Late by one day. I am sorry! May I be punished for that! 

Let's start with the new chapter right away :D :D 

Xiao Zhan's POV

No matter how much I tried, I could only sleep for about an hour before I woke up again. Not because of any noises but because I didn't trust anyone in this house. My trust in Meng Yao is not enough. So the whole night I sat in this damn bedroom and thought about how long it would take to get me out of here. I was kidnapped yesterday but it felt I was here for at least a week already.

Time passed and some hours later Meng Yao knocked on the door before he entered. He seemed to be surprised to see me awake already.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked me and for a moment I thought about saying something but then I changed my mind. If he was disappointed he didn't show it.

"I brought you breakfast. It's your favorite. " He said and pointed at the tray in his hands as if I was blind or something. It was indeed my favorite and it annoyed me a little that he knew me so well. He put it on the bed waiting for me to dig in. I didn't.

"I won't poison you." He said in a sad tone.

"I am not hungry..." I answered. I didn't want to but I was polite like this. Even when I was kidnapped.... 'You are an idiot Xiao Zhan...' He stared at me for a long time and I held in my breath in anticipation. Then he put the tray on the dresser before coming back. He sat on the chair next to the bed and watched me. It was quiet and I felt even more nervous. Sure, I didn't want to talk to him but in my opinion, it was a lot better than the silence in the room.

I knew he waited for me to talk first. I could see it in his eyes. I didn't want to give in that fast but this damn silence was killing me.

"What do you want?" I asked him eventually. He smiled.

"Talking."

It was just one word and that surprised me a little. He seemed to be different today. A little more careful as usual. When he behaved like that he had to say something important. Well, important to him.

"I have nothing to talk about, Meng Yao."

"But I do. I want you to understand me. I want you to understand my feelings for you. I want to ... confess..."

"You already confessed and I told you I do not feel the same."

"Not that kind of confession. This time it's something else but just as important." He said seriously and I knew whatever he had to say I probably wouldn't like it. Just then he got up and climbed on the bed. I flinched and was about to jump out of the bed but he stopped me by holding my hand. "I won't hurt you."

"Then get off!" I hissed angrily and this time he flinched.

"Zhan...." He called my name before letting go of my hand. He slid to the edge of the bed so there was a gap between us but he didn't get off. "I want to talk about us."

"There is no-"

"I want to tell you how I met you the first time, how I fell for you, and how you ended up living with me." Suddenly I had a bad feeling. A very bad feeling. I shook my head trying to not think about it too much but some time later I had to accept that my feelings didn't deceive me.

"It all started with my sister.... Did I tell you about her?"

"What does she have to do with your actions?" I asked but he didn't say anything and waited for my answer.

I suppressed an annoyed sigh. "Not much. You mentioned that she died due to cancer when you were 17. That is why you started to donate to people who can't afford treatment at the hospital. I don't know more about her."

"Back then that was a lie." He said and quickly rose his hand. "Not the part with my sister! She died because of that damn cancer. I lied about donating money to patients in need. Only when I saw how happy you were once you heard I did that, did I donate for real. Making you happy and smile was all I ever wanted."

"What are you talking about!? Why me?" I wanted to know. He looked at my hand and seemed he wanted to take it into his but he didn't.

"Until the day she died, she felt sorry for you. She felt sorry but... she also fell in love with you."

I frowned. "I don't even know your sister. She couldn't have known me either so what are you talking about!?"

Meng Yao sighed. "She was 17 when she found out she had cancer. She didn't feel well for some time now. It started with extreme tiredness that didn't get better with rest. She started to have eating problems. She wasn't hungry anymore and soon lost about 10 pounds. We thought it was the stress. She wanted to become a well-known actress so she started to play in the theater when she turned 15 and even had quite a few fans already. But theater was not enough. She wanted to do movies and dramas. She practiced a lot every day and went to many castings...

When she was 17 she got the lead role in a movie. She was so happy, especially hearing that the director was very famous! She practiced even more. When she started to lose weight she got worried. She wanted to and had to gain weight for the role and not lose it. So she went to see the doctor and wanted to get something to relieve her from the stress. But he told her she had cancer...."

Meng Yao seemed to have loved his sister a lot. He talked about her in such a gentle but painful voice. He didn't cry but it looked he could start anytime. I did feel sorry for him but I didn't understand what this had to do with me. I didn't know her. I never knew someone with cancer.

"She was devastated. The doctor told her there was still hope and she could start with chemotherapy. But she didn't want to. If she did that she had to give up on the movie. It was her dream, she said. If she did the therapy and it didn't help, she would have died without ever playing in a movie. So she declined and went home. I only knew of that when she told me about that much later.

She hid her illness from everyone, especially the director and the crew. After three months it got worse. The director wasn't happy that she lost weight instead of gaining it so when he wanted to know the reason she lied to him first. But later he found out about her illness. She never got to know how he did that. The director felt sorry for her but... he kicked her out of the team and the movie. Not because he was evil but because he was worried about her and wanted her to do the chemotherapy. Once she defeated cancer he promised to give her the lead role in another movie of his.

