8:55 PM....

Xiali's POV...

After helping the boys clean up, I sit back on the couch and grab my phone. I see that I got a message from Winwin, and so I open it.

"Where are you? Are you ok?" - Winwin.

"I'm fine. I'm still at my friend's house. I'll be going back home tonight." - Xiali.

"Ok. Stay safe!" - Winwin.

I put my phone back on the table and sighs. Winwin had been worried about me since I haven't return home or go to college for three days. Since I'm feeling a lot better now, I think it's time that I go back home. I don't want to worry him any longer.

I was thinking about asking Yangyang to drive me back home, when suddenly Ten walks over and stoods in front of me. I look up at him and saw that he was staring at me. His eyes looked like he had a lot to say.

"Hey! I was wondering if we could talk for a moment?" Ten ask. His soft voice tinkles through my ears.

"Ok," I answer casually. "Where?"

"The garden." Ten leads me to the garden to have a private talk, away from the boys.

We enter the garden and close the door of the house. The two of us standing as we look at each other face to face. It's been a while since we last have some alone time together.

"So, what is it?" I ask him.

Ten looks down on the ground with a guilty look. His face looks like he's trying to put together the right words to explain. "I just want to apologize to you. I should have told you about what I'm going through in the first place," Ten says. "I shouldn't have lied to you about it."

I let out a sigh as I stare at Ten with disappointment and shock. I didn't expect him to apologize to me this way, and that it was done unexpectedly. Honestly, I'm still disappointed by him, but looking at him tonight face to face reminds me on how much I still miss him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask, curiousity is still running in my mind.

"I was afraid to lose you. I was a selfish coward," Ten says with guilt in his tone. "To be honest, I didn't expect to fall in love with you. But I guess, I let my feelings get the best of me. At first, I thought you were with Yangyang, but after what happened with you guys, I thought I had a chance to be with you."

I went silence. I'm speechless at every word he just said.

"I selfishly thought that I could be with you, knowing that my feelings for you were true. I ignored the fact that I didn't clear things with Minnie when I left Bangkok, and that I agreed to our parents plan of our arranged marriage years ago," Ten says. "I agreed to it because at the time, I was still so lost about my late girlfriend. My parents didn't want me to waste my time thinking about her, and by that they set up Minnie and I to date and get married one day, knowing that our parents are good friends."

Hearing this from Ten made me understand the situation a little, though I couldn't lie that I am still disappointed. I still doubt if he ever felt the same way for me.

"I understand, Ten," I say. "You don't have to explain anything anymore. I got it."

"Xiali....I'm so sorry. For lying to you, for breaking your heart. I was a coward who messed up, and now I can't even make things right," Ten says, sadness fills his eyes as I could see him almost letting out a single tear. He takes a deep breath to calm himself down.

"Ten, you don't have to feel sorry for me," I say. "Even if I do love you, I don't deserve to be with you," I try my best to hold back the tears. "Minnie waited long enough. She deserves to be with you and receive your love, not me."

Tears starts filling Ten's eyes as we get lost into each other's eyes, both wanting to burst out into tears at this point. I could feel tears running down my face. I try to wipe them away.

As much as I want to embrace him in my arms and kiss him passionately one last time, I knew this is wrong. He has a girlfriend and is a soon-to-be fiance to her. His heart belongs to someone else. The person who deserves his love and affection is her, who had waited for him long enough. Not me. Yet, deep down in my heart, I want to ask him one last question, before he leaves Shanghai and officially becomes someone's husband. At least, I will remember his answer to my question forever.

"Can I at least ask you one thing before you get engage in three weeks?" I ask him with a sad tone. It's getting harder for me to hide my feelings with him in sight.

"Of course. What is it, Xiali?" Ten ask, with sadness still fills his eyes.

"Ten...after all the times we spend together, was there even a day that you really fell in love with me?" I ask him, wondering in my head how he truly feels about me. If I can't have him, at least I need to know if he ever felt the same way for me.

