"Do you two know each other?" Suyin asked, linking her arm with her fiance's arm before looking at Heya, waiting for her answer.

Heya was still stupefied. She tried her best not to show it but could not tell if the others could see through her facade.

How did this happen? Her head was almost spinning as she tried to process everything. Firstly, she was standing right in front of Zhu Liang. Secondly, she had met a really nice girl who she was fond of and thought maybe this trip wouldn't be so boring because even though Suyin was a chatterbox, she was a nice company and made Heya feel good about herself. And lastly, Suyin's fiance was Zhu Liang!!! How? 

How did they even meet? Suyin have not been in the country for a long time right? Also, how come she didn't hear any rumour about Zhu Liang getting married?

After their break up, she kept tabs on all his activities through the net. Because he was young and was a good businessman, there was always one news or the other about him on the internet. 

While they were dating, only both families knew about them. They made sure to keep it away from the public. Actually, it had been Heya's idea and fortunately, he had been okay with it. She feared what the public would say if they realised he was dating someone like her. She imagined how they would suddenly attack her, not minding the fact that she was from the Li family. 

During every of Liang's interviews, the interviewers always tried to squeeze out his partner's name or the family she came from but he was always good at evading that particular question. Despite that, different rumours kept flying around about him being single and having flings with different women. There were also some rumours about him being in a relationship with a young lady who had been caught on camera with him a couple of times. 

After their break up, she realised going through his pictures made her heart break even more and she always end up crying herself to sleep, so she decided to avoid checking about him on the internet. It had been really difficult, but after a long time, she was able to stay a day and then a week, and then a month, without searching online about him.

Her family also tried not to mention anything about him until recently when her mother raised the issue and accused her of still being in love with him. 

This was her mother's fault. Why did she say his name to her? Why did they even choose here of all places to have a vacation? 

Suyin was patiently waiting for an answer. The shock in Liang's eyes had faded and now he stared at her like she was a stranger, while Yan Shen's gaze moved between all of them. He could sense something was up.

"We should go join the others." Liang said, turning to look at Suyin. "Let's not keep your parents waiting." 

Those words were like daggers piercing through Heya's heart. It wasn't easy controlling her emotions so hearing him sound that way made her almost reveal her emotions and cry right there. But she didn't. 

'What is wrong with me? Why am I feeling like this? I broke up with him so I should be fine right? Besides, it has been five years already. It's normal for him to have moved on. I have also moved on!'

'But why is he acting like he doesn't know me? At least he should say I am him friend!'

'His friend? Am I his friend? What is Suyin going to think? She is such a nice girl. She sees me as her friend.'

Heya's fists were lightly clenched beside her. All the muscles in her neck looked strained as she tried to force a smile.

"I will just go look around for my family." She said with a smile.

"You can join us." Suyin suggested. 

"NO!" Heya said immediately but when she realised how rude she had sounded, she lowered her voice. "No. Sorry. I'm sorry. But I need to look around to know where my parents are seated." 

"I'll assist you. I saw your mother earlier." Yan Shen offered. Heya wanted to decline but she decided against it. She didn't want to stand there for another second and accepting Shen's offer was the easiest way to leave unless she wanted them to keep going back and forth.

"Thanks." She said with a smile and immediately turned away from them while Shen followed. 

Suyin watched her brother and Heya's back with a smile plastered on her face. 

"I think he likes her already."

"...." Liang made no comment but let his eyes follow the two people.

"Well, I am glad he likes her because I really like her. I'm sure she's older than me but whenever I look at her, I feel like I'm the older one. You can't believe Shen went into her room earlier thinking it was my room." She giggled. 

Liang gently unlinked their arms and looked at her, "We really shouldn't keep your parents waiting." He said and began to walk ahead.

 *********

'If I was asked to list out the pros and cons of being a member of the Song—Wang—Li and Luo family, I think the cons are actually going to be more. Of course, I love the fact that we are rich and influential, but coming from a large family like this, you become the responsibility of everyone, especially the elders. And sometimes, their love can be quite uncomfortable because to them, you do not have a private life. Your privacy is their affair.' Joreen imagined writing in her diary.

There was nothing as worse as being held hostage by Li Hoy's mother. Joreen didn't know what the woman was planning so she simply followed her. 'Followed' was probably not the right word to use since the woman practically pulled her with her everywhere. They even linked arms like they were best friends. 

Joreen sighed in relief when they finally sat in a round table where the older couples of the family were seated except her parents who were probably still looking around or making out somewhere. 

"Why are you here Jo?" Her uncle's wife, Song Changyu asked her. Joreen was the only young person and single person seated there so it wasn't really comfortable. 

"You should be having fun mixing up with other young people instead of staying with us." Her husband, Wang Jianjun chipped in.

'It's not like I want to be here anyway.' Joreen thought with a frown. She could see Reen and Kyle sitting on the same table with two young and handsome men. She would have preferred to be there, maybe she would end up liking one of the guys if they were single. 

Before she could answer, Li Hoy's mother answered.

"She is with me. She's my hostage." 

"HOSTAGE?" They all asked at the same time.

"Hoy has refused to socialize and find a woman. The only person he cares about is Joreen. I know he is going to get mad if he knows what I am up to. But she is the only way I can get to him." 

"Doesn't make any sense to me." Her husband said in confusion. 

"So you are depriving Joreen of having fun because of a 'plan' you have?" Changyu asked. From her tone, they could all tell she wasn't pleased with the idea. They knew how she treasured Joreen like she was her daughter.

Joreen sat there awkwardly as they all talked about her like she wasn't present there. 

"Have you ever considered the possibility of Hoy not being interested in other woman because he is interested in Jo?" Changyu asked, making all of them speechless at once. 

"That is... absurd. How can you think of something like that?" Her husband asked first in surprise. 

Joreen didn't know why she choked after she heard that. It wasn't as if she had been eating or drinking anything but she suddenly found herself coughing. 

"See what you caused. You startled the little girl." Hoy's mother said to Changyu and began to pat Joreen's back gently. 

Joreen really wanted to get away from all of them. How could they talk about her like this in her presence? And saying there was a possiblity that Hoy liked her was the weirdest thing she had ever heard. Her father had said it before and now her aunt? 

"I'm just saying that could be a possiblity." 

"That doesn't make sense. She is just a child."

"She is going to be 18 soon."

"But she is like family. He treats her like a sister. In fact, like his child!"

"Anything can happen. I'm just saying." Changyu shrugged and sipped her wine. 

 Joreen was more than embarrassed already and wanted to run away from there. 

Everyone was suddenly quiet again and it seemed like they were thinking about it. She could not let them have such wrong impression so she stepped in,

"There is no way he likes me that way. I can swear it!" She said confidently.

"Why do you think so? You are very pretty. I'm sure he isn't immune to your charm—"

"Stop it!" Jianjun said to his wife and pinched her arm to silence her but she shrugged his hand off her. 

"What are you doing here?" 

Their heads jolted to the side when they heard the voice of the same person they had all been talking about. 

Hoy greeted all of them with a single deep bow before his attention went to Joreen who looked embarrassed and quickly avoided his gaze. 

She didn't know how to answer so she looked at his mother.

"I asked her to keep me company." 

"Why?" He sounded unimpressed.

"There is a really good looking boy I want to introduce her to. I think they are perfect for each oth—"

"No one is perfect for her." He interrupted before looking at Joreen who was a bit surprised now. "Get up." He said to her softly.

"No one. Except you right?" Song Changyu asked with a teasing smile while twirling her wineglass.