Chapter Text
BURY - Secret (sickness)
“We can’t meet anymore.”
The dim light of the lampshade danced softly with the ornamental crystals around it. Sitting on the edge of the bed, over the satin sheets, the golden glow illuminated his sweaty back, his broad shoulders relaxed as the acrid smoke wrapped around his slender neck and black hair.
He was like a work of art, a sin waiting to be committed, an attraction that escaped my control.
I looked deeply at that body already so familiar, wanting to memorize every sinful inch of skin that I might not have memorized yet. Every mark my nails had traced, every muscle my tongue had licked, every little piece counted. Even the smallest loose strand of hair.
It was everything I could have, after all.
“So, was this the last time?” The muffled, deep voice spoke softly, between an exhale filled with menthol nicotine.
“Yes.” I squeezed the pillow resting on my lap, still fixated on his relaxed figure. My own body was still ecstatic, filled with the incredible sensation of being turned inside out, used, devoured, and squeezed until the very last drop. I took a deep breath, trying to passively draw in the smoke leaving his lips. “I’m going through some complicated changes. I can’t keep doing this.”
The laugh that filled the room was ironic, malicious, almost mocking. He settled better at the edge of the bed, supporting his weight with one arm as he leaned back. His face turned toward me, revealing the black mask that covered him from his forehead to the edge of his cheeks. His black hair did the work of adorning the rest, as if everything was part of something greater, something more mysterious.
Perfectly fulfilling the role of hiding all his features from me.
“Of course, I already imagined something like this.” Black eyes locked onto mine, making me shift my attention to my anxious palms, twisting the fabric between my fingers. “It’s okay, bunny.”
I rested the back of my head against the padded headboard, staring at the ceiling and feeling the slight urge to drink a strong whiskey, or something memorable enough to erase the bitter taste of goodbye, slightly mixed with the flavor of the seed that man had spilled inside me minutes ago.
1 year and a half.
18 months.
78 weeks.
36 encounters.
36 times, I willingly came to this coastal hotel, entering through a different gate until I reached this room, to give myself body and soul to a stranger who completely hid his identity.
Just a body without a face, a voice without an owner, a mouth with full lips that took me to heaven, but without a ticket back.
It was the end of a relationship that never even had a beginning. A goodbye without a recipient.
“I’m sorry. I really enjoyed getting to know you,” I said, finally looking into his eyes. The smile on his mouth was sweet, but his gaze was different. There was disappointment there.
The tall, naked body stood up, making me lift my head along with him. Unlike the other times, he approached the upholstered chair where his clothes were neatly folded instead of grabbing a robe and going to the bathroom. I watched him dress methodically, first his underwear and dress pants, then his button-up shirt. Finally, he fastened his belt and put the watch on his wrist.
That watch that was worth at least three cars identical to the ones I had in my garage. I always avoided thinking about who he was, never feeding that treacherous curiosity, but it was undeniable that he had a life as luxurious as mine.
And by maintaining this relationship, he was probably someone important in some industry.
“Don’t go there, Suo Wei. You promised,” I argued against my own thoughts, returning to my usual restraint of never even thinking about who this man was. I let the seconds pass, swallowing the last doses of him, watching him lazily fix his hair in the mirror before returning to the bed.
“Well… then this is goodbye.” He sat down with his back turned to me, avoiding my face and consequently my eyes, which at that moment were the only thing real that he could use to extract some feeling. His shoulders made small movements, as if he wanted to say something. “I also liked our time doing this. I hope things in your life work out well.”
We never exchanged more than a few words during our encounters, always avoiding any kind of contact that could make us reveal more than necessary. So most of our conversations were only greetings, commands, and goodbyes, along with a small promise that we would still be here after the next 15 days.
But now.
I wanted to talk a little more, because after this, this voice would no longer exist close to me.
“They will work out. You too, I hope you can live well and safely.” My voice sounded forced, mechanical, trying to speak while also afraid of revealing more than I planned. “Thank you for sharing this time with me and… for everything else as well.”
A light and short breath of laughter escaped his nostrils.
“They were great moments. Especially all the rest.” His eyes finally became visible when he turned his torso toward me. I lost my breath when he approached, looking deep into my irises before touching his lips to mine in a short kiss. Catching me by surprise. “Don’t do anything foolish, like accepting crazy invitations from strangers to have wild sex without even knowing their first names.”
We laughed in unison, the joke serving more as self-criticism than as a warning.
“You too.” I continued watching his seated body, still somewhat divided between speaking or staying silent. Fortunately, he also didn’t seem to want to prolong it much further, standing up and walking toward the door. In the cabinet near the exit, he picked up the same black bag as always, placing it over his shoulder. “Goodbye, Xiaogui.”
I felt my heart grow heavy for a moment, watching him standing in front of the door, his height almost matching it. My breathing hurt, expanding my ribs as much as possible, trying to contain the agonizing farewell. As if everything was the absolute nothing. But the nothing was all we had.
“I’ll miss you, bunny.” The voice was low, but it echoed in my ears like thunder in an open clearing. “Goodbye.”
That was it.
I couldn’t answer, not before he opened the door and walked through it. Taking away warm nights, comforting touches, and the peace I had built so carefully.
Everything ended with just a few words, the way it had begun. Without exaggerations, without attempts to know more about each other, without prolonging the minutes to make it last a little longer.
It ended just like it started; like a business deal, a contract, where the payment was our bodies entwined in a bed until exhaustion, and breaking it meant never contacting each other again.
There was an almost sacred freedom in being no one. Without the weight of affection, our bodies spoke in a purely physical language and that was all. Without attachments, without expectations, without promises and responsibilities. I was only an empty glass, filled for 15 days, to pour everything onto that body, which did the same with me.
But even emptiness comes to an end.
I got up from the mattress and gathered my clothes scattered around, my body protesting with every movement, but I didn’t care much. I just wanted to leave that place as soon as possible.
The smell of tobacco mixed with sweat and expensive perfume was intoxicating me. Alone, it seemed more like poison, forcing me to push my trembling legs into my pants and my tired arms into my shirt. The entire process, from paying to being received, was handled by him, and my only job was simply to leave through the private elevator to the private parking lot, and meet my car.
