An hour ter, Jun and Xavier entered her cafe after parking the car nearby. As they entered inside, Xavier bumped into Mei, who was fumbling with her change after making payment for her coffee. Spotting a familiar face, Mei’s scowl turned into a broad smile.

  “Xavier! You’re also getting coffee here?” Mei called out.

  Surprised, Xavier instinctively stepped aside, preventing Mei from seeing Jun. Unaware of his subtle gesture, Mei continued her rambling. “Xavier, do you know what Liam has been up to—”

  “Liam?” A gentle voice came from behind Xavier. Jun moved aside, curiously watching Mei, who so offhandedly mentioned Liam’s name. She didn’t recognise her, nor recall Liam mentioning her previously.

  All of a sudden, Xavier felt as though he was caught between a rock and a hard pce. His worst fear had still come true. He wanted to dismiss Mei immediately after she finished speaking to prevent any more interaction between the two women, but he failed. In the end, Xavier hid his grimace and quickly urged Jun, “Let’s go…”

  But Mei wouldn’t let Xavier escape without an expnation. Almost immediately, she noticed the way Xavier looked at Jun. There was a hint of protectiveness in his eyes, convincing her that Jun was someone special.

  “Wait, Xavier. Don’t you think you should introduce your girlfriend to me first? Don’t be in such a hurry to leave.” Mei whined as her fingers lightly tugged at his sleeve. Knowing Xavier, who had a soft spot for her, she knew he would find it hard to refuse her request. After all, he had always given in to her, unable to resist her pleading eyes.

  As expected, Xavier hesitated. Just as he was about to pull away from her, Jun stepped in. With a kind smile, she approached Mei and offered a handshake. She said, “I’m not his girlfriend, but it’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss. I’m Jun Lee, and you?”

  Surprised by Jun’s unexpected friendliness, Mei took a second to collect herself. She quickly reciprocated, shaking her hands with a simir warm smile. “Oh, you don’t need to be so polite! A friend of Xavier is certainly a friend of mine, too. I’m Mei Grene. Nice to meet you too, Jun.”

  Hearing her warm and enthusiastic introduction, Jun’s smile widened. But only Xavier knew the smile was anything but insidious. Although she knew Mei’s identity all along, she acted as if she didn’t, trying to get to know her. Since he didn’t understand her thoughts, he pnned to observe from the sidelines. Either way, he wouldn’t be so foolishly supportive of Mei anymore. If Jun wants to do things her way, he’ll let her.

  After a few more pleasantries were exchanged, they went to Liam’s company’s sixth-floor garden to enjoy their cups of coffee together. Open to the public, the garden was a popur spot for couples’ romantic picnics and evening walks.

  Taking a sip of her coffee, Mei looked at Jun with admiration. She gnced at Jun, from her stylish bck blouse down to her elegant heels, envying each article of her clothing. Since the clothing was from her all-time favourite brand, recognising it wasn’t difficult. But sadly, many of them were incredibly overpriced, with some pieces costing as high as a thousand dolrs.

  Mei sighed, feeling the chill of poverty.

  Jun gently put down her coffee and asked her in a concerned tone. “Are you okay?”

  “Oh, it’s nothing.” Mei brushed it off. She knew it wasn’t Jun’s fault for dressing so well, so she honestly said, “I’m just in love with your style, so I can’t help but admire it.”

  The envy in her tone didn’t go unnoticed by Jun, but she didn’t expose it out. Instead, she said, “Is that so? I was tired of wearing this brand so I’m pnning to donate them to charity. If you don’t mind, I would be happy to give them to you after getting them cleaned.”

  “Really?!” Mei was utterly overjoyed by her generosity. In order to complete just one outfit, she blew months of sary into it. But could she really take it? Just like that?

  Jun, however, never pnned to take her refusal for an answer. With a kind smile, she looked at Mei, her eyes soft and understanding. “Don’t worry, Mei. I never take back the things I don’t want. You can have them.”

  Receiving her assurance, Mei felt relieved, unaware of the deeper meaning behind her words. But Xavier caught her sarcasm, his eyes narrowing slightly in response to her cutting remark.

  Later on, Jun and Mei gradually grew closer as they continued chatting and eventually, they exchanged contact. Mei was pleased to have such a like-minded friend. When her hour-long break was ending, she was reluctant to let Jun go.

  “Jun, we should hang out again,” Mei said, earning a nod from Jun.

  On their way to the elevator, Mei noticed Jun’s weariness, kindly offered to see her off to the lobby. However, Jun refused, mentioning she had business to attend in this company. Surprised by this revetion, Mei softly gasped, secretly fearing she had unintentionally offended their important client, especially after the fact that she had brazenly accepted her clothes for no reason whatsoever.

