“Ok, but next time. Today is on me, Macey will join us too. Macey said that she wanted to have a meal together with you tonight. I’ll pick you up.” He said in a deep voice on the other end of the phone urging hurriedly. “That’s it. I’m a little busy right now. I’ll pick you up at the Pearl Community around 5. 30 pm.”
“My sister?”
“Yes! It’s she who takes the initiative to ask you out!” Arthur laughed. “I’ll hang up now, I’ve some business to attend!”
Leila was holding her phone and cried with joy. Her sister took the initiative to ask her out? Did it mean that her sister had forgiven her and her mother?
At 5. 30 pm, Arthur’s car stopped directly downstairs. Leila received a call and went downstairs. Looking from far away, she saw him standing at the street in the neighborhood. He was talking and laughing with a few middle-aged women. He made those aunties so happy with his radiant smile.
A man like Arthur could be considered as a public lover?!
In a private room of a luxury nightclub.
When Leila and Arthur arrived, Macey was already there.
“Sister!” Leila called in a low voice.
“Sit down!” It was rare that Macey didn’t talk acrimony. Her tone was calm but not overly intimate.
But this was enough for Leila. She felt satisfied because her sister had taken the initiative to call her out.
The table was filled with dishes and a large plate of braised chicken wings was placed in the center of the table.
Macey picked up one and put it into Leila’s bowl, “Lexi, this is the chicken wing that you love the most!”
Leila was flattered. Macey still remembered that she liked chicken wings?!
Before she could say anything, Macey said, “I called you to come here today because I want to apologize to you! No matter what the reason is, I shouldn’t try to harm you, let someone bully you at the pub and even ask someone to kidnap you. I don’t know if you were lucky, or I was too unlucky. In short, I didn’t make it so it made me less guilty! Tonight, I want to apologize to you!”
“Sister!” Leila was shocked and somewhat flattered with her eyes warming up. “Don’t say something like this!”
“I’m leaving. I will go to United States. Later, the family will be counting on you, I’m not coming back again!” Macey spoke lightly with not much fluctuation in her emotions.
But Arthur looked at her and sighed. “How about the guy who is looking for you?”
“I’ve already talked to him and he won’t be looking for me anymore!” Macey smiled and said, “Arthur, thank you for all these days!”
“Don’t thank me yet, you have to think of what to do if that person come to you again!”
“Who’s looking for my sister?”
Arthur gave Leila a glance and spoke softly, “The main character of today’s press conference!”
“Is he really looking for my sister again?” Leila was dumbfounded and suddenly became happy. “Is that real? Is he sincere?”
A smile played on Macey’s lips, but her eyes were vaguely in a trance. “Let’s eat. It seems that they put too much sugar and it tastes so cloying!”
Leila and Arthur looked at Macey at the same time, Macey was stunned. Although her lips twitched with a faint smile, she puckered up her lips obstinately and said, “What’s wrong?”
At that moment, the door of the private room was opened. Two tall figures appeared at the door coincidentally. Leila and Macey were both stunned.
Leila saw Vincent’s tall figure blocking the door. His indifference handsome face showed a unique charm whereas the person next to him was Charles.
Leila raised her head up slowly and saw him. Then she lowered her head and smiled faintly but slightly sour. It must be Arthur who told him. She didn’t expect that Charles will look for her sister. Did he come to make up with her after knowing the truth? Then Vincent also came to apologize to her sister!
Arthur spoke first with a smile, “All of you are here. Since all of you are here, then don’t block the door and come to have a seat!”
Vincent and Charles walked slowly towards the two-seated sofa and sat down.
Ever since Vincent knew the truth, he had been thinking calmly and busy with his matter.
He had never met Leila all this while and imagined that how miserable and disappointed she was. It felt like their distance was so near yet so far, a distance that he couldn’t even fly across. With extremely remorse, he still came! Because he wanted to give Leila and Macey an explanation, at least, an apology in person.
Macey’s gaze turned to Arthur. “Arthur, did you tell them about our dinner together today?”
Arthur confessed, “Yes! It’s me!”
Macey stopped talking and lowered her head, as if she didn’t see the incomers and only said to Leila, “Eat!”
Leila also didn’t know what’s that feeling in her heart, and she unconsciously grabbed the hemline of her skirt tightly. She glanced at the man who sat right across her. Leila slightly stunned as his gaze fixed on her. That kind of gaze which was excessively hot and horribly focused, like a deep possession.
Leila smiled with her lips twitched bitterly. She ate quietly. She wouldn’t make herself hungry, especially now that she had a baby in her belly. Her baby needed nutrition and she was too thin these days, so she needed to get extra nutrition. Although they were tasteless and she started to have pregnancy reaction, she would still eat.
The atmosphere was awkward after the arrival of Vincent and Charles. Everyone stopped eating, except Leila who was still eating quietly.
Then, everyone was looking at Leila. Leila finally noticed it. She looked up and her face turned red instantly, but she said, “Aren’t you guys going to eat? I’m hungry. Sister, let’s eat. Arthur?
