Ji An's POV
Alice and Ji An were so busy studying, they hardly talk at home. Both of them were so focused on their studies. Ji An had a lot to catch up on and her exam is coming. On a Thursday night, they both came home early. They had a chance to talk and gossip about what they have been doing these past few days.
"Ji... I missed you! Oh my god, we will be like this for 4 more years. It's so tiring." Alice sighed.
Ji An laughed at her friend, "We can do this! I'm sure I can. Tomorrow night Sofia will be here. I'm looking forward to it. I miss my baby."
"Yeah about that..." Alice's face became serious. "I really want to know... Who did you go with? In the Park Plaza hotel?" As she said, she's not dropping the issue and she really wanted to find out who is the person she was with that night.
Ji An got surprised, she didn't even pay much attention to that hotel and Alice knew which one it is. "My mum." It was hard for her to lie to her friend because Alice knows her best so the fewer words are better.
"Should I elaborate it more so you understand what I am saying?" Alice wanted Ji An to tell her exactly what happened and who was she with, she obviously knew something as she was firm about it.
Her face becomes somewhat concerned after she heard the word elaborate, "Alice..." Ji An doesn't know whether to admit it or not. "What do you want to know?" To be safe, she threw the question back to Alice.
"That night you left, I saw you entered a black car. A lady came out but 2 men in black went in. What was that all about?" Alice told her what she saw that night hoping that Ji An will tell her all the details and she can be at peace not doubting her anymore.
What Alice said got her thinking, her brain panicked. 'She knew... but up to where?' she thought as she was trying to come up with an answer, "Yes, they took me to Park Plaza an—"
"It wasn't your mum in that room Ji An, it was a man." Alice stared at her as if she was saying - "Go on deny it." She didn't really see anyone, all she saw was Ji An entering the room and the two bodyguards outside guarding the room. She cannot come any closer because she didn't want Ji An to find out that she followed her there.
Ji An's heart thumped like mad. 'She knew! But how? Up to where?'
"Are you wondering how and why I know?" her brows furrowed and she studied how Ji An behaved, "I was there! I followed you!" With her arms crossed she continued, "Now, are you going to tell me or you will stick with the lie you made? I told you, you may have convinced Eric, but not me. I'm your best friend, I know you and you have never once lied to me. But you are now and I want to know why! Who is he? Why are you protecting him?"
Ji An went blank after she heard Alice. What was she supposed to say? How was she supposed to answer her? "I was with—"
Alice cut her off once more, her voice was nearly shouting, "I'm very sure its a man! Just tell me. If Eric finds out, he's not gonna like it and I wouldn't be able to protect you. And I am telling you, he will eventually find out." Alice tried to convince her to tell her the truth.
'Is she really going to protect me or she's just curious.' She thought and let out a sigh, "If I tell you, you might use it against me and m—"
"Oh for god sake Li Ji An!" this time, she shouted at her, "You don't trust me?" pointing to herself, "I'm your best friend and your sister in law." She got furious with her knowing that her own best friend did not trust her and she was somewhat disappointed.
"Exactly the reason! You are not just my best friend, you are also my sister in law, the sister of my husband." Her voice went higher but not as loud as Alice's.
"Why? Is it a boyfriend you met?" Alice's eyes constricted, "Did you sleep with him on your wedding night instead of my brother?" Alice shouted at her angrily, "Tell me?!?"
Ji An cannot admit the truth now, Alice was really close to the truth, how can she say all that if she doesn't know anything. If she was just guessing, she was pretty accurate. However, there is another person who can save her right now, "It was my brother!" she shouted back at her friend, 'I'm sorry my brother.'
Alice's face calmed down and relaxed a bit, "Oh... so... it was Maike?"
"Call him in his English name. He doesn't want his Chinese name." She sounded so natural when she corrected Alice. But it's true he doesn't like being called in his Chinese name, maybe that's why she spoke so natural and Alice couldn't sense her anxiousness towards the topic they were discussing.
"So it was Mike? What does he want? He left you guys and didn't come on your fathers funeral and he will see you privately? Why didn't he go to the party." she lashed out her anger towards him after recalling the events that took place before where he should have been there for his sister.
"Because he is like that! He became like that somehow and he is no longer the same brother I know after he left home." the sadness in her eyes was evident as she remembered how they were before and how he became prior to leaving their house.
"Okay. You could have just said its Mike to Eric. Why implicate your mother? What if Eric meets your mother and asks her about this incident? It can create misunderstanding between you two!" Alice explained what she thought of what she did.
"I could have, but I already said it's my mother. So please Alice just this once, it has to be my mother. Don't tell Eric anything else. For our sake? Please?" she doesn't really want to upset Eric because he was so good to her. He was patient enough to wait for her and she hasn't repaid him for his kindness. All she has done was to betray his trust without him knowing it.
Alice agreed and that subject was closed.
The next day, Eric and Sofia came. As usual, they spend the time playing and having fun with little Sofia. But Eric's mind was focused only on Ji An. He wants his wife, if not, he really might commit a mistake and regret it afterwards. He wanted her tonight and he will not go back to London without sleeping and having her. He was that desperate.
At bedtime, he made sure Sofia was sound asleep before heading to their room. In their room, Ji An wasn't in sight but he can hear the shower running. He smiled and thought, 'Tonight is the night,' he will have her all for himself.
He entered the bathroom and took off his clothes before he entered the shower. Ji An got startled as he felt his hands around her waist, "Eric, what are you doing here?"
Eric suddenly turned her to face him and pinned her against the wall before he whispered in her ear, "I love you Ji An" he kissed her lips longingly and stayed there for quite a bit before he went to her neck as he played with her breast and everywhere his lips landed he would plant a kiss. As he was so eager to have her, he didn't manage to wait and did it in the shower. Ji An wasn't ready for this at all. She didn't expect Eric will do it right there and then.
It felt unfamiliar to her like it was the first time he held her in that way. Though he was gentle and he held her with care, it felt different.
Eric was not finished with her though, he continued in bed and made love with his wife and fell asleep after. Ji An couldn't sleep at all, 'How come I couldn't sleep?' She was lying in bed staring at the ceiling, 'Why do I feel this way? He is my husband and he is Sofia's father, but why am I thinking of Cheng Ze? Every time Cheng Ze held me, it felt like my body recognised his touch, but with Eric.... I shouldn't be like this. Why am I even comparing my husband to him?' She tried not to think so much but there are things that bothered her, 'And why Eric didn't leave kiss marks on me?' her brows creased with that thought, 'I remember waking up full of kiss marks! I will have to ask him later and find out why.'