—————-

Morning slowly rise in the distance, bringing a little light into penthouse 1503.

Lu Tian laid asleep on his side. The s.p.a.ce between his brows crease into three lines. He opened his eyes, not too slow or too fast.

Looking at his wife, his frown deepens. Sitting up, his eyes scanned the bedroom.

Where could she have gone? It"s 5:30am, usually, he"s up before her, but why is it the other way? Did she really runaway?

He couldn"t help but think of the impossible. Last night, she had a strange expression when they watched the sun set and during dinner. Could she have left because she was pregnant? Did she think he didn"t want the baby?

In a panic state, he pulled the comforter off of him, and check the balcony. Empty.

The bathroom.

Empty.

Closet room.

Empty.

Study room.

Empty.

Lu Tian checked every room in the penthouse only to find his wife not anywhere in sight. Looking at the wall clock, he pinch the s.p.a.ce between his brows.

Turning to look at Inu, he narrow his eyes and walks toward the Samoyed.

"Where"s my wife?"

Inu had long been awake. He was still in a daze about what his mommy told him last night. Hearing the evil peasant"s voice, he looks up at the man.

"Woof."

"Hmmf."

"..."

Lu Tian stare down at the Samoyed and he didn"t know whether to laugh or cry. It was the fact that he had asked the dog a question and Inu answered him. Shaking his head, he looks to the kitchen counter and unknowingly to him, there was a piece of paper. Walking to the counter, he picks the note up.

"Tian, I"m flying out of Imperial for the day. Be home later. -Yue Ling"

Reading the note, Lu Tian sighs in relief and disappointment. He was relieved that she didn"t runaway, but disappointed because he didn"t get to kiss or hug her before going to work.

Looking back at the time, he sighs again. His flight leaves in three hour, since his wife isn"t here, he mind as well get ready.

Thinking of his wife, his mood quickly turn into determination. He must persuade H International"s CEO give him L"amour de ma vie.

—————-

City Z airport. People crowd the airport as some waiting to board their flight, while others just landed.

Stepping out from one of the gates was a tall and slender figure dressed in all black.

She wore a black wool coat over her black turtleneck and black slacks. Covering her feet was a pair of black Manolo Blahnik heels as her Chanel bag draped down from her shoulder.

Even with her sungla.s.ses on, anyone can see that she is a beautiful woman. Her long black hair flowed down her back gracefully.

"That looks like Han Yue Ling.."

A woman sitting down from the side whispers to her husband. They were waiting to board the plane, but when she saw this tall woman, she couldn"t help but feel, she looked like the famous supermodel known in Asia. Especially in Korea.

The woman"s husband looks at the woman his wife pointed out. Sizing the woman up, he pursed his lip.

"She does look like her, but I don"t think Han Yue Ling would fly with a regular airline. Even if she did, wouldn"t there be bodyguards with her?"

Hearing this, the wife looks at the woman and nods her head in agreement. Her husband is right, Han Yue Ling is indeed too famous.

As the couple turn to look away, the tall and slender woman walks forward. She was on a one day mission and needed to get back home.

Since she didn"t bring anything except her handbag, she strode out of the airport.

"Miss, do you need a lift?"

Yue Ling looks at the owner of the voice. It was an old man waiting in front of the airport for anyone needing to catch a cab.

She smiles at the old man, "That would be great."

The old man opens the back door to his cab. Once Yue Ling was seated inside, he jogs to the driver side and gets in.

"Where to Miss?"

Yue Ling stare out the window. Her thoughts were unreadable as she part her lips to answer.

"City Z Cemetery, please."

In the driver seat, the old man frowns when he heard the place. This beautiful and young woman wants to go to the cemetery? Then remembering the way Yue Ling was dressed, he sighs.

This woman must be going to attend a funeral.

Yue Ling did not speak throughout the rest of the ride. As the car drives near City Z cemetery, she sees a flower shop.

"Please stop here for a bit."

The cab stops and Yue Ling gets out of the car. She looks at all the beautiful and different flowers put on display. She turns to look at the old man.

"Please wait here for a bit."

