Chapter 5 Agreeing to Leave
That "let" word again.
I had been disappointed by Zhou Linchen too many times.
I felt numb.
This time, I agreed to let her have her way.
"Okay, I'll move out today."
Zhou Linchen's face flashed a look of relief for a moment.
Then it mixed with some guilt, and he said in a low voice:
"No need to rush... You can move tomorrow."
With that, he glared at Zhou Qingyan with a blaming look.
Zhou Qingyan smiled happily, declaring her victory.
While Zhou Linchen turned to take a phone call.
She fingered the necklace around her neck that should have been mine.
She didn't forget to mock me:
"You're his fiancée, so what? The necklace I wanted, he still gave it to me. Not letting you stay in the house, you can only tuck your tail and move out.
"I heard he drew a bad lot again yesterday, so you have to keep waiting.
"Maybe you'll wait until you're an old maid, and he still won't draw a good lot to marry you."
I looked up, my tone calm but every word piercing:
"At least I was his fiancée once. Some people might never have that title in their lifetime."
Zhou Qingyan was stunned, then she realized what I meant.
Her face turned red with anger, and she glared at me fiercely before leaving.
She knew better than anyone that she wasn't Zhou Linchen's real sister.
The real Zhou Qingyan went missing at eight years old.
She was just a substitute the Zhou family found.
Even if her feelings for Zhou Linchen were obvious.
The elite families valued reputation and face the most.
The Zhou elders would never allow them to cross the line.
In her lifetime, she could only carry the name of Zhou Linchen's "sister."
Be a substitute in the shadows.
The butler came forward and asked if I needed help packing.
I refused.
I came with one suitcase, and I left with one.
Those bags and jewelry that should have been mine, I had already sold and turned into cash, safely in my account.
The butler said:
"Li Xia, why not tell the young master that the Zhou family's Marriage Lot can only be drawn six times?"
He also knew the last rule in the Zhou family's Ancestral Rule:
Six times without drawing a good lot, the engagement can be canceled.
I shook my head, with only relief in my eyes.
"No need. If he really wanted to marry me, he wouldn't make me wait this long."
Five years, changing the lot time after time, did he really think I didn't know?
It was just him deceiving himself.
As I went downstairs, I bumped into Zhou Qingyan clinging to Zhou Linchen, acting spoiled.
Her voice was sickly sweet:
"Zhou Linchen, I want to join the company, and I want Li Xia's position as project department manager."
This involved company operations, so Zhou Linchen wasn't that muddled this time.
He frowned and refused:
"No, your major is painting, what do you know about negotiating projects."
I didn't listen anymore and left the Zhou house.
The next day, after finalizing the agreement with the client, I returned to the company.
All the things in my office had been cleared out to the workstation by the door.
Suppressing my anger, I demanded:
"Who did this!"
HR Manager Xu hurried out to explain, scared.
"Li Xia... Assistant Li Xia, an hour ago, Miss Zhou was appointed as project department manager, and you... are now her assistant."
That meant I had been demoted, and I had to be Zhou Qingyan's assistant.
In a rage, I stormed straight to the top floor president's office.
Zhou Linchen's assistant blocked the door, not letting me in.
"Li Xia, the president is in an important video conference, he has no time to see you now."
I pushed him aside and opened the door.
Zhou Linchen wasn't in any video conference.
On his desk was Zhou Qingyan's recent photobook spread out.
One page showed her in a spicy look, the next in a fresh one, all with minimal fabric.
Hearing the noise.
He didn't even lift his head, scolding unhappily: "Get out!"