An liyue couldn't think straight.
She had not even been thinking straight since she woke up.
Her mind was in complete chaos.
Han Raviel.
The name sounded like a nightmare.
She remembered someone saying she had once seen him with glowing red eyes.
Now how the hell could a human have red eyes?!
She desperately wished everything happening was just a dream, but reality betrayed her.
It turned out she was destined to die...
And in his hands, after all.
Han Raviel who was still in his room couldn't help but wonder what made them think of coming to him...for safety.
It would've made more sense if they had rather said they were coming to him to meet their demise quicker.
And just then,
He heard it...
" Sister, " it was xiaoyan. " Don't think too much, Han Raviel wouldn't kill you, mum and I have been saying it all this while, Han Raviel needs a wife "
Oh!
It dawned on him.
Turned out they knew.
They knew he was secretly looking for a wife.
He had told his chief butler to low-key search for a wife for him.
It wasn't meant to be made public.
So, if they knew he was looking for a wife, it could only mean his chief butler was behind it.
He immediately recalled his butler telling him of a family who agreed to send off their daughter, but the girl herself had refused.
His lips arched with a smile.
If it really was the family, then, sooner or later the girl who refused would come knocking at his door.
And in reality, An Liyue was the very girl her mother— Zhao Meilin, and Xiaoyan, had been persuading to marry Han Raviel.
They had often told her that marrying him would make their family better.
Damnit! better in what way?!
It wasn't like they were poor.
They were average, and average was still good!
Marrying Han Raviel only meant death.
Why weren't they seeing it that way!.
For days now, they had been on her neck, including her boyfriend.
Yep!
Her boyfriend!
He had told her that marrying Han Raviel meant she would gain control of some property, and then one day she could divorce him. After that, the two of them would live rich off whatever she had acquired.
That was ridiculous!
She would definitely not live long to acquire any damn property.
But no matter how they pushed, she had always managed to stand her ground and say no.
However, the case had turned upside down now.
Seeing the dead Yu Cheng in front of her, she knew her life and death relied in her hands.
With what Zhao Meilin said, the family of Ye Cheng were also brutal as they wouldn't even have to report her to the authorities before justice takes place.
But then, Han Raviel, he was also brutal too.
No woman who had ever crossed paths with him had ever lived to tell the tale.
The only chance anyone had to survive… was if he went to them.
Going to him now? That certainly meant death.
Xiaoyan's words repeated in her head, " Han Raviel won't kill you... He's looking for a wife. "
But why?
Why was he looking for a wife all of a sudden.
A horrifying thought flashed in her mind,
Could it be... He hadn't killed any lady for some time now and so was starving for some fresh blood?!
Her body shivered at the thought.
" Liyue" Zhao Meilin's voice brought her back to reality,
" what are you still thinking about! There isn't a surety that no one would knock on this door anytime now, I really suggest you should leave now. "
" Leave? " Liyue's voice came, sounding like her soul had been extracted from her body. " Leave and come home? "
" Tsk!, Liyue, which home are you talking about?!, Of course you know neither mother or I can save you. The only home you can be save in right now is Han Raviel's! "
The way she called his name...
like he was some sweet soul who saves anyone in need of it.
But An liyue knew for the better just what kind of person he was.
" Here, " Zhao Meilin said as she brought out a paper, immediately placing it in An Liyue's hand. " That's Han Raviel's residence... "
And that was confidential information in the highest level.
No one had an idea where he really actually lived.
" Liyue, you should really count yourself lucky! I mean, Of all the girls out there, you're the first one that man—Han Raviel's chief butler—has come for! "
Lucky?!
Like for real?
Oh great!
" okay, we'll be going now. Liyue, you get going too before someone comes " Zhao Meilin said as she took xiaoyan's arms to go.
" M—mum! " She called out weakly as her hand reached out instinctively to their retreating back.
Zhao Meilin stopped, a slow smirk spread across her lips then she turned and said, " An liyue... Your mother loves you. "
...
For a moment, it sounded like Zhao Meilin wasn't referring to herself but An liyue's real mother.
And just as Zhao Meilin turned back, her face morphed into a rageful one as she thought ' Wu sheng! You dare let this adopted brat inherit the company when our daughter is here! It's your fault this is her fate anyways ' at that she smiled and pulled xiaoyan away.
Standing alone now, An Liyue wiped the drop of tear that fell from her eyes.
She felt shattered.
Completely weak.
She looked at the papers in her hand.
" Silvercrest ridge road "
She almost laughed.
She wasn't some sort of a cab driver who memorized every street in the city.
In short, she bet not all drivers would even know the road.
