The Swapped Master's Bride And Her Bad Luck System.-Chapter 108: The unexpected.

Jinling’s case was all over the news that night. Corrections were made, her innocence was proclaimed and the truth was revealed.

Despite this, Liwu was left feeling uneasy. It was like there was this stone sitting in her throat and no matter how she coughed, it could not be dislodged. In the night, the villa was quiet, but her heart was loud. So loud that she left the bed and opted to stand near the window and watch the rain flickering against it.

She couldn’t tell what it was that was still bothering her. The case had been closed, justice had been served. Xuanji had even found the motive behind Beimo’s involvement. Two years ago, Jialin was one month pregnant. But, one day, when she was crossing the road, a drunk driver bumped into her and she had a miscarriage.

Beimo was that drunk driver. He paid a fine and some compensation and the case went away. Jialin’s boyfriend ended the relationship quickly after that. Since, then, she held a grudge against Beimo.

On his end, Beimo had long forgotten the incident.

Liwu’s shoulders trembled, eyes brimming with tears. During the day, she had been strong and relentless in the pursuit of truth. But now, alone, in the silence, the weight of human cruelty pressed on her chest.

First it was the case with the lilies and now this one! She buried her face in her hands, whispering, "Why must the world be merciless?"

The door creaked open. Her husband, Weijun, stepped inside.

"Liwu," he said softly, crossing the room. "Are you crying?"

She lifted her head, eyes red, lips trembling. "I am afraid." she wiped her eyes. "I am afraid that if my parents did not love me enough, if my family had not tried hard to show me that they included me in everything even if I was a disaster, I would have been Jialin. I keep remembering all the bad thoughts I had back then...how much I envied Xixi and Xifeng. I even cut the strings of Xifeng’s violin once. Dad knew it was me and he kept it a secret for me."

"Shhh." Weijun hugged her. "You were young and feeling like the world had cornered you. It is not abnormal that you felt that way. What matters is that you did not grow up to be like Jialin." He pulled back, taking her hands gently. "You carry too much. You fight the evilest of evil monsters every day, but you are not one yourself. I may not have known you long but I know you would never do what Jialin did."

Liwu’s tears spilled freely now, her voice crackling. "We don’t know that."

Weijun brushed a strand of hair from her face, his touch hesitant yet tender. "I know that. Your parents know it, so do your sisters, brothers and everyone that loves you. I bet cutting those violin strings is the worst thing you have ever done in your life."

She chuckled.

He touched her ear. "There is a reason why it is compulsory for everyone that works in law enforcement agencies to see in-house psychologists. You all like to think you are invincible, you keep going even when it hurts, emotionally and physically. It doesn’t make you strong, it just keeps the pain in here." His finger touched her chest, right where her heart was.

Their eyes met--hers wet with sorrow, his steady with knowledge. For a moment, the world fell away. No cases, no victims, no cruelty. Just two souls, in need of healing.

Of its own accord Liwu’s hand lifted, locking her fingers in his. And then, unexpectedly, it happened. She was pulled forward, arms strong as pillars encircled her, and a warm mouth descended on hers. It parted her lips, slowly but insistent, stroking her tongue while molding her body against his.

The kiss deepened further, unexpectedly and she tightened her hands on his back, caressing and needy. A soft moan filled the air, but where it came from none of them cared. In that moment, it didn’t matter that they both thought they were wrong for each other, and this marriage possibly didn’t have a future.

Liwu put her pain into it, her unspoken longing, her desire for human contact like this. Such warmth, such a feeling, such a taste, it was all knew to her. "So this is what kissing is like," she thought. It was delightful, she wanted more, so much more. She wanted it everyday. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Weijun pulled his mouth away, and dropped his hands. He was as breathless as she was, his cheeks just as flushed as hers and his heart beating loudly like hers. She could hear it clearly because her head was still pressed against his chest.

"I...I didn’t mean..." he started, "I mean, I did, but...I..." He groaned. "I am ruining this."

Liwu pulled away from him. organizing the wrinkles in her nightgown. Then, she pressed her fingers to her lips, still tingling from the kiss. "I was my first kiss," she whispered, almost to herself. "Our first kiss."

Weijun backed away from her. He looked strangely horrified, like her words had finally returned his senses. "I am going to sleep in my office tonight. I need to clear my head." His voice was tight, conflicted.

Liwu’s heart twisted. What a way to ruin what could have been a special moment?!

He grabbed a blanket and pillow from the closet and retreated to the office in the Shen manor, going as far away from the villa as possible. Weijun was afraid, that if he stayed within reach, he would be tempted to go back to the bedroom.

A part of him was feeling foolish. She had confided in him and he had taken advantage of her moment of crisis to kiss her. What kind of man did that make him?

But when he thought of how he had walked of the bedroom, leaving her looking lost and alone, after her first kiss, what kind of man did that make him as well?

"A coward." A voice whispered in the back of his mind.

He laid down on the couch, stared at the ceiling and ignored the voice. His mind was a storm. He replayed the kiss over and over--the warmth of her lips, the salt of her tears, the vulnerable look on her face. He had crossed a line, surely.

Tomorrow, he would apologize.

Coward. the voice came again.

"Fool," he muttered to himself, turning over. "She was hurting. A true gentleman does not take advantage of such a moment."

But the voice whispered in his mind: She kissed you back. Doesn’t that matter?

Weijun groaned, burying his face in the pillow. Sleep refused to come. Hour passes, the rain slowed to a drizzle, and he remained restless until dawn began to creep through the blinds.