233 Forgive Me (2/2)

”No. I don't really have an appetite especially after what happened today, but I'll try to eat.”

At the mention of what happened earlier, her expression suddenly turned vicious before she was able to control it.

The expression was so unlike her that Jin Liwei was taken aback. His heart hammered inside his chest. Apprehension whirled within him, threatening to overwhelm him until he almost couldn't breathe. He took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. He strengthened his resolve in preparation for his confession later.

The two freshened up before carrying their kittens out of the bedroom suite. They headed to the dining area.

Iris kept looking around, curious at Jin Liwei's mansion. It was massive…and lifeless. The servants avoided eye contact and stayed quiet as much as possible, only greeting them briefly as per their duty. The place reminded her of the Vetrov estate.

Jin Liwei noticed her expression. ”You don't like my house?”

She hesitated before answering. ”It's not that I don't like it. This place is beautiful and elegant but…it feels like a necropolis.”

He nodded, not surprised by her answer. ”I get that a lot. If you don't like it here, we can buy another house together. Whatever you want, we'll get it.”

She smiled at him. ”Okay. I'll think about it. Grandpa Lu says that I should start investing in real estate anyway. But this place is good. Let's keep it. We just need to add more life to it.”

”En.”

His heart was filled with so much love for her that it felt like it was going to burst. However, fear and anxiety tainted the wonderful feeling. He almost blurted out the truth to her right then and there but stopped himself. He decided that he would confess everything to her after dinner.

The household staff served them a late dinner. They were extra attentive and more enthusiastic than usual because of Iris' presence. She smiled and thanked them, making them blush regardless of their age and gender.

Lu Zihao and Dom already ate earlier, but the glutton Dom joined them again to have another round of dinner. But first, he fed Ice Cream and Popcorn. A maid tried taking the kittens, but they hissed and bared their claws at the stranger. They only calmed down and reluctantly left their Mommy and Daddy's side once Dom arrived to take them. As for Lu Zihao, he seemed to have left and went somewhere.

Both Iris and Jin Liwei had no appetite during dinner. Ice Cream and Popcorn ate more than them.

After dinner, Jin Liwei toured Iris around the mansion while Dom took care of the kittens, helping them familiarize with the place and the household staff.

The two reached a rotunda with a glass dome where they could see all the twinkling stars in the night sky up above their heads.

Iris was admiring the place, while Jin Liwei was soaking in his own sweat because of his anxiety. He had met so many famous figures in the world and gave important speeches before, but he had never felt this nervous and afraid.

Finally, he decided to do it.

”Baby…I need to…I have something important to tell you.”

Sensing his anxiety, Iris tilted her head to the side. ”Hm?”

”I've done something unforgivable to you. But even so, I still hope that you'll forgive me.” He reached for her hands and held them. Without breaking eye contact, he knelt in front of her.

”Liwei! What are you doing?!” Iris was confused. At first, she thought he was going to propose but his expression looked off. She tried pulling him up but couldn't.

He tightened his hold on her hands. ”Please listen to me. I…”

He confessed everything that happened two years ago. He started from his mother's birthday ball and overhearing Fan Luo. He told her all the sequences of events as he remembered them without trying to justify himself in the process. He gave her the unvarnished truth, the words rushing out of his mouth in an almost mechanical manner. Nevertheless, his trembling voice and pleading expression gave away his real emotional state.

”I'm so sorry,” he said when he finished confessing. ”Baby, I love you so much! Please forgive me. I regret all of the things I've done to you in the past. Believe me. I promise that I'll do anything for you from now on. You're the most important person in my life. Just please, I beg you, forgive me.”

Iris froze into a statue of shocked disbelief, but her heart melted seeing him agonizing so much. Her expression softened.

”Liwei, I—”

She gasped.

Intense fury suddenly flared within her. Murderous intent flooded her veins like a lava blazing through her rationality.

”How dare you?!” she screeched.

Then she attacked him.