Nonetheless, when she looked at the man on the floor, she tightened her grip on the paper.
She was going to try.
' Han Raviel won't kill me... He needs a wife ' she assured.
Immediately, she went out of the room and headed for the elevator.
She pressed the digit for the last floor.
And waited...
Two… three… four… five seconds…
Nothing...
" Huh? "
She pressed it again...
And again.
Still nothing.
" What's happening why isn't it working! " Liyue freaked out.
No, not the stairs, she was too weak to walk and not even when the floor going down seemed endless.
And just then, a voice sounded in her ears.
" Up! "
Liyue immediately turned around.
No one!
There was apparently no one else inside the elevator with her so what the hell was that.
And just when she proceeded to leave the elevator, it's door closed.
That moment An liyue felt her heart start thumping hard in her brains.
Simultaneously, the elevator began moving, not downwards...
Upwards!!!
" !!! "
An liyue began screaming!
Yep!
She screamed.
Only, it was all trapped inside her head, silent to the world.
Was this some kind of a torment?!
Was—was this....
Her eyes flew open in terror.
Was this Yu Cheng's ghost?!
No! No no no no!
" Yu Cheng I didn't kill you " she cried.
" I didn't! I really didn't! Wahhh... "
At the same time, Han Raviel who was already at the rooftop couldn't help enjoying the scene as a smile curled on his lips.
Silly!
How could one believe in ghosts!
He believed that apart from humans the only race which existed...was him!.
" Raviel's race. "
He didn't care if there were any others like him—demons.
To him, it was him! And him alone.
Few seconds later,
Ding!
The elevator came to a halt, and without waiting for anyone to say " A " An liyue quickly burst out.
She walked backwards, her gaze on the elevator with a terrified look on her face, and her heart beat thumping wildly as though she just ran a marathon.
And then, she felt her skin press against cold steel.
The moment she looked back, she felt like her soul just packed it's bag and fled the world.
She was right on the edge of the five–star hotel and the view down could make an animal scream.
She could almost not see it's end.
Height!
She hated heights.
But here she was, at the very roof top, and through a very unexplainable way!.
She felt overwhelmed.
Paralyzed with fear and panic.
It felt like the world had just simply turned it's back on her.
And as though in confirmation, it bagan raining.
" Oh common! " She almost screamed as she crouched down, hugging her knees.
And with the rain came the tears.
They couldn't stop flowing.
Since the death of Wu sheng – her adoptive father, the world seemed to change it's skin.
What did she actually do wrong!
thoughts without an answer swirled in her head.
And little did she know she was being watched by a hawk's eye from a dark corner.
Han Raviel just kept on looking at her, he wasn't approaching her yet, just observing.
Her tears.
Her pain.
It was as though any moment now...
" I can't! " Liyue said. " I can't do this any longer, what's the point!.. I –i could, I could just," she slowly stood up, staring at the height below her, " End everything, yh, for once...and for all. Completely, there—there wouldn't be any Cruel family coming after me, and no me going to meet any reaper of ladies either. "
With that she swallowed as she climbed onto the steel.
he just watched her.
And right there, the memory of his lover entered his head.
No, you don't have to do this.
Han–love, I really have to. If I don't, they'll come after me.
No, trust me, believe me, I swear I won't let anyone come anywhere close to you.
I'm sorry,...goodbye.
A gunshot, and Han Raviel was falling off the cliff.
At that moment, he wondered if she ever had any thought, a fleeting thought of dying for him, of falling off the cliff instead, of dying with him where he would've told her to kill him instead as he would've literally died for her if it was the other way round.
He just wanted her to trust him.
But then, such thoughts were not there.
He had subtly noticed the way her fingers pulled the trigger with ease.
And just few seconds before he landed into the river, he saw someone else emerge and wrapped his hands around her waist.
He could in fact almost see the smiles that spread in their faces.
And then, blackout!.
Han Raviel returned to reality.
An liyue was still there, her face tear–stained with only one thought in her head, " mum, where are you and why did you leave me "
And then, ...she let go.
Falling backwards.
Han Raviel didn't flinch.
He simply just walked over, calmly, elegantly like he was walking on red carpet and no one had just jumped off the roof of a tall five–star hotel.
He looked over.
And then, it was as though time slowed.
Liyue could see him...
She could see the red eyes someone told her about.
It was terrifying, she felt like she was seeing the devil not even a demon.
But then,she was already falling to her death.
Why was she still feeling this scared.
...
Wait, was she even falling?!
An liyue suddenly felt suspended in the air, and then,
To her horror surprise, her body propelled...
Upwards!
towards ... the roof?!
...
Those red eyes !!!