right through me

1

i was walking through the halls when i saw my sworn sister yuanji talking to jia chong. i was very close with jia chong, so naturally i was close with sima zhao as well. "rylyn! how're you my sister?" yuanji gives me the sweetest smile. our families grew up together; family dinners, events, and holidays we did together.

"i'm well, thank you yuanji. good afternoon master jia chong." he gives me a small nod, "lady rylyn." as we sit there and talk, we barely notice sima zhao walk up, "hey! there you guys are!" ah zhao, what a breath of fresh air. he's lazy, but supportive of everyone who he loves. he treats yuanji wonderfully and that's all i care about.

my family also became very close with the sima family. that's how i met some of the most terrifying people i think i will ever encounter; sima yi, sima shi, and their absolutely beautiful mother zhang chunhua. i always heard these stories about them from zhao, but i never really got a chance to talk to them. what most of the sima family didn't know is my parents went completely broke. zhao found this out when he covered my ass in stealing a meatbun from sima shi. it was a suicide mission, but after that i was kind of forced to talk to zhao about everything.

my family isn't even the only fake family in town, my husband brings a new woman to our home every night thinking i don't notice. i knew why he was doing it, he was angry that my family had gone broke. he married into a wealthy family just to have nothing in the end; why not lash out? unfortunately because of my parents connection to the sima family, they don't want me to embarrass their name. the humiliation just is endless. when i arrive to my home i hear loud moans, sighing, i walk away to go to my parents room in the main castle. they were arguing about my marriage with my husband.

"why should i pleasure my husband? he has his whores to do it for him." i say approaching my parents. they jumped slightly at the sound of my voice. "why would you guys continue to support a man treating their wife like this?" as i was going on my rant, a certain lord and his son walked in, listening to me about to rip my parents apart. "if you think continuing this charade of you guys being rich and almighty won't affect my life in any way, you're wrong. to think you would be low enough to drag your only daughter through hell with a man who cheats, lies, and beats me. all so i won't embarass you; how humiliating."

i hear a cough behind me and my heart drops. turning around to see sima yi and sima shi standing there shocked. i mumble a quick "great, now i'll never hear the end of this," and bolt past our guests. how unpolite of me, but i didn't want to deal with that mess. i didn't know where to go, both homes were dangerous. i end up running to yuanji who was laying down with zhao. "rylyn, what's wrong? you look like you're going to be sick." zhao grabs the closest thing to a bucket they have while yuanji ran to help me sit down.

as they let me calm down we hear a knock, "zhao, are you in here?" sima shi's voice echoed in my ears and my body couldn't move. i had just embarrassed myself in front of him and his father, but now to face him? i was so deep in my thoughts that when i looked up i saw these ice cold eyes staring me down. "lady rylyn, was it?" his voice almost made my heart explode, "you made quite the show back there."

"a-ah i'm very sorry my lord. you should of never witnessed my behavior." he holds his hand up to me to stop me from rambling. "rylyn, you did nothing wrong. our father would like to see you though. zhao you too. i'm sorry to disturb you lady wang yuanji." with that he nods and exits the room. i finally let out this breath that i've been holding and get up to follow zhao out.

as we walk into the sima family residence i notice jia chong standing there all the family. oh god, what did i do? jia chong gives me a soft smile as i bow to everyone. "ah, rylyn, thank you for joining us. i have something i want to discuss with you." i nod and let sima yi continue, "your parents refused this offer, but zhao tells me you need a place to stay, food, and the necessities."

i shoot zhao a glare before i speak, "yes, i do." i look back over and see sima shi looking at me, his mother giving me a loving smile, and zhao was hiding his face from me. sneaky bastard. sima yi spoke up again, "well i would like to know if you want to be apart of my forces. i know you're a smart woman, jia chong here even offered to help train you, and we can help raise yourself into the proud woman we know you are."