1 Being Left at the Alter

It was supposed to be the most glorious day of her life. Instead, it was the most gloomy day she had ever experienced. It was supposed to be her wedding day and her 'supposed to be' groom wasn't there. The woman in the pretty white dress simply sighed. She had figured that being left at the alter was her only chance in life to be important for a day. She heard their murmurs about her groom's complaints about being married to her, but she paid no attention to it.

After all, words are only those: words.

Instead of being angry and dismayed, she turned to the crowd of people and she gave them her most sincere apology about wasting their time. At her age of 17, she was very heavily mature. She didn't cause trouble for anyone and she didn't start rumors about people.

Honestly, being left behind at the alter was probably the best thing for her as she didn't want to be tied by marriage at her young age. Her groom didn't really embarrass her, but he did embarrass himself as his family had told her. The only thing he had told her was those cruel words that she didn't take to heart: "I will ruin your life so bad that you won't to be able to survive without me." Those were his only words to her and frankly, Xing Ming didn't care.

She had survived long enough without a man besides her father and grandfather. Her opinion on the marriage was kept private as she didn't want to ruin her family image. She knew that her duty was to her father and grandfather and she didn't want to ruin the family's reputation simply because she didn't agree with the decision to get marriage.

However, because she was left at the alter, no marriage union had damaged her family's reputation and thus, her own reputation was damaged greatly. However, because her ex-groom's family had thought that it was their fault for pushing the heir to get married, they decided to help cushion the blow of the damage by saying that it was their fault to the public.

Xing Ming gave the public steely stares as they gazed at her, wanting her to react, but Ming knew better. She knew that the people only wanted more gossip to spread about her name, but she wasn't going to fall for the trick. She had seen too many famous people fall for the same trick and it only ruined them in the end. She didn't respond to their rude comments as she didn't feel the need to. Her words would get twisted around and the last she wants is to be called a liar.

After everyone had left, Ming went to the changing room and she slowly pulled off her wedding dress. "Hmph. This was a waste of my time." She spoke, her voice naturally cold as she slowly peeled off her dress, revealing her slim figure.

After she had put up the dress, she decided to just keep until another day comes up. As if someone would want to marry me. She thought, catching a cab home. When she got home, her grandfather greeted her, although he was angry. He wasn't angry at her because she had done her job. "He had embarrassed the family name!" He muttered angrily. Ming didn't answer because her grandfather was a man with a temper. Ming got her temper from him and her mother, but she was better at hiding it. Ming acted more like her mother, cold and unassuming, yet warm to her loved ones.

"Where's Mother?" She asked instead of commenting on her grandfather's angry rants and he froze. He knew that Ming was going to flat out ignore his angry rants, but to ask about her mother wasn't a new thing, but it was rare. The woman was always too busy to even check up on her daughter.

"She is in her office. You know how she is." He answered Ming. Ming switched her gaze to her Mother's office, which was two doors down from her room.

"Does she know?" Ming asked, making her grandfather's eyes go wide. However, it wasn't because of what Ming had asked him. It was because of someone else.

"Do I know about my daughter being left at the alter? Of course I do." The cold woman had answered Ming, but Ming didn't turn to even gaze at her. Instead, she flicked her eyes to her for a few seconds and she gazed back at her grandfather. My own mother is insufferable. Ming thought, feeling too tense to even relax around her own mother.