Chapter 18

Lu Xinyi walked into the apartment, and there she saw Gong Yijun, standing on the stairs, waiting for her. He glanced down at her with wide eyes, surprised that she really came home today.
Once, Lu Xinyi had thought that he was the man of her dreams. He was handsome with thick black hair and mysterious brown eyes. He was very patient when he was courting her during their high school years. If it wasn’t for Meng Jiao’s suggestion, she wouldn’t even agree to become his girlfriend. But over the years, she had come to love him.
What wasn’t there to like about him? He was a good-looking and charming man. Now, Lu Xinyi didn’t see the appeal nor could see him in the same light again.
Compared to her husband, Gong Yijun was at least five inches shorter. Even his built couldn’t compare and was subpar to Shen Yi’s lean and masculine body that could make any woman drool in his presence.
He had thick black hair? Shen Yi got a smooth silky pitch black hair that she loved to touch. It wasn’t spiky nor rough for her fingertips. Surely, Lu Xinyi got the better man when she married Shen Yi.
“Xinyi,” Gong Yijun breathed out.
She frowned at him.
“What do you want? I thought you already moved on with Meng Jiao,” she asked coldly as she shove past him on the stairs.
The house was messy with all the things in it, and dirty clothes were scattered everywhere. So he couldn’t keep this place clean in her absence? Was he treating her like a personal maid these past months?
“Xinyi, I’m sorry I messed up. I know I hurt you, but please can you give me another chance? Let’s start anew. I already broke things with Meng Jiao. Please don’t leave me like this.”
“Uh-huh.” As if she would believe his lies again. His affair with Meng Jiao might have started even before she caught them cheating on her.
Let him grovel; let him plead. Let’s see who would make a fool out of himself this time. There was nothing for her to give anymore because the love and respect she had for him died when he broke her heart.
If wasn’t for Shen Yi…
If it wasn’t for her husband, Lu Xinyi was sure that she wouldn’t be calm and collected like this. If she hadn’t met him, she might even take her life because of the pain and depression she was in before she met him.
A stranger helped her pick up the pieces of her shattered heart and fix it for her. Not that Shen Yi was aware of what he had done for her.
“Please, Xinyi. It won’t happen again, I promise. I swear I’ll treat you right this time. Give me another chance to prove to you that I’m sorry. Don’t give up on me. Please don’t give up on us,” he pleaded.
Lu Xinyi could hear what he was saying, but she really didn’t care about him. She spared him a cold glare to make him shut up before finishing packing her things and walking out of his apartment.
There was nothing he could do now to change everything. He slept with Meng Jiao while she married Shen Yi. When he cheated on her, he chose to disregard her feelings. He had proven to her that he wasn’t worth loving and fighting for. Walking out of his house, she ignored his pleas for forgiveness.
If there was something she learned from the vacation she had with Shen Yi, it was that she deserved so much better than Gong Yijun. She didn’t have to settle with someone not worth her time, effort, and love.
Lu Xinyi left without another word and walked towards the place where she and Shen Yi agreed to meet. She saw him outside his car, leaning on the hood while waiting for her. He instantly righted himself as soon as he saw her walking towards him.
There were no words needed when she met his gaze. She knew Shen Yi knew she was apologizing to him. Her eyes were in tears again, and she hated that she was crying because of Gong Yijun.
Shen Yi gently pulled her to his chest and let her cry. His nose buried in her hair as he whispered to her head.
“He can never hurt you like this again.”