Love Began with the First Meeting

Her breath came in short gasps and her eyes peered down at the tip of her feet. With each step, her grip on the handbag she was clutching on to, tightened uncontrollably. "Knock! Knock!"

The housekeeper stopped and knocked at one of the doors. The man inside responded simply, "Come in." He then turned and said respectfully to Aaron, "Your Highness, the master is waiting for you inside." He courteously opened the door for him and took a step back. From there Aaron peeked into the room and his cold eyes glistened with malice and hatred.

As soon as Ximena stepped in after him, she felt every muscle in her body tense up and her legs too heavy to take the next step. She had an instinctive feeling that it would be folly to press on.

When Aaron sensed her hesitation and lack of conviction, he stopped dead in his tracks, glanced sideways at Ximena and asked nonchalantly, "What's the matter? Aren't you going to get in with me?"

Ximena caught a quick glimpse of the room, biting her teeth stealthily and forced a smile through lips as grey as slate. "After you." She followed behind Aaron meekly, fighting off the foreboding feeling in her stomach...

"Father, I'll take my leave, since you have visitors now." The man had an elegant tone to his voice. His name was James, the famous third young master of the Leng Family.

The elegant voice, so familiar and common to her ears soon pieced into Ximena's heart, startling her. She stopped abruptly and looked up to see where that familiar voice came from, but Aaron, who was standing in front of her, was blocking her view. Ximena's face gradually turned pale, her vision blurred slightly with a sudden flow of tears that welled up in her eyes and she blinked them away. Having lost control over her senses, she was stuck in her place, unable to move or breathe.

Just as James turned and was about to leave, he saw Aaron who had just walked in. Immediately, his eyes grew cautious and he drew himself up stiffly. They stared at each other for a tense moment, as if sizing up the opposition, divining out points of weakness. Eventually, James reverted his gaze and said, "After you finish speaking with father, could you please spare some time for me? I would like to talk to you."

Aaron raised the corner of his lips and with an air of arrogance, replied, "How can I refuse the famous third young master of the Leng family? I will definitely make time for you."

James frowned slightly, somewhat irritated by the way Aaron spoke to him. However, he nodded slightly and said nothing more as he walked towards the entrance. As he passed Aaron and then Ximena, he felt someone tugging at his arm. It was Ximena. He turned to the face the dumbfounded expression on Ximena's face and frowned. "Excuse me, miss, but what seems to be the problem?"

She stood there for a few minutes unmoving, and terribly awkward. Why was he acting like he didn't know her at all? They were in love six years ago and spent every waking moment with each other. She stared at James doubtfully, while her lips trembled and her apricot eyes widened with an incredulous expression. Words had left her and she couldn't find the means to express how she was feeling. "You, you..."

As she stammered and scrambled in her mind for the right words, Aaron suddenly pulled her hand away from James's arm. The small black pupils of his eyes grew smaller in anger as he squinted at Ximena and then said to James, "I'll see you later." James nodded, threw a confused glance at Ximena, and walked out of the room with not a care in the world.

Completely flabbergasted, Ximena watched at James walked out of the room, unable to comprehend what had just happened! Sadness and disbelief engulfed her, and everything seemed to have gone black.

At the training center of XK Intelligence Agency, Molly was sitting on a bench under the tree, gently caressing her slightly bulging belly and looking at Brian, in his black l-vest, a pair of camouflage pants and army boots, examining the training of his staff. An unspeakable sense of satisfaction and happiness filled the corners of her heart.

Spending time with her beloved husband and being pregnant with his child... Such happiness was what she had always dreamed about. Now that it was all a part of reality, she felt as though this moment would become one of the most beautiful memories of her life. "You must be very happy, right?" Shirley said and laughed gently at the place not far away from her. Molly turned to face her, beaming with life and affectionately replied, "Mom."

Shirley walked to her, sat down on the bench, looked at Brian, who was carrying out the examination, and said, "Many years ago, I came to XK with Richie, and on our way here, I found out that I was pregnant with Brian. I remember it as if was just yesterday. Quite similar to the situation you are in right now. I was thinking about the baby in my belly every day, watching Richie training his men. At that time, I felt that the whole world was smiling at me, so happy and satisfied."

"Mom, you are right. That's exactly what I am feeling now!" Molly smiled, breathing in the fresh air streaming in at her and said, "Every time I see Bri being tough on his men, I think of how good he is to me." A look of gratitude came over Molly's face and she couldn't stop smiling. "Mom, the feeling is... Just as you described it. I feel like that the whole world is smiling at me."

Shirley nodded and said, "Little Molly, this is what you should get. You deserve it.... Only those who have went through the trials and hardships can understand that being together with their beloved ones is such a precious and beautiful thing! You and Brian have been through so much together, and now everything you have gained is a result of the resilience and efforts you both have made to keep loving each other no matter what."

Molly looked down with a smile and put one hand on her bulging belly, with increasing satisfaction overflowing in her heart. After a few minutes, Shirley got up and left, yet her words echoed in Molly's mind. She looked up at the sunset and muttered to herself, "My dear baby, your brother Mark wasn't able to enjoy the happiness of being with his mommy and daddy for a long time. That's why you must enjoy every moment of your life, twice over, once for you and once for him. You brother is receiving training at a faraway place called the Dragon Island, so that one day he can take over your daddy's responsibility in the future. I'm sure he would love to be here with you now, but don't blame him because he isn't here, okay?"

"Don't worry! The baby will understand Mark." The low and captivating voice that came from behind was Brian's. The next moment, Molly was pulled into a comforting embrace. Molly leant on Brian, turned her head and asked, "Are you done with your training?" Brian nodded, "Yes." He looked at Molly affectionately and said, "How are you feeling now? Are you tired?"

Molly shook her head and said gently with her arms embracing his waist, "As long as you are by my side... "I don't feel tired at all."

Brian hugged Molly a little bit harder and asked softly, "Do you miss Mark?"

Molly's eyebrows furrowed and she nodded.

"The first cycle of training will last for half a year," Brian explained, "When Mark finishes his first cycle of training, I'll take you to Dragon Island to visit him, all right?"

"Okay," Molly answered gently.

The dying rays of setting sun spread on the top of the tree, shinning gently on the two people who were holding each other. The quiet woods at the background, a loving couple sitting on the bench, and the red glow of the sky...

All these elements came together and formed a picture called "Eternity", slowly unfolding itself at dusk.