"Xiali, I've always been in love with you. For every moment we spend together, I only fell deeper for you. Everything about you, it always makes me happy even in the most simple ways. Your smile, your sweet laughter, even your eye roll is lovely. I let myself fall deeper into your love. I didn't expect it coming, but when love comes, there's no turning back," Ten says. His words sounded sincere, as I feel my heart starts beating faster after hearing his answer.

"Zhang Xia Li, I've always loved you. Even though it's hard to accept the fact that we could never be together in this life, maybe we could be together in another life. Forever, you will always have a special place in my heart," Ten says as tears starts running down his cheeks at this point.

Tears starts running down my face as I hear Ten's sudden confession. How I hope that it didn't have to be this way, since this love is killing me enough with the hard reality. It's hard to know that sometimes in life, you don't always get be with someone you love, even though both of you loved each other. Right now, I just want to turn back time, to the days where we were still together, before all the secrets are spilled, and while we're still living a dream of love. Yet, I knew it was impossible. Zhang Xia Li, it's time to wake up! Your love with him has come to an end. It's time to let him go and wish him all the happiness he deserves.

"Ten, I also love you. You were there for me through my ups and down. You cheered me up at my lowest point and bring me back to life with love. No guy has ever done that to me. I will always find my way back to your love in my heart," I say, finally saying all that I wanted to say to him.

Without any words, Ten starts walking closer to me. Our faces now only inches a part. Suddenly, he pulls me into a deep hug. He hugged me tightly as if he never wanted to let go. I hug him back tightly as tears starts running down my face again. The warmth of him brings me back the memories we had together. From our first encounter, to the last time we made love.

"I still have some time left before I go back to Bangkok and get engaged. In the mean time, let's try to spend some time at college while we can."

I agree with him. But other than that, an idea appeared in my head, but more likely it appeared in my heart first. An impulsive idea it is, and though it might sound a bit selfish, this could be the last time I could even experience this guilty pleasure with the man I truly love with all my heart. The guilty love that Ten and I shared.

"Sure. Ten...and, can I ask you to do me a favor?"

"Sure, Xiali. What is it?" his gentle voice tinkles my ears.

"Can you please drive me home tonight? I want to go home."

"Of course, Xiali," he says, not letting go of our embrace.

"Thank you, Ten." I say. "And...can I ask you for one more favor?"

"Sure. What is it?" he ask.

I gently let go of the embrace. I stare deeply into his beautiful eyes, letting myself get lost again.

"I know this is wrong, and I'm not trying to ruin your relationship or anything. But...." I'm trying to find the right words to explain this in a good way.

"What is it?" he ask in a curious tone.

"Can you kiss me one last time? Just one last kiss, before you go," I ask him.

He stares into my eyes, slowly walking closer to me. He gently pulls me closer to him, as he puts one of his arm on my cheek, and the other on my waist. Slowly, he leans in and kisses my lips gently, sending butterflies dancing in my heart. I close my eyes as I kiss back. I put my arms around his body, not wanting to break this moment which I will cherish forever in my heart, for the rest of my life.

9:10 PM...

At Xiali's home...

After telling the boys that I'll be going back home, Ten drives me back home. He stops in front of my house. I open the car door and exit his car.

I take one last look at him. He smiles at me. I smile back at him, before waving goodbye as I watch him drives off the neighborhood.

I enter my house and walk upstairs. I put my bag on the table before getting myself clean up and changing into my pajamas. I throw myself to my bed as I cover my face with a pillow. I start to cry silent tears. Though I told myself a million times that I shouldn't feel this way, yet it doesn't seem like my heart even knows what is right and what is wrong.

Desperate, I decided to go downstairs to get a bottle of beer. I walk downstairs and heads off to the fridge to get a bottle of beer, only to see Winwin closing the fridge with a bottle in his hand.

"Hey! You're back," Winwin says, his eyes widens as he sees my face. "What happened to you?"

I still had some bruises on my face and body. At this state it's impossible to lie to him since he already saw how bad I look right now. There's no way to lie to him at this point. I guess I'll just spill the details.

"I got kidnapped a few days ago," I say as I open the fridge to get myself a bottle of beer.

I walk back to the dining room with Winwin following me from behind. I could sense that he was curious to know more.

