Taken away by a stranger

Hearing her alarm clock break the silence of her room, Qiao Ruo yawned and woke up from her sleep. She glanced at the date on her phone. Finally, the date of the event was here! She got down from the bed and did a few warming-up exercises to prepare herself for the morning. Usually, being the pampered princess she was, she would not have to wake up early in the morning, but it was a long car ride to the venue of the event, the Hotel Mandarin.

Qiao Ruo hopped over to the corner of her spacious room where the dress she would be wearing to the event lay, hanging on her chair. Just several days ago, she had Mengchen accompany her for a shopping spree. It took them hours for her to decide on a dress she liked. This indecisiveness was because the designer of that particular season of the dresses had been Ye Qi, Head Designer of Qing Tian. According to the saleslady present, Ye Qi had been absent in the fashion design world for some time. Still, he had a massive collection of unpublished designs, which his assistant eventually released. Instead of going for another designer's work, she suggested Mengchen pick out a dress for her.

Finally, after numerous tries, Mengchen picked out a light blue shimmering dress with not many, but a few embedded gems, saying the simplicity of the dress brought out the natural beauty of Qiao Ruo. The name of the dress startled her precipitously, as it was named 'If Only I Could Fall With You All Over Again'. She realised the series of dresses released had the name 'If Only She Knew'. Her first name Ruo had meant 'if', which caused her to reflect if Cree had named the dresses after a message he wished to pass to her.

In the end, Mengchen could not accompany her for the event, as she had a prior appointment. She was delighted to hear that her friend had plans for adopting a child soon. Perhaps, it would be a happy ever after for them after all.

Since it was already nine in the morning, she had about an hour to get herself washed up. Then she would head downstairs for brunch with Xinyuan before setting out for the event location in the limousine. During the road trip, they would have a few stopovers as Xinyuan had a few items to collect from a few vendors on the way. They anticipated the entire journey to take three hours, given the distance and the traffic conditions on a Saturday. The event would officially begin around four-thirty in the afternoon. Still, in between, Xinyuan would find opportunities for them to gratify themselves in the high tea experience of the hotel. At that rate of indulging in sinful delights, she might as well give up being an actress and go for working full time at Xia Group instead, she sighed.

She leaned back in the luxurious bathtub and scrubbed herself dreamily, wondering about the dresses named by Cree. Was he thinking of reuniting with her? She brushed off her irrational thoughts and reminded herself that two years had passed and he was already twenty-eight. He should have moved on fast. In what way would he still be in 2014?

The clock hanging on the wall reminded her that it was time for her to get out of the bath as soon as possible before she lost all count of time. She climbed out of the tub and dried herself vigorously with a towel, again feeling the emptiness of being single. Xinyuan had wished for her to meet her match during the event, but how possible was that?

She heard a brief knock. "Brunch is ready," the maid called out.

"Please let Xinyuan know I will be downstairs soon," she replied, taking the set of tee and shorts that she usually wore at home and putting it on hurriedly.

When she arrived at the dining room downstairs, Xinyuan was already helping himself to a serving of milk and cereal. Her brunch was a platter of eggs and beans, along with a few sausages, prepared in the most healthy way possible, and it reminded her of how Cree would attempt to prepare food for her. She would fuss about how unhealthy the meals were, and he had nagged at her for drinking too much coffee. She missed the squabbling and how he would care about her. Although the Xias and Xinyuan did care about her, it wasn't the same having someone she loved with all her heart in contrast to her family members. 

Being single felt so lonely to her, but she knew it was the absence of Cree that made her heart grow fonder of him. Two years was such a torment.

"Chef Alberto's cooking has got better," she complimented as she cleared her plate slowly, remembering her etiquette. 

"I prepared it for you," Xinyuan said proudly.

"Oh? What's the occasion, for Young Master Xia to personally attempt to such a strenuous task in the kitchen?" she teased her godbrother.

"Why can't I?" Xinyuan asked. Over the last two years, he had worked to get himself more tanned and muscular, proving to be a heartthrob among the single and wealthy young female socialites. When Qiao Ruo attended parties with Xinyuan, she was accustomed to having her new female friends plead an introduction to her hot brother. Sometimes, having such a brother would make her feel envious, as she didn't receive the same amount of attention like Xinyuan during those events. 

In terms of relationships, her first and last attempt in such had ended very badly, when she bailed out from the date with Hui Yi. But that was partially due to her not being ready, and not being over Cree. Plus, the fact that nobody knew how Hui Yi's appearance was like, proved an actual problem. 

Would there be a day, where she would be finally over Cree? She didn't know, but the pain would continue to choke her gradually. She had not expected loving someone to be that painful.

