Love Began with the First Meeting

The Beautiful Lady Yu was the poem which she had read to him when she had last met him. While Tagore's collection of poems were the most beautiful expressions he had left her in her life.

"At night, when I walked upstairs to the tower alone, I was overwhelmed by endless sorrow. Crouching on the fence, I drowned myself in grief as if I was deeply drunk." "Wild geese flew and came, but my beloved one was gone away. Longing has drained my energy. There was a crescent in the sky when I rolled up the curtain. The dusk was the toughest time to get through."

Did this other poem of the Beautiful Lady Yu depict his present mood or hers? Perhaps, when she chose to recite the Beautiful Lady Yu, their fate to be apart was sealed. Was this God's will, as mentioned by their ancient ancestors? The silence lengthened in the room. Sally had no idea of the reason why Matthew had brought her to the Tang Family tonight. If Yates had required to see her because of the news of the morning, then it was too ridiculous. Matthew had always been involved in abundant gossips after all. If Yates had to verify each of them one by one, he would burn out.

However, could it be that Matthew had intended to let her get in touch with Addison? It didn't seem so. Apparently, he was unaware of the fact that Yates had invited Addison to his home.

Much later, Sally crouched on the rail in the elevator, utterly fatigued. It occurred to her that she had experienced even tougher times these past few days than during the seven years she had spent in prison. It was not physical fatigue, but spiritual exhaustion. The only person who could do damage to her heart had always been only one man, from the very beginning.

With a ring, the door of the elevator opened. Sally checked the floor instinctively and then dragged herself outside into the hallway.

In front of the apartment door, Sally paused and felt that she was utterly drained and there was nothing left in her body. She leaned on the door while finding her keys, while she blinked tiredly. As the door opened, the dark room beyond was bathed in the dim light from the hallway. There was a sense of loneliness and solitude in her empty room.

Sally turned around and closed the door. As she was about to get changed into her slippers after switching on the lights, she happened to look to the side and noticed Addison who was resting on the sofa in a leisurely pose in the sparsely furnished living room. Stunned, she goggled him first, and then, after an automatic scream of surprise, she gasped and asked, "Why are you here?" Speaking of which, she turned back and realized that the door had been safely locked when she had unlocked it earlier. She puzzled over how he had gained access to her home.

"Do you think such a door could stop me?" Addison remained still and questioned Sally's unspoken confusion with indifference.

Sally kept goggling and stood facing Addison for a long while, and then gnashed her teeth. "Addison, haven't I made my point clear enough? Is there any reason for you to continue stalking me like this?"

Addison smiled and ignored Sally's question, and he looked around her house instead. "Does the apartment still belong to you?" He turned his eyes back and looked at Sally with a penetrating gaze. "If I am correct, your family used to live here."

Sally kicked off her shoes and put on her slippers. Then she put her handbag down. "It makes me fearful for you that you are so concerned about my business, Your Highness." Next, she stared at Addison, trying to politely ask him to leave. "It's late, please, Your Highness... Ah..."

Addison grabbed Sally's wrist abruptly and pulled her down to the sofa next to him.

"It's demanding to talk to you while looking upward." Addison added, "What's your relationship with Matthew?" He launched the question suddenly and caught her by surprise yet again.

Hearing this, Sally struggled to follow Addison's train of thoughts. When she caught up, she replied without any hesitation, "Just like what you have thought. You saw what you saw, and there is nothing else to explain."

Addison frowned slightly. "Do you know why Yates asked for you and Matthew's company to dinner tonight?"

Sally frowned at Addison because she had also puzzled over this and still couldn't figure out Yates' motives.

"Matthew is gearing up to make some trouble. Even though I don't know his real purpose for approaching you, it could reignite the same situation as eighteen years ago." Addison sounded detached and his voice was freezing cold.

Sally sneered. "Your Highness, you

are over-exaggerating my

importance How could I be as powerful as you just said?" She sneered again. "If it were so, please go as far away as you can, in case you witness me sticking together with Matthew. And we will have to pay more attention to be against you, Your Highness."

Addison stared at Sally for quite a

while, as he considered her mocking statement and then he smiled in relief. When Sally was frowning at him, he struck first to gain the initiative. "It seems... Matthew has already sent you to get close to me?" He watched her carefully to read her expression as his words sank in.

Sally was frozen at first, and then couldn't control her rage. "Does it make any difference?"

"Sally, why are you willing to be manipulated by Matthew? Does he have something over you?" Addison squinted and his pupils grew larger, almost swallowing her reflection in his eyes. "Matthew does everything for a purpose, so he would never pursue something without

a goal."

"How could he have anything over me?" Sally laughed scornfully. "What about your real purpose today, Your Highness? If you've finished, please leave. I have an early morning tomorrow and I need to go to bed." So saying, she was about to get up. Facing Addison's sharp eyes, she knew that her part in this business would be exposed to him soon. However, she wouldn't give away the story of the past seven years to him, or let him know anything about the unpleasantness of her life. She didn't want that to happen at all.

Addison rose up suddenly, and grabbed Sally again. "What are you trying to avoid?"

Sally seemed to find a channel to vent all of her suppressed feelings after Addison's question, and she asked angrily, "What am I avoiding? Who can I avoid... You are the only one that I hope to get away from! Addison, I'm begging you. Please just let me go, okay?" She almost shouted the last words.

Addison just glanced at her quietly, but then abruptly, he lifted her head and pulled it towards his chest. While Sally was still resisting, he had already expressed his control over her with his dominant kiss.