"The man on the night before yesterday... that was you?" Molly asked in confusion. She was so
astonished that she didn't even ponder over what she spoke before she had uttered it.
Her red, teary eyes were wide open in shock and closely staring at Brian, and as they met his deep,
cold stare, she felt her heart sinking into endless despair.
A faint smile appeared on Brian's face, and it was filled with invisible cruelty. He moved his lips slightly
and said slowly," You can choose to stay here right now, or you can go back home and think of an
excuse to persuade your family. Either way, you have to be back here before dinner."
This wasn't a request or even a suggestion. It was a direct order which couldn't be refused.
Brian took his eyes off the astonished Molly and left the villa.
Molly stood still and stared blankly ahead. She didn't even blink her eyes until she felt Eric's presence
right beside her.
She looked up at him slowly. He had a handsome face, black and thick eyebrows, charming eyes, an
aquiline nose, and perfectly shaped lips. His warm and pleasant disposition resembled the sunlight, but
Molly felt a chill just standing by him.
"You'd never planned on helping me, had you?" she asked. Even at that moment, she was hoping the
truth wasn't what she had thought it to be. She was hoping there were still some people willing to help
her; some few good people, thinking about whom, she could be inspired to move on.
Hearing her words, Eric gave a frown but didn't say a word. It was true that he had only planned to
disturb his brother's moves. But now, seeing Molly's sad eyes, he suddenly didn't have the heart to tell
her his true intention.
Before he could explain, a faint, mocking smile came up on Molly's face. She ground her teeth
preventing herself from crying out, and said," I may be an ordinary person, living at the bottom of the
society, and I may have to work like a gear wheel every single day, but you... you get a lot of fun from
making a fool of me, don't you? When you saw your brother humiliate me in front of you, you felt great,
didn't you?"
"Little Molly..." Eric murmured.
"Don't you dare call me that! We're not that close!" Molly interrupted him furiously. She glared at him
with a chilly gaze, and coldly continued," You know what? I don't blame it on you. You never had to help
me after all. But I guess I do owe you my gratitude for showing me that there is no such thing as a
miracle in this world!"
Then she turned around and left the house. She walked at a steady pace, and told herself as she held
her head high," I may be a nobody, and I may have nothing of my own, but I will preserve my dignity!"
Eric walked out behind her and stood at the door. He watched Molly striding away, until her figure faded
beyond the horizon. In the early winter morning sunlight, she looked like a cypress tree, enduring the
strong and cold wind; never giving up, never giving in!
"Poor girl..." Lenny sighed, folding her arms and leaning against the door. "Had she known that things
would turn out like this, she would have said yes to Mr. Brian last night, wouldn't she?"
"It was her fault that she broke into Brian's world!" Eric scowled. His words seemed to have some
implications.
Lenny curled her lips and thought, 'She would have been better if you didn't fool her around!'
Eric took a quick glance at her, then he turned back and stepped into the house, commanding at the
same time," Get me an airplane ticket to City T for this afternoon!"
"Yes sir!" Lenny replied, staring behind him in confusion. 'Will he really leave the city so quickly?
Doesn't he want to continue with this game?'
*
The place was so new to Molly she stood there, blankly staring at the people and cars passing by on
the road. Her eyes were twitching uncontrollably. Even though she was standing in the hustle and
bustle of the city, she felt boundless loneliness, as if she was the sole person having been forgotten by
the entire world.
For the first time in her life, she took a leave of absence from all her working places, and simply
wandered aimlessly around the streets. Her heart was an amalgam of complex emotions.
'That man, who looked so indifferent, had been the guy that night.'
This thought continuously emerged in her mind, and she felt her head splitting from the inside.
He had said that he never allowed anyone to break into his world without his permission!
But she... she had climbed into his bed.
She felt her eyes became wet, and her nose twitched with bitterness.
Her eyelids were fluttering, but strangely enough, there was still a smile on her face. She wanted to
burst out laughing!
It was she herself who had caused this chain of events.
She had thought that she had escaped from David's vicious plan that night, but instead, had simply
bumped into a more dangerous man. She couldn't blame anyone else for that!
She suddenly stopped her exhausted feet and looked up at the sky above. The morning sunlight burnt
her dry eyes, and she couldn't help blinking. It had turned sunny after a heavy snow, but she felt even
colder now.
She continued to think, 'That man said the choice wasn't up to me... and he was right!'
Her life had never been up to her. No matter how hard she had tried, it had always been out of her
control and she couldn't escape that fate.
Should she leave her father alone? No! That was out of question! And that man... He was like Satan
from hell, with a plethora of gloom about him. What could she do except, maybe, compromise!
'Just let it be, Molly!' She thought. 'He was the man you chose anyway!'
Molly gave a bitter smile in which one could see nothing but desolation and sorrow.
'Just look at the sky, Molly!
How great it is! With nothing else left for me, it's still here. Sunny or cloudy, it's always there... high
above!'
Molly was wandering about in deep thoughts, her exhaustion and hunger totally off her mind. The
sinking and softening rays of the sun brought her back when she saw the sun was about to set. She
spotted a telephone box on the side and, with teary eyes, stepped in.
She picked up the receiver, and dropped a coin in the slot. Her hand hung in the air for a while before it
eventually dialed a familiar number.
"Hello! Who's there?" A hoarse voice greeted her ears.
She paused for a while, and then said," Hey Dad, it's me!" "..."
The other side of the call immediately fell into silence. Maybe Steven was still struggling to find a way
to talk to his daughter.
Molly lowered her head and, pressing her lips together, said," I... I might not be able to come back for a
while. Tell Mom and Daniel for me."
Steven's lips twitched and he clenched his fists tightly. After a while, he managed an eventual "Okay" in
response to Molly.
"Dad..." Molly called softly. Her voice seemed tired and helpless. She paused for a while and
continued," Dad, don't gamble in the casinos any more!"
She didn't wait for a reply and immediately ended the call. A tear dropped from between her fluttering
eyelids and fell on the hand holding the receiver.
*
At the Emp Stock Exchange in A City, Brian was sitting idly in his study, with his slender fingers tapping
the desk from time to time. His lips were lightly pressed, and his eyes were on the screen in front of him
as he listened to Harrow's reports.
"Come back to City A as soon as you finish the business with Chancellor Company," Brian commanded
coldly.
Harrow shrugged his shoulders, and said," I thought I would witness their misery myself!"
Brian slightly frowned, and replied," Their stock index only dropped by 10 percent. It's not enough to
ruin their company."
"Mr. Brian, why didn't you destroy their company completely?" asked Harrow, with a confused look on
his face. As far as he knew, Brian showed no mercy towards his enemies. Why had he broken his rule
this time? Brian curled his lips, and a cunning gaze shone in his eyes.
Then he explained," They will be useful when I deal with the affairs concerning QY Island."
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," Brian called out. The door was opened and Tony stepped inside.
"Mr. Brian Long, Miss Xia has reached the villa!" he said.
Brian glanced at the clock on the wall, and commanded," Prepare the car for me."
"Yes sir!" Tony replied and left the room.
Brian noticed Harrow's confused look. He frowned at him, and coldly said," Our shares will soon open
in America. Keep your eyes peeled, and don't let others exploit our advantage!"
He didn't wait for Harrow's reply and immediately ended the video chat. Then he stood up from his seat
and left the room.
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