Li Mei walked out of a jewelry shop, holding a small shopping bag in her left hand. She smiled as she thought of the expensive cufflinks she had just bought.
I'm sure Gege will like this gift. I wonder what he bought for me too, Li Mei thought.
She and Wang Jian had been dating for six years, and today was their anniversary. At first, she thought she wouldn't be able to celebrate with him because she had recently been cast as a stunt double in a series. Her schedule had been packed. Fortunately, today's shoot was canceled after the female lead threw one of her infamous tantrum and refused to work.
That meant she could finally spend the day with her boyfriend.
Li Mei quickly took a taxi home, intending to get dressed and surprise Wang Jian at his office.
When she arrived at the Li villa, some of the maids greeted her politely while others sneered. Li Mei was used to it. Most of them didn't consider her the First Young Miss of the Li family. They often disrespected her because her mother favored Li Xiu her adopted daughter more. But since Li Mei loved her younger sister dearly, she endured it.
The only times the maids remembered who she really was, was when her father was around.
She made her way upstairs to her room. As she passed Li Xiu's room just next door, she suddenly heard a loud moan.
Her brows furrowed. That sounded like it came from Li Xiu's room.
Then she froze when she clearly heard her sister's voice.
"Jian Gege!" Li Xiu moaned.
All the blood drained from Li Mei's face.
Heart pounding, she rushed to Li Xiu's door and pushed it open. The small shopping bag in her hand slipped to the floor as her heart shattered. Tears welled in her eyes as she stared at the two naked people on the bed.
Wang Jian.
Li Xiu.
The lovers immediately froze at the sound of the door. Both sat up, forgetting they were completely bare.
"Si...sister, I thought you were having a shoot today…" Li Xiu stammered.
"Look, Meimei, it's not what you think, I...I…" Wang Jian started, but before he could finish, Li Mei whipped out her phone and snapped a picture of the two of them.
The camera flash captured their guilty faces, proof of their betrayal.
Realizing too late that they were exposed, the pair panicked and grabbed the quilt to cover themselves.
"What are you doing, Sister?" Li Xiu asked in a pitiful voice, as if she were the one being wronged.
"Using it for future purposes, of course," Li Mei replied coldly, turning to leave.
"Meimei, wait!" Wang Jian shouted. Both he and Li Xiu hurriedly put on their clothes and ran after her as she headed downstairs.
"Meimei, please, listen to me!" Wang Jian pleaded.
Li Mei stopped and glared at him, her eyes brimming with pain. "Listen to you?! I caught you sleeping with Li Xiu in my house! How dare you betray me like this? Today is our six-year anniversary, for goodness' sake!"
Li Xiu secretly smirked.
Finally, I can ruin you for good. Li Xiu thought.
"I'm sorry, Sister. It was a mistake," Li Xiu said, tears streaming down her face tears that melted Wang Jian's heart. He had always hated to see her cry.
"Shut up! You daughter of a peasant! My family treated you well, and this is how you repay us?"
The words cut Li Xiu deeply, but she only cried harder.
"Li Mei, don't insult Li Xiu like that! She's not at fault here!" Wang Jian scolded, wrapping his arms around Li Xiu to comfort her.
Li Mei sneered bitterly. "So this has been going on for a while between you two."
By now, several maids had gathered, curious about the commotion.
"Jian Gege, no it's my fault. I'll apologize to Sister," Li Xiu said, moving toward Li Mei with teary eyes.
"Don't come closer, or I'll hurt you," Li Mei warned.
"I'm sorry, Sister," Li Xiu whimpered. Then, in a softer voice, she added, "But Wang Jian and I love each other." She grabbed Li Mei's hand tightly.
"Leave me alone!" Li Mei shouted, yanking her hand free and slapping Li Xiu across the face.
But instead of retreating, Li Xiu smiled slyly. Then, as if on cue, she staggered back and let out a scream, tumbling dramatically down the stairs.
Her body rolled until she hit the ground. Blood gushed from her forehead.
Everyone froze.
Li Mei's eyes widened in horror. No… she jumped on her own! I didn't push her!
"You heartless woman!" Wang Jian roared. "You killed Li Xiu I won't spare you!" He slapped Li Mei across the face and shoved her to the floor before rushing to lift the unconscious girl.
Mrs. Li, who had heard the commotion, rushed out of her room. Just in time, she saw Li Mei at the top of the stairs and Li Xiu's body tumbling down.
Her eyes filled with shock.
"You murderer! You tried to kill your sister!" she screamed, rushing forward to strike Li Mei's back again and again. Blood trickled from the corner of Li Mei's cheek where Wang Jian's nails had scratched her, but she sat still, unflinching.
I didn't push her… I didn't… I'm not a murderer.
When Mrs. Li heard Li Xiu's faint voice, she stopped hitting her.
