CHAPTER 77: CHAPTER 77

~Anning~

I didn’t know why I even went back. Maybe I wanted closure. Maybe I wanted a fight. Maybe I just liked watching chaos happen up close. But I knew one thing for sure, I was still in love with Fan xiao. And the pickup my brain just did wasn’t the best fit sure.

Whatever the reason, the second I stepped into that club, I knew it was going to be worse than I imagined.

"Anning," Fan Xiao said, like I wasn’t supposed to hate him for the last ten years of my life. I never thought I could ever be this chill in my life.

"You’ve got ten seconds to start explaining," I said, dropping my bag onto the floor like a grenade. "Or I’m walking out and trust me what I’ll do next will be so regrettable."

He smiled that infuriating smile. Not the one that made you fall in love, the one that made you want to hit him.

"I never and I say again Anning, never have loved you," he said. "Phewwww I needed to say that damn!!" His voice was calm. Too calm. Like he was reading from a script.

I froze.

I knew it. I fucking knew it. Every fight, every awkward conversation, every stupid, forced smile I gave him over the years, I knew it was a lie. And hearing it now... it burned in a way I didn’t expect.

"You’re telling the truth," I said, my voice quiet. The words hurt coming out. "And that’s why I’m so mad. I have every right to be mad, Fan Xiao. Every right."

He raised an eyebrow. "You’re mad?"

I stepped forward and hit him. Hard enough to get his attention but why did he turn his face like that when looking at me, it was so fucking hot, wait what the fuck is strong with me . "Yes, I’m mad! Mad that you wasted my time. Mad that you let everyone around us think we were... that we were something! Mad that you made me believe in a future that never existed!"

He didn’t flinch. Not a twitch. Not even a grimace. Just stood there like I had thrown a pillow at him.

"You really are a master of ignoring everything that matters," I said, pacing. "You were supposed to care. You were supposed to... be human, I don’t know...You failed, it’s always these ABO beings, they’re the problem."

Lee Know moved behind him, holding his stomach, looking like he had been sucking on lemons for the last hour.

"I can’t believe this," I said, pointing at him. "And you! You’ve been carrying his kid?!"

Lee Know opened his mouth like he wanted to speak, but nothing came out. I didn’t give a fuck. I wasn’t here to be polite.

"You’re just as much a slut as Yu Jin! Or whatever the fuck his name is. " I yelled, letting my hands flail. "Just as much! How did I not see it? How did anyone not see it?! Y’all knew about this didn’t you?"

Fan Xiao laughed, quiet, but it didn’t make me feel better. It made me angrier.

"You really think it’s funny?" I said, voice shaking with rage. "I’ve spent years pretending I didn’t notice your games, pretending I was okay with your silence and your manipulation, pretending that our parents arranging this engagement meant anything. And now I find out...."

"Anning," Fan Xiao interrupted, holding up a hand like I was being dramatic for the sake of performance. "I never lied about my feelings. I never loved you. And you fucking knew it..... gurrrrr gurllll."

I laughed, sharp and bitter. "That’s it? That’s your entire excuse for destroying every bit of time we had together? That’s your answer?"

"I told you. I never loved you," he repeated. "You’re acting like it’s a surprise."

I couldn’t breathe. My chest felt tight, my fists were shaking. And then, stupidly, I saw Lee Know’s face. His ’I don’t give a fuck that you’re going through that shit’ eyes pisse me off so much and I didn’t even think. I just shoved him.

The movement was instinct. Reflex I guess. And I’d do it again every single time.

Lee Know staggered, hitting the corner of the table, and a low groan escaped his lips.

Fan Xiao moved fast and caught him. "You just hit him.m, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"I know! I know!" I said, voice shaking. "But don’t act like you’re innocent! Don’t act like any of this isn’t your fault! You never loved me, you used him, you..."

Lee Know coughed, groaned, and tried to stand straight, but blood leaked between his legs. I stepped back, horrified, but also... I didn’t care enough to feel bad. Not entirely.

