Chapter 356 - The Mafia King's Awakening - Pain (3)
Chapter 356 – The Mafia King’s Awakening – Pain (3)
Lihua slightly jolted and looked at him in shock. A painful feeling shook her, and she realized how Wei was desperately holding onto anything that would earn him Lihua's forgiveness.
"I don't want you to hate me, Lihua. I might be selfish saying this…but I cannot see you hating me. If I go to jail as you want, will it disappear?" His gaze shone with a tiny ray of hope. "Will you not despise me anymore?"
There was a faint and tired but expectant smile on his lips. Her eyelashes trembled, and she instinctively had an urge to reach out to him. But she couldn't. She forced herself not to.
Even though it was excruciating for her, she didn't want to give him any false hope.
"That is not possible, Wei…" she whispered, making him stiffen.
"You will be facing punishment for a crime. It will give Sis Jia justice. But she is gone. It won't bring her back, nor will it change the fact that you killed her. You erased my precious memories with her and all the people that I hold dear to me. You made me fall in love with a person who I was supposed to hate from the beginning. You crushed my trust and my heart. For how many mistakes should I forgive you, Wei?"
There was a long, long silence.
"Tomorrow…" Lihua agonizingly said, "we-we will head for divorce," a sorrowful laugh escaped her lips, "Does it matter, though? You married my fake identity of Lixue. Even our marriage is a lie…"
Wei curled his fists.
"Please leave Wei. I said what I wanted to."
He shook for a moment and wished to hug her. He stared at her and then at her belly where their child was breathing.
Not ours…her…
Her child…
*Present*
Wei was hugging his knees and crying hard. He was trembling, thinking of tomorrow. He somehow got up and headed towards his car.
At the Jiang villa, Jiang Fai, Jiang Xiurang, and Old Madam anxiously waited for everyone to return. They had already received the news from Jiang Li last night and were shocked to learn the truth.
Lihua was the daughter of the Song family who betrayed them in the past. Never could they imagine that their families would cross paths again years later.
But no matter what her parents did, Lihua was innocent. She was only a child when everything happened. That's why Old Madam found it wrong to blame her for what her parents did. Whatever her family background was, she was now the daughter-in-law of the Jiang family and a precious part of everybody's lives here.
But they were even more afraid of Lihua's decision. Would she really leave everything and everyone?
Old Madam burst into tears. "O-our Lix-… Lihua is pregnant, and we cannot even be happy. Xiurang. She will… leave, right? After what Wei did, she won't live with him anymore…"
Jiang Xiurang was herself quietly sobbing. How could she see Lihua leaving their lives when she was the one who brought light into them?
"Oof, you two!" Jiang Fai flared. "You are thinking too negatively! Nothing will happen like that. Her favorite bro is here. How can she bear to leave me!?"
Though he said that, his eyes were slightly red and wet with tears. He could imagine the outcome, but he didn't want to believe it.
They heard faint steps coming from behind them, and they turned to see Wei blankly walking.
"Wei!"
Old Madam rushed towards him and held his arm. "How is Lihua? I-I heard she fainted. Is she alright?"
There was no change in his expression, but he ever-so-faintly nodded. They sighed in relief.
Jiang Xiurang wiped her tears and sniffled. "Wei…Li-Lihua…What did she say?"
Silence.
Jiang Fai couldn't hold it in any longer. "Bro, don't stand like a statue! Tell us! Sister-in-law is not leaving us, right? Of course, she cannot because I am here. She loves us so much, so she cannot leave us. And now I am going to become an Uncle too! I have to do so many things for my nephew/niece. I will be in charge of taking care of her and the baby, right?"
Wei said nothing. They saw the dark circles under his eyes and how tired he looked.
Old Madam shook.
Is it too late now…?
"Wei, there is a misunderstanding. Song Jia thought that you killed her parents, but it's not the truth."
He said nothing.
Wei slowly stepped past her and dazedly walked away. He didn't know what answers to give anymore. He didn't know how to face tomorrow when everything would really be cut off. Lihua and their child would forever leave his life.
"Wei…" Jiang Xiurang tried to stop him, but Old Madam stopped her. "Let it be. Let him be alone for some time," her gaze dimmed.
Tears pooled in Jiang Fai's eyes. "Why didn't he answer my question? Sister-in-law is not leaving, right? Then why couldn't he agree?" He trembled and clenched his fists. "I don't want her to go…"
Old Madam lowered her head.
That hope is slim, FaiFai. Wei said nothing, but his silence in itself was his answer.
We have lost Lihua forever…
—
Wei's eyes slowly lifted, and he glanced across their room where he spent his precious time with Lihua here. He saw the apparition of Lihua hopping and jumping and smiling and laughing as he recalled their memories.
Now, it was going to be empty. Her sweet laughter would never resound in this villa again.
Wei blankly opened the cupboard and pulled out a drawer as he unlocked it. He took two files from it. He tremblingly opened one of them.
They were marriage papers between Jiang Wei and Jiang Lixue.
'Even our marriage is a lie…'
Wei kept the file aside and brought forward the other file. He stared at it for a moment and then slowly opened it.
His gaze fell upon the words that declared Jiang Wei and Song Lihua as a legally wedded couple.
He faintly smiled.
"It is not a lie, Lihua. Our marriage is not a lie…"
*Meow*
Wei looked down and saw Lihua, the cat, quietly staring at him. He bent on his knee and offered his hand.
Lihua, the cat, narrowed her eyes and suspiciously stared at him. But then she took a step forward and rubbed her face on his palm.
Wei took her in his arms and gently patted her.
"Our marriage is not a lie, Lihua," he whispered.. "But our divorce will."