Unbreak My Heart

"Dad, Mom, Ashley, thank you for attending our engagement ceremony. Raymond and I are so happy that you're here with us. May I propose a toast everyone? For the start of our new life, for love, and for the family! Cheers!" the endearing girl proposed as she raised her glass with a beaming smile.

Wearing a flowing white off-the-shoulder, knee-length satin dress, the angel-faced woman was basking in infinite happiness. With a calm and contented expression, she was holding a man's arm intimately.

On the contrary, the man in white, tailored business suit, appeared to be uneasy. Looking at him, one would know that he was not happy. Instead of fixing his eyes on his radiant fiancee, he laid his eyes on a girl. With a simple shove of his hand, he tried to withdraw his hand from his wife-to-be, but the latter tightened her grip.

"Raymond!" The elegant middle-aged woman beside him called out his name casually, warning him to behave properly. Her voice was filled with mirth and a tinge of displeasure.

The woman's voice pulled Raymond Luo back from his thoughts. Holding on to his glass, he shifted his gaze from that girl to his fiancee reluctantly.

Forcing a faint smile on his face, he greeted his fiancee's parents respectfully, "Dad, Mom."

Despite his mother's thugs and warns, he couldn't stop himself from stealing glances at that girl occasionally.

Taking the absent look on Raymond's face, Lena Mu pinched his hand forcefully. Gnashing her teeth, she sneered at Ashley Mu who kept her head down with resentment in her eyes.

"What are you doing, Ashley? Lena and her fiancé are making a toast. Lift your glass, for goodness sake!" Peggy Su nudged Ashley who kept a low profile trying to be invisible. She handed a glass of wine to the shy girl.

"Ashley, thanking you for coming here," Lena Mu said to Ashley Mu in a soft tone as she raised her glass.

Timidly, Ashley Mu was forced to take the glass. Looking up at Lena Mu and Raymond Luo, she scoffed in her heart, 'One is handsome, and the other is pretty. A cheater and a bitch. They are perfect for each other.'

A faint smile climbed up the corners of her lips. Her smile was so dazzling that no one could look away from her whenever she flashed her perfect teeth. She said, "Congratulations! May you live happily forever!" With one swift swig, she emptied the glass of wine down her throat.

"Thank you, Ashley! For sure I and Raymond will live a happy life," Lena Mu replied sweetly, leaning her head on Raymond Luo's shoulder like a timid kitten. With that, she shifted her gaze from her fiance towards Ashley Mu. She gave her a provocative stare and looked at her from head to foot.

Feeling insulted by her criticizing stare, Ashley Mu gave a wider and merrier smile in response to her challenging behavior.

With an arrogant air, Lena Mu gave her sister a resentful stare and pulled her fiancé to another table to greet other guests.

Taken aback for a moment, Ashley Mu took a deep breath and joined her parents as they returned to their seats. When she faced her parents, her lips curved into a scoff. 'I know what they are up to. Today is Lena and Raymond's engagement party. They insisted on asking me to be here because they wanted me to give up on Raymond.

They are into talking to their friends, but now they stay with me. Are they afraid that I might ruin this betrothal ceremony?'

Sitting idly, Ashley Mu started to get bored. Turning to her parents, she said, "Dad, Mom, I am a little tired. I'd like to go home."

"No, you can't," Peggy Su declined sternly the moment she finished her statement.

"But, why?" Ashley Mu asked with a scowl. The response was unexpected, making her mulled in confusion, 'If she is worried that I might ruin this party, there is no need. Lena and Raymond are now engaged and I can do nothing about it. They are supposed to rest assured.

Or...

are they up to something behind my back?'

Out of the blue, her head was throbbing. She held her head with her hands, and a surge of heat ran through her body. 'What's going on? I am feeling dizzy. And my headache is killing me. Did I catch a fever?

I only drank one glass of wine. There is no way that I would be tipsy, ' she wondered, trying to keep sober.

Seeing her struggle, Peggy Su walked over to Ashley Mu and said, "What's the matter with, Ashley? You don't look good. I will take you to a room so you can have some rest." Without asking for her daughter's opinion, she helped her up and pulled her upstairs.

As they reached the second floor, Ashley Mu tried to free herself from her mother's grasp. She had a feeling that something was not right. "Let go of me!" she shouted as she braced herself. She was desperate to be left alone and fought her way out with all her might.

However, her attempt was in vain. She could barely stand, let alone get rid of Peggy's tight grip.

