Forced by fate – Destined to be his Wife

TangShi stood outside the huge and foreboding Leng group building as it’s mirrored structure stretched into the clouds above her like a black dagger. A foreboding skyscraper that helped shape Shanghai’s skyline in its impressive size. Her hands shaking and her heart rhythm chaotic as nerves got the better of her. Terrified right down to the roots of her soul, but she desperately had to see YuZhi. Days of being shunned by him had left her bereft as though mourning a death. She had no sense of closure due to the fast and traumatic way it ended to help her get through this and she couldn’t stop yearning for him.

She had waited until Linlin left to go run errands, pretending to be asleep and slid out to come to the office buildings in hopes of catching him. Just one minute to see him. Linlin had kept telling her to give him time and space, but she didn’t understand the agony of the long silent emptiness, or the deep dark hole his lack of presence left. She had to see him, even if it was only once, to say her goodbyes and imprint his face to memory to replace the one of heartbreak and misery he left her with. There was no rational thought as to what she would say, just a deep need to be close to him again. Fueled by lack of sleep and a foggy saturated mind that was close to being fatigue drunk.

She pushed her nausea down and her doubts aside and found courage from somewhere deep within her. To be able to walk forward and in the glass multiple doors that spanned the full front of the main entrance. Aware of eyes and heads turning her way and even though she knew nothing had gone public about their separation, her guilt shamed her so that her face flushed, and she dropped her eyes to the floor.

Realistically staff down here were awed at seeing the fiancée of their CEO wandering in at this time of the day given she had never graced the building before and were of course curious. She was elegantly dressed in a long linen dress and tan sandals that showcased her petite figure, her long dark hair swept to one shoulder in loose waves and half concealed with a floppy straw hat to shield her from the sun. She wore sunglasses to shade her red puffy eyes but to them it was a celebrity necessity to shield identity and they thought nothing of it. To them, she was a natural beauty in simple fashion and a sight to behold.

TangShi wandered to a long arched silver desk that took up the entire left wall, manned by three pretty girls in matching navy uniforms. The golden logo of Long Group on a massive metal mural behind them.

“I’d like directions to YuZhi Leng’s office please. I’m his fiancée.” She sounded more confident than she felt, aware she needed to pull off an act of casualness to seem like this was a spontaneous lunch visit and held her breath as the first girl perked up and tilted her head towards her.

“Ahh yes, Miss Lei. We know who you are. I can have one of our ground staff accompany you to the top floor and take you right to him.” The sweet girl offered, admiring the flawlessness of this woman up close after only seeing her in news articles and video clips from their engagement. It was an unwritten rule among Leng group staff that you never turned away known family members or friends for fear of being fired. Even if their showing up wasn’t in the diary.

“There’s no need. If you point me in the direction of the elevator and give me a floor, I can find it myself. I want to surprise him.” TangShi tried to stop her inner tremble and smiled warmly, her face aching with the effort and sure her shallow breathing was probably noticeable. Petrified of being caught out and turned away. Suddenly fearful that he might have had her blacklisted from entering.

“Ahhh, okay, I won’t announce you then. If you head to the far left elevator over there, it will take you to floor fifty five. That’s the management floor. And there will be a receptionist upon leaving that will further help you. I’ll come over and give you access to the right floor.” The girl nodded gesturing her to follow and then walked along behind the desk at the same speed as TangShi did until they met together at the open end.

“It’s an access card to get up there that normal visitors are not allowed as it’s by appointment only, but we all know who you are so security will be fine with it.” The girl blushed; a little star struck at seeing Mr Leng’s future wife this close up. Most women in this building had heart flutters when they saw their handsome CEO and his assistant, so it was a rare treat to see the kind of woman who had won his heart.

“Thank you.” TangShi followed her to a golden doors elevator that was flanked by two uniformed security guards who merely nodded their way as the girl scanned an ID card, and then spread her palm out to encourage her to enter as the doors opened. The girl leaned inside and pressed a floor on the inner panel, swiping the card again at a lower infrared slot and then bowed with a gracious smile.

