Because I Cannot Hurt You

Han Zongying felt that she had no choice. It just slipped out of her tongue in defense.

Han Huizhong was extremely grave, and it was inevitable with the sudden pregnancy news dropped on everybody. He figured she might have slept with some random man, most probably to forget An Guoting and the depression that he caused her.

And if she had done that, Han Huizhong would be extremely furious. He hadn't raised his child so weak to stoop to this level to fight her battle.

Han Zongying was in a pinch.

She couldn't say that she slept with a random man. That wasn't the truth, and that would make him furious as hell.

But equally, she couldn't confess that she slept with An Guoting out of her own will and that too, by threatening him by cutting her wrist.

She paled. She didn't have the courage to face her family if they came to know the truth.

Han Zongying hated An Guoting for all these years. But then she became so desperate that she forced her ex-boyfriend to sleep with her by emotional blackmailing. She slept with a man who cheated on her and stepped on her own dignity and self-respect. She slept with a man already married and widowed and who had a child too.

Was this the kind of a woman she had turned into?

She couldn't imagine the disappointment she would see. She was shit scared to face them.

So the only thing that came to her mind that wouldn't get her into trouble was to put the blame on An Guoting.

That, and the fact that she wanted revenge from him. She was utterly hurt, and she wanted it to take it out on him anyhow.

"An Guoting!?" Han Huizhong exclaimed.

Han Zongying cried and twisted the facts to make him look like the culprit.

They all listened to it, stunned.

Han Liqin slowly shook her head. "No... Impossible. Guoting is not that kind of a man. He-he cannot do this to you. It's a misunderstanding. I know him."

Han Tian widened his eyes. "Liqin. Are you seriously siding with that bastard? You think my sister would lie, who is sexually assaulted!? Do you think any woman would lie about such a thing!?"

Han Zongying jolted and looked away.

Han Liqin quickly said, "I am not saying that but-"

"But what, Liqin? How can you defend An Guoting? Just because he is your 'good friend' doesn't mean you will go this far," he snarled. "Or do you not care about Zongying at all?"

Han Liqin's eyes turned misty. "How can you say that, Tian? Zongying is like my sister. How will I not care about her? It's just that I know Guoting too-"

"Seems like you didn't know him well enough. Times change, and your friend…" he spoke through his clenched jaw, "has changed too. He has become a criminal! How dare he touch my sister!? Do you think it's a misunderstanding? For God's sake, we just heard that she is pregnant!"

Han Huizhong trembled, and the color drained from his face. He was a strong man. But before his daughter's suffering, he fell weak.

He felt pathetic and horribly guilty because it was him who had urged Han Zongying to attend the banquet. He wanted her to have a change of pace from the gloomy life she was living. Instead, it turned out to be a nightmare. If he hadn't sent her, the tragedy wouldn't have ever happened.

Because of me...If only I hadn't sent her…It was my fault...

Han Huizhong clutched his chest as a dull pain shot up, and he coughed hard.

"Dad!" Han Liqin cried and was horrified. Han Tian caught his father in time before he collapsed. 

Han Zongying stiffened. Her voice choked. "Dad…?"

"Dad!" He panicked. "I will take you-"

Han Huizhong raised his palm. He breathed heavily and was still shaking and sweating as he spoke, "I am fine... Bring An Guoting to me. Right now," his voice was chilly.

Han Zongying froze. Of course, her father would confront him. But if An Guoting told the truth, then…

"D-Dad, it's not necessary! I-I don't want to do anything with him anymore…" she cried.

"Not necessary? Are you out of your mind!? Why the hell did you stay quiet for this whole time anyway!? The banquet happened a month ago, and you said nothing about this!"

Han Zongying stiffened. "I...I couldn't…"

"What?" His chest heaved, "Do you think I am the kind of father...who would have been disappointed in you for this? Or I would have told you to shut up and just live with it? An Guoting…" he gasped, "will pay for this. He dared force my daughter," his face turned crimson in rage, "I will not let this go! Tian! Bring him to me right now! Didn't you hear me?"

Han Zongying didn't know what to do. The moment An Guoting would step in, everything would be out. He also had that waiter as a witness, who had seen her cutting her wrist and heard her begging An Guoting to sleep with her.

She wasn't sure if Han Huizhong and Han Tian would believe it. They might think that An Guoting was lying and bribed some random waiter to give a false statement to save himself.

But she couldn't rely on that.

What if Han Huizhong did believe it? What if he thought that she was the one suspicious instead?

Han Zongying knew her father very well. Once the seed of suspicion sprouted in his mind, he would never rest and let it go until he found the truth.

She panicked. She racked her brains. The only way left was for An Guoting to take the blame.

But how?

She bit her lip and was desperate to think of any way to make him do that.

Then she called An Guoting and said, "Guoting. I need you to do something for me. In exchange…" she knew she was lying, and her heart was racing, but she had to do this, "I will tell you about your wife.. She is alive."