As her daughter kept on trying to withdraw her hand from her, Peggy dragged her to a quiet corner and slapped her in the face furiously.

"You wicked girl. You are lucky that Mr. Du is interested in you. As long as you can make him happy, you can live a comfortable life and our family can get several big deals from him. So keep quiet and follow me," she cursed with a vicious look.

The slap brought Ashley Mu back to her senses. Upon hearing Peggy's harsh statement, she couldn't help but give her a disdainful sneer.

'What's wrong with them? They are using me to butter up that Michael Du who is in the real estate business. That man is old enough to be my father.

Besides, he is fat and loves abusing young girls sexually. His victims ended up being miserable.

They are putting me in big trouble, but she made it sound like she's doing it for my sake.

Although I am not their biological daughter, I have lived with them for more than ten years. Do I mean nothing to them? How could they treat me like this?' she pondered bitterly.

Feeling sorry for herself, Ashley Mu gathered all her strength, pushed her mother away and ran towards the direction opposite to the place she was led to.

Her reaction left Peggy dazed and stunned. The old lady was snapped out of her bewilderment, she watched as Ashley ran and dashed forward. There was a malicious look in her eyes.

Furious at her careless action, Peggy's blood curdled as she ran after her daughter.

When Ashley heard footsteps drawing closer from behind without looking back, she bit her lower lip hard. She pushed her feet harder and ran as fast as she could, not intending to be caught by her mother.

'No.

I can't be caught by her.

Otherwise, I will be as good as dead. I can't let them ruin my life!' she thought, determined to escape her ill fate.

Glancing back, she caught sight of Peggy Su who was coming her way. Her mind raced as to what she would do. Then her attention was caught by a door opened ajar. Without any hesitation, she sneaked into the room, locked the door and leaned against the door frame.

Out of strength, she collapsed to the ground and sat against the door.

The hotel room might be soundproof so she couldn't hear any noise from outside. Heaving a breath of relief, she lifted her head and examined the place. The blackout curtains were closed, but she could see the layout as rays of moonlight came in through the curtain gap.

Running her eyes across the room, she noticed that there was a king-sized bed in the middle of the room. An oversized TV was placed right opposite the bed, and a desk was on the left side. Clothes were scattered on the floor, a pair of socks, and a coat, a belt strangled with a tie, a lump of black trousers and a shirt. Obviously, they belonged to a man.

Her head was throbbing and her temples were in searing pain. With her situation, she anticipated that any moment from now she would definitely pass out. Numbness crept all over her body and she could only hear the sound of water dripping on the floor from the bathroom.

As she grew more feverish, she was dying to take off all her clothes and go under in a cold bath.

Feeling a little drowsy, she bit her lower lip harder to addle herself from her own rising body temperature. Certainly, it would take an idiot not to know what was happening to her. She couldn't believe how foolish she was and she had to shake her head in disbelief.

She was certain that she had been drugged by her foster mother.

Pushing her hands against the wall and managing to get up, she thought it necessary to make an apology, considering the fact that she barged in, unwelcomed. Besides, she also planned to get the owner's permission to use the bathroom since she badly needed to take a cold shower.

Before she could even reach the bathroom, its door was opened.

Blinded by the sudden bright light from the bathroom, Ashley Mu squinted her eyes and caught sight of a tall, hefty man. He only wore a bath towel wrapped around his body as he stepped out of the bathroom. Since she was losing her consciousness, she couldn't get a picture of his face clearly.

Despite that, she speculated that the man was over 188 cm tall and had a well-shaped face. Besides, he exuded a powerful vibe.

If she was on her right mind and not under the circumstance of her mother pushing her like a harlot, Ashley Mu would turn around and run away. But since her mother was outside, she didn't have any other choice but to stay.

She saw the half-naked man, with water still dripping down his pale skin, and the scent of the body wash diffusing from within him wafted through her nose. With all these teasing her senses, she felt a burning desire within her and was overwhelmed by the sensation.

Andrew Lu found a woman standing in the room when he opened the door. Under any other circumstances, he would have thrown out somebody who entered his room without his permission.

But the second he saw Ashley, he was rooted to the spot.

Something stirred within him and, sure enough, something hardened inside his towel.

Andrew was surprised at his body's reaction to this stranger. He never imagined that someone like Ashley would turn him on. For one, he was extremely fussy when it came to women. His strange aversion to women's perfumes was a testament to this fact.

That explained why he wasn't seen with any women.