My sister was devastated. Not even the promise of the director made her feel better. Especially when she found out that her replacement was the girl she hated the most. That girl wasn't talented but she had rich parents who would buy her anything she wanted. Much later after my sister's death, I heard they tried to buy the director but when he refused they kicked him out of his movie and let someone else take over.

Anyway, my sister was devastated that day. Of course, she was. First, she found out she had cancer, and then she lost the role she dreamed of. She cried a lot that day. The tears wouldn't stop and when she get into her car and drove off...." Meng Yao suddenly looked at me. "Due to the tears and also because she didn't concentrate on driving she hit another car...."

I widened my eyes in horror. 'No... way...!'

"She hit the car where you and your parents were in."

"No..." I shook my head.

"I am sorry... She was sorry! She hated herself for taking two lives. The lives of your parents. She even almost killed you."

"It's not true..." I kept shaking my head.

"That day she wanted to die. She felt so guilty and thought about killing herself. She was wounded badly, there was a lot of blood and so she decided to stay in the car. The amount of blood she was losing would have killed her in maybe 5 to 10 minutes. She would have died anyway if the chemotherapy wouldn't help. But then...." Meng Yao took my hand in his and I was too shocked about this story to care about it. "You pulled her out of the car. You stopped the blood flow despite being in a bad shape as well. You saved the life of my sister who had killed your parents.

She was shocked... and she was happy. After everything she did to you, you still cared for her and saved her. After that, she wanted to live. She wanted to go through the chemotherapy and wanted to pay for what she did. She wanted to apologize to you and your parents. So she underwent chemotherapy. She lost her hair she loved so much but didn't care about it anymore. She secretly found out who you were and watched you whenever she could. She wanted to prepare herself to apologize to you. Whenever she could she would talk about you, rave about you, dream about you. She knew she fell madly in love with you. I knew that too. It was obvious.

I was jealous. I loved my sister dearly and wanted her to myself. So when she started to rave about you I was mad." Meng Yao chuckled. "I was about 14 years old back then and a little childish and dramatic. But I was happy that my sister was happy."

'That girl was his sister? I barely remember her face. All I remember is the pain I felt when I pulled her out of her car and pressed on the wound on her stomach to reduce the blood flow. It was painful because I still had a piece of the car window in my shoulder. And all I could think off back then was the lifeless bodies of my parents...' It still hurt to think about that day 12 years ago. It seemed that Meng Yao and I are destined to be kind of enemies.

"But suddenly she was getting sicker and sicker. Without the doctor telling us, we knew that the chemotherapy didn't help. We spent so much money on that therapy but it didn't work. And when the doctor ordered her to stay in bed, she asked me to watch over you. She wanted to know what you were doing if you were healthy if you were happy or not. I didn't like it that she was only thinking about you than about herself. But she was my sister and I would have done everything for her. So every day I would go to you and watch you. I reported to her whatever you did and that made her happy.

Time passed and I fell for you as well. No matter what happened you always smiled in front of others. They never saw the sadness in your eyes and only saw that smile on your lips. You had many part-time jobs and barely could pay for your rent and food. But you never complained. When you saw a homeless on the streets you would buy them food even if that mean you had not enough for yourself. But the smile you showed was always real. You were happy to help others and the smile made you even more beautiful. To me, you looked like an angel.

First I didn't tell my sister about my feelings but when she started to dream about getting healthy again, to go to you and apologize, and then marry you and have at least 3 children, I confessed. She wasn't mad but happy. She said that she would be more than happy to know that I was there and would keep watching and protecting you once she was no more. When her health went down and she was in a lot of pain she asked me to promise her to stay with you and to protect you. Of course, I promised. Not only because she asked me to but because I wanted to do it. Because I loved you as well. The same day I promised that to her she died. 4 years she fought against cancer until she was finally released."

I felt bad for his sister. Yes, she killed my parents but she didn't do it on purpose. And fighting cancer for 4 long years must have been extremely painful. That was worse than punishment by law. That is one of the reasons why I forgave her. The other reason was that it happened 12 years ago and I didn't want to think about it anymore. I accepted my parent's death long ago.

"She wanted to apologize to you, Zhan. She never wanted to kill anyone. She felt sorry for what she did and she loved you. I know what she did was .... please don't hate her."

"I am sorry for what happened to her. I don't hate her. But her killing my parents and you kidnapping me are two different things. Your sister's accident has nothing to do with your actions today."

"I love you, Zhan!"

"What does this has to do with it!? What you are doing is illegal and disgusting. It has nothing to do with your feelings for me. Don't make me the reason for your actions!! As for your feelings.... you said you loved me more than once, Meng Yao. And I believe you. I believe that you have.. well, strong feelings for me. I also believe your sister loved me but-"

"My feelings are different than the feelings of my sister. I love you more than she loved you, Zhan! She knew you only for about 4 years but I know you longer now. I even lived with you. Those are two entirely different things! And every day I fall deeper for you."

