"I'm sorry Aunt Alice, I need to take this phone call." Without waiting for her reply, Jingyi hurtled towards the exit. Aunt Alice was bewildered by Jingyi's behavior because even if there's an emergency, she would politely ask to be excused, not like this. She could only watch her back disappearing from her sight as she wondered if something's wrong. Shaking her worries away, she ambled to the other side.
"Lovely party Aunt Alice." Lin Chen gave out a smile that could charm any maiden.
"I am happy to see you. Where's your mom?"
"My mother sends her apologies. She had to stay with my sister at the hospital."
Worry crossed Alice Lacroix's face so she asked, "What happened?"
"My sister gave birth today and my mother was ecstatic. She went straight to the hospital because she couldn't wait to carry her first grandson."
"Oh, that's wonderful news." Alice Lacroix wished Eunice will have news sooner. She longs for grandchildren too.
Putting that thought away, she told Lin Chen, "I wanted you to meet our Jingyi but she went out to answer a phone call. When she returns, I'll introduce her."
"Perfect."
Aunt Alice was full of praises about Jingyi whenever she mentions her to his mom. Inadvertently, Lin Chen grew to know her from his mom constantly sharing anything about the other woman. Somehow, there's curiosity in him to meet this woman.
…...
At the same moment, Luo Jingyi had a sensation of her stomach churning as she fled the hall, uncertain where she was heading to. There was that urge to scream out that choked feeling in her windpipe. Luo Jingyi found herself at the deck. All those painful memories she buried at the deepest part of her brain suddenly thronged out reminding her of what happened. All the torture and pain she suffered from his hand played like a video on loop. She clung onto the railings tightly to steady herself because spasms of uncontrollable emotions sprouted from the depths of her heart, making her weak at her knees.
Listening to her racing heartbeat, she nudged herself to calm down.
Nobody can hurt you Jingyi. Nobody. That's not him. She balled her fists as she stressed these words in her head.
Luo Jingyi played this scenario in her head many times. What if she sees his modern-day look alike, she would ignore and continue to live her life peacefully. But seeing that man earlier, her body reacted immediately without any warning. Her heart was in turmoil, not knowing what to do. If there's Aunt Alice in between, then it means they are destined to cross paths in the future.
Every time she would remember his face, her emotions are shaken. How much more if he was standing across her, will she be able to mask herself well?
What will I do now? She was apprehensive to return to the banquet and be introduced to him. At this moment, there was the desire to flee the place at an instant but a part of her brain was reminding her 'no.'
Left with no choice but to return to the party, she swirled around. But before she can take another step, she smelled something and her world turned dark.
…...
Yun Jinghan sneaked behind one man who was talking on the phone and laced his right hand over his neck. It happened so fast that before the man could get away, Yun Jinghan already pulled the neck, snapping it. He fell on the ground with eyes opened wide. At the same time, Yu Qing incapacitated the other man who was getting into the driver's seat.
"You know what to do." Yun Jinghan's order was directed to K2. Yun Jinghan opened the trunk of the car and saw the beautiful doctor he met early on. She was gagged, tied and unconscious. Looking at her, he felt very distressed for reasons he can't fathom.
Ten minutes ago, he saw her sprint to the deck as if she was fleeing for her life. He was about to approach her when his eyes caught two men put something in her mouth then sneaked her out of the cruise ship. He didn't know why his feet followed before his brain could process things.
Yun Jinghan bent to carry her on his arms. It suddenly crossed his mind that she was too thin and light. He slowly placed her inside his car, like she was an expensive porcelain, afraid he was going to break her.
He finds it really weird that every time this woman was within his proximity, his entire being is shaken. Which was entirely foreign to him as no women ever made him feel the same way. It feels like there's a magnetic force drawing her to him.
"Keys." He demanded from Yu Qing. When the celebrity chef threw the keys, he caught them with one hand and hurried to the driver's seat.
"What about your date?" Yu Qing reminded why they were there in the first place. Yun Jinghan was supposed to meet Song Huan at the wedding banquet as arranged by his maternal grandmother, Grandma Shen.
"Deal with it." Yun Jinghan told him before he got into the car in haste.
Yu Qing watched as the car disappeared into the horizon with brows knitted in a frown.
…..
Luo Jingyi stirred when she felt the stinging pain on her shoulders.
Shrek! It hurts.
The briny sea air mixing with a musky scent of a man and the sound of crashing waves as it sweeps ashore assaulted her senses. Enduring the drowsiness that was engulfing her, she peeled her eyes open but squinted, to slightly adjust with the light. The first thing that she noticed was the jacket that was on her.
"Where am I?" She blurted out loud, trying to recall what happened. She was at the deck and she smelled something. Was I kidnap? Her face suddenly became twisted with this thought. In an instant, she assessed if she has pain anywhere. Feeling none, except for the sore shoulders, she inhaled deeply and breathed it out in relief.
When she perceived a pair of eyes watching her closely, she turned her head. Luo Jingyi frowned and wondered why was she with this man.
"What did you do to me?!"
"What do you think?" The man handed her a bottle of water which she didn't take. Yun Jinghan then placed it on the dashboard.
His question made her eyes dim. Seeing those eyes that glistened in amusement, annoyance flowed inside her. Luo Jingyi hated how his gaze makes her vulnerable. Subconsciously, she wrapped her arms around herself.
"Mr. I don't have time playing mind games with you."
"It's Yun Jinghan." The man gave out a lopsided grin which made Jingyi crankier.
"Whether it's Yun Jing, Jing Yun or Han Jing, it doesn't matter to me. Why-am-I-here?" She put stress on the question, demanding an answer.
Yun Jinghan looked fixedly at her irked eyes and felt beguiled for no reason. For a long time, no woman has piqued his interest. She triggers his desire to irritate her more. On the surface, the doctor looked like a harmless kitten but once she gets annoyed, she's like a lioness baring her fangs.
He slanted closer and ran a hand through her hair. Reflex made Jingyi push his hand away.
"What are you doing? Don't touch me." She reacted, shying away from him as if he had some incurable disease. Yun Jinghan just wanted to fix her hair which became messy but seeing her horrified reaction, his hand froze on air.
"Did you kidnap me?" Her eyebrows waggled as she waited impatiently for his answer.
======
📌This novel was only posted on Webnovel. If you see it elsewhere, please let me know.