"Go ahead, Miss. I won"t go anywhere."

The old man waved his hand and a.s.sured Yue Ling. She smiles at him and enters the flower shop as the fresh floral scent enter her nose.

"h.e.l.lo, what can I do for you today?"

A young girl around the age of twenty greets Yue Ling, but her expression froze in surprise. Never has there been anyone like this woman that comes to the shop.

Yue Ling looks around the flower shop. Turning to look at the girl, she smiles faintly.

"Do you have any astilbe and yarrow flowers?"

"Astilbe and yarrow?"

The girl tilt her head in confusion. Wouldn"t someone buy beautiful flowers like tulips or roses? Why would this woman want astilbe and yarrow?

Remembering something, the girl shook her head.

"I"m sorry, but we don"t have any, only—"

Before the girl could finish her words, an old voice interrupts her.

"We have some."

Yue Ling turned to look at the person. It was an old lady in her sixties with white hair. She held a walking cane for support.

She smiles at the old lady, "Thank you, can you please bundle it for me."

"Right away."

The girl quickly ran to the back of the shop and process Yue Ling"s order.

It didn"t take long before Yue Ling paid for her flowers and thanked the old lady and girl again. She then leaves the flower shop and gets inside the cab.

The girl stood behind the counter and pout her lip. She couldn"t help but wonder about the bundle of flowers Yue Ling just bought. Curious, she looks at the old lady, who has been standing by the door since Yue Ling left.

"Grandma, why did you sell the astilbe and yarrow? I thought those flowers were meant for your friends?"

The old lady stood in silence for a long minute before she finally spoke.

Old lady: "Remember the stories I used to tell you?"

Girl: "The ones when you worked for a nice family? What about it? Don"t you bring those flowers to their grave every month?"

Old lady: "That woman just now, she is the daughter of that family."

—————-

Reaching City Z cemetery, Yue Ling steps out of the cab. In her hand was the bundle of astilbe and yarrow flowers nicely coordinated together.

"Miss, do you want me to wait here for you?"

Turning to look at the old man, she smiles, "Thank you. I won"t be long."

Turning back to face the cemetery, she steadily walked forward. As she pa.s.s each tombstone, she could remember her ten year old self. The little her who didn"t know anything.

Before she knew it, her feet stops in front of a tall gray tombstone. In the center was a portrait of a couple. The man sat in a chair, while the woman stood behind and her hands place on the man"s shoulder.

If one was to see this picture, one would see the resemblance Yue Ling has to the couple.

Staring at the picture, Yue Ling squat down and place the bundle of flowers down. s.h.i.+fting her position, she sat on her knees.

Lifting her hands, she place one on top of the other and kowtow once, then the second time and third.

Sitting back up, she takes her sungla.s.ses off, and caress the picture. Slowly, she trace her finger on the nicely engraved calligraphy; Han Min Joon and Ji An Ling.

"Dad... mom... How are you doing?"

She stare at the picture in silence for a long time, as if she was listening to her parents tell her how they are doing.

"Dad, mom... I have something to tell you..."

Lifting her hand, she place it on her stomach and caress it. Out of all the people in her life, the people she wants to tell first about her news would be her parents.

Her parents who gave life to her.

"Dad is going to be a grandpa and mom is going to be a grandma."

Staring at the picture of her parents, she smiles faintly with watery eyes, "I will tell my child the stories of my time with you both. I want my memories with my wonderful parents to be shared with my child. Be it now or in the future, your memories will live on..."

As she spoke her words, her lip tremble and her eyes looked to her mother.

"Ma... what should I eat and not eat? How should I prepare for this child? What do I do before I give birth? Does giving birth hurt?"

Moving her eyes to her father, a tear slowly slides down her cheek.

"Dad... what stories should I tell my child? How should I guide my child on the right path? Who will teach my child the things I can"t...?

Lifting her trembling hand, she covers her mouth and sob. She didn"t care about her image. In front of her parents, she is still a child.

A child who had to grow up because she couldn"t let others look down on her...

A child who had to grow up without the love of a father and mother...

A child who had to learn about life the hard way...

——————