Alpha Reid

"It wasnt me, you have to believe me." Emily Chen stubbornly stared at the person in the car as the rain poured down. The car window was wet with rain, and through the misted glass, she could vaguely see the cold face inside. Trembling, she stood outside the car and shouted, "Michael Shen! At least listen to me!"

The car door suddenly opened, and before Emily could feel happy, a strong force pulled her roughly into the car. She fell onto him, and his crisp white shirt was instantly soaked.

"Michael, those punks who hurt Lily werent arranged by me..." Emily began, but a long, powerful finger mercilessly pinched her chin. His deep, magnetic voice came from above: "Do you really like me that much?"

His cold voice carried a hint of tobacco鈥攈is scent.

"What?" Emily was a bit confused. Everyone knew she liked him; why was he suddenly asking this now?

Michael held her chin, and his other arm reached out, gently brushing against her rain-soaked, cold cheek. Emily was drowned in his gentle eyes, lost in the moment. She thought she could hear him asking, "Are you cold?"

Suddenly, he radiated an icy aura and coldly said, "Emily, do you really like me this much? Like enough to harm Lily?"

A chill surged from her heart, spreading through her limbs. Emily instantly sobered up and couldnt help but smile bitterly... She had thought his gentleness was real, but it was merely the smile of a devil.

"I didnt mean to harm Lily..." she tried to explain.

"Right, you didnt mean to harm Lily; you just paid some thugs to ruin her." Michaels eyes gradually filled with rage, not giving Emily a chance to explain. With a swift motion, he tore Emilys clothes.

"Ah!"

With a scream, Emily was ruthlessly thrown out of the car, landing awkwardly in the rain. The sound of Michaels cold voice rang out amidst the rain: "Emily, Miss Chen, how you treated Lily is how Ill treat you. How does it feel to be exposed?"

Emily suddenly looked up, unable to believe what she saw. The man sat in the car, looking down at her, leisurely wiping his fingers with a handkerchief: "Miss Chen, Im very tired right now; please leave."

"Michael! Listen to me! I really..."

"If you want me to listen to you, Miss Chen, its not impossible." He lazily lifted his eyelids and glanced at Emily: "If you are willing to kneel in front of my Shen Manor for a night, perhaps I will be in a good mood and give you ten minutes."

The car door slammed shut, and a handkerchief was thrown out, fluttering down in front of Emily, getting soaked by the rain.

Emily looked down, picked up the wet handkerchief, and clutched it tightly in her palm.

The car drove into Shen Manor, and the iron gate of the manor closed mercilessly in front of her.

In the rain, Emilys face turned pale. She stood there for a while, then suddenly looked up and walked to the gate of Shen Manor, biting her lip tightly. With a "thud," her knees hit the ground.

She knelt!

Not to atone for her sins!

But because Lily was her friend! A friend had died, and she should kneel. Not because everyone thought she had killed Lily!

She knelt!

She also knelt to plead with this man to give her ten minutes to speak!

Her clothes were torn and tattered, barely covering her important parts. She held her body with her hands, yet her back remained straight. She was proud; even kneeling, she would not bow her head! Her dignity and pride were that of Emily Chen from Shanghai Beach!

She stubbornly knelt, just for a chance to explain. She had not done it, and she would not admit to something she hadnt done!

But would there really be that chance?

Could she really explain clearly?

And would anyone believe her words?

The rain fell harder and harder, never stopping.

...

A night passed.

In the pouring rain, Emily still knelt outside Shen Manor.

The rain soaked her dress, and she had knelt in the rain all night.

Finally, dawn broke, and the once silent manor came to life. The silver-haired old butler, holding an old black umbrella, walked from the manors courtyard.

The iron gate that had been sealed for a night creaked open, and Emily finally moved, lifting her drooping head and showing a pale smile to the old butler standing in the doorway.

"Miss Chen, Mr. Shen wants you to leave here." The old butlers hair was meticulously combed, and even in the rain, not a strand was out of place. He was as meticulous as every blade of grass and tree in Shen Manor, all tended to by someone. The old butler tossed a piece of clothing to Emily.

Emily reached out with her rain-soaked hand and trembled as she put it on. She parted her pale lips, her voice hoarse yet firm: "I want to see him."

The old butler didnt even raise his eyelids, delivering the masters words verbatim: "Mr. Shen said that your presence pollutes the environment of the manor, and you should not obstruct his view."

Since the incident, Emily had shown no signs of weakness. At this moment, the strength she had pretended to maintain was difficult to hold, and her shoulders trembled, revealing her wounded heart.

Emily closed her eyes, her face drenched in rain, making it hard to tell if the wetness at the corners of her eyes was from the rain or tears. The old butler looked at her expressionlessly. Emily opened her eyes again and raised her head to the old butler: "Mr. Summer, no matter what you think, I did not pay anyone to ruin Lilys innocence. Regardless, I cannot bear your hatred without complaint."

Though Emily was exhausted, she spoke clearly, enunciating each word... She was a woman willing to bow temporarily but full of pride.

The old butler finally reacted beyond "indifference," his gray brows furrowing as he looked at Emily with disgust. "Lily was my daughter; she was always well-behaved and sensible. She never set foot in chaotic and dirty places like bars or nightclubs, yet she was insulted to death in a place filled with thugs."

"Miss Chen, we checked her communications. Before the incident, she called you and sent you a text message saying: I have arrived at Nightshade, where are you, Yao Yao?"

The old butlers eyes were filled with hatred as he stared at Emily: "Miss Chen, you didnt kill a cat or a dog; you killed a living person! A person is already dead, and you still argue! Everyone knows Miss Chen is infatuated with Mr. Shen, while Mr. Shen only has my daughter Lily in his heart, utterly disgusted by your obsession. You are clearly jealous of Lily and want to ruin her innocence because you cannot have Mr. Shen. Your malice is truly unforgivable!"

Emily was left speechless. Lily was the old butlers daughter, the beloved of Michael Shen, while she, Emily, was merely the supporting character in a one-sided love. Now, Lily was dead, and Emily was not only the supporting character but also the villain.

"Miss Chen, please leave." The old butler said, "By the way, Mr. Shen asked me to convey a message to you."

Emily looked up at the old butler.

"Mr. Shen said, why wasnt it you who died?"

Emilys body, kneeling on the ground, began to tremble uncontrollably, and a sharp pain shot through her heart.

The old butler turned away, the corners of his mouth curling into a cold, cruel smile, making his stern face appear even more indifferent and ruthless.

Lily had been killed by Emily; he was furious and hated Emilys malice.

Emily, supporting her cold body, stood up unsteadily. Just as she got up, her legs went numb, and she fell onto the cold, hard asphalt with a self-deprecating smile... Why wasnt it you who died?

It was indeed something that man would say. Emily forced a smile that was uglier than crying: "Lily, oh Lily, with your death, I have become the target of everyones scorn."

In the second floor of Shen Manor, Michael stood tall, broad-shouldered, wearing a black robe casually draped over him, barefoot, his tall and sexy figure standing by