"I don't need an explanation," he said softly. "I know it was a far-fetched idea." But he had desperately prayed that she would say yes.

  "I should call and find out if your clothes are dry." She reached over towards her cellphone.

  "No," he said, holding up his hand. "As I said before, you can forget this conversation ever happened. Let's eat dinner like we usually do. Nothing changes between us, Qian Meng."

  She pressed her eyes shut. "Okay," she said finally. "I have to admit, the food in your hotel is good."

  "It's passable," he muttered.

  "What a snob," she found herself saying. She was surprised she could muster up her previous demeanor.

  She stared at the man in front of her and suddenly felt a pang of melancholy. Eating his meal and sipping on water in front of her, she couldn't help but imagine him remaining that way. All alone.

  Just like her.

  She tucked her head and ate.

  He stayed until he finished his meal. He picked up his things and turned to her, no trace of remorse. "Thank you for the food."

  "You're welcome," she replied automatically. "Good luck finding the woman you want."

  His lips tightened. "I'll call you about the hiring of employees soon," he said.

  'I never needed to marry, Yun Qian Meng. There is no woman I want.' But he couldn't tell her that.

  "And thank you. I don't think that's going to happen. You really are one of a kind…" he shook his head.

  "You're cursing me, aren't you?" she countered, thinking it was an insult.

  He shook his head and picked up his phone. "Goodbye," he said softly. The door opened and shut.

  Yun Qian Meng stared at it for the longest time.

  She sighed finally and sat back down. She looked at his empty plates and then down to hers. She reluctantly took a spoonful of rice and stuffed herself.

  The bang at the door was unwelcome. And it continued for a minute straight before the screaming began.

  Qian Meng screwed her eyes shut and felt a headache come on. Finally, the fury took over and she stomped over to the door and threw it open.

  "What?" she screamed. "What the fuck do you want, Mo Yize?"

  This was the first time she was seeing Mo Yize in four years. The girl looked distraught and honestly? Like a train wreck.

  "Don't you dare shout at me!" the other countered. She wiped at her running mascara as it went down her cheeks with her tears. "I fucking hate you." Sobs wracked her body and Qian Meng found herself sighing.

  "What the fuck happened to you?" she asked. Mo Yize was wearing a blue dress, clearly for the Mayor's anniversary party and her swollen eyes spoke of how long she had cried before storming to Yun Qian Meng's room.

  "You fucking slut. You're at it again, huh? You're going to snatch the man I like again…" She sank to her knees and pushed her head between her legs.

  Qian Meng pressed her hand against her temple and pulled out her phone to call the front desk.

  "Hi, this is Yun Qian Meng speaking," she said calmly. The employee on the other side remained silent for a few seconds before replying.

  "Miss Yun. How may I help you?" she asked.

  "This is the second time in one day someone has released my private information to someone. Who is this new recruit giving out my room number to any person who comes up and asks for it?" she asked.

  Mo Yize's head perked up and she jumped to her feet.

  "You dare throw me out? I dare you!" she screamed. The door opposite her opened and an older gentleman peered out with an irritated look on his face.

  "These intruders you are sending up are disrupting your hotel's peace. Please come up and take them away. Bring security because this woman will not be removed without security." She sneered at Mo Yize.

  She hung up the phone and glared at the woman. "Don't dare me to do things, Miss Mo. I am having a horrible day and I don't need you to screw it up further."

  "Your day? What about me? You've ruined my life! Ever since I met you, my life has been going downhill. You've done nothing but ruin every prospect I had."

  Qian Meng rolled her eye. "Self-entitled little piece of shit," she cursed. "You latched onto me the first day of university because you knew who my father was. Because you knew as the black sheep of your family, only my company would make you infamous." Qian Meng chuckled humorlessly. "I begrudgingly let you be my friend, didn't I? But you just had to ruin everything. You were jealous that some guy liked me. You went and spread your legs in front of him and when he fucked you over, you came accusing me of ruining your life. How is it my fault?" she accused. Her tone was low and the man on the other end couldn't hear them.

  He shut the door with a huff, his phone already in his hand.

  "Jackson liked me and you seduced him," she retorted with malice.

  "He was a gold-digger who wanted a position at my father's company. You fell into his trap despite my warnings and then when you couldn't secure a position in your father's company, he dumped you like a used plastic bag, didn't he?"

  That touched a nerve. "Don't call me a plastic bag! There is nothing fake about me." Her eyes burned with rage.

  "Yes, you nympho. You can't even control your vagina and slept with everything that walked on two feet and had a dick. You let it get so bad that you amounted to nothing."

  Mo Yize gasped. "What the fuck happened to you? Why did you become a bitter harpy?" She gaped.

  Qian Meng rolled her eye. "Life does that to you. Now, once and for all, tell me why you are here, screaming your lungs out before the security comes and drags you out."