Walk away

The rain had begun before dawn, a steady silver curtain against the Li family’s glass walls. It softened the sharp edges of their world — the marble floors, the carved banisters, the vast paintings on the walls — but it could not soften the weight that hung in the room.

Zhao Meiling sat stiffly on the edge of the long rosewood sofa, fingers twisted together in her lap. Her heart had been thundering since the moment she received the call: “Come to the Li estate. It’s important.”

Now, seated across from Li Yuren’s parents, she could barely breathe.

“Miss Zhao,” Li Zhenghua began, his voice deep, steady, and too formal for a man who had once called her ‘daughter.’ “Thank you for coming.”

She forced a small smile. “Of course, Uncle Li. Auntie. Is… is Yuren here?”

Shen Lian exchanged a glance with her husband before answering. “He’s resting. He won’t be joining us today.”

Resting. That was strange. Yuren never rested when there was a chance to see her.

“Meiling,” Shen Lian continued softly, her hands folded neatly on her knees. “We want to talk to you about something… difficult.”

Meiling’s breath hitched. She didn’t like the way the older woman’s voice trembled. “Difficult?”

“Yes.” Shen Lian’s eyes were red-rimmed, as though she hadn’t slept in days. “It’s about you and Yuren.”

Something cold uncoiled in Meiling’s chest. “What about us?”

The father didn’t waste words. “We want you to break up with our son.”

The words struck her like a slap. “What…?”

“It’s not because we dislike you,” Shen Lian rushed to say, tears slipping down her cheeks. “We like you very much. You’ve been good for him, truly. But—”

“But what?” Meiling whispered, her hands shaking. “What did I do wrong?”

“Nothing,” Zhenghua said. “You did nothing wrong. But Yuren… Yuren’s health has not been good. And we believe… we know this relationship cannot continue.”

Her heart pounded in her ears. Health? Yuren was fine — he had been fine just weeks ago. He laughed with her, cooked with her, kissed her goodnight. He hadn’t said a word about being sick.

“I don’t understand,” she said, shaking her head. “You’ve always supported us. You even said we’d make a good family.”

“And we meant it,” Shen Lian said, voice breaking. “But the situation has changed.”

“What situation?” Meiling asked, louder now. “Why are you doing this? Why now?”

“Please,” Zhenghua said quietly. “Don’t make this harder than it already is. Tell us how much you want. Ten million. Twenty. Fifty. We will give you anything. Just… walk away.”

The room spun. “Money? You think this is about money?”

Her voice cracked. “I don’t want your money. I want him.”

“Meiling—”

“I love him!” she cried. “I don’t care if he’s sick, if he’s poor, if he has nothing. I don’t care about any of that! Why won’t you just let us be together?”

“Because,” Shen Lian whispered, her tears falling freely now, “we cannot lose our son.”

Silence crashed over the room. Outside, the rain grew heavier, blurring the world beyond the tall windows.

Meiling pressed a trembling hand to her mouth. “ lose? What do u mean ?what are u hiding from me ? He was ok last week .You’re hiding something. I know you are.”

“There’s nothing to hide,” Zhenghua said firmly. “Please, Miss Zhao. For everyone’s sake… walk away.”

She stood, her legs unsteady, her chest tight with rage and heartbreak. “No. I won’t. You can’t make me.”

But even as she said it, she knew how powerless she was. She was not his wife. She had no legal tie to him. All she had was her love — and love, here, was not enough.but one thing she is sure yuren love her ,as long as he Love her nobody can tear them apart even his family. they both love each other a lot since their college time and had spend the most special events of their life with each other, now they were going to merry yuren family suddenly saying me to walk away? How dare they make disscion for me and yuren life .don't they know how Much we love each

When she left the Li mansion that day, the rain soaked her hair and blurred her vision. And though she refused to believe it, a single sentence echoed in her mind over and over again:

We cannot lose our son.

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