"What?" Zhen Rui seemed taken aback, her face paling from shock and vivid anger.
I shrugged, lightly coughing out a laugh. "You seemed to have missed me so much that you forgot I'm no longer home with you, Mom, and Dad. I'm married to Mo Yichen."
"It's not that..." Her face paled further, her fingers trembling as she noticed the other ladies closing in.
I wanted to stay and continue to jab back at her, but I had something else to do. I placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned in.
"Forgive me, sister. But, my husband gave me an important job to do," I whispered, lying through my teeth.
"Your husband?" I froze, a foreboding thrill rushing up my spine as I heard her voice.
Damn, I shouldn't have used such an excuse. I didn't turn, I stood where I was until my eyes met the one person I didn't want to see.
"Xiao Bo." The name slipped out of my tongue, cold, riddled with pain and rage.
He waved at me. A cold breeze flashed past, and I saw Zhen Rui tenderly hug Xiao Bo.
I tasted bile in my throat. I rolled my eyes at their public display of affection and was about to leave when a hand was thrust in my direction.
I looked up and met a pair of cool green eyes, staring down at me with scorn. "Which husband are you talking about, Yi'er?" he asked.
"My husband, Mo Yichen," I answered lazily, hoping they would leave me alone.
"The same man who has not come with you for any function that was organized in your name?" Zhen Rui snickered as she snuggled close to Xiao Bo.
"You think he has nothing to do like your boyfriend here?" I bit back, enjoying the flash of anger in Xiao Bo's eyes.
"Zhen Yi!" she snapped.
"Tsk, how many times will I correct you? It's Mo Yi! Not Zhen." I rolled my shoulders, side-stepped them, and walked to the couple I was aiming for: Madam Han and Han Shubao, the parents of one of the Dragon Brothers.
"Zhen Yi, get back here! i am not done talking to you."
"Zhen Rui, calm down, you are causing a scene!"
"Xiao Bo, my sister is right there, get her back, I am not done talking."
The childish bicker behind me caused my lips to twitch. How could I be scared of such people in my past life?
Madam Han was the first to notice me. She waved me forward, a warm smile on her face.
"Look at her, she has already captured the Han family's grace, how lucky must she be?"
The whispers around me were harsh and biting but compared to the scorn I received in my past life.
This was far much better.
"Madam Han! You look exceptionally beautiful in that blue dress, the pearl makes your skin glow," I flattered, hitting off our conversation.
"Oh my! I didn't know our little Yi'er had a glib tongue, a moment ago, I didn't know you had this vigor in you. What is the gossip?" She whispered as she leaned in.
I chuckled. Madam Han had run into car trouble, and I had lent her a bodyguard and one of my cars, a debt I planned to cash in.
Who knew she belonged to the famous Han family.
"What should I say, Aunty? Some pest never leaves me alone until I am bleeding myself dry." My eyes darted to Zhen Rui, who was still fuming.
Madam Han got the gist right away and squeezed my hand warmly.
"Little Yi, don't worry. Aunty will take care of you. If you need anything, the Han Family will always be here for you."
It sent a jolt through my heart, making me feel warm and fuzzy, it had been so long I felt that way.
I shouldn't trust Madam Han, but for what she had just said, she suddenly felt like someone I could lean on and forget all my worries.
My cheeks flamed hot and I chuckled.
"Sure thing, Aunty, I will keep that in mind."
"Don't you think Yi'er is beautiful, Old Bao!" Madam Han nudged the Han Family Head, Han Shubao.
My gaze landed on the cold aloof man that didn't even spare me a glance since I walked into their space.
When his gaze finally settled on me, I suddenly felt like I couldn't breath, it was like a huge stone was pressing down on me, my legs trembled beneath the flay of my dress.
I wanted to run but I gulped, holding myself.
"What about your husband?" He asked, no greeting, no pleasantries, just a cold question.
It wasn't to mock me, but a genuine question but to others it was like the Han family head was taunting me.
"Uncle Han! You noticed it too, right?! Yi'er has never appeared in public with her husband, doesn't that mean that she is not favored at home?" Zhen Rui rushed in, yapping, while thrusting a glass of wine into my grasp.
My gaze darkened as I stared at the red wine swirling in the glass. This was it. The exact moment.
"Zhen Rui," I grimly called out. My mind raced, the pill in my purse wouldn't work fast enough. I had to create a distraction, but I had to drink the wine to confirm her plot.
"We should have never agreed for her to marry Mo Yichen if we had known she would be treated so badly," Zhen Rui continued, ignoring me.
"That's enough!" I snapped, my eyes locking onto Zhen Rui's satisfied smirk. I chugged the glass of wine in one gulp.
My throat instantly burned from the alcohol, and I panted from the lack of air. Everyone had gone quiet from my outburst.
I glared at Zhen Rui one last time, turned to Madam Han, gave her an apologetic smile, and bolted.
My insides were burning. The visual in front of me was turning, and I felt dizzy. I quickly fished out the bottle from my purse and swallowed a white pill.
It's happening. The drug is taking hold.
I stumbled into the nearest hall, desperate to find a private room.
If I just calm down after a cold shower, the pill could work.
The world tilted and blurred. I pressed my body against a cold wooden door, fighting to keep my feet.
I heard a door bang open behind me. I spun around, pushing off the wood, knowing in my bones that this was the hired pawn coming to claim me.
I couldn't clearly see the person, but I remembered they had grabbed me at the chance they were given.
Not tonight. Never again.
I swerved hard to the side, dodging the hand that reached out to grab me, and collided instead with the door of a different suite.
Phew, I dodged the pawn. I breathed a sigh of relief, but the next second, I felt the door give way behind me.
Oh no!
I was sent tumbling, not into the hall, but into a pitch-black room. The heavy wooden door slammed shut behind me with an echoing THUD.