"What happened?" he ask as he pulls out a chair and takes a seat in the dining room.

Hearing this, I take a deep breath and decided to tell him what happened. From me walking from the convinience store, getting attacked by a stranger, Lucas taking me to his apartment, and getting kidnapped eventually. Winwin widens his eyes after hearing my terrifying story. I try to hold back the tears as the thought of that horrible day still scares me.

"Xiali...what did they do to you?" Winwin ask as he stares at the bruises on my arms.

"They tortured me," I say, almost tearing up again. "It was horrible."

"I am so sorry, Xiali. I should have looked after you more," Winwin says.

"Winwin ge, please! It wasn't your fault. It was my fault for going out alone at night," I say, trying to comfort him.

"But why were you alone at night? I thought you were with your friends," Winwin ask.

His question made me remember about my immature behaviour that night. I regretted running away from Yangyang and the guys just because I couldn't stand seeing Ten with another woman. One of the reasons why Vivian had the chance to kidnap me that night, was because I ran off from my friends at the market. Damn, I was an idiot. I got myself in total danger and made my friends worried.

"We went to The Season's Market together, but I ran off from them and took the cab to the convinience store not far from here," I say, regretting my actions as memories of the event starts coming back to my mind.

"Oh," Winwin says. He looks speechless for a second. He probably thinks I'm an idiot for running off, which I am. "Why did you ran off? You knew that you were being after and that it's dangerous."

I went silence for a moment. I could feel my heart aching once again at the thought of the reasons of my stupid action.

"I saw my boyfriend with another girl at the market," I say, trying my best to hold back the tears in my eyes.

Winwin's eyes widens as he puts down his bottle of beer. "Oh...that..."

"Well, I shouldn't even say that he's my boyfriend. He's been with her before he met me, and they'll be engage in three weeks coming," I say.

"Ah..I'm sorry to hear that," Winwin says with an awkward look, feeling quite uncomfortable at the heartbreak topic.

"You don't have to be sorry. We're actually on good terms now," I say, not trying to make the situation anymore dramatic. "What about you? Are you and Yiren still a thing?"

Winwin scratches his head with an awkward look, before drinking his beer again. "It's actually complicated," he says. "Honestly, we're not really dating, but some days we just seem like we're more than friends."

"I understand," I say, completely understanding his situation.

"By the way, let's do something about those bruises."

I nod as Winwin gets up from his seat and walks upstairs. It didn't take long for him to walk back downstairs with a first aid kit. He puts the first aid kit on the table and opens it. He applies some ointments on the bruises of my cheeks. I notice that he is blushing as his hand touch my cheeks, which he tries to hide by trying not to make eye contact with me. After that, he moves to my arms and applies ointments on the bruises.

"Ok, done," Winwin says as he closes the first aid kit.

"Thanks, Ge." I turn my head and see Winwin walking away to put the first aid kit back in its place.

Though it was a bit weird that he was blushing, I couldn't be more thankful to have a caring brother like him. He's a sweet boy.

The next day...

8:15 AM...

Winwin is driving me to college as usual, since Ten is now busy every morning and will be running late to college. For today, I decided to wear a gray hoodie to cover the bruises on my arms, combined with black jeans, and a black cap. I also covered the bruises on my face with make-up. During the ride to college, Winwin asked me if I would like to join him for dinner after college, which I agreed. I didn't have training today since the boys wanted me to fully recover first before going back on training, so spending a time with my brother actually sounds like a fun idea. I could even call it a "sibling date".

At Ming University...

"I'll pick you up after college!" Winwin says as I exit his car.

"Sure," Xiali says from outside of Winwin's car. He smiles at her before driving off.

Without anymore thinking, Xiali enters the college building and walks through the hallway. Ten hasn't arrive, so that leaves Xiali to be alone, or so she thought.

"Zhang Xiali!"

A familiar voice tinkles Xiali's ears as it sends fear down her body. She recgonized that voice anywhere, since she'll never be able to hear it with the same perspective as before. Being in fear, she didn't answer the voice and just continue to walk.

"Zhang Xiali!"

