————-
*ring ring*
The sudden sound of a ringtone interrupts Yue Ling"s words. She disregards the sound and looks deeply at the man next to her. Her expression full of determination.
"Tian, I am—"
*ring ring*
"Hmmmm!"
She sighed and takes her phone out from her coat pocket. Looking down, she frowns at the name on the screen.
Sliding the answer swipe half way, she stops and looks up at Lu Tian.
"Sorry... I need to take this call."
"Mm."
Lu Tian"s expression was calm and cold as ever, but deep down, he was raging in annoyance. His wife had something to tell him, how dare this person call at this moment. He stare at her back as she walks further away from him.
"What is it?"
Yue Ling spoke into the phone as she stops in her steps. She was annoyed that this person had interrupted her while she was trying to tell Lu Tian, he is the father of her baby.
["Sorry to bother you, Boss.. but... have you decided?"]
"...."
Like movie put on paused, her entire body froze in place. She didn"t move or make a sound. Only the sound of her beating heart echoed through her.
["Boss?"]
After what seemed like forever, she turn her head to the near, yet far away mountain in the distance.
Like a flash of light, memories of the past floated through her mind. The past she once held dearly in her heart. Like memories, they truly are just memories now...
Her hand holding the phone tightens and she closed her eyes. Like a drowning person finally able to breathe, she takes a deep breath to steadied herself.
"I"ve decided."
["Got it, Boss."]
She stare down unblinkingly at the phone in her hand. Even when the screen had turned black, her eyes did not move away.
A small breeze brush against her, waking her up. She takes another deep breath and puts her phone in her pocket. Looking at the mountain once last time, she turns around. She had made her decision, there"s no turning back.
"Sorry Tian, it was my—"
She smiled with her teeth to hide her feelings. Taking a step forward, she abruptly stops.
When her eyes met Lu Tian"s tall figure as they stood a distance apart, time seemed to have stop.
His dark eyes piercing hers. The way he looked at her wasn"t through her, but at her.
As if he was looking at the real her...
Yue Ling steadily walks toward the man. Yet, each time she got closer to him, he did not look away from her. As if his mind was filled with many thoughts.
Lu Tian stare at his wife. She walks in beauty, like the night of cloudless starry skies. Everything about her is like a black hole in the universe, engulfing him into her sweet abyss.
He didn"t care about who she was on the phone with. All he knows is that, he will seek to understand her past... her past that explains why she is the way she is..
Her battles will become his battles. Her joy is his joy... He will let her know that she has no reason to hold back anything from him.
To let her know, that he will not make her feel judged, petty or condemned.
That he is her strength and he will lift every weight on her shoulder.
Stopping in front of the man in a daze, Yue Ling tilt her head and narrow her eyes.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
He looked into her bluish green eyes and without thinking, he speaks his mind.
"Because I wonder, of all the people in the world, why am I the lucky one who found you?"
"....."
Yue Ling felt her cheeks burn hearing Lu Tian"s answer. She had asked just to tease him... never did she think he would actually answer.
She quietly clears her dry throat. With a flus.h.i.+ng red face, she grabs his hand and held it tightly. Tip toeing, she whispers near his ears as he continued to stay in a daze.
"Because you are Lu Tian, the man I love."
"....."
Suddenly coming out of his daze, he looks down at the woman who is now in front of him. A small smile appear on his indifferent expression. To hear her say, he is the man she loves, that was best feeling ever.
He lowered his head and pecks her lips, then her forehead. Squeezing her hand, he spoke.
"Ready?"
"Mm."
With their hands interlocking with each other"s, they steadily walked in the direction of the car. They had been here for too long and it was time to return home.
"What was it that you wanted to say?"
Hearing the question, Yue Ling did not look at the man, but shook her head. She had already decided to surprise him, so she"ll wait. When the time comes, she will give him a big surprise.
"It"s nothing." She looks at him and smiles, "Lets just go home."
"Mm."
Lu Tian nod his head. Glancing at his wife, he then looked in the direction of the car. He knows that she must have wanted to tell him about her pregnancy, but since she"s already planning a surprise, he"ll cooperate and patiently wait.
Besides, he also wants to see what kind of surprise she has planned out.
As they near the parked car to go home, he couldn"t help but smile faintly and thought to himself.
His home is where she is.
——————
The plane landed in Imperial as the blue sky started to turn red. Walking through the airport, Lu Tian was back to the cold and aloof man, but he held onto his wife"s hand. He doesn"t plan to let her hand go, just like how he doesn"t plan to her go.
Be it in private or in public, he is proud and happy to have her by his side. Holding her hand tightly, he walked in front as she slightly follow behind him.
Every person they pa.s.sed could not help but look in their direction. It wasn"t everyday that one gets to see such a perfect couple.
Yue Ling on the other hand was extremely nervous. She never liked to attract attention, however with all the stares, she felt like a tiny animal trapped in a cage. Even with her sungla.s.ses on, she wasn"t sure if she will run into news reporters or her fans.
It"s not that she cared, but she wasn"t sure how Lu Tian will feel. She is a retired model, what if he didn"t like being those so called scandals? Or having his photos taken?
Picking up her pace, she closed the gap between them. Tilting her head to the man, she whispers.
"Tian... don"t you think we should walk without holding hands? I mean—ouch."
With her eyes scanning around, she suddenly b.u.mps into something hard. Frowning, she caress her nose and look at the object she hit.
"..."
Seeing the object, she was dumbfounded. Lu Tian was like a pillar in the middle of the airport. He stare down at her with heavy eyes, like she had committed another crime against the heavenly emperor.
"You don"t want to hold my hand?"
His deep and cold voice sounds as his free hand gently rub her nose. He had stopped because of her question.
Yue Ling stare up at the man and she sighed. She swore, why does he have to be blessed with handsomeness and a straightforward personality.
Did she want to hold his hand?
Of course she wants to hold his hand, it was just that.....
Looking down at their held hands, she sighed again. Not being able to do anything, she decided it was best to keep holding the man"s hand. Besides, they weren"t committing a crime. They are just two people in love and holding hands.
Taking a deep breath, her small hand grips Lu Tian"s larger hand tightly. Sticking her chest out like the proud woman she is, she takes a step forward.
"Okay, okay, I was wrong. Hold hands, hold hands."
Stepping out of the airport, Yue Ling took the lead this time. She held Lu Tian"s hand with him obediently following behind her.
Without her noticing, he had purposely kept his steps slower than hers. That way, he can continue to look at her from behind and not lose sight of her.
Because Yue Ling was taking the lead, she did not see the small happy smile curled on the man"s lip. However, before anyone could see his smile, he had already turned back to the indifferent man he is.
——————-