After flipping through the stack of photos, Selena felt her mind go blank. She sat across from Mr. and Mrs. Tan, struggling to process the situation as a chilling numbness spread from her fingers, freezing her heart solid.
Despite the gravity of the matter, Mr. and Mrs. Tan showed remarkable composure, addressing Selena with gentle restraint. Mr. Tan began, "Selena, we've always liked you. You're a good person. So, is there anything you'd like to say?"
Selena's hands rested on her knees, her fingers gripping her knuckles as she tried to gather herself. Unsure of what she could say, she spoke her truth: "Please believe me—I truly love Tara."
"We know that," Mrs. Tan replied, her voice warm and soothing. "It's clear from Tara's actions that you two care for each other very much."
As Mrs. Tan continued, her gentle tone stirred a faint glimmer of hope in Selena. She dared to think, just for a moment, that Tara's parents might accept their relationship. Holding her breath, she waited for Mrs. Tan to continue, but the words that followed quickly dashed that fragile hope.
Her hands, hidden beneath the table, tightened into fists, sending sharp pains through her knuckles. This confrontation felt like a brutal exposure, tearing her carefully guarded secrets open without a hint of compromise. All she could do was answer honestly, "Yes. But I swear that I won't let anyone or anything disturb Tara's peace. I'll protect her, no matter what."
Mrs. Tan gave her a sympathetic look but shook her head. "It's not only about protecting her from outside harm, Selena. What can you truly offer Tara? What can you bring to our family?"
"Tara's partner needs to be someone of equal standing, someone with a stable background," she continued. "You're both young; it's easy to get swept away in the thrill of things. But this can't last, Selena. Tara needs to marry and build a family someday. I imagine that's something you understand, don't you?"
Selena looked up, her voice soft but firm. "Marriage and children have never been part of my plans. Every step I've taken since becoming an adult has been to be with the person I love."
"Do you think your family will accept that?" Mrs. Tan's question was laced with doubt.
Selena's answer was unflinching. "I'll fight for it with everything I have."
Mrs. Tan seemed taken aback by Selena's determination. After a long pause, she finally responded, "I respect your resolve, but Tara can't afford to follow you in this... rebellion. People don't look favorably on such relationships, and you're an impressive young woman. Surely, there are others who would be glad to love you."
The conversation had become all too clear, yet Selena clung to one last thread of hope. "I think..."
Before she could finish, Mr. Tan interrupted her, his voice steady but somber. "Selena, we don't want to mislead you. When we supported you in the past, we never intended to ask for repayment. All we ask now is that you don't take Tara down this difficult road. Couldn't you choose to love someone else?"
He glanced away, his expression hardening. "We know it's painful to ask, especially now when things are still so new and strong between you, but this is our only hope as her parents. If you agree to let her go, we're prepared to do anything—even if it means begging you on our knees."
Mrs. Tan's voice choked with emotion as she spoke, pulling Mr. Tan to his knees with her. Selena jumped to her feet in shock, her hand slamming against the table so hard that her knuckles bruised, sending a wave of pain through her body. Tears pricked her eyes as she took Mr. and Mrs. Tan's hands, helping them back to their feet. They were the very people who had changed her life, now humbling themselves before her, begging for her cooperation. It was shattering.
Trying to steady herself, Selena drew a shaky breath before finally asking, "What do you want me to do?"
Mrs. Tan's tone softened, relief evident. "Just let go. If you do, Tara will follow your lead. If, even after that, she still wants to be with you, then we'll consider supporting you both."
Selena lowered her gaze, hiding the tears that threatened to fall. After a moment, she replied in a dull, muted voice, "Alright."
Mrs. Tan's hand rested on her shoulder as she gave Selena an approving smile. "I knew you'd make the right choice."
Returning to the upstairs room, Selena found Tara at her desk, lost in her work. Tara looked up, her expression darkening with concern when she saw the redness around Selena's eyes. She quickly stood, wrapping her arms around Selena, her fingers gently running through her hair. "Selena, what happened?"
Without a word, Selena buried her face in Tara's shoulder, fighting back the tears. The warmth of Tara's embrace soothed her aching heart, making it even harder to keep her emotions under control. She finally looked up, her hands gripping Tara's shirt, and asked in a voice filled with despair, "No matter what happens, you'll always choose me, won't you?"
Her tears, like her words, fell one by one, staining Tara's shirt.
