A Case of the Thief Feeling Guilty

"It's late," Qian Meng commented as she stood in front of her secretary's desk. "From now on, you can go home when you are done with work. I'll drive myself back," she said with a small smile. Li Min had been working hard for her for the past four years and the hours she had put in were comparable to Qian Meng. Even though her salary was high, Li Min needed time for herself.

"I'll drop you off today and transfer my duties to a new driver," Li Min said promptly. Qian Meng's tired face had a small smile.

"I can drive myself, you know?" she scoffed.

"You reach the office at eight in the morning and return at nine in the evening on usual days. On top of that, you work when you are home as well. Your body needs enough rest to function properly." Li Min's words sounded much like her primary doctor's who said the same thing about her.

"And you need to get a hobby," Qian Meng shot back. "It's time you spend some time on yourself. Don't dedicate your life for others," she saved softly. Li Min smiled professionally before packing her things and exiting the building with her boss. They went to the car and drove off.

The ride was predominantly silent, with the ride being about an hour to the hotel. She would have to find a hotel that was closer to her company sooner or later. This long traveling time was unproductive.

"Miss Yun," Li Min spoke up suddenly. Qian Meng looked up with a curious expression. "The President called the office and my cellphone throughout the day to catch you. As per your instructions, I kept them to myself."

This practice worried Li Min. She knew that Miss Yun battled with her family on a regular basis, predominantly with her father who was a misogynist of another level. You would think seeing his daughter earn so much money at such a young age would change his mind, but the stubborn old mule was still thinking of marrying off his daughter for his own benefit.

"Understood." Came the prompt reply. She checked her phone and surely, her father had called her multiple times throughout the day. She kept the phone aside and didn't look at it until she was in her room and changing into her nightgown.

She finally looked at her phone and dialed her father's number.

"Well, you made me wait long enough!" her father scolded immediately. Qian Meng remained silent for a second before replying.

"I just came back from work," she explained, even though she didn't want to. Some part of her was still conditioned to speak politely to her father despite his cold and unnatural attitude towards her.

"That's not an excuse," he seethed. "This is why women shouldn't be let out to play." This time his voice was low, almost like he didn't want to sound like an asshole. But it was evident that she was meant to 'overhear' this. "I should have known when your mother worked and failed to take her duties to heart."

Now this pissed Yun Qian Meng off.

"Ah, is that why you hate me? Because I remind you of her?" she said this offhandedly, but it had struck a nerve. "She's very good at her job. She might not be the best mother, but you can't deny she does what she says." There was grumbling from the other side.

"Are you saying I don't?"

Qian Meng wanted to scoff. He was assuming that the statement was about him, when did she ever say anything. Clearly, this was the case of a thief feeling guilty.

"What did you call me about?" she asked. No more beating around the bush.

"Ensure no one from the family contacts Su Jin or her team again. She should be on our blacklist," he said firmly. She sighed, thinking about how it would cost them to alienate a highly ranked show and channel. She didn't voice her concerns. Instead, she went for another side.

"I am not your media assistant. I don't know how to do that for you. You have a department that handles this at your office. Use them." She was about to hang up when she heard yelling from the other side.

It was like watching a trainwreck. She couldn't take her eyes off.

"I should have never let her give birth to you! If she hadn't missed the signs, we could have aborted you." When you were in a high position in life and an eyesore for other people, you heard a lot of cruel things directed your way.

She had heard her mother talking to others about how her birth had almost ruined her career. Her father was unhappy she was a girl, but never really said the words out loud. No matter how thick one's skin was when their parents tell them that they wished she was never born... No matter how many blows they sent her way... it still hurt.

She stared blankly at the wall in front of her.

Call her a masochist, but she recorded all her calls. One never knows what might come in handy.

She sometimes went back to those calls and listened to them over, deconstructing her words. Years ago, she would do it to be the best child and win his approval, later, when she realized that no matter how hard she tried, he could look at her as a burden, she decided to use them to fuel her anger. The angrier she got, the harder she fought. The harder she fought, the more money she made.

Hatred drove her to success.

"If you think that way about me, I wonder what you would do when you find out what I think about you, Father." She let the phone drop to the bed, letting her father scream his frustrations out from the other side.

This was nothing new. He could scream all he wanted. She went to bed, the call still on. Fifteen minutes later, he realized that she was not listening. He hung up the call after cursing her.