Chapter 12

After I emphasized once again that we were just friends, Li Zemu stormed off in a huff.

Yet in the afternoon, he appeared again at the entrance of An’an’s kindergarten.

I ignored him, so he drove behind us, following until he saw us go upstairs.

That night, his car remained parked outside.

In the middle of the night, when I got up to close the window, I saw him leaning against his car, silently smoking.

Our eyes met in the air, then quickly parted.

For three days straight, he watched me closely, never leaving my side for a moment.

On the third evening, he stopped me, his gaze intense.

“Have you thought it over? Do you want to marry me?”

Looking at his stern brows and eyes, I realized belatedly that I was no longer afraid of him.

After a moment of silence, under his expectant gaze, I shook my head.

“No, Li Zemu, I don’t want to marry you.”

“Why not?”

“Because our relationship has never been equal. Eight years ago, I sold myself to you for a million.

“You told me what to do, and I had to do it.

“I hated your domineering ways, but I couldn’t refuse.

“I hated the way your friends looked at me, but I had no right to talk back.

“I was your caged bird, your plaything. When you remembered me, you’d tease me a bit; when you didn’t like me, you’d toss me aside.

“You never respected me, so I don’t want to go back to you.

“Every moment I see you, I remember that painful time in the past.

“Young Master Li, I’m begging you, please let me go.”

Having said it all in one breath, it felt as if a heavy stone had finally been lifted from my chest.

I quietly awaited Li Zemu’s response.

Perhaps he would be angry, perhaps he would turn hostile.

But to my surprise, he merely chuckled bitterly.

“Xia Wanlv, you say those three years with me were painful?

“Fine! Fine! Just perfect!

“I must be out of my mind to have fallen in love with such an ungrateful woman like you.

“Don’t worry, the next time I show up in front of you, I’ll be a dog!”

After saying this, he stormed off.

An’an tugged at my hand, “Mom, does Dad not want us anymore?”

“An’an, sweetie, both Dad and Mom have their own lives, but our love for you is the same, do you understand?”

“I understand.” An’an nodded, then she reached out her chubby little hand to wipe my face, “Mom, don’t cry.”

Strange, was I crying?

Clearly, it was just raining.