  Before Mei could apologise, Jun chuckled, amused by her reaction.

  Once again, Jun expined the clothes were a personal gift and had nothing to do with their professional retionship, so she could take them without worry. Mei blushed in shame, putting down the anxiety in her heart before gratefully accepting her generosity.

  Inside the elevator, Mei asked Jun, “Which floor?”

  To which she replied, “28th floor.”

  28th floor? Mei was puzzled. Isn’t Liam’s office on that floor? Did he mention a client was meeting him today?

  A sudden unease gripped Mei, and she quickly pressed the elevator buttons, waiting for it to go up. As the elevator missed her floor, she felt a hint of regret, but remained determined to finish what she started. With a feigned look of confusion, Mei said apologetically, “Oh no, I must have forgotten to press my floor. Let me send you two up first.”

  Then Mei turned around to face the exit nonchantly, praying her trick wouldn’t be discovered.

  Witnessing Mei’s subtle actions, Xavier and Jun exchanged a look of silence. In the end, they said nothing to expose her, but a cruel smirk repced Jun’s kind expression, as if she was waiting for her moment to py.

  …

  On the 28th floor, Xavier and Jun exited the elevator before Mei quietly followed them.

  Having been informed of their arrival beforehand, the secretaries rose to greet them, yet they paused awkwardly upon noticing Mei following close behind. Maintaining a professional demeanour, they quickly offered to escort them to Liam’s office.

  But Mei was too distracted to notice the secretaries staring at her strangely.

  Once Jun reached outside Liam’s office, she gave Mei a fleeting gnce before entering his office as though his permission was unnecessary. As the narrow gap between the gss doors was about to close, Mei caught a glimpse of Liam and Jun locked in an embrace.

  In an instant, a string in her mind snapped.

  Before Mei could fly into a rage, Xavier quickly dragged Mei away, his sharp gre silencing the stunned onlookers. Once they were on the rooftop, far away from anyone’s prying eyes, he finally released her.

  Consumed by jealousy, Mei lunged at Xavier, her fingers digging into his colr as she angrily demanded him for an answer.

  “You knew! You knew she was Liam’s fiancée!”

  “So what if I knew?”

  Anticipating her anger, Xavier gripped her wrists until it turned purple and blue, then he yanked them off him. When Mei fell to the ground, the usual warmth in his gaze had vanished, repced by a frightening coldness as he looked down at her.

  “Unlike you, Mei, she is his fiancée. What gives you the right to be angry with her?”

  Tears streamed down Mei’s contorted face. Never had she experienced such a deep betrayal from the one who was supposed to help her and Liam get back together.

  “Right? What right do I need? He should have been with me, not her!” Mei cried indignantly. “You promised me you’d help me, didn’t you?”

  “Yes, I did, and I regret it.”

  “So why stop? Why not continue to help me? Why side with her?!”

  Xavier remained indifferent. “Tell me then, expin what you and Liam were up to that rainy day. Or on other days when you get Liam to leave Jun after a phone call?”

  “…You saw?” Then, as if something had clicked in her mind, her eyes widened with understanding. She suddenly said, “You were with her, weren’t you?”

  Xavier said nothing more, but his silence meant agreement.

  “Hahaha…” Mei became hysterical, her ughter turning to choked cries. The unsettling sight of Xavier’s heartlessness was burning at the back of her mind, making her painfully aware of how everything had changed. She gred at Xavier, hating how he had broken his promise.

  “Does my expnation even make a difference now? You’ll still choose her, anyway.”

  “Since you don’t want to help me anymore, there’s nothing else for me to say. Believe me, if I can get him to leave her once, I can always do it again! He’s mine!”

  Looking at Mei, Xavier thought jealousy had driven her insane. Not only was she pnning to split up a couple, she also felt she was justified in doing so. He suddenly felt like he didn’t understand her anymore. Is this really the same woman he was so fond of in the past?

  “Mei, you’ve lost your mind.”

  Giving one st gnce at Mei, Xavier turned and walked away, leaving her behind without a second thought.

  When the heavy rooftop door finally smmed shut, Mei screamed and broke down in uncontrolble tears.

  Consumed by a burning resentment, Mei felt an intense urge to rip Liam away from Jun’s grasp. Every time she recalled the scene of them hugging, it was like a sharp knife twisting in her chest.

  However much she had admired Jun previously was how much she despised her now.

  “Just you wait, Jun.”

  Mei couldn’t wait to see the day Jun falls into desperation when her man gets stolen by her.

  juno21