"I'm serious." I sat up straight, meeting his intimidating gaze. "Five years. You'll never love me. Let's set each other free."
In a month, City A would host a big business forum. There, Hugh Pei would meet Lila Wei—working part-time as a receptionist. He would fall for her at first sight, and stop at nothing to have her, no matter the cost.
With a love story that intense, I refused to be the cannon fodder in their legend.
Everything I'd wanted to do, could do, should do—I'd done it in my past life, and seen the result. This time, I wouldn't make a fool of myself, wouldn't drag the Xu family into the abyss.
I decided to step back before Hugh Pei and Lila Wei met, to be the first to end this rocky relationship.
Maybe my seriousness showed, because Hugh Pei's face darkened. He'd always had a temper, and never held back when angered.
"Haha, so Hugh Pei has become someone's plaything now?" He laughed, but his eyes were icy. "Five years ago, you insisted on marrying me. Now you want a divorce. Zoe Xu, are you joking?"
Five years ago, the Pei and Xu families were close, so they'd arranged our marriage.
With Hugh Pei's personality, he'd never have agreed—until his grandfather fell critically ill and forced him.
It was deeply humiliating for him. But luckier, he had no "lost love" back then. He was just taking over the family business, needing a capable partner. So he settled for me, and we muddled through five years.
I smiled bitterly, a touch of sadness in my voice. "Do you really want to keep this marriage in name only?"
"In name only?" He seemed to roll the words around, then raised an eyebrow, taunting. "Oh? Feeling lonely and neglected?"
"No, I just…" I hesitated, searching for words.
Hugh Pei stood, walking over. He leaned down, hands on either side of the sofa, trapping me in his arms. His voice was mocking, not seductive. "Why didn't you come to me when you were lonely? And now you want a divorce—are your needs that desperate?"
Hugh Pei smoked, a faint scent mixing with tobacco clinging to him.
He'd never hugged me, but I'd secretly smelled his coat before.
Now, that complicated, alluring scent surrounded me. Logically, my heart should race, my cheeks flush—but all I felt was exhaustion.
I was ready to leave. Anything that made me waver felt like a curse.
"I'm not like that!" I tried to explain. After so many lonely nights, I'd grown used to it.
"Really?" Hugh Pei stood straight. He'd never cared for me; that teasing had just been to fluster me, to keep control.
At 27, I was still a virgin—married, but untouched—oozing resentment, not charm.
"Zoe Xu, I know today's our fifth anniversary, but I don't care about this stuff. If you're using this to push for a divorce, don't bother." He stood over me, voice cold again.
"I don't need to wait for an anniversary I've never properly celebrated." I stood too, meeting his gaze. "Think about it. I've outlived my usefulness. You need freedom more than you need me, don't you?"
I turned and headed up to the second-floor bedroom, not looking back, not wanting to say more.
A loud slam came from downstairs, followed by a car engine outside. Hugh Pei had left. This time, I stayed calm.
My phone rang—it was my best friend, Ginny Deng.
"Zoe, come out! Let's hit Tanggeyuan!" Her loud voice chased away the gloom. She was my age, but still single.
After marrying, I'd rarely gone out, turning down Ginny's invites nine times out of ten. But she'd never given up.
"Okay!" I agreed instantly, so quickly that the line went silent.
"Today's your anniversary with Hugh Pei. You sure you want to go out?" Ginny finally spoke, shocked.
I'd used the anniversary as an excuse to reject her for four years straight.
"Yeah, it's a anniversary, not a funeral. I'll be there soon." I hung up, confident.
Opening my closet, I saw a sea of white, black, gray. Even blue was rare. Behind every luxury label were stunning designs, but I—the fool—had bought the dullest ones.
After ten minutes, I picked a black halter dress, less drab than the rest. Silk, with a deep V-neck almost to my navel. The elastic waist hugged my overly thin frame, leaving my white arms and most of my back bare.
I remembered buying this to seduce Hugh Pei. He hadn't come home that month.
My only complaint? My flat chest, which clashed with the dress's allure.
I shrugged it off. I'd make do, and eat more later.
After changing and doing my makeup, I went to the garage, got in a red Porsche, and drove straight to Tanggeyuan.
Tanggeyuan was a nightclub in City A—its name a mix of wildness and poetry.
I parked, walked in, and found Ginny and the others at the bar we'd agreed on.
In college, Ginny Deng, Tilly Ouyang, Ella Li, and I had been called the "Four Talents of the Music Department." Everyone thought we'd have brilliant careers. Instead, I'd married young, Ginny became a nightclub regular, Tilly was a deputy manager at her company, and only Ella stuck to music—entering competitions, vowing to be a star.
"What a rare sight!" Ginny jumped off her stool, grabbing my hand, excited as if greeting a celebrity.
The others nodded, too. I'd all but vanished after marrying.
I'd given up my social life for Hugh Pei.
After a few drinks, Tilly sighed. "Zoe, if you hadn't come today, I'd have wondered if I attended your wedding or your funeral five years ago."
Dead and buried, basically.
"Weird—why no candlelit dinner at home?" Ginny asked, squinting. "C'mon, let me check. Is that scumbag Hugh Pei still ignoring you? You crying?"
"Don't yank my false lashes, okay?" I swatted her hand away.