CHAPTER 2
Lin yuan sat at the Lin state dining table smiling like nothing had changed while inside he was already planning exactly how everything would fall apart his parents glowed with pride relatives last two loudly and beside him shen mochen perfect suit perfect posture reached under the table and gave his hand to soft sleeves that touch used to make Yuhan feel wanted now it felt like being helped by someone who would already decided to let go.
He forced his fingers to stay relaxed someone offered him more champagne he nodded out of habit then the memory hits sudden sharp like something tearing open inside him.
Four years after the engagement ( past)
The hallway outside the clinic reeked of bleach and dead dreams Lin Yuhan sat a loan on the cold plastic chair hands shaking as he stared at the report negative again.
He swallowed hard and deep,it wasn't just about a child it was about trying about proving he was still worth building a future with.
Back at their penthouse that night the silence felt like a blade shen mochen sat his desk face lit by the cold blue glow of his laptop his eyes never left the screen, Yuhan stood in the doorway for several long second.
"Mochen"
A grunt,no glance.
Yuhan tried again voice barely above a whisper. "The test it's negative again the doctor mentioned IVF or adoption I was thinking if I took more time off work maybe I could—"
Mochen finally looked up not with love,not even concerned just pure exhaustion, "Yuhan….are you serious right now?"
The words landed like ice, "you resign from the board to focus on us remember? And now you want even more time off?"
Yuhan frozen,his throat tightened,his heart piercing with immense pain.
Mochen learned back, sighing as if this conversation was biggest inconvenience of his day.
"We have all the time in the world for kids just don't bring this up especially when I'm working it's not helpful ".
Then he turned back to his screen,no touch, no comfort,no are you okay?.
Yuhan stood there until his legs felt numb, he walked to the bedroom alone.
That night he cried into the side of the bed silently, bitting down on his wrist so Mochen wouldn't hear.
He had cut off his friends,he had walked away from his career, he had given every piece of himself to Mochen but he was still treated worse than a rag.
And in the end,he had become nothing more than furniture in thier home. Not a partner,not even a burden. Just something that existed in the background lesser than a house pet.
That was the night something deep inside him started to fracture, as he turned into the shell of his former self.
The memories snapped snapped,the present slammed back into place, the chandelier above the dinner table flickered.
Yuhan's fingers tightened around the champagne glass until his knuckles turned white, laughers floated around him, scent of lilies and roses, mochen chatting smoothly with his father, wearing the same polished smile as he used on everyone.
Yuhan watched him quietly, Mochen had called emotional, difficult,too fragile,too clingy. But in reality, mochen had simply trained him to apologize for needing love and for loving him.
Yuhan took a slow sip of his champagne,the sweetness curled on his tongue like poison, like mochen betrayal and love. When mochen turned towards him,brows raised in mild curiosity, Yuhan met his eyes and smiled.
Not wide, not warm, just enough to make yuhan hate him more than ever, more than he has ever loved him.
"This champagne" he said lightly, voice calm and pleasant," a bit too sweet, don't you think"?
Mochen blinked,his perfect smile faltered for half a second. That tiny crack was enough to give Yuhan hope of breaking Mochen, the way he did to him in the past.
"Do I look like a fool to you"? Yuhan thought, turning back to the table with a serene smile and expression. " Better check again sweetheart.
This game has already started and this time mochen will pay with his blood