Morning sunlight poured into the room, shining on the person lying in bed. As she opened her eyes and sat up, the first thing she saw was the painting in the room.
It was her favorite—the only one among Quentin Zane's works that brimmed with flowers.
Bold, vibrant blooms burst with life, wild and untamed.
This… Did Xavier Foster give it to her?
So last night… it wasn't a dream?
Xavier Foster had really come back.
A faint smile crept onto her face.
Because of the painting and Xavier Foster’s return, Cecilia Ye felt much lighter.
But by noon, she received a text.
[Want to know the truth about Xavier Foster and me? Meet me for a talk.]
She didn’t have to guess; it was Vivian Belle.
Her fingers quickly tapped out a reply.
[I don't want to know…]
But halfway through typing, her pale fingers paused. Did she really not want to know? Cecilia Ye asked herself.
She admitted it—she was tempted by Vivian Belle. She wanted to know.
She wanted to know why Xavier Foster absolutely had to marry Vivian Belle.
She wanted to know where she had lost.
[Where should we meet?]
A reply came almost instantly—Vivian Belle told her the place: a café.
She put away her phone, a hint of disdain curling her lips.
Bai Mu looked at her expression. "So, she took the bait?"
"Of course. Xavier Foster is her Achilles' heel. Anything to do with him, she'd never refuse it."
Vivian Belle spoke smugly. Hmph, Cecilia Ye was such a fool.
"Since the old man won't let Cecilia Ye get a divorce, I'll just push her until she can't stand it anymore."
Cecilia Ye gathered herself, took her bag, and headed out.
She didn't let the driver take her—she hailed a cab to the location.
The moment she stepped through the door, she spotted Vivian Belle sitting by the window.
For the first time, Cecilia Ye and Vivian Belle quietly studied one another.
Vivian Belle wore a white fluffy jacket, her sharp eyes boldly appraising Cecilia Ye.
She had to admit, Cecilia Ye was truly beautiful.
When Vivian Belle left Newbridge four years ago, she'd seen Cecilia Ye once—then, she was just a girl.
Such a good age—back then she was even more pure, a true student, not yet the captivating woman she’d become.
That first encounter after returning—the jealousy nearly drove Vivian Belle mad.
How could a nobody, abandoned at an orphanage, end up with all the good things?
Bewitching beauty, the Fu family's affection, Xavier Foster’s protection—it all belonged to Cecilia Ye. But everything, Vivian Belle thought, should have been hers.
The look in Vivian Belle's eyes made Cecilia Ye uneasy.
A waiter approached to ask for her order, but Cecilia Ye shook her head.
Frowning slightly, Cecilia Ye broke the silence. "What do you want to say?"
"I want to tell you not to get your hopes up, not to waste your efforts. Otherwise, I almost feel sorry for you," Vivian Belle sneered, every bit of her arrogance showing, the usual fragile act nowhere in sight.
She looked down at Cecilia Ye as if from a throne.
Cecilia Ye swallowed her discomfort and asked coolly, "Then why don't you explain?"
Reclining on the sofa, Vivian Belle lifted the hem of her jacket, her sharp phoenix eyes curling into a smile.
Beneath the lifted fabric, pale skin was marred by a jagged scar across her stomach.
Cecilia Ye’s gaze flickered, the hand under the table trembling as disbelief flashed in her eyes.
Suddenly, she regretted letting her curiosity get the better of her. Perhaps she shouldn’t have come today.
She'd forgotten to ask herself if she could handle the consequences.
Vivian Belle saw Cecilia Ye's reaction and felt a deep, cold satisfaction.
Running a finger along the scar, Vivian Belle began, "That year, if someone hadn't tried to kill Xavier Foster, I wouldn’t have been stabbed. But if it were only a stab, why would Xavier Foster be forced to marry me?"
A hint of cruelty filled her eyes. She stared at Cecilia Ye, enunciating every word:
"This scar means I can never have children again. Do you understand now, Cecilia Ye?"
Cecilia Ye shook her head, a ringing buzzing in her ears.
Because of Xavier Foster, Vivian Belle could never have children.
Suddenly, everything made sense. That’s why Xavier Foster had to marry her.
What he felt for Vivian Belle wasn’t just affection—it was guilt and responsibility.