Macey also picked up her chopsticks. Arthur smiled, “Ok, let’s eat!”
However, Vincent and Charles didn’t move their chopsticks. It looked like they didn’t want or didn’t have the mood to eat. One’s heart could not be loaded with too many things because once it was too much, it will spoil one’s appétit.
Finally, Charles stood up without saying anything. He held Macey’s hand and walked towards outside.
“Where are you taking me?” Macey startled. “I’m not going. If you have something to say, just say it here!”
“Macey” Charles shouted quietly in pain.
“Don’t pull me!” Macey jerked Charles’s hand away, sat back to her seat and laughed mockingly, “Charles, as I said, there’s nothing more to say. About what you did today, I have two words for you, thank you!”
“Let’s talk outside!” Charles was still insisting.
“No need! I’ve nothing to say.” Macey spoke quietly. “Everybody is here today, it’s good to talk clearly right here, no need to go out!”
Macey’s insistence made everyone astonish. Leila knew Macey’s temper. She would do what she had said. But Leila worried that such stubbornness would harm her sister. “Sis”
“Shut your mouth up and mind your own business! I know what I’m doing.” Macey roared lightly. Leila immediately shut her mouth up and dared not speak again.
“Okay then! Let’s talk about it here!” Charles didn’t reject anymore. He sat across her, looked at her and spoke seriously, “Let’s get married!”
It was still the same line in the press conference. Charles said it again in front of them.
Macey didn’t want to tangle with him again, she looked at Charles as cold as ice and asked, “Why?”
“I’m sorry for everything that I did before. I was wrong. I apologize and I want to make it up for you! I’m not a good man, but please give me a chance to compensate you!”
“No need!” Macey replied indifferently. “Have you finished talking? When you’re done, please go. Go back to where you are from. If you have nothing to do, then find something else to do.”
Charles almost lost control, “Stop it, you are doing yourself no good!”
“I don’t need any help from you!” The sentence was said indifferently, it was calm and cold. Macey had nothing to say anymore, and she lowered her head. “I will not live humbly with someone who cheated me for the rest of my life. It’s not fair for me! But I will not live with someone else either as it’s not fair to him! In my life, I will not get married and have long been destined to live like this. So, it’s better to leave what you think is good to others.”
Leila looked at Macey’s calm face and understood how she felt in her heart. She was hurt too deeply that she was not in the mood or unable to have any relationship with anyone again.
Vincent spoke, “Macey, Charles is sincere!”
“In this world, sincerity is cheap. Thanks for your so-called sincerity. But for me, it doesn’t matter anymore. Arthur, I’m full. Please send Leila back. Lexi, my words have all been said to you, our family will depend on you in the future!” When Macey finished talking, she stood up and walked towards outside.
“Macey…”
“Stop pulling me!”
“You guys have ruined the farewell meal tonight!” Arthur let out a helpless sigh, “Macey, you haven’t eaten! You should eat before you leave.”
“Farewell?” Charles exclaimed and he was no longer able to hear the rest of the words. His eyes widely opened instantly then he looked at Macey. “Could it be that you want to leave?”
Vincent also looked at Leila, and then Arthur, he tried to question with his eyes.
Leila sighed inwardly. She had wanted to leave as well. Just that she didn’t tell anyone.
“Yes! I’m leaving and I will never return to F City,” Macey gave Arthur a glance with a little helplessness. “Arthur, you know that force won’t work. Just like you, you never force others, because you know that if something that has been forced to happen at that time, it will be more painful afterwards. It’s better to make it a memory than to meet each other, isn’t it? So, please, don’t reveal my whereabouts again, and please don’t tell people about me without my permission, okay?”
She was polite to Arthur because she owed him for the help that he gave her when she was going through her most despondent days. She didn’t like to owe people anything. She just wanted to live a real life, no matter good or bad, it’s all real.
She exhaled a breath, lowered her head slowly, looked at her toes and said, “Charles, Vincent, did both of you realize that in the past, maybe you guys were wrong?”
Both of them were stunned.
Macey said again, “One single slip brings eternal regret and when you look back, everything is too late. Everyone needs to pay for their mistakes and so do both of you. But it doesn’t mean that I must involve in the so-called compensation. Because I no longer want to be used by someone again. So, please don’t disturb my life when I have settled down!”
Charles suddenly felt extremely desolate, bleak and chilly. He murmured unconsciously, “You refuse to marry me?”
“Why should I marry you?” Macey smiled gently, “For me, the best punishment for you is to make you suffer for the rest of your life, not let you take it for granted. It’s better this way, isn’t it? So, don’t feel guilty towards me. I’m not a good woman either. I’m just a piece of trash. If you are willing to feel guilty then do so. If not, just start your new life, but I won’t involve in your life. I’m tired, I’ve seen through it and let go long time ago. Goodbye!”
After she finished talking, she turned and walked out.
Charles staggered. She said that she wanted him to feel guilty for the rest of his life. He knew that this pain and guilt will be buried in his heart for life! People should not do bad things, otherwise it would be entangled in their hearts for a lifetime.