White Lie and White Love

I woke up from a hangover, expecting the person beside me to be the charming young man I met at the bar.

To my shock, it turned out to be my ex-boyfriend who had disappeared four years ago without a word!

"Mr. White, where did you get the nerve to take advantage of a lawyer while she's drunk? Do you think I'm still the same naive person I was ten years ago?"

1

"Did you ever love me?"

The boy with a delicate yet youthful face asked me cautiously.

I gently swirled the wine in my glass and said, "Do you see the mint in the drink? It doesn't serve much of a purpose, but it's indispensable nonetheless."

His bright eyes dimmed, and in them, I saw a reflection of my past self.

I finally understood why Karl White never loved me.

The year I met Karl, I had just turned 20-a prime age.

I was interning at a law firm under the Whites when Karl came for an inspection meeting. I was assigned to host him.

When Karl saw me, his eyes showed a clear sign of amazement.

I was used to such looks and simply lowered my head slightly, leading him to the conference room.

Mr. Smoke, the savvy and diplomatic manager of the law firm, noticed everything and arranged for me to attend the evening banquet.

Standing in front of the large round table, I felt somewhat nervous. I was unfamiliar with occasions like this and didn't even know where to take a seat.

After Karl took his seat at the head of the table, Mr. Smoke pointed to the seat on his right, "Dina, you sit there."

Upon hearing this, I gratefully took the seat.

Mr. Smoke, sitting on Karl's left, introduced me, "This is our new intern, Dina White."

Karl's gaze swept over me. He was dressed casually, wearing a white cotton-linen T-shirt, black pants, and black cloth shoes.

Yet, his gaze, framed by his sharp features, was intensely compelling.

I quickly greeted him, "Nice to meet you, Mr. White."

His stern face suddenly broke into a smile, "You have the same surname as me?"

I was taken aback, nodded, and lowered my head without speaking.

Despite sharing the same surname, there was a world of difference between us.

He was a favored son of heaven, the head of a family, while I was just a girl whose tuition was painstakingly saved by my mother working as a cleaner.

Faced with a table full of gourmet dishes, I lost my appetite due to nervousness.

A pair of fork reached over, placing a piece of meat on my plate, "The beef here is quite good."

I thanked him gratefully and took a bite.

The meat was rich yet not greasy, leaving a fragrant taste in my mouth-it was indeed delicious.

Seeing my satisfied expression, Karl placed another piece on my plate, "If you like it, have more."

His tone carried a hint of indulgence.

Throughout the meal, everyone kept toasting him, always including me.

At that time, I didn't know how to refuse and wasn't good with alcohol, so I ended up getting drunk.

When I woke up again, I found myself on a soft bed.

Struggling to sit up, I felt a splitting headache.

"Awake?"

A voice came from the darkness. Following the sound, I saw Karl lying beside me.

I was extremely shocked, and before I could react, he pulled me into his arms.

His embrace was warm, carrying a scent reminiscent of a forest.

I found myself somehow want to stay, allowing his next step. He whispered in my ear, "What's your name again?"

"Dina White."

"Dina, stay with me from now on. I'll treat you well."

What was done was done, and I didn't want to resist, letting him lead me into the intimate depths.

2

The next morning, he held me as he slept soundly.

From such a close distance, I could finally see him clearly.

His eyebrows were thick, eyelashes long, and his nose was straight. Even in sleep, his thin lips were tightly pressed.

Sensing my gaze, he slowly opened his eyes.

I quickly lowered my eyes, not daring to look at him again.

He chuckled softly, kissing my forehead, "So, do I measure up?"

His words made my cheeks flush with embarrassment, and I buried my head in his chest.

His hand gently caressed my back, gradually wandering downward, filling the air with an affectionate atmosphere.

He seemed to have a cleanliness obsession, always rushing to shower after our intimacy.

Listening to the sound of water from the bathroom, I suddenly felt lost.

I had never been in a romantic relationship before, and now I'd even had sex with him. What was I supposed to do?

I waited anxiously for him, wanting to know how he viewed our relationship.

Soon, he came out wrapped in a towel, his wet hair still dripping.

He ignored me and went straight to get dressed.

Seeing me staring at him, he buttoned his shirt while walking towards me.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he leaned down to gently stroke my face, "Have a shower."

I hesitated, but in the end, said nothing.

Watching him fully dressed, I suddenly felt awkward, "Turn around, don't look."

"Why being so shy? There's nothing on you I haven't touched."

Despite his words, he turned around.

When I came out, he was already dressed, his hair meticulously combed.

He was seated at the desk beside the window, looking at me with the light behind him. All I could see was a dazzling brightness, and I wasn't able to make out his facial features.

His voice was clear and cold, "Will you come with me?"

"Where to?"

"Texas, the company's headquarters is there."

"What about my job?"

"I'll arrange a good one for you."

And so, in a rush, I followed him to Texas

I stayed there for ten years.

Ten years, during which I gave all my youth, innocence, ignorance, and... love to this city and that man.

In the end, all I got was a heart full of scars and a soul left cold.

I downed the wine in my hand, and the boy refilled my glass thoughtfully, "Miss, drink less, you'll get drunk."

The boy's name was Ryan, whether it was real or not, I didn't know, nor did I care.

He was like I once was, a canary I kept in a cage.

But no matter how beautiful or cute a pet was, all it could receive was affection, not love.

With mismatched identities and experiences, this game of love was doomed to fail from the start.

When Ryan met me, my heart had already been broken by Karl.

And when I met Karl?

