Love Began with the First Meeting

"I have always thought that you are Brian's right hand. Since when have you become Molly's slave?" With a put-down tone on her voice, Cora jeered while darting a look at Vincent with her disdainful glance.

To her surprise, he didn't seem to be angered by her words. He just shrugged and casually replied, "It doesn't matter who my master is. What's important for me is, I enjoy life to the fullest. No matter what I do, as long as I feel happy about it, then I will do it. Don't you agree? Miss Ke?" Cora's face turned dark. He seemed to find joy in that and put up a meaningful smile without even the slightest expression of annoyance on his face. Then he continued, "Oh sorry, I almost forgot, that you are not happy with your life. Perhaps, whatever you do, nothing can make you feel happy at all."

The irony in Vincent's words immediately lit up her anger. Minutes later she was so into him because of his outlook in life, and then all of a sudden he looked like a bitter curd to her, so annoying both in sight and in taste. Not wanting to elicit a misunderstanding, she didn't argue back. After glaring at the mischievous man, she diverted her eyes to Brian, who was standing near his car, at some distance away from her. Looking at him from a distance, she knew that he was such a cold-blooded person by nature, but she didn't know that he could be so cold-blooded to her of all persons. He even treated her so indifferently, completely disregarding the close relationship between their fathers.

"Stop looking at Mr. Brian Long." Nudging at her side, Vincent reminded her, "In this world, no one could make him change his mind, except for the women in his family and his beloved wife Mrs. Molly Long. But you..." Looking at Cora from head to foot with a snarl, he shook his head. "You can't!" He paused for a brief moment and slowly let out a sigh. "Actually, I have a piece of advice for you. After you go back, never appear in front of Mrs. Molly Long again. I can assure you that Mr. Brian Long is not going to look for you." More disdained at him this time, Cora just sneered at him trying hard to hold her grudge towards him lest she might punch him in the face if he kept on insulting her.

That put Vincent in a conundrum. 'I don't get her. What kind of creature woman is? I made it so clear to her, why wouldn't she listen to me. If not for the time we worked in the XK Intelligence Agency together, I wouldn't have been so kind to her. But she doesn't seem to appreciate, 'Vincent thought.

"I have told you everything." His voice was filled with helplessness. "I don't want to do this, but I have no choice." No sooner had he finished his sentence than he stepped back for a couple of steps. Then he lifted his chin a little as a signal to the men in black just behind them. The men in return got the cue and moved towards Cora.

Seconds later, the commotion began. In the corner of his eye from afar, Brian saw how the men attacked Cora together. Actually, Cora wasn't really a skilled fighter. Moreover, she had rested for so long and her skills were a bit rusty by now. Even though she had gone through some training in the past, she still couldn't match up with the people from XK, not to mention she had to fight against five people on her own.

In just a few seconds, Cora was kicked at the abdomen by one of the men. Then her body was thrown backward. She lost her balance and grasped for some air as she took the painful blow. Holding her abdomen, she scorned in pain as she struggled to straighten up. "Well, well..." Looking down at her, Vincent found Cora too pitiful, being beaten like that. He couldn't help but curse the man who had kicked her in his heart silently-how could he be so brutal to such beauty? Of course, the most he could do was curse inwardly. Deep inside he had no sympathy for Cora, not even the slightest affection towards her. Living the life he had, he had learned that in this world, there was no such thing as sympathy. There was no room for sympathetic, weak and vulnerable men. Only the strongest, the fittest and the wisest would survive.

"Aw... Ahem! Ahem!" With her face showing terrible pain, Cora coiled her body up, her hands covering her stomach, her nose starting to feel sour. However, her proud character forbade her to let her tears out. After only groaning for a few times, she bit her lips to prevent herself from making another sound, lest they would see her as a weak target. Under the torment of immense pain, biting her lips was her only option to hold it all back. However, she bit so hard that a trace of blood formed on her lips.

With all their attention focused on Cora, none of them noticed that Brian walked up to them. When Vincent's attention was caught up by the sound of his steps crushing the grass, he turned around. "Mr. Brian Long."

Although he heard what Vincent had said, he didn't answer. Instead, he just walked past him and then the men in black. He stopped in front of the pained Cora. Looking down at the woman who had curled up in agony, he stated coldly, "You should have taken my words seriously." His voice was so indifferent and emotionless, yet strange and fearful to the ear. "I gave you the chance before, but you falsely took it as a sign that I would continue to give you another chance. I don't like people who conceitedly assume that they are smart when actually they are not."

Fed up with his words, Cora slowly raised her head. She glared at Brian while traces of blood were crawling on her eyes like spider webs, eyes ablaze with fury and hatred.

Brian sighed out. He drew his hand out from his pocket, bent himself and extended his hand to help her. His fingers were long and white, but the palm was coarse, full of callus. That was the mark left from years of practicing guns and the experience of passing the Hell Forest. This was the worst day of her life for Cora. Never in her entire life that she been humiliated like a beaten street dog limping its way out of danger. Her eyes landed at the hand that was extending to her aid. Trying hard to suppress the impulse to put her hand in his, she blurted out, "Are you pitying me?"

A mild smile was plastered on his face. His eyes were as dark as the deepest cave. His lips gently parted as he slowly said, "I never pity anyone, and I will never will." With his voice getting deeper and deeper with every word, Brian lowered himself a little more and whispered to her, "You know that as the ruler of XK, the first thing I should give up is pitying anyone."

Knowing Brian and the agency Cora knew that what he was telling was the truth. Usually, it was the truth that would hurt most.

She should have expected herself to be hurt when she blurted that question out. Regardless of his answer-whether he admitted that he pitied her or not-she would get hurt anyway.

Eventually, she couldn't contain her tears any longer, which flushed out from her eyes and streamed down her face. Even though her physical age was thirty, after she woke up from a coma, she was no different from the girl before she fell into the deep sleep. That girl was just over twenty years old. Time may have left a mark on her physical appearance, but not her soul. Women were strange creatures. They could be both tender and staunch at the same time. Because of their motherly nature, they may seem indomitable under extreme conditions. However, on one side, they were s fragile and vulnerable in such a way that they could be easily beaten by their loved ones, especially the men they loved.