Pushing that thought aside, his face turned grim. 'Only a few people know I'm here right now. Who sold me out?' Andrew thought to himself.

Meanwhile, Ashley sauntered towards him but tripped and fell right into his arms.

When their eyes met, Andrew felt his pulse quicken.

"Oh my!" He whispered.

Regaining control of his senses, he frowned at the woman in his arms, trying his best to look annoyed at the intrusion.

He stood there, his face like thunder. His disdain for the woman was clearly written across his face.

Ashley, however, relished the feel of his cool skin on her, and before she could stop herself, she was hugging his taut waist.

"Mmm! That's so nice!" she murmured.

To her, Andrew was nothing more than a huge chunk of ice meant to douse the drug-induced fire coursing through her body.

She was losing consciousness by now.

But more importantly, she wasn't behaving like herself as the man she was unknowingly seducing was way out of her league.

"It's so hot..." she whispered. The effects of the drug continued to ravage her body. She felt as though her insides were burning up and finally broke down.

Andrew already regretted not pushing her away at first, but now he felt much worse as this woman shamelessly took advantage of him.

Yet, for some reason he was reluctant to reject her. 'Could it be because she doesn't wear the strong perfume that I loathe on most women?' he pondered.

Everything, including Andrew's face, had turned blurry for Ashley. Andrew carried her over to the bed and laid her down.

Her rippling black hair fell in a thick mass around her. Her purple dress slipped from her shoulder, revealing her creamy skin.

Her petite face was flushed. Her skin had turned pink. And beads of sweat ran down from her white forehead. Her rosy lips looked more inviting as she bit them.

Watching this luscious woman before him, Andrew broke into a sweat despite having stepped out of a cold shower just minutes ago.

"You've brought this upon yourself!" he growled.

The lust in his eyes turned to fire as he threw himself to her.

...

"Oh!" The noise outside woke Ashley up. It seemed to be getting louder and she vaguely heard her name being called out amid all that commotion.

Suddenly Ashley remembered that her wine contained a philtre last night.

Her eyes shot open at once. Ashley got up so fast that she felt a pain inside her special area. "Ouch!" she cried.

In doing so, the sheet slipped from her body, and she saw that her body was covered in bruises. Moreover, the pain between her thighs killed her.

The sight of the scars all over her body made her eyes well up. And a memory flashed vividly in her mind. Peggy had secretly added the philtre in her wine and was about to give her away as a gift to Michael Du.

Scattered memories of last night were surfacing in her mind. Slowly it was all coming back to her. She had managed to get rid of Peggy and had run into an unlocked room.

As Ashley tried to piece together more information, she turned to her side and saw a man lying next to her. His eyes closed and his thin lips slightly pouted. His handsome face was sculpted perfectly, and he looked so peaceful right now.

Ashley breathed a deep sigh of relief when she saw the man's face.

'Thank god! It wasn't Michael Du last night!' she thought to herself.

Ashley clenched her teeth as the noise outside became louder. She was certain that source of the noise was Peggy. She must have given up looking for her last night only to resume today.

Fortunately, the man didn't tear her dress last night. She found her clothes and dressed herself. Luckily, the long hemline hid all the bruises on her body.

"Ouch! It hurts so bad!" Ashley muttered irritably as soon as she got out of bed. All of a sudden her knees went weak and her arms felt heavy. She tumbled down but swiftly gripped the bed for balance.

She glared at the man lying on the bed as the nagging pain between her legs was killing her.

Ashley forced herself to stand up despite the pain. She was certain that Peggy and her team were only after her and she didn't want to create troubles for this man. So she decided to slip out quietly.

She grabbed the bed for support and tried to get up but suddenly a warm hand gripped hers.

Ashley looked up to find that the man was awake.

He was quietly observing her, a strange emotion sparkling in his attractive eyes, which would have made any woman go weak in the knees.

Without bothering about niceties, Ashley blurted out,"They are looking for me. You'd better hide now. You can leave after I go."

"I can take care of this for you," he offered after a while of silence, just before Ashley almost lost her patience. His voice was deep and still a little hoarse as he had just woken up - it sounded so intoxicating. Which woman could resist such an attractive voice?

Ashley, however, was an exception.

She knew that anyone who could afford to live here was either rich or powerful, or both! This man could help her get rid of Peggy once and for all. After all, they didn't have the balls to go against a powerful man like him. After a moment's hesitation, Ashley decided to take a chance.

But she hadn't expected this stranger to offer to help her even before she asked. She believed that there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world but right now she was so grateful for his offer.