Normally, I left before him, leaving him in a robe on top of the bed, still enjoying his cigarettes and drinks. But now, I was the last one to walk through that door.
It made sense.
I ended our arrangement. I closed the door.
I did what was right.
But, inside the car, with the window open and feeling the wind pass through the gap, I realized that, in reality, I was being pathetic. “I did what was right”... As if betraying my fiancée had not been a problem before. Personally, it wasn’t, not for me or for her, but even so, the hypocrisy was laughable.
There was a structure waiting for me. An empire, a union, stability between two great families and companies. There were expectations, demands, supervision. It was a commitment that needed all of me, without deviations, without lies. Everything was going to change; I needed to leave the past behind.
And he was part of that.
I tightened my fingers around the steering wheel, trying to contain the betrayal of my own thoughts.
He was everything that had kept me going for all these months. All the business stress, all the frustration, all the pressure, the criticism. Everything, I could pour onto him. He would receive it with open arms, ready to give me a night of relief and also letting me relieve him in return.
But it wasn’t just that.
I had started to crave the filth, to get aroused just imagining being completely destroyed by someone. Being bent over, fucked, crushed by a faceless man, making me return home soft and obedient, leaving me feeling him for days afterward.
It was the first time I had slept with another man, and even with fear and a certain hesitation, I accepted being a part of it.
And I didn’t regret it for a single second.
His hands were perfect, his mouth was clever, his legs were strong, and his thin waist accepted my legs around it like a snake would embrace a tree. He was firm, dangerous, trustworthy, and at the same time unpredictable.
He made love like no one else. Every night felt like the first, and with each one after that, he welcomed me with more enthusiasm and desire.
He was a bottomless well.
He was. In the past.
I turned on the phone, connecting it to the car’s control panel artificial intelligence. On the passenger seat, the silver mask shone with the phone’s lit screen, filling me with the urge to throw it out the window.
“Lya, please connect the Wu Suo Wei device to the car,” I said to the virtual assistant, still keeping my eyes on the road. “Open missed calls, voicemail messages, and also the text messages on the main panel.”
“Hello, Mr. Wu, good evening! Please wait while I prepare the device.” The slightly robotic female voice filled the environment. “Ready! The ‘Wu Suo Wei’ device was successfully connected at 02:45 am on June 30th, 2026. Opening missed calls and voicemail. 3 missed calls from; Yueyue, 1 missed call from; Wu Liu Bei, 1 missed call from; Father. Mr. Wu, may we proceed with the voicemails?”
“Yes.” In the distance, the big city appeared before my eyes, bringing my boring life back to the surface once again. The beep sounded before the first message played.
“Suo Wei, I need your opinion for the wine booklet for the lunch on the second day. Mom wanted to keep the dry wines, but I preferred the fruity ones. What do you think?”
Yueyue’s voice filled the car in a light and even carefree manner. Despite being a person of great power, it did not reflect in her personal persona. She was calm, smiling, and more pleasant than she allowed herself to appear.
That helped make things more… bearable.
The second beep came right after, the same voice continuing the trivial subject.
“I tried once again to get the singer and pianist I wanted for the ceremony and wedding events. I’m offering 10 million, but even so, his management team is making things difficult. Only two days and they’re making such a fuss… I’ll try once more, maybe if I offer 20 million he’ll come.”
I couldn’t contain the frown that formed on my face.
“Twenty million for a singer. God really does give wings to the right snakes.”
I stopped at the traffic light, watching the streets still carrying some remaining movement between buildings and avenues. Some restaurants still kept their doors open, making my stomach complain from prolonged hunger.
The third beep came, followed by a different voice from the speaker.
“Suo Wei, tomorrow I need you at the executive office a little earlier. Check with your secretary if she can make your morning available on your schedule. The meeting with the carbon fiber suppliers was moved up because one of them needs to go to Japan urgently.”
It was Father’s voice.
“Of course some emergency would happen.” I tapped the panel, opening the message box and going to the chat bubble with Hyerin. “Hye, I know it’s late, but an emergency happened. As soon as you hear this audio, cancel my schedule for the morning. For the most important ones, you can try to reschedule them for the afternoon. I’ll buy coffee as an apology.”
I made the last turn before entering through the condominium gates. The serene and silent air only made me more restless inside. After a few blocks, I entered the underground parking lot, parking the discreet black car from another brand alongside the sports cars of Wu Automotive.
I turned off the engine, feeling that this would be the last time I used that boring vehicle. Stepping outside, the metallic and slightly disinfected smell washed away any trace of the woody perfume mixed with cigarette smoke that still surrounded my senses.
Taking away the remaining existence of the unknown man.
The double life of the heir and operations director of Wu Automobilistic Enterprises officially ended. No more biweekly meetings, no more dirty and immoral secrets, no more my peace, no more relief.
That was it.
I needed to get used to the accumulation and frustration again. I had duties that needed to be fulfilled, nothing more than hot little games full of raging hormones.
It was enough.
In bed, even among the finest and most expensive sheets, the sensation my skin carried was that those others had been softer, warmer, and more receptive. The satin fabric tickled my freshly shaved skin, my knees sliding over the smooth surface, my hands kneading it until the fabric became wrinkled even hours later. The fluids were absorbed and spread into larger, darker stains.
The fluffy white linen did not compare.
The empty space around me made everything even colder, lonelier, darker. My mind begged for a warm body to lie on top of, my mouth begged for strong alcohol, my heart begged for calm and peace.
I just wanted to rest, but everything inside me was awake.
In the end, I only settled for watching the day break through the curtains.
The rays of sunlight had barely entered when my phone lit up on the nightstand with several messages. It was probably Hyerin, updating my schedule and certainly planning my murder. I used the little free time I had to stretch my body, trying to push all the heaviness and numbness away, and then immediately went to take a proper shower.
It was close to 7 when the beep sounded for the first time. Hyerin’s name shone on the screen on the table, making the cup that was halfway to my mouth freeze in place.
“Good morning, Hye,” I said professionally, trying to keep the dialogue as calm as possible. “What happened so early?”
“My COO doesn’t have a single ounce of love and care for his secretary, that’s what happened so early.” Her voice also remained professionally cold, which made the dialogue even funnier. “Your schedule is clear for the morning, Your Majesty, just as you requested. In the afternoon, I only managed to allocate two commitments: the meeting with the engineering VP and the approval of the designer insert, but you also have a meeting here with the R&D director… the problem is that I don’t remember this meeting being on the schedule, and Mr. Jiang was very insistent when I tried to move the date to a less busy day.”
