*PAK*
The sound of a slap resounded in the walls of a luxurious living room. One could hear it even if standing outside.
Inside the living room stood two people. While the guy who had just been slapped looked like a statue, unflinching, Rayne’s hands shook with anger.
“Repeat what you just said,” she glowered at the guy. “Max, tell me you were lying.”
Her voice was laced with rage as if she would explode at any moment. Rayne couldn’t believe her ears. If what Max just told her now was the truth, wasn’t it funny?
“It is the truth, Young Miss. Ms. Lin almost got married to another man, the reason why I delayed the mission.”
At the mall that day, Max had overheard her and the other lady speaking about a wedding. Then he realized she was getting married soon. If that was the case, she would no longer pose a threat to his Young Miss once she married another man.
However, the marriage failed. And he couldn’t avoid the Young Miss anymore.
“Are you out of your mind!” Rayne shrieked, raising her hand to slap him again. “What if she was about to get married? Will that change the fact that she’s the only woman in Andrew’s heart?”
Her palm didn’t reach the guy’s face and it halted mid-air. Rayne sank onto the couch, looking exhausted. “She has already sinned by snatching his heart. Do you not understand simple language? I want you to get rid of her, Max!”
“I have failed you, Young Miss.” The guy knelt in front of her. “Be rest assured, I will be serious about this mission from now.”
Rayne inhaled deeply, swallowing some of her anger. “Are you serious about what you said?”
“Definitely. I will come up with a good tactic to catch her unaware.”
Max had been serving his Young Miss for as long as he could remember. He was taken into the Xin’s household when he was only a boy.
His mission was to protect her. And as she grew up, so did his mission became more difficult. Most of her shady businesses were done by him. She would ask him to put fire to a building and he’d done it instantly.
But this mission involved something dear to the Young Master. What if–
“What good tactics?” Rayne’s voice brought him back to the present. “Max, I will ask you again. Do you take my words seriously?”
“I don’t listen to anyone apart from you, Young Miss.”
A glint flashed in Rayne’s eyes and she balled her fists. “Then you must act tonight. I want you to get rid of her this night! Understand?”
“Yes, Young Miss.”
“The first news I want to hear tomorrow morning is that of her death.”
“You have nothing to worry about.” Max looked at her. “I won’t fail you this time, I promise.”
“Good. Go.” Rayne nodded.
After Max left, she stood up and paced for a while, glancing at her wristwatch. It was almost dark. Andrew would be back at any moment.
Why did she even anticipate his return? The man had become a living dead since the appearance of that girl. They lived in the same house and that was all.
They rarely saw each other in the morning or evening when he returned. She couldn’t go on this way. Very soon, Andrew would be hers again. She’d better strengthen their bond by not giving him the chance to avoid her.
Not long after, his car entered the Villa.
Rayne met him at the door, her face splitting into a smile. “Andy, you’re back early today.” She welcomed him with arms open. But she didn’t get to hug the man, because he simply walked past her without sparing her a glance.
Later on, as they sat at the dining table eating, Rayne looked at the silent man. As if she was part of the air, he ate his food, sometimes looking up but never staring at her.
“Hey, Andy. I’m planning to invest in an upcoming drama. Would you be interested in collaborating on the project?”
“What kind of drama?” The man finally paid her attention.
“It’s about a love story between childhood sweethearts. The novel has a gripping plot, I can remember reading it a few years ago. Also, I heard that it was adapted into comics by MystiArt Productions in the past.”
“Are the actors popular?” She didn’t expect his question.
“Um, not really.” Rayne bit her lips. “The story is good nevertheless.”
“Find another drama to invest in.” He picked a tissue and wiped his lips. And without speaking further, he stood up, leaving his half-finished food behind.
Rayne’s eyes couldn’t leave his back as he walked up the spiral stairs. In her eyes was a look of admiration and a hint of possessiveness. This perfect man would have been hers already. If it wasn’t for that girl, she would already be his wife.
She had overlooked the important fact that the success of a drama depends on its main actors. Within a few seconds, he pointed it out, changing her mind. What if a day would come when this man would look at her like a gem?
Ha!
That day would in no doubt come. “Annie, you just have to be removed from the picture, and my heart will forever be at ease.”
.
Upstairs, Andrew stepped out of the shower. The white robe hung loosely on his huge frame. As he stepped toward the closet, barefooted, each of his steps was measured.
Water droplets would fall from his hair now and then, trickling down the sides of his face. The man standing inside the closet was a sight to behold, yet, it was just a façade to the turmoil in his heart.
After getting ready, he came to the living room and sat on the bed. On the large TV screen hanging on the wall, a video was playing. And from that video, her voice echoed in the surroundings.
His eyes lingered on the screen, particularly on her face. As she stood in front of the presentation board delivering her speech, his mind went back to that night.
“Marriage and divorce are two different things. While you can’t force one, you can’t avoid the other one when it comes.”
‘Do you still have a choice, Annie? What else will you come up with this time in order to avoid me?’