Yinlin's heart pounded as she hurried back to the kitchen, the strange man's insistence still ringing in her ears. Why was he so convinced that she knew him? She racked her brain, trying to recall any memory of the man, but her mind remained frustratingly blank.
"Hey, Yinlin, you okay?" Jenny Lu, one of her fellow waitresses, asked, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Did another customer give you trouble?"
Yinlin forced a smile, determined not to let her fears show. "I'm fine, really," she assured Jenny. "Don't worry about me. I can handle it."
Jenny sighed, her brow furrowed with concern. "These rich bastards need to learn to control themselves," she muttered, shaking her head. "Always thinking they can just pick up women whenever they want."
Yinlin nodded, appreciating her friend's support, even as her mind drifted back to the encounter. There was something about the man's eyes, the way they bored into hers with such intensity, that made her shiver. What if he was someone important from her past, someone she was supposed to remember?
The thought sent a chill down her spine. If that was true, then her amnesia was even more terrifying than she had realized. How could she navigate a world where people expected her to recognize them, to remember shared history, when she couldn't even remember any?
As she busied herself with her tasks in the kitchen, Yinlin's mind continued to race. She knew she had to be careful, to watch her back. If word got out that she couldn't remember her own past, who knew what kind of trouble it could bring.
But for now, she had to focus on the present, on getting through her shift and providing for her daughter. Mei. The rest would have to wait, no matter how much it gnawed at her. With a deep breath, Yinlin squared her shoulders and headed back out to the hall, determined to put on a brave face for her customers, even as the questions swirled unanswered in her mind.
*************
As soon as he strode out of the restaurant, Xu Tao's fingers tightened around the phone as he barked orders into the receiver. "Zhengqiang, I need you to dig up some information for me. Find out everything you can about a woman named Wen Yinlin. She attended the same high school as me."
There was a pause as Zhengqiang processed the request. "Right away, boss. But what exactly are you looking for?"
"I want to know what happened to her after high school," Tao said, his voice sharp with urgency. "Did she go to university? Where does she live? Does she have any family?"
Another pause. "Anything else?"
Xu Tao's grip on the phone loosened slightly as a thought occurred to him. "Anything of significance that could explain the way she is now."
"Consider it done. I'll have a full report for you within the hour."
Xu Tao ended the call, his mind already racing with possibilities. If Yinlin truly didn't remember him, then maybe her life had taken a drastic turn after high school. Perhaps she had struggled, faced hardships that had forced her to leave her past behind.
The thought both intrigued and frustrated him. On one hand, it explained why she might have forgotten him. But on the other, it raised questions about the kind of man he had become. Had he really been so insignificant in her life? He hadn't forgotten a thing about her and yet she couldn't even remember his name?
This wounded his ego.
Xu Tao took the elevator to his suite room, his mind churning. He needed to know more about Yinlin's past, about the woman she had become. There had to be a reason she had forgotten him, and he was determined to uncover it.
In the meantime, he needed some company to blow off the steam.
************
A few hours later, the sounds of laughter and giggling echoed through Xu Tao's lavish suite. Two naked women lounged on the king-sized bed, their clothes strewn haphazardly across the plush carpet. Empty bottles of expensive champagne littered the room, a testament to the night's debauchery.
Just then, Xu Tao emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. His body glistened with water, his skin still flushed from the heat of the shower. He moved with the easy confidence of a man accustomed to luxury, his eyes scanning the room when his phone rang.
He grabbed his phone, the caller ID showed the name of his assistant, Zhenqxiang. Without hesitation, he answered the call, his voice smooth and authoritative.
"Find anything?" he asked, his tone leaving no room for nonsense.
On the other end of the line, Zhenqxiang cleared his throat nervously. "Boss, I have some news about the Yinlin situation," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "I think you should hear this."
Xu Tao's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on the phone. "Go on," he said, his patience wearing thin. "What is it?"
As Zhenqxiang began to speak, Xu Tao's gaze drifted to the two women on the bed, their giggles now silenced by the seriousness of his face. He knew that whatever news his assistant had to share, it would have consequences far beyond the walls of his suite.
"Sir, I'm sending you her information now." He said, Xu Tao reached for his tablet. "After graduating, she was studying in a college. But something happened, she got into a car accident. Doctor's report stated a permanent amnesia due to severe head trauma."
A car accident? Permanent amnesia? It explained so much, and yet raised even more questions.
"She was also married once, have a four-year old daughter."
Xu Tao's brow furrowed as he listened intently to Zhengxiang's words, his grip tightening on the phone. He strode over to his desk, ignoring the giggles and whispers of the women on his bed, and snatched up his tablet.
"Send it over," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.
As he waited for the information to load, Tao's mind raced with a storm of emotions. Anger, jealousy, and a twisted sense of possession all warred within him. How dare Yinlin marry someone else? How dare she move on without him?
The tablet pinged with the arrival of the files, and Tao's eyes scanned the screen, devouring every detail. College, car accident, amnesia, marriage, child...each piece of information fueled his rage.
"A daughter," he muttered darkly, his jaw clenching. "Unbelievable."
Tao's gaze snapped up to the women on his bed, a predatory glint in his eye. He needed a distraction, a way to channel his anger and frustration.
"Get out," he barked, pointing to the door. "All of you, out!"
The women scrambled to gather their clothes and leave, casting fearful glances at Tao's thunderous expression. As the door clicked shut behind them, Tao turned back to his tablet, his mind already formulating a plan.
Yinlin may have forgotten him, may have built a life without him, but Tao refused to let her go so easily. One way or another, he would make her remember, would remind her of the bond they once shared. And if that meant tearing apart her new life, her family...well, that was a sacrifice Tao was more than willing to make.
He set his tablet aside, his brow furrowed in thought. But what would be the consequences of these actions? To his reputations as Xu's heir?
Tao sighed, running a hand through his hair. He knew he should walk away, let Yinlin live her life in peace. But something within him rebelled at the idea. He had waited too long, dreamed too many dreams, to give up now.
No, he decided, his jaw setting in a determined line. He would find a way to be into Yinlin's life, he would force his way in if it's necessary. It wouldn't be easy, not with the obstacle of her amnesia standing in the way. But Tao Xu had never been one to shy away from a challenge.
He picked up his phone again, dialing Zhengqiang's number. "I need you to do some more digging," he said when his assistant picked up. "Find out everything you can about Yinlin's current life. Follow her if necessary."
Tao paused, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "See if you can find any information about her daughter's father. I want to know everything about the man who fathered Yinlin's child."
As he ended the call, Tao felt a flicker of anticipation. The pieces of the puzzle were falling into place, revealing a picture he had never expected. But he was determined to see it through, to unravel the mystery of Yinlin's life and find his place within it.
No matter the cost, no matter the challenges ahead, Tao would make Yinlin his. Even if it meant starting from scratch, building a new history together.