"Chef Alberto has his off day today," Xinyuan explained. "Don't forget, after all, I graduated with a major in Culinary Arts at university!"

She pouted childishly. "I want pancakes the next time! Those juicy mouth-watering hotcakes you prepared for Mengchen the other time, and never even saved one for your sister!"

"Ha, you know that's my trick for chasing a beauty!"

"But it didn't work with Mengchen, did it?" she taunted him in a festive mood. "So you might as well save them for me!"

"Sigh, Ruo Ruo, I guess I have no choice, do I?" Xinyuan groaned as he finished the rest of his cereal.

As they were still on schedule, Xinyuan seized the opportunity to switch on the television to take a quick peek at the eleven o'clock news and to their surprise, Cree was on television. Qiao Ruo's heart almost leapt out of her chest, and she gawked with bewilderment. 

"Again, another one hits the dust," Xinyuan laughed. The announcer read out audibly, how Qing Tian had again won another accolade for performance in the design sector, eliminating Yuan Fang, a player in the industry that had failed to perform as well as Qing Tian.

"He's back," she murmured and flopped on the sofa. She didn't know what to expect now that the CEO and most significant stakeholder of Qing Tian was back, and occupied with his career. Would he have the time for her at all? She was unsure if he would even turn up for the event. 

Qiao Ruo felt anxious now that she was doubtful if she would even pose an option given his hectic lifestyle. She missed the old Cree, who was a nobody due to his adoptive parents being in power. One part of her wanted to blame him for putting his career above searching for her, but she recalled it was her who had sent him the message she was with someone else, and her decision to move away from him.

Xinyuan patted her gently on her shoulders to relieve her anxiety. "It will get better, Ruo Ruo. Maybe now you will have an answer to your questions? Or even, perhaps he still loves you."

She knew Xinyuan was being positive and trying to encourage her, but she wished he wouldn't be putting false hopes in her mind.

"I hope you are right, Xinyuan," she said. "I don't want to get hurt twice."

"I'll never let him hurt you twice," Xinyuan promised. He held her hand and squeezed it tight. "He'll be dead meat if he did."

"Are you sure?" Qiao Ruo asked him.

"Yes, I am!" Xinyuan insisted.

"I mean, do you think you can defeat him with your slow moves?"

Xinyuan glowered. "Are you giving me low esteem now, my sister?"

She poked him. "No, not at all."

"I suppose you should go get changed, as we will be heading out in twenty minutes," Xinyuan said, and she got up laughingly. 

"Alright, I'll see you back here in twenty." She quickly rushed up the stairs, trying to clear her mind of any residue of any thoughts of Cree.

...........................................

As she had been struck by insomnia the night before thinking about the feelings she had for Cree, she found herself sleeping throughout the road trip.

Xinyuan accompanied her as she slept, momentarily stopping during the trip to deal with his business matters.

"It will get better, Ruo Ruo," he whispered gently. "You will find your true happiness."

She was dreaming incessantly. There, she saw herself wearing a pure white wedding gown, entering a large and open hall where two men awaited.

One man was Cree, and he wore his sunglasses over his face, smiling coldly at first, and his warmth for her followed, melting his icy demeanour; his touch still sent spasms of pleasure throughout her body. However, as she embraced Cree, she realised the presence of the other man, who was in a mask, and silent. This man had to be Hui Yi, the other 'lover' of her who never spoke or wrote to her, but only sent her messages, gifts and signed greeting cards to her. A man who was silent to her, and whom she didn't even know how his voice sounded like, all this time.

A shrill scream filled the air of the vehicle when she jolted up in shock. To her dismay, two faces were watching her in absolute confusion, no other than Xinyuan and Uncle Lu!

"Uh, I was having a nightmare," she explained herself cautiously.

Xinyuan masked the utter curiosity on his face with a profound smile. How could he even tell her that she had moaned in pleasure while having her 'nightmare', and it had been evidently clear to their ears?

He reassured himself with the assumption that "it must be great to be young" was probably what Uncle Lu thought, and he resumed his duties with a polite gesture from Xinyuan that Qiao Ruo was fine. Xinyuan didn't want to consider what Uncle Lu had on his mind, or that he must have thought youngsters this day were open-minded.

She closed her eyes to resume her rest but ensured she did not sleep this time. Inside her Cheoklish leather handbag which she now clutched to her bag, she had packed her spiral notebook and a few of her prized possessions which she would not usually part with for her travels.

After another hour, the limousine came to a gracious halt just at the drop-off of the Hotel Mandarin. She flanked her godbrother and entered the hall gracefully, handing over their invitation to the receptionist. A woman emerged and escorted them to the VIP elevator. In the ballroom, guests of high social statuses and varying wealth populated the ballroom. Her heart was beating hard as her eyes scouted the area. Would he be there?

