Because I simply love you
Chapter 304: Wish to be happy like any other child...

Elsewhere, Jianyu banged the door as he stomped in the apartment. Serena was listening to music to stay calm when she suddenly a loud noise.

Startled, she removed her earphones and saw Jianyu, distressed.

Jianyu narrowed his eyes. "Did you really not know that you had a twin sister?"

Serena blinked her eyes.

"Twin sister?"

Jianyu sneered. "You sure act well. Did you want to gain my sympathy with your dead twin story?"

Serena was utterly perplexed. "I…I don't know what you are talking about."

"Oh? So you want to say your mother never told you about how your twin sister died at birth?"

Serena widened her eyes in disbelief.

I had a sister?

She suddenly recalled some faint memories from her childhood. At that time, she didn't understand why Huo Xiao Fan did that, but now it suddenly made sense.

Serena slowly said, "I really don't know…She never told me about it. I always thought that I was the only child."

Jianyu silently stared at her. "What do you think if I say that in a way, Nana's biological father was the cause of your sister's death, and Huo Xiao Fan kidnapped Nana to take revenge?"

The phone fell from her hands.

"What if it was Huo Xiao Fan who dropped Nana at the orphanage?"

Serena slowly stood, aghast.

"Wh-what are you saying? But that is not possible…Mom lived in Tokyo."

Jianyu smiled. "She did, but after a fateful stormy night, she started to live in Beijing as Huo Shen's wife."

Serena was confused as hell.

Is there something I don't know? 

She had too many questions in her mind.

Didn't Jianyu go to the Liang banquet? Then how was Mom there? 

And my sister…

Her heart broke to know about her dead twin. If she were here, then would the situation have been different?

Would she have stopped this chaos?

Serena now at least understood why Huo Xiao Fan would sometimes look at her with a complicated gaze.

I see. So she always thought of my sister, who could have been with us.

He lazily rested his head on his palm. "Your mother also begged and requested Nana and me to forgive you."

Serena widened her eyes.

"She said to blame everything on her. She implied that after how she ruined your life, only she should be punished for her wrongdoings. This was the least she could do for her daughter. So tell me, Serena. Should we forgive you?"

Serena was quiet for a long, long time.

Forgiveness…

Her eyes slightly stung in tears.

"Yes, I want it. I really, really want it."

Jianyu looked at her, stunned. He hadn't expected a straightforward answer like that.

"Mom doesn't have to take any responsibility for my actions. She did some wrong things. I did some wrong things too. I cannot fully blame her for my mistakes. I betrayed you two. But...all I ever wanted was to have her love."

Serena paused for a moment as tears started gushing out.

"I was too torn apart to choose between her and you two. I thought about it many times to say everything. Really, many many times. But Jianyu..." Serena slowly stepped forward, but she stumbled. Jianyu widened his eyes and quickly caught her.

Serena broke down. "It's been so long since you held me."

Her heart-wrenching sobs tugged a string in Jianyu's chest. He didn't want it to affect him, so he was about to step aside, but she gently pulled his coat. "Please don't go..."

Jianyu didn't know what got over him. He quietly remained standing.

Serena gazed at him with love and repentance. "When I imagined you two looking at me with hate and disappointment, I couldn't muster up the courage to tell the truth. It was hard. I really... didn't want to lose her friendship and your love. It was so difficult. On one side was my mother, and on the other side, there were you both."

She smiled in between her tears. "You know? I-I thought that if she knows I am pregnant, then she would be so happy. I thought something would change for with this grandchild. But it didn't... Nothing changed. Even if you and Nana were by my side at that time, I still felt so lonely. Jianyu..." She cried hard. "It is hard! When your mother doesn't love you, when your mother doesn't sleep beside you, telling stories at night, when your mother doesn't spare a glance at you when you so worked hard to score first in the exams, when the parents meeting is a just a formality for her, when even your birthday doesn't make her smile, when every single day I had to fight for her attention, even if it was for just once! When every single day I was desperately waiting for her to hug me...when every day I waited for her to say, 'Zhilan, Mama loves you so much'....when I wanted to be happy just like any other child..."

