. They praise you, and in turn, make me out to be worthless.”

“The day you left, Wen-Jie cursed me out, standing on the third floor yelling at me for ages.”

“I thought, after a dramatic divorce and your departure, so many people have vented your anger for you over the years, you should be over it by now.”

“So, I’ve come to take you home.”

Hearing these words, I realized I was angry, but my soul felt numb in front of him.

I’d gambled everything for a decisive departure, but to him it was just a tantrum-once I calmed down, nothing would have happened.

For a moment, I suddenly understood.

All these years with Zhong Yichen, whether love or marriage-

Maybe from beginning to end, I was the only one who saw it as faith, as everything.

So the destruction and collapse, from start to finish, swept over only me.

Zhong Yichen had also made vows before the priest, but he probably never believed that love should be unwavering, or that marriage should be faithful.

Once I figured it all out, I quickly turned away, raising my hand to wipe away the tears I couldn’t hold back.

“Divorcing you means, Zhong Yichen, that we’ll have nothing to do with each other for the rest of our lives.” I pulled myself together, speaking each word clearly. “You think divorce is a game, but I’ve never treated marriage as a tantrum. Let me tell you, I don’t regret it-not now, not in the future, never, ever.”

He grabbed me, as if my anger didn’t matter at all, and said helplessly, “Fine, I’m the one who regrets it, okay? I spoke too soon. These past two months without you, I haven’t been able to get used to it.”

I couldn’t take it anymore and slapped him hard across the face.

The crisp sound of the slap echoed along the forest path.

Zhong Yichen’s face turned to the side. He lifted his hand and touched the spot where he’d been hit. “Is that enough to vent your anger? If not, hit me again.”

“When you’re done, come back to Hong Kong with me.”