"Ji Yuzhe!"
Feng Suyin's voice pulled Ji Yuzhe from his deep thoughts. He turned at her blankly, wondering if what Feng Yulan had said was a ruse to put a wedge between him and Feng Suyin.
Hearing the hesitation and doubt in her tone, a possibility that she wasn't aware of his confession years ago resurfaced in his heart. He could feel the palms of his hands sweating as he struggled to find the right words to say. He could feel her gaze bore into his soul, searching for answers he wasn't sure he was ready to provide.
He shook his head. There was nothing else he could do to change the past. Even if Feng Suyin wasn't aware, the fact that she ended up with Ji Hanjun proved he didn't have the chance. Ji Hanjun easily befriended her, and they got along very well—unlike him, whose only interaction with Feng Suyin was about school activities and group projects. But deep in his heart, he knew he couldn't let go of the feelings that had taken root years ago.
With only a few weeks remaining, this woman before him would eventually become someone else's wife, and Ji Yuzhe had yet to make peace with it. He tried to drown himself in alcohol, hoping it would numb the pain and quiet the turmoil in his heart. But no amount of alcohol could erase the memories of her laughter, the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled, or the warmth he felt whenever she was near.
When he remained silent, Feng Suyin sat back and lowered her gaze.
"I'm sorry, Ji Yuzhe. You wouldn't be in this condition if it weren't for me. I shouldn't have made assumptions about you based on what Ji Hanjun and Feng Yilan said."
Ji Yuzhe clenched his fists, and his suspicion about Feng Yilan's lies fell into place as he listened to Feng Suyin's apologetic words. His heart raced as he realized the extent of the deception that had entangled them all these years.
"It's not your fault. It was me who hadn't paid attention to my surroundings. I shouldn't have lowered my guard down." He replied, refusing to look at her face.
He didn't think he could keep his feelings secret from her if she kept showing him concern. He tried to keep his distance from Feng Suyin for so many years. He watched her love another man and convinced himself that he didn't deserve to be loved by anyone. He was the bastard son of his father from one of his mistresses, while his mother was a C-rated actress who succumbed to alcohol addiction after she was abandoned by Ji Yuzhe's father and her dreams crumbling down before her.
But as the truth began to unravel before him, Ji Yuzhe felt a surge of hope blossoming inside his chest. Could it be that Feng Suyin's heart was not as out of reach as he had once thought?
No. Ji Yuzhe immediately dismissed the idea. Feng Suyin wasn't someone who'd change her mind in a heartbeat, especially not for someone like him. She had chosen Ji Hanjun, and he had to respect that decision.
Taking a deep breath, Ji Yuzhe turned his head towards Feng Suyin. He missed seeing her face but didn't regret sacrificing his eyesight for her to live. What he could see now was her silhouette against the moonlight streaming from the window, casting a soft glow around her figure. His hand itched to touch her, to feel her, but he knew he had no right to be with her.
"I need to know, Ji Yuzhe…" he heard Feng Suyin say, her voice tinged with vulnerability. "I think you are the only person who could at least be honest with me."
Ji Yuzhe furrowed his brows. Something must have happened for Feng Suyin to come in his place and question him like this. He could sense the unease in her voice and wished he could do something to ease her anxiety. Despite his turmoil, he knew he couldn't turn her away.
"Why do you want to know?"
"Because Ji Hanjun is cheating behind my back with my sister." Feng Suyin dropped the bomb without hesitation. "I overheard them talking about the lies they have done in order to take advantage of me."
Ji Yuzhe could sense the hesitation in her voice, but he patiently waited for her to continue.
"I think… they're the ones responsible for the fire at the old lab, and they are planning to do it again to get rid of me."
Chills ran down Ji Yuzhe's spine as he listened to her words. His mind raced as he processed Feng Suyin's shocking revelation. The pieces of the puzzle were finally fitting together, and the truth was more sinister than he could have ever imagined. His suspicions about Ji Hanjun and Feng Yulan had been confirmed, and the weight of it all bore down on him heavily.
"What do you plan to do then? Are you going to report them to the authorities?" He asked curiously.
Feng Suyin shook her head and sighed.
"We both know that proving my claim wouldn't be easy. I merely overheard them and had no conclusive evidence to support my accusations. If I go to the authorities now, Ji Hanjun and Feng Yulan will find a way to twist the truth and make me look like the villain in this situation. I need more than words to bring them down," Feng Suyin explained, her voice filled with frustration and helplessness.
"But what about your wedding? Aren't you supposed to marry Ji Hanjun in a few weeks?" Ji Yuzhe interjected, his mind racing with possibilities.
Feng Suyin laughed mirthlessly.
"How could I marry someone who wants me dead?" She said with a bitter smile on her lips. "I cannot go through with this wedding knowing what they have done and what they are planning to do."
She paused and looked away. A myriad of thoughts raced through her mind.
"You must be thinking how stupid I am. For many years, I was deluded into thinking that the Feng family would eventually accept me and that Ji Hanjun's feelings were real. I should have known better than to trust them. But now, I am left with nothing but the realization that I have been living a lie," Feng Suyin's voice wavered with emotion as tears threatened to spill from her eyes.
"No, I don't think you're stupid at all. In fact, I think you're courageous for facing this head-on and not backing down," he said softly.
Ji Yuzhe wished he could take all the pain from her and see her smile again, but he knew it was impossible. He could only support her in whatever decision she made so long as he could assure her she would be safe and out of harm's way.