Ch. 161..170

Chapter 161

“Since you're so adamant on keeping our relationship under wraps, I shall fulfill your wish,” Michael coldly replied and stormed out of the door without even sparing a second glance at me.

I was baffled to see him infuriated. I don't think I said anything wrong, so why is he so angry? Could it be because of that message?

As I thought of that message he sent me, I was overwhelmed with guilt once again.

I hurriedly shook my head to get rid of any thoughts relating to Michael and directed my attention back to continue with dinner preparation.

Nonetheless, he did not return when dinner was ready. I sat at the dining table and waited for him, yet he never appeared even after two hours.

Every night, we would eat dinner together in this house without fail. That had slowly become a habit of mine. As such, I could not get used to his absence that night and only ate a few bites before going for a bath and then to bed.

I had always told myself not to hold Michael in a special place in my heart and to learn to be indifferent and composed so that there was no way I would fall in love with him.

After all, the one who got aroused first will be the loser between the two of us.

That night, Michael did not return. I was worried and had no idea where he went, but I suppressed the urge to call him.

In the next few days, he did not set foot at Birchwood either. I had only seen him in the company during the day. I desperately wanted to ask if he had gone to the mansion, or perhaps he had gone to some other woman's house instead.

Nevertheless, I knew that I was in no position to ask those questions because I was the one who had asked him to keep a distance. Thus, my question would only add to his displeasure.

I grabbed a document, headed toward the CEO's office, and chanced upon an opportunity to knock on Michael's room door when no one was noticing me.

I waited till his voice sounded from inside before I pushed open the door and walked in.

I came in to see Michael, with his head lowered, focused on going through the documents. I was a little hesitant as I came in front of him, unsure of what to say.

When he finally raised his head to look at me after a long time, he furrowed his brows as he asked, “What's the matter?”

“Umm... I need you to look through this document and sign it too.”

The moment we exchanged glances, I forgot everything that I had wanted to say as my mind went blank. It took me a long time before I recovered from my stupor. “Since you're so adamant on keeping our relationship under wraps, I shall fulfill your wish,” Michael coldly replied and stormed out of the door without even sparing a second glance at me.

“That is the work of a secretary. Why are you, an employee from the design department, sending the

document and asking for signature?” Michael exposed me mercilessly while looking at me coldly.

I only wanted to find an excuse to get in his room, so I did not think much else at all.

“I-I...”

“Tell me. What's the matter?”

I had wanted to explain myself, yet Michael did not give me a chance to do so. He did not spare me another glance after saying those words to me.

“Were you staying at the mansion for the past few days? You haven't been back at Birchwood...” I hesitated for a long time before finally putting those words out in a low voice.

“It's within working hours now. Do you think it's appropriate for you to discuss private matters now?”

Michael's gaze turned colder and I could sense that suffocating chill from the look in his eyes.

“I...”

Panic rose in my heart instantly as I did not expect him to lose his temper. I wanted to explain myself but was interrupted by him.

“Get out of here!” he snarled.

My eyes flickered. When I finally regained my senses, I felt sad as I could not believe Michael would let out his frustration on me.

Tears welled up in my red-rimmed eyes, but I forcefully held my tears back even though I felt indignant about it.

I turned and hurried out of the CEO's office and returned to my desk.

On my way back from the CEO's office, many eyes swung at me, all of whom held a trace of ridicule on their faces.

Even though it felt like my insides were tearing apart, I ignored their mockery and tried to keep my composure in front of them as I did not want them to see me at my weakest state.

While in the company for the past few days, Michael did not even spare me a glance at all, let alone talk to me. Who knew it would end up this way when I finally decided to take the initiative to approach him today. Of course, I felt disheartened and miserable.

Besides, I just had a streak of bad luck recently without any reason. There had been too many unlucky incidents—I could not find my documents; the saved files on my computer went missing, and the office chair broke apart.

I had a creeping feeling that someone had been setting me up intentionally because unlucky things could not have happened continuously.

Then again, it was pure suspicions in my mind. After all, I did not have any substantive evidence to support my claims, and everything that had happened could purely be due to my crappy luck.

In the late evening, after settling my physiological needs at the washroom, I was about to get out when I realized I could not open the door at all. It felt like something had blocked it from opening.

I tried to push the door hard, but it did not budge even a little. I began to panic at the thought that there would barely be anyone visiting the washroom as it was almost time to get off work.

“Anyone there? Is anyone out there?”

I used all my might to push the washroom door as I yelled for help. However, there was no reply. There was only dead silence outside, as though no one was around.

When I remembered I could use my phone to call for help and tried to reach for it, I realized that I had left it on my desk. That meant I could not contact anybody to come and save me.

Helplessness and fear struck me once again. I did not know what I should do at that moment.

So if I can't get out, does that mean I'll have to spend the night inside this washroom?

“Anybody there? Please help me!”

Refusing to give up, I continued to scream for help. Similarly, no one replied from outside.

Time was ticking, but no one came to my help. It was made worse by the wind from the air conditioner in the washroom that only seemed to get colder than before.

Technically speaking, the air conditioner was usually switched off after working hours. Why is it still so cold?

I squatted near the door of the washroom, and the increasingly cold air only made me shivered uncontrollably. I could not wrap my mind around who the person was behind this incident.

No one had ever locked the door to the washroom in normal circumstances. What's wrong today? Who is behind this?

I was now certain that someone indeed had deliberately locked me up in here. Even if I were so out of luck, it was impossible that a series of unlucky events happened to me continuously.

Even so, there was nothing I could do. I could not even get out of the washroom, and I reckoned I would not be able to hold out any longer if the temperature remained cold in there.

A long time had passed, and I could only feel my whole body freezing. The washroom was so cold that I felt no trace of warmth even when I curled myself up in a corner.

 

Chapter 162

As time passed, I felt like I was floating in thin air as my body felt frozen. I knew I was unable to endure it any longer.

Yet, amid such desperation, what appeared in my mind was the image of Michael's figure. I was puzzled. Every time I encountered trouble in the past, he was the one who helped me. How I wished he would appear right before me and saved me like how he always did.

Nevertheless, Michael would never know that I was trapped inside the washroom, which meant he would not come and save me. At this rate, with the air conditioner's temperature so low, I really could be dead in here.

The frigidness pierced my skin like a thousand needles, and I felt my eyelids getting heavier as I started feeling more groggy. I knew I could no longer pull myself together.

Spending the night in such torture only made it felt like forever. I had no clue how I persisted through the night till the next morning, and neither did I know how I got out of the washroom.