'He doesn't understand what I am saying. He is not in his right state of mind. In my opinion, he is just using his feelings for me to justify his actions. If not that, then he is trying to distract me from his evil deeds by confession to me. As if he thinks I would stop thinking about his business or I would start having feelings for him. His feelings for me, .... they turned from love to an obsession over the years and Meng Yao doesn't even realize that. His sister, as far as I understood, loved me like a normal young woman. She never thought about kidnapping me. All she did was dream and hope. But Meng Yao is different. His love is different... Maybe he loves me not only for himself but also for his sister? But still... to me, it was an obsession.' I thought and looked down at my hand which lay in Meng Yao's as he caressed it softly.

"Meng Yao..." I called him in a serious tone and he looked up at me. Since he talked about wanting to tell me how I ended up living with him I had this one thought in mind. "That car accident 5 years ago..." I started and he looked down immediately. I couldn't believe it. It was him!?

"Trying to kill me has nothing to do with love!" I yelled in anger and pulled my hand away. "If you love me then why did you do that!? Why did you want to kill me!?"

"I didn't!" He yelled back and stared into my eyes. "I never wanted to kill you! I never intended to hit you with the car! You were never the target!!"

"I...-" I widened my eyes. I wasn't the target? Then... "You ... you wanted to kill Yibo?!" That made me even angrier than when I thought he wanted to kill me. What did Yibo do wrong for him to kill me? Just because he spent time with me?!

"Since the day my sister died I secretly watched over you. I protected you. You needed me." He said and I saw that he actually believed what he was saying. Back then I might have been young but I wasn't stupid or helpless. I didn't need him nor anyone else to protect me.

"Day after day, year after year, I watched you. Every time I saw you smiling made me fall deeper for you. I was also a customer in the restaurant you worked at and I would always sit at the same table near the kitchen. Because sitting there gave me the chance to see you washing the dishes. That was the closest I got to you without you knowing me.

But soon that wasn't enough anymore. I wanted you to know me, I wanted to know you even more than I already did. I wanted to be with you. So I decided to introduce myself. I wanted to introduce myself. For us but especially for you to know me. I couldn't because there was some trouble within my business and I had to leave the country for three weeks. I shouldn't have done this. If I had sent someone else to deal with it, you and Yibo wouldn't have met. I would have been next to you, not him!

The night I came back I immediately went to see you. I saw you going into a bar with him. I wasn't worried much because you never had a serious relationship especially after what these assholes of ex-boyfriends did to you. I followed you and saw you drinking and talking at the bar. I didn't even mind that you were laughing a lot what you never did before.

But when you left the bar with him sometime later and I saw the two of you entering a hotel... I started to panic and when you didn't come back I was furious. That wasn't supposed to happen! It should have been me at your side, not some stranger you couldn't possibly know longer than 3 weeks.

I waited and waited but you didn't come out. I was so... so angry and ... and when I saw him leaving the hotel late at night I was sure he did something to you. Why else would he secretly run away in the middle of the night? All I could think about was you and I decided to make sure he wouldn't harm you anymore nor get close to you....

I didn't know it was you! The hoodie you wore was his! I thought you were him! When I realized my mistake I brought you to the hospital immediately. I was scared that you wouldn't wake up after the surgery. You were in a coma for about a week and I was with you the whole time until you woke up. I didn't want you to get to know me like this but I was happy that finally, we met for real. Do you know how happy I was when you became my friend? Sure, I wanted much more than just being friends but as long as you were fine I didn't mind being friends for a while.

When you told me about what happened that night I wanted to kill Yibo so much but no matter how much I tried to get you to talk, you never talked about who he was. You wanted to forget him so bad that I decided to forget about him too. As everything was my fault I paid for your treatment and when I found out about your situation, I happily offered you to stay with me. I was happy to get you to fulfill your and your parent's wish by helping you to get a college degree. Seeing how happy you were when you worked as my secretary... I thought that we had a future. But then I found out you were still looking for an apartment.

I am sorry, Zhan. I didn't want you to move out so I made sure you wouldn't get an apartment no matter what. When you still declined to continue to live with me I was helpless and frustrated. It took me several months until you agreed. I didn't want to scare you away by confessing to you right away but it got harder to keep my feelings for me the more time we spent together. I didn't know you knew I kissed you last year but now I am happy that you know."

It was too much information at once but hearing what he said meant that everything was a lie. From the time we met until today. "All of it was a lie..." I mumbled and Meng Yao shook his head.

"My feelings for you aren't a lie, Zhan! That you have to believe!" He said in desperation.

"Go out," I said and when he didn't move I glared at him. "I said get out! I need to be alone."

"Zhan... I-"

"Meng Yao! If you don't want me to get pissed of and hate you for the rest of your life, you better get our ass out of this room right now! I need time and want to be alone!" I yelled. He flinched and looked at me in shock but he got up and left.

