C1 Chapter 1

Her body was burning with heat as strong as volcanic lava, and the only one who could save her, was the man before her.

She clung tightly to the cold marble-like skin, her survival instinct eventually making her give up all resistance.

Pain was accompanied by pleasure slowly rising bit by bit, like a firework display going off in her mind, making her feel like she was a lone boat in a sea of fire.

Rising, then sinking, it was hard for her to free herself—

“Hey, wake up…It’s cold here, don’t catch a cold—”

The pressure on her shoulders caused Arisen Ni to wake up abruptly; her disoriented gaze met with the concerned eyes of the nurse. In an instant, her guilty conscience made her face blush, she wished she could crawl into a hole in the ground as she avoided the nurse’s gaze in shame.

Damn, although it has already been such a long time after that one drunken night, that hot night she had with Trojan Pierre kept appearing in her dreams from time to time.

Thanks to being drunk to the point of unconsciousness, she did not have much memory of that night, otherwise she would not know how to face him.

The nurse saw that she had finally woken up, and passed the papers in her hands to her: “You forgot to take your pregnancy health results, Dr. Santos would like you to come again next week!”

Arisen Ni received the report, smiled sweetly, and carefully placed the papers in her own purse.

Trojan was still studying overseas, he was coming back tonight. Thinking of the meeting tonight, Arisen unconsciously tensed up.

Because the area Trojan was at was too inaccessible, it was only until the child was more than 7 months old that she finally contacted him.

Thinking of the shock that Trojan had when he found out she was pregnant, Arisen was a little nervous.

Was it because she was particularly sensitive due to the pregnancy? She felt that Trojan was not as happy as she was about this.

The doctor reassured her saying that men were always like that with their first child, their mentality would take some time to change!

But…… it couldn’t be that, even regarding marriage, she would have to be the one to speak up?

The sun was burning brightly in the sky when she came out of the hospital.

She struggled to support her waist, just as she was about to wave down a taxi, a dazzling red sports car rushed towards her.

Arisen's heart thumped, and she retreated quite a few steps back.

Only to hear a screeching sound from the brakes, as the red sports car just brushed over the edge of her clothes, before stopping abruptly.

Her heart almost stopped; after slowly regaining her footing, she saw a woman, wearing a body-hugging red dress, toss her wavy hair as she stepped down from the car.

“Margaux Ni, are you crazy!?”

Margaux looked at her, laughing with deep meaning. With crossed arms, as if strutting on the catwalk, she swayed as she walked until she stood in front of Arisen. Using the advantage of her high heels, she arrogantly looked down on the big bellied Arisen.

“What? Scared that I’ll kill the bastard in your stomach?”

Arisen subconsciously protected her abdomen, taking a step back, she looked at her warily.“Margaux! Don’t you go too far!”

Despite knowing that Margaux had always been at loggerheads with her, Arisen had not thought that she could speak such vicious words.

“Going too far? You’re the one who went too far! After getting drunk and doing it with some wild man and getting pregnant, then trying to make Trojan become the father, tsk tsk.. Arisen Ni, aren’t you so shameless!”

Arisen froze, “What nonsense are you saying?”

“Hey, don’t tell me you really believe that the man who slept with you that night, was Trojan?” Ning Xueluo laughed before leaning back: “Saying that you grew up with him since you were kids with every other sentence, saying that you’re childhood sweethearts, and you don’t even know what his figure is like?”

Arisen grew paler as she listened, despite standing under intense sunlight, her whole body felt cold.

Yes, the man from that night…

She had only thought…… Trojan was fitter than she had imagined after growing up.

Now with Margaux’s malicious reminder, she then suddenly recalled that, other than the body, the man from that night was indeed very different from Trojan.

Chapter 2: A Stranger’s Bastard

“I’ll just tell it to you straight! That night you drank the wine that I added a little something to, and out of good will, I found two brawny men for you so that you could fully satisfy your desire. Who knew that you would be so insensible? You actually entered some wild man’s room, and even unceremoniously!” Margaux’s tone was full of disgust: “Trojan was too kind-hearted, he was afraid that you wouldn’t be able to accept the truth, so he said that it was him that night!”