By the time I opened my eyelids again, I was already at the hospital, with Michael was standing beside me. He looked down at me with a face filled with worry as he knitted his brows.

“Where is this place? I was locked up in the washroom.”

My throat was parched and my body felt weak and tired.

“So you actually know you were locked inside the washroom? I wonder if there is any woman who is dumber than you?”

After hearing my words, the worry in Michael's eyes faded immediately. His face turned darker while his tone was full of reproach.

“Someone locked me in there on purpose.”

I stared at him, displeased.

I'm so weak right now, so can't this guy say something nice and comforting? How dare he calls me dumb? Does he not know he's the reason why someone in the company is targeting me behind my back?

After hearing my words, Michael was stunned and a hint of fury flashed across his eyes. “You're saying someone intentionally locked you up inside? Who was it?”

His reaction left me speechless. It seemed like he was clueless that that was a deliberate act.

“I have no idea. But I'm sure someone must be behind this.”

I was pretty sure someone was targeting me deliberately, though I was unsure who it was.

“I'll get to the bottom of this.”

As Michael said that, a hint of ruthlessness flashed across his eyes. The look on his face at that moment got me freaked out a little. As time passed, I felt like I was floating in thin air as my body felt frozen. I knew I was unable to endure

it any longer.

My head was still spinning, and my body was aching all over. I had no strength at all. I thought I would have died inside the washroom when I was on the verge of fainting last night.

“Oh yes, how did you save me? Who found me?”

The first person I saw when I regained consciousness was Michael. Till now, I still had no idea who had opened the door and saved me.

“The cleaners in the company. They found you when they were cleaning the washroom. I just arrived at the office then,” Michael explained after taking a glance at me.

No wonder Michael sent me to the hospital. So it turned out it was the cleaning ladies who saved me. Since the cleaners would finish cleaning before working hours, there were probably not many people in the company when Michael sent me to the hospital. Or else he would never do that as he tried to keep our relationship below the radar.

“I'll need to thank the cleaning lady then. If not for her, I would have been doomed.”

I tried to suppress the feelings I had in my heart and forced a smile on my face as I told him that. I then kept my silence right after finishing my sentence.

“Have a good rest here, then. Someone will come and look after you later,” Michael uttered as he took a peek at me.

After saying his piece, he turned around and strode out of the room.

Without Michael inside the ward, I was somehow slightly disappointed. At the same time, I was rather curious about what he had just mentioned. He said somebody is coming later? Who will that be? Has he hired a caretaker for me?

Just as my mind was wandering, someone opened the door. I looked up in that direction, and when I saw the person, my heart started pounding rapidly. It was my mom.

“Mom, why are you here? How did you know I am here?”

I was surprised at her presence and tried to bring myself up immediately. Nevertheless, I was weak and could barely pull myself up.

“Stay still. You don't have to get up. Mr. Shaw told me you're sick, and he asked me to come over to take care of you.”

My mom kept her poker face as she walked toward me. She did not seem to be concern about me.

So the person Michael said would come and take care of me is Mom?

Somehow, I was slightly agitated inside because Mom had never taken care of me. I suddenly thought it was not a bad thing to be locked up last night.

And Michael too, I was extremely grateful to him. I understood that he did it for my good. He wanted to let me feel my mom's love and care. It turned out that he knew my mind and what I wanted was my mom's heartfelt concern.

“Thank you, Mom.” I lifted my head and expressed my gratitude while looking into my mom's eyes.

“I've made you some chicken soup. Drink some while it's still warm.”

My mom then placed the thermal food jar in her hands onto the table in front of my bed and proceeded to pour a bowl of chicken soup before passing it to me.

When I smelled the chicken soup, tears rolled down my cheeks uncontrollably. That was a bowl of chicken soup my mom had specially made for me.

“Have it while it's warm. It'll turn cold very quickly.”

Even as she said so, her face was still as calm as before. But there was a drastic difference as compared to the attitude she had toward me in the past. Although she did not treat me like how she would with Steven, I was still contented.

After finishing the bowl of soup, I looked to Mom with a face full of joy. For this once, I thought it was totally worth falling sick.

“All right, since you've finished the soup, I'll head back to take care of Steven. I'll come back at night.”

My mom got ready to leave after packing the thermal food jar.

“Mom, are you leaving so soon? Can you stay and accompany me for a while more?”

She had only been here for over ten minutes; obviously, I was crestfallen to learn that she wanted to leave so quickly since I had hoped she would accompany me for longer.

“If I stay here, then what about Steven? You aren't extremely ill; you don't need someone to be around you to take care of you,” she uttered in an indifferent tone.

Hearing my persuasion for her to stay, my mom became slightly impatient. She lifted the thermal food jar and headed toward the door right after.

Initially, it warmed my heart to see Mom coming over to look after me. Yet, the words she just said had pushed me deep into the abyss again.

Apparently, my mother thought that I was not someone who needed to be taken care of since I was not in a life-threatening condition.

 

Chapter 163

But I'm her daughter. Shouldn't she feel at least a bit worried when her own daughter has fallen sick? Yet, Mom had been undeniably calm and indifferent. She had left me alone so easily, not sparing even a second to accompany me.

Once again, the ward plummeted into silence with no one else inside but me. I felt small and pathetic inside the spacious room. That was the first time I truly felt sorry for myself. After all, who else would be left completely alone, abandoned by their own family but me?

I turned to look out the window. Tears were beginning to slide down my cheeks. I tried to wipe them away with the back of my hand, but no matter how hard I tried, my tears continued pouring. It wasn't long before I fell into a full-on sob.

As strong as I looked to the outside world, I was just as vulnerable as most women. For one second, I longed for someone who would stay by my side, someone to care for me.

Just then, my phone began ringing from underneath the pillow. I quickly gathered up my thoughts and hastily wiped off my tears before picking up, craving for any scraps of human contact.

“Hello?”

My voice was hoarse and raspy, definitely a result from all that crying.

“Is anything wrong, Ms. Garcia? Your voice sounds different.”

After a moment of silence, Ronan piped up from the other end of the call. The concern could be detected in his tone.

“It's nothing.”

I was surprised by how attentive Ronan could be. He had managed to figure out something was amiss despite me only saying one word.

“I have mastered the art of picking up hints from a woman's tone. Have you been crying?”

Ronan's voice rang out once more. Even though there was a slight hint of a smirk behind his voice, anyone could hear that he was worried.

“It really is nothing. I'm just feeling a bit under the weather.”

Even though I denied having cried, it was not a lie when I said I was feeling unwell. I hardly had any energy left in my body as I slipped in and out of consciousness.

“I still think something's wrong. Where are you now? Are you ill?”