I couldn't comprehend what I just heard. I don't care about the feeling he had for me or anyone else. Fact is, he lied! Everything was a fucking lie! And he is a criminal who does the worst things a human being could do. The Meng Yao I got to know was a fake one. I didn't want to believe it but it was the truth. And that meant... I never even had a real friend! He wasn't real. Nothing was!

Even when I found out who he seemed to be when I saw him killing people weeks ago and when I heard the stories Zhou Cheng told me about him... I always thought of him as a friend and wanted to help him to turn himself in. He was my lifesaver after all. Paying my hospital bills, offering me to live with him, giving me work, and helping me get a college degree. He was the friend I never had and always wanted.

But now I hated him because all that was just a lie. And his lie was so much worse than Yibo's or anyone else. Yibo lied once about something he probably didn't know how much it would hurt me. Yes, he was wrong too! But Meng Yao lied to me for whole 5 years. He pretend to be the funny and caring best friend in front of me but he was actually a brutal criminal, thinking only about himself. I didn't feel well knowing that this kind of man had feelings for me... but I was thankful that he didn't use this and force himself on me or something.

The incident with his sister... I forgave her. "May you rest in peace," I whispered. I didn't want to sound heartless but I was glad she died many years ago. At least that way she won't see what kind of person his little brother became.

As for the hit-and-run... call me stupid but I forgave Meng Yao for that. Even the fact that he lied to me all these years. I would forgive him. I am 30 years now and didn't want to waste the rest of my life thinking about the bad things in my past. Moreover, what Meng Yao did to me is not as worse as what he is doing with all the kidnapped women and the produced drugs.

He destroyed many families already and he would continue to do so if no one would stop him. He killed so many people already ... and he is also slowly destroying society with all these nasty drugs. He made his men or friends or whoever distribute them in a goddamn school! How many kg was it again? 4? 5? I can't remember anymore but I knew it was a lot.

Kidnapping and raping women, drugging and murdering people... this is something I can't and won't ever forgive him. No one would! Why did he even start this business? How? What happened that made a little cute boy turn out in such a dangerous and disgusting criminal?

I would probably regret it but I wanted to know. I bet he didn't know himself. If I would ask him... he will probably just say what comes into his mind but anyway... or he would start talking about how much he loved me. Maybe, just maybe I can make him turn himself in? Maybe I could change him and make him give on his path in life? I knew I was naive for thinking like that but I wanted to hope that it could work. He said he loved me, didn't he? So maybe if I used that fact....

I woke up when I felt a presence in the room. I didn't even know when I fell asleep but I must have been pretty tired or else it wouldn't have happened. It was already dark outside and a look on the clock told me it was shortly after midnight. I couldn't believe I fell asleep and slept the entire day! In this house with so many criminals! Did he do something to me while I was asleep?

"I am sorry... I ... didn't want to wake you up...." Meng Yao said and listening to his voice I realized he was not sitting on the chair next to my bed as usual but he was standing at the window looking out of it. I checked on the window already. I could open it but it was too high to jump out and I didn't even know where I was. So there was no way of escaping by using it.

"You didn't." I lied and saw him turning towards me. He stood there and watched me.

"If you want to stay here then at least sit down because you making me nervous," I said and saw him widening his eyes in surprise before he took a seat on the chair at the other side of the bed.

"I am sorry...." He apologized again and I tried to order my thought.

"There is something you didn't tell me yet. But I want to know ..."

"I will tell you everything..." He said looking at me hopefully.

"How and why did you end up.... in this kind of business...." I didn't know how to say it without getting angry so that was the best I could do.

He looked away and for a long time didn't say anything. For a moment I thought he felt ashamed but then I remembered what he did and figured out there was no way he would feel ashamed of something like this. If he did, he wouldn't have continued. But I knew he would answer me. If anything he said earlier is true he would. And I was right.

"How I ended up like this, you ask...." He mumbled. "I wanted to build up a business which will not flop like so many others businesses out there. I just didn't know how to do it at first. All I knew was I wanted to be a man of wealth. I wanted to have a lot of money and I wanted that people respected me. I figured out that the easiest and most successful way wasn't necessarily something legal...

After my sister died, I was caught with drugs often but it never was enough for them to arrest me for long. Getting good quality drugs wasn't easy and very expensive. After I got caught a few times I realized its worth and decided to build up an organization that produced and sells drugs. It wasn't easy but I made it." He bit his lips and it seemed he felt unwell talking about it. But only because he was talking to me.

"My customers were happy with the quality and quantity. I didn't care what they did with the stuff as long as they wouldn't say my name. Every week I got more buyers and my business grew. I earned more money than with any legal business out there. But it wasn't enough. I wanted more, no, I needed more. Much more. So I researched and tried to find another way to earn money. That's when I decided to start with kidnapping young women. Out of nowhere, my business grew thrice as big and the money I earned was more than I hoped for. All this took me only about 2 years. The more money I earned, the more I thought I needed.