“You……” Arisen was trembling with anger, listening up to here, she could no longer hold back and grabbed Margaux’s wrist. “Why would you do that to me? Why! Haven’t you harmed me enough?”

Margaux had her eyebrows raised in anger at first, and was about to push Arisen away, but she caught sight of 'him' standing behind Arisen. She immediately softened her voice, showing off a delicate and pitiful expression: “Older sister, I know I was wrong. If you want to beat and scold someone, then do it towards me, don’t blame him..”

Arisen froze, and in the next second, she saw Margaux suddenly fall to the ground, that pose… was as if she had pushed her.

“Arisen! What did you do!?” A scolding voice sounded from behind her.

She turned in surprise, and saw Trojan with a cold expression.

Trojan brushed past her, and supported Margaux up. “Margaux, are you okay?”

Margaux was practically hanging her entire body on him. “Trojan, I didn’t do it on purpose, I know I’m in the wrong…… I’m the one who should be sorry to sister for causing all this.”

“That’s enough, I’ll settle everything!” Trojan patted Margaux’s shoulders, letting her enter the car. “I’ll explain everything to Arisen.”

Arisen's mind was completely blank, she watched Trojan walk towards her, and watched his mouth open and close.

He talked for a long time.

He spoke of their time together as childhood sweethearts, of his struggle when he fell in love with Margaux, of his anger when he found out that Margaux had plotted against her, of his shock and guilt when he found out that Arisen was pregnant. He spoke of how he had accepted Margaux's apology.

Finally, he said.

“Arisen, I’m sorry, I can’t marry you. It’s not because of the matter of that night or this child, but it’s because I can’t let her down, and I don’t want to deceive myself and my feelings.”

These few months, he had been taking Margaux with him overseas, and after getting along together day and night, it was even harder to separate. Even though he had admitted that he was the one who had relations with Arisen that night for the sake of covering up her pain, in his heart, he had already chosen Margaux Ni.

So after knowing that Arisen was pregnant, he could not bear it any longer and immediately went to the Ni family to explain everything to their parents, and to reveal the truth to Arisen.

“Then, Trojan you knew all along that it was Ning Xueluo who drugged me to ruin my innocence? For the sake of protecting her, you told me that it was you that night?” Arisen had finally recovered her voice, looked at the cool and calm Trojan as if her soul had escaped from her body.

“Arisen, your sisrter did not do it on purpose, she’s still young, and impulsive."

“Then what about me?” Arisen raised her head to look at Trojan, face full of despair. “Did you ever think of me, not even for a little bit?”

Trojan did not speak, and after a long while, he reached out to Arisen. “The sun is too bright here, let’s go home first.”

“Don’t touch me!” Arisen pushed away Trojan hands, and suddenly started laughing loudly.

Living up to now, Arisen felt that her life was like a joke.

In order to live in the same city as Trojan, she had put all her strength in her studies so she could get into B University.

In order to please Trojan, she had given her dream of acting.

In order to match his upbringing and family background, she had abandoned her adoptive parents to return to the Ni family, clumsily trying to please those so-called distinguished figures.

In the end, what she received in return was one sentence.

“I can’t let Margaux down.”

Margaux, had stolen not only her identity, and her biological parents, but now..she had even stolen away her sweetheart!

Margaux was still young, so her mistakes could be forgiven?

Then— who would take responsibility for her life?

She even—she didn’t even know who the man from that night was!

Arisen covered her face; body shaking fiercely, she was already in the depths of despair.

Trojan watched Arisen walk towards the road unthinkingly, as if in a trance. He threw away the cigarette he was grasping between his fingers, and was about to chase after her, but was held back by Margaux, who held onto his sleeve from behind: “Trojan, where are you going?”

And in the instant Trojan was hesitating, a loud noise rang out. Arisen, who had been walking on the zebra crossing, was thrown into the air, landing heavily on the ground.

