"Just because you didn't receive a mother's love, are you trying to deprive your kids of the same thing?" Jun Li Na didn't even both sounding polite. She was outrightly hostile and it showed. "Isn't it like… If I can't have it, I shouldn't let you have it as well?"
Xu Mey glared at Jun Li Na, "Are you trying to pick up a fight with me by saying these words? You know very well that I'd never want my kids to go through what I went through."
Jun Li Na sneered, "But my darling friend, your kids are going through worse right now." Before Xu Mey could even argue she continued, "Back when you're lonely and hurt, felt abandoned, you found the solace in your friends and their families who treated you like family, loved you, cared for you. You didn't lack love in your life. Not ever! Someone was always paying attention to you."
She crossed her arms over her chest and exhaled a breath, "You know I can't even bring myself to say that you changed over the years. The root cause of everything right now is that you didn't even change at all."
Xu Mey squinted her eyes at her and said, "Or maybe it's just you who changed too much." Over the past 8 years, Jun Li Na had completely changed. That was indeed true. Either it was because of what she went through, or the sudden death of her grandmother which put her in the position of authority in her family where only ruthless could survive. Or maybe it was because of the failure to conceive a child, whichever it was, all of it became the catalyst to shape the Jun Li Na of today who didn't smile unnecessarily even at an old friend like Xu Mey.
Jun Li Na shook her head slowly, "Time is moving, we should move with the tick of the clock. But you seem to be stuck somewhere." Her voice got dangerously low as she went on, "9 years ago, your first priority was your friends, and even today, they are your first priority! Back then, you're the cool CEO who rode her bike and displayed her savviness without hesitation. Even today, you're still that cool CEO who loves hiding her ruthlessness behind her smile, the only difference might be that now you're way more powerful.
"Even then, no matter you're right or wrong, these people would stand with you. They'd never tell you that you did something wrong because they wanted to pull you out of the shadows that a small part of your childhood left on you. But eventually, they forgot to remind you that somethings that are wrong will always stay wrong, no matter how right you have the reason behind it."
She took a step even closer to Xu Mey and inquired, "How come, nothing changed at all?"
"It changed. Now, I have a family of my own."
Jun Li Na snorted at her remark, "Oh goodness gracious so you do know that you have a family! What a surprise! Because that's exactly what I wanted to say…" Her eyes looked at people around them as she said, "I wanted to remind everyone here that now you have an immediate family. Yes, they are also your family. But that's called extended family." Her eyes stopped on Xu Mey as she went on, "When you know you have a family of your own now, how come your priorities are not changing? As a mother, shouldn't your priority be your kids? People spend their entire life together just for the sake of providing a complete home to their kids and you couldn't even stay one night for them? And that too over one argument you had with your husband in years?"
Jun Li Na was truly in disbelief herself right now. She knew Xu Mey was smart and that's why she didn't think she'd do such a mistake.
"But the biggest fault here actually lies with Jie, right?" Xu Mey's mind was reeling from what she said and her eyes only focused on her when she mentioned Jie. "That idiot had never been vocal in this relationship. The only thing that he had been vocal about had been his love for you. The rest didn't even matter at all! The lack of communication is already enough in your marriage, and you're being petty by turning off your phone now?"
Xu Mey's hand unintentionally clenched the hem of her shirt.
"Do you even realize how envious I had been of your family?" said Jun Li Na. "You really have it all. A foolishly in love husband, a moody daughter, and a scholar like a son. Who wouldn't be jealous? At least, someone like who doesn't have a kid would definitely be jealous of you." She held the lapel of Xu Mey's blazer as she jerked her asking, "How are you not cherishing it? Is it because the love came like a fairytale into your life? Is that why you're so careless about it? After all, it's very rare for arranged marriages to turn into love. Normal people like us have to suffer through several heartbreaks before finding the one for us. But you didn't even have to do anything. Maybe that's why you're cherishing it anymore."
Xu Mey's fist raised but before it could touch Jun Li Na, the latter had held her wrist. Xu Mey gnashed her teeth, "You can question me for not being a good mother. You can also question me for not being a good wife. But don't you dare ever question my love for Ah-Jie!"
Jun Li Na flung her off and said, "It seems like a joke to me now. Because the same love couldn't even hold you back from being impulsive. But why would you care? You're not the one suffering right now. You're not the one fighting to live right now."
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Jun Li Na gave her a strange smile, "If you're so worried, you should have stayed then. Why didn't you think about the consequences?"
"What consequences?"
"Do you know where your daughter is?" asked Jun Li Na. "No, wait! How would you know? You have been busy crying and you also had to throw a tantrum by turning off your phone. The rest of the world can go to hell for all you care!"
Xu Mey's heart shook violently as she held Jun Li Na's hand and questioned, "What about my daughter? Where is she?"
"Juju is in the hospital," said Wu Wang who didn't get to speak since he came here. He knew if he spoke up and disturbed Li Na, Jun Li Na and her troop of bodyguards might beat him to a pulp.
"What?!"
Jun Li Na peeled her hand off of her hand and said, "Yes, your daughter had been fighting for her life while you're busy shedding tears over your husband's harsh words."