Holding the lab report, Ren Yan's hand was shaking uncontrollably.
Without chemotherapy, she had less than a year left.
In a desperate silence, she slowly took out her phone, trying to leave a message for Yan Xi. Her lips, slightly pale, quivered, unable to make a sound after a moment's thought, she cleared her throat, and finally choked out, "Yan Xi, come home for dinner tonight."
Ren Yan tried to sound relaxed, but inside, her heart was bleeding.
A sharp, excruciating pain took over all her senses, her legs shook, lips turned white and eyes became terribly red.
Struggling to get up, Ren Yan staggered home, feeling as if everyone on the street was laughing at her.
There was no one at home, on the table lied a scribbled note: "You're on your own for dinner tonight."
Not even a single message huh.
A cynical smile tugged at Ren Yan's lips, tears welling up in the corner of her eyes.
Because of long-term malnutrition, Ren Yan had insufficient oxygen supply to her brain. Her body was shaking like a leaf about to fall from a tree. She stumbled towards the dressing table next to her, trying to steady herself when she inadvertently caught a glimpse of her face in the mirror.
She lightly traced her face with her hand, feeling its coolness.
So ugly, such an ugly scar. No wonder Yan Xi didn’t like it.
The weather outside was getting colder and colder. Ren Yan reheated the food on the table again and again, she had especially made Yan Xi's favorite dish. The surroundings grew colder as darkness descended.
Why... Why isn't he back yet?
Ren Yan shifted her somewhat numb body, only to suddenly hear a commotion outside, followed by the harsh sound of a car braking.
"Is that Yan Xi... Has he been drinking again?"
Ren Yan hurriedly got up from the sofa, but due to pain, she kept gasping for breath. However, she didn't have time to think about it; all she wanted was to see Yan Xi as soon as possible.
Yan Xi got out of the car, using one hand to push Ren Yan away. He loathed these women who always clung onto him. One word, cheap.
"Yan Xi..." Yet she anxiously moved in closer again, noticing his strong smell of smoke.
"Get inside." Yan Xi commanded. In this house, he was the emperor, and she, merely a servant, a concubine.
Ren Yan poured a cup of tea for Yan Xi and pulled out a smile. Over the years, she had developed the ability to maintain a smile regardless of the pain.
"Yan Xi, have some tea to sober up."
Yan Xi's cold eyes swept across Ren Yan's face, not missing the humiliation and awkwardness in her eyes. With a smirk, he ridiculed, "Mrs. Yan, is the tea this cold? Can't you even serve people well? The maids are much better than you."
The cold, dark light made Ren Yan's complexion even paler.
Over the years, she thought she would no longer care about Yan Xi's outbursts, but every time, his words hurt her greatly.
Yan Xi let out a few smirks, pushed Ren Yan away, and as he was leaving, he accidentally knocked over the tea on the table, spilling the scalding liquid all over the floor.
The man glanced at it, his eyelids twitching slightly, he then leaned on the wall and collapsed onto the bed for a rest.
Ren Yan stared blankly at the still-steaming tea on the floor, somewhat dazed. She dragged her body to clean up the stain on the floor, only to find more stains on herself. Lowering her eyelids, she went into the bathroom.
But as soon as she came out, she was dragged by Yan Xi to the balcony.
On the balcony was a clear floor-to-ceiling window, from outside one could see everything inside clearly. Looking at her reflection in the window, Ren Yan realized it was a detail that had been specifically designed for her. However, she thought about it and realized, it had been a long time since she last came here to enjoy the view.
Yan Xi briskly walked in, crudely stripping Ren Yan of her clothes. His hands moving inch by inch over her skin, he positions her against the floor-to-ceiling window. Ren Yan, nervously watching reflections of his facial expressions, is terrified he would loathe her frail, skinny body.
She was humbled by the depths of her regard for this man.
"Why do you feel so weak and feeble?" Yan Xi detestably remarked.
Ren Yan felt so weak, yet she dared not refuse. As she thought, her body felt soft, as if electrified, restlessly shifting her stance.
"Don't act like a corpse! Let's hear you."
Ren Yan's eyes revealed waves of pain mixed with desire. She could feel an engulfing heat but no warmth in her heart.
Perhaps, this was her fate, Yan Xi was her fate.
Ren Yan could not stand it anymore. Her whispers stirred Yan Xi's carnal needs.
Yan Xi left Ren Yan looking utterly dishevelled while she gritted her teeth in silence, swallowing the pain.
Yan Xi grunted, "Such a cheap woman."
Ren Yan felt as though a sledgehammer had hit her heart, frantically shaking her head, her hands around Yan Xi's neck tightened. Ren Yan felt like a plaything to be humiliated, yet found liberation in it.
"I... love you... ah... Yan Xi..." Ren Yan's murmuring filled Yan Xi's ears. Fragmented but filled with desire, enough to make him addicted.
A layer of cold mist slowly gathered in Yan Xi's eyes. Love? Her love for him had led to all the misery and pain he faced over the years. Her demeaning behavior had made his life deviate from its course, losing control. Now this woman claimed to love him?
Ren Yan's body leaned closer. Yan Xi subconsciously tried to avoid her. Tears streamed down Ren Yan's face as she stubbornly clung to his neck, her parched lips kissing him while her hands grazed his back.
"Do you love me too? Lie to me, please. I beg you, I can't survive without you."
Yan Xi was fed up with this woman's words and with her face. He turned around and fiercely tossed her onto the bed. Ren Yan buried her face in the pillow, her body quivering in pain. She had no dignity, yet he wouldn't even bestow upon her a single lie.
After satiating his desires, Yan Xi left Ren Yan's side. With a resentful voice, Ren Yan asked, "Why are you treating me like this? Isn't this scar on my face caused by you? All I ask is for a tiny bit, just a small bit of love."
"Don't even think about it." Yan Xi despised her, felt sick at her sight. He wished he could exchange her life for that of another woman.
When Ren Yan first fell in love with Yan Xi, she vowed to spend her life with him. However, she never imagined, after marrying Yan Xi according to her wish, everything turned out to be so cruel. She thought Yan Xi wouldn't be so heartless. She thought she could move Yan Xi. Instead, she ended up being scarred all over.
"Heh, when you were hurting Xin'er behind my back, when you ruined her face while I wasn’t around, did you ever think that one day you would beg for my kindness?" Yan Xi looked coldly at Ren Yan, who laid feeble on the bed, and put his clothes back on.