I felt my blood run cold.
Point number one: never let your best friend also be the research and development director of your company. At some point, he will use work hours to chase gossip about someone else’s personal life.
It was obvious that Xiaoshuai would try to squeeze every drop of information out of me about my last encounter with Xiaogui. He had followed it from the very first day, actually since the moment I considered and signed that ridiculous confidentiality agreement.
I touched the crease between my eyebrows, trying not to think about the same things from yesterday again. It was a new day, a new stage; I needed to leave everything else behind.
I needed to leave that man in the past.
“You can keep this meeting with Mr. Jiang. Put it last; it will probably go beyond office hours.” The plate with some light and colorful appetizers was placed beside me. I thanked the housekeeper with a nod before attacking the food as if I had been trapped in a dungeon for 10 years without seeing food in front of me. I closed my eyes, savoring the rich and salty taste on my palate, killing the hunger that was almost tearing through my stomach. I pointed at the plate, looking for the slender woman behind the counter.
“Jie, can you make another one for me?”
The movement was automatic, so the sound of knife and cutting board echoed through the kitchen. Bringing a little life into the lonely environment.
“Well, your morning is available for Mr. Wu. While you’re in a meeting with the suppliers, I’ll be organizing the absurd amount of paperwork that’s going to come up from the assembly department for you to review, sign, and approve.” Hyerin sounded like she was driving, the sound of traffic in the background blending with her voice. “Do you want session three or two?”
“Are there many reports?” I asked, receiving a positive murmur in response. I felt my shoulders slump, remembering that we were at the end of the month. “Do session three. I want documents for signing and security checks first, material analyses second, and manufacturing reports third.”
“Alright. Then I’ll see you at eight. Don’t forget you promised the coffee, I want the one from that café that’s about two blocks before the company.” Hyerin smiled, almost victorious. “See you later, boss.”
“See you.”
The rest of the coffee disappeared into my mouth like cotton candy in a child’s mouth, satisfying the pain of an empty stomach.
In the parking lot, before getting into the car, I adjusted my clothes until I looked presentable. The vest was tight, the way I liked it, and the dark gray suit contrasted with the ice-white shirt underneath. It looked great, seriously, and at the same time it was comfortable.
The blazer was thrown onto the passenger seat along with the briefcase. The car chosen among the six parked there was the most recent sports model from Wu Automobilistic; low, aerodynamic, the dark blue color making a slight gradient with the carbon fiber.
The color matched the outfit perfectly for the day. It was the perfect choice.
The café wasn’t far, and it also wasn’t very busy given the number of people who ate there. The car was like a small spaceship, the interior completely black, with small silver details surrounding it. It was a pleasant design to work on, and watching it come to life was like giving shape to a child created by the mind.
I cut through traffic easily, and within a few minutes, I saw the reserved entrance of the café appear in my field of vision. Farther ahead, the company building was also visible, making me grateful for the proximity. The parking lot had very few cars, all within a similar price range to mine. The space was probably almost empty.
The phone on the seat rang, Yueyue’s name highlighted on the caller ID. I parked beside a silver S.U.V., so large that it almost blocked my entire side view before answering the call.
“Hi, love, good morning,” I said, stepping out into the humid and slightly warm morning.
“Suo Wei, good morning. This morning I tried again to get the singer I want for our wedding ceremony. But once again, I was denied.” Her sigh sounded defeated. I heard rustling in the background, probably from the bedsheets.
“Why don’t you try someone else?” I entered the establishment, pushing open the glass door and being greeted by the delicious smell of roasted coffee and some sweet spices. I closed my eyes, filling my lungs with the air. “Yueyue, there are singers everywhere in China. Many of them are incredible, perfect, or whatever it is you’re looking for. Try others, you won’t regret having other options.”
The few tables arranged inside were almost all vacant, with only two occupied: a family in a corner and a man sitting near the window at another one. The tall glass counter gave off a slight warmth from the breads, sweets, and cakes inside, making me feel like I hadn’t nearly died from hunger a few minutes ago; my mouth salivating slightly.
“I’ll try a few more times. I won’t give up on him just because it’s a little difficult.” His insistence made me click my tongue a little too loudly, making me lower my head so I wouldn’t draw attention.
“If his management team said no three more times, why would they accept a fourth?” I waved my hand at the attendant, asking for the coffee menu. Beside me, a body made itself present. I glanced from the corner of my eye, seeing the same dark coat as the man sitting at the table near the window. “Our wedding is in 30 days. If you don’t decide this, we’ll be left without the musical arrangement. Is that what you want? We need to help each other, Yueyue. We can’t stay stuck on just one thing.”
I looked at the absurd amount of options on the menu, having no idea what Hyerin wanted.
“Yue, I need to hang up. I’m almost late and I have other calls to make, the day is packed. We’ll talk tonight, okay?”
“Ahh… Alright, Wu. Do what you need to do, see you later.” The loud exhale on the line made her dissatisfaction clear, but as always, she let me go. It was always that easy; if I needed it, she would leave without insisting.
I didn’t even have time to hang up the call before dialing Hyerin’s number. Beside me, a little farther away, the man pointed at some things on the menu. I felt a sharp pang in my head when I looked at the hand with long fingers and well-trimmed nails, and as if it were a curse resurrected from hell, the woody scent of expensive perfume wrapped around my consciousness along with the sugary aroma of the environment.
I looked away, trying to focus on the letters, prices, and images displayed in front of me. I was going crazy; there was no other explanation. Why couldn’t I just leave this matter behind? Why did my body still insist on feeling his touches, his presence, on reproducing his features in random people?
It was so unfair.
I took a deep breath, letting the perfume dissipate into memory until it was forgotten somewhere. On the second ring, Hyerin answered.
“I need to know what kind of coffee you buy for us.” I called the other attendant back, pointing to the options being told to me through the speaker. “Wait, Cupcake? Are you taking advantage of your boss? I’m deducting this from your salary.”
“I’ll be back in two minutes, sir.” I turned my attention forward. The attendant wrote down everything I had pointed at; three coffees and a hazelnut cupcake, turning back toward the inside.
