Chapter 2 Betrayal

The bedroom wasn't completely unfamiliar-she'd spent time here before. But today, something was different. The air was heavier. There was a faint scent of a woman's perfume lingering in the room, too floral, too sweet.

Meiyu stood still at the doorframe, her eyes scanning the scene in front of her. The bed covers were twisted. A leg-smooth, bare-peeked out from under the sheets.

Her eyes followed the leg to its source.

Meilin.

She was lying back, one hand tucked behind her head. She didn't look startled. If anything, she looked bored.

Next to her lay Jinyuan.

He didn't flinch. Didn't sit up in a rush. He blinked once, then slowly turned his head to look at Meiyu like he was waking from a nap.

"I didn't expect you," he said, his voice hoarse with sleep. "I thought you were busy today."

Meilin shifted in the bed and pulled the sheet a bit higher, not to cover up, but more like a stretch. "You should've called first, Jie. I would've told you he was busy."

The words didn't register immediately. Meiyu stared at them both. Her hands tightened around the lunchbox still cradled in her arms.

The silence stretched.

No one got up. No one apologized.

She took a step back. Her lips parted slightly, but no sound came. Her mind tried to form words, to make sense of it, to find something to say. But nothing came.

She turned and walked away.

Each step felt mechanical. Down the hallway. Down the stairs. Her shoes tapped gently against the hardwood floor. She passed the red handbag again, this time without even looking.

She slipped on her shoes, opened the front door, and walked into the sunlight.

She didn't go home.

Instead, she kept walking until she hailed a cab and asked the driver to take her anywhere with a bar.

She found one tucked into a quiet street-a place that looked too fancy for someone in flats and yesterday's makeup, but she walked in anyway.

Inside, it was dim and golden. She sat alone in a booth and ordered drink after drink. Her phone buzzed, but she ignored it.

Time blurred. The lunchbox sat untouched on the seat beside her.

It was past 10 PM when she finally stumbled out. Her heels were off. Her cheeks were flushed. The street felt colder.

She didn't notice the three men who had been watching her from the moment she walked in. One followed first. Then the other two.

"Hey, pretty lady," one called, walking faster. "You need help getting home?"

Meiyu didn't answer. Her steps grew uneven.

Another man appeared beside her. "You dropped something," he said, reaching for her shoulder.

"Let go," she murmured, but it barely came out.

"Don't be like that," one said, chuckling. "We're just trying to be friendly."

One grabbed her wrist.

"Let me go," she slurred, struggling now.

The street was dark except for the glow from a few flickering lampposts. Her lunchbox fell with a dull thud. She tried to fight, pushing and twisting, but her body felt like it was moving underwater.

Then suddenly-bright headlights cut through the night like knives.

A sleek black car screeched to a halt at the curb.

Four men in dark suits stepped out in perfect unison. No hesitation. No confusion. One look at their clean-cut, intimidating presence-and the hoodlums froze.

"Step away," one of the men said calmly, but with enough edge to make the words feel like a command.

The streetlights caught the gleam of something tucked under the man's jacket.

The hoodlums backed off, swearing under their breath.

Meiyu collapsed to her knees, dazed.

Her head felt heavy, her hair stuck to her forehead. She lifted her face slowly, blinking at the sudden light.

She saw the shadows of her saviors, tall and sharp against the pavement.

Then her gaze shifted to the car-the door was still closed.

She noticed someone was inside.

She blinked again, trying to focus through her haze. Probably trying to burn the image of this savior into her memory before she lost what ever remained of her consciousness.