Upon hearing my answer, Ronan became even more concerned. Even his voice became serious.

“Yeah. I'm in the hospital right now.”

I told him the truth that time round, attempting to shake him off so he would not try to ask me out again.

“I'm coming to see you now!”

After saying that, Ronan hung up the phone abruptly before I could get a word in. But I'm her daughter. Shouldn't she feel at least a bit worried when her own daughter has fallen sick? Yet, Mom had been undeniably calm and indifferent. She had left me alone so easily, not sparing even a second to accompany me.

As the disconnect tone traveled into my ear, I could not help but frown and feel baffled by his actions.

How can Ronan be so impetuous? Even though he wants to visit me as soon as possible, shouldn't he at least ask which hospital I'm in?

I let out a helpless sigh, feeling slightly irritated.

The loneliness one would feel when left alone in a hospital ward with no one to talk to could only be understood by those who had experienced it themselves.

Half an hour later, I heard a knock at the door. I turned my head towards the sound. As the outline of the person became clearer, my eyes widened in shock.

It was Ronan.

“How... How did you know which hospital I'm in?”

I gaped at Ronan, puzzled by how quickly he was able to find me.

“This is the only big hospital around here, and it's said to be the best. So, it is not that hard to guess that you'll be here.”

An amused smile blossomed on his face as he made his way towards me.

His logical explanation made me in awe of his intelligence. For some reason, Ronan reminded me of Michael, despite their personalities being polar opposites.

I flashed him a weak, wordless smile, too tired to talk. Moreover, Ronan and I were practically strangers. There was nothing to talk about.

“You look terrible. What happened?”

All of a sudden, Ronan stretched out his hand and touched my forehead, worry written all over his face.

Feeling his touch on my skin, I instinctively jolted away. Even though we had met each other a few times, I still barely knew him. The sudden intimacy made me feel uneasy.

“You're burning up. You have such a high fever. Why aren't your friends or family here to take care of you?”

Ronan frowned as he stood up abruptly, taken aback by the temperature of my forehead.

“It's fine. It's no big deal. I don't need to be taken care of.”

Ronan's words reminded me of Mom's parting words. I felt a sharp pain in my heart as if it was being stabbed by a thousand needles.

“No big deal? Do you know how hot your skin felt? I'll stay here with you. You are not to be left alone at a time like this.”

Ronan's eyebrows inched even closer, and his eyes were filled with concern. In that second, I saw the warm-hearted and caring man behind the playful façade. Admittedly, I was touched by his offer to stay with me.

“You don't have to take care of me. I'm fine on my own.”

Even though I was moved, I still would not allow Ronan to stay. After all, he had no obligations to take care of a stranger like me.

“What do you mean you're fine? Are you still putting up a tough front? Do I need to remind you of the high fever you are having? It's not a weakness to ask for help.”

Ignoring my protests, Ronan took a seat next to the hospital bed and began peeling an apple.

Soon, he passed the freshly-peeled apple to me. “Here, have an apple. You probably don't have a huge appetite right now since you're unwell, but fruits have the essential nutrients for you to recover faster.”

His lips curled up into a small smile as he spoke. For once, it was missing the usual tease.

With my eyes on the apple, a lump started to form in my throat. I was touched to the core by his actions. In the past, no one else had shown me any form of care when I was sick, not even my own parents except Natalie.

At the thought of the treatment I received from Mom and Dad, my eyes began to well up again. Silent tears gushed out the next second.

“Why... Why are you crying? Did I say something wrong?”

At the sight of my tears, Ronan panicked. He clumsily wiped the tears off my face.

“Please stop crying. Just tell me if I say anything wrong. I'll change. Please stop crying. Seeing a woman cry is one of my biggest fears.”

Seeing that I cried even harder, Ronan grew even more anxious. He kept wiping away my tears with tissues and trying to calm me down. All traces of his usual mischief was nowhere to be seen.

His genuine concern for me broke down my guard against him. I sat up and pulled him into a teary embrace, despite the fact that I hardly knew him. All I wanted to do was to cry out all of my misery in his arms.

Ronan froze, yet he did nothing to stop me. After a few stiff minutes, Ronan placed his hands gently on my back and patted me on the back awkwardly.

“There, there. Stop crying. You're ill at the moment. Crying will strain your body even more.”

Ronan's voice was gentle and soothing as he comforted me. He felt like a giant teddy bear. As I sobbed, I remembered the fact that Ronan was about the same age as Steven. How nice would it be if Steven could show me half of the concern Ronan did?

 

Chapter 164

Ronan continued to comfort me. A strange sense of warmth exuded from his embrace.

Formerly, I thought of Ronan no more than a flirtatious playboy who was only trying to get me in bed. However, I had come to the realization that he truly did care for me.

Ronan did not stop me as I squeezed him tighter. Only when I was exhausted from all the crying did I let him go. As I pulled away, I noticed a huge stain of my sweat and tears on his shirt near his collar.

“Sorry for making your shirt dirty...”

Embarrassed to see the mess I have created, I mumbled sheepishly while avoiding eye contact. Overwhelmed by my emotions, I only cared about letting it out before I drowned in my own tears, forgetting that I had no relation with the man in front of me.

“It's okay, as long as you have stopped crying. You almost scared me to death just now. I thought I had said something wrong that drove you to tears.”

Ronan shrugged and peered nonchalantly at his dampened shirt before turning to face me, concerned.

“It's not your fault. I just thought of something upsetting.”

Utterly grateful that he had allowed me to cry on his shoulder, my perspective towards Ronan started to shift.

“Do you want to talk about it? After that crying session we just had, we should at least be friends now, right?”

A bright smile bloomed on his face as he looked at me carefully.

His big eyes made him look like an oversized toddler. However, I was surprisingly at ease by just staring into his sparkling eyes.

After a few minutes of hesitation, my lips parted as words started to spill out. I told Ronan everything that was happening between my family and me. It was not that I wanted his sympathy. I just needed to vent.

“Your parents had gone overboard this time. When we first met, you were kicked out of the hospital ward. Was it because of this?”

After my rant, Ronan's eyes were filled with newfound pity. I pursed my lips subtly. Truth to be told, I did not like being pitied.

I nodded in silence.

“How can your parents treat you this way? Plus, what happened with Steven was not even your fault. Why did they push the responsibility onto you?”

Ronan stared at me sympathetically. Even so, his facial expression indicated his anger towards my parent's behavior.

“It's fine. I'm used to it anyways. It has always been like this since I was a little kid. They just made it even more obvious recently.”

Ronan continued to comfort me. A strange sense of warmth exuded from his embrace.