I took the opportunity to go to one of the tables near the counter, scrolling through some of the day’s news on information outlets.
“AutControl Magazine | Issue 07
Risky Bet: Apex Motors reveals the hybrid ‘Spectre V8’.”
“Hybrid? What audacity to put a twin-turbo V8 to race alongside the power of electric motors. But the choice of materials has to be extremely precise to compensate for the excessive power.” I thought to myself, looking a little closer at the specifications and saving the available data for reading.
I scrolled down to another article that briefly talked about the increase in automotive materials and the demand for aluminum, but my concentration drifted for a second toward the counter. I looked forward once again, observing the man in loose and comfortable clothes standing at the edge of the counter. His tailored pants were quite loose, and on his torso he wore a matte leather jacket, which despite everything, seemed light.
But what caught my attention was his height.
He was really tall.
Tall like him.
Despite the similarity, this person’s thin body was positioned in a truly relaxed manner, different from how Xiaogui carried himself. Always so serious and straight. I let myself analyze him, cowardly surrendering to the fact that I was already wanting to fit him into random people I saw, no matter how small the resemblance was.
It was the first day…
I could afford to be ridiculous, to miss an affair that had lasted more than a year.
The outstretched hand lazily moved across the phone, long fingers swiping from one side to the other, hypnotizing me like a flute hypnotizes a snake. I remembered that Xiaogui had a small mole on the little finger of his left hand, making me realize that, in truth, I knew where almost every mark on his body was.
The mole beneath his lip.
The marks on his thighs, his back, his foot, his knee, his groin, his chest.
All of them, I knew one by one.
I redirected my attention back to the phone, where the words no longer made much sense. In both body and soul, all I could feel was the loss, the giving up of something so desired, the importance of something that could not be important.
The movement caught my attention.
The man turned around with a small bag in his hands, leaving through the door without looking back as he got into the silver S.U.V. parked beside my car. I watched every movement, every mannerism, and although his body was tall in the same way, he behaved differently.
“Why don’t you walk a little straighter?”
I just wanted a little bit more of someone I would never see again. I wanted to remember, even if it was by looking at other people and thinking, “Ah, he’s so similar in this aspect.”
I felt like I was close to going insane.
“Sir, your order is ready.” It was like the snap of fingers. The sounds around me returned, my focus scattered, and once again I was just a man going to handle business, not an unfortunate person who had lost his favorite toy. At the counter, the cups were neatly arranged inside a box with handles, and the cupcake was inside the same standard bag. I hurried to pay, tapping my phone against the machine’s sensor. “Thank you very much for your preference, have a good day.”
“Thank you.” I left for the parking lot, heading toward the car with my hands full, but not as full as my head.
Meetings, conversations, bills, numbers, signatures, analyses, walks.
I was already tired before the day had even truly begun. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, physical exhaustion, or mental fatigue, but today, all I wanted was to pretend I had a headache, go home, take some pills, and finally get the sleep I needed.
But that wasn’t how this record played.
A record that even I had no control over. Or rather, I did, but it was a choice, and I would choose to dance this tango every single time.
Wu Automobilistic Enterprises was my pride. I watched my father build this empire with his own hands, and I myself promised to dedicate my life to following in his footsteps. I worked hard, studied, was bold, sought confidence and a firm voice so that one day I could become the CEO he needed me to be.
And that day was closer than ever.
I felt ready.
Walking through the large glass doors of the lobby always filled me with an energy that kept me standing until the end of the day. The frantic movement, the sounds of footsteps, conversations, and deeper inside, the sounds of the large machines operating, building each piece, each automobile, each one of them another one of our prides ready to be on the streets.
From the main hangar to the 14th floor, the walk was pleasant and my attentive eyes did not miss a single important detail. This place truly was an empire that I wanted to have in my hands.
I saw myself at the top, in the main chair, commanding everything and perfecting even further what my father had built.
It was my goal.
Nothing could come before that, nothing would get in the way.
Not even myself.
•
The day passed by in a blur.
The meeting with the suppliers was concluded successfully. After forty minutes of technical debates about polymers and delivery logistics, the agreement was sealed and we managed to secure the supply for the next quarter while maintaining the company’s profit margin.
Hands were shaken, interested smiles were exchanged. Once again, Dad looked at me with that expression that said, “I can’t wait to put you in that chair,” and I couldn’t have been happier.
It was almost 11 in the morning when I entered the silently chaotic design team department.
In the cold room, some screens displayed the skeleton of the new high-performance prototype that Wu Automobilistic was developing. The prototype had aggressive, well-balanced lines, and the aerodynamics seemed extraordinary.
“Suo Wei!” From the left corner, the short man came walking over with the face of someone who had been surviving on coffee and mints for at least 5 days.
“Where did your manners go, Liu Bei?” I placed my hands on my waist, smiling at the round face that twisted into a displeased expression.
“And where did yours go? What’s the need for our leader to have a phone if he never answers when we need to talk?” The white folder collided with my arm, a gift from Liu Bei. Design Department Director. “I’m family, and even so you ignore me.”
“I was busy.” I opened the folder, looking at the contents with some calculations and separated parts of the prototype in scribbled drawings. “What happened?”
“Look here.” His fingers moved in front of the pages, flipping two or three sheets forward until the engine drawings appeared. “The other components were solved quickly, but we’re having difficulty moving forward with the motorization.”
I remembered the data I had saved about Apex’s new hybrid, ideas beginning to bubble on the surface.
“What if we put a Helix SPX177 into a four-electric-motor construction?” I suggested, seeing some heads turn around us. Liu Bei’s smile said much more than necessary.
“Suo Wei…” he whispered, looking at the papers. “You are diabolically brilliant. Let’s start moving around this idea. Take the dossier with you; I’ll try to keep you informed about the rest later.”
The farewells were brief, and within a few minutes I left the cool room to go to the assembly and manufacturing section.
The engineering sector was located at the heart of the company, where everything was cut, assembled, painted, and created. The meeting also did not last much longer than an hour, leaving me free to have lunch and finally go to the office.
Where there would certainly be three enormous stacks of papers waiting for me.
And I was not wrong.
