Present Day
Tang banged loudly, "open the door, Jia Li. I know you are in there".
"Why are you shouting and what are you doing here at this hour", she shushed, opening the door.
"Do you know how long have I been knocking at your door for? What else was I supposed to do? I tried calling you million times but you didn't respond", he sulked as he entered the room and shut the door.
Wrapping her arms around her midriff, she tried to shake the sleepiness from her eyes and squinted at the clock mantle.
"It is 5 in the morning, Tang. Why aren't you in bed?" she asked crossly.
Jia Li had rushed back from the party but hadn't been able to sleep. It was only during the past hour that she had succumbed to a tired dreamless snooze.
"Why did you leave the party so abruptly and why haven't you taken my calls ever since? Dammit, I was so worried", he questioned.
"I am sorry I didn't respond to your calls. I had put my phone on silent and forgotten about it. About the party, I was simply too tired and couldn't keep my eyes open for even a minute longer. There, I have answered all your questions. Now please go and get some rest. It's going to be a long day today and we can't have the groom look sleepy", she tried to shove him towards the door.
Catching her wrists in both his hands, he spun her and pushed her against the door.
"If you were so sleepy, why the hell did you put in so much effort in looking drop dead gorgeous and then pull a Cinderella act over me", he questioned.
She bristled at the unspoken accusation, "please don't assume that I got dressed up for you. It was purely upon Li Jie's insistence and I thought it would be fun to impersonate Ms. Hepburn."
All this while her heart was calling her a liar, pulsating in close proximity to its old mate.
"Then why didn't you stay back and have FUN? Why did you rush out as if the devil himself was at your tail? It wasn't as if you had any lack of attention. If I recall correctly, the biggest flirt of the city was trying to woo you", he continued grilling her.
She tried to pull her hands out of his grasp.
When he refused to budge, she blew a frustrated sigh, "what is your problem? Why are you so concerned about who was paying attention to me or what did I do with whom? You were busy making out with your fiancée on that dance floor and looked quite happy doing it."
He abruptly released her wrists and took her face in his hands forcing her to look into his eyes.
"So that is why you left the party. You couldn't handle seeing her in my arms. I am glad you are finally getting a tiny taste of what I have been enduring for the past five years. Tell me, did you feel as if a part of your heart was on fire? Was there a hollow feeling in your stomach?" he asked violently.
Jia Li looked at him with steady eyes, "you are drunk. Don't say something that you will regret later in the day. You are getting married in less than forty-eight hours and this conversation is not only inappropriate but also unnecessary".