"Mrs Wang, Mr Wang. Happy wedding anniversary." Madam Yan greeted Changyu and Jianjun.

Changyu had been smiling at her husband but the smile left her face when she saw Madam Yan and her family.

Elder Yan also greeted and the kids bowed.

"Thank you. And you are welcome." Changyu said but it sounded rather dismissive.

Shen looked at Suyin and the two communicated with their eyes. It was obvious people extended the hate they had for their parents towards them and it was very uncomfortable.

They both wished they could cut them off completely.

Shen bowed and walked away and Suyin did same while their parents looked behind them in confusion. But the parents didn't want to act embarrassed so madam Yan giggled, "Kids and impatience. I bet they cannot wait to make friends."

"I don't remember sending an invite meant for your family." Changyu mentioned and waited for the woman to speak. As usual, her husband pinched her to stop her from embarrassing them but she ignored him.

Madam Yan smiled awkwardly and tried to hide her embarrassment with a laugh, "We wanted to greet you all. Besides, our son is really close with Li Heya so it only makes sense for us to be here right? Haha!" Her husband joined in on the laughter but the other couple just continued to look at them.

"Then only your son should have come." Changyu said with a straight face.

The Yan elders realised this was going to be harder than they had imagined. They knew how Changyu normally was. Everyone had heard a tale or two about her. She didn't mince her words, she didn't mind taking matters into her own hands. She was scary and moreso because no one could challenge her. That was why a lot of people went through her husband instead since everyone knew he was the only one capable of taming her. But her husband always told her and it was never good for those people.

Changyu suddenly laughed, "I was only joking. You do not need to look serious. Today is a joyous day so everyone is welcomed. Happy New Year by the way."

The couple looked at each other, obviously relieved before smiling broadly at Changyu.

"Happy new year too! This place is so lovely." Madam Yan said, ready to bootlick. She took the opportunity to praise Changyu and talked about how much she loved her dress, jewelry, shoe., and the things she did for humanity.

"Can you please excuse us? There is something we have to do." Changyu said with a smile before walking away with her husband. Once they were a little far away from the couple, she frowned,

"It is difficult acting nice. I hate it!"

"Just for today. This is a special day. Please?" Her husband begged. She had promised him she would act nicely to everyone today but it was proving to be very difficult.

"I cannot wait to see what that woman is up to." Changyu said as she looked at their direction. The couple had moved to meet Hoy's parents.

"Up to? They just look like they are ready to suck up to this family. I don't see anything else." Her husband said.

"No." Changyu shook her head. "I think they've fallen out with the Zhus and is trying to find their way towards us."

"Really? But their son doesn't look like a bad guy. He likes Heya right?"

"I don't care. I don't just want that family anywhere near ours and I really hope the others feel the same way."

They both watched the couple properly and Changyu narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Maybe they aren't just after Heya."

"What do you mean? So who else are they after then?" He asked as he kept his gaze on them. Seeing how excitedly the woman was chatting with Hoy's mother, it clicked, "Li Hoy?" He asked in surprise.

"I am soooo going to kill that woman." Changyu said with a little smile on her face.

*******

Heya had been watching for a while so she clearly noticed how Suyin had been staring at Zhu Liang. As much as she tried not to get jealous, she still felt a pang of jealousy especially when Suyin looked like she finally gathered her wits to approach him.

Heya thought she was terrible for wishing Zhu Liang would turn away from Suyin. Of course he couldn't! A lot of people here already assumed they were still a couple since they hadn't officially announced it was over, so it wouldn't make sense for them to act as strangers to each other.

She believed if she stopped watching, she would feel better so she turned around. She didn't want to go inside just in case her mother would find her there, so she took the other bend to the other side of the building which was deserted.

Thankfully, she found a chair there and sat down.

She felt terrible for what she had done but she wasn't regretting it. People had always played with her feelings, so what was so wrong in trying to keep the one who genuinely liked her? Why did she have to care about Suyin's feelings to the point where it caused her to have nightmares because she was scared of Suyin finding out?

She knew this was only going to end if she told Suyin. The guilt would be less on her, she knew it. But she couldn't bring herself to tell her, at least not yet. She could only find the courage after the trip when they could go their separate ways. Suyin was going to hate her, but she would live with it. She was going to lose a friend and she had to prepare for it.

"It must be hard on you."

Heya turned her head to the side immediately and saw Yan Shen. She had seen him earlier at the party but made no effort to talk to him because she didn't want him to remind her about how much she was hurting his sister.

"Happy New Year." She greeted instead, not bothering to ask what he meant by that statement.

"Happy new year to you too." He greeted and turned to look ahead with his hands deep in his pockets.

He didn't say anything else until Heya broke the silence, "You must be looking at me differently now."

"Why would you think that?" He turned to look at her as he asked.

"I don't know." She shrugged. "I'm sure when we met the first day inside the ship, when you came inside my room to look for your sister, you didn't think I would turn out like this."

"And what does your definition of 'like this' mean?" He asked with genuine curiosity that made Heya consider the fact that there was a chance he really wasn't judging her.

"I'm a mess Shen!" She said and stood up to look directly at him.

"I couldn't keep my relationship and seeing him with your sister... you had no idea how crazy it drove me." She didn't realise she was crying until a bead of tear slid into her open mouth.

"I feel horrible. I hate myself for doing this but I cannot help it! And I do not know what to tell your sister. I cannot bring myself to tell her right now that it was I who probably caused her break up with Liang so if that is what you are planning to ask me to do... please..."

The two whipped their heads to the side when they heard a glass shatter.

Heartbeats increased, blood began to pump even faster and eyes widened when they both saw who was standing there.

Suyin was standing there, looking at them. Heya didn't need someone to interpret to her that Suyin had heard her.

"It... was... you?" Suyin asked quietly in a tone filled with disbelief. Her eyes were also wide and her hands were shaking. She had carried two glasses of wine because she had seen Heya heading to this place earlier but they had broken into pieces, mixed with wine on the ground.

"You... knew?" Suyin asked her brother this time.

"Suyin..." When Shen took a step towards her, she took one backwards.

Suyin shook her head in disbelief.

"How.. this.. it... makes no sense." She spoke quietly. It seemed more like she was talking to herself than to either of them.

Heya didn't know what to do or say at that moment. All her fears, nightmares, there were happening right before her eyes. She was scared. Scared because Suyin found out the wrong way, scared because she was finally going to lose a friend and scared because this... was TROUBLE!

"Suyin.." Heya called her slowly. "I... I can explain it all."

"No! This doesn't make sense. I'll ask him. I will just go back there and ask Liang myself." Suyin shook her head adamantly and turned around to return to the venue of the party.

Heya panicked and ran after her. She caught her hand and refused to let her go.

"Please Suyin. You have to hear me out. It is really not what you think. I... I will explain all of it to you without leaving any detail out. Please I am begging you." Heya was crying now as she pleaded. She didn't know if this whole thing made her weak or if Suyin was naturally strong because when Suyin pushed her, she fell backwards and unfortunately for her, her right palm landed on the broken pieces of the glass on the floor.

Suyin didn't bother to look behind her, she marched out, leaving an injured Heya and a confused Shen who was helping Heya up.

Heya's gown was mixed with wine and dirt and her palm was injured. She didn't mind the burning pain and blood, immediately Shen helped her up, she ran after Suyin.