"And what do you want in return?" she asked warily. Although she was reluctant to accept the stranger's offer, she knew she needed his protection. After all, she didn't want to be unprepared when she faced them. She knew nothing of their plans.

"Kiss me!" he demanded.

Ashley was so shocked that she couldn't speak. 'What?'

Ashley looked at Andrew in confusion.

"Kiss me!" Andrew said again. He was the sort of man who got what he wanted without ever having to repeat his words, but seeing Ashley's baffled expression, he couldn't help but ask again.

Ashley took some time before she convinced herself. 'I think I'll do it. We've already spent one night together, and he's really good looking. I don't think a kiss will hurt anyone. I'll do it!'

She muttered to herself as her heart was about to explode with anxiety.

Ashley stared at the ample red lips of the man beside her. She was tempted to get closer. Then, with a reddened face, she leaned in and kissed him.

It was a fast kiss, not even longer than a second.

Ashley quickly pulled back her blushing face before Andrew noticed what she did.

Andrew opened his eyes, sincerely disappointed with what had happened. He was hoping for something more passionate than a quick kiss.

Ashley felt awkward with Andrew's gaze. She tried to act cool as she moved away from him. However, her head was full of questions and doubts. 'He clearly shows signs that he wants me to make a move. Does he want me to make a move? Is the kiss good enough?'

"How about we try another one?" Andrew said with a cold charismatic voice as if he knew what Ashley was thinking.

Andrew was a tough-minded businessman, only making arrangements that were beneficial to him or to his company. He never found himself in the losing end of any deal. The kiss was not an exception. He wanted something more and he must get it.

Andrew's words made Ashley understand that this was just the beginning. Her eyes were filled with both shyness and a hint of indecency. Slowly, she found herself moving closer to his face.

Ashley then pressed her lips against Andrew's. This time it was different. It wasn't just a quick peck, but was filled with passion instead. She lusted after those gentle, smooth lips with the faint scent of cigarette.

Ashley realized that this was her first real kiss. Andrew was the first man she slept with. She had dated Raymond but usually they just walked side by side while holding hands. Raymond would only kiss her on the cheeks. He never once dared to give her a passionate kiss on the lips, much less to have sex.

Andrew wasn't fond of women's perfume. He found it too pungent. Ashley didn't wear one but her skin still smelled like lavender. Andrew tried to resist smelling her, but the faint arousing scent made him crave more.

Andrew smirked as he gazed upon Ashley – her sweet lips, her shy eyes, her alluring body. The pink bruises on her smooth skin reminded Andrew of the sensual night they shared. He caressed her body with vigor, touched her in her most sensitive places. The brief flashback made him realize that Ashley didn't know how to kiss. She only used her lips and not her mouth

Andrew couldn't control himself anymore. He wanted to be more passionate, more aggressive in this kiss that they shared.

He reached for the phone in the table beside their bed and dialed a number. The call connected and with a cold voice he said, "Get rid of people outside!" Andrew then tossed the phone away as he went on top of Ashley's face. Their lips were connected again, but this time, his tongue took part. He licked her lips naughtily, making her mouth open up. He then made his way past her teeth as his tongue twirled with hers.

Ashley was reluctant at first. It was her first time sharing a kiss this wild. She was stiff, but Andrew's tongue worked his way to her mouth, going to places no one had ever been. Her face grew hotter, wanting him even more. Their tongues played, their teeth bit each other's lips, and their skin pressed against each other...

Ashley woke up late in the afternoon. The yellow sunlight started to turn orange as it beamed across the French window. It gave a warm, cozy feeling to an otherwise dark room.

Ashley knew she had to leave soon. The long sleep she had wasn't enough to relieve her exhaustion. The markings on her neck, shoulders and chest were still there – proof of the intense night she shared with the man sleeping beside her. She gathered her belongings and looked at Andrew one last time before leaving the room.

Ashley was wobbly as she walked through the corridor. She called for a taxi to send her home. It wasn't long before she arrived at the apartment she rented with Ellie Su. She headed straight to the bathroom and filled the bathtub with water.

She immersed herself in warm water, trying to fight off the fatigue. In her daze, she remembered the events of last night. It might have been mistaken for a mere sensual dream if her body wasn't aching and full of love-bruises.

Ashley had never imagined that she would have experienced such a night.

The zealous movements of last night's affair exhausted her. The warm water enveloping her body was able to wash her weariness. Ashley's eyes grew heavy as she relaxed. She was sound asleep until her ring tone woke her up.