I shrugged, feigning a look of nonchalance as I said that coolly.

“If you really are used to it, you wouldn't have cried so hard just now. Also, given how sick you are, your parents still choose not to take care of you but be with your brother instead. That's totally unacceptable.”

Ronan clasped my hands in his while looking at me. Heartache was written all over his face.

Overwhelmed with sorrow, I forgot to pull away from his touch. Instead, I let him continue holding my hands.

For the whole afternoon, Ronan stayed with me inside the ward. Time and time again, he would ask the nurses to take my temperature. His meticulous care for me touched me deeply.

However, there was something peculiar that I had noticed. For some unknown reason, all of the nurses seemed to treat Ronan with extra caution. All of them were very obedient to his orders. Is it because Ronan looks handsome?

No matter how hard I tried, that was the only reasoning that I could come up with.

Before long, the sun began to set. Ronan had taken care of me for hours. I was starting to feel sorry for taking up so much of his time. Just as I was about to ask him to go home, the door of the room swung open.

In walked Mom with a box of food in her hands.

“You must be hungry. I brought you some dinner. Eat up.”

Mom placed the food in front of me before pouring me a cup of water.

At the sight of my Mom, I could not help but feel my heart squeezed. After she left this noon, she had not visited me again, albeit Steven's ward was on the same floor as mine.

I adverted my gaze, refusing to showcase my tense relationship with Mom in front of Ronan.

Upon opening the box, I noticed there were only two types of greens with plain rice inside.

I glanced up at looked at my mom. Even though I was not satisfied with the food, I swallowed my disappointment while reminding myself to be grateful that Mom was willing to bring me food. Without another word, I picked up the cutlery. Before I could eat, Ronan interrupted.

“What kind of dinner is this? There are barely any nutrients. Anna is a sick patient right now, so she needs nutrients for her to get better. This food is not going to do anything for her recovery.”

Ronan shot a glare towards Mom. His voice was laced with displeasure and contempt.

“Anna, who's this? A friend of yours?”

With a frown, Mom peered at Ronan before directing her question to me.

“Mm hmm. He's my friend.”

Before that day, I would have never called Ronan my friend. However, after the attentiveness he had shown me that afternoon, I realized that he had a kind heart despite his sharp tongue.

“Your friends are getting more and more impolite! Not only did he not greet me when I entered, but he even complained that the dinner I prepared for you is terrible!”

Knowing that Mom had always been petty, I had no doubt that she would hold a grudge against Ronan over what he had said.

“Mom, he has no ill intentions. Forget about it.”

I glanced at Ronan out of the corner of my eye before explaining softly.

“Thanks for taking care of me this afternoon. It's getting late, and you must be tired. You should go home and get some rest.”

I then turned to look at Ronan, signaling with my eyes for him to leave. The memory of Mom getting furious at Natalie for defending me still burned in my mind.

“It's getting dark soon. How am I supposed to not worry about you being alone?”

Ronan frowned at my suggestion, knowing full well that no one would be taking care of me.

“It's alright. I have been on drip for the whole day, and I'm feeling much better. I can take care of myself just fine.”

Touched by his concern, I gave him a smile before reassuring him.

“Alright then. In that case, I'll ask the nurses to come here more often so that you can ask for assistance if needed.”

At the sight of my persistence, Ronan stopped pressing onto the matter. Even though he was preparing to leave, he was thoughtful enough to ask for certain arrangements to be made for the sake of my comfort.

After a long time of not experiencing what it was like to be cared about by someone, Ronan's actions brought warmth into my heart. Despite the two of us being just friends, he was willing to sacrifice his day to take care of me, unlike my own family.

I nodded at Ronan with a smile. He then picked up his jacket and started to make his way towards the door. As he passed by Mom, he stopped in his tracks and turned to face her with a serious look in his eyes.

“Ma'am, Anna is your daughter. Now that your own child has fallen ill, I hope that you can show her a little bit of love and concern, not endless demands.”

With those words, Ronan strode out the room.

 

Chapter 165

Staring at Ronan's silhouette, Mom frowned before turning her gaze to me. Her eyes were filled with anger and displeasure.

“This is the kind of friends you make? How ridiculously rude!”

“Mom, don't speak of him that way. He has been taking care of me the entire afternoon.”

Hearing Mom berating Ronan, my anger flared up that I defended him. Despite everything, Ronan did take care of me the whole afternoon. I would be lying if I was not blaming Mom for not even checking in with me.

After all, I was not a saint. It would be impossible for me to feel indifferent if my own mother did not love me.

“Taking care of you the entire afternoon? What's going on between you two? Is he your boyfriend?”

At the news of Ronan taking care of me, Mom's eyebrows knitted even tighter. Her voice became solemn as well.

“No, Mom. We're just friends. You're reading too much into it. He's younger than me. How could he have been my boyfriend?”

Although taken aback by Mom's sudden accusation, I still answered her truthfully.

“You're not young anymore. It's time for you to find someone and settle down. It's because of the whole fiasco between you and Justin that your father and I still feel humiliated. We can barely look at anyone

back home.”

At the mention of my boyfriend, Mom started bringing up the incident with Justin again. She had repeated it so many times that I pretty much had it stored in my memory.

Even so, I still felt hurt every time Mom brought that up. My past with Justin was a deep emotional trauma. Mom's repeated recollection of the past was a huge disregard of my feelings.

I had sincerely wanted to marry Justin back then. It was he who cheated which caused the wedding to be canceled. Must I be blamed for that as well? Was it my fault that he cheated?

“Mom, can you not talk about this again? I have yet to find a suitable match for me, and I am not planning to look for one for the time being.”

I snapped at Mom in frustration, irked by her words.

“What do you mean you have yet to find a suitable match? I think Michael is a fine young man, wealthy and handsome. If you were to marry him, you would never have to worry about anything else in your life!”

All of a sudden, Mom somehow included Michael in the topic. Upon hearing that name, my eyes gleamed as my heart ached.

“It's impossible for anything to happen between Michael and me, much less getting married.”

Suppressing the disappointment I felt, I spoke calmly.

Staring at Ronan's silhouette, Mom frowned before turning her gaze to me. Her eyes were filled with anger and displeasure.

Michael had told me not just once but many times that our relationship was nothing but a fling. He would never take me as his wife. Besides, I knew my place. Someone like Michael would only marry someone of the same family status and wealth, definitely not a nobody from a small village like me.

“How is it impossible? I think Michael seems interested in you. If not, he wouldn't have paid for all of Steven's medical bills and the follow-up treatments without a doubt.”

