"You want me to come even after seeing what happened last time?" Zichen implores, controlling his temper.

"Son...how long do you want to be like this? It hurts me to see both of you not being able to stand each other," Zhi Ruo sobs getting emotional. Zhi Ruo has never slept peacefully since the day her children got distant. Each time when she encounters her son fighting, her heart hurts. Sometimes she would think if it's her fault that her songs are like this.

"Mother, I don't want to fight with him. You know he hates me" Zichen sighs in annoyance.

He too tried talking things out with him but it wasn't what he expected. Each time they will meet, they end up fighting.

"Son...for me please come. I talked with your brother and he has no problem with your coming."

Zichen scoffs. He knows his brother well and when he says he has no problem, he definitely has problems. Years back, when his brother would say harsh words, he wouldn't mind that much thinking that he may be having a tough time himself. But after few months, he started spitting venomous words and became more violent.

Zichen tried to keep his temper to himself but his brother kept on instigating him and every human as a limit. He used to regret it in past but now he isn't. An eye for an eye.

"Mother, you are putting me in a difficult situation," Zichen says, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"You two have put US in the difficult situation, son" Zhi Ruo retorts back.

Zichen sighs, his mind not working properly. "Fine. I'll let you know about my arrival."

With that, he hangs up and throws his phone aside on the desk. He thinks how pathetic his life is. He doesn't have a normal family, a family that shares love and support for each other. All he ever got to hear is the commands. From his father, grandfather. He feels suffocated and at times he wanted to run away but looking at his mother's face, he stopped.

He never even have a normal childhood or teenage life. He used to saw children playing with each other, laughing and giggling. He envied them. He wanted to play with them but the burden, the responsibility he was sure to get made him restrain himself.

He has to go there, he certainly has to. He sighs and turns his attention back to his leftover work. He doesn't want another fight. He has enough of that.

**

Getting the call from Evelyn, finally, after hours of trying, she is relieved. "Are you okay? What was the text about?" she asks, her voice laced with concern.

"I am devastated. I am devastated, Shi Lian," Evelyn says, her voice sounding dead as if life is sucked out from her.

Shi Lian gets more worried. "Eve, what happened? You are making me worry."

Evelyn says nothing. Shi Lian continues, "Eve, say something! If this is some kind of a prank, then it's working and I am panicking" Shi Lian asserts, hoping that it's one of her pranks but when Evelyn remains silent, she gets the answer that it's not.

"So you won't talk huh? I am coming to see you then."

"I can't come" Evelyn replies, her voice barely audible.

Shi Lian grits her teeth because the more Evelyn acts creepy, the more she is panicking. "Fine. I am coming to your house."

Shi Lian waits for a while, assuming if Evelyn will say anything but she says nothing. She finally ends the call and lets out an annoying sigh.

She gets ready to leave for Evelyn's house. She is already dressed up, all she needs is some lip balm because her lips are always dry.

Taking her handbag and her phone, she leaves her house. She has her address and she will probably reach there in half an hour. She has never been to her house so she is kind of nervous. Facing Evelyn's mother makes her more nervous. She has seen on TV, giving speeches and she admires her for her boldness and women empowerment.

~ 30 minutes later ~

Shi Lian steps out of the car and gazes at the big house in front of her. It's huge and beautifully built.

As she tries entering the gate, the security guard stops her. "I am Evelyn's friend. I am here to see her."

"Please wait. We need to go confirm first" the bald guard says with no expression. Shi Lian finds that odd but keeps that thought to herself.

After he has done with the asking, he looks at her. "Sorry for making you stand. You may enter."

Shi Lian smiles and thanking them, she enters inside. She looks to her surroundings finding green all around as she walks.

The door is open and when she stands just out of the front she peeks inside but the Hall is empty.

She decides to step in and she did. Her heels clank against the spotless marble floor and to her surprise, a maid asks her from her right. "May I know your reason for coming?"

"I am Evelyn's friend, Shi Lian. I am here to meet her. I already made her known about my arrival."

Another maid comes and the first maid tells her about Shi Lian. Both of them whisper something with each other and Shi Lian thinks to herself what the fuck she is doing?

They both turn their attention to her and the first maid says, with a small smile on her wrinkled face. "We will call Young Miss. Please, have a seat by then." She takes her to the living room and gestures to sir on the couch. She then leaves to call Evelyn. The other one goes with her as well.

Five minutes later, Evelyn shows up and when Shi Lian notices her, her eyes widen in horror. She stands up involuntarily because the Evelyn she is seeing in front of her is not the Evelyn she knows. "What the heck? What in the world happened?"

Evelyn looks dead. With her hair in a mess looks as if she hasn't combed it for days, her eyes swollen and red and her face pale.

Shi Lian shakes her lightly, "Eve... For God's sake, say something. I am worried sick!"

Evelyn meets her eyes and when she does, tears start making her view hazy. She starts sobbing snd break down in Shi Lian's embrace.