Chapter 166: One Step Ahead
Ye Tianlin's actions left everyone in stunned silence.
"Who the hell are you?" he asked, his voice cold and void of emotion.
Did he know her? Why were her eyes filled with tears? Did she know him?
Liang Xiaoluo's body went cold. His question cut her to the core, leaving her aching and raw.
She wanted to turn and leave, to escape this endless torment.
"Have you really forgotten me?" she forced herself to ask, her voice trembling.
She had to explain, had to make him remember. Even if confronting the truth pushed her into despair, she owed it to herself to try.
"You really have no memory of me?" Xiaoluo repeated, her voice steadier now, though her heart felt like it was breaking all over again.
"I don't know you. Why should I remember you?" Ye Tianlin replied, his tone icy.
Xiaoluo turned to face him fully, lifting her chin. Her voice was soft but firm as she said, "Maybe you've forgotten, but you once told me that you're a domineering man. But when it comes to love, your dominance was a reflection of your deep affection. You said that as long as you didn't let go, I would never be able to leave you."
Her words hung in the air like a fragile thread connecting them, a desperate attempt to reach the man she once knew.
"And you're saying I said this to you?" His face remained expressionless.
Xiaoluo's knees threatened to buckle under the weight of his indifference.
"Yes," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
The word carried all her anguish, her hope, and her despair.
"You're saying I once loved you?" he pressed, his tone devoid of warmth.
Xiaoluo hesitated, the truth trembling on her lips. But before she could respond, Hualin interjected sharply.
"Liang Xiaoluo, I didn't realize you were so shameless," Hualin sneered, her voice dripping with malice. "To go to such lengths for your ambitions… I underestimated you."
Xiaoluo turned to Hualin, confusion clouding her features. "What do you mean?"
Hualin stepped closer, her words laced with venom. "Yes, Tianlin did love you once, madly even. But what about you? Did you ever truly love him? Or were you just using him as a stepping stone, hoping to climb to riches and glory?"
Xiaoluo's mind went blank.
What was Hualin talking about? She had never approached Ye Tianlin for his wealth. Never.
Hualin continued, her tone growing colder. "You drove his grandfather to his death, knowing full well his health couldn't withstand the stress. And now you have the gall to stand here and feign innocence?"
The accusations struck Xiaoluo like lightning. She stared at Hualin in disbelief, her voice caught in her throat.
"Tianlin," Hualin said, turning to him with a feigned air of concern, "don't let this woman's lies deceive you anymore. She's done enough damage to you and your family."
Ye Tianlin's eyes narrowed as he turned back to Xiaoluo.
"Is what she said true?" he demanded, grabbing her jaw in a vice-like grip. His dark eyes bore into hers, filled with a mixture of anger and doubt.
"No… I…" Xiaoluo tried to explain, but the pressure on her jaw made it nearly impossible to form words.
Her silence only seemed to confirm Hualin's accusations.
"So, you admit it," Tianlin snarled, his voice rising with fury. "You caused my grandfather's death. You destroyed my family."
His grip tightened, and Xiaoluo felt a sharp pain radiating through her face.
"I didn't…" she tried again, tears streaming down her face, but her voice was lost amidst his rage.
"You disgust me," he hissed before shoving her to the ground.
Hualin watched with a satisfied smile as Xiaoluo crumpled, her face pale and tear-streaked.
"Take her away!" Ye Tianlin barked, his voice echoing through the room.
Without waiting for a response, he turned and strode toward his car.
Hualin's momentary triumph was tinged with unease. What had just happened? Why had Tianlin brought Xiaoluo back with them instead of leaving her behind?
Her unease deepened as she followed his car back to the estate.
At the estate, Xiaoluo was roughly dragged from the car by the housekeeper. Before she could steady herself, Ye Tianlin grabbed her hair and hauled her toward the dimly lit hallway.
"Stop it! Tianlin, what are you doing?" Hualin called out, but her protests fell on deaf ears.
Xiaoluo stumbled as she was dragged through the cold, unyielding corridor. The pain in her scalp was sharp and relentless, but the ache in her heart was far worse.
Finally, Tianlin stopped in front of a small, dark room at the end of the hallway. Without a word, he threw open the door and pushed Xiaoluo inside.
"Stay here," he said coldly before slamming the door shut behind her.
Hualin stood frozen, staring at the closed door in disbelief.
Had Tianlin's memories returned? Or was something else driving his actions?
For the first time in years, a flicker of fear crossed Hualin's face.