Mom's eyes lit up as she recalled Michael's generosity in paying for Steven's bills. My heart sank. I had assumed that Mom wanted me to marry Michael for my happiness. Turned out she just wanted to leech off Michael for Steven's sake.

“Michael and I are not dating, unlike what you had assumed. Besides, it's absolutely impossible for us to be together.”

I looked up at Mom and announced in a firm manner.

“Why is it impossible? Anyone could tell Michael is well off. If you marry him, you will never have to worry again! Do you not think of that?”

Seeing the determination on my face, Mom looked disappointed. She did not even try to hide the panic she felt.

“Instead of saying I will never have to worry again, I think you mean Steven will never worry again. Am I right?”

I stared straight into Mom's eyes as I finally stated what was on my mind. Even though she made it sound like she wanted the best for me, it was all just for show. Her true intention was to benefit Steven.

I had always been paying for most of our household expenses. In the meantime, Steven was basically living his days carefree with no occupation and throwing away money without a care. My ability to carry the financial burden alone was limited. If I dated Michael, his deep pockets would save Mom and Dad a lot of worries regarding Steven and his debt.

Upon hearing my honest thoughts, Mom's expression went stiff as a subtle blush crept up her cheeks in guilt. However, it was not long before her face flushed in anger.

“If you truly end up marrying Michael, what's wrong with giving Steven a little portion of what Michael has if Steven needs it in the future?”

Mom hollered at me, dismissing all of my feelings and emotions.

“It's exactly because of this that Michael and I will never be together! Mom, if you really want to fix this issue at the source, what you should do is ask Steven to get a job!”

Mom spoiling Steven to no end was the sole reason he ended up the way he was. If Mom had not spoilt him, Steven would never turn out that way.

“How dare you still reprimand your brother even at this time? Anna Garcia, it was all your fault that Steven ended up with broken legs! Yet, you still have the audacity to scold him? I truly have wasted so many years raising such a useless daughter!”

As usual, Mom lashed out at me for criticizing Steven. She despised any criticism towards her precious son, not even if it was for his own good.

“Mom, if you continue to spoil Steven this way, do not come to me ever again if he gets into trouble in the future. I'm not going to care anymore, for I no longer have the ability to do that.”

Seeing how Mom defended Steven without missing a beat, I had no doubt that Steven would find himself entangled in a mess again. Since young, every time Steven made a mistake, she would somehow find a way to deflect the responsibility onto someone else. It was no wonder Steven could never learn his lesson since he grew up in such an environment.

“Y-you ungrateful brat! I truly have raised you in vain. Here I was kind enough to bring you dinner! I should have fed this to the dogs instead!”

Seeing Mom's face turned redder as her anger flared up, I stopped arguing and picked up the cutlery once again. Before I could take a bite, Mom snatched the box away and tossed it on the ground in rage.

The contents inside the box spilled all over the floor. Staring at the food on the ground, I held back my tongue. The messy sight reminded me of my own broken heart.

It was no secret that my words had completely enraged her. She shot me a death glare before marching out of the room without turning back.

With no one else but me in the room, I threw the covers over my head and started to sob, allowing all of my pent-up feelings to escape through bitter tears.

It truly baffled me how Mom would never listen to a word I said. Could she not tell that I said those harsh words for Steven's well-being?

Just like that, Mom left and never returned. Does she not care that I'm sick? Does it cross her mind that I have nothing to eat now that she threw my dinner all over the floor? Does she take into account that my body is weak at the moment?

In a span of one day, I had lost count of how many times I had cried. The same questions echoed in my mind again and again as I cried my heart out. My throat was starting to get sore from all the crying. I felt my energy being drained away from my already weak body, causing my body to become limp and haggard.

 

Chapter 166

After a long while, my sobs turned into sniffles. Only then did I remove the covers from my head. I leaned against the headboard as I stared mindlessly at what was supposed to be my dinner.

Soon, Michael arrived. The moment he laid eyes on the chaos in the room, his eyebrows furrowed as he strode towards me.

“What happened here?”

“Nothing. I spilled my dinner.”

I answered calmly with my eyes still zoned into the food, not bothering to look at him.

“Your mom?”

Michael had a sharp mind. It took him no time to put the pieces together.

“Thank you, Michael.”

Even though the time I spent with Mom that day was far from pleasant, I was still immensely grateful to Michael. I knew he had done all that he did for me to be in Mom's good books. Unfortunately, Mom's attitude towards me would not be easily changed in the foreseeable future.

“Why are you still putting your hopes on such a horrible mother? Anna Garcia, you're now a grown woman! You don't have to stick around anymore.”

At the sight of my disheveled look, Michael's expression darkened before reprimanding me coolly.

“I'm still putting my hopes on her because she is my mother,” I stated calmly without any expression.

After a few seconds of silence, I sighed. “Whatever it is, let's stop talking about this. I'm famished. Can you buy me some food? I just want to channel all my misery to my appetite.”

Throughout the entire day, I had only had some chicken soup that Mom brought me in the morning and nothing else. My stomach had been rumbling since hours ago. Food was my only concern for the time being.

“What do you want? I'll ask the secretary to send some over.”

Michael took out his phone and glanced calmly at me, preparing to give his secretary a call.

“Let's eat out instead. I don't want to stay here for a second longer. Don't worry, it's already dark out there. No one will recognize you.”

Despite knowing Michael for so long, I had yet to have a meal with him in public. One of the main reasons, I suspect, was Michael's fear of our relationship being out in the open.

Therefore, I assured Michael that no one would recognize him without giving him the window to decline.

“Your body is still weak. Are you sure that you can go out?”

To my pleasant surprise, Michael seemed to be more concerned about my health than others

recognizing him.

At first, I had thought Michael to be a self-absorbed man who cared for no one except himself. It was truly beyond my expectations that he would take my well-being into consideration. After a long while, my sobs turned into sniffles. Only then did I remove the covers from my head. I leaned against the headboard as I stared mindlessly at what was supposed to be my dinner.

“I'm feeling much better, I promise. The high fever was just a result of my exposure to low temperatures the whole night, so it is probably just a cold. My temperature has gone down now though.”

Seeing that Michael did not flat-out refuse my invitation, my heart fluttered in delight. I quickly reassured him that I was fine.

“Let's go, then.”

After a minute of close scrutinizing, Michael agreed in the end.

Thrilled by how easily he agreed, I threw the covers away and put on my shoes.

Even though I had promised that I was fine, a wave of dizziness hit me the second my feet touched the ground. I fell to the front, but Michael caught me with swift hands.

I landed in Michael's arms. Our bodies were in close proximity to each other. Breathing in his unique scent, my heart pounded faster.

