Charles Yin instinctively turned to look at Cecilia Gu. He saw her whole body freeze, her face pale, lips bitten hard, and tears she could no longer hold back suddenly flooding down.
"The gift... So that night really was your setup..." Cecilia Gu trembled uncontrollably, her eyes filled with despair she couldn't and wouldn't believe.
Seeing Cecilia like this, Charles Yin felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his heart.
Damn it!
How did it end up like this!
"Charles, look at me. You can't marry a gift! I'm the one who's supposed to marry you!" Lydia Lin kept repeating, "Now that I'm back, let's be together, okay? Divorce her and marry me. I can give you children too, as many as you want!"
Cecilia Gu slowly stepped out from behind Charles Yin, standing in front of Lydia Lin in disbelief. Her voice trembled as she tried to confirm again, "Xiaoya, tell me, why? Why did you do this?"
Weren't we best friends?
Weren't we the ones who supported each other from childhood until now?
Why did you set me up?
Lydia Lin turned her head to look at Cecilia Gu, unable to hide the disgust in her eyes.
When Lydia Lin's gaze landed on the Heart of the Ocean around Cecilia's neck, she went mad. That was the Heart of the Ocean she had dreamed of!
How could Cecilia Gu be wearing it!
She had been eyeing the Heart of the Ocean for so long—why did Cecilia always have to take everything she liked!
"Why? You're actually asking me why!" Lydia Lin shouted at Cecilia Gu through gritted teeth, "All these years, I've had enough of you! I've had enough of that pitying look you always give me!"
A pitying look? Never! I never looked at you that way!
Cecilia Gu shook her head over and over, tears streaming down her face. Her heart ached so much she thought even her fingertips might start trembling uncontrollably.
"Cecilia Gu, aren't you just a little more 'intact' than me? Is that why you get to act so high and mighty?" Lydia Lin spat venomously. "But so what? You still ended up with nothing, didn't you?"
"Lydia Lin, I'm really sorry about what happened back then. But I never pitied you! I've always seen you as my best friend, sharing every secret and feeling with you." Cecilia Gu said, her voice trembling. "I thought the whole world might abandon me, but you never would!"
"Enough! Stop talking! Cecilia Gu, if you're not disgusted by yourself, I am! Women like you are destined to be abandoned by everyone! You were abandoned by your own parents the moment you were born! Even when you were taken in, the Gu Family still threw you away! Zhao Zegang said he loved you so much, but he still dumped you for money! Now, more and more people will keep abandoning you, because you're just that detestable!" Lydia Lin screamed, trying several times to rush at Cecilia, but was stopped by Charles Yin.
Charles Yin looked at the pitiful young woman before him, and the pain in his heart grew stronger with each passing moment.
Fine. Since everything has already happened today, let's just lay it all out and make things clear!
Cecilia Gu listened to Lydia Lin's cruel words, her body staggered and she grabbed the table to keep herself from falling.
Her hair was disheveled, her face streaked with tears.
Cecilia knew she must look utterly miserable right now.
Even when Zhao Zegang abandoned her, she had never looked this pathetic.
She knew she wouldn't be able to finish her task today; there was no point in staying any longer, was there?
Stumbling, Cecilia clung to the table and made her way out.
Right now, all she wanted was to escape—from this place, and from this horrifying truth.
"Cecilia Gu, stop pretending! Aren't you secretly thrilled right now? You only lost a bit of dignity, but you turned around and stole my boyfriend, got pregnant, and even became his wife! Cecilia Gu, give me back my boyfriend!" Lydia Lin's furious voice echoed behind her. "After all these years, just like that, it's all over!"
Cecilia Gu felt her vision blur, stumbling out as if by instinct.
But when she found herself standing in the beautifully decorated office area, she was suddenly lost.
Where could she go?
Where else could she go?
The world was so big, yet there was no place for her.
Even finding a place to cry felt like a luxury.
Cecilia staggered into the restroom, locked herself inside, and collapsed onto the toilet, sobbing uncontrollably.
Two clear? What a joke—just like that, it's all settled?
All those years of friendship—how could it just be wiped away?
We went to school together, left school together, did homework together, skipped class together. You had dates in the freezing winter and I kept watch for you, when Grandma scolded me you secretly brought me food, you said you wanted to be a model and we worked part-time jobs to earn tuition...
So many years of friendship, and now it's just over?
I never said I was more innocent than you, so where does this pity come from?
My self-respect—has that become a crime in your eyes?
Xiaoya, Lydia Lin!