"You’re unbelievable," Fan Xiao said finally. "You’ve spent years holding onto a lie and now you want to hurt the innocent party? You’re insane, Anning."

I felt my hands clench. "I’ve spent years being lied to. Being told I mattered. Being told it was real. You don’t get to stand there and tell me I’m insane because I finally explode. Because I finally react. I finally...."

Lee Know groaned again, trying to speak through blood. I didn’t give him a chance. I wasn’t here for him. I was here for Fan Xiao.

"You don’t get it! You never did! You never cared! You never loved anyone but yourself!" I screamed, pacing like a wild animal trapped in four walls. "And now you expect me to smile? To forgive? To act like this is normal? To accept that you’ve been living your life, having his kid, and I was... what? Just a showpiece?"

Fan Xiao shrugged. "You were never mine. And you weren’t meant to be. That’s the truth."

I laughed, a short, bitter sound that made my chest hurt. "You really are as cruel as people say. You really are. You bloody heartless hacker, you piece of shit. And you don’t even flinch. You don’t even look like you care. But you know what? I care enough for the both of us. I care enough to tell you this. You deserve every bit of hate I have. And I’m not holding back anymore."

Lee Know whimpered Infront me. I wanted to apologize, but I couldn’t. I wasn’t done yet.

"You’re everything that’s wrong with people," I said, pointing at Fan Xiao now. "Selfish, cruel, manipulative. And I swear to god, if you try to touch me, I’ll...."

"Anning..." Fan Xiao said calmly. "You think screaming at me is going to change anything? It won’t. You can hit, yell, cry. It doesn’t matter. You can throw a fit. You can push him," he nodded at Lee Know, still bleeding...."and I will still be me. Still be nothing to you. Still untouchable."

I felt a hot wave of anger. "Untouchable? Do you think that makes you better? You’re just a coward who hides behind arrogance. You never loved me, and that’s why this is your punishment. You’re human. You’re just human, and don’t think so much of yourself.."

He didn’t respond. Just stared. Cold, sharp, infuriating.

And I hated him even more.

"Do you understand?" I said, voice cracking. "Do you even get why I’m mad? Or are you just pretending you don’t care because that’s easier?"

"I understand perfectly," he said finally. "You’re mad. You’re angry. You’re hurt. You’re pathetic."

My chest hitched. "Pathetic?!"

"Yes. Pathetic. You’ve spent years thinking you could matter to me, thinking you could change me, thinking... thinking any of it was real. And now you’re here, yelling at me, hitting people, crying, and you still don’t get it. You never mattered. You never will."

I felt tears slide down my cheeks. Not from sadness. From rage. From the sheer impossibility of it all. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t move, and I hated myself for feeling anything at all.

Lee Know coughed again. I glanced at him. Blood, wide eyes, shaking hands. And I wanted to scream. He was seeking for attention.

I turned back to Fan Xiao, face wet with tears, eyes red, hair stuck to my forehead from sweat and rage. "You know what? Go ahead. Keep being perfect. Keep being nothing. Keep living your life while I... I’ll deal with mine, I’ll burn all your memories in my head, and I don’t care if you hear it or not. Because I’m free. I don’t care about being polite. I don’t care about love. I don’t care about you anymore."

"Fan xiao... Fan xiao.... can you see I’m BLEEDING OMFG..." Lee know screamed out...

And it seems our brains were taking quite a while to process everything today. Because tell me why I know I saw blood... but... oh my God.... Oh my God...

"Anning you bitch!" That was the first time Fan xiao cussed at me and he carried Lee know into his hands, screaming "somebody call 911."

The others who were also arguing about their drama rushed towards us and saw him bleeding, they followed Fan xiao outside and I guessed someone had called the ambulance.

What scared me most wasn’t the fact that I had pushed Lee Know. It was the fact that if this baby didn’t make it, no matter who I was to Fan xiao he’d kill me.

I knew him that much to know the type of temper he had.