C6

The art exhibit was about to begin, and Xia Yuli still hasn't drawn any satisfactory painting. With a huff, she grabbed one of her old canvases instead. "You're here!" The director waved his hand and nodded in greeting. Unlike all the other art directors she had met, this one didn't have his features marred with judgment. He didn't think that she had something to hide. If only everyone could think the same thing.

A bitter smile slipped into her lips, but she shook those thoughts away. Instead, she bowed her head and murmured, "Thank you, Director."

"It's no problem at all! Now, let me help you with this painting..." In her exhibition, her painting was placed in Area B–a more conspicuous location in comparison to the other artworks, which were presented right out in the open. A more logical decision–that one. Despite this, she still attended on the first day of the exhibition wearing a black gown.

She stopped and walked, glancing at a few paintings that she had liked. The others didn't notice her, as she was too busy blending in the shadows–only standing in the background until the crowd had gone.

However, she didn't expect to see He Yao'an here again. Turned out, he was a sponsor in the event, and he was supposed to meet and greet the famous painters that were presented in the exhibit. "Mr. He, please, over here," one of them called, assisting him down the hall.

This was the first time Xia Yuli had ever seen him in person after all those years. It was also the first time she had ever seen him in his gold-rimmed glasses. It fitted him, she supposed, as it further sharpened his cold gaze and expanded his intimidating aura.

His gaze swept across the room before landing on her, and their eyes locked together. He didn't move towards her, nor did he retreat. Instead, he walked, pretending as if he didn't even recognize her.

Before Xia Yuli could even walk away, she heard a scream sounding from the other end of the room. "It's the plagiarizing bitch! She has the nerve to show her face here!" Crap, it was already too late.

Immediately, the large and spacious museum felt like a zoo, with dozens of eyes glaring at her small frame.

Everyone immediately surrounded her, rendering her no exit. "Bet she's trying to copy something," one of them whispered to the other, sneering at her bowed head. "Bitch has no shame after everything she has done."

He Yao'an didn't do anything as he stared from outside the circle, gazing coldly at her patient and indifferent features.

He couldn't dare imagine how many times she had suffered from these mistreatments. Hell, even the thought of it was making his stomach sick. But never once did she turn to him for help. Never once had she mentioned his name or clarified the truth, so what else was he supposed to do?

Their words grew louder and louder as her frame grew even smaller. Not being able to take it anymore, he stepped forward and pulled her out of the art museum. His grip was tight and his pacing was quick that he didn't even give her a chance to refuse him.

Although her appearance didn't change much, her wrist got thinner than the last time he had held them. As he turned around and gazed at her, he realized that the glint in her eyes that he so loved and cherished had dulled. All he could see were pools of ice.

Once they were out of sight, He Yao'an finally let go of her hand. "Give me the photos," he snapped. "I'll get someone to make a statement."

"There's no need. It doesn't matter anyway." Xia Yuli turned her head, taking interest in the wall beside her.

"It doesn't matter to you, but it does to me!" He glowered. "You used to be my woman, or have you forgotten that? I'm not going to allow the press to embarrass you like some stray dog! I'm not going to allow yourself to humiliate you any further!"

"A stray dog? Your woman?" She laughed in incredulity. "Was I ever even your woman, He Yao'an? I beg to differ."

'I wanted to make you mine...but you didn't.' He stared at her for a long time, but he couldn't find himself uttering those words. Instead, all he could hear was the clamor in his chest, just begging for her to make peace with him.

However, they were both prideful people, and no one was willing to bow down. All they could do was lash out their thorns to anyone close to them, and that also included themselves.

In the end, He Yao'an gritted his teeth. "I've never met a woman who doesn't know what's good for her," he snarled. He hated it, hated that he couldn't say it, and hated her for not being able to blurt it out as well.

Instead, Xia Yuli didn't say a word as she watched his retreating figure. The feeling of inferiority that she had once buried within the depths of her heart had exploded once again, this time, it was all too much for her to bear. "Why did you have to show up?"