Derek Tang wanted to say something more, but someone was already urging him to leave.
Left with no choice, Derek Tang could only drive away.
He didn't have the ability or the courage to go up against Ethan Yin.
Cherry Miller watched helplessly as her shield slipped away and could only sigh in resignation.
"So you were hiding from me because of that man?" Ethan Yin's voice was burning with anger as he grabbed Cherry Miller's wrist and forcefully pulled her back.
Caught off guard, Cherry Miller was suddenly pulled into Ethan Yin's arms.
Her waist was firmly held by his arm, leaving her unable to move.
"Hmm?" Ethan Yin deliberately tightened his grip, forcing Cherry Miller to lie against his chest.
He'd been furious just moments ago, but holding Cherry Miller in his arms instantly calmed his anger.
If only she could always be this obedient. How wonderful would that be?
Cherry Miller found herself lying against Ethan Yin's chest. After struggling a few times to no avail, she gave up and said, "Young Master Yin, it's so late—why are you still here?"
"Why do you think I'm here? I'm waiting for you, obviously. Hmm?" Ethan Yin's voice carried a dangerous edge. "You still haven't answered my question! Are you hiding from me just because of that man?"
"I'm not... I..." Cherry Miller paused, then decided to just make things clear tonight.
It's better than leaving things ambiguous!
Cherry Miller gritted her teeth and said, "Yes! I was hiding from you because of him!"
The smile on Ethan Yin's face froze at the corners of his mouth, as if he couldn't believe what he'd just heard.
"What did you say?"
"I said, Ethan Yin, let's break up." Cherry Miller finally forced herself to say it.
She thought she could say the words "break up" with ease.
She thought she was cold-hearted, unfeeling, and icy.
She thought she could say it without a care.
But she was wrong.
The moment she said those words, a sharp pain pierced her heart.
Her eyes instantly grew wet.
She didn't want Ethan Yin to see her cry, so she fought hard to hold back her tears, biting down and saying, "You saw it yourself—I changed. I don't love you anymore! The years we were apart slowly faded our feelings, little by little... until they disappeared... I... I don't love you anymore!"
After saying this, Cherry Miller felt so much pain she could hardly breathe.
Ethan Yin seemed stunned.
He didn't recover for a long time.
"Cherry, it's not April Fool's Day. That joke isn't funny." Ethan Yin tried hard to stay calm, suppressing his anger. "If you're upset that I didn't look for you these past four years, I apologize."
"No, it's not your fault—it's mine." Cherry Miller interrupted, unable to hold back her tears. She turned her head so her tears would soak into her collar, hiding any trace.
Cherry Miller bit her lip hard, refusing to let herself cry out loud. "I'm not good enough for you. I'm not loyal enough, I don't love you enough. I..."
"Stop! I don't agree. I won't break up with you!" The veins on Ethan Yin's neck bulged as he struggled to contain his anger.
"Ethan Yin, have you ever wondered why I've been avoiding you all these years?" Cherry Miller knew there was no turning back now. Once the words were spoken, they couldn't be taken back.
Since that was the case, she might as well make things even clearer!
Even if Ethan Yin resented her for a lifetime, even if she lost her job!
She would have no regrets!
I'm sorry, Ethan. It's not your fault—it's mine. My background is too dirty, I really don't deserve you.
I'm the one who let you down. I'm the one who let Madam down!
For my mother, I have no choice but to do this!
Cherry Miller shoved hard, taking advantage of Ethan Yin's daze to push him away.
Cherry Miller quickly turned away, not wanting Ethan Yin to see her crying, her back facing him.
In the dim light, Ethan Yin could only see Cherry Miller's blurry silhouette.
"Cherry, this isn't real. You're not that kind of person. You've never been fickle!" Ethan Yin kept searching for a reason within himself. "Is it because so many people have been pursuing me lately that it made you angry? I'll change, okay? I swear, from now on, besides you and Yinuo, no other woman will ever get close to me!"
"No." Cherry Miller's heart ached even more.
How could she bear to hurt such a good young master?
It was she who wasn't worthy.
"Cherry, don't treat me like this." Ethan Yin's eyes reddened and his fingers trembled. "I admit I have a bad temper, and I admit I was mean to you as a child, but I've never been close to any other girl. I've always known my future is only with you. Is it my face that's caused you so much trouble? I'll ruin it right now! If I destroy this face, no other woman will ever come near..."
"No!" Cherry Miller could barely stand.
Cherry Miller's tears were finally uncontrollable.
She wanted to turn back and hug Ethan Yin right away!
But she couldn't!
Since she chose to leave, she couldn't give up halfway!
She couldn't!
She just couldn't...