Only now do I realize, all those years of so-called sisterhood, in your eyes, were nothing but compensation for a man...
Did you ever think how it feels to be treated as a gift? My heart is shattered!
Fine, very fine.
Thank you and Zhao Zegang for teaching me this lesson. Now I finally see you both clearly.
Since you say it's over, then it's over.
I don't want to care anymore. Enough, it's enough...
In the restaurant, Charles Yin saw Cecilia Gu stumbling away and instinctively wanted to chase after her, but Lydia Lin clung tightly to his leg, holding him back!
"Charles, don't treat me like this!" Lydia Lin sobbed, "I know I was wrong! I tried calling you but couldn't get through, I emailed you but you didn't reply! Charles, since Cecilia doesn't love you, there's no need to keep this loveless marriage going! We still have feelings, don't we? I'm willing to get married now, I'm willing to have your children! Charles, let's get married!"
(Irrelevant passage, skip translation.)
Charles Yin looked down at Lydia Lin's face, feeling an indescribable disgust inside.
This woman was never satisfied.
She didn't know her place, always so self-righteous.
"Dina, the moment you put Cecilia Gu in my bed, it was over between us. I'm not someone you can manipulate! Get lost!" Charles Yin kicked Lydia Lin away.
Charles Yin was about to chase after Cecilia, but Lydia Lin suddenly screamed, "Charles Yin, don't push me!"
Charles Yin stopped in his tracks and looked back slightly. "Oh? What can you do?"
Lydia Lin's shrill voice echoed through the large restaurant, "Doesn't the Yin Corporation care about its partnership with the Korean company? The president and his wife saw everything just now! If I don't explain, your partnership will be ruined!"
So that's her plan!
How self-important!
Lydia Lin couldn't see the mocking look on Charles Yin's face. She continued, "If I don't clear things up, Cecilia Gu will be seen as a shameless woman seducing her best friend's husband! Do you think the Korean company's president will still work with the Yin Corporation?"
"You're threatening me?" Charles Yin still had his back to Lydia Lin, but the coldness in his eyes was unmistakable.
"No, I just love you too much!" Lydia Lin slowly walked up behind him, hugging his waist from behind and greedily inhaling his scent.
She could never get enough of that scent.
This is a real man—the kind Lydia Lin wanted.
Only a man like this was worthy of Lydia Lin!
"So this is how you love me?" Charles Yin pried Lydia Lin's fingers off and shoved her away. "Too bad I'm not interested!"
Lydia Lin tried to rush at him again, but Charles Yin had already strode away.
"Xiao A, did you get everything on video just now?" Charles Yin reached out behind the door. Xiao A handed him a wet wipe, and after Charles cleaned his fingers, passed him the phone.
Charles watched the footage on the phone, a cold, cruel smile on his lips.
"Good, burn it to a disc." Charles handed the phone back to Xiao A and turned to leave.
"Yes, President." Xiao A replied dutifully. "Young Madam is in the restroom."
Charles's eyes flashed and he quickly turned toward the restroom.
Lydia Lin hadn't expected things to take such a turn and rushed after him, only to be stopped by Xiao A!
The next second, several bodyguards appeared behind Xiao A, covering Lydia Lin's mouth before she could scream and dragging her away.
Xiao A watched Lydia Lin being dragged away in disgrace and sighed softly.
What kind of person is the President? How could he be outsmarted by a woman like that?
But with Lydia Lin stirring up trouble today, a lot of things probably won't go smoothly.
President, it's up to you now!
Cecilia Gu hid herself in the cramped restroom, finally letting out all the pain of so many years.
She clutched her chest—right there, it hurt so much.
Leaning weakly against the wall, Cecilia suddenly realized that Zhao Zegang's betrayal hurt far less than Lydia Lin's.
The pain Zhao Zegang caused cut her to the core, but Lydia Lin's betrayal felt even more hopeless.
Even though Zhao Zegang cruelly sold out her first love, at least she still had a shred of dignity left.
But Lydia Lin stomped on the last bit of dignity Cecilia had left in this world.
A gift... Ha... So all these years of feelings were just a present for another man...
Her dignity was nothing but a humble, worthless gift...
Suddenly, there was a furious pounding on the door outside: "Cecilia Gu, come out!"
Charles Yin? What was he doing here?
Was he here to see how this worthless gift cried?
Charles Yin, did you know everything from the start?
Is that why you tried to send me away with a check that morning?
So you all knew everything, and I was the only fool who still believed in goodness in this world...