She released her hold on his coat and lowered her tear-stained face, covering it with her trembling hands. "It is hard not to crave for a mother's love. Every child wants that Jianyu. And when that chance came, I couldn't help but grab hold of it. I finally saw a way to be closer to her. Even if it was wrong, I could only cling onto that last ray of hope."

Huo Xiao Fan's words replayed in his mind. "You clung onto Tang Suyin, Zhilan clung onto me, and Nana clung on Yu Ichika."

"I was desperate to do anything at that time. So I did. But then everything felt so nice with you two and the twins at my side that I felt terrified of losing you all. The thought scared me to my wits. I admit I made a grave mistake. I take full responsibility. But please, give one chance to repent...I will do anything you want. I will become your maid, humiliate me as much you want, hit me, slap me, but please...I really love you Jianyu...d-dont turn your back on me please..."

Silence.

Jianyu took a sharp breath. He finally stepped back and quietly said, "You have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow. Be ready at nine. The driver will pick you up."

Serena watched him going away. She waited for him to turn around just once. But he kept on walking.

She collapsed on the couch, burying her face in her hands, sniffling.

Unknown to her, Jianyu turned and looked at her shaking figure. He stood still for a few seconds before he finally stepped out.

---

The next day, the Chen family guard dropped Serena in the hospital. After her checkup was done and she came out with the reports, she stopped by in the washroom.

Suddenly she heard a woman yelling.

"That bitch, Nana! I would never forgive her! I will not let her go unscathed!"

Serena froze. She widened her eyes as she heard Nana's name.

Serena slowly opened the door a little to peek outside. She saw a woman who was sitting in a wheelchair.

Serena frowned.

I never saw her with Nana.

Long Yanmei yelled again as she stared herself in the mirror. She looked at her flat stomach, and her blood boiled, thinking of what happened last night.

When Liang Shin showed the footage, Long Guozhi harshly clutched her arm. Yanmei winced in pain as his nails dug her skin. "What did you do!? Why did you want to push Mrs. Liu!"

Master Long gritted his teeth. "We lost our heir because of your stupidity!"

Yanmei stuttered. "N-no…I-I was not going to push her. She purposely shifted to make me fall!"

Liang Zou roared. "Shut up! I just saw how you dragged my daughter back, clutching her arm. And then your stance was clear that you were about to push her!"

Madam Long was also equally furious. She never liked her in the first place and knew that she had seduced Guozhi for money. And now she got the perfect chance to attack her.

She cried. "Yanmei…how could you? We lost our precious grandchild because of you. Why did you have to mess with Mrs. Liu? Perhaps…" she paused as she faked a realization.

Yanmei knew that she must be planning something against her.

Long Guozhi said, "What mom? Tell me."

Madam Long said, "Perhaps she did this on purpose to lose her child."

"What!?" Yanmei was shocked.

"Oh, no. I am sure that the child was not Guozhi's, so she killed it off herself, making it like an accident!"

"You slut! Is this true!?" Guozhi felt that it was plausible. "Did you cuckold me!?"

Yanmei cried. "No! The child was yours! How can you say that?"

Madam Long said, "Guozhi, I told you that she is not suitable for you. She had an affair and got pregnant and now killed it to hide it!"

Liu Hai clapped his hands and said, looking bored, "Yes, yes, really nice drama indeed. But we have other work to do so we cannot waste time with you. Wait for tomorrow's headlines."

Back in the present, Long Yanmei clutched her dress. Even her marriage with Guozhi was in jeopardy.

"You killed my child Nana! You will have to pay!"

Serena heard everything.

I think she is talking about some other Nana. The Nana I know will not even kill a fly on purpose. How will she kill anybody's child?

She shook her head and went out.