Withered Spring.

Chapter 9 A Life For a Life

***** SUMMER BLOSSOM YANG*****

Summer woke up feeling like she had just awoken from the dead. Her entire body felt weak and sore and she could barely lift a limp. For how long she had been unconscious, she didn't know, but she was grateful to still be alive. She had repaid Kai's kindness with her life, and now, she could freely reject the engagement without injuring her conscience. She struggled to move her limbs and all her veins retracted. She heard approaching footsteps and soon, the door opened. Grandma Chu walked into the room, she ran over to the bed when she spotted Summer trying hard to move.

"Oh dear!" She exclaimed happily.

"You're awake. Don't wear yourself out trying to move. You just survived a grave danger" The elderly woman chided tenderly.

"Oh Granny!" she cried like a baby. The pains were so intense that she thought that maybe her bones were all broken.

"Don't try to force yourself to move okay? Grandpa Chang and I just managed to remove the toxins from your body. Your body is still weak so if you try to force it, the repercussions will be even more intense" The woman explained patiently.

"You're lucky to still be alive. Kai really went too far this time, I must teach that brat a lesson on your behalf" The woman said seriously.

"Grandma, will I be able to move my body again?" She asked in tears.

"Yes, you will. Just give yourself a little time. As long as you're alive, there's plenty of hope for you" Mrs. Wen replied with a warm smile.

"Let me ask the kitchen to prepare your favorite meal alright?" she kissed Summer's forehead before going out of the room. Summer closed her eyes and suppressed the urge to force herself up and return back home. She missed her family, missed being the little tyrant that she was always called back home. She missed her grumpy old father, even though he was strict, she would have been protected from Kai's schemes and wouldn't have ever been this volatile and vulnerable. She cried, really cried for the first time after so many years.

Time passed slowly and Summer found herself drifting off. She had to come to peace with her mind and hope for the best for herself. She had to settle this score with Kai, and she can only do that by staying alive to break the engagement.

"I'll recover fast, and redeem myself. Kai gave his legs for me, now he has taken Blossom's life, it is settled. A life for a life". she said to herself.

"I need to redeem myself". she repeated confidently.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Kai stood at the rooftop, looking down at the world. Hot tears welled down his eyes. In his entire life, he has never felt anything like this before. Blossom was all that was in his mind at the moment. What had he done? Everything was his fault, Blossom was his fault. He fiddled with the little tube that was in his hands, the agarwood fragrance was supposed to give her a little rash, how did it end up killing her? He cried silently.

"what have i done?" he cried, breaking down completely. How did he even fall in love with her? Why did everything pain him so much? He cried, falling to the ground. After what seemed like forever, he sat up and cleaned his face. Just then, he heard footsteps and looked up. Yu Bai stood looking down at him.

"I told you not to bother me today" Kai said sadly.

"Your father requests your presence at the company immediately" Yu Bai said looking down at him.

"What does he want? I know I'm at fault for what happened to Blossom, does he have to throw it at my face?" He said dejectedly.

"We won't know what he wants until we go to the company. Come on, you can't sit here all day sulking. Let's go to the company to hear what Dr. Alfred has to say" Yu Bai suggested. Kai stood up, and walked past him.

"Whatever he has to say, I have to face him and own on to my mistakes" He said walking down the stairway. Yu Bai hurried behind him.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Kai sat on his wheelchair, his mouth wide open. Bu Lang glared at him from where he sat. Dr. Alfred wasn't looking directly at any of them, his head was rested on the headrest of his swivel chair.

"Dad..." Kai started but his father's quick movement startled him to a stop.

"You can let the company fall if you want, it's up to you. Since you have a lot of free time to device harmful plots, your grandparents saw it fit for you to spend that spare time, handling the company. If you have any disagreements, forward it to them" with that said, he stood up and left the office. Bu Lang followed behind quietly. Kai looked at their retreating backs and a biting sensation bugged deeply within his heart. Deep within his heart, be could tell that everyone had turn their backs on him. Absolutely everyone. They all hated him now, and even Blossom will hate him even more, wherever she was right now. He looked up at the ceiling and closed his eyes. He had nobody now. Just himself.

"I guess I don't have a choice" He said.

"I have to accept my fate. The worst is going to happen soon. I must not slack off" He told himself before wheeling his chair out.

***** ***** Summer Blossom Yang ***** *****

I sat in my office at the Chu headquarters Europe and looked at the pile of work. After weeks and months of being in a vegetative state. This was one of my ways of redeeming myself from the strains of marrying a man who's heart was as dark as the night. I have to work really hard to succeed. My dreams must come alive and that's the only thing that I would prioritize right now.

I looked out my window and imagined what it would feel like to be my notorious real self, with Scarlet and Kira. I long to see them, to gossip with them, to cry and laugh with them. I miss home, miss my family, I miss Charlie, and Bing xue, Aunt Tam, Uncle Tang, I just miss home and that was the truth. I sat up, took a deep breath and relaxed my mind. I believe that one of these days, I'll go back home to the family, but for now, let me work hard and prove myself, let Dad know that I can make decisions for myself.

I picked up the pen and began to read through the documents, I signed the necessary pages and then moved to the next ones. This was basically all I could do right now, this new life, I plan to live it to the fullest and nothing, nobody can have control over me. I am who I want to be and what i want to be. I want to be the real me, so that when the right time comes, I would stand proudly and confidently and match my arrogance with Yei Kai's. It's time to put an end to his abuse and stand up for myself, because I am nobody's Pushover, so nobody is allowed to push me. Nobody is allowed to test my limits and definitely, nobody is allowed to mess with me.

I signed the last document and stood up. I picked up my purse and walked out of the office, i want to go shopping. I want to spoil myself, I want to live this life to the fullest. I stepped into the hallway and all eyes moved on me. Yes! that's the kind of attention i commanded, I, Summer Blossom Yang, I loved to be the center of attention just like now. I let my hair loosed as I catwalked towards the lobby. The constant click of my high heels complimenting the soft whistling of the afternoon breeze. I stopped just by the pavement and looked up at the bodyguards lined up to protect me. I smiled at myself. Did I really need all these? Were they necessary for my growth journey? I stood there, basking in the sun, my life has just taken a new turn, and it was a turn for the best.

"Yei Kai Chu, I will be back even better, by then, get ready to reap what you sowed. Till then, eat your cake while you can". I said looking at the sky before hopping into the car.

"To the mall" I commanded and the driver ignited the car, then stepped on the gas pedal. I looked out through the window and wondered off to my little world of wild fantasies. I thought about my family, my siblings and then, my future. What does life have for me in the future? Is it oranges? Grapes? Tangerines? Or, even Lime?. I smiled at my little mind.

"Life has to give me honey" I muttered, because I intend to live it sweetly.