He had been navigating the business world for so long, he probably had no feelings left.

To whom did he sacrifice his love?

"Ryan, let's end this."

I turned to look at the bewildered boy in front of me.

His youthful innocence and vitality were just like the rising sun, which was something I had once yearned for.

His eyes dimmed, and he lowered his head, asking obediently, "Did I do something wrong?"

I had no heart to consider his feelings and reached out my hand, "Give me the car keys."

"But you've been drinking a lot."

"I can call for a driver."

I took out a card from my bag and pushed it towards him, "There's three hundred thousand dollars here. Find another place to live, and don't come looking for me again."

I was doing to Ryan what Karl had done to me.

But Ryan was innocent, just as I had been.

Perhaps it was deserved.

Ryan was involved in the business of wine and prostitution. And wasn't I also somewhat reluctantly drawn to Karl's power at that time?

I returned home and looked at the place I had lived in for ten years.

In those ten years, nothing here had changed.

I reached out to gently touch the decorations on the wall, slowly circling the room.

This place was bought for me by him, even the decor was according to his taste.

He looked at the design plans from the renovation company, casually pointed to one, and never asked for my opinion.

Suddenly, a surge of resentment rose in my heart, and I swept all the decorations to the floor with force.

Why continue living here, in this gilded cage he had long abandoned?

3

The next day, I dressed sharply and went to the office, as if the person who had been drinking and wallowing in self-pity yesterday wasn't me at all.

The only thing I was grateful for was that I hadn't allowed my spirit to weaken in Karl's cozy gilded cage. I had successfully obtained my lawyer's license and worked my way up to where I was today.

Nowadays, I was undoubtedly one of the most prestigious lawyers in this city and worthy of the compliment of being "young and promising".

My assistant, Jane, approached, succinctly reporting the recent case developments at the law firm.

"Miss. White, today we received a commission from the White Enterprise. They've been accused of tax evasion."

I stopped in my tracks, turning to look at her.

"Who came to commission us?"

"It must be a tricky case if Karl White, the CEO. He has come personally."

A sudden realization hit me, as if something had exploded in my mind, causing my heart to race and leaving me stunned.

Four years had passed since he gave me that credit card, and I hadn't seen him since.

"Miss. White?"

Jane's call brought me back to my senses.

"Where is he?"

"In your office."

I took a deep breath, composed myself, and walked resolutely towards my office.

He was sitting at my desk. Hearing the door open, he turned to look at me.

My facade of strength shattered the moment I saw his face.

Four years seemed to have left no mark on him.

"Dina."

He didn't stand up, just sat there smiling at me.

I felt a bit dazed, as if those four years hadn't existed, and he was merely returning from a business trip.

I smiled softly and approached him. "Long time no see, Mr. White."

That title, Mr. White, placed a distance between us.

There was no need for such intimacy between us now.

I sat in my office chair, facing him.

"Dina, you've truly cultivated your unique style now."

I chuckled, "The credit should be yours."

I picked up the commission letter on the desk. As always, it was a generous offer, though the case wasn't particularly challenging.

Seeing my slightly surprised expression, he chuckled, "Dina, I just missed you."

I put down the commission letter and looked at him seriously. "The case isn't that bad. Any of my lawyers can handle it."

His teasing words stirred my emotions, prompting me to deliberately distance myself from him.

"This case is not worth this price."

He looked at me with a confidence that suggested he could control everything.

He knew me too well, aware of how much I valued money.

Karl, why had you come for me again today?

But I was thirty now, no longer the twenty-year-old he once knew, not as easy to manipulate as he thought.

I suddenly flashed him a smile, maintaining a polite distance.

"Thank you for your generosity, Mr. White. I'll take the case." I said.

......

He likewise grinned with contentment. Grabbing the coffee cup on the table, he had a swig and commended, "Your palate for coffee is truly outstanding."

He had a penchant for coffee, always choosing the finest beans and grinding them himself

I had brewed coffee for him for six years, and it had become a hobby of mine.

"Mr. White's taste seems to have declined. This is just machine-brewed."

He brushed it off with a laugh, "It tastes good because it's kind of brewed by you."

This man, saying all sorts of things as if he hadn't wronged me.

Did he really see me as a puppet he could control at will?

"Mr. White, I need to study the case files. I'll contact you when necessary."

I issued a polite dismissal, but he didn't move, his gaze fixed intently on me.

"Dina, you shouldn't waste your time on someone like that. He will never truly love you."

I was taken aback, realizing he was referring to Ryan.

I let out a chuckle and said, "Someone like that? Like what or whom? Perhaps like me, someone who's after money?"

"Dina, that's not what I mean... "

I cut in on him and said, "I think you're the one who will never truly love anyone."

He showed no remorse. "I've given you four years, Dina. Why haven't you married yet?"

"Mr. White, that's not your business."

I rose to my feet and opened the door, urging him to leave once again. "I think it's high time for you to go."

He walked over to me, standing close, looking at me.

We were so close that I could smell his unique scent, like a forest.

I used to crave and miss that scent so much.

We stood there, not too far apart, our eyes meeting, an undercurrent flowing between us.

Finally, he sighed softly, "Goodbye, Dina."

I exhaled, uncertain if I could resist the urge to embrace him if I didn't move my gaze.

I gazed at his receding figure, with his back ramrod straight and tall.

This man was so exceptional. Was it a privilege to have stayed by his side for six years?

At least in terms of wealth, he had never been stingy with me.

The fortune I accumulated in those six years by his side would have taken me decades to earn on my own.