When Beichen reached the rooftop, he saw Yanyue constrained on the arms by a masked man and an infant warmer on a plank. Then, he averted his gaze over to Wanyue on the other plank.
The masked man chuckled in delight.
"I've been waiting for you, President Lu Beichen."
"Let them go now," Beichen said with eyes that could kill instantly.
"I have an interesting game that I want to play with you. One is your favorite woman, and the other is your newborn son. If I let them off at the same time, who would you choose to save?"
The masked man pointed to the ropes keeping the planks stable
"The moment you make your choice, and depending on your choice, my men will release the rope tied to the wood by pressing a button or letting go of the baby warmer. And you can imagine what comes next."
Then, he laughed like a manic as if playing with people's lives was nothing except a multiple-choice gameshow. "I along with everyone here are interested in your choice."
Yanyue couldn't think about her son falling into the ocean. He was just a baby and deserved to live!
"Beichen, that's your son! He is just a baby!" Yanyue persuaded Beichen.
"Ah Chen, I'm so scared. Help me, please!" Wanyue wept over Yanyue, trying to distract Beichen. "I love you very much. I don't want to leave you!"
Yanyue looked at Beichen, who hadn't moved from where he was. She was afraid that he would choose his white moonlight, which she had no doubt he would. But she was a mother, and her son was more important than anything else!
Repetitive wailing baby cries came from the warmer due to all the noises.
Yanyue's heart became increasingly restless.
"He is your son. Even if you don't love me, he has your blood in his veins. You cannot be that cruel to let him fall into the ocean! He was just born this morning!" Yanyue continued to sway Beichen's heart.
Afraid he would go for Wanyue, she uttered contemptuously, "Beichen, you will regret not saving your son!"
Wanyue saw that Beichen was hesitating. These days, Beichen rarely contacted her. The fact was, he never did because she was always the one going to him first. In front of the media, they seemed to have the perfect relationship, but she knew otherwise.
Beichen might have defended and kept her by his side all these years and said it was because he loved her, but that was not the case. He only stayed with her because he mistook her for that little girl who had saved him. She liked his status and looks, so she played along. However, who knew that Yanyue would steal him, and the most humiliating part was that he didn't mind and even slept with that woman!
He had never touched her, but he was willing to for that slut. And this was the reason why she hated Yanyue so much and wanted her to die. Beichen was indifferent, but they were good before. Now, though, he had changed despite not realizing it himself, and it was all because Yanyue seduced him! But he was her man first!
So, even if it was dangerous to sacrifice herself like this, Wanyue didn't care. She wanted Yanyue to see who he cared for most at the junction of life and death!
"Ah Chen, I know it's hard. I take it back. Don't save me, so go ahead and save your son!'
Wanyue cried, looking pitiful. She was good at pretending to get people's attention.
"We have no fate. I saved you, and then you found me again. We got together and were going to get married. However, you were forced to marry my sister. I was sad, but I knew that you would always love me. But now, let us go our own ways. Don't come here, and please save your son! I will remember that you once loved and doted on me!"
Wanyue took a step forward. One more step and she would fall.
"Stay where you are and don't move!" Beichen shouted.
The masked man laughed again.
"Your girl made such a heartfelt speech. It would be a waste if she died like this with how much she loves you!"
Beichen looked at the masked man. Anyone would be panicking at this point, but Beichen seemed collected, almost so calm that he was scary and unapproachable.
"What do you want?" Beichen asked, his voice low and dark.
"I want you to make a choice. I placed a bomb on your beloved woman. The timer will go off in thirty seconds. Make your choice now or regret it."
Beichen frowned, but after listening to his people on the small earpiece, he started walking toward the direction where Wanyue was.
Yanyue's heart almost stopped beating, and she choked back her tears. She could see it. He didn't hesitate and went to his woman!
"Beichen, I know you don't love me, but cruel is what you are! He is your son! How could I be so blind to have fallen in love with you?"
Yanyue's face was full of tears now, and she cursed Beichen. He was indeed a cold and heartless man. It was no different from back then. Both times, he betrayed her crushing her heart and soul. Seeing that he didn't waver, her heart turned to stone, and she hated him more than ever. And part of her seemed to die with this nonsensical, absurd love.
BANG!
There was a gunshot from nowhere, and the man holding onto the baby warmer fell into the ocean.
"No!" Yanyue screamed at the top of her lungs and sprinted toward the warmer. She was breathing so hard that her lungs hurt. It was like a piece of bone was piercing them a thousand times over and over, and there was nothing she could do but hug herself in agony.
The masked man had ducked down due to the gunshot and began shooting back from the direction where he heard the gunshot. A swat team had swarmed the building, and most of his men were subdued or shot to death.
Beichen had not reached Wanyue when he saw Yanyue rushing over to the other plank. As if his body had its very spirit, it turned 180 degrees. Wanyue's face turned pale. She couldn't believe that he really went after Yanyue and yelled again.
"Ah Chen, come save me!"
But she was dismissed because Beichen had already run over to the other plank.
"Mommy will save you!"
Yanyue reached her hand to grab the warmer. She was a centimeter away from falling herself, but nothing mattered at that moment except for her precious baby.
"Stop!" Beichen was right behind Yanyue, reaching out to grab her. But Yanyue didn't care. The warmer with her baby had fallen into the ocean, exhausting her will to live. She felt like time had ceased ticking. Her body was convulsing and jerking so much that she seemed like a crazy person.
Beichen gripped Yanyue's hand as she was a minuscule away from falling into the sea.
Yanyue was crying silently. Her eyes showed deep hatred toward Beichen. He looked into her teary eyes, but it was dull and emotionless. It was like she was telling him that she had given up. She looked more than disappointed with him and seemed to despise him from the bottom of her heart.
Beichen flinched, tightening his hand around hers. There was an emptiness in her eyes, which made him scared.
"I regret everything."
Yanyue yanked her hand from his, and she felt as light as a feather, almost as if she was flying and not falling. Memories flashed before her eyes like a timeline.
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"You are not a princess but just a cursed child!"
"That's her?"
"Shhh! Yes, the prophecy said that her existence alone will ruin our country!"
"Lucianna, your big brother will protect you."
"Lulu, let's name this cat Pepper."
"Lucianna, Lucianne."
"Jun, let's elope!"
"Okay, my love. I will always be with you."
"Your husband thinks you cheated on him!"
"You fool, he is the one who killed your bother and helped the enemy dethrone your father!"
"You are my daughter, Shen Yanyue."
"You dare to drug me?"
"Sign."
"You must stay here until you give birth to a child for her. It's the least that a person like you can do."
"Your body belongs to me. Jun or Yanfeng or even Jason cannot save you. You will always be mine. This is your fate."
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If this is my fate, then this life is too cruel. You and I can never be together. We are born to be enemies. My babies, mommy will come to see you soon.
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The impact came like a whirlwind when she touched the cold and lonely water. She gave up fighting for breath and let herself, her body, and her soul wholly engulfed by the menacing sea.
Beichen looked down in horror. The vivid memory of his mother jumping from the balcony appeared in his mind, and in an instant, he dived into the water.
He would never allow this woman to die!
"Ah Chen!"
Wanyue shrieked, running after Beichen, but was stopped by the officers.
For the first time, Beichen felt a scorching fright like none other. He seemed to have forgotten about Wanyue, the baby, his grandma, and everything that seemed to matter.
Right now, all he could see and think about was her. He didn't know why he felt like he would lose her forever.
But perhaps, he had already lost her long ago.