From the polished wooden desk, I watched as the last rays of sunlight said goodbye to the sky in shades of orange and purple. The vibrant color passed through the windows and mixed with the final reports scattered around, bringing a sense of reward for a job well done.
But the exhaustion was almost making me lie down on those papers and sleep.
I couldn’t resist the thought, bending over and resting my arms on top of the stack in front of me. I closed my eyes as if they had already been programmed to do so the moment I touched any surface, allowing myself to relax for a few seconds.
It was just a little. There were only a few more KPI review papers left.
“Mr. Wu?” The door suddenly opened, making me sit up with a complete startle. In front of me, on the other side of the room, the blonde hair swayed from the surprise caused by my own reaction. Hyerin analyzed me for a few seconds before continuing where she had left off. “Mr. Jiang is already waiting. Can I ask him to come in?”
“Don’t call me Mr. Wu, Hyerin, for the love of God.” I adjusted my slightly crooked tie, running my fingers through my hair afterward. Trying not to make it obvious that I was completely destroyed and defeated. “You can ask him to come in.”
“There are people at the reception. Do you want them to see me being informal with my boss? Spare me.” Hyerin rolled her eyes.
“And since when is Xiao Shuai ‘people’?” I yawned until my lungs filled with air, feeling my ribs expand to their limit. “Ask him to come in. Thank you.”
Hyerin nodded, turning her back and leaving the door slightly open, as she always did when Xiao Shuai came for a ‘meeting’. After a few seconds, the sounds of shoes on the floor gradually grew louder until he entered through the door, invading the room as if it belonged to him.
“Finally, I managed to get an appointment with His Majesty himself.” His long legs bent as he threw himself onto the sofa positioned sideways in the room. I stood up lazily, feeling my legs struggle to keep my body standing. “He destroyed you this last time, didn’t he? So, how was it?”
During the day, I had even managed to push the thoughts aside, stuffing myself with work and coffee. But now, it was as if everything had come rushing back.
I walked over to where Xiao Shuai was sitting, joining him on the soft upholstery in a single movement. I sighed, my physical defeat making me sink completely into the cushions.
“It was fine. I said it was the end and he accepted it. Just like we had agreed from the beginning.” From that place, the orange tones were deeper now, almost red, making me remember the sheets and the lampshade in that hotel room. And how the colors made his skin even more beautiful, inviting, glowing, the sweat making everything even more ethereal. “It was the last time. So, it’s really over now.”
On my side, I could feel Xiao Shuai probing me with his eyes.
“And you really, really, truly don’t have any way to contact each other?” I shook my head, listening to his hiss come out as if he were weighing the situation. “Man, it was almost two years? That’s insane. I think you had more sex with him than with anyone else in your life, even your own fiancée. And you guys really, I don’t know, didn’t even let slip what city you live in? That’s fucked up.”
I thought about all the nights together, each one, I kept in a special corner of my memory. The small details, the laughter, the gentle touches, his voice asking me if I was okay, if it felt good, if I wanted more. Sometimes I wasn’t in much of the mood, too exhausted from work, but he made me feel good again, gave me affection, loved my body with patience, left me floating.
Everything seemed like a story that only existed inside my head, like an erotic book I had made up.
“I think that, despite really liking sharing time together, we also knew that we were looking for this kind of relationship precisely because life is too difficult to maintain something that truly mattered, and that secrecy and practicality were much better.” I sighed deeply, craving a cigarette. “If we let ourselves be carried away by what we wanted, we could end up doing the thing we didn’t want to do, which was bringing a strictly private relationship into public life.”
I didn’t even know what could be waiting for me, but I just wanted someone I genuinely desired, someone who made me feel real pleasure and satisfaction, without any external pressure and without affecting my engagement. Maybe he was someone who also needed extreme discretion, unable to let relationships interfere with his personal life.
“We were both on the same wavelength, we never changed throughout all the time we were together, so we didn’t need to ruin it by bringing everything outside.” I turned my attention back to Shuai, who was already looking back at me. Analytical. “It’s okay. It’s normal for the body to miss it, for the brain to crave the stimulation. But we’re adults, we have to understand when things need to come to an end.”
“Did he say anything?” The question made my mind return to the moment when Xiaogui was standing near the door, about to leave.
“He just wished me well, and said he was going to miss me. That’s all.”
‘I'll miss you, Bunny.’
I laughed to myself, remembering the ridiculous nickname that took me so long to get used to. That nickname that always replaced the absence of my name when he needed to call me, when he needed to moan for me, or simply… call me.
Bunny.
How ridiculous.
“You too?”
“Hm?”
“You’re going to miss him too?” The question struck the bottom of my heart, echoing against walls that were already a little fragile.
“Does it matter?”
Yes, I was going to miss him terribly. I was already missing him today, even with my body vividly remembering our last encounters. I would feel it in the middle of next month, and at the end of the month as well. And it would squeeze me, drive me crazy, until one day it stopped existing.
I knew there would be consequences, and even so, I accepted them.
“I feel sorry for you. It’s obvious you’re doing terribly.” I couldn’t hold back my tired laugh when I heard his words. I should receive an award for still standing after two whole days of being turned inside and out.
“Yes, I’m exhausted. Want to go to my place? We can drink some whisky that’s been stored for a while, Jie also left food prepared.” I stood up and went to the table, looking for my suit jacket, bag, phone, and a few other important papers that I couldn’t leave behind.
“Sure, I already left my bag at the reception, waiting for that invitation.” Shuai replied.
I unlocked my phone out of habit before putting it inside my bag. On the screen, a message from Yueyue was at the top of the notifications. I opened her chat icon, reading the written content before putting it away.
– Suo Wei, I have news about our musical arrangement. He accepted! And I didn’t even have to ask for the fourth time. A little after I spoke with you on the phone in the morning, his management team replied to me and said he was more than willing to participate in this special moment. I’m so happy!
“Thank God. At least one problem is already off the table,” I grumbled to the device, throwing it into the bag along with the papers.
Shuai approached, taking the suit jacket from my hands and throwing it over his shoulder. It was very customary to leave the company with Shuai, go home, drink until we fell asleep, and wake up as if we had been crushed by an elephant. So the understanding and help were always like this, automatic.
“What happened this time?” Xiao Shuai walked ahead of me, speaking to me without looking back.