“This is what you mean by 'feeling much better'? I gotta admit, Anna, you're getting better and better in lying.”

Michael sat me down on the bed. A grim look was casted on his handsome features. His eyes were gleaming in anger.

“I am really fine. I just stood up a bit too quickly.”

Terrified that Michael would change his mind, I quickly explained. I had finally managed to convince him to eat out with me. There was no way I was going to let him change his mind just because I almost fell down.

“Don't force yourself if you're unwell.”

Towering above me, Michael stared me down with a skeptical look. With his strong observation skills, the weak state of my body definitely did not go unnoticed.

I was directly beneath the air-conditioner last night, almost freezing to death. How could I have recovered from that so quickly?

“I really am fine. Let's go. The food will run out soon if we stay any longer.”

Not allowing Michael to refute, I dragged him out of the room by his hand. I had voluntarily held his hand because my footsteps were unsteady. I did not wish to risk falling down again.

Michael stopped blinking, dumbfounded. As his gaze traveled to our hands, his lips curled upwards into a lovely smile.

As I stepped foot outside the hospital, I sucked in a deep breath. The cold breeze of the night hit my

skin. Taken into account the fact that I was still having a fever, goosebumps started to crawl on my skin as I shivered.

Michael seemed to have predicted that outcome. Without wasting a second, he took off his coat and draped it onto my shoulders, engulfing me with his scent.

“Why didn't you put on an extra layer despite knowing you still have a fever? Are you trying to freeze yourself to death?”

Michael pursed his lips upon seeing my pale face.

I looked at him, speechless.

Whatever hint of gratitude I had felt towards him slipped away. His vicious tongue truly made it hard for anyone to like him.

Anyone can tell that you're concerned, so can't you just say it nicer? I thought bitterly. You just had to speak so harshly, do you?

“We've been walking for a while now. What do you want for dinner?”

“Have you ever tried street food?”

I turned to face Michael's side profile. My face was beaming with excitement.

Truth to be told, I had invited Michael so that someone would accompany me for street food. In the past, I would always come for street food whenever I'm sick and alone. It was my idea of a break.

“You want to have street food?”

Michael halted in his tracks and stared at me in disbelief, unsure of what he had just heard.

“I shall treat you tonight. People like you have probably never eaten street food before in your entire life. Tonight, I will make it my mission for you to have a taste. The food is scrumptious,” I said smugly.

“Aren't you a bit weary of food poisoning? Do you know how dirty the streets are?”

Michael's expression darkened as he glared at me. To no one's surprise, his words were harsh usual.

I would have retorted but I made an exception since I needed company tonight. If I argued with him, he might just leave and I would be left alone again.

A little dirt never hurt. Have you not heard of that saying?

Even so, I knew that convincing someone like Michael Shaw to have street food with me was no easy task.

To my surprise, Michael frowned at me but remained silent.

Usually, his silence meant he had agreed to do something. My heartbeat quickened in excitement as he scored a few more brownie points with me. I guess this man isn't as heartless as he looks. He can be really sweet sometimes.

I found a food street nearby. Stalls stood all over the place as the aroma of the food wafted in the air.

Pumped up, I hurried towards the stalls with Michael tailing not far behind. The moment he had laid eyes on the surrounding, he had not stopped scowling.

I stopped in front of a stall and ordered many meat skewers. Just as I was about to pay, it dawned on me that I didn't have money on me. I immediately felt awkward.

“Um... I didn't bring any cash. Can you...”

I turned to look at Michael sheepishly. I had forgotten that I had spent the entire day in the hospital and I did not have any money on me.

 

Chapter 167

Michael silently looked at me before paying the stall owner.

I said I was going to treat him, but he became the one treating me instead. I feel like crap...

“I'll treat you next time! I promise!” I blurted, before pulling Michael toward a nearby table.

He looked at me with disdain when I did that.

After all, he was a germaphobe, so the entire place was more like a psychological challenge to him.

“Sit. It's not dirty.” I pulled his hand as I spoke.

Since we started walking down the street, Michael had been fairly tense. When I tried to make him sit, he got even tenser.

He continued to look at me with disdain as I gobbled up the meat skewers.

I then stopped eating and gave him a couple of the meat skewers. “You should give these a try. They're really good.”

“I don't want to eat these. They are just going to poison me.” Staring at the skewers in my hand, his expression turned darker.

Oh my... can't this man say something nicer? No one will die after eating the skewers. I pouted as I thought to myself.

“Just give it a try. It's not as bad as you thought.” I then pushed the skewer toward his mouth and looked at him with anticipation.

Michael hesitated for a bit before opening his mouth and ate it.

I could see his tension relieving as he gracefully chewed on the meat. “It's pretty good, right? I told you, the delicacies you eat on a daily basis are not necessarily the best. Sometimes, it's the ordinary food that tastes really good.”

I was happy to see him enjoying the skewers.

Even more than being happy, I was proud of myself for successfully convincing the richest man in Avenport to eat with me at a roadside stall.

Michael took a couple more skewers from me and ate faster than I could, but he maintained his grace.

We continued to eat until I stuffed my stomach full.

On our way back, I felt a little tired. After all, the street we were in was pretty far away from the hospital, and Michael didn't drive. Not to mention it was notoriously difficult to hail a taxi in that area.

“Let's stop for a while. I'm a little tired.” My attempt to pull Michael's hand to make him stop failed, and even though I just ate, I had no energy left in my body to hold him back. The fever was really dragging me down.

“We have just walked a short distance? You need to exercise more, Anna,” Michael commented as he

saw me squatting on the ground.

“Do you know that you have no empathy? I'm a patient now so getting exhausted easily is normal,” I muttered.

Michael turned his back against me and kneeled down. “Come on.”

I was a little surprised. Don't tell me he's actually planning to carry me...

When he saw me hesitating like a lost child, he growled, “What are you standing there for? Come on, I'll carry you! With your current speed, it'll take forever before we arrive at the hospital!”

Michael was clearly annoyed, but my heart was beating fiercely. He's going to carry me...

After I snapped out of it, I lay myself on his back.

Michael secured me on his back before strolling down the dimly lit street. I didn't know what he was feeling at the moment, but to me, it felt romantic. It was as if we were a couple madly in love.

I wanted the moment to last longer, but I knew his affection toward me was temporary. I bet he didn't think we were a couple madly in love. When he eventually leaves me, I wonder how much it'll hurt my heart.

We didn't say a word to each other all the way back to my room in the hospital. From that moment onward, my feelings toward Michael changed.

