Chapter 19
Chapter 19
THE LI ESTATE – WEDDING RECEPTION
The reception was loud as hell.
Chandeliers dripped light across the room. The press wasn’t allowed in, but somehow, rumors already spread like wildfire. Champagne flowed. Waiters walked around like robots. Waiters moved between tables with champagne trays, pretending the entire world hadn’t just seen a sex tape mid-ceremony. Money made anything look normal even trauma.
Lian sat at the main table beside Cheng, still stiff in that fucking gown, fingers clenched around a glass he hadn’t touched.
Fake smile on.
Fake posture.
Fake identity.
He was tired of playing dress-up.
People kept looking at him like he was some broken toy. Like they expected him to cry, run, or faint. But Lian didn’t move or had any reaction.
He just stared straight ahead, dead calm.
Cheng leaned closer. “You need air?”
“I need everyone here to fuck off.”
Cheng chuckled quietly. “Now you’re sounding like me.”
Before Lian could reply, two familiar voices broke through the noise.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson.
Fake-ass concern glued across their faces.
“Oh my God, sweetheart!” Mrs. Wilson rushed forward, grabbing Lian’s hand. “We didn’t see you before the ceremony. Are you okay, baby? That video.”
Lian’s eyes flicked to her hand on his. He slowly slid it free.
“I’m fine,” he said flatly. “You two shouldn’t be here.”
Mr. Wilson cleared his throat. “We came to support you. This is your big day. We were heartbroken when we saw what happened.”
Lian stood up slowly, napkin dropping to the floor.
“Don’t.” His voice was low. “Don’t pretend you didn’t know that was gonna happen.”
Mrs. Wilson froze. “Eth….emi…Mei”
“You knew her wayward lifestyle which you choose to ignore now i have to face all the consequences.“ Lian replied.
Mr. Wilson narrowed his eyes. “You need to lower your voice, son—”
“I’m not your son,” Lian snapped but in a low tone. “And I sure as hell don’t need your pity.”
Cheng stood behind Lian now, hand on his shoulder. His stare cut clean through Mr. Wilson like a blade.
“Walk. Away.”
Mr. Wilson glared. “ermm Mr Cheng, i have to speak to Mei. It's been a while we saw each other.”
Cheng stepped forward. “You want to leave with your spine intact? Then bounce.”
Mrs. Wilson tugged on her husband’s arm. “Let’s go. Now Mei we will speak some other time you not i uour right state of mind.”
They left. But Lian’s hands didn’t stop trembling under the table.
WILSON VILLA
The villa was quiet, too quiet for a night that should’ve been full of chaos. Mrs. Wilson sat curled up on the edge of the leather sofa, robe loose, wine glass gripped like a damn lifeline. Mr. Wilson paced across the polished marble floors, his jaw clenched so tight it looked like it might crack. The air stank of disappointment, shame, and anger
Mei stood by the window, arms crossed, hoodie still on, her face twisted in cold rage. The glow from outside made her eyes look darker than usual. She hadn’t spoken since they got home.
Until now.
“That little bitch actually married him.”
Her voice was flat but laced with venom.
Mrs. Wilson winced. “Mei, please, we’re all shocked”
Mei turned, slow and sharp. “Shocked? That’s what we’re going with? Shocked? That fucker knew what he was doing.”
Mr. Wilson slammed his hand on the side table. “He was supposed to stall. Just stall. Buy us time until we cleaned up the mess but it seems he is not interested in us anymore.”
“Yeah, well newsflash,” Mei spat, “he didn’t stall. He fucking committed.”
Mrs. Wilson set the glass down too fast and it clinked hard. “Maybe he panicked. Maybe he thought it was his only option.”
“Bullshit!” Mei snapped. “You didn’t see his face, I did. That fucker enjoyed it. He enjoyed taking my spot. My life. My goddamn husband.”
Mr. Wilson rubbed his temples. “He used to be loyal. That boy used to owe us his life.”
Mei snorted. “Yeah? Well he cashed the fuck out today.”
Mrs. Wilson leaned forward, voice shaking. “What if he’s planning something? What if he flips everything? What if he tells Cheng the truth?”
Mei’s laugh came out low and mean. “Oh, he ain’t gonna tell him shit. He’s living in luxury now. Wearing my ring. Fucking living in paradise. He’ll keep that damn act going till they hand him the whole Li fortune.”
Mr. Wilson growled, “Maldito bastardo...”
“Selfish, ungrateful fuck,” Mrs. Wilson added bitterly. “We took him in, gave him everything. He was supposed to protect this family, not bury us.”
Mei’s hands balled into fists. “He was weak. Always has been. I covered for him our whole goddamn lives. You think he survived the streets without me? Please. That bitch was born to follow, not lead. And now he’s in my seat.”
Mr. Wilson turned, cold rage in his eyes. “You need to fix this. Before Cheng finds out the truth and burns us all down.”
