She would never let go of him in this lifetime. Not now and not when her acting career was faltering under scandal. Not when directors had begun casting fresher faces and her brand deals were quietly dropped one after another.
She needed his protection, his prestige, and his connections.
She needed to be Mrs Li.
And if that meant playing the pitiful, broken mother to soften his heart, so be it.
On the other end, Li Feng's silence stretched long and heavy before he finally spoke, his voice clipped, "Where are you now?"
"Bedroom… I… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I shouldn't have come back… I… I didn't mean to ruin everything…" Her sobs intensified, each perfectly timed tremor in her voice painting her as the wronged woman desperate for forgiveness.
"Stay there," he said curtly. "I'm on my way."
She forced out a broken "Okay…" before ending the call, her fingers trembling as she lowered the phone onto the bed.
The tears on her cheeks dried quickly. Her eyes narrowed faintly, dark lashes lowering as she smoothed down her tousled hair and adjusted the silk robe clinging to her curves.
A small smile curved her lips.
She knew Li Feng. She knew how his coldness hid an unbreakable sense of responsibility and guilt. Even if he despised her, he would never truly abandon the mother of his sons, not when she played her role so perfectly.
And as she shifted to sit up straighter, checking her reflection in the bedside mirror and pinching her cheeks lightly for that flushed, pitiful look, her thoughts spun like poisoned silk:
This time… I won't let you go, Li Feng.
Not until everything you have… bears my name too.
—
"Why is she behaving like we cursed her? If it weren't for her schemes, we wouldn't have fallen for her!" Li Bo Yen was truly annoyed. The first few months when she had returned, they would always get punished for something they didn't do!
It was always her seeking sympathy from their father... It was always her setting them up, and sometimes, they felt like they weren't truly her sons.
"Humph!" Li Ren coldly snorted calculating....
—
In his car, as Li Feng tucked the phone back into his suit coat, his dark eyes narrowed faintly. He said nothing as he gestured for the driver to leave the cemetery and drive away.
But deep down, something cold and heavy settled in his chest.
He knew Shen Li well enough. He had watched her tears, her trembling lips, her delicate sobs, and though once they had pierced straight into his heart, now… he felt only a faint chill. They could no longer move him.
Perhaps, he mused darkly, the biggest mistake he ever made wasn't failing to love her.
It was letting himself believe she ever loved them at all. It was letting her back into their life after she had left....
The black sedan pulled smoothly out of the cemetery parking lot, weaving into late morning traffic.
Inside, Li Feng sat in silence, his fingers drumming lightly against the armrest as his dark eyes flicked over the passing cityscape.
"Secretary Yu," he said curtly, breaking the heavy quiet atmosphere surrounding them.
"Yes, Master Li."
"Contact the Finance and Legal team immediately. I want the transfer of the Jiading property completed before the close of business today. Use it to clear all outstanding debts incurred by Bo Yen and Ren with Su Holdings. I don't want Young Master Su to call me again because of that!"
"Yes, sir. Should I notify Young Master Bo Yen and Young Master Ren about it? They were to inherit that property..."