Ashley realized that the water grew chilly. Her hands, feet and lips were feeling cold. She was quivering as she hopped out of the tub. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her body as she answered the call from Ellie.

Ashley's throat was feeling rough. She said in a hoarse, dry voice, "Hello, Ellie."

"Ash, what happened?" Ellie asked in a caring tone as she noticed the fatigue in Ashley's voice.

Ashley grabbed a glass from the kitchen and poured herself some water. Her throat felt better as she poured some liquid into it. "Nothing. Don't worry," Ashley replied.

"Why are you absent at work today, Ash?"

"Ellie, I'm not feeling well. Will you please notify the boss that I will take a sick-leave for two days?" Ashley was still dizzy from the bath. She walked towards the living room and sat comfortably at the sofa.

"What's wrong, Ash? Do you have a fever? Have you visited the hospital yet? ... Mr.... Mr. Luo."

Ashley was about to answer Ellie's questions when Ellie suddenly stopped talking and called out Raymond's name. Ashley felt stunned as she heard his name, but she was able to pull herself back together and disconnect the call.

She heard her phone ring again not long after she ended the last call. Ashley saw the caller's name on the screen and she left out a deep sigh. She turned off her phone and put it away. Then, her dizziness got the best of her as she fell asleep soundly on the sofa.

...

Ellie was at the company gate of the Luo Group.

She fixed her eyes at the man blocking her way. She composed herself and said, "Mr. Luo, I'm sorry. I am off duty and I have to go home now."

Raymond looked desperate. He used to be handsome and well-kept, but his hair was a mess and his face had a lot of stubble. His eyes showed his lack of sleep and some certain redness might be because of crying. There was a phone in his hand, trying to contact someone, but only the sound of a voicemail was heard.

Raymond confronted Ellie with sorrowful eyes. He swallowed, then with a deep, sad voice he asked her, "Ellie, is Ash..."

Ellie lashed out even before Raymond could finish his words. With a reprimanding tone she said, "Raymond, you are now engaged to Lena!"

Ellie tried her best not to slap Raymond and that dreadful look in his face.

"I know that. I just want to make sure that Ashley is okay."

"Stop it, Raymond. She's not your concern anymore. She's doing great without you! She's better off not having you in her life!"

Ellie knew from the phone call she had with Ashley that something was wrong. She needed to ditch Raymond immediately and rush back home.

As if on cue, Lena approached the two of them. Ellie, with a dry smile on her face, turned to Raymond and said, "Mr. Luo, your fiancé is on her way. I hope she can keep you company. I need to leave."

"Ellie, please..."

"Raymond, what happened?" Lena asked politely. Ellie already left the scene leaving Raymond and Lena at the gate. Lena then laced her small delicate fingers in Raymond's hands.

Lena wore a white knee-length tailored dress that expressed her figure. The new Channel handbag in her wrist showed her wealthy background. Her make-up took some time to finish but it looked perfect. Finally, her long, black hair flowed gracefully down her back.

"Nothing!" Raymond answered as he looked at Lena. He stared at her, but his eyes revealed that he was yearning for someone else to be in that dress.

Raymond's contemplation drew a sour look in Lena's face. She knew he was thinking of that woman. She wanted to lash out but instead she faked a smile before Raymond could say anything.

"Let's go home, Raymond. We are having dinner with my parents, remember?"

Lena said to Raymond as she took his arm and tried to remove the girl in his mind.

"Lena, I... I'm sorry." Raymond's eyes were filled with sorrow and regret.

Raymond was imagining Ashley in Lena's place. The simple white dress would make Ashley look like a Greek goddess. Her beautiful dark hair would sway as the wind blew. He always enjoyed combing that hair of hers. The time they spent together was all coming back to Raymond's head.

"I understand Raymond. I've always known that you are in love with my sister. She is the love of your life, not me. I'm so sorry I'm not her. I wish things didn't turn out like this. If only I hadn't drunk that cup of wine..." Lena's voice trailed off as she began to cry.

Her shoulders started to shake while tears flowed down her cheeks. She was gasping for air in between sobs. Lena raised her face and with reddened eyes, she looked at Raymond. She was very fragile. Any man would feel the need to hug her in his arms, protect her from any harm and kiss her.

Raymond was no exception. That was exactly what he intended to do. He slowly pulled Lena to his chest, embraced her in his arms and said, "Don't say that, Lena. I am at fault too."