“Yueyue,” I answered, quickening my pace toward the elevator at the end of the hallway. Finally, I would be able to rest miserably that night, even if it came with strong alcohol and a clingy love tick in my bed. “She had been insisting on a singer for the wedding’s musical arrangement, and it was almost impossible. But finally, the guy’s management team accepted. She had already been complaining about it for a few days, so I was starting to get a little fed up.”
“Good thing Yueyue has good taste.” His shoulder bumped into mine, playful, pushing me slightly to the side. “Good music, good food, at your amazing wedding on a paradise island for three days. I can’t wait for these mini vacations to arrive.”
“You say that as if the best man won’t also have to do thousands of annoying things.”
What started with a push turned into an idiot little back-and-forth game. The parking lot was already starting to empty, leaving only the sounds of our shoes and laughter echoing through the walls.
Soon enough, we were on the avenue. Shuai always insisted on putting some terrible music on, but this time, I decided not to complain about the irritating and catchy beat spreading through the car like poison. I just enjoyed the bluish end of the afternoon, trying to reorganize my thoughts.
The day was busy but resolute.
Contracts were signed, reports were analyzed, order was maintained, and so far, Yueyue was also managing to organize the wedding arrangements better.
It was as if things were slowly being resolved. Slowly, without pressure, like water slipping between your fingers and spilling onto the ground. I just needed patience, awareness, and above all, focus.
With a little persistence, I would be able to get through all this mental and emotional turmoil calmly as well. I could tame an entire company, so why wouldn’t I be able to do the same thing with my own mind and heart?
I was underestimating myself, giving in to my desires and whims and telling myself that it was okay to feel this way. It wasn’t, and I would work hard because of that.
It wouldn’t be so bad.
After all, no matter how difficult the mountain was, its peak was still reachable.
And I would have peace at the top of it.
•
July 29, 2026
I was wrong.
Completely, unconditionally, totally mistaken.
The mistake was everywhere; in the papers left behind that I couldn’t organize, in the hair I forgot to comb, in the tie I didn’t want to fasten around my neck.
Everything was wrong.
The silence of the room made everything even worse.
As the days went by, my head became even noisier, filling me with stress and anxiety. There was no escape anymore, there was no longer the necessary relief for me to maintain normality within what was acceptable.
I had completely lost my peace.
A month had passed, and along with it, all my mantras about being okay and staying positive went down the drain. On the 15th, I drank until I blacked out, trying to remove from myself all my desire to run to that hotel and imagine that he would be waiting for me too, that finally we could have another night together again.
It was impossible.
He disappeared, like the sea breeze.
For many days, I caught myself thinking, ‘would he be missing me too?’ but the answer was already glaringly obvious before the thought even fully formed.
‘I’ll miss you, bunny.’
Did he ever think about coming after me? Did he think I would miss him too? Did he think about going to the hotel, trying to find me?
The possibilities were endless, the questions were the same.
And in the end, all that remained was the suffocation, the exhaustion, the accumulation, and the stress of being in such a crazy and lonely month. Entire days filled with work, drinks, sleepless nights, and a wedding that seemed more like a psychological horror movie disguised as a ‘fairy tale.’
All the sacrifice for the sake of the perfect moment.
Yueyue was just as tired, truly taking her desire to create one of the biggest weddings in East Asia literally, reserving her private island in the Zhoushan Archipelago and transforming it into a complete reception for three days of events, parties, and also our ceremony.
Finally, after weeks of planning, the day to go to the island arrived. And now, inside the room, I finished making the final adjustments to my outfit. The housekeeper was still taking the luggage downstairs with the private driver, while the stylist pulled my collar to fit the thick silk tie around my neck.
All guests would be taken to the same location – Luchao Port.
From there, we would go on the Koru, the large yacht belonging to the Quin family, and everyone would stay in the mansion located in the central part of the island. There, the cars provided by Wu Automobilistic were already waiting for guests to move around the area, whether visiting the beaches, the small tropical forest with a private park, the golf courses, shooting ranges, and leisure fields, as well as other more private environments, such as some cabins scattered around pleasant spots at night.
The place was a true paradise.
But it was impossible for me to get any rest.
Everything was rehearsed. From our arrival, when we would be welcomed with the first event – a welcome dinner filled with music, champagne, and many greetings and conversations – to the final moment, which would be the wedding ceremony in the mansion’s outdoor garden.
Not a single detail outside the house, everything exactly as planned.
It was a very important moment of union. Every movement, smile, pose, speech, handshake, everything, was extremely valuable. It wasn’t just a marriage, it was the creation of an extremely strong alliance in the Chinese market, the final point of the agreement.
I needed to be well.
“Ready, Mr. Wu, is the vest tight enough?” The stylist took a step to the side, giving me a complete frontal view of my reflection in the mirror. The matte black tailored suit accentuated my legs and waist very well, slightly tight in the way I preferred. I picked up the tuxedo just to fold it over my arm, the white gold shine on my wrist making a perfect contrast with the deep black.
“It’s great,” I answered, adjusting the fabric of my dress shirt in a few places according to my preference. I turned to face the driver standing at the bedroom door. “We need to go, is everything already in the car?”
“Yes, sir.” The positive nod was all I needed. I walked downstairs, accompanied by the stylist who would also be my assistant with the party schedule.
“Jie, enjoy your days off, I’m going to miss your cooking,” I said to the slender woman standing at the front door. She briefly waved, and I took the cue to get into the back seat of the car.
There were 20 minutes left before the yacht departed from the port on schedule. In the pocket of my pants, my phone vibrated, Shuai’s name glowing when I pulled out the device.
– All that’s missing is the bride’s arrival– oops, the groom’s.
“Ah, this guy…” I laughed humorlessly, typing a quick reply.
– You really wish I was the bride, don’t you?
– I’m 10 minutes away from the port.
I put the phone back in the same place, looking at the horizon between Shanghai’s tall buildings. The concrete landscape passed by quickly, buildings upon buildings stained across the windows like a blur.
I took a deep breath, calming my mind and trying to slow my heart. Now was the moment when I needed to smile genuinely, speak calmly and passionately, act with the prudence of a future leader.
I couldn’t show nervousness or any other feeling that didn’t align with the moment.
