Yunfeng stood frozen, his breath caught in his throat as he watched the figure of Muchen disappear into the distance. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing the words that had just shattered his world.
He wants it aborted...
The words reverberated in his mind, a cruel echo that refused to fade. His trembling hand instinctively moved to the gentle swell of his stomach, fingers brushing over the life growing within him. His eyes, wide and unseeing, stared down at the small bulge, a mix of disbelief and despair clouding his vision.
He... he doesn't want our child.
The thought was a knife to his heart, twisting deeper with each passing second. His voice, barely a whisper, broke as he uttered the next words, the pain in them palpable.
Does he not want... me?
The world around him seemed to tilt, the ground beneath his feet unsteady. A group of children ran past, their laughter a stark contrast to the storm raging inside him. One of them bumped into him, jolting him from his thoughts. He stumbled, his legs giving way as he sank into a nearby chair. His hands gripped the edges of the seat, knuckles white, as he stared blankly at the bustling park around him.
No, he... he will come. I will have a talk with him.
He tried to convince himself, clinging to the faint hope that maybe, just maybe, Muchen would change his mind. He took a deep, shuddering breath, the scent of sushi from a nearby stall filling his nostrils. His stomach growled, a reminder of the life inside him, but the thought of food made him nauseous. How could he eat when his world was crumbling around him?
He waited.
And waited.
Minutes felt like hours, each second stretching into an eternity. His eyes scanned the park, searching for any sign of Muchen. But instead of the familiar figure he longed to see, a pair of shiny brown boots appeared in his line of sight. His heart leapt for a brief moment, hope surging through him as he looked up, only to be met with a pair of unfamiliar eyes.
"Yunfeng, Muchen told me to pick you up. He has something to tend to," Shao said, his voice tinged with a hint of annoyance. It was his day off, and he hadn't expected to be called in to chauffeur Muchen's lover around. He ran a hand through his messy hair, trying to smooth it down, before gesturing toward the car. "The car is waiting at the entrance. If you could follow me."
Yunfeng blinked, his mind struggling to process the words. Muchen wasn't coming. He had sent someone else. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut, and he felt the world spin around him.
Mom was right. He... he doesn't want me.
The thought was a whisper in his mind, but it carried the weight of a thousand unspoken fears. His hand moved to his lower belly, fingers pressing gently against the life growing inside him.
He doesn't want us.
The words were a dagger to his heart, each syllable cutting deeper than the last. Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his vision as he stood up mechanically, following Shao toward the car. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions—betrayal, heartbreak, and a deep, aching sadness that threatened to consume him.
I... I was nothing but a plaything to him. Just someone to have fun with and throw away when he gets bored.
The thought was a bitter pill, one that left a sour taste in his mouth. He had given Muchen everything—his heart, his body, his soul—and now, it seemed, it had all been for nothing.
A drop of water landed on his hand, startling him out of his thoughts. He looked up at the bright, sunny sky, confused. It wasn't raining, but the droplets kept falling, one after the other. It took him a moment to realize that they were tears—his tears. He touched his face, his fingers coming away wet. He hadn't even noticed he was crying.
Muchen... I thought you would love me forever. But why did you play with my heart like this?
The words were a whisper, barely audible over the sound of his own sobs. He hurriedly wiped the tears away, but they kept coming, each one a testament to the pain he was feeling.
The car was parked just outside the park entrance, a security guard standing nearby, clearly annoyed. Shao rushed over, apologizing profusely as he opened the back door for Yunfeng.
"Yunfeng, get in," Shao said, his voice tinged with urgency. He shot a pleading look at the guard, who was clearly unimpressed. "I'm so sorry. My boss is kind of an ass. I had to run here without even bathing. Sorry for stopping here."
The guard waved him off with a dismissive gesture, muttering something about not doing it again. Shao quickly got into the driver's seat, letting out a sigh of relief as he started the car.
"Oh God, that was close," he muttered under his breath, glancing at Yunfeng in the rearview mirror. But Yunfeng wasn't paying attention. His mind was elsewhere, lost in a sea of thoughts and emotions that threatened to drown him.
Soon, they arrived at Yunfeng's house. Shao pulled up to the curb, turning to say something, but Yunfeng was already out of the car, rushing toward the front door. Shao watched him go, a faint frown on his face.
"Okay... a 'thank you, Shao, see you later' would have been good," he mumbled to himself before driving off.
Yunfeng stood in the entryway, his body trembling as he tried to hold back the tears. His mother was the first to notice him, her eyes widening in concern as she rushed over.
"Yunfeng!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with worry. She cupped his face in her hands, her touch warm and comforting. "What happened? Honey, why are you crying?"
"Mommy," he choked out, his voice breaking as he threw his arms around her. He buried his face in her shoulder, the sobs he had been holding back finally breaking free. "You were right. You were right."
His mother held him tightly, her heart breaking for her son. "I was right about what? Baby, look at me," she said, trying to lift his face so she could see his eyes. But Yunfeng shook his head, clinging to her as if she were the only thing keeping him from falling apart.
"He didn't want me," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
"Oh, that son of a... Don't cry, baby. He isn't worth it," his mother said, her voice firm but gentle. But her words only made him sob harder, his body shaking with the force of his emotions.
Hana, who had come downstairs after hearing the commotion, paused at the bottom of the stairs, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"What's wrong? Did you hurt your knee or something?" she asked, her tone light, almost teasing. But when she saw the state Yunfeng was in, her expression softened.
Yunfeng clung to his mother even tighter, his voice muffled as he spoke. "I want to go away. I don't want to be here... He will get rid of it. I want to keep it. I want to keep it."
His mother's eyes filled with tears as she held him, her heart breaking for her son. "Okay, okay... we will go," she whispered, her voice soothing as she glanced at Hana.
"Why? Why is he crying like that? It's not the end of the world," Hana said, her voice tinged with confusion.
But Yunfeng's sobs only grew louder, his pain spilling out in waves. "It is the end of the world! Oh, why am I like this? We have to get out of the city. I... I bought a house. We... we have to go there." He hurriedly wiped his face, his hands trembling as he tried to compose himself.
His mother gently wiped his tears away, her touch soft and reassuring. "Shh, shh... it's okay, baby. We'll go. It's not safe in the city."
She gritted her teeth, her mind racing as she tried to figure out what to do. "Okay. We'll go. Hana, go pack a bag. Yunfeng, dear, why don't you let Mommy help you pack?" she said, her voice calm but firm.
Yunfeng looked up at her, his eyes red and swollen from crying. "We're going?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"Yes, baby. We're going," she said, leading him toward the stairs. "When did you buy a house?"