That voice called her again, starting to make me feel irritate. He doesn't give up easily. She thought that all she have to do is ignore him. At this point, some of the girls even glare at her with evil looks at the sight of her ignoring the voice, who belonged to one of the most popular guys in college.

Xiali continue to walk through the hallway, not bothering about the evil glares she is receiving, when suddenly she feels a strong grip on her shoulder, pulling her back to face the person pulling her.

She stare at the guy who she had tried to avoid. The guy who broke her trust into a thousand pieces. The guy who she really can't find a way to forgive.

"What do you want, Lucas?" she ask him with a stern tone. She look into his eyes with a sharp look.

"I want to return this to you before I go back," Lucas hands her the baby blue scrunchie which she left at his apartment a few days ago. "I'll be leaving Shanghai."

Xiali is left surprised by what he is doing, but takes the scrunchie from his hand anyway.

Lucas takes a deep breath. "Look, I'm not here to cause anymore trouble. I just want to apologize to you before I go back to Hong Kong."

Xiali didn't know how to react at this point. She is left speechless. Suddenly, she sees Hendery running to her direction from behind Lucas.

"Ge, you found her," Hendery says.

"What do you want?" Xiali ask with a stern tone. She's starting to feel furious at the two guys standing in front of her.

Lucas takes a deep breath. "It's ok, I'll talk to her," Lucas says to Hendery, making him nod.

"We want to apologize to you deeply for everything that happened. We understood that what we did was unacceptable, and unforgivable. By that, we don't wish for your forgiveness, but we just want to show our deepest apology to you," Lucas says in a low tone.

"We'll be going back to Hong Kong this afternoon," Hendery says.

"You murdered my mom and kidnapped me. You guys are total jerks! You should be ashame of yourself for hurting other people. Hurting people doesn't make someone powerful! I don't ever want to see you guys again." Furious, Xiali slaps Lucas and Hendery before storming off without saying another word.

Lucas sighs. "We blew up."

"Yeah. We had to, though," Hendery says.

"Yeah," Lucas says as he stares at Xiali as she disappears from his sight.

Hendery glance at his brother. "Why didn't you tell her?"

Lucas takes a deep breath. "Some things are better off unsaid."

"Ge, we're going back this afternoon. This is your last chance," Hendery says.

Lucas went silent for a moment as he recalls all the things he wanted to say to Xiali. He knew that saying it wouldn't even matter now, since she already hates him. Yet, Hendery does have a point, that now is his final chance to tell everything he wanted to tell her. However, after she storms off, he knew that it was impossible to meet her again, since she'll be furious. At this state, he wants to tell her without having to face her.

A few hours later...

At the cafeteria...

Xiali and Ten are having lunch together at the cafeteria. They agreed to remain friends despite what happened with them. Though they are both happy that they are together as friends again, they still struggle to put their old feelings for each other aside.

"I'm so glad that those jerks are leaving," Xiali says in a furious tone.

"I couldn't be happier about it. They were making me more worry day by day," Ten says. "Finally, we caught the mastermind."

Xiali smiles at Ten, feeling happy that she doesn't have to worry about the stalkers anymore. "I need to thank you guys so much for everything."

Ten smiles. "Hey, don't mention it. We're all your friends. We look out for each other."

Xiali's smile slowly fades upon hearing Ten's statement that they are all friends. Not that she doesn't like the idea. She is beyond grateful to be friends, yet she still tries to move on from her vision of a relationship with Ten.

It's gonna be hard for me to see you as a friend from now on. These feelings stayed for too long, that they keep forgetting that our story as a couple has end. Now, we are walking together with new visions, as friends. Xiali thought.

Meanwhile...

"So you're telling me that the idiot died that night?"

"Yes, Boss," says a man who is standing in front of his boss who was sitting in a chair while facing back, making it impossible for the guy to see his face. "And there's more news..."

"What is it?"

"Vivian Wong was murdered by a group of guys after attempting to kill the girl," says the man.

Slowly, the chair starts turning around slowly, revealing the face of the boss to the guy standing in front of him.

"Follow the girl tonight and let me finish her myself. I had enough of you idiots failing," says the boss, who is none other than Hsu Shao Guang.

To be continue....