“We’re almost there.” The driver spoke. Through the front windshield, the port was already visible, and the sunset was making the sea into an orange mirror.
I was already starting to hate sunsets.
Little by little, the focus adjusted naturally with the proximity, highlighting the line of black cars unloading some guests while others were already undergoing verification before boarding the yacht.
My car passed in front of the others, taking a different side reserved for families and close friends, parking without difficulty on the side closest to the vessel. We got out in silence, the employees already coming to the car to take the luggage and carry it inside.
I looked to the side, wanting to make sure my stylist was nearby, and when our eyes met, I could finally take a step forward, walking toward the steep ramp.
The wind was strong, rocking the black yacht with its sharp and gigantic structure. The yellow interior lights illuminated the sophisticated interior, contrasting with the burnt wood details and the brown and beige leather. It was imposing, powerful, and technological, just like Yueyue’s family.
“Okay, let’s go.” I filled my lungs with air, mentally preparing myself to do my best. When I entered the first lounge, the immersion was immediate, like when an actor hears the word ‘action’ from the director’s mouth for the first time. “Good evening.”
I spoke to the few people sitting on the sofa who, after becoming aware of my presence, stood up and came toward me.
It was like a completely controlled domino effect.
“Good evening” “congratulations” “happiness to the couple” “you’re a lucky man.”
I smiled and waved at all the guests who were along the way as I headed toward the pool area at the bow of the vessel. Handshakes, restrained smiles, analytical eyes. Everything was a great play where I was one of the protagonists.
The show had begun.
And God help me, I was already tired.
At the bow, Xiao Shuai was with Chengyu and Hyerin. Further back, near the railings, Yueyue was taking some pictures, the pearl-colored dress hugging her body looking stunning, as if she were a mermaid ready to enter the open sea.
I truly was a lucky man.
Yueyue was beautiful, calm, a good friend who knew how to give space and didn’t let her personal issues mix with the arrangement made by our parents. We still didn’t live together, and probably wouldn’t. After all, we were fine with each of us having our own space and privacy.
It was enough. A marriage made out of power, but one that had two sides that respected each other and adapted to what was required.
I approached the photographer, entering her field of vision, watching as she finished her last poses.
“You look absolutely beautiful.” I caught her attention, seeing her delicate, made-up face smile at me.
“Wei.” Her hand reached me, gently pulling me by the wrist until I was in the same corner where she had been before, her arms lightly wrapping around my waist. “Let’s take some pictures, the sunset is beautiful.”
The flashes partially blinded me. Some poses were done, the smiles were maintained, and around us, some guests came closer to see us together.
We looked like a powerful couple.
Like a diamond that was hollow inside but brilliant on the outside.
When it seemed like it was enough, Yueyue dismissed the photographer, who promptly went to photograph the other people around. I turned to face her, letting her thin hands come to my collar, adjusting what didn’t need to be adjusted.
“How are you feeling?” Her soft voice whispered to me, her eyes fixed on my chest.
“I’m tired,” I answered briefly.
“It’s not just that. Is it? You’re much more stressed than usual.” Her large eyes with black pupils locked onto my face, leaving me completely defenseless. “You know, you didn’t have to stop doing what you were doing. We have our own lives and issues, and I know you wouldn’t let that interfere with our marital bond, but we all need a… valve to release.”
I shifted my gaze away from her face, locking eyes with her personal security guard standing a few meters away from us, his attention fixed on only one point.
Her.
We all had secrets.
And while some were well hidden in hotel rooms far enough away, others were right there beside us.
They were choices.
Choices we didn’t dare interfere with.
“I’m fine. Any decision I made was aimed at what was best, and certain things were too risky, even if they seemed… discreet.”
The knowing smile made the true understanding clearer than anything else there. Yueyue was wise, had a strong personality, and was very certain of what she wanted and who she was. That was also reflected in the way she judged other people, and that included me.
I never told her about my relationship or about Xiaogui, but she knew he existed somewhere. She might not know if he was a man, or a woman, or anyone else, but she knew he was important. She knew he kept me grounded, helped me get through my days peacefully.
And that became even more obvious this month.
I didn’t want to seem rude, I didn’t want to make it obvious that this union was bad or that this marriage was terrible. None of that.
But it had been very difficult.
I felt lost, impatient, and that reflected in how I handled the final preparations for the ceremony. Of course, she knew how to give me space without me needing to ask or explain myself, but even so, the feeling was one of complete incompetence.
And the last thing I wanted was to appear incompetent.
The yacht left the port at exactly 6 in the evening.
The night slowly swallowed the sea, and at the bow, the wind passing over my body was cold and tasted of salt. The rocking was peaceful, the presence beside me was warm, and within a few minutes, the distant glow of the island appeared on the horizon.
“Ready to become my wife?” I wrapped my arm around her thin shoulders, warming the smaller body wearing the delicate dress. The hand on my waist tightened, and Yueyue rested her head against my chest.
“Ready to become my husband?” she answered. Her voice mixed with the wind sounded like comfort on the cold night, an affirmation that, whatever came ahead, she would be by my side.
“I’m ready. Don’t worry, I won’t disappoint you.”
It didn’t take long until the yacht approached the side of the island. At the small dock, some employees ready to remove the luggage and drivers were already waiting to take all the guests to the hall built on the outside of the mansion.
The lighting was stronger, and the spotlights made the water look like a vast piece of polished, translucent jade, the deep green moving in small waves. It was beautiful, peaceful, paradise-like. The perfect place to consecrate love, like in a fairy tale.
Slowly, the guests left for their respective cars, where drivers waited with specific signs. The employees collected all the luggage, assigning each one to its respective transport, and everyone received a small pass card for the cabins scattered around the island.
Few guests would stay in the mansion, only family members and close friends. The rest would be accommodated around the island, allowing more people to be invited.
It was an intelligent arrangement, thought directly from Yueyue’s clever mind.
“Mr. Wu.” The man’s voice behind me made us turn in sync. Discreetly, Yue let her hand slip away, cutting the contact. “Your car is already ready, but as scheduled, it will be the last one to leave the road and enter the area. Do you want to wait here with Miss Quin? Or would you prefer to stay in the car?”
I looked at Yueyue, waiting for her to express her preference.