I knew the police had his eyes on me since the moment they caught me with drugs so I didn't show myself that often in public. I don't even know how they found out about my business. It was never obvious and my men are tightlipped. And those who weren't, I killed. Out of their sight, I decided to start a legal business as well. It wasn't difficult with all the money I earned before. Of course, I couldn't deceive them... " He looked at me. "I decided to donate the money from the legal business. I never kept the clean money for myself."

'Does he think that donating the money would make him less evil?' I thought annoyed. Because it didn't. It made him even worse. I called that hypocrisy.

"Why?" I asked him. "What is the reason for all of that? Why were you so obsessed with money all of the sudden?" I asked him. I hated it that he didn't answer that simple question. "Was it due to the money you spend on your sister's treatment that didn't help her? But why? That money didn't help her anymore so why earn more!?"

Meng Yao kept quiet and I understood that talking about the death of his sister is a sensitive topic. But still...

"Do you understand what you are doing?" I asked. "Imagine your sister being kidnapped and raped by a brutal stranger before getting sold to others only to be raped again. And then get forcefully filled up with different types of drugs. How would you feel? Would you want that happen to her?!"

"It's not my fault that others can't protect their families. I would always protect my sister no matter what! I couldn't protect her from the illness and I hate myself for that. But I still have you I can protect and I will protect you. I will make sure no one can hurt you!"

"So you think kidnapping me and holding me here against my will is not hurting me!?" I asked in disbelieve.

"No, it's not. Here no one will hurt you, be it physically or mentally. You are safe here with me. Zhan, you can trust me in that."

"How can I trust someone as evil as you!??"

"I might be evil to others but not to you, Zhan! I won't ever hurt you because I love you. I will protect you, especially from that prosecutor. He won't be able to hurt you again."

Did he think loving me would allow him to lock me up against my will? Did he think that I would accept it when he continued his evil deeds? I couldn't understand him and to be honest, I didn't want to. But that didn't matter for now.

"Meng Yao, I don't want to have anything to do with you as long as you are like this. As long as you stay in this ... business, I can't see anything else in you other than a disgusting criminal. It doesn't matter if you raped those women personally or you told others to do it. It's the same! It's evil and disgusting. You being like this... do you expect me to be with you? To love you? No one would love such a person, Meng Yao!"

Suddenly the gaze in his eyes changed. He looked ... I didn't know how to describe it. He looked kind of pensive and nervous. There was hope and something else I couldn't figure out. He stood up from the chair and walked up and down. Seeing him like this was new and because of that, I didn't know if I had to be scared or not. I didn't ask him what he was doing, I didn't say anything but watched him. The longer he behaved like that the more nervous I became.

Sometime later he walked up to me and took my hands in his. "If I ... if I stop being like this... I mean, if I turn my back to all this...will you be with me? I just have to stop all this and change, right?"

The first thing in my mind was to say that he was wrong. That even if he changed and stopped running this business, I wouldn't be with him. I couldn't. But I stopped myself. Saying that wouldn't help me or the kidnapped women. This organization has to be destroyed no matter what! The drugs need to be confiscated and the women to be set free! That was the first and most important step.

He waited for an answer and I tried to think how to answer without making him think we would have a future. Because we didn't. Not only because of my feelings but especially because he would go to jail for a long long time even if he turned himself in. But I also knew that no matter what I say, if it was only a little bit positive, he would think he had a chance. I couldn't care less about that at this moment.

"Does that mean you would destroy the business you made just like that?"

"I would do anything for you. All I need is you, Zhan. I earned enough money for us to live a good life. We just need to run away together. Zhan, you will be with me, right?"

"You won't be able to destroy your hard work just like that. This is all you worked for. For years all you cared about was this organization. You never cared for the people you hurt or killed. Why should I believe you now, Yao?" I deliberately said his nickname.

"I am not him!" He said firmly. "I won't ever lie to you! But you are right, I won't be able to achieve that overnight. It will take time. But as long as you are with me, as long as you promise me you won't ever leave me, I promise you to change."

I didn't believe him. He might say that now but when I asked him to turn himself in when we met in the shopping center, he told me he couldn't. Now he suddenly changed his mind? Why would he? Because he thought I would be with him? That I would love him? I doubted that. There was no way he would change his mind this fast! But I didn't show him that I didn't believe him.

Sure, he probably believed in what he said. But I knew he won't do it. People like Meng Yao won't be able to change. It's not possible. He didn't care about anything or anyone else than himself. I might have been the only exception but I am not proud of that. In my opinion, there was no hope for him and because he won't give up on his damn business someone had to force him. I knew Yibo could do that. I knew sooner or later Yibo would find us. There was no doubt and until that happened all I could do is wait. Wait and make sure Meng Yao doesn't do more crimes.

It's just .... waiting wasn't easy. I knew exactly what was happening in the basement. Just because I didn't hear anything didn't mean nothing was going on. I felt bad for them. I wanted to save them.....

