***************
CHAPTER 412
Seated in a beautifully designed room that emanated elegance and sophistication, with every detail carefully planned and executed, Zheng Ying picked up her glass of wine and took a sip of it before leaning forward to place it down on the small glass table before her.
The walls in the room were painted with soft, muted colours complementing the tastefully chosen furniture pieces, which blended harmoniously and created a sense of space and serenity.
To the side where Gao Yuemi sat, graceful curtains adorned the floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing the perfect amount of natural light to come in and bounce off the gleaming hardwood floors, highlighting their exquisite texture.
Zheng Ying swept her gaze across the room quickly, before settling them on the owner - Gao Yuemi, the lady who sat cross-legged with a flat plate containing spring rolls and samosa, toothpicks by the side and a silver fork.
"I've been thinking," Zheng Ying began, taking a pause to ensure she had the latter's attention, "We need to take advantage of Liu Xueyi's emotional weaknesses and manipulate him."
Gao Yuemi arched a brow. "I thought you were already doing that? I mean we are using your son's health to our advantage," she responded, picking up a spring roll and biting on it.
"Yes, but I want to get rid of Andromeda. I see her as a nuisance."
Gao Yuemi tilted her head to the side, a soft smile appeared on her lovely features. "Oh..."
She chewed slowly and dropped the plate on the side table close to her chair as her eyes raked over Zheng Ying.
Earlier on, this was her plan and Zheng Ying was to play along but listening to her speak, it seemed she quickly made herself an enemy out of Andromeda.
"Andromeda has a strong relationship with Liu Xueyi, yes, and we don't want her interfering with our plans," she stated as a matter of factly but still wondered where Zheng Ying was going on with this.
"Exactly, we need to get rid of her. But we can't do anything too drastic or suspicious. We don't want to draw attention to our actions."
Gao Yuemi smiled.
Andromeda had been her stumbling block after Zheng Ying left. Now she was glad that Zheng Ying already wanted her out.
"Agreed. We need to drive a wedge between Liu Xueyi and Andromeda subtly. What do you think about creating some false accusations or rumours about her that will make Liu Xueyi doubt her loyalty?"
Almost immediately, Zheng Ying's lips curved up in a devilish smile. "That's brilliant! I'll see how to make that into a big scandal where it actually happens."
"Good. Anyways, I am sure you had a nice time seeing him again?"
"I did. I was immediately reminded of why I fell in love with him in the first place and seeing her there, I wanted nothing more than to tear her from his side."
Gao Yuemi's gaze darkened, her eyes turning cold.
Keeping her lips in a tightlipped smile, she took her wine glass and took a sip from it, her brain performing its own mental calculations.
For some reason, the hesitant Zheng Ying began to show her true colours just after one visit to Liu Corporation.
·?θm Without thinking too much, she knew she would be trouble later.
Cutting those wings was the next course of action.
"Stay on the main track. Do not get distracted by other goals. Liu Xueyi now is confused, frustrated and vulnerable now. It is our chance to get him where we want him."
Sensing the warning in her words, Zheng Ying gave an apologetic smile before nodding slowly.
"Yes...yes." She paused for a moment as if considering something then continued, "I should go check on my son."
"Yes, you should."
**********
After that night, Liu Xueyi did not speak to his family about this and had Xu Fang keep it to himself while he figured out what was really wrong.
The first thing the next day, his phone buzzed relentlessly only to get missed calls from Zheng Ying and finally a message.
He got into a sitting position and peered at the screen of his phone.
Her message read: I didn't realize you will still be sleeping at 7 when you were informed of your son's health. Or were you balls too deep in another woman that you forgot about what I told you yesterday?
His brows furrowed. She was impossible and annoying.
Suddenly he felt the side of he bed move under Andromeda's weight as the latter sprang up as well, and moved closer to his side, with her hands wrapped around his shoulder. He could feel she wanted him close but his mind was disturbed.
He had no idea what nonsense Zheng Ying had fed his son about him.
I mean, did he ever know his father existed? What was his life like in school? Did he always miss him?
Those thoughts plagued his mind and when he realized that he had no clue about the kid's health, his brows creased further, forming a deep V between them.
"What are we doing today?" Andromeda's soft voice broke through his troubled train of thought. "We can go for breakfast or lunch."
Liu Xueyi shook off those disturbing questions from his head before answering, "I... I umm... I need to go see..."
"Her?" Andromeda finished for him. "I mean your ex and son, right?"
Liu Xueyi turned his head to look at her, his eyes softening at the thought of hurting her but when he got her warm smile instead, he felt a pang of guilt stir up inside him.
Andromeda must have sensed it because she leaned forward slightly so that their foreheads touched and whispered softly, "You don't owe me anything," and then kissed his forehead gently.
The warmth spread downwards until Liu Xueyi found himself pressing a kiss on her lips instead.
It wasn't long after this kiss ended that Andromeda pulled away with an amused expression while he looked dazed by her touch.
She laughed lightly as she said, "Let's get ready first, okay? I know your worries but you need food as well. We do not want you to get sick while thinking about your son, now, do we?"
He shook his head. "Good. Come on."
Updat𝓮d from freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.co(m)