“Ah, I’d rather feel a little more of the breeze. Please, Mo Xian, when there are only 10 minutes left, could you come call us? I’d appreciate it.” Her voice had a sweeter, higher tone, as if she were speaking to please someone. Not me, but the personal bodyguard dressed in the black suit.
“Yes, Miss. Excuse me.”
Yueyue turned her gaze back to the sea, thoughtful and silent. I wanted to feel like that too, silent and at peace, but something was missing.
“I think I made a mistake, Yueyue,” I spoke to the wind, letting the words roll in all directions. “I thought I was doing something right, and in the end, I cut away the stones that kept me in place. How could something so trivial have taken so much from me?”
“There’s no going back?” she asked, filling me with a ridiculous urge to laugh. “I mean, you can still make a phone call, you can still talk. Trying to fix something like this doesn’t make you bad, it makes you human.”
“It’s not that simple. I just–” I searched for words that made sense, but nothing came out. It was a lost cause. “There’s nothing else I can do.”
“I understand. If it’s any consolation, the island is very beautiful and you liked coming here quite a lot the other times. Have fun, relax as much as you need. I’ll try to handle some of the things you have to do.”
The island really was a peaceful and beautiful place. The sun felt good on the skin, and its size wouldn’t let anyone get bored for the next three weeks.
Maybe she was right.
Maybe relaxing here, escaping the rules of event etiquette for a while, could do me good. If this wind could carry away the scent of another person, that was another question. But maybe forgetting the outside world was exactly what I needed to do here.
Everything around me was sea, salt, and water for miles.
It was the perfect place to anchor my heart and forget what existed on solid ground.
•
The night air around the ballroom was wrapped in the scent of fresh flowers and expensive alcohol. The external structure of the hall looked like something alive, fabrics and flowers swaying in the wind like a giant jellyfish. The slightly dim lighting brought a luau atmosphere by the seaside, but the sophistication of everything else was, at the very least, breathtaking.
As planned, we were the last ones to arrive at the location, and from the entrance, everything already seemed magical, but inside, it was surreal.
Inside the dome, dozens of meters of translucent fabrics in ivory and pearl tones floated in the wind, slowly rippling like clouds in a vast field. The sides of the hall were completely open to the garden, bordered only by a structure of thin golden arches supporting the ceiling.
We entered slowly, holding hands, greeting the first guests who were nearby. The place shifted slowly, and the murmur of voices mixed with the sweet voice coming through the speakers.
“Suo Wei, Yueyue. Congratulations. What a wonderful welcome. This place is breathtaking.” The woman I didn’t know spoke. I gently squeezed her hand, thanking her for the compliment while Yueyue said something about the flowers and the quality of the fabric.
The sound was catching my attention.
I looked toward the farther side, near the center, where the slightly oval stage was set up, decorated with flowers and some beautifully placed mirrors, searching blindly for the owner of that voice. In the center of the stage, half-lit, the singer played the piano while singing, seated sideways.
On the screen, some pictures were playing, while the live footage of the singer stood out in the transparency. I felt my brow furrow, the obvious creases probably drawing both of their attention.
Something was wrong.
“Excuse me for a minute, I’m going to find Mom,” I said to both of them while they were still immersed in conversation. My steps were quick as I walked toward the side of the stage, feeling something uncontrollable begin to rise in my chest.
My ears were deceiving me, playing tricks on me. Why did this man’s voice somehow remind me of someone…
Closer to the stage now, from that angle of the screen, the camera was focused on his profile, and while the man sang, his fingers skillfully moved across the keys, as if that piano were part of his own being.
Those hands.
“Impossible.” I whispered into the void, to myself, trying to find some sense in this insane situation.
On the screen, his face with slightly defined cheekbones and a straight nose was adorned by shorter black strands, cut straight, a little different from what I had seen before, but the texture was exactly the same. His eyes were closed, making me uneasy, because his entire face seemed like something my mind was trying to process.
Like a puzzle missing pieces.
But it was when the piercing black pupils appeared and his eyes fixed on the camera that I felt my ground completely disappear.
“Xiaogui…”
I couldn’t control my shock, much less the way my blood seemed to drain entirely from my body until it reached my feet. The lips touching the microphone were exactly the same ones I had kissed so many times, and even the small mark was there, at the right corner.
My legs seemed like they wanted to give out, unable to withstand the shock of truly seeing that man there. Because I was absolutely certain it was him.
Even though we kept our relationship extremely focused on giving each other pleasure, the brain stored information without asking, placing it in a secret, selfish, and treacherous corner. And now everything fit together as if I were standing in front of a partially painted picture, but the missing pieces were engraved in my consciousness.
I felt my ears ringing when the song ended and the guests applauded, pulling me away from whatever I was thinking. I looked around, at the people enchanted by the man on the stage, trying to find some sense in all of this.
It was my wedding.
My guests.
Why him? Out of everyone?
The touch on my arm almost made me faint from fright, and when I looked to the side, Yueyue was smiling, her rosy cheeks slightly more prominent.
The soft light became stronger between the swaying fabrics on the ceiling, finally revealing the entire environment more clearly. The man on stage stood up from the chair in front of the piano, standing slightly sideways with the microphone in his hand.
On the screen, my image appeared alongside Yueyue’s. Drawing another round of applause from the people around us.
“Well. Good evening everyone, we are now in the presence of the engaged couple, who are providing us with this beautiful dinner and also a wonderful three-day celebration filled with many events and parties. Please, another round of applause.”
The sound of applause filled my head like bells at an exaggerated volume. I couldn’t even look at the camera, my attention fixed on the man speaking on stage.
That man who spoke exactly like Xiaogui.
“It is an honor for me to be here witnessing this moment, being able to bring the musical touch to the rest of these three days and the magic needed for this unique moment in a couple’s life.” His sharp eyes left the camera, finally maintaining direct contact with me. I tightened my grip on the waist between my fingers, trying not to reveal how close I was to fainting. “So, please make yourselves comfortable. My name is Chi Cheng, and I will guide you not only through this incredible night, but throughout this unforgettable journey. It is a pleasure to meet you all."
Time froze before my eyes. Ears ringing, heart racing, and my eyes fixed on a single point.
The man dressed in an immaculate white suit.
Xiaogui
Chi Cheng
Fuck...
"Shall we continue?”