I won't sign them...

Luo Ruolan was woken up by the bright sunlight that peeped through the window, enlightening the entire room. The curtains were already up and the place next to her was empty. She barely remembered when she had fallen asleep last night. 

Her entire body seethed in pain when she woke up and looked at all those bite marks that were left all over her body. But this time around, instead of expressing any of her thoughts, she just clutched the bedspread tightly around her when a chilling voice greeted her. 

"Sign those paper by the end of the week." Liang Fang had already taken a shower and was now standing by the doorframe, in his bathrobe. "And keep your evening schedule free, we're visiting your parents' place." 

Luo Ruolan immediately jerked her head towards Liang Fang, horrified. Why did she have to go there? He wanted to meet up with his lover, Luo Lifen but why her. Ever since her mother died, she had promised herself to never go back to her parent's place again. And now, just because Luo Lifen was back, he was planning to take her back to that hellhole!? 

"God, you're so annoying! Listen, you've already caused enough trouble for me! Sign those papers and attend the small get together the Luo family have arranged with me." 

The way Liang Fang was talking to her, the way he was looking at her, like she was nothing more than a pest, made it clear that he was very certain about divorcing her and marrying her sister instead. But with how the family positions stood in the economic market, Luo Ruolan knew better that she'd have to let go of her shares from the company's profit, if Luo Lifen were to take her place. She would still get her father's share of profit after his death but all the earnings she had accomplished through her hard-work and dedication, she'd have to leave that behind. 

And staying in the company even after the news of her sister getting married to her ex-husband, spreads, she'll not only lose her face but also the reputation of the Luo family would be put to stake. Gossips like 'sisters fighting over one man', 'the affair between the CEO of the Liangs' and the 2nd daughter of the Luos'', would spread like wildfire. 

"I won't sign them." She turns her head away from him and starts staring out of the window. 

"What did you say!?" Liang Fang barks as he marches towards Luo Ruolan and grabs her wrist. Her wrists were already sore from the torment she had to endure the previous night, which makes her wince in pain. 

Had it been any other time, she'd have given in and listened to whatever unreasonable demand her husband was putting her through but this time, the company she'd adored for so long was at stake and her own marriage was on the verge of collapse, she had to take a stand, "I won't sign them, never!" 

"You're testing my limits, you damn b*tch! Don't make me repeat myself!" 

"Why!? So, you can marry my sister...!? So that you can give her the my position in the company, give her the fruit of every situation I've handled and let her replace 10 years of my life, just like that!? Even if I were to end up dead, I won't sign those papers!"

SLAP!

A wide-eyed Luo Ruolan looked up at the cold and unfazed expression that was plastered on Liang Fang's face, as her fingers from her free hand reach up to trace the redness on her cheek where Liang Fang had hit her. 

She wanted to cry. But crying now would only show her as unreasonable, but she wasn't the unreasonable one. She had to endure. Without uttering a single word, she kept staring at the man she'd loved for so long. 

"I'll give you a week at most. Think before acting on your own accord. And evening, be prepared." He let go of her wrist as he turned to leave the room, but before he actually left, he added, "Oh, and your cheek, take care of that mark, put some ice over it. If you can't do that, ask Lady Wu to help you." 

And once again, a bruised Luo Ruolan, with pain flowing through every inch of her body was left alone in the cold. Smiling lightly, she gently traced her palm over her lower belly and mumbled, "I won't sign the divorce papers... you'll definitely have a dad. And maybe, he'll love you, even if he doesn't care about me at all. He'll definitely..." 

But before she could finish her thought, small tear droplets had already formed at the corner of her eyes, threatening to fall. 

'...love you.'

(Somewhere else) 

A sinister aura had enveloped the entire room, where a man fixated a sharp piercing gaze at a bunch of his subordinates, who trembled in fear, unable to move. His face obviously not showing any signs of tomfoolery or leisure while the subordinates dared not look up at his face and kept their heads down. 

"One task." the seemingly cold-hearted man spoke up, "I gave you all one task, and you, a complete bunch of losers, messed that up. I wonder how people as incompetent as you all could ever be accepted by this company!" 

One scared man, with proper permed hair, hesitatingly mentioned, "S-She was definitely in her room... one of the nannies even checked her room during midnight... the door was locked as well..." 

"DO YOU THINK I CARE ABOUT YOUR EXCUSES!" He barked before the subordinate could even finish his sentence. "I should be firing you all! You incompetent good-for-nothings!!" 

"Now, now ~ Let's not take harsh decisions ~" 

A bright and cheerful voice interrupted the obviously one-sided, dominating atmosphere that had been created inside the quite spacy room as a man, with a face even prettier than a movie star entered the room. He looked relaxed and carried a goofy grin that sometimes classified him as 'innocent and dumb'. 

"Fu Jinghui" the scary-looking man called out, not satisfied with this 'Fu Jinghui' interrupting his 'busy schedule'. "What is your business here?" 

"So rude ~" Fu Jinghui whined as he made his way towards the other guy. "It's been so long, Zhu Yanlin" 

"If you don't have anything important, leave. I am busy. These blundering idiots (referring to his subordinates), once again, let Little Cherry run away somewhere." 

"Little Cherry ran away? But, I just saw her in the garden with Miss Li." 

"What...?" 

Zhu Yanlin, immediately turned to look at his subordinates once again; his expression getting even scarier. "Are you sure you checked all the places in this mansion!?" 

The subordinates hesitated and trembled under the cold gaze their boss, Zhu Yanlin, bestowed upon them, not daring to utter anything. 

"Go confirm it. Dismissed!" 

And the next moment, the subordinated bowed politely and started leaving the room in a rushed-up manner, as if trying to get away as soon as possible. Once they were finally gone, the room fell silent but the cold (and still somewhat sinister) aura remained. 

Fu Jinghui added, "You're being very unreasonable, you know. Just because that woman left like that, Little Cherry won't leave." 

"Don't talk about that shameless person in front of me. I have nothing to do with her!" 

"All right, all right! I won't mention her again. But..." Fu Jinghui paused as he headed towards the window and started looking outside, before he finally continued, "...don't you think Little Cherry needs a mom? She's already 8, just a few more years and she'll be a teenager... and well, she'll need a mom, wouldn't you agree?"

"Hn." 

(Back to Liang Fang's House)

Luo Ruolan, dressed neatly in her formals, was seated on the chair at the extreme corner of the dining table, with Liang Fang at the farthest end. Miss Wu had served them breakfast and the two of them were left all alone in the room, with nothing but silence befalling both parties. 

"Your cheek..." Liang Fang started, "Did you use the ice?" 

"Would it matter to you in anyway?" 

Slam!

Liang Fang had slammed the glass filled with fresh orange juice on the table, spilling a few drops. "Why are you always so cross with me!? Why can't you answer the questions normally!?" 

Luo Ruolan just bit her lip tight, as she dared not make any eye contact. 

"Wait in the living room after finishing your food. And for God's sake, do not revolt on everything I say or do. Learn to be decent." After throwing the words mercilessly at Luo Ruolan, he stood up from his place, "I'm done eating!", and left. 

A pale lady popped into the dining room after Liang Fang and left and gave Luo Ruolan a shoulder hug, "He's just not in a good mood, don't take his harsh words to heart." She was genuinely trying to make Luo Ruolan feel better.

"He'd not been in a good mood for the last 10 years, Miss Wu... I understand that." was what she replied her with, as the same bittersweet smile made its way to her face.