A self-deprecating smile appeared on his face. He was the one who had disrupted her life. Her world had been calm before he entered it. If he left, she could return to her previous life. Yet he selfishly continued to destroy her peace—eight years ago out of blind hatred, and now simply because he didn’t want to leave her, clinging to a marriage that violated ethics.
A heartbreaking laugh rang out, “After losing everything, let me be peaceful again. Di Xihuang, you make it sound so easy.”
Di Xihuang lowered his eyes, full of guilt. “For Tong Baichuan and you, I can do nothing to make amends. But for Tong Baifu, he brought this upon himself. He actually went to Japan using my identity to threaten Di Ying, wanting the media to expose her past…”
“Is this the secret you speak of? You stood by and watched her harm others?” Ou Xueman interrupted angrily.
After a moment of silence, Di Xihuang continued, “If Tian Muyi had known about Di Ying’s deception eight years ago, he wouldn’t have let her off…”
“So you struck first to eliminate future trouble,” Ou Xueman coldly interrupted. “Tong Baifu brought this upon himself, but what about Brother Ai Feng? How did he provoke you into such action?”
He seemed to age significantly with the effort of standing, moving slowly to pick up a coat from the sofa. A strange light reflected through the window, carrying a melancholic black, falling to the ground.
He hurriedly bent down to examine it as if it were a rare treasure, then held it in his hand.
It was just a flash of light, but she recognized the black crystal tie clip she had given him.
“That was my negligence,” he said softly. “I was focused on your safety and forgot about the people around you, the people you valued.”
She never knew he cherished that tie clip so much. A fragile corner of her heart was unexpectedly touched.
She tightly closed her eyes, covering her ears, refusing to hear his explanations, refusing to acknowledge that vulnerability.
After a time, when she opened her eyes again, the hospital room was filled with golden sunlight streaming through the window. A slight breeze carried a faint trace of his scent, reminding her that he had been there.