"Yao...." I called him and the next I knew was him sitting next to me on the bed and hugging me. For a moment I froze but I quickly relaxed again, hoping he didn't realize it. All I wanted was the organization to be destroyed, the women to be freed, the drugs to be confiscated, Meng Yao to be sent to jail, and.... and for me to live a quiet life far away from all of this.

It took me a lot to hug Meng Yao back. He once was my best friend- well, actually he wasn't. It was just a lie, after all... I still couldn't believe that I didn't see his true nature, but when I looked at him now it was making me sick. All I could think of was him killing those two women, him pointing a gun at FanXing, and him allowing others to rape women and kill people....

While letting Meng Yao hug me I thought about how to proceed further. It was quiet in the room, all I could hear was his breathing and when I looked down on him I realized he had fallen asleep. I waited a little more before escaping his arms and getting out of the bed. Then I stood at the window and did the only thing I could at that moment. I waited. I didn't know for what, though. But my gut feeling told me something big would happen soon.

And I was right...

Not much later after the sun went up I still stood in front of the window. I didn't know what time it was because I couldn't see the clock as the dresser was blocking my view. I didn't want to approach it in case Meng Yao would wake up.

I knew I stood there for quite a while and I was glad I did because when I looked down I saw shadows hushing around. Of course, at first, I thought it was just imagination but then I saw more and more shadows. The men out there carried guns and when I was sure I saw Zhou Cheng, I knew that I would be out here soon. They were surrounding the house and there was no sound outside. Even the forest was unusually quiet. I tried to locate Yibo because I knew he would be here as well. It was almost as if I could feel him but unfortunately, I couldn't see him.

"Zhan....?" I widened my eyes in shock hearing Meng Yao's sleepy voice. He was standing very close behind me and for a moment I feared he saw everything. But if he saw then he didn't react to it. "You didn't sleep at all, did you?"

I quickly turned around to make him concentrate on me than on what happened outside. "Do you think I can sleep here peacefully"

"No one will hurt you. Neither I nor my men. I am here and will protect you in the worst case but no one would dare to go against me. They know they will die if they anger me." He said with a grim look on his face. I didn't react to that but slowly and unbeknownst to him stepped away from the window.

"Zhan...." Meng Yao followed my movements, raised his hands, and caressed my cheeks. "Don't worry about anything. I will be here to protect you even if that means I have to die." His gaze then wandered to the window. From the spot where we stood, he couldn't see what happened under the window so I thought everything would be safe. But I was mistaken.

"Zhan, tell me you will stay here with me ."

"You kidnapped and are locking me up here. I won't be able to escape anyway so there is no other option than to stay here with you."

"Don't say it like this...."

"Like what? It's the truth, right? If you want me to stay here you have to give me something in return, Meng Yao. Quit all of this! Can you do it? Right here, right now?" I could see in his eyes the unwillingness to give everything he build up. But at this point, I didn't care anymore because Meng Yao would go to jail pretty soon. It's only a matter of minutes until he would get arrested.

So I took all the courage I had, raised my hand, and softly touched his cheeks. "It's me or the business, Meng Yao. You can't have both. Now chose." He placed his hand on top of mine and looked at me lovingly. Then he came closer without losing eye contact. His eyes wandered to my lips for a short moment.

'He wants to kiss me...' I thought but didn't move away. Meng Yao was surprised but then smiled and was about to press his lips on mine when suddenly the door burst open and the guard run inside.

Meng Yao was furious that he dared to interrupt us and I bet he wanted to say some nasty things but before he could do so the guard spoke first.

"The police are here! Everywhere!" He said with widened eyes. "We couldn't see them because they avoided the cameras. It's as if they knew where exactly they were placed. What should we do, boss? Wang Yibo came from the other side and is already in the basement!"

Meng Yao's eyes darkened so much that I got goosebumps. "Someone snitched!" He spat out. "Who was it, goddammit!?!"

"B. is dead. That means the tunnel they used was only known to-" The guard didn't finish speaking when Meng Yao screamed in anger. I flinched and took a few steps back.

"WANG HAOXUAN!!!" He roared. "Wait for your end, Wang HaoXuan. I am going to kill you personally after I killed that lover of yours!!"

"Boss, we need to leave!" The guard pleaded.

Just then Meng Yao looked at me and frowned seeing me smiling. "WHy are you-? You knew they were here, didn't you?" He looked to the window and then back to me. "You knew!"

I didn't admit it but it wasn't necessary. "Now is your chance to turn yourself in. You will be in jail for a very long time but-"

"I won't! I am not going to be separated from you again, Zhan." He said and grabbed my hand. "You wanted me to turn my back on my business? Fine! I will do it as it seems I have no other choice now. But it's fine. I can start a new one. I have you with me and a lot of money as well. That is all I need."

