He Had Loved Me First

Victor’s hand was injured.

The doctor said no water.

Victor insisted on bathing.

Jason had been thrown out.

The responsibility fell to me.

The bathroom steamed.

The frosted glass reflected two ambiguous shadows.

I learned many things about Victor Fu that night.

The next morning, my hands were so sore I could barely hold chopsticks.

The culprit was crouched in front of Fifteen.

“Call me Daddy,” Victor said. “Say Daddy and I’ll buy you cat treats.”

Fifteen bared its tiny teeth.

I wanted to know what brand of shamelessness filled Victor’s brain.

News of Victor’s relationship spread through the company quickly.

Rachel Xu, the secretary who had fired me, used document delivery as an excuse to come to the house first.

She glared at me.

“Lina, I really don’t understand where I lost.”

I sipped tea.

Kindly, I answered.

“Because Victor and I were secretly in love with each other.”

Yes.

I later learned the full story from my father.

Years ago, when my father came to school after losing money gambling, Victor saw us argue.

Victor had just started his business then.

He privately found my father several times and helped pay his gambling debts.

No wonder I once saw Victor eating plain buns for meals.

Human greed cannot be filled.

When my father lost another large sum, he threatened Victor:

If Victor did not pay, he would marry me to Old Zhang as a little wife.

Victor could not afford the amount.

He begged my father to wait a few years.

He promised he would become successful.

My father refused and warned him not to approach me, saying I was meant to marry someone rich.

Fate had once reached for me.

But I had been pressed so low by family and inferiority that I never looked up.

Later, I asked Victor,

“On the blind date night, why did you reject me?”

“I didn’t.”

He stroked my hair and sighed.

“Lina, I was about to accept. You interrupted me twice.”

I stared.

He raised an eyebrow.

“Were you that unconfident?”

My eyes blurred.

“When I learned you joined the company, I wanted to get closer to you,” he said. “But whenever you saw me, you ran like a mouse seeing a cat.”

He hugged me from behind.

“On the blind date night, I went because I knew it was you.”

“By then, I had already decided to make you Mrs. Fu.”

Tears fell onto his hand.

Victor wiped them gently.

“Has anyone told you that you are excellent?”

I shook my head.

“Lina Lin, who won national scholarships every year, could never be worthless.”

I laughed through tears.

“Yes,” I said. “I am excellent.”