“Enjoy your visit, Miss. Lei. Have a nice afternoon.” She stepped back to allow the doors to close and TangShi stared at her own reflection as the lobby was concealed from view by immaculately clean metal doors. Exhaling slowly with relief that she had gotten past the first hurdle and had a minute to herself to reel back in her nerves and paste on a fresh smile. Her body sagging and her legs turning to jelly.

Her figure was thinner and her posture a little slumped compared to her normal happier self and she tried to straighten up in her reflection. Pull it all in to conceal the self-doubt.

The floor numbers changed quickly on the digital screen in front of her and she inhaled heavily before blowing it out with gusto to try and calm her inner chaos. Her entire body internally vibrating with the sheer stress of what she was doing. She felt like she was embarking on the most terrifying ordeal and had no clue how this was going to end. Bravado fading away as she fidgeted with her ring on one hand and tapped her thumb against her shoulder bag, chewing on her lower lip to curb her anxiety.All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

It felt like in a blink of an eye they were pinging open again at a similarly styled and decorated new lobby, faced this time with a smaller walnut desk and a single smiling receptionist who raised her head at the noise. The lighting was subtler up here and she had a feeling of being up high despite not yet seeing a window view.

“Good afternoon, how may I help you?” the girl glanced up briefly, checking her screen diary and knowing they had no appointments for the next hour so was surprised at a stranger walking in, until TangShi’s face registered in the girls memory bank. All staff who dealt with incomers had to know by memory anyone that was related to the managers and her smile froze in place as she picked out a right identity for this particular lady.

“I’m here to surprise YuZhi, would you direct me to his office?” TangShi held her confidence even though she didn’t feel it and knew any hesitation would be suspicious.

“His current meeting is due to end soon, I can take you to his office to await him and set you up with refreshments, Miss. Lei.” The girl smiled brightly, sure she had the right name and stood to gesture her to head left. TangShi nodded graciously and did so, a little surprised that getting in here and up to his office was this easy and kept expecting hurdles. But then having her face splashed all over the internet and social news channels for the last months did seem to have its benefits. The secretary slid out of her seat and led the way.

The building itself was modern and decorated in an opulent neutral palette, and expensive manner that screamed of technology and wealth. Every area sectioned off with dividers, plants, and furniture, yet attention had been given to the overall feel to create a happy bright environment to work with many conveniences. TangShi was led along a beige carpeted hallway that spanned one side of an open plan office area where a few workers glanced her way from singular desks that were sectioned to their own little cozy spaces.

“This is us.” The girl motioned to the expanse of windows servings as a wall with a center pair of double doors. All of the glass had slotted blinds which were shut, concealing the room inside from view. She was shown into a spacious office with a vast full-length wall of bright and uncovered windows so you could view the entirety of the Huangpu river and all the surrounding buildings and beyond. It was spectacular from up here and took her breath away.

“I’ll make you some coffee and a fruit platter and come right back.” The girl motioned to the far end where a grouping of grey leather couches sat beside a bar in a casual area, and she walked in with a friendly smile, sliding her sunglasses off and putting them into her pocket. Absorbing the atmosphere of the room and somehow feeling YuZhi in the details which gave her both a sense of warmth and painful loss. It helped her still her inner frenzy for a moment and take a proper breath.

YuZhi’s large dark wood desk was a curved feature on the opposite end, backed with matching bookcases and furniture that held a collection of personal items and a ton of hardback books. Pictures, memorabilia, and metal sculptures, that all seemed to fit in a CEO’s office.

TangShi forgot her fear and anxiety when faced with this serene space that had a calming effect in its quietness and view. Realizing the room became eerily silent once the door was closed and she looked around wondering if it was a deliberate feature and had been soundproofed. She guessed given some of the sensitive nature of his meetings and calls, it was most likely so. She wandered to the first chair and sat down cautiously into the soft design, glancing around, a little uptight because she felt like she was invading his personal space.

She didn’t dare look at anything on his desk, or the shelves, for fear of what she might see but did notice a large space of seemingly new artwork over the fish tank wall where he had once told her was pride of place for her work. Her heart sank seeing that now something else was standing boldly where his view from his desk zoned in. Another reminder that he had wiped the slate clean and removed TangShi in the smallest traces of his everyday life.