Harry held Lola in his arms. They embraced each other sweetly under the romantic moonlight.
"Lola Li!" He called her name, as if wanting to be with her all his life. But he knew that it was almost
impossible.
Lola also held him tightly to feel his breath. The warmth of his presence was something that she would
forever desire. She also knew that he didn't want to leave her. It was in his eyes.
"Let it go!" He said.
After a long time, Lola said, "Harry, do you really love her? More than you feel for me?" Loosening her
grip, she looked blankly at Harry, afraid of what he would answer.
Harry became silent. She walked away from him.
Tears inevitably filled her eyes. "Lola, don't cry. A man that will marry someone else doesn't deserve
your tears."
In great dismay, Harry punched his fist on the stone pillar beside him.
He had all the power and money a man could ask for. Yet, he can't even do anything to be with the one
he truly loves.
When Lola went back home, Nicole was already asleep. She gently took Nicole back to her room.
Nicole was awaken by the sudden movement and squinted her eyes in a very cute way. She lovingly
looked at her. Her lips were like Harry's.
"Nicole, sorry to deprive you of your father's love. You deserve so much, my little one."
...
As deputy CEO, Lola became busier. The difficult part was that some executives in the company were
still to be convinced of her abilities.
On the third day, Harry transferred two elite executives from the head office.
Judging from their resumes and posts at the head office, they were appointed deputy CEO and deputy
general manager respectively.
Now, SL Group had one CEO, one deputy CEO, one general manager and two deputy general
managers.
With Harry staying behind the lines now, they still needed outstanding persons to take up deputy posts
to meet the needs of the group. It could prove to be costly but in the long run, it would be worth it.
The two elite executives were a great help to Lola. Not only was the burden in her was eased, she also
learned a lot from these two senior members.
Except for very important things or documents, they could solve all the other problems in the company.
Today was the seventh day after Zoe died in the tragic explosion.
Lola changed into a white business suit, holding the crystal bracelet that Zoe gave her. She had
decided that she would forever wear this bracelet so she could always feel his presence even if he had
gone. She hesitated over whether to call Harry. He said they would attend the funeral together.
As she was thinking about this, her phone suddenly rang. It was from him. Lola hung it up. Harry called
again, but she still hung it up.
It was a silent protest. He couldn't just barge into her life again. He would just let her hopes up.
She drove to the Lu Mansion.
In Lu Mansion.
After Zoe died, no one in his family agreed to set up a mourning hall at home.
However, the news has spread out so fast that all the people in A Country already knew about it. The
solicitude and condolence of the Li family and the Si family made a negative and stressful impact to
Andrew. Just to avoid any gossip and as a respect to Zoe, he set up a mourning hall at home.
Led by the steward, Lola stepped into the mourning hall.
She came early. No one had come to mourn or keep vigil beside the coffin.
There were a dozen wreaths in the doorway. Lola walked in and saw a black coffin carefully placed in
the middle of the hall, surrounded by white chrysanthemums. She felt goosebumps all over her body.
She never imagined this day in her life. Now that it was happening, she wished she could turn back
time.
The black and white photo that showed a grinning Zoe was placed in front. At the sight of it, Lola burst
into tears.
Slowly making her way to the coffin, she knew that she wouldn't be able to control her emotions.
They could never see each other again.
"Zoe, here I am. Do you want to see me?"
Lola took up the joss paper beside her, burnt it slowly and silently chatted with him.
"Zoe, I can never see you again. How stupid you are. How could you leave me alone?"
Next to the mourning hall stood a teenage girl in a plain white dress. She stared at Lola, who was
crying bitterly. Was she the woman that her cousin liked and had told numerous stories about?
The teenage girl slowly walked over. "Hello. Are you Lola Li? I'm sorry to interrupt."
Lola looked at the girl who was approaching her, wiped her tears and nodded.
The girl took out an envelope from her pocket. "The steward found it when they were sorting out Zoe's
things."
Lola took the envelope. There was only a piece of paper inside. The little girl added, "Zoe suffered from
moderate depression. He tried to kill himself before, but his family saved him."
Zoe suffered from moderate depression? He never told that to her. But he always appeared happy and
full of joy. Lola looked at the little girl in great surprise and wondered whether what she said was true.
The little girl looked at her and continued, "I'm his cousin. He was nice to me."
She quickly opened the paper. The words written in it made her choke with sobs.
Dear Lola, It was a great privilege to meet you in that peach season. This is the greatest joy and wealth
in my life.
You appeared charmingly in the most beautiful moments, like a touch of sunshine that warmed those
very cold times.
With you, I have no regrets in this life.
Thank you. Your smiles kept me from taking my life. You were the one constant joy in this cruel world
that I am living in.
You know what, I have always loved you. Right from the very start.
Dear Lola, my best friend, be happy. I'm leaving.
Dear Lola, don't visit me at my grave. I don't want to see your sadness. I don't want to see you cry.
Dear Lola, I hope you can be always happy, and with that, I won't have any regrets.
By your best friend, Zoe.
December 12.
...
Lola lost all senses and kneeled on the ground. Her tears wet the paper.
Zoe actually tried to kill himself last year, but Lola didn't even know he was diagnosed with depression.
"Zoe…" Lola bent over his coffin, crying bitterly and holding the bracelet tightly in her hand.
Just then, Harry walked in. Lola's cry broke his heart into pieces.
He held Lola in his arms. Lola kept thinking about Zoe and why he hid his depression from her. "We are
best friends. Why would you do that?" She felt a familiar arm hold her but she didn't bother to look at
her back. Zoe said that he loved her, but she never knew about it.
She hated her indifference to him. She knew how to love someone, especially someone who truly loved
her.
However, she often showed her love with Mike and Harry in front of him. He must be so heartbroken.
Harry took over the letter in Lola's hand. Although some words had been wet with tears, what it said
was very telling.
Zoe was great. He loved Lola for more than ten years, but he never let others know.
It might be companionship and the most sincere kind of love.
Hearing that Lola and Harry had come, Andrew rushed to the mourning hall with his son.
Approaching Lola and Harry in plain formal clothes, he said, "Boss Si, Miss Li, please restrain your
grief." Andrew was grief-stricken. Harry looked at him and didn't speak. Last night, he tried to know
more about Andrew.
Zoe was Andrew's illegitimate son. Andrew didn't accept him nor his mother.
Later, his mother jumped from a building because of it. Zoe's mother also suffered from depression.
One of Andrew's sons was a homosexual, and the other devoted himself to art and led a wandering life
all over the world. Andrew couldn't count on them, so he appointed Zoe as the nominal CEO. Zoe grew
up in a family full of issues and conflicts. No wonder he had become sad and did not open up. Harry
had never felt more sympathy to a person.
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