“Help! Help! A pregnant woman was hit!!”

In the glaring light, Arisen saw shaking silhouettes and the two faces that made her nauseous. The cramping pain that came from her belly caused her to lose consciousness bit by bit. She only blinked her eyes once, and the fresh blood on her forehead flowed into her eyes. The world fell into darkness.

Chapter 3: The Little Boy in the Bar

Five years later.

In the Eton bar, in a corridor on the empty top floor.

Arisen had been drinking for the entire night to accompany some investors. With a splitting headache, she wanted to find somewhere clean and quiet to sober up, but she had not expected that Chance would follow her. She could only gather up her spirit to deal with her, “Sister Chance, is there something you want to say?”

“Arisen let me ask you something. Did you register to audition for the female lead in《Land Under Heaven》?”

“Yes, why?”

“You’re not allowed to go tomorrow!” Although Chance was her manager, she was stopping her from auditioning for this role that all the major entertainment companies were jostling for.

Arisen was not at all surprised by this, and only raised her brows and asked: “Reason?”

“You went behind my back and acted by yourself, and you still dare to ask me for the reason? Didn’t you know that the company has already arranged for Margaux to audition?”

“This doesn’t seem to conflict with the company’s arrangements.” Arisen smiled faintly at her, “Margaux made you come find me? Don’t tell me she’s afraid that I, a small-time actress whose name isn’t even known, will snatch her role?”

“You think you have the ability to snatch Margaux’s role? You’re still talking in your dreams! Let me tell you, don’t waste your efforts. The Ni family has invested 30 million into this movie, Margaux is already sitting securely in this role!”

“Then why are you so anxious?”

“Since you’re my artist, you have to listen to my arrangments!” Chance said as if that was how it ought to be.

“Heh, so sister Chance still knows that I’m an artist under you.”

“Arisen, I don’t have the time to bicker with you, since you’re refusing to comply, don’t blame me for resorting to force!”

As she finished speaking, Arisen felt a strong blow from behind. Caught off guard, she was pushed into the storeroom in the corner, and her phone was also taken away.

With a bang, the door was heavily shut.

……

The footsteps outside the door slowly drifted away.

Knowing that shouting was useless, Arisen kept silent. Leaning against the door, she slid down to the floor with an indifferent expression.

When she had first entered the company, Margaux was still able to restrain herself, and only made Chance arrange for some villain roles for her at most. However, she was growing bolder and starting to go too far. She was even able to throw out such a low level tactic.

If she failed to get the role this time, then she had to find a way to leave Starlight Entertainment.

Amidst her messy thoughts, a small sound travelled to her ears.

Was there a mouse?

Arisen followed the direction of the sound and looked over— and was stunned.

She saw a little boy behind a stack of boxes.

That little guy looked to be about four or five; he looked like a finely carved jade piece, white, soft, like a little bun. He was currently shivering and hiding in the corner, his dark eyes filled with precaution and vigilance.

Uh, why would there be a child in a storeroom of a bar?

There shouldn’t be a customer so crazy as to bring their child to a bar, right?

“Hey, little bun, who are you? How did you get in here?”

“Did you sneak in?”

“Were you also shut in here by someone?”

“Do you eat sweets?”

After questioning him for half the day, the child remained silent, but started shaking even more, as if he were a frightened little beast.

Finally, Arisen did not bother continuing to speak, it had nothing to do with her anyway.

The two of them, adult and child, thus peacefully occupied a corner each.

At this moment, the light bulb above them flashed brightly, then went out.

In the darkness, Arisen vaguely heard a chattering sound. After carefully listening for a bit, she realised that it was similar to the sound of teeth chattering.

Arisen laughed in spite of herself, and turned towards the little bun to say, “Scared of the dark?”

The chattering sound paused for a second, before increasing in volume.

Oh, how was he so cowardly?

Arisen patted her bottom and stood up, then walked towards the little guy.

To be continued