Meng Yao turned back to the guard. "We will take the other tunnel. HaoXuan doesn't know about that one and the police will be too busy to look for it. You go ahead." The guard nodded and run ahead while Meng Yao followed him all the while pulling me after him.

I tried to make him let go of me but he didn't. His hand was as hard as steel. "I won't let them take you away from me, Zhan. You and I belong together." He said and pulled harder.

"We don't! I only belong to myself! Stop it and give up, Meng Yao! Please, turn yourself in."

He didn't listen and pulled me down the stairs. I heard screams and cries down in the basement. There were a few gunshots too. All in all, it was chaos. If Meng Yao escaped now, all would be lost. So I did the only thing I could. I knew he was here. Yibo was close.

Once we arrived at a wall and a hidden door opened secretly, I let my earring fall on the ground before screaming as loud as I could. "YIBOOO."

Maybe I shouldn't have done that but that was all I could think of. Meng Yao wanted to escape and take me with him. What else were I supposed to do? Especially when I knew that Yibo was here?

Anyway, Meng Yao didn't like that. He was shocked and furious. "How could you-!?"

"Give up!"

He gritted his teeth before turning around and pulling after him, this time he used much force. For a moment I thought everything was over but suddenly I heard a gunshot. The three of us turned around and faced a furious-looking Wang Yibo who pointed a gun at Meng Yao. Just now he shot in the air, probably afraid he would hit me if he tried to shoot at Meng Yao directly.

"Stop! Right! Now!" He hissed. "Or I will shoot you, you fucking asshole!"

The guard jumped in front of us to protect Meng Yao but Yibo didn't give him any attention. He pointed his gun at him and shot the guard into his shoulder. Meng Yao cursed and when Yibo pointed his gun back at him, he pulled out his own to point at Yibo.

"You are in my way, Wang Yibo!" Meng Yao spat.

"Let go of Xiao Zhan and give up! There is no way to escape. The house is surrounded, your men arrested, and .... " He looked at the guard on the ground and chuckled. " ... no one here to save you."

Meng Yao's tightened his grip on my hand. It started to hurt but I ignored it. "I won't let you take him away from me. Once was enough. There will be no second time. "

"You say that as if you have a choice." Yibo snorted and took a step closer to us. Meng Yao felt threatened and was now squeezing my hand in a very painful way.

"I always have a choice." Was his answer. "Now stop! One step closer and I am going to kill you!"

Both stared at each other but then Yibo looked at me for a second. He wanted to check if I was alright so I nodded at him. I probably smiled because I was so damn happy that I was saved. Yibo saw how Meng Yao clasp my hand and glared at him.

"You are hurting him, bastard!"

That made Meng Yao realize what he was doing and he let go of my hand instantly. I quickly held it close to my chest and stepped away from him. I wanted to run to Yibo but I was too scared to do that.

"Tell me one reason I shouldn't kill you..." Yibo said coldly before looking back at me. He screamed out his worry and feelings for me using his eyes. As happy I was that he paid me attention, he shouldn't let his target out of his sight. Especially not when his target was Meng Yao who was pissed that Yibo showed his love for me so openly.

Meng Yao laughed loudly while unlocking his gun. Yibo didn't see nor hear it. But I did. I knew Meng Yao's plan. He wanted to kill Yibo but I wouldn't let him. So I did the best but stupidest thing which came to my mind. I run up to Yibo who widened his eyes in shock.

I was on time. I was faster than Meng Yao because he too was shocked that I run to Yibo instead of him. He wanted to kill Yibo before I would reach him and then take me with him so he pulled the trigger. But I was faster. Or was he slower?

I didn't know. All I knew was that the pain I felt when the bullet hit me was twice as strong as when I was shot in my leg. I collapsed immediately and Yibo caught me before I would hit the floor.

I saw blood. A lot of blood. I didn't want to see it so I looked at Yibo. He was scared. I never saw him scared like this. I also heard a devasting scream. It wasn't Yibo.

"Zhan...." Yibo called me, his face as white as porcelain. I hated it when Meng Yao did it but if it's Yibo... I liked it. I wanted to hear it again. I couldn't say anything but I stared at his lips as if I was enchanting him.

"Zhan... please..."

I smiled and looked to the left where Dr. Wang suddenly showed up. Both brothers were talking and alternatively looking at me. The doctor seemed to be worried and wanted to bring me to the hospital as fast as possible but Yibo stopped him, asked him a few things I didn't understand and after a while, Dr. Wang nodded. That was the last thing I saw before I closed my eyes.

The next time I opened them I felt relieved that I didn't die. That was before I saw who was sitting next to me. Seeing Xuan Lu smiling at me with such gentleness made me feel guilty. Very guilty. I was ashamed that I dared to sleep with her husband. In her house at that!

It was only natural I would feel ashamed so I quickly avoided eye contact. 'Does she know? Did Yibo tell her?' I didn't dare to look at her again.

"Xiao Zhan, I am glad you finally woke up. Haikuan said it was only a matter of time before you do but that was four days ago. I got worried that you slept so long." She said and I heard she was relieved.

