Chapter 141: Leave, and Never Return
Liang Xiaoluo stood frozen, her back pressed against the cold tiled wall of the restroom. The sound of voices outside grew faint as her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
"Ye Tianlin, stop this madness!" she hissed, her voice trembling.
Ye Tianlin's intense gaze pinned her in place. His expression was unreadable, but his actions spoke volumes of his possessiveness. Slowly, he reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. His touch, though gentle, felt like a chain tightening around her.
"You think you can walk away from me?" His voice was low, dangerous. "Even if you hate me, even if you despise everything about me, you are mine. That's something you'll never change."
Liang Xiaoluo's chest tightened, her breaths coming in shallow gasps. Her fists clenched by her sides as she summoned every ounce of courage she had left.
"You don't own me," she said, her voice stronger than she felt. "I'm not a pawn in your twisted games, Ye Tianlin. Let me go."
He laughed bitterly, a sound devoid of humor. "You think I don't know? Every time you're not in my sight, I feel like I'm losing a part of myself. But if I can't have you, then no one else will either."
His words, layered with pain and fury, sliced through her resolve like a blade. But Liang Xiaoluo wouldn't allow herself to falter. Not again.
"Ye Tianlin, listen to me," she said firmly, taking a step forward. "This isn't love. This is obsession. You're destroying both of us."
His jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists. The raw emotion in his eyes sent a chill down her spine. For a moment, he looked as though he might argue, but then he turned away, running a hand through his hair.
"Why do you make it sound so simple?" he muttered. "You have no idea how much I've sacrificed for you."
"Sacrificed?" Her voice rose in disbelief. "You're the one who's kept me trapped, who's hurt me over and over again. If that's love, then I don't want it!"
Before he could respond, the restroom door rattled as someone tried to open it from the outside.
"Is someone in there? The door seems to be stuck," a woman's voice called out.
Liang Xiaoluo's eyes darted toward the door, panic flooding her features. If they were discovered like this, the scandal would be unimaginable. She turned back to Ye Tianlin, her voice urgent.
"Please, let me go," she pleaded. "If not for me, then for yourself. Just... let me go."
His gaze softened for a fleeting moment. He stepped back, releasing her from the suffocating proximity. His hand hovered in the air as if wanting to reach for her again, but instead, he dropped it to his side.
Without another word, Ye Tianlin turned and unlocked the door. He stepped out, his broad shoulders radiating a tension that warned others not to approach. Liang Xiaoluo sagged against the wall, her legs trembling beneath her.
The voices outside faded, and the restroom was silent once more. Liang Xiaoluo pressed a hand to her chest, trying to calm her erratic heartbeat. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, her face pale and drawn.
"This has to end," she whispered to herself. "I can't keep living like this."
When Liang Xiaoluo finally emerged, her expression was composed, though her heart was still in turmoil. She returned to the table, where Xiluo greeted her with a concerned look.
"Everything okay?" he asked, his voice low.
She nodded, forcing a small smile. "Let's just finish and leave."
Xiluo didn't press further, but his sharp eyes flicked toward Ye Tianlin, who was now sitting silently, his face a mask of stoicism. Gu Lingzi prattled on beside him, but it was clear he wasn't listening.
The tension at the table was suffocating. But Liang Xiaoluo resolved to endure it. For now.
As they left the restaurant, Xiluo offered her his arm, which she took without hesitation. She could feel Ye Tianlin's gaze burning into her back, but she didn't look back.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Xiluo asked again once they were outside.
"I will be," she replied, her voice steady despite the storm raging within her. "Thank you, Xiluo. For everything."
His eyes softened, but he didn't respond. He simply guided her to the car, his presence a steady anchor in the chaos of her life.
As the car pulled away, Liang Xiaoluo allowed herself a moment of vulnerability. She leaned her head against the window, watching the city lights blur past.
"I'll leave," she thought to herself. "I'll leave and never come back."
But as her heart ached with the weight of her decision, she knew that walking away from Ye Tianlin would be far more difficult than she ever imagined.