When we arrived, Michael gently lay me down on the bed. Even though I wasn't heavy, I could see Michael was clearly worn out after walking for such a long distance.

“Thank you...” I voluntarily pulled out some tissue paper and tried to wipe away the sweat on his forehead.

“What, do you think I'll leave my woman alone at the side of the road?” Michael grabbed the tissue paper in my hand, wipe his forehead, and threw it into a nearby trashcan.

He called me his woman. I was so excited to hear that, even though it wasn't the first time he said that to me.

I just lowered my head, not knowing what to say anymore.

Michael glanced at his watch. “It's getting late. I'll be leaving now.” Then he took his coat and left.

I felt disappointed he left so quickly, even though we had a nice moment there.

Michael had become so much more important to me that I didn't want to imagine how much pain I would be in when we eventually parted ways.

After all, we were never meant to be together.

Still lying on the bed, I couldn't shake Michael out of my mind. I wondered if he had ever loved me.

I closed my eyes and shut away those thoughts. Why am I thinking so much when I know it won't lead

anywhere? Sleep, Anna, sleep.

And so I slept. In fact, I even had a pretty good dream. In the dream, I saw myself living a happy life with Michael. We were married, and we had two kids.

When I woke up in the morning, I was so sad to find out that it wasn't real.

 

Chapter 168

Much like yesterday, Mom sent me breakfast. After I finished it, she left without a word.

Moments later, Ronan showed up.

“Are you surprised to see me? Look what I have prepared for you.” He dangled a hearty breakfast in front of me with a smile.

“Why are you here today? Don't you have work to do?” I was a little more touched than surprised to see him.

“Do I look like someone who needs to work?” Ronan grinned teasingly.

I furrowed my eyebrows. He does look like he belongs to a rich family. If that's the case, it's not abnormal for him to not work. However, I don't particularly like people like him.

“I have had breakfast,” I informed, even though the breakfast he prepared looked great.

“The one your mother prepared could barely fulfill all your nutritional needs. You might not have a lot of appetites right now because you're sick, but you need these nutrients. I think you should at least eat a little, okay?”

Seeing how he still insisted on me eating, I sighed and went along with it.

“Even if you don't need to work, don't you have anything else better to do?” I spoke as I ate the food.

It was a little weird that he kept visiting me because we barely knew each other.

“I was worried that no one would take care of you, so I came to visit.” Ronan smiled.

“I don't need anyone to take care of me, especially when I'm leaving the hospital today.” Despite my words, I was still a little grateful that he cared about me.

I knew he had seen me as a friend, and despite the fact that I disliked people like him, I could tell that he was a good person.

“Did you spend the night alone here? Your boyfriend didn't accompany you?” His tone turned serious.

I trembled a little as I recalled the scene from yesterday. However, I couldn't reveal my relationship with Michael to anyone. Besides, we weren't a couple anyway.

“I don't have a boyfriend.” I shook my head. That wasn't a lie technically.

“You don't have a boyfriend?” Ronan seemed surprised to hear that.

“Is it that weird? Didn't you already label me as a spinster in your mind?” The fact that he was surprised pissed me off.

It's not that weird for me to not have a boyfriend at this age, okay? I pouted.

“Of course not. You look so pretty and young. If the two of us walked down the street, people would think you're my little sister,” he quickly denied it and started praising me.

I had to admit, talking with someone like Ronan made me relaxed a lot. Even though he seemed a little childish, his sunny smile gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling.

“Enough with your jokes. I'll have you know that I'm older than you, so you're my little brother instead!” I smirked.

After he spent the entire afternoon taking care of me yesterday, I already saw him as my little brother, especially when he was about the same age as my brother. If only Steven cared about me as much as Ronan did.

“I don't want to be your little brother!” Ronan furrowed his eyebrows and his smile faded. Seconds later, he raised one eyebrow. “But, I will consider being your boyfriend.”

“Stop joking around. There's no way you can be my boyfriend.” I rolled my eyes a little. It was only the second time we ever met, after all!

“Why not? I look handsome, and I have a good family background. What else are you not happy with me?” He looked at me, upset and anxious.

“Because our age difference is too big. I don't want to be a cradle-snatcher.” I found it amusing that he was quite stubborn.

“Don't you know cradle-snatcher love had become a trend lately? Nowadays, there's a bunch of them out there looking for young and handsome men like me. Or are you saying you prefer an older man as your boyfriend?” Ronan mocked.

“So what if it's a trend? I still like men who are more mature.” Since a man like Ronan is bound to have a lot of women around him, I bet he's pissed because he was never rejected by anyone before.

“Mature? Like my cousin who's 30 years old? And also has an emotionless face that would never change expression, even when he's looking at a pretty woman? You call that mature?” Ronan looked at me with a sad face, unable to understand why I didn't like him.

“Maybe I like those types of people.” When he described his cousin, it reminded me of Michael. It may

sound pathetic, but only Michael could pull off that absolutely emotionless face in this world.

“That really hurts. I can't believe I got rejected by a beautiful woman. How sad.” Ronan acted dramatically, despite his goofy expression.

“All right, that's enough joking around for the day.” I wasn't in the mood to entertain him anymore.

 

Chapter 169

After the drip was done, Ronan was still hanging out in my room.

“Uhm, I'm about to leave the hospital. You should go ahead.” I was touched by his willingness to accompany me, but I still felt uncomfortable around him. Being taken care of by him like that made us looked like we're close, even though we weren't.

“I'll send you back. It's best not to overexert yourself.” Ronan spoke plainly.

“There's no need for that. I'll just take the subway. I've been giving you a lot of trouble for the past two days,” I swiftly rejected his offer as I was living in Michael's mansion.

I couldn't let Ronan know about my relationship with Michael because Michael would get angry.

“This is the second time you have rejected me. Why are you so afraid if I know where you live?” Ronan's tone and eyebrows reflected his disappointment.

“Of course not. I just thought I don't want to cause you any more trouble after taking care of me. I'm grateful for your help, but I felt like we're getting a little too close as friends,” I timidly explained.

“You're not troubling me. I'm just worried that you might've not fully recovered yet, which is why I wanted to send you back-” The ringing on Ronan's cellphone interrupted him before he could finish his sentence.

He took out his phone and answered the call.

Moments later, his expression turned serious. “Got it. I'll be there soon.”

Ronan's goofy expression faded away as he turned toward me. “I'm sorry, Anna. I can't send you back now. Something just came up.”

“It's fine. You should go. I can go home on my own.” I let out a sigh of relief in my mind. After the drip was done, Ronan was still hanging out in my room.

“I'll be going now. If I have time later on, I'll give you a call.” He then put on his coat and left.

