He knew that she wasn't a person who wore her heart on her sleeve, he was also one who didn't. However, unlike her, Feng Tianyi used his smiles to cope up with his painful childhood memories, while Tang Moyu had to conceal what she truly felt with a cold mask.

  A part of him was disappointed that she was forced to be like this. He wondered what kind of upbringing Tang Moyu had experienced with her own parents. She was hiding what she was truly feeling. Her not saying everything she wanted to say somewhat bothered him.

  "Yes, perhaps we would meet under different circumstances if he didn't decide to part ways with me." Tang Moyu agreed with him. "What about you? You didn't actively participated in running the company."

  Feng Tianyi gave her a slight smile, his eyes still lingered on her beautiful face. Somehow, he believed that he knew her pretty well now. He knew how she acted when she was truly happy, knew when she was sad, knew when something bothered her.

  "Tianhua talked highly of you, did you know that, Moyu? He used to brag about how good a partner you were on several occasions. I didn't think my presence was needed when there's nothing else for me to do. Tianhua also didn't want me around, if you didn't notice."

  "Also, I don't need to be there physically to get the work done. I've been out of the country for a while and have also helped my mother run her family business. I'm practically everywhere, Moyu. You just didn't have any opportunity to see me."

  Tang Moyu nodded. "I see."

  If she met him under such circumstances, she doubts that she would be able to have these feelings for him. In fact, she might see him as an enemy she needed to defeat. She would have treated him with indifference, just like the rest.

  They could hear the children giggling over something they were watching on the television. The two proceeded to take their conversation to the porch for some privacy, though they were still able to see the twins from where they were.

  "Moyu, if I'm making you uncomfortable by being here, you can tell me." Feng Tianyi started. Song Fengyan wasn't the only one curious about it, even he himself had thought that the empress would cut ties with him the moment she found out about his identity.

  Tang Moyu sighed and shook her head, allowing her long wavy hair to tumble over her shoulder. Under the moonlit, her cold eyes were expressive.

  "Must I really say it, Feng Tianyi? If I didn't want you to be here, I would have long asked you to leave us."

  "Then why didn't you?" came Feng Tianyi's question.

  "Part of me wanted you gone, out of my life, wanted to return to when I'm in control of my life. I don't like being vulnerable, Feng Tianyi. After what your brother had done to me… I forced myself not to trust another man." Her jaws hardened at the memory of the betrayal she had suffered from Feng Tianhua.

  "I don't like NOT being in control. It makes me anxious. It's logical for me to let you go and walk away from my life, yet… yet, I know that if I let you out of my door, my children aren't the only ones who will suffer. Because I admit, without even realizing it you've become a permanent feature in our lives. Just the thought of you turning your back on me… makes my heart clench painfully inside my chest."

  A smile lingered on Feng Tianyi's lips as he took hold of her wrist, his eyes gazed up at her. He took her hand and placed a chaste kiss on her knuckles. He hadn't heard Tang Moyu speak like this before. He was glad that even for a moment, she allowed him a moment of transparency.

  "I thank you for telling me the truth, Moyu. It's alright. Like I said, take your time to sort it out. I will not force you to do something you don't like. I understand that this is a lot for you to take, but know that what you saw in and felt from Qin Jiran… were also the feelings that this Feng Tianyi has for you."

  He looked directly into her eyes, and just like that, the atmosphere between them was altered.

  "It seems like it's my fault for not giving you enough reasons to believe my words. So Moyu, please let me rectify it. Allow me to prove my words through my actions."

  He let go of her hand but refused to break their eye contact, allowing the empress to see the honesty in his words.

  Feng Tianyi understood where she was coming from. Moving on from what pained you and letting go weren't easy to do. It didn't matter if Moyu didn't have romantic feelings for his half-brother, but the fact that Feng Tianhua forsaken her after all she'd done, hurt her.

  "If you'll allow me, Moyu. I want to be with you. I want to become part of Baobao and Little Star's lives. I don't care who their father is, I only care about the three of you. I want to be your significant half, your confidante. It's alright to be afraid of the unknown, but Moyu, don't let it keep you from losing the chance to be happy. Don't keep dwelling on the past that only brought you tears."