"What?!" May literally wailed in the middle of the restaurant right after rushing back from her business trip to meet with Xue Ting. Xue Ting tried to calm her down and gestured for her to lower her voice.

"You got married to who?!" May was shocked as Xue Ting lowered her head to hide from the embarrassment and her high-pitched voice.

"Ryan," Xue Ting repeated his English name primly.

"Which one? Can you please explain properly Ting Ting?!" May snapped at her best friend's absurd actions.

"Tang Qiu Wen…" Xue Ting took another huge sip of her pomegranate tea before sneaking a look at May who was left speechless, knowing that she might snap. Xue Ting was contemplating whether to drag May out of the restaurant but she really wanted to have more tea.

"I went on a brief business trip and here you are changing your marital status overnight? Ting Ting, come here…" May stood to place a hand over Xue Ting's forehead.

"It's not an overnight issue…" Xue Ting tried to retaliate.

"Not sick… Are you trying to be funny? It's not funny at all you know, Ting Ting." May casually asked as she sat back down, hoping Xue Ting was really joking.

"May, I am really married to Tang Qiu Wen. I am not joking. We had signed the marriage certificate and a contract for six months." Xue Ting repeated her statement as she mumbled towards the end of it.

"Tang Qui Wen as in James' best friend?" May try confirming as she ignored the last part of Xue Ting's sentence. Xue Ting nodded as she sat looking down at her lap waiting for May to absorb the facts. Suddenly, Xue Ting heard her full name being called out in the middle of the restaurant.

"Liew Xue Ting! Are you out of your mind?! Have you forgotten what happened sixteen years ago?!" May couldn't control her anger at her friend's stupidity as Xue Ting shuddered at her piercing voice. Xue Ting gave up trying to stay in the restaurant that she discreetly tried to pay the bill without any change and dragged her friend out of the restaurant to avoid any more humiliation and commotion.

When they were finally standing on the sidewalk, May pulled away from Xue Ting's hand.

"Ting Ting, you better explain yourself! Why did you even marry the bastard who wrecked your relationship with James? If it wasn't for him, you could be married to James living with the twins happily!" May scolded Xue Ting as a few passersby couldn't help but turn their heads to glance at them.

"May, listen. You know how absurd Qiu Wen's family can be. He was chased by the police when I met him at his engagement party to the woman he was betrothed to from young by force…"

"Why did you even attend the event?! You are supposed to stay away! Stay away! Have your language failed you now?! That's also why you decided to shift to a low-cost housing area to stay low and in disguise, Ting Ting! Have you forgotten when you got pregnant and met me sixteen years ago because of who?! Do you need a reminder of how dire your situation was back then?" May went on to interrupt as Xue Ting sat by a bench letting her vent.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Ting Ting, divorce now! Let's go!" May tried to pull her off the bench but she didn't barge. "May, I will go to jail if that happens!" Xue Ting snapped as May let go of her.

"Mrs. Tang clearly was waiting for a divorce to happen. If Qui Wen and I don't stay in this marriage for a while till it isn't obvious that it was all staged, she will try to put us in jail as the result of an annulled marriage and there is a hefty compensation too! I had no choice but to sign the marriage certificate for Qui Wen because he was going to be forced into a corporate marriage with Francesca. When I met him in the event, he was already being chased by the policeman…" Xue Ting realised May was calming down as she lowered her voice.

"But I didn't know I was heading to his engagement party. He dragged me up to the stage and abruptly announced that we were married. I had no chance whatsoever to avoid and run but to play along…" Xue Ting sighed as she sat next to May.

"I'm sorry I just managed to tell you now after sorting out a lot of things with him from the lodging and the kids' arrangements…" Xue Ting continued as May suddenly hugged her.

"Did he know the truth?" May asked concernedly. "About?" Xue Ting asked. "The twins' father?" May replied as she let her go and looked into Xue Ting's eyes.

"He thinks they are James' babies." Xue Ting answered solemnly.

"But didn't you leave him because Mrs. Tang said he was betrothed to Francesca?" Xue Ting nodded.

"And why is he dragging you into this mess? Doesn't he already know that you had James' twins?"

"He does and he doesn't seem to mind so far. To the public and his family, the twins are my…" Xue Ting paused as May interrupted.

"I know… Younger siblings. How could you, really? Why is this matter handled this way?" May vented as Xue Ting smiled knowing May was just worried for the three of them.

"There wasn't a choice. It's to keep them safe." Xue Ting clarified. "Besides, since it's going to be just a short six months, I might as well seek the revenge I always wanted on him." Xue Ting glared at the cars passing by the road.

"Ting Ting… What are you up to?" May asked worryingly.

"Nothing. Just prying his wealth first because he is paying me a large sum every month and by the end of six months, I can finally buy my kids our home. Then, along the way, I won't hesitate to wreck his family relationship with him. Before I leave, I will make sure I steal his heart again and then slowly split and tear it to pieces." At the rate of Xue Ting's explanation and her intense glares at the traffic, May couldn't help but feel uneasy.

"Ting Ting, can you please not do any more of anything that is stupid?" May pleaded.

"Haven't you suffered enough bearing the twins with complications that almost took your life and raising them up all by your own when both guys had decided to just leave you alone?" May whined.

"They didn't. I chose to leave them. They didn't know. Now that I have the chance I have been waiting for, I should grab it." Xue Ting said with a strong conviction.

"You're playing with fire, Ting Ting. You better not get yourself burnt." May warned.

"I won't. I will make sure he suffers more than I did." Xue Ting said.

"Ting Ting, do you not ever want to find James and let him know about his twins?" May asked as Xue Ting began to relax.

"What's the point? What would you do if you were me? Go up to your ex and say oh hi, here are your twins from sixteen years ago. We made them. It's up to you if you want them but I'm just telling you as an obligation. Seriously, May? What if he is married and with a family, wreck it up for him just because I can? Well, yes maybe I should but why waste my time searching for him? After all, we broke up mutually. There wasn't a chance I could reconcile thereafter and how could I bring myself to let my kids grow with a such hot-tempered person?" Xue Ting spoke casually as though all that did not matter to her but in actual fact, the past still hurt her the most.

It ached her heart every time they spoke about James. Although he was hot-tempered, he treasured Xue Ting a lot over their six years of relationship before they decided to break up over a trivial matter. Xue Ting always wondered how will she ever be able to raise her child with such a hot-tempered person and she was thankful that she never had to.

However, she always missed their good times together. She never once regretted dating him who had brought so much happiness into her youth. It was beautiful but she knew her heart was never meant to be his. This marriage was something she always hoped for but she learned when something she hoped for a long time finally appeared in front of her, it became her worst fear and nightmare.

If it wasn't because of Mrs. Tang's message that night, sixteen years ago, she wouldn't have decided to leave them both. Then it struck Xue Ting; perhaps Mrs. Tang knew all along.

Qiu Wen was a sweet and charming guy who always played along with her absurd comments and silly talks. The moment she decided to leave them both was when she decided to sacrifice herself for James and Qiu Wen's friendship. Little did she know, she caught herself in a grave mistake over the years.

Now where she was, she had even more reasons to protect her twins as who knows what Mrs. Tang would do if she found out about the twins' real identity.

"Ting Ting is Qiu Wen the father…" May asked skeptically as Xue Ting smiled and hugged her.

"Thank you for always being by my side. I love you, bestie." Xue Ting decided to change the topic instead. This was a secret Xue Ting wished to bring with her to her death if possible.