1 At the brink

Looking at the report of the investigation she had asked for, Su Xin sat back at her seat with a light thump.

Each and every word of the investigation was like glaring at her as if forcing her to believe.

She closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to believe it but she knows everything it said was true. She could not find it fake not after when she herself had heard him saying it.

But at that time, she felt that he might be saying this for some reason but thinking that this involves the Duke's estates and as she didn't want to make a mistake, adding up to her mother's debt which she hadn't gotten a chance to pay back, she asked one of her trusted aides to investigate it.

All the while hoping, his words from the morning were nothing more than just some fake words only to find at the end that what was fake was not his words but his affection towards her.

He only got closer to her to get back at the Duke!

The reason he had saved her back then was not only because he knows her but also because he saw her as the leeway for him to get revenge against the Duke!

All the memories they reminisced together and all the promises he made were nothing but a fake illusion!

She opened her eyes and smiled at herself as if mocking herself.

And she was mocking herself for being a fool to believe him so easily!

Her eyes turned red and tears that have been dried after her mother's death, filled her eyes, she tore the report. Doing so was akin to ripping her heart for her.

Crumbling the remaining pieces of paper in her hands tightly, she let out a cold laugh.

Already at the brink of breaking down, she laughs while tears poured down her cheeks.

Losing the strength to stand, she fell on the floor on her knees, covering her eyes with her hands that still held that investigation report. She asked, "Why did you do that older brother?"

Hearing the sound from inside the room, Ye Chenglie, who had come to inform her of something, pushed open the door.

Only to find her being a crying mess, he had never seen her like this before. He rushed forward to hold and comfort her.

He hadn't seen her like that but that didn't mean the people who rushed in behind him hadn't. Two were around her mother's age while the other four were around her age. They were her subordinates who had been with her since she was young. They had gone through thin and thick together with her mother later with her.

They had seen her like this when her mother took her last breath. So they know to make their Young Lady break down like this it must be something she valued so much.

Because only when you value something can it make you lose yourself like this when it gets lost.

They were right, but in Su Xin's case, it was not the thing but her valuable trust that she had given to her older brother!

The trust that would have broken her mother's trust in her if she hadn't heard his conversation.

Ye Chenglie rubbed her back while softly asking her, " Sshh Xin'er! Cousin is here! Tell your big brother what happened, Xin'er. He will sort it out for you! Stop crying like this, alright!"

Hearing his words, Su Xin hugged him as if relying on something to keep her from sinking, she said," I might have let mother down due to my carelessness. Big Brother, will mother get upset with me?"

"Sshh! Aunt really loves you she won't get upset with you. Not to mention you still hadn't let her down. Now calm down Xin'er and relax, Hm? " He slightly pulled back and wiped her tears on her cheeks from his calloused thumbs.

His heart ached to see her like this. She was younger than him but she manages herself like an adult. These eight years, she has been doing what she shouldn't at her age. Trying to pay the debt her mother owned but it is a debt that couldn't be repaid with one's wealth.

After calming herself, she wiped the remaining stains of tears on her cheeks. She pulled herself back and looked at him, saying slightly embarrassed at herself, "I've made a fool of myself! Sorry, Big brother."

Flicking her forehead gently to make herself feel comfortable, he snorted, " and now you are calling me Big brother! What a selfish girl we have got in our group!"