She thought of the gossip about Cree that she had been secretly following before the paparazzi losing all news of him. Initially, Cree ranked number 45 on the forum, and she ranked number 66. Xinyuan was number 59, which was expected as he was considered 'hotter' than her. She was quite curious about how he had been leading his life since gossip had never revealed any news of him having a girlfriend after his announced separation from Xu Bing. On the other hand, she had a few suitors while still in university but never got along with them well enough for her to consider them. Xinyuan proved to be the popular one, with females crowding around to try to get to him.

During parties, she had even turned down a few invitations to dance and only allowed her godbrother to dance with her. Now that she was a graduate from a prestigious university, she was smart with her speech, and most of these so-called suitors were not able to cope with her pace. In discussions, she would move on to a new topic once she got bored, and these slow-minded individuals would find it tiresome to catch up with her issue, eventually lagging far behind.

"I'll see you later, then, bro." 

Xinyuan smiled, understanding how his godsister preferred to take a look around the venue for herself. Qiao Ruo was an adventurer at heart, and she loved to walk around independently and capture photographs of items and displays that she considered worth valuing. The Hotel Mandarin was equipped with various collections of statues of notable characters from the past and present, definitely which would pique her interest. 

When she was a rookie journalist at the publisher, she had prayed for chances to visit the actual monuments of these characters. However, the office had never included her in their trips to those places. Her reporting supervisor later informed her that because she was a new employee, thus it wouldn't be her turn yet; however, hadn't Wang Tong joined the publisher earlier than her by a few months and yet she was allowed to participate? Then, she had awaited a chance to inform Cree that she wanted to go for a vacation to such a place. Still, because she was busy preparing for her transition to Sky Publisher, she had missed out on this opportunity before his abduction. 

Just let bygones be bygones, Xia Xinyue, she told herself and continued down the path, taking photographs along the way. They would suffice for now, until a possible opportunity presented itself.

A few good-looking male guests turned to face her as she strode confidently down the path, and she just smiled, without uttering a word. As Qiao Ruo walked further, she realised that she had on a pair of high heels which were a bit taller than the usual ones she wore! The further she walked, she was beginning to feel the floor was slightly slippery. It occurred to her that someone might have just cleaned the floor. After much difficulty, Qiao Ruo managed to drag her feet across the floor while bearing into mind if she slid, she would bring about embarrassment to herself. 

She arrived in the middle of the ballroom. Voices of both males and female guests were chattering, and appearing to be talking about Cree, the player who had returned to the game, after such long absence. Some of these voices were curious about his next step of action, and others wished to strategise so they could up their game and prepare themselves for his threat. There were a few female guests who were still single and reaching the end of their thirties, the Chinese slang term of which was called beng-san. The rest merely gossiped in general.

Hearing the term mentioned during the conversation, Qiao Ruo chuckled and was glad that she was not in that position yet, as it would be another seven years before she reached thirty years of age. However, it was still a good time for her to be married before thirty. That was possible if only she had met her match. Finding the conversation getting fun, she aimed to venture closer to listen in on the information about him. Just as she took her next step forward, a sudden announcement distracted her.

Up ahead, a ramp was inevitable, but the architect had done the design in such a minimal way that was hardly obvious to her eyes. She was slipping, and so suddenly that she had no time to grab anything nearby her to support herself! And if she cried out, she would just create a commotion, and that was bad for her reputation!

At that moment, she felt a pair of warm hands catch her swiftly, gathering her into an embrace. She could have sworn that there was a particular familiarity about the hands wrapped around her. To avoid herself making a mistake, she knew she had to behold for herself who her saviour had been. But as if staged, a shroud of darkness came over the ballroom that was as bright as day earlier.

Could this be the onset of a new journey for her, one with a worthy keeper? She thought dreamily. Didn't such scenes only happen in dramas and fairytales? 

She had to be still dreaming, indeed. There was no way it could be that a particular someone was carrying her, and yet she had felt so comfortable and peaceful in his grasp. Maybe he was an angel, complete with feathery wings, and she was in the sky.

It was such a pleasant dream, and she closed her eyes to immerse herself more deeply in the 'dream', but the next words from her saviour intercepted her serenity.

"Hold tight. It will be slightly hot without the power, Miss Xia."

The voice appeared to be that of a male and had been slightly muffled, possibly to avoid recognition by someone else listening. She felt a soft material resembling silk shoved over her eyes, and everything turned to pitch dark. Her saviour probably didn't want her to recognise him, either.

She squirmed in the man's grasp. "Let me go!" she shrieked, but in a few minutes, she heard the sound of a door being pushed open, and he set her down among what felt like stairs. She shouted as hard as she could, but her efforts were futile.