Chapter 3

Inside the reception hall, I stood scanning the tables for an empty seat.

“Xu Nainai, sit over here!”

I followed the voice and found the vacant chair.

On its left sat the cousin calling my name, Xu Anke, Eldest Uncle’s daughter.

On its right sat Xu Sui.

I steadied myself, put on a smile, and walked over.

“Well, today’s the first meeting between our real and fake heiresses. Shouldn’t you two get properly acquainted?”

My cousin spoke at the top of her lungs, as though afraid someone at the table might miss a word.

I tugged an awkward smile onto my face and glanced at Xu Sui.

She calmly picked up food with her chopsticks, her expression perfectly unchanged.

“Nainai, did you know all along that you weren’t a biological daughter of the Xu family? You kept that secret for an awfully long time.”

“Why didn’t you tell the rest of us? Were you afraid that once the truth came out, you wouldn’t get to enjoy being a rich young lady anymore?”

Xu Anke dissolved into shrill giggles.

Before she could finish, Xu Sui picked up a bundle of cilantro and held it to Xu Anke’s lips.

“Want some? I heard your mother say outside that cilantro is your favorite.”

Xu Anke’s face turned green. “Sui, you must’ve misheard. I never eat cilantro. Just smelling it makes me—ugh… ugh…”

She had not finished speaking when Xu Sui stuffed the entire bundle into her mouth, making her gag.

The sight was so ridiculous I wanted to laugh, but I did not dare.

When Xu Sui leaned toward Anke, she happened to lean into me as well.

Her familiar scent filled my lungs, stirring an ache in my chest.

I took several deep, greedy breaths, wanting to hoard that little trace of her for myself.

My gaze lowered to the black swan necklace around her neck.

It did not match her dress at all, yet she had worn it anyway.

Because it was the first gift I had ever given her.

It was not a luxury item and carried no brand name. I had made it with my own hands.

By the time I came back to myself, Xu Sui had returned to her seat.

The meal ended without a single word passing between us.

My heart hurt, but I did not let it show.

After the banquet, I went back to my room and stared numbly at our chat history.

Plop.

A tear slid from my eye and struck the screen.

By absurd coincidence, it landed on the call button.

I froze for a second, then fumbled to hang up.

Knock, knock, knock.

Someone rapped on my door the very next moment.

I opened it. Xu Sui stood outside.

I pressed my lips together, not daring to meet her eyes. “What do you want?”

She gave a soft laugh. “What do I want? You don’t know what I came here to do?”

She advanced step by step, slipped inside, and shut the door behind her.

“Xu Nainai, give me your phone. I sent you all those messages, and I want to know whether you never saw them or saw them and ignored me.”

At the mention of my phone, I hid that hand behind my back.

“Why hide it? Got secrets in there?” Xu Sui pinned me against the door and reached behind me for it.

“No.” I drew my arm in tighter, trapping the phone between my back and the wall.

Her hand stopped.

Then it withdrew and rose to my chin.

Her fingertip tipped my face up.

“Nainai, have you been crying?”

The sudden panic in her voice was unmistakable.

“What happened?” She wiped the tears from the corner of my eye.

“Nothing.” I pushed her gently away and bit my lip, fighting to keep my emotions under control.

“Because I didn’t speak to you today?” she asked softly, pulling me into her arms.

I said nothing, which was answer enough.

“Nainai, you’ve lived in this family for years. You know none of them are harmless. We were supposedly meeting for the first time. It would have looked suspicious if we’d been too familiar.”

“That’s why you ignored me?” I wiped my tears away and asked in a muffled voice.

“What else would it be? Now, are you done crying? If you are, come sleep with me. I didn’t get a wink last night.”

Xu Sui wrapped an arm around my waist and tumbled me onto the bed.

“Wait!”

“Xu Sui!”

“We already broke up!”

I struggled, determined to make her face the truth.

“I never agreed to it.”

Then her mouth came down on mine.

The kiss made even my fingertips tremble.

Her long, elegant hands refused to behave. Apparently, she truly did intend to be the death of me.

Fine. I would indulge her once.

I could call it punishment for being the first to break my promise and ask for a breakup.