Soon after, I left the room as well.

Once I dealt with the discharge procedures, I visited Steven's room.

I simply stood outside his room like a stranger and watched a heartwarming scene unfolding within.

After I walked out of the hospital, I received a call from Natalie. It had been a while since we last met, so I agreed to her invitation to go shopping.

Initially, I thought about declining it because I was supposed to rest, even though my fever had faded. In the end, I couldn't win against her pleas and headed toward a nearby mall.

When we met up at the mall, Natalie was excitedly trying out new clothes as I barely kept up with her with disinterest.

It wasn't that I didn't want to buy new clothes, I just didn't have the money for it. I had to save up and repay my debts to Michael for helping Steven. It might take years, but I didn't want to owe him anything.

“Anna, what do you think? Do I look good in this dress?” She walked out of the changing room in a light-green dress.

“You look good in any clothes, Natalie.” She had a slim and sexy figure, so no matter what she wore, she would look great in it.

Nevertheless, even if Natalie wanted to buy those clothes, I doubted she even had the money to do so, since we were in an expensive brand store. All she could do was trying out the clothes.

I expected her to be smiling after I praised her, yet her expression turned angry.

“Why aren't you saying anything?” I asked curiously before following her gaze.

When I noticed what she saw, my body froze, and my heart shattered.

Not too far away was a fashionable woman holding Michael's arm. She was smiling with her pretty face, unlike him.

Michael hates women whom he doesn't like touching him, but he has allowed this woman to cling to him. I wonder what is their relationship? I was getting flustered and heartbroken.

“Anna, are you alright?” Natalie approached me when I wasn't paying attention and held my hand.

I kept staring at Michael and the woman next to him instead of answering Natalie. Tears welled up in my eyes as they walked toward us.

“I'm fine... Change your clothes back, Natalie. Let's leave,” I pleaded as I looked away in a panic.

“I'll go and change now.” Natalie promptly stepped back into the changing room.

I turned my back against Michael and the woman next to him. I didn't want him to see me here, because if he did, I think I wouldn't be able to control my emotions.

“Michael, how about we go to this store? I think I saw some nice dresses inside,” the woman said sweetly. I tried searching through my memory, but her voice was unfamiliar to me.

From her volume, I could tell the two of them were about to step into the shop. Please don't let him see me. Please don't let him see me. Please. Please. Please.

“Let's go inside and take a look, then.” Michael's voice sounded emotionless, but my heart still ached.

I could hear their footsteps right behind me. I had a feeling Michael was looking at my back, yet I wasn't brave enough to turn and face him.

Chapter 170

I glanced at the woman next to Michael as she was picking which clothes to try out. She was tall, her skin was fair, and whenever she smiled, she looked as graceful as a princess. All in all, she was a very pretty woman.

“Let's go, Anna,” Natalie exclaimed after she walked out of the changing room.

That idiot! Now Michael definitely knows that I'm here! I thought to myself as I trembled in fear.

Just as I expected, Michael arrived in front of me. However, his gaze contained many complex emotions that I couldn't understand.

I didn't know if I should greet him or, as he mentioned before, pretend not to know him if we ever see each other in public. It was quite awkward for both of us to stand there in silence.

“Michael, what do you think about this dress? Do you think it suits me?” The woman approached him with a dress she picked out from the rest.

Michael didn't answer her and still stared at me.

The woman raised her eyebrow in suspicion. She examined me for a bit before she whispered to Michael, “Do you know this lady?”

I could tell she was looking at me antagonistically.

“No.” Michael took one last look at me before leaving.

I thought he would at least say that I'm one of his company's employees. I wasn't sure how to react to his answer.

“If you like it, you should try it out,” said Michael softly to the woman.

“Wait here then. I'll be back in a moment.” The woman glanced at me, kissed Michael on his cheek, before going into the changing room.

Naturally, that whole scene made me want to cry. I glanced at the woman next to Michael as she was picking which clothes to try out. She was tall, her skin was fair, and whenever she smiled, she looked as graceful as a princess. All in all, she was a very pretty woman.

“Why are you here?” Michael asked coldly after making sure the woman couldn't hear us anymore.

“To look at the clothes, obviously.” I did my best to put up a calm demeanor.

He was staring at me intensely. I could tell that he was wondering if I was stalking him.

“If there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave now, Mr. Shaw.” I couldn't bear his deep gaze anymore, so I turned, grabbed Natalie, and left.

Michael furrowed his eyebrows and didn't try to stop me from leaving. He also didn't explain what his relationship with the woman was, which made my heart ached more.

I was pretty upset after leaving the mall. Regret started to seep into my heart. If I hadn't agreed to go shopping with Natalie, I wouldn't have met Michael and his woman.

“That Michael has gone too far! He even pretended not to know you, even though you two spent so much time together! He's a terrible man!” Natalie heard our exchange and was getting angry on my behalf. She didn't say anything earlier because it would just make things worse.

“Our relationship is an indecent one. It's only normal that he pretended not to know me.” I smiled bitterly, despite stating the truth.

Natalie stopped dead in her tracks and faced me with a serious expression. “But you're clearly upset. Tell me honestly, Anna. Are you in love with him?”

I averted her gaze because I didn't know how to answer the question.

“You can tell me anything, Anna. I know what kind of person you are, and I know that if you have no feelings toward Michael, you wouldn't have agreed to become his lover, she said anxiously.

“So what if I have feelings for Michael? I'm just his mistress. Things between us could end at any time,” I admitted.

I always knew there wouldn't be a happy ending for the two of us, and today was a great example of my prediction.

The woman next to Michael must've been his official girlfriend if she was allowed to be so intimate with him. He would never bring me to a public place like the mall.

“When did you become so unconfident, Anna? If you like Michael, then just tell him that you like him. Maybe he likes you as well!” Natalie seemed even more anxious than I was.

“Michael and I live in two different worlds. He won't like me. When we made a deal, we promised that this would only be a casual fling and nothing more,” I depressingly clarified.

Michael made that very clear to me. If I told him I liked him, he would probably just think I was harboring some bad intentions.

“All I can say is that, even if the two of you live in very different worlds, the problem can be solved if he likes you.” Natalie pouted. She clearly didn't understand why I was being so worried.

Sometimes, I admired how bold Natalie could be. If I had a personality like hers, I bet I wouldn't be living so miserably.

“Let's not talk about this anymore. I'm tired, and I want to go back home and rest. You should head back home too. We'll meet again some other time.” Seeing Michael hanging out with another woman totally killed my mood for shopping, and I didn't want Natalie to see how sad I was.