Priya Yarrow was about to storm out in anger, but the thought of her daughter made her sit back down, her spirit dimmed.
"That's more like it. As long as you keep me happy, everything will be negotiable!" Wang Fu leered at Priya, just about to pull her into his arms when suddenly, the door to the private room was kicked open.
"Mom!" Little Nunu burst into the room, followed closely by Navid Byrd, whose face was as cold as ice.
Seeing her daughter, Priya felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She scrambled to her feet, desperately trying to distance herself from Wang Fu, not wanting Nunu to see her in such a compromising situation.
In her haste, she accidentally tripped over the corner of the table and fell heavily to the ground.
"Mom, does it hurt? Nunu will make it better!" Nunu cried as she rushed into Priya's arms, her tiny, frail hands gently holding her mother's arm, blowing softly to ease the pain.
Looking at her sensible daughter, Priya's tears flowed like rain. "Nunu, how did you get here?"
"Daddy's back... oh no, I mean Uncle..." Nunu looked at Navid Byrd, unsure of what to call him, and said, "Mom, he brought me here!"
Priya looked up at the tall man standing before her, their eyes meeting in silence.
Her mind began to blur, her fingers clenched tightly, her whole body trembling uncontrollably.
Five years. How many five years does a woman have? The wait had worn her down, leaving her heart cold and desolate. She never expected him to suddenly reappear.
After their wedding night, he vanished without a trace, leaving without a word of farewell.
She should have hated him, but Priya suddenly realized that her love outweighed her hate.
Perhaps it was destiny, or maybe he was the only man in her life. Tears brimmed in her eyes, speaking of endless sorrow.
"Who the hell are you, daring to mess with my plans?" Wang Fu's face twitched with anger as he swung a fist toward the intruder.
He had just managed to charm the beauty into his grasp, and before he could even enjoy it, someone had ruined his moment.
His entire body screamed frustration.
Navid Byrd smirked coldly, his body unmoving. With a swift knee and a precise elbow, he executed a simple yet perfectly violent move.
Before Wang Fu could even throw his punch, he let out a scream, his nose bleeding and wrist broken.
Navid didn't stop there. Another agonizing wail followed as Wang Fu curled up like a shrimp, pain coursing through his body, making him wish for death. This was just the beginning. Anyone who dared to harm his wife and daughter would pay a hundredfold.
Just as Navid was about to throw another punch, Priya Yarrow dashed between them, her face pale with anger. "Stop it! Five years, haven't you caused me enough pain?"
"You left so completely. Do you know how much ridicule and scorn I've endured all these years? Why come back after leaving?
Get out, just get out! Don't ever appear before me again!" Priya's nearly hysterical scream made Navid's outstretched hand pause slightly.
Looking at his tearful wife, he was at a loss for words. He carried the heavy responsibility of protecting the nation, with so many things beyond his control that he couldn't speak of, even if he wanted to.
Navid remained silent for a long time, deepening Priya's despair. She turned to help Wang Fu up.
"Frank, I'm really sorry, he... he didn't mean it!" Priya Yarrow apologized frantically.
Wang Fu lay on the ground, his bones feeling like they were shattered, his face bruised and swollen. He was in so much pain he could barely breathe, let alone stand up.
Furious, he shoved Priya aside, trembling with rage. "You dare hit me? Do you know who I am? If you want to die, I'll gladly help you along!"
Priya stumbled, about to hit the ground, but fell into the cold embrace of Navid Byrd.
Why would she degrade herself like this? Navid couldn't understand, his anger growing even more.
Priya seemed to care a lot about this overweight man. Navid, heartbroken, asked, "He treats you like this, and you still protect him?"
With a sorrowful expression, Priya pushed Navid away. "What do you know? He's the son of the Wang family. Sure, you beat him up now, but what about later? Have you thought about how my daughter and I will live?"
Navid's heart softened upon hearing this. So she was worried about retaliation. That was a relief.
"Don't worry, taking down the Wang family is easy...!"
Before Navid could finish, Priya slapped him hard across the face.
The slap was full of force, and the onlookers cheered and clapped.
Navid looked at the angry woman in disbelief. She seemed different, the woman who was once all smiles and grace was gone...
"Navid, by threatening to destroy the Wang family in public, do you want us to die?"
Priya's expression was bleak, filled with mixed emotions. Was this the man she had waited for all these years?
A sudden disaster shattered her chance of healing forever, and her dream of pursuing music crumbled in an instant. She became the outcast of her family, a puppet for anyone to manipulate. Reduced to playing piano in bars like a performer, she entertained others for a living.
It all started when she risked her life to save someone, marking the beginning of her tragic life. Her sister snatched away her jade pendant and married the young man she had once saved, while she could only watch helplessly, unable to fight back. She was even forced to become a stand-in bride and spent a confusing night as Navid Byrd's wife.
For a brief moment, Priya Yarrow felt a warmth she had never experienced before.
She even fantasized about spending a lifetime with this man, thinking it would be perfect. But then, he left without a word, disappearing for five years.
During those five years, she endured countless injustices and humiliations. If not for her daughter, she might not have survived.
Now, not only had she lost her body and heart, but she couldn't even protect her daughter. What was the point of holding on?
Seeing Priya's vacant eyes, Navid assumed she was caught in her lies. He laughed bitterly, feeling wronged. "Do I embarrass you?"
"Your daughter is fighting pigs for food, and here you are, drinking and smiling. Is this the life you want? You're the disappointment!"
"If you despise it so much, I'll leave. But our daughter will come with me because a woman like you will only lead her astray...!"
His words pierced Priya's heart, leaving it bleeding. She couldn't believe Navid saw her this way.
"Yeah, that's right, I'm not clean," Priya Yarrow said with a bitter smile. "To raise my daughter, I'll drink any drink. As long as the customer pays, I'll play As long as the customer pays, I'll play the piano until my fingers go numb, forcing a smile just so my little girl can have something better to eat."
"My face is ruined, I have no choice, and I can't choose otherwise!"
"But from the beginning to the end, you were the only man for me. You only see my shame, but do you know that this man's family wants my daughter to marry a fool as a child bride? Navid Byrd, tell me, what else could I do but beg him?"
Priya pointed at the wealthy man, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.
"If I could trade my life for my daughter's peace, I would. But I can't... do you understand?"
Navid Byrd was struck silent, overwhelmed by a deep sorrow that gripped his heart, making it ache with a tremor.