Secrets

June 18th, Saturday – 4th day

The plane landed in Tokyo slightly after one in the morning. From the airport, they boarded another helicopter and was in the air for another twenty minutes before landing in a place called Fussa City. By the time they landed, it was almost two in the morning and Lily was really sleepy. 

"Where are we?" Lily stifled a yawn when she got off the helicopter.

"I purchased this land years ago and built a resort here. It's called 'The Countryside'," Zhuo Jingren said as he helped Lily carry her travel backpack containing her laptop and other personal items.

Lily roamed her eyes and caught sight of the lighted stone pathway in front of them. Since it was two in the morning, it was rather dark and she could not see much. However, she was certain that they were walking in what seemed to be a garden. Surprisingly, she caught no scent of flowers.

"We are currently in a garden that can be admired from the pavilion over there." Zhuo Jingren pointed at a stylish looking pavilion to his right. "I will give you a tour of the place tomorrow. For now, let's go to our villa."

Lily merely nodded at his words. She was too exhausted to even ask about this villa. All she wanted right now is to lie on a nice warm bed and have a dreamless sleep.

"Alright, here we are," Zhuo Jingren said while eyeing Lily who was in a daze. "This is a two bedroom villa. This is your room and I will be staying in the next room." He then opened the door for Lily and watched her enter the room absentmindedly without a word.

"Our stuff will be delivered later. For now, you can wear this set of pajamas," he said, handing her a set of blue and white striped pajamas for women. The latter accepted the pajamas before going into the bathroom wordlessly. Zhuo Jingren's lips quirked up into a smile. It was inevitable that Lily was this tired, after all, she had been awake for almost twenty-four hours now.

In less than five minutes, Lily walked out of the bathroom and went straight into bed, ignoring Zhuo Jingren who was sitting on her bed reading a Japanese magazine.

Zhuo Jingren looked up from his magazine and stared at Lily who was still as a piece of log. She lay on her stomach with her eyes closed and her hair was sprawled all over her face. "Don't forget to lock the door when you leave..." she muttered, the warmth of the soft mattress underneath her was lulling her to sleep.

When Lily's breathing started to get even, Zhuo Jingren let out a sigh before getting off her bed. He then slowly rolled her over so that she was sleeping on her back and then he covered her with the blanket. "Look at you. Sleeping mindlessly in the presence of a grown man." Zhuo Jingren then sat on his heels, still on the bed, his eyes never leaving her face.

He stared at Lily, his expression soft and gentle. Lily looked peaceful when she's sleeping. The lines that usually crease her brows were gone, making her face looked younger and softer. In her sleep, Lily looked vulnerable and angelic.

"Your walls are too high, my Lily," he muttered before tucking her hair behind her ears. "And you are hiding something from me."

"However, the secrets that you keep will never push me away Lily…" His lips slowly lifted into a smile, his eyes full of gentleness. "No secrets can scare me." Then he got up and turned off all the lights in Lily's room before walking through a connecting door to his own room.

After Zhuo Jingren left, the room fell into complete silence which was almost deafening. Lily rolled to her side with a conflicted expression on her face. Zhuo Jingren's words echoed inside her mind.

Secrets?

Lily bit her lip as tears started to pool in her eyes. She hugged herself, loneliness and sadness apparent in her eyes. Once her first tear fell, it was immediately followed by an unbroken stream. Then she closed her eyes and pressed her lips firmly, trying to suppress a sob. Maybe Li Shanshan was right, Zhuo Jingren should know the truth.

Lily let out a long sigh before she rubbed her cheek against the warm pillow. Warmth and darkness enveloped her as shadow of determination flashed in her eyes. Lily tussled with her conflicting thoughts before she arrived at a conclusion. She would not let this weekend end without letting him know the truth.

…

Upon waking up, Lily snuggled a while in the soft sheets before she hesitantly sat up and rubbed her eyes. She checked her phone that was conveniently placed on her bedside table.

Ten in the morning.

She slowly stretched her arms and legs and let out a yawn before she buried her face into the pillows again. For some reason, Lily felt a little relax today. Her sleepy eyes surveyed the room and that was when she realized that she was not in her apartment. She instantly jolted up, the sleepiness that she felt earlier was gone as her mind caught up with current events.

She was in a luxurious room with beige and white as the theme. To her right, woven textile shutters covered a door that should led her to the patio. To her left, there was a small wooden dining table set with two chairs and a white couch.The room was also furnished with a minibar and refrigerator.

Lily dragged her feet out of her bed and slowly walked towards the woven shutters, highly anticipating the view that she would get to see beyond those shutters. Zhuo Jingren should have arranged a room with the best view for her right? And what she saw did not disappoint her. The floor to ceiling glass door revealed an enchanting view of a sparkling lake.

She opened the door excitedly and walked out of her room, and was welcomed by a whiff of fresh air that made her smile. Just outside her room was an outdoor seating area, furnished with a wooden table and some chairs, with greeneries all around. It was serene and beautiful.

"Morning, beautiful." Turning around towards the sound of the voice, she finally noticed Zhuo Jingren who was sitting on one of the chairs. Today, he was wearing a white slim fit t-shirt, paired with a gray jogger and white trainers. The man look casual and undeniably hot. 

However Lily was quick to move her eyes away from his body before she answered, "Morning. What are we going to do today?" Since she had already decided to tell him her secret, she figured that she should try to enjoy this little vacation that seldom come by ever since she started working for her maternal grandmother.

…

Editor: Swaning