- 6.
I glanced behind him.
His tone was as lazy as ever. “Jenny’s not
here.”
He tilted his head towards the door. “Call in
sick. Wanna chat?”
く
“Sure.”
I asked my boss for half a day off and got
into his car.
As we pulled away, he chuckled.
“I hear you were kidnapped in Myanmar.
Hopping into a guy’s car so easily, no wonder
you got grabbed. You should really learn.
something about that, Ms. Sarah.”
I stared at his profile. “Ji Fan, I don’t just get
into guys‘ cars. I knew it was you, Ji Fan,
that’s why I came with you.
He didn’t react. “Oh yeah, the reason I
wanted to see you is to ask what’s
up with
this ‘Ji Fan‘ guy. You said he looks like me?”
<
For some reason, I suddenly felt uncertain.
Back in Myanmar, Ji Fan was always at Yu
Jie’s side. He never said much, always acting.
superior.
Most people were afraid of him. I hadn’t had
that much actual one–on–one time with him.
The man in front of me, while his face and
build were eerily similar to Ji Fan.
He was so much lighter than Ji Fan. He was
dressed differently, and his vibe was
completely different.
Even his arrogance, while similar, wasn’t quite
the same.
I swallowed and put my hand on the door
L
Chen Mo glanced at it and laughed. “What?
Figured out that we’re not the same person,
so now you’re scared?”
I looked around, noticing that he was driving
through a busy part of town.
I felt a little safer, and cleared my throat. “I
met Ji Fan in Myanmar. He was Yu Jie’s
guy… the leader of that camp…
I paused, remembering that Ji Fan didn’t like
it when people called him Yu Jie’s man.
Chen Mo said mockingly, “You’re pretty
ballsy, falling for the boss lady’s man. You
got a death wish?”
“He saved my life. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be
dead, probably just ashes in a ditch.” I said
<
Then, his car stopped.
Right outside my apartment complex.
“How do you know where I live?” I was
starting to feel scared again.
“Is it that hard? Your sister’s a blabbermouth.
It’s easy to get your information… Aren’t you
going to invite me in? Talking at your place is
safer than here, right?”
I sighed and let him in.
As soon as the door closed, I started ripping
at his clothes.
Chen Mo grabbed my chin. “You’re in such a
rush. Am I just a replacement for this Ji Fan
guy?”
<
He was hurting my chin. I mumbled, “I just
wanna look. If you don’t have any scars, I’ll
believe you’re just some manager dude, not Ji
Fan.”
“Sure.” He agreed immediately and started taking off his suit jacket. “But I don’t take my clothes off for just anyone. And if something else happens, don’t regret it.”
He threw his jacket onto the couch, then
quickly took off his tie, and unbuttoned his
shirt.
No hesitation.
“Stop!” I backed away.
I waved my hand. “Don’t you wanna know
about Ji Fan? I already told you, just go.”
<
He didn’t move. “Are you sure you don’t want
to continue? I’m really good.”
My stomach churned. “Get out!”
Chen Mo picked up his jacket and tie, being a
total gentleman. “Don’t act like you’re so into
me around other people. Jenny is pretty
jealous, and you’re not gonna sleep with me
anyway. It’s not worth it.”
He gently closed the door behind him.
I sank onto the couch, feeling like a dying
fish.
A few days later, Lisa came to see me again.
I said, “Don’t you work? What are you doing
out and about during work hours?”
Г
She followed me around. “Dad owns the
company. Do you think he’s going to fire
me?”
I frowned. “Just get to the point. I’m busy. You’re not only bothering me, you’re gonna
get hurt.”
“Okay.” Lisa patted her stomach. “Mom and
Dad want you to come home for dinner this
weekend.”
“I have to work.”
“Mom already rescheduled it for you.”
I sighed.
My mom would have never been this bold
back then.
It was like my life wasn’t mine after coming
back from Myanmar.
Everyone had the right to tell me what to do.
“Sis, just come home. Chad and I got our
wedding pictures taken a couple of days ago.
Come look at the proofs.”
I felt so powerless. “Lisa, I’ve been gone for
two years, I do know anything about
fashion anymore. You two can pick them out
yourselves.”
Lisa was about to cry again. “Sis, I’m sorry. I
know you always wanted to wear a wedding
dress and marry Chad. Am I taking your
place?”
I held up my hand. “Okay, tell Mom and Dad
<
Lisa’s tears turned into a smile. “Thank you,
sis! Oh yeah, do you remember ‘Lucky
Impression‘? That’s where we got our photos
taken, I think you’d like it.”
How could I forget?
Even though I was with my dad and Lisa was with my mom, we were always in touch.
When I fell for Chad, I told Lisa right away.
Every night, before we went to sleep, we’d
text and I’d tell her all about the details of my
time with Chad. She’d help me figure out how
to win him over.
I’d always dreamed of getting my wedding
photos taken at Lucky Impression.
く
I curled my lip. “I remember. They must have
turned out beautiful.”
That weekend, Lisa, afraid I wouldn’t come
for dinner, brought Chad to pick me up just
after lunch.
Back at my Dad’s house, Lisa excitedly
dragged me to her room to look at the photo
proofs.
Looking at the beautiful photos, my throat
tightened up.
After choosing a few, Lisa dragged me to the
guest room.
It was decorated as a nursery.
<
“Mom and Dad don’t want us moving out.
They said that they’ll help me take care of the
baby, and then we should have a second
one.”
She was like a wound–up music box, talking
and talking.
It was like she forgot that her man was my
former fiancé.
When I first got to Myanmar, I thought about
Lisa and Chad every day.
I thought I had it all with those two people.
They were even more important to me than
my parents.
Even though I was Yu Jie’s cook back then, I
<
One time, because she was hungry and
impatient, she burned her mouth on some tempura. She ordered the men to heat up a pot of oil and try to pour it down my throat.
I knew I was going to die, and I didn’t want it to be so painful, so I took a kitchen knife and was going to cut my throat.
When the blade touched my skin, I was saying goodbye in my head, to Lisa and Chad.
I didn’t die that day.
Ji Fan took the knife away from me.
That day, a fight had broken out between the
camps. Ji Fan killed the other leader.
He was covered in blood when I saw him.
く
I collapsed.
He slapped me twice.
“Get out of here. Do you want to die in the
restaurant, how am I supposed to eat in here
afterwards!”
No one messed with Ji Fan when he was
angry.
He would kill anyone who crossed him.
I had survived because of that.
That was the second time Ji Fan had saved
- me.
<
I didn’t want to hear any of Lisa’s depressing
talk, so I went to the kitchen to help.
My mom had prepared so much food.
I found out that Lisa had invited several
friends.
Including Jenny.
“Your sister wants you to reconnect with your
old friends and forget Myanmar.”
That was the first time my mom had ever
mentioned Myanmar.
And it was like it was nothing.
I said, “Yeah,” and started helping my mom
cook.
L
By the time everything was on the table,
All the guests had arrived.
As I expected, Jenny, to show who she was with, brought Chen Mo with her.