"Yuheng, you're wonderful. You have no flaws." Cherry Miller gritted her teeth and said, "I'm the one who let you down. I let you down, I let Yinuo down, I let Madam down! I'm not worthy, do you hear me?! Don't say anything else! Tomorrow I'll resign with Madam!"
With that, Cherry Miller turned to run.
Instinctively, Ethan Yin reached out to grab Cherry Miller's hand, but she shook him off.
"Don't come any closer." Cherry Miller stood in the shadows, backing away step by step. "Yuheng, you deserve a better woman. Don't waste your time on me. I've changed, do you hear? I've changed! I don't love you anymore! I'm just that shallow! I don't want to be your girlfriend anymore! No matter how handsome, rich, or powerful you are, nothing can stop me from changing my heart! I'm just that fickle, just that shameless, just that despicable! I'm not worthy!"
"Cherry..." Ethan Yin felt as if his chest had been split open by an axe, his mind a blur, all his former calm and wisdom gone.
He watched as Cherry Miller backed away step by step, wanting to reach out and grab her, but it felt like an invisible net separated them.
He didn't believe it.
His Cherry had never been like this.
The woman he loved had never been so fake.
"Let go, Yuheng." Cherry Miller looked at Ethan Yin through her tears. "Let me go, and let yourself go too."
After saying that, Cherry Miller turned and ran outside.
She ran as she sobbed uncontrollably.
Yuheng, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm truly sorry.
Between love and my mother, I can only choose to protect my mother and give you up.
I'm sorry, my background isn't worthy of standing by your side.
Half of my blood is dirty.
I don't deserve to stain your nobility.
She didn't know how long she'd run. Cherry Miller kept going until she lost every last bit of strength and finally collapsed to her knees on the grass.
Her body went limp and she lay on the ground.
Staring up at the endless stars above, Cherry Miller felt her heart turn to ashes.
After today, she would say goodbye to everything in her past!
Goodbye, Yinuo.
Goodbye, Yuheng.
Ethan Yin stood there in a daze, completely motionless.
He just kept standing there, again and again, until an hour had passed.
Finally, Kuisheng sensed something was wrong and carefully came over to ask, "Young Master..."
Ethan Yin remained motionless.
Kuisheng sensed something was wrong and gently tapped Ethan Yin.
But to his surprise, Ethan Yin's body suddenly collapsed.
Kuisheng caught Ethan Yin in his arms, and under the dim streetlight, he finally saw the striking red at Ethan's lips!
Ethan Yin was coughing up blood!
"Somebody help! Somebody!" Kuisheng was terrified, shouting frantically, "Young Master is coughing up blood!"
The security guards in the courtyard heard the commotion and rushed out.
When they saw Ethan Yin collapsing like a puppet in Kuisheng's arms, everyone was terrified.
"Call a doctor!" someone shouted from the crowd. "Take Young Master inside..."
It was chaos everywhere.
Yin Sicheng and Gu Xixi rushed over in the middle of the night, still in their nightclothes.
"What happened here?" Gu Xixi looked confusedly at Gu Miao and Yin Yinuo, who had just arrived. "Yuheng was fine—how could he be coughing up blood?"
Gu Miao had a guess but wasn't sure yet.
Yin Yinuo felt a jolt in her heart, as if she had figured something out.
But... could it be?
Her brother had always been so strong. Could something so small really make him cough up blood?
Seeing Gu Miao and Yin Yinuo hesitate to speak, Yin Sicheng knew there was more to the story. He immediately said, "Don't ask now. Let's go see how Yuheng is doing first."
A group of people hurried into the house and saw Ethan Yin lying on the bed, his usually handsome face now frighteningly pale.
He had an IV in his arm and seemed to be stabilizing.
When the doctor saw Gu Xixi and Yin Sicheng, he immediately came over and reported in a low voice, "It's acute emotional distress. We've given him an injection and he's stable now. It's nothing serious, but he can't have any more extreme emotional swings, or it could harm his health."
"Acute emotional distress?" Everyone at the scene exclaimed in unison. "How is that possible?"
Ethan Yin had always been the type with an incredibly strong mind. All those years under Hans's control, suffering worse than death, and he never once suffered from acute emotional distress.
Later, in the business world, he was unbeatable—no one could shake him like this.
What could have happened to make the always calm and fearless Ethan Yin suffer acute emotional distress?
"Do you know something?" Yin Sicheng calmly glanced at his daughter and son-in-law. "Come with me."
Gu Miao and Yin Yinuo had no choice but to follow Yin Sicheng, leaving Gu Xixi to care for her son.
Once in the study, Yin Sicheng got straight to the point: "Do you know something? Tell me!"
"Dad..." Yin Yinuo hesitated. "I'm not entirely sure. Kuisheng has been with my brother the whole time. Why don't we call Kuisheng over and ask him first?"