Unexpected Second Chance at Love

As the sun settles on the horizon, Imperial engulfed in a hue of red and orange. The gates to the most expensive and highly guarded homes in Imperial creaks open. A black Maserati Levante Trofeo drove through and headed in the direction of the Lu family house.

The car stops in front of the neo-eclectic house. It was crafted of limestone exterior that stood in place on top of a small hill. Its stunning features outshone all the other homes and braced itself like a king on a chessboard.

Lu Tian steps out of the car and walks around the hood of the car to the passenger side. He opens the door to help his wife. Each movement of his was fast and swift as he knows any second slower and his wife would beat him to it.

However, what he did not know is that, inside the car, Yue Ling was purposely taking her sweet time.

They were at the Lu family house and if Madam Lu were to see her helping herself out of the car, the woman would give Lu Tian an earful about not being a gentleman.

"Ah Ling! Ah Ling!"

Yue Ling had only taken a step out of the car when she heard Madam Lu's voice. Her palm that was about to land on Lu Tian's palm froze in midair.

Both individuals turn to the middle-aged woman and could see how thrilled she (Madam Lu) is.

Madam Lu runs to the car and without any care for her son, she shoves him to the side and hugs Yue Ling. If one did not know, one would think that Yue Ling is her daughter and Lu Tian is a stranger.

"Finally, you are here."

She had been waiting eagerly by the window for their arrival. For a split second, she even thought that they were not going to come.

However, seeing her daughter-in-law's face, she inhales a deep breath.

Locking her arm with Yue Ling's, she pulls the retired model towards the house.

"Aiya, I am so glad you made it for dinner. I was terrified that you might have to work overnight and can't make it."

Yue Ling stares at Madam Lu with a smile, but inside she was baffled beyond anything. She swore, no matter how many times they meet, Madam Lu would always make it seem like they were friends who have not seen each other in many years.

Then again, she is happy for being treated with such kindness. Their time together has not been long, but Madam Lu allowed her to know the feeling of having a mother again.

She doesn't pull her arm away but allows Madam Lu to lead her to the house.

"Thank you for inviting me over for dinner."

Madam Lu lets out a heartfelt laugh and her other hand lightly pats Yue Ling's arm.

"Aiya, you are too polite. We are already a family. Come, come inside, it is too cold out here. Let's get you warmed then have dinner."

As the two women near the house, Lu Tian was left alone again. He could only sigh and watch his wife from behind before lightly shaking his head. Every time his wife is around his family, it's as if he no longer exists in the world.

Closing the passenger door, he follows after his wife and mother like a servant.

"Ah Ling, this way. We can chat in the living room while the table is being prepared."

Upon entering the neo-eclectic home, Madam Lu pulls Yue Ling towards the living room. There was still time, so they didn't need to rush with dinner as she had a lot to discuss with her daughter-in-law.

Yue Ling was given no room to speak. She could only look behind her shoulder and seeing Lu Tian's pitiful expression, she smiles a chuckle at him and reassures him that everything will be fine.

"Tian."

Lu Tian had only taken a step towards the living room when he hears his father's voice. He turns to look at his old man and nods his head in greeting.

"Can I speak with you in private?"

Old Lu asked but like his wife, he gave no room for Lu Tian to answer and headed in the opposite direction of the living room.

Left with no other option, Lu Tian glance at the living room. He wanted to stay with his wife because he was afraid his mother will try to push her luck again. However, thinking about his father's words, he looks away from his wife.

His father could have called him, but to the point he wanted to speak in person, something serious must have happened.

Through a long hallway, Lu Tian arrives at the end of the Lu family house. In this part of the house was a spare room his father had turned into a library as the old man like to spend his free time reading. On three walls of the room were tall bookshelves leaving only one wall to be a huge floor-to-ceiling window.

This window gave the perfect view of the huge lake that was built in the back of the homes of Peony Villa.

Old Lu walked toward a recliner placed in the room and gestures to the seat across from him.

"Sit."

Hearing his father's word, Lu Tian obliges and takes a seat. He doesn't know what his old man wants to talk to him about, but he has a feeling it has something to do with his wife.

As he thought this way, he purses his lip with a frown. Looking at his father, he decides to speak first.

"Whatever it is that you found out, my mind is already set. Yue Ling is the only woman I will marry."

"…"

Old Lu had kept his composure, but to suddenly hear his oldest son's words, he was struck dumbfounded. He stares at Lu Tian with slightly heavy eyes before massaging his forehead.

He knows that his son is in love with Yue Ling and he already accepts Yue Ling as his daughter-in-law. Why does his son suddenly think that he will be opposed to their marriage?

"That's not what I wanted to speak with you about."

Heaving a long sigh after his reassuring words, he lowers his hand and steadies himself again.

"I asked to speak to you in private because I want to know if you already knew."

His words were confusing and misleading, but Lu Tian understood its meaning right away. After all, he is his father's son and between his father and mother, he takes more after his old man.

"I found out by accident."

He answers truthfully but furrow his brows and looks at his father.

"Did Grandfather Ji tell you?"

Old Lu wishes that were the case, but unfortunately, it wasn't. Lu Tian's answer was also something he had already expected. His son was quick to learn things, so he isn't surprised that he (Lu Tian) found out before them.

However, since Lu Tian already knows, there was no need to beat around the bush.

"After your mother found out about how you hid the collaboration between Cloth Co. and De L'amour, she immerses herself with anger and skipped meals. She started to have migraines, so I took her to the hospital to have Doctor Dong prescribe her some medicine."

Remembering how his wife came home crying after the meeting, he wanted to give his son a piece of his mind for being mean to his wife. She cried to herself to sleep and looked so pitiful that his heart ached for her.

However, he had to consider the fact that Lu Tian made the right choice. With his wife's behavior, she will no doubt be a bother to Yue Ling only.

Heaving another sigh but longer, he thought back to the day they went to the hospital.

"By chance, we bumped into Old Ji at Imperial Military Hospital. I'm sure he didn't want us to find out like this, but he still explained his illness to us."

He looks away from Lu Tian to the door as if he could see his wife sitting in the living room. The distance between the two rooms was far apart, but he could vaguely hear her laughter.

"This is also the reason why your mother kept visiting Yue Ling. She was afraid Yue Ling might be smiling but inside, terribly sad about the terrible news."

Listening to his father's words, Lu Tian felt his chest tighten. This means another person knows about Grandfather Ji's illness before his wife.

He slowly closes his eyes and takes a deep breath then his deep voice sounds like he was forcing the words out.

"She doesn't know."