Mei Ting had just concluded a meeting with the director of the legal department when her phone, which was lying on the table, beeped.
She smiled at the lady who was about to leave the office room while bidding her goodbye. Her hands then reached for her phone, a tired sigh escaping her lips.
In ten minutes, she had another meeting with Mrs Wu and it wasn't one she looked forward to.
She opened the message to reveal its content. It was a message from Yang Zichen, her fiance.
"We're over. I'm at the registry office right now, come meet me there."
Mei Ting squinted her eyes as she reread the message, to be sure she hadn't read it wrongly.
Mei Ting and Yang Zichen had been engaged four months ago. They agreed to get their marriage certificate today, but with Madam Li, her foster mother, hospitalized yesterday, Mei Ting had urged Yang Zichen to push the date a bit further, and he had agreed.
She was yet to wrap her head around the message when her phone beeped again, notifying her of a second message.
She was reluctant to open it, not sure what this one might be about. Her phone rang at the moment a colleague's name, Jane, displayed on the screen. Mei Ting flinched at the sound, placing one hand on her chest.
She reached for it and placed it on her ear, "Mei Ting, Mrs. Wu is on her way to the meeting room right now."
"Okay, I'm here already." She tried to steady her voice as she spoke. Immediately, the call ended, she was reminded of the message she had yet to check.
Taking a deep breath, she opened it, her eyes scanning the content.
"Mei Ting, I want to break up with you in person. Don't keep me waiting for long."
Her hair was tied in a messy bun and a few strands fell to her eye. She read both messages one last time.
Why would Yang Zichen say this? Was it because he was displeased about her pushing off the date for the certificate collection?
But he didn't mention anything like that. Her hands trembled as she tried to straighten the ruffled edges of a single paper in front of her.
Mei Ting stood hastily, the chair she sat screeching loudly on the floor.
The door opened that moment, and Mrs. Wu, a senior director in the company, stepped inside, closing the door behind her.
She scanned Mei Ting, a small frown of displeasure etched on her face.
Mei Ting knew she had to leave, but with the look on Mrs. Wu's face, she wouldn't let her off easily.
She watched as Mrs. Wu took slow, steady steps to the head of the table, pulling out one of the chairs; she sat, her shoulders squared and proud.
Mei Ting kept placing one hand over the other to hide its trembling. She was placed in a dilemma. She had to leave, but at the same time, she didn't want to fall further into Mrs. Wu's bad book. Then again, she couldn't keep Yang Zichen waiting for fear of what he might do.
Mrs. Wu, who was scrolling down her phone, stopped; she raised her head, "Mrs. Wu, please, I won't be able to have this meeting now." Mei Ting's voice was soft and low.
Mrs. Wu removed her glasses.
"I have to rush out for a personal matter, I'll come back as fast as I can. Jane would take the lead on my behalf."
"Since when did you start to make the rule? Do you think because you are the foster daughter of the Li family you can decide things?"
"No that wasn't what I-"
"Keep quiet." Mei Ting pressed her lips together.
Mrs. Wu was friends with Li Weiyoung, the daughter of the Li family, and the very existence of Mei Ting was like a thorn in both girls' skin. They seized every opportunity they could to make her life miserable.
"Fine, if it's so important, choose between your job and this so-called personal business."
Mei Ting was caught in a web, but she needed to leave. Besides, she was still a foster daughter of the Li family, and this was the Li corporation, except Madam Li decided to throw her out, no one could.
Mei Ting bowed in respect, gathered her things on the table and rushed out of the room.
"Tsk. Poor girl doesn't know what's about to hit her." Mrs. Wu's lips pulled up to one side; a menacing grin spread over her face.
She dialed Li Weiyoung's number immediately.
"She just left… no, I don't think she knows yet… all right… keep your promise."
As Mei Ting hurried down the hallway that led to the exit, various thoughts crossed her mind. She still didn't understand what this was all about, or why Yang Zichen was suddenly ending their relationship. And why at the registry office all placed?
People bristled around the hallway, their ID dangling on their necks.
Three minutes later, Mei Ting settled behind the steering wheel of her car; she ignited her car, and her foot pressed the accelerator as she drove off into the busy city.
Mei Ting pulled over a few feet away from the beige building. She exited the car, untied her bun and smoothened her hair with her hand. Though Yang Zichen was about to break up with her, she didn't want to look unpresentable in front of him.
As she walked, dried orange leaves from the oak tree crushed beneath her feet. She runs up the three stairs at the entrance.
There are a few people in the lounge. Her eyes sweep across them in search of Yang Zichen. It soon stopped on him. A warm smell of lavender hung lightly in the air.
Yang Zichen wore black trousers and a white bottom down, his brown leather shoes tapping the ground continuously.
She walked towards him. Her already beating heart accelerated with every step she took.
She stopped in front of him.
An impatient sigh escaped Yang Zichen's lips as he seized her up and down with his eyes. She looked the same to him.
Her lips dried, and her face devoured of any makeup. Her hair was messy, and dark circles decorated her eyes.
"You took so long." He said, looking at his wristwatch and then back to her.
"I'm sorry I came late. I came as fast as I could." Mei Ting picked her words, not wanting to offend him.
There was a low hum of conversation. At one corner, Mei Ting saw a staff member directing a happy couple away. The bride's happy giggle was like a melodious tone in her ears.
"Save your excuse, I know you're full of them," Yang Zichen's voice cut through it.
She returned her direction to Yang Zichen.
If only he knew the sacrifice she just made to see him, but she knew better than to tell him, as he would not care about it.
Yang Zichen stood and waved a brown envelope in front of her face.
"Now that you are here, let's end this fully." Mei Ting grabbed his arms, her eyes looking around them to see if anyone was watching them.
"I'm sorry I kept pushing the date, let's just take the certificate and go since we are already here," she offered.
Yang Zichen immediately pulled his hand away from hers and took a step back.
He whipped the place she had held as if she placed germs on it.
"You think my text was a joke?" He asked furrowing his gaze.
"Then why did you choose this place?" A few eyes turned to them, "I know this is because I have pushed the date forward."
They had been dating for three years; Mei Ting refused to believe that Yang Zichen was about to let all that go down the drain.
"What better place to end this than where it first started?" Yang Zichen said without care for the feelings of the girl in front of him.
They had first met here. Madam Li introduced them to each other back then. Mei Ting wasn't particularly looking for love when she found him, but she had agreed to date him when Madam Li told her to, and she fell in love with him along the line.
Noticing the attention his voice drew, she held on to him again, not minding the way he treated her earlier.
"Let's go speak in a more private place."
"Get your hands off me."
She was surprised at his tone. Yang Zichen has not always been a gentleman, but he has never spoken to her in such a tone.
"Don't even dream of marrying me. We're done." He raised the certificate and tore it in four. A piece of it fell around, a part falling close to Mei Ting's leg.
"Why did you do this? At least I deserve to know." Her eyes were red from the tears she was trying to hold back.
"Why am I doing this? Madam Li is dead, and You are not part of the Li family
anymore. To make matters worse, you are being accused of murdering her. Pray, tell me, why should I put a ring on that finger of yours?"