Chapter 97 - Falling into another man's arms

After the Lims made an entrance, the crowd was 'oooh'-ing and 'aaahh'-ing in anticipation yet again as a red Ferrari pulled up, making for a flashier entrance. 

From the driver's seat, a modestly dressed, upright man quickly alighted and tossed the keys to the valet. 

He wore sunglasses and kept his head down as he impatiently yanked his sister out of the front seat. 

Even though Sara Yi's wasn't at her best, the crowd didn't know she was wearing a wig. She wanted to wave to the peasants and bask in the attention of being a known and high profile heiress. 

"It's the Yi's! Check it out, that's the only son of the late old Master Yi who is currently assuming his position as the CEO of Yinan - Shu Yi!" one passerby exclaimed. 

"So that must be his sister! I don't know whether the Ferrari is redder or her dress!" Someone else commented. 

"She's quite gaudy isn't she? So different from her low key brother!" 

"That's true. Why is she wearing that monstrously large hat?! This isn't the right event for that kind of fashion statement!" 

Shu Yi smiled at everyone politely and he silently grasped his sister's arm and ushered her inside in an attempt to get out of the spotlight.

Inside, Lina and Mana had just finished off their first round of meals. 

"Let's get more, Li! I really want to try to those sweets from the dessert stalls!" Mana insisted. 

Lina rolled her eyes at her best friend. 

The central attraction of this fair wasn't the food. The students had set up a showcasing event of all the projects and initiatives they had been a part of. 

It was a networking c.u.m funding event. The reason the most notable alumni had been invited was to provide donations where they saw fit and for aspiring professionals to meet potential employers and associeates. 

Mei was also a student from capital city University, and Lina had met her at an event just like this one. That was how she had recruited her, was what Mei had told her. 

"You know, we should check out what the students are up to at this temple of learning, first! Maybe you might find a couple of gems your law firm would like to recruit." Lina said meaninggfully to her best friend.

"Ha! As if I'd have any say over that!" Mana scoffed.

"Why not? Why wouldn't you? You're a respected associate!" Lina encouraged.

"Yes, now replace 'respected' with 'junior'. There's many more of those where I work! I'm a nobody." Mana sighed in response. 

Suddenly, a memory came flooding back. 

It was Mana sitting alone and crying in the corridor. 

She had gone up to hug her. But Mana had pushed her away.  1

Mana had failed an important exam that day. 

"How do you always come out with flying colours, and I slave away for failing results!?" she had cried to Lina. 

Lina hadn't known what to say in that moment. 

Mana had always lacked confidence. It was hard to give someone confidence. It should come from within. 

That's why she had lent only her shoulder to cry on, no advice. 

And then, as if the floodgates had opened, many such memories came back from her university days. 

Playing pranks on professors and fellow classmates, joining student protests, partaking in extra curricular clubs and activites, sneaking out of university to skip class. 

Lina's eyes teared up as she stood facing Mana. 

Mana realised she had stopped talking and was staring at her blankly. 

She waved her hand vigorously in front of Lina's blank face. When she didn't receive a response, she held her gently by the arms and shook her. 

"Li! Li, are you okay there?" 

Lina blinked twice, her tears falling freely, coming out of her trance. 

"Huh? What? What happened?" she asked, absentmindedly, still reeling with the return of more of her memories. 

The memories with Shen that had come back to her the previous night, and the memories with Mana that flooded back now...they must have been important to her for being able to help her recover. 

Wait, Shen!!! 

Lina just remembered how many times he had tried calling her in the morning after she had left for work. He had fallen asleep in his study, and she had covered him with a blanket when she left. 

She hadn't the heart to wake him, but a pit in her stomach was growing. 

She missed him already, but more than that, she knew he had been worried about her safety and whereabouts. 

She turned to Mana, wiped away her tears and put on a sweet smile. 

"Mana, don't worry. I just need to call my husband and let him know I'm here" she informed her best friend, resisting the urge to hug her very tightly. 

She could do that after she told Shen she was safe and that she'd rush back soon to see him. 

"Do you have to report everything to him? Is that what being married means?" Mana asked with her eyebrows raised, feeling sceptical. 

Lina rolled her eyes. 

One ring, two rings...and a third ring! 

He always picked up her calls immediately. Was something wrong?! 

Her heart started to race. The unknown sense of panic began to set in. Her breathing felt short.

Finally, the call went unanswered.

Lina began feeling faint. 

"Li! Li! Look at me! Hold on to me!" Mana said urgently, realising Lina wasn't able to stay on her feet anymore. 

She was swaying, her heart rate was far too high and beads of sweat were beginning to form at her forehead. 

Just as her knees were about to buckle, a strong arm was wrapped around her waist. 

"Shen..." she whispered, wishing for her husband to be next to her. But she knew this wasn't his scent. It was someone else.  

Lina couldn't understand her own panic. He hadn't picked up her phone call just once. She had seen him sleeping peacefully just this morning. 

She knew her fear was irrational and unfounded. 

Even in this state, she was trying to understand why she was reacting this way.

Breathing in deeply, she tried to steady herself and look at the face of the person who was holding her.  From now, events in her memories will be recollected in Italics!