Shi Zhn narrowed her eyes. "Considering the deal between us, anybody withmon sense will be able to say that you are behind all these schemes!"


    "And anybody withmon sense will also say to prove your ims," Zhan Yahui calmly shot back.


    Shi Zhn fumed.


    "You say that Shi Huan fell sick because of me, but did anybody say that they saw me mixing something in her drink?" She questioned.


    "Obviously, you definitely hired somebody to do your dirty work!" She pointed her finger at her.


    "Then bring that man before the whole world and make him say that I told him to harm her. That is, if that man exists in the first ce."


    Shi Zhn banged her palm on the table. "Don''t be so arrogant, Zhan Yahui! Not just the juice, but I know that you are behind the bribing of the judges too," she sneered, "Since you didn''t want that other writer to win, you bribed the judges to make the result in CherryBlossom''s favor. Do you think so many things happening in one night is a coincidence and you have nothing to do with it? You have some nerve trying to steer clear away from these obvious problems brewing for everybody else but CherryBlossom!"


    "Mom…" Huan pressed her hand. "Please stop. Stop fighting over all this already-"


    "Stop fighting?" She looked at her daughter, incredulous. "My husband cheated on me."


    Shi Shuren clenched his fists and had no face to say anything in his defence.


    "He slept with another woman while being married to me," she trembled. "If that wasn''t enough, there was a daughter out of that affair too and then that daughter came to this house one day, dering that she wants her rights in the family and thepany. You think I should stay silent and bear all this?" Her eyes reddened. "One affair…one affair ended everything for us…" her contempt filled gaze didn''t spare her guilty husband. "My marriage, my happiness was destroyed in a single night."


    Huan''s gaze dimmed.


    "And the product of that affair suddenly came before us, demanding her rights. Why? Why should I let her have her way? Shuren already did what he wanted."


    "Zh-Zhn…"


    "Now I should bear his illegitimate daughter to wreck our lives too!? No! This family,pany and all the assets belong to you, Huan. An illegitimate child has no ce here! I won''t yield to her having anything that belongs to you!"


    Sheughed as she threw a dirty look at Shuren. "Your father imed that he was guilty of his mistake and wanted to repent. But when Zhan Yahui made demands, he didn''t speak a single word against it. In fact, he supports her wholeheartedly. Is this what his repentance means? Goes to say just how much he cares for his real family."


    He froze.


    His throat went dry. "Zhn that…"


    "Indeed," Zhan Yahui raised her brow, her voice making him twitch. "I wonder why he would go back on his words when he wanted to repent."


    Shi Shuren wiped his forehead and met his daughter''s eyes, whose pointed question made him feel jittery.


    Shi Zhn expressed with indignation. "It doesn''t matter why he did that. Once a cheater always a cheater," sheughed. "I should have expected this. After all, he is a father. In the end, his heart melted for his daughter even if that meant destroying his family in the proceeds. But no matter what his decision was, I would never stand for it! Zhan Yahui, I will definitely prove one day that you were behind Huan''s misfortunes. It wasn''t bad luck or a bigpany''s influence but your scheming!"


    She red at Shuren. "Don''t forget that our deal was off if I found even a whiff of Zhan Yahui plotting against Huan!"


    "I know. She…she won''t do anything like that…" he tried to convince her.


    Seeing him take her side made her even more agitated.


    Zhan Yahui exhaled. "There is no point in catching a whiff if you cannot prove anything."


    Shi Zhn sneered. "Don''t feel victorious so soon. If you think your ns are hindering Huan, then your writer isn''t faring any better, especially after the Summit."


    Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes.


    "If it was before, then her name would have been enough to get a ce at the fest. But Dream High had to use its influence now to get her a ticket. That means something, right?"


    "It''s nice of you but you don''t have to worry about my writer. I can take care of her and make sure she bes the biggest author," she eyed Huan. "Bigger than anybody else."


    "Of course. Your whole deal depends upon your performance after all. But don''t think that you can take things too far, Zhan Yahui. I won''t sit idle and let you tarnish Huan''s career."


    She felt bored. "Give your best, Mrs. Shi," saying that, she left.


    Shi Zhn got up, boiling with anger and walked away.


    "Mom!" Huan tried to stop her but to no avail.


    Shi Shuren stepped towards Huan. "Huan…"


    "Sorry, but I cannot talk to you right now. I have to leave," she replied without much emotion. "Mom is already riled up enough for today. Don''t talk to her or try to make her understand anything and worsen the situation. You have already hurt her enough as it is."


    He stiffened and could only swallow her words with embarrassment.


    —


    Stepping out of the residence, Zhan Yahui chuckled and sneered. "So foolish to think that there would be any evidence against me. Mrs. Shi is so naive. All eyes are on me for me to make one mistake and lose. Did she really think I would be so careless?" She clicked her tongue.


    She got a call on her mobile and cocked her brow. "Guess it''s time to get some good news."


    She slid her finger along the green button. "Did Mao Yong confess to Chen Zixin''s ident?"


    "No. It''s bad news. Somebody rescued his sister, Mao Jingyi. Right now, we have no coteral against him. We are in trouble."