"But he's right, Alen."
"That bastard!" Alene pounded the table with his fist, slightly spilling the coffee in front of it.
Zhan called him again when he got to Yibo's house. They met at a burger station. He told him about Yibo's plan to go to Hacienda Wang.
"He has no right, Zhan," Alen continued. "He abandoned you after your marriage and that is enough ground for annulment," then stared at him. "Did you... consummate your marriage with him?"
"Please..." Zhan averted his eyes. Even though he was born in a permissive country, he was not comfortable with such talk.
"You don't have to answer," Alen said and leaned back contentedly.
Until that moment Alen did not believe that Zhan was innocent. Not in America, not her age. But now he could understand Zhan's aloofness and naivety. A young Amerisian with high morals. He smiled silently. It has a rare stone in his hand.
Alen grabbed his hand and kiss it. "We have two major grounds for filing the annulment, honey. Abandonment and non-consummation."
Zhan pressed Alen's hand to his cheek. He felt secure. To Alen, he was passive. No complications. He was older and knowledgeable.
"What shall I do now?" he asked wearily.
"For the moment, give in to what your ex-husband wants," Alen advised. "It was probably his ego working overtime at this moment. He didn't think you would ask for annulment before him. According to my resources, he wants to marry his current girlfriend, the socialite Zhao Fei. And let's wait and see what happens and what Zhao Fei will do now that you're here."
🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
It was past five o'clock and Yibo was looking out his bedroom window when Zhan got out of the car. Yibo recognized the driver and immediately anger rose in his chest.
He cancelled his date with Zhao Fei when he learned that Zhan was not at home. He went straight home from the office.
Zhan stopped from entering when he saw Yibo's sports car in the garage. Turning to Alen who smiled, it barely gave him assurance. When Alen drove the car away, he entered the gate.
The whole household was quiet and he went in the guest room. Silenty thankful. Yibo is probably in his room if not in the study room. He was currently unbuttoning his shirt when the bedroom door opened and Yibo entered.
"You didn't heed my warning, Zhan," Yibo said in calm anger. "You went out with your lover..."
Zhan was slightly nervous with the anger in Yibo's eyes. "P-please try to understand, Yibo-"
"What should I understand, Xiao Zhan?" Yibo's voice chilled him. He leaned against the closet.
Zhan took a deep breath. What is the reason, he will be afraid of this man like before? He couldn't possibly harm him now. Zhan raised his face.
"Dammit, Wang Yibo, I'm a person, not a toy or rag that you can keep and discard anytime you please!" Zhan raised his voice. "I will not go with you to Hacienda Wang and I am marrying Alen Fang whether you approve or not!"
Yibo was angry and yet he was fascinated by the fire from Zhan's eyes like a blue flame. "You want to take a bet, Xiao Zhan?" Yibo challenged. "How are you gonna do that? Remember that I married you here in China and there is no divorce here." – (Note: LET'S JUST ASSUME THAT THERE IS NO DIVORCE IN CHINA, BECAUSE HERE IN OUR COUNTRY DIVORCE IS NOT LEGALIZE YET...)
