Chapter 157: Chapter 157
“I called your office and they said you weren’t there. I told you I was sending by today Mia to take you for Lunch. How can I do that if you don’t inform me when you’re out. The poor girl is standing in your empty office.”
“Mom, really? Now you’re sending her to my workplace and forcing me to have lunch with her. Can I please organize my own love life?” ZhengLi clenched his fist, shaking his head at the audacity of the woman who seemed to forget he was in his thirties already, and quickly glanced back at the room before wandering further in case they could hear him. The last thing he wanted was Linlin upset on top of everything else.
“No, you can’t. You think we don’t know what you’ve been doing these last weeks? Your face shows up in plenty of pictures in the gossip columns. Some trashy third-rate hospitality company heiress always on your arm. Is that really all you’re capable of?” Her words were delivered with stinging disappointment and shocked ZhengLi to the core. Thinking his relationship with Linlin had been concealed all this time as his parents weren’t one to read trash rags and had never mentioned her.
His mother had seen pictures of some purple dyed hair, slutty dressed creature on his arm of late. Always the same girl despite his years of multiple ‘playmates’ and she had been bitterly disappointed that he was settling for some classless hussy. Having done a check on who she was, she had found Miss. Choi had a reputation not unlike her son’s past misdemeanors and that made it worse.
“So is that why you’re now trying force me to marry into the Huang family? Because you found out I have a girlfriend you don’t approve of? Nice, mom!” ZhengLi’s anger swirled in his stomach.
“You have a responsibility as my son to marry a girl of a good standing. Even if you are the youngest. This is about our family name. And That girl is never going to measure up to the respectable Kim name.”
“How about I marry a girl I love and you can cut me off and disown me from the Kim family, so I don’t tarnish its perfect name. I’m not doing this today, mom. So have a nice lunch and I’ll talk to you in a few days. I’m busy here.” ZhengLi closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose with his forefinger and thumb, his head aching already and knew she was only just getting started. He had no doubts if they figured out he had a girlfriend, a serious one, they probably did a background check on her.
“Love? Don’t be ridiculous. It’s a passing fleeting feeling and doesn’t always guarantee a long and happy marriage. This is pure and simple lust because a wild playmate is currently fun, but her loose behaviors will be the end of you. A good pairing is the most important thing. A woman who matches you in every way.”
“Well, I guess I’m lucky I found one. Who matches me in every way and is the best pairing I’ll ever find. One who forgives me my loose behaviors of the past because she understands me. I’m not doing this anymore. I played along knowing in time Mia would cut me loose when she realized we weren’t going anywhere but honestly, after today, I’m done with this. I’m not going to do this to Linlin. I love her.”
ZhengLi had been shaken to his senses when they found their women missing today. The agony of not knowing where she was, what happened, if she was okay, and then the call she had been in an accident had almost ended him. The fear was unlike anything he’d ever felt in his life, had almost paralyzed him in terror, and he was wasting time and hurting her by allowing his family to push him around like this in the name of duty. He couldn’t do it anymore, not when he thought of how helpless and tiny she looked in that bed when he first walked into her room.
Battered, bruised, pale and exhausted. He almost cried and knew for the first time in his life he would willingly take all her pain himself so she wouldn’t feel it. Linlin was the girl he would sacrifice everything for. Despite her tough outer shell, she was a scared, sweet, and loving soul who had been deprived the right kind of love and security her whole life. Much like him.
“What is that supposed to mean? Stop being childish and come back from wherever you are for a lunch date. I won’t cancel Mia. Don’t leave her waiting.”
“I’m not coming back. My girlfriend went through hell today and is in the hospital and that’s where I’m staying until she gets out. And when she does, I’m going to ask her to move in with me and get married. I won’t give her up. You can tell Mia whatever you want.”
“No, you’re not. Don’t be ridiculous. I won’t allow it and neither will your father! Stop this nonsense and come home, I want to see you.” ZhengLi’s mother lost her temper, her tone loud and scathing and designed to put him in his place. Hating that of all her children, he was the one she had the least control over.
“Yes, I am. Linlin is the one. If you want to cut me off, do it. I’ll happily be a trashy, third-rate hospitality son in law and forget I was ever a Kim. I’m sure I might actually finally know what happiness is. She’s my future, so either accept it or get out of my way.” ZhengLi didn’t wait for his mother’s response, knowing he already had set a light under her and fire and fury were only going to escalate.
He cut the call and turned his phone off before walking to the nearest wall and pressing his forehead to the cold surface and slumping slightly with a sigh of despair. His stomach tied in knots and suddenly nauseous with the expected fallout. Knowing he just ignited so much family drama once more, like he did when he chose to work as Leng Corp assistant CEO over his families own business. They had caused him to have a stomach ulcer over that period of time.
He flipped around so his back was supported against the wall and blew out his breath in an exaggerated way. Tension filling him up and then rubbed his temples and stood up straight. Knowing the only way to get through this, was the same as he did before. Brush it off, push it out of his head. Regret nothing.