The Shadows (Underworld 4) JH

34: Confronting Yulan

As Yulan sped away from the scene, her mind was a whirlwind of emotions—anger, betrayal, hurt—all swirling together in a chaotic storm. She could barely see the road ahead, her vision blurred by the tears she refused to let fall. The image of Minghao and Jun kissing played on an endless loop in her mind, fueling the fire of her rage. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles white, as she pressed down harder on the accelerator.

The road twisted and turned, but Yulan paid little attention. Her thoughts were consumed with what she had seen, the bitterness of it seeping into her bones. Her foot pressed down even harder, and the car picked up speed, the scenery outside blurring into a dark, indistinct smear. She barely registered the sharp turn ahead, her mind too wrapped up in the betrayal she had witnessed.

It was only when the car began to swerve that she realized she was losing control. Panic set in, her heart leaping into her throat as she frantically tried to regain command of the vehicle. But it was too late. The tires skidded on the slick pavement, and before she knew it, she was hurtling toward a tree on the side of the road.

The impact was brutal. The car crashed into the tree with a sickening crunch of metal and glass. Yulan's head slammed against the steering wheel, and everything went dark.

When Minghao returned home that night, his mind was heavy with the weight of the evening's events. His thoughts were a tangled mess of guilt, confusion, and a lingering ache from his encounter with Jun. But as he opened the door to their home, he was met with a sight that made his heart drop.

Yulan sat on the couch, a bandage wrapped around her head, her face pale and drawn. She looked up as he entered, and the sight of her sent a jolt of fear through him. Without thinking, he rushed to her side, his hands trembling as he reached out to touch her.

"Hao..." Yulan's voice was weak, trembling with exhaustion and pain.

"Yulan, what happened?" Minghao's voice was laced with panic as he knelt beside her, his eyes searching her face for answers.

"There was... an accident," she whispered, wincing as she shifted slightly. "I wasn't paying attention, and I... I crashed into a tree."

Minghao's heart ached at her words, guilt and fear warring within him. "Why were you driving like that? Were you hurt anywhere else?"

She hesitated, her gaze flickering away from him, as if she couldn't bear to look him in the eye. "I was upset... about something I saw," she admitted quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Minghao froze, his heart skipping a beat. "What... what did you see?"

Yulan's eyes finally met his, and the pain in them was unmistakable. "You... with Jun," she said, her voice breaking. "I followed you tonight, Hao. I saw everything."

Minghao felt the blood drain from his face, his heart pounding painfully in his chest. "Yulan, I..."

"Don't," she interrupted, shaking her head. "I don't want to hear excuses. I just want to know... why?"

He swallowed hard, his mouth dry as he struggled to find the right words. But what could he say? How could he explain the unexplainable? The guilt that had been gnawing at him since he kissed Jun now threatened to overwhelm him.

"I didn't mean for it to happen," he finally said, his voice trembling. "It just... I was confused, Yulan. I never wanted to hurt you."

Tears welled up in Yulan's eyes, but she quickly blinked them away, refusing to let them fall. "You did hurt me, Hao. More than you'll ever know."

Minghao reached out, his hand gently cupping her cheek. "I'm so sorry, Yulan. I know I've betrayed your trust, and I can't take that back. But I promise you, it will never happen again."