It felt like a hole had been punched in her chest, wind whistling through it.
All the sounds around her faded to nothing.
She knew she’d lost—truly and utterly lost.
Those two had been bound together long before her, through life and death, through unbreakable promises.
Cecilia Ye always thought maybe Xavier Foster liked her, at least a little—but in the face of this, what did that small liking even matter?
Despair crashed over her, suffocating as the tide.
"So, Cecilia Ye, do you really think Xavier Foster would give me up?"
Cecilia Ye shook her head, listless as a puppet. "I understand."
Grabbing her bag, she turned and left the café.
Watching that retreating figure, Vivian Belle wore a proud, ruthless smile.
Heh, Cecilia Ye—don’t even think about competing with me.
Cecilia Ye had no idea how she left the café.
She walked home along the street, her mind a confused, foggy mess.
On both sides, the tall trees had dropped all their leaves—just bare, clawing branches, cold and menacing.
She wanted to cry, but realized she couldn’t shed a single tear.
She laughed at herself for overestimating her own strength, thinking if she tried just a bit harder, maybe she might stand a chance.
She’d been angry at Xavier Foster’s concern for Vivian Belle, not knowing what he might really be thinking—maybe he found her laughable, a nuisance.
The early winter wind slapped her face, leaving it raw and icy.
Just then, her phone rang in her pocket—it was Mia Moore.
Clutching at this lifeline, she hurried to pick up.
"Yao Yao." Only two words, but the moment she spoke, tears spilled over, streaming down her face no matter how often she wiped them.
Mia Moore heard the choked sobs in her voice, all her prepared words stuck in her throat, replaced by worry.
"Cecilia, what’s wrong? Did someone bully you?"
"Yao Yao… I was wrong… I’ve messed up so many things, what should I do?"
The words tumbled out in confusion; even Cecilia Ye didn’t entirely know what she was saying. She just wanted a place to cry it all out.
Mia Moore panicked, steering with one hand as she started her car.
"It’s alright, Cecilia, I'm here. Where are you? I’ll come to you, okay?"
Cecilia Ye choked out, "I’m by the MIN Shopping Mall."
"Okay. Stay right where you are and wait for me, promise? I’ll be there soon."
Hanging up, Cecilia Ye squatted by the curb, exhausted, as if she couldn’t stay upright anymore.
When Mia Moore found her, Cecilia Ye was curled up on the roadside, eyes red like a heartbroken little bunny.
Mia Moore rushed out of her car and, without a word, hugged her close.
"You silly thing, it’s so cold out—at least wait for me inside the mall!"
Seeing a trusted friend, all the tears Cecilia Ye had held back burst forth again.
Mia Moore couldn’t scold her; she just ushered her into the car.
"What happened, Cecilia? Can you tell me? You’re scaring me like this."
Warm air blew in the car as Cecilia Ye gradually calmed and poured out everything she’d been bottling up.
The divorce from Xavier Foster, meeting them at the art exhibition, Xavier Foster leaving on her birthday, and Vivian Belle's injury for Xavier Foster.
The more Mia Moore heard, the more her heart ached. She grew angry, cursing outright.
"You’ve done nothing wrong, sweetheart! You haven’t! If those two are so in love, so ready to face life and death together, then Xavier Foster never should have dragged you into this. Hmph, neither of them are any good."
Cecilia Ye shook her head. "I agreed to it back then… I know I was selfish."
"But you agreed to the divorce so readily. They’re the ones who won’t let go! Honestly, I think Xavier Foster just can’t let you go—even if he won’t admit it. Why else would Vivian Belle be in such a hurry to show you all this? She must be afraid Xavier Foster is falling for you."
"Is… that really it?"
Tears gathered on Cecilia Ye’s lashes again, making Mia Moore’s heart ache.
"That’s enough, don’t be sad about them. You’ve only ever known Xavier Foster—there’s a whole world out there, and plenty of wonderful guys too."
Though Mia Moore admitted Xavier Foster was one of a kind, there were still other heart-stopping men out there.
She started the car. "Come on, let’s go celebrate your birthday. I actually called to make it up to you."
"Where are we going?"
"Somewhere that'll actually make you happy."
The car turned a corner and pulled up before a bar tucked at the far end of Southwind Alley, on the street lined with pubs.