Tara kissed her cheeks softly, tasting the salt of her tears as she gently wiped the remaining droplets from Selena's eyes. "Of course, Selena. I'll love you until my last breath."
"So," Tara murmured, "will you tell me what's happened?"
Selena held back her tears as she looked into Tara's eyes, feeling as though their warmth was burning into her. She lowered her gaze, letting her hand fall limp to reveal the bruising on her knuckles. Her skin was pale, making the purple blotch stand out even more starkly. "I...I hit my hand. It hurts."
Tara brought her hand to her lips, gently blowing on her bruised knuckles like one would soothe a child. "Is that what this is all about?"
Selena forced a playful tone. "What? Can't I be afraid of a little pain?"
Tara chuckled, humoring her. "Of course, you can. Liu keeps a balm for bruises. Stay here, and I'll go fetch it for you."
"Alright."
Selena watched as Tara left the room, letting her carefully composed expression fall away the moment the door shut. She collapsed onto the bed, pulling the blanket tightly around herself, as though hoping it could shield her from the heartache clawing at her.
Love, she realized, wasn't meant to be this hard.
When Tara closed the door behind her, the smile she had worn for Selena disappeared. Fighting down a wave of anger, she went directly to her parents' study.
Mr. and Mrs. Tan were seated, reading emails. Hearing the door open, they looked up, startled to see Tara's dark expression. Mrs. Tan opened her mouth to speak, "Tara, I—"
"I'm only saying this once." Tara's voice was hard.
"I've tolerated every bit of hurt you've thrown my way. To you, I suppose the debt of my birth will never be repaid as long as I live. But tell me honestly, was it love or just image that drove you to raise me?"
"Selena is the only thing in my life that has ever brought me joy. If you have grievances, take them out on me. If you hate me, make me suffer for it. Another scar on my leg won't change anything."
"The person you should despise is me. I'm the one who clung to her, who begged her to stay."
"So I'm never letting go. Do you understand me?"
Mrs. Tan looked shaken, stunned into silence. Mr. Tan, however, reacted sharply, his face darkening as he raised his hand, the weight of Tara's defiance bearing down on him like a heavy weight.
Tara didn't flinch, standing her ground.
Mrs. Tan sobbed, "Please, don't hit her again!"
Mr. Tan's hand wavered as he held back, but his anger was unrestrained. "You foolish girl! Do you think this is something to be proud of? Do you think you're some kind of hero? You've brought nothing but shame on this family!"
This accusation was nothing new to Tara. She had spent her life suffocating under the pressure of such expectations, shackled in ways she couldn't escape. But for once, she was ready to fight back. "The reputation of the Tan family will not be ruined by my love."
On January 5th, Tara's birthday, the first snow of the season began to fall, covering the ground in a light dusting that glowed warmly in the lamp-lit yard.
The Tan household was bustling with activity. Selena had sent Tara off on an errand, keeping her unaware of the preparations underway at home.
Selena was in the kitchen, finishing up the decorations on the cake. Glancing out the window, she watched the delicate flakes falling, her heart heavy with emotion.
In the living room, Mr. and Mrs. Tan were welcoming guests with an unusual warmth, even Mr. Tan seeming uncharacteristically animated.
When Selena finally finished decorating the cake, she removed her apron and joined the gathering in the living room.
Standing at the center of the room was a tall, well-built man, radiating an air of self-satisfaction. Beside him was a petite woman, who, with her carefully maintained appearance, was chatting amiably with Mrs. Tan.
When Mrs. Tan saw Selena, her smile flickered briefly. After a quick greeting with the Thomases, she approached Selena, saying, "Selena, you finished the cake?"
Selena nodded, her gaze briefly resting on Thomas and his mother before she asked, "Who are they?"
Mrs. Tan responded, "They're here to celebrate Tara's birthday as well—one of Mr. Tan's business associates. Oh, by the way, I had a necklace made for Tara. The store just called saying I need to pick it up, but I can't leave the guests."
Selena nodded in understanding. "No worries. Just give me the address, and I'll go pick it up."
Mrs. Tan beamed. "Thank you so much, Selena. It's at Vanke Tower—just mention my name, and they'll know what it's for."
As Selena left to pick up the necklace, Tara arrived home. After putting down the tablet that Selena had asked her to get, she looked around for her, finally sending a quick text: Where are you?
Before Selena could respond, Mrs. Tan's voice echoed from downstairs, "Tara! Get down here—Thomas came just to celebrate with you. Don't hide upstairs!"