Forced by fate – Destined to be his Wife

TangShi sat motionless on the couch, silently awaiting Linlin showing in the Detective who she assumed was who rang the bell a moment ago. She tried not to fidget with her nails as she swallowed hard and concentrated on deep breaths to calm her nerves. All night she had tossed and turned, going over the statement she would have to give today, and she wasn’t looking forward to going through everything again. Even with blank spaces it somehow had begun to traumatize her now she knew the truth.

Her dreams had been a torturous mix of nightmares and flashes of memory, and yet she still was none the wiser to what actually happened once she was sin that room and she didn’t want to know. If Rong was arrested and gave testimony then the details were not something she felt she was strong enough to face if he admitted what he did. Right now it was somewhat of a blessing that she couldn’t remember anything, and she wasn’t sure she would have the mental strength to get through knowing the facts. Like this there was always a tiny glimmer of hope that he did nothing to her, and it gave her a miniscule of sanity to get through it.

“Ummm Tang, It’s not the detective it’s …” Linlin’s voice faded out as she walked back into the room, followed by someone taller and TangShi blinked up towards them. Her face paling and blood running cold when she noted it was not one, but two taller men, right behind her. ZhengLi first with a somber expression as he locked his focus on her face and nodded lightly with a warm smile hello. An aura of apology and awkwardness.

TangShi’s pulse almost stopped when YuZhi walked in behind him with caution, his eyes scanning the room and coming to rest on her quiet face as she sat here waiting patiently. He hesitated, a flip in his stomach making his chest tighten and he wasn’t sure how he should approach her. Swallowing hard and his palms getting clammy, but she didn’t visually react at all.

“Why are you here?” She asked blandly, moving form looking at them to her hands as she smoothed out her simple dress. Her demeanor poised and calm as though this was nothing.

“Can we have a minute alone.” YuZhi gestured to her, looking for permission to get the other two to step out. Nervous and uptight and trying to read her blank expression.

“What for?” TangShi shut him down, spotting Linlin sliding sideways to ZhengLi where she caught his leather jacket sleeve and tugged him with her.

“We’ll go make coffee. Take your time. Don’t mind us.” Linlin knew that despite being angry at YuZhi, she shouldn’t interfere with the conversation they needed to have and ZhengLi and her had some words to talk through of their own. ZhengLi didn’t object but followed her with haste, catching her by the wrist and sliding his hand down to hers in an attempt to hold it but got slapped away.

YuZhi watched them leave before proceeding, moving into the living room and hovering by the arm of the long couch where TangShi was sat.

TangShi exhaled heavily, irritated that Linlin would do this without asking her and sat upright with a stiff flinch.

“I’m sorry, Tang…… I don’t know what else to say. How to undo everything. I’m really sorry. I know those words sound empty and flat and underwhelming compared to everything, but I really am sorry.” He clawed for the best way to apologize always being pretty useless with sentimental words and expressing his emotions. YuZhi stammered as he tried to formulate something more meaningful.

“I don’t want your apology anymore. I don’t even know why you’re here.” TangShi was closed off and numb to everything. The shock at seeing him fading fast and instead a darkness settled over het heart leaving it in empty cold shadow.

“Tang, I know I royally screwed us over. I wish I could undo the past week. If I knew then what I …”

“Right. If we both knew then what we do now, maybe you wouldn’t have left me there, but we didn’t, and this is what it is. Why are you here? What do you want?” TangShi wasn’t in the mood for heartfelt conversations and regrets. She checked her watch knowing the detective would show up soon and exhaled heavily, tapping her nails on her watch face and looking around at anything but him. Scared to let him open the wounds in her heart while she needed to stay strong to get through this interview. She couldn’t fall apart now.

“I’m here to give a statement about showing up at the hotel. The text, what happened. The detective knows I’m coming here. I assaulted him but he never pressed charges…. although he might after this…… That aside, I’m here for you. To support and take care of you. To make amends.” YuZhi moved to the single armchair sensing she didn’t want him close and slid down to perch on the edge. As much as he was craving to go over and hug her, he could read her very strong stay away signals. It hurt his heart, but he understood why she didn’t want him near her.

“I wouldn’t put it past him. He’s scum. I don’t doubt this is going to escalate when he finds out I reported him.” TangShi spat the words with bitterness a hint of hurt showing through in her strained tone and YuZhi flinched, longing to be nearer her to comfort her. Seeing her like this, all the anger and hatred pulled away from his now perfectly focused sight, he could see how thin she had become, how pale and he had to clench his fists to fight the urge to go to her. She was fragile and vulnerable and trying to be strong. It broke him inside.

“I should have done worse. For what he did……. I regret stopping when I did. Are you okay? I mean, physically. What about your foot…. and your hand?” YuZhi glanced away, down at his lap as guilt consumed him and made everything heavy. Regretting so many things these past days and not sure where to begin. He had replayed so many times the few scenes between them and how much he had added to her pain.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

“Both are fine. I’m fine. Everything is fine.” She answered robotically, a slight sarcastic laugh at the end which only highlighted how not fine she was. Her eyes misted involuntarily as she forced them out and had to sniff back a wave of emotion.

“I know you might not want to hear this right now, or care, but…… throw away the divorce papers. The apartment is your home, you can go back anytime, and I’ll move out if that’s what you want. I reinstated your cards and your bank account, and I left your ring in your old bedroom at home. I have a driver and car for you for when you feel able to go out and I’ll make sure you have a bodyguard at all times, always protected no matter where you are.”

“I don’t need or want any of it. Right now, I honestly don’t care anymore. Divorce me, what difference will it make.” TangShi really meant it. She had become so entrenched in this mess that she had stopped being able to feel anything beyond cold disconnect. Her mind and heart numb from shock and betrayal after a lifetime of hard knocks, and it had finally snapped something in her soul. An accumulation of growing too big for her. She could only experience emptiness and a sense of loss, but the tears had stopped falling and when she woke up this morning it felt like all her purposes in life had flown away on the breeze.

YuZhi swallowed hard to curb the knee jerk wince of pain in his gut at her words, knowing he deserved it but it still stung. ZhengLi had told him a million times this morning to give her time and understanding. That she was processing a lot and she was hurt and defensive. That he shouldn’t antagonize her or give her a hard time or pressurize her. He was trying really hard not to break down in front of her as it was, but he hated seeing her this way. This wasn’t his sweet sunshine girl.

“Come home. Please. Where I can take care of you and make sure you’re safe through all of this. This is only the start before the police take things further and things might get messy or go public. I want you where I can take care of you.”