Mei’s voice dropped into a whisper. “I’m gonna do more than fix it.”
Mrs. Wilson’s eyes widened. “Mei...”
She kept talking like she didn’t even hear. “I’m gonna drag him outta that mansion by the fucking hair. Strip that dress off his lying ass and show the world what he really is.”
Mr. Wilson said nothing.
Mei took a breath, long and ragged, and said, “I should’ve let him die in that fire. But no. I saved him. Just because he has my face, my name. And now he thinks he is me? If i get my hands on him I'll ruin that dsmn face of his”
Mrs. Wilson whispered, “He owes you everything.”
“No,” Mei said, smiling for the first time that night. “He owes me suffering.”
Mr. Wilson lit a cigarette with shaky hands and exhaled hard. “Then we plan.”
Mei’s smile didn’t fade. “No more plans. This time, I'll reveal myself to him.”
And with that, silence fell again. The kind of silence that tastes like blood.
THE LI PENTHOUSE – PRIVATE STUDY – NIGHT
The study reeked of cigar smoke and whiskey. Reginald Li stood by the bar, swirling his drink like it owed him answers. Vivian sat on the edge of the mahogany desk, heels off, dress wrinkled, eyes lined with fury. Her lipstick was smudged, she’d been biting her bottom lip out of rage the entire drive back.
Neither of them spoke at first.
Reginald finally broke the silence.
“That fucking bastard still married her.”
Vivian scoffed, loud and bitter. “Of course he did. He’s a Li. Stupid loyalty runs in the blood.”
Reginald tossed back the rest of his drink, jaw clenched. “ watch your tongue girl.“
“I gave that idiot a way out. We gave him proof. A fucking sex tape. And he still stood up there like some love-struck dumbass.”
Vivian slid off the desk and started pacing. “He didn’t even flinch. Not once. Like he knew it was coming.”
“He didn’t know shit,” Reginald growled. “But he’s stubborn. Just like his mother was.”
Vivian turned, arms folded. “I told you we should’ve waited. The video was good, yeah, but it wasn’t enough. That little bitch stood up there like she didn’t give a fuck.”
“She’s not the problem,” Reginald muttered, pouring another glass. “It’s him. Cheng. He’s the goddamn problem.”
Vivian snorted. “You raised him to be a pitbull, now he’s biting your hand. Poetic.”
“Don’t get cute, Vivian.”
She glared at him. “Don’t get soft, Reginald. We had one job today—humiliate that slut and end that stupid-ass wedding. But you held back.” she said not caring about the way she spoke to him.
“I didn’t hold back,” he barked. “I fucking walked out.”
“Oh, yeah,” she said, rolling her eyes. “So dramatic. Big daddy temper tantrum. But the wedding still fucking happened.”
Reginald threw the glass across the room. It shattered against the wall.
Vivian didn’t even blink.
“We’re not done,” Reginald said, voice low now. “This was round one. That bitch might’ve won the crowd, but we still own the arena.”
Vivian smirked, finally liking what she was hearing. “So what now? You planning on sending flowers to their honeymoon suite?”
“No. I’m gonna break them from the inside.”
Vivian leaned against the table, arms crossed, a slow wicked grin creeping across her face. “Now that’s the Mr Li I know.”
He lit a cigar, took a drag, exhaled smoke like poison. “Cheng thinks he’s in love. He’s making decisions with his dick instead of his brain. But emotions make men sloppy. And I built empires on sloppy men.”
Vivian stepped closer. “So we dig?”
“No,” Reginald said. “We wait. Let them think they won. Let them dance, smile, throw money like nothing happened. And while they’re busy playing house, we’ll pull every string they don’t even know exists.”
“And when it all falls?”
Reginald turned, eyes hard. “she’ll beg for mercy.”
Vivian licked her bottom lip. “You want me on the inside?”
“You already are. That red dress of yours made sure every camera in the room got your face. Stay close. Make her your best friend. Be the shoulder she cries on when shit gets real.”
Vivian laughed. “I don’t know what’s worse pretending to like that fake-ass debutante or watching your son fuck her like it’s real. You and i know that's impossible for me to make friends with someone like that slut. I think i know what to do next.”
Reginald stubbed out the cigar. “You’ve done worse.”
She smirked. “True.”
Reginald moved to the desk, grabbed a folder from the drawer, and handed it to her. “There’s a man. Lucas. He’s nosing around the family. Connected to an old grudge. Find him. Use him. and kill him.”
Vivian flipped through the file, eyes scanning. “Mmm. Cute. Angry. Broken. My favorite type.”
“Good. Make him useful.”
She shut the folder and walked toward the door, heels in hand, voice light. “Game’s just starting, huh?”
Reginald sat back in the chair, watching the smoke curl toward the ceiling. “Let them sleep in silk sheets tonight. They’ll be choking on them soon enough.”
Vivian didn’t say goodbye.
She just left with a grin.
Because this wasn’t over.
It never fucking was.