Li Xiu had regained consciousness in Wang Jian's arms.
"Mom… I'm sorry. I disappointed you," she whispered weakly. "Please forgive Sister. It wasn't her fault. She was just angry…"
"My precious daughter!" Mrs. Li cried. "Someone call the family doctor, now!"
A maid ran to fetch the doctor while Wang Jian carried Li Xiu to a chair, her head resting on his lap.
"I'm sorry, Li Xiu. I couldn't protect you," he said, kissing her hand.
Mrs. Li's eyes hardened as she looked at Li Mei. "You five carry her to the storage room and lock her inside. Don't let her out until I say so."
Five strong maids seized Li Mei, dragging her away.
"No! Mom, it was all a mistake! Trust me, I didn't do it! Please don't lock me up!" she cried desperately. But no one listened.
They shoved her into the dark, dusty storage room and locked the door. It wasn't the first time. Since childhood, she had been thrown in there for the smallest reasons even for things she hadn't done. But never once had Li Xiu been punished like this.
Fear overwhelmed her. Traumatized, she curled up in a corner and sobbed silently.
Three hours later, the maids opened the door. Li Mei was asleep on the floor, her body a mess.
"She actually has the guts to sleep after what she did," one maid muttered.
"I feel bad for her," another whispered.
They dragged her roughly back to Li Xiu's room, waking her up.
Inside, Li Xiu lay on the bed, using Wang Jian's leg as a pillow while Mrs. Li massaged her feet. The doctor had already come and gone after bandaging her wound.
The moment Li Xiu saw Li Mei's disheveled state, joy surged within her.
"Kneel!" Mrs. Li ordered.
Li Mei refused.
"Mom, I caught Wang Jian sleeping with Li Xiu today. I'm also heartbroken!" Li Mei shouted.
"Is that why you tried to kill your sister? All because of a man?" Mrs. Li snapped.
"I didn't do anything to her!"
"You murderer! I saw everything. And so what if you caught them? Were they doing something wrong?"
Li Mei's eyes welled with tears. So Mom knew about their affair too…
Sometimes she wondered if this woman was truly her mother. She had only ever been treated kindly when her father was home. Otherwise, Mrs. Li showered Li Xiu with expensive clothes while giving Li Mei cheap ones. She forced Li Mei to give up acting roles so Li Xiu could take them instead, always favoring the orphan over her own daughter.
"Li Mei," Wang Jian said coldly, "I always wanted the tell you this. I never loved you. I only love Li Xiu. She even begged me not to tell you, because she pitied you. But today you tried to kill her you're truly heartless."
Wang Jian looked at Li Mei with disdain.
Li Mei let out a bitter laugh.
"Sister, we love each other, and we're getting engaged soon," Li Xiu said innocently. "I'm sorry, but this daughter of a peasant is not worthy. Please let me have Wang Jian. At least you have everything else."
"Don't worry, Li Xiu you already have him," Mrs. Li sneered. She turned to Li Mei. "Give up. Wang Jian doesn't love you. Don't you want to see him happy?"
Li Mei clapped mockingly. "I wish you both a miserable life. You're perfect for each other two unfortunate souls, a great couple indeed. And you don't you think we should do a paternity test?"
Mrs. Li froze. "How dare you!" She signaled to the maids. "Grab her!"
"Don't you dare touch me, or you'll all land in the hospital," Li Mei threatened. The maids shrank back.
"Insolent child! Apologize to your sister now and spend one week in the storage room or else!" Mrs. Li shouted.
"Or else what? Do your worst. But I won't apologize to the daughter of a dead maid."
Li Xiu burst into tears again, breaking Mrs. Li's heart.
"Get out of this house! Don't come back until you're ready to apologize! I'm cutting off your allowance too!"
Li Mei sneered. "Allowance? You've never given me one." She turned and walked out.
"Make sure she doesn't take anything with her only the clothes on her body," Mrs. Li ordered the maids.
Meanwhile…
"Sir, your schedule today: a board meeting with the executives at 11 a.m., a meeting with Mr. Alex, the CEO of Spectre Global Tech Corporation, at 1 p.m., and dinner with the mayor at 7 p.m.," Fu Rui recited as he drove.
He could feel the cold aura from the man in the back seat and shivered.
The man flipped through documents with one muscular hand, his expression unreadable. His face was so handsome it looked like it was carved straight from a manga.
Chen Kai loosened his tie with mild annoyance, not bothering to reply.
Chen Kai was every woman's dream in City A. Many had tried to seduce him, yet all failed. Rumors even began to spread that he was gay, since no one had ever seen him with a woman.
Just then, he turned to glance out the window when suddenly, the car screeched to a halt.
Thankfully, his seatbelt kept him in place.
"I'm sorry, Boss," Fu Rui said nervously. "I think I hit someone…"