”Wait! ”

Liling stopped her; she figured things might be awkward if they met at the gala with eyes staring at them and obviously, those two bitches that would be on the lookout.

‘I’ll meet him after the gala; I don’t want to cause a ruckus. ”

 ”Okay, you have a point, now since you have no date today, I’ll be your date. Those overzealous reporters will crush you under their feet if they see that you came alone.”

Liling smiled, she was thankful for Xin Yong, what could she have done without her?

Opening her arms, she pulled her for a warm hug;

”I love you! What could I have done without you?”

Xin Yong laughed; ”Oh well, you could have died with bottles of alcohol all around you. ”

Liling released her and slapped her arm; she waited for Xin Yong to change into something nice, after which she helped her pack her hair.

The gala was to begin by 7pm so they still had a little time; by 7pm at the dot, the driver she had sent for came by and alerted her; so they left the room. When they arrived at the venue, everywhere was already rowdy, many important persons had already arrived, and the fervent reporters who were never tired of gossips were already there taking pictures.

”So, you’re not going to answer any questions, okay? ”

”I know. ”

”And you’re going to keep a smile on your face as we walk in, okay?”

Liling laughed at how overly concerned Xin Yong was acting.

”I know, I’m not a baby.”

”Okay, we’ll be stepping out now. ”

The driver stepped down and opened the door and they came out one after the other, Xin Yong first, then followed by Liling. ”

When Xin Yong stepped out, the cameras turned towards her, they knew she was engaged to Jin Yue, so they had their own load of questions for her, but when Liling stepped out, every question in their mind vanished, it was all about Liling,

The cameras were so blinding that she found it hard to even walk;

”Is it really over between you and CEO Liu Wei?”

”Where you guys ever together, or were you just fooling the public? ”

”Why are you not with him today? ”

She was thankful for the security that did well to keep the noisy reporters away and they safely got into the building.

”Welcome beautiful, you did well to come, how are you? ”

”I’m fine, Chief ”

Liling said with a smile as she took his outstretched hand;

”This is Xin Yong, my friend ” she introduced when she noticed him look at her;

”Oh, yes, I know that name; you’re a singer too, right? ”

Xin Yong nodded; ”It’s nice to meet you Chief. ”

”Don’t mind my manners, its old age. I tend to forget a lot of things now. Alright, have your seats. The program is almost started. ”

He said and they smiled at him before the usher took them to their seats;

Liling wasn’t in the mood to greet anyone from that circle, she knew the obvious questions they were going to ask and she wasn’t ready to answer any, because, truth be told, no one there had her interest at heart; they just wanted to feed their gossip-tank.

Her mind wasn’t really in that event, she wondered how she would tell Liu Wei what happened and how he is going to react; thus when the waiter came by to pass drinks, Xin Yong had to nudge her.

She turned and smiled to the waiter but before she could pick her choice form his tray, he handed a glass over to her;

She was stunned but didn’t think much of it;

She took a sip and kept the glass on the table;

” just want this to be over, so I can be on my way. ”

”Or you just want this to be over so you can meet him…”

Xin Yong elaborated with a wink; Liling chuckled and drank from her cup again;

”I’m really not prepared; what if he doesn’t want to see me?”

”You know that that is not true, ”

”I’m scared. ”

Liling said, remembering her father who is in the custody of Yan Ran and Da Xia.

Xin Yong sighed and rubbed on her hand;

”It’ll be alright. He’ll be alright, okay? Liu Wei would find a way. ”

She nodded and drank from the glass again.

After a few minutes, she felt like using the restroom;

”Xin Yong, I’ll need to use the toilet, give me a minute. ”

Xin Yong nodded and she stood up; she saw a waiter and asked the way to the restroom; he pointed at a pathway and she headed there;

As she stepped into the pathway, her head became dizzy and her cheeks flushed; she felt like falling but she held onto the wall; the ground looked steep, everywhere was turning around in her eyes, she couldn’t tell what was happening.

She turned around to head back into the hall but someone stopped her from behind, her system became alerted and she tried to struggle but the person used a hankie over her nose and the rest was history.

…

Xin Yong looked at her watch for the fifth time, it was about twenty minutes since Liling left for the restroom but she had not returned; she was getting worried.

What was she doing there? Did her period begin?

She picked her phone and tried to call her but unfortunately, her phone rang inside her bag which she had left on the table;

After waiting for an extra five minutes, she decided to go look for her herself;

She opened the female restrooms but no-one was in; her heart began pounding against her chest.

Had those bitches come for her? Did they know that she had told her about them?

Beads of sweat dropped from her face as she proceeded to the male restrooms and knocked before opening them.

There was no-one there too. This time she became worried; where had she gone?

Maybe she stepped outside…

Xin Yong hurriedly left the hotel through the back door to check for her outside but she didn’t find her;

That was when she knew that something was wrong. She turned around to alert someone but her shoes stepped on something;

Shifting her leg aside, she picked up the item and at that moment she knew she had to call Liu Wei;

It was Liling’s hair clip; she had remembered helping her to adjust it, so she knew it well.

She walked inside immediately, taking her back and Liling’s, she left the hotel.

”Hello? ”

”Liu Wei… Liu Wei, something bad has happened to Liling. ”

Xin Yong cried; she felt something drop at the other end; obviously a glass;

”What? What happened? ”

”She’s missing, we came to the gala together, and she said she wanted to ease herself but she is not in the restroom; she’s nowhere to be found Liu Wei. ”

”What did you just say? ”

”Liu Wei, she’s not here, you have to hurry before something happens to her, please! ”

Xin Yong cried and before she could say another word; Liu Wei had ended the call.