Mu Chen

"No, don't! Please, stop! I beg you, you promised not to hurt me again!" The woman begged as tears streamed down her face. Her breathing was cut off as the man wrapped his right hand around her neck, slamming her back against the wall. She tried to breathe, but it was painfully difficult. She was burning for oxygen.

"But we are just getting started, little princess.You know you love it when I'm rough with you." The man chuckled and loosened his grip enough for her to breathe.

"No please….someone, save me." The woman's gaze moved to the door that was so close yet so far.

The man scoffed, and one of his large hands tangled into the back of her blond hair, wrenching hard on her scalp.

The pain she felt was horrible. She wanted it to stop. She wanted her sweet boy. This monster wasn't the man she fell in love with. She screamed and begged for the pain to end, but he didn't listen to her.

He laughed while more of her blood trickled down from her nostrils, the warmth flooding down over her lips and hitting her chin. She screamed and wriggled out of the man's grip.

"P-please…stop it hurts!!"

"Shut up!" Without warning, the man smashed her forehead against the wall. The woman shut her eyelids together to soothe the pain in her head.

She barely noticed when the man released his firm grip on her hair. Her body crumbled forward. Her hands clumsily reached out, hitting the wall before she fell down harshly, and then she saw the blood-

Bai Lu screamed, her eyes opened as she frantically looked around. She breathed a sigh of relief when her eyes fell on the familiar clock in her room.

She was safe. She exhaled and poured herself a glass of water from the bedside table and gulped it down. She removed the sheets from her body and got down from her bed.

She needed air to clear her mind, and it wasn't like she could sleep again. She decided to go to the terrace to clear her mind. It was her favorite spot in the house. She put on her bedroom sandals and made her way to the terrace.

When she reached the rooftop, she sat on the edge with her feet dangling in the cold air. The streets were mostly empty at this time of the night.

The city lights shone in perfect boundaries, illuminating the misty city with the perfect halation creating a bright wondrous image.

She stared at the starry black sky and she breathed in the cool air. She sighed in content before feeling hopelessness wash over her. She was tired, tired of living. She felt like she was fading away at a steady pace. She was depressed and alone.

Bai Lu shivered as the cool breeze hit her skin, sending goosebumps on her skin. She wished she had amnesia so that she didn't have to deal with these awful memories, thoughts, and whispers in her mind.

What if she just jumped? After all, she was simply a shell.

Bai Lu opened her eyes and sighed. She decided to get some paperwork done to distract herself from these depressing thoughts.

When Bai Lu looked at the clock, it was almost 6 am. She rubbed the nape of her neck to release some tension.

She got up from her desk and walked back to her room. She changed into her gym outfit, which was black leggings and a black sports bra.

She loved working out, the adrenaline running through her while she burned some fat was the perfect elixir for her to think about a business plan.

After she was done with her exercise, she went back to her bedroom to take a shower and came downstairs for breakfast. She found Rong Lu preparing breakfast. She was more of a mother than her mom ever was.

She had been the family's housekeeper for years and she still chose to stay and take care of her after everything that had happened. She was grateful for having such a loving person in her dark world.

"Hey Rong Lu, how are you doing?" Bai Lu asked as she sat down on the chair near the kitchen counter.

"I'm good dear. How was your night?"

Bai Lu shrugged as she scrolled on her phone, keeping up with the market stocks.

Rong Lu sighed and placed her breakfast in front of her. He pressed a kiss on Bai Lu's hair and mumbled softly,

"Everything will be okay. One day…just hold on a little longer."

Bai Lu wanted to say that she was tired of holding on, but instead she just forced out a smile and nodded.

"Enjoy your breakfast. I will pack your lunch for you. Knowing you, you will definitely skip lunch if I don't even call to remind you."

"Thank you Rongrong ." Bai Lu mumbled.

"Oh, don't worry about it dear…" Rong Lu smiled and walked back to the stove counter to clean up.

Bai Lu arrived at the office. As the car halted in front of the company, she took a deep breath as the driver opened the door for her.

"Thank you Lu Wei," she said and got down from the car.

The driver bowed slightly. "Welcome ma'am. Enjoy your day."

Bai Lu nodded in response and put on her big black glasses as she made her way into the building.

Once she entered, everyone became quiet, and others stopped walking to greet her. She nodded in response and made her way to the fifth floor. She was submitting the file she was working on earlier to the manger.

The head of the department was surprised to see her. It was a middle-aged woman, and she was one of the only people in the company who wasn't afraid of her. Maybe it was because she was around when she was a lovely sweet young girl following around her dad.

"Good morning ma'am. Sorry for not coming for the folder myself. I thought you were busy with the interview."

Bai Lu frowned in confusion.

"Interview?" She didn't know she had an interview today.

"Yes, to find an assistant since Feng Jiu is on pregnant leave. Have you forgotten?"

"Oh, it's today? I forgot." Bai Lu sighed.

"It's alright ma'am. You deserve a break."

Bai Lu nodded, "Okay, I have to go. If you have any questions let me know." She said,

"Alright ma'am."

After Bai Lu was done submitting the folder, she took the elevator going to her office. When she entered the elevator, she saw a man standing inside with his head lowered on the floor.

She ignored him until she heard him speak.

"H-hello. I'm Mu Chen."