I looked around the room and realized that it was the same one I spend my time in a few weeks ago after I got shot. Xuan Lu and I weren't alone. At the back of the room on the couch laid FanXing who was fast asleep.

"He was impatiently waiting for you to wake up." Xuan Lu said when she saw where I was looking. "He swore to not go to sleep until you woke up. But as you can see, he didn't endure it and fell asleep after all. He will be very happy when he wakes up."

I was slightly disappointed that Yibo wasn't here. I would love to see him even just for a short moment. I heard Xuan Lu giggle.

"Yibo is at the prosecution making sure Meng Yao will stay behind bars until the day he dies." Hearing her saying that made me look at her in shock. She raised her brows in amusement. "What? Surprised that I know what you think? I know much more than you might think."

That made me quickly look away again. 'She knows. She definitely knows. On the one side, I was glad she did because I didn't want to have secrets from her. She was like a sister I never had. But on the other hand, I was sad. I didn't want her heart to be broken. I didn't want her to lose the man she loved. I didn't want her to think bad about me and I didn't want to be hated by her. I knew I deserved that but still....

She sighed. "I guess there is a lot we need to talk about. And now would be the perfect timing before Yibo comes back and FanXing wakes up. Don't you think?" She sounded exhausted.

"I am sorry..." I mumbled. My voice sounded a little rough.

"For what exactly?" She asked me and I closed my eyes. 'She wants me to confess....'

"I love Yibo. I fell for him 5 years ago. He is the man I told you I slept with. I slept with him 5 years ago and I .... I did so again the day before I got kidnapped. I am sorry, Xuan Lu! Whereas indeed, I didn't know about your nor FanXing's existence back then, I did so this time. I still slept with him. I am sorry. I shouldn't have done that. It was wrong but... I couldn't stop myself." I waited for what was to come. I waited for her anger. I was waiting for her to curse and maybe hit me. But she didn't. All she did was sigh.

"Gosh, I can't believe this is happening. I told Yibo more than once to finally talk to you. I wanted him to talk to you before you two would get weak and lose yourself in your desire for each other. I left with FanXing on purpose so you two could be alone. But no! This idiot decided to make it more difficult than it is! Say, how could you fall in love with such a childish and stubborn man!?"

I blinked and looked at her in shock and surprise. What was she talking about?

"I gave Yibo enough chances and now his time is over. It's a pity that you have to hear the story from me but that is the only way I can be sure you will get to know it. I know Yibo enough to know he is going to waste a lot of time." She said and shook her head. "The truth is .... Yibo and I will get a divorce."

"Xuan Lu, I-"

"No! You keep quiet! I have the feeling that YIBo not telling you the whole truth might also be because a certain someone didn't want to listen. Which I can understand and therefore I will not give you any fault. I know it might be difficult to understand and our decision was probably not well thought out back then but we thought it was the best way to deal with our love problems."

I didn't understand at all. She was supposed to be angry with me but she isn't. All she did was talk about a truth I didn't know. What truth? What did Yibo not tell me?

"Xiao Zhan...." She called me to bring me back from my thoughts. "I want you to tell you a story. A story about my past as well as Yibo's past. A truth that no one knows except Yibo, my father, and me. My mother and Yibo's family were clueless. Even Haikuan didn't know until two days ago. But I think it's time to confess. I told my mother already last week. She was... well, not happy would be an understatement but I am sure she will handle the truth well after a while. Yibo's parents will never be going to find out because Yibo doesn't want it and I can understand that. They are not good people! As for FanXing.... we will tell him once he is older."

"What are you talking about?" I asked her confused. I was slowly getting upset that she kept talking about the truth without telling me what exactly it is.

"I am sorry..." She apologized with a soft smile. "Now I am just wasting time. I will tell you now my and Yibo's story. Then you will understand what I mean."

I frowned and listened to what she had to say.

 to be continued...

The next chapter will tell us the truth of what happened between Xuan Lu and Yibo. The chapter is going to be a flashback rather than Xuan Lu explaining what actually happened. At the end of the chapter, I will go back to the present. 

Do you know what all of this means? The next chapter is going to be the last one... 

Of course, I will write two epilogues (because just one would get way too long. Why?  Because I will dedicate one epilogue to our innocent Ji Yang. Why? Because he deserves happiness as well!! 

The other will tell us about YIbo and Xiao Zhan. Naturally, Haikuan and Zhou Cheng will have their appearances as well. 

I hope I will be able to finish this story by the end of the year. A new story is already in mind. (Damn you, brain. Please keep quiet when I want to sleep or have to work! I have no time to write everything down!!) The clue to the plot I will reveal by the end of the next chapter. 

I hope you can give it a try :) 

The last chapter comes out definitely before Christmas!! This means by 23rd December at the latest. Hope to you see you there <3 <3 <3

If you enjoyed this update, feel free to leave a vote. Let me know your thoughts in the comment section too :D :D