Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu-Chapter 1040: One truth above everything else

Jin had a plethora of things he wanted to talk to her about. Should he ask about her decision to step down? Should he ask why she never visited the Liu Corps again? Should he talk about Liu Hai's announcement first?

A lot of questions spun his mind into confusion. He couldn't figure out the heads or tails of the conversation he was about to have with her. But everything drove into a dumpster when he couldn't find her. Worry replaced his confusion when he couldn't reach her through calls or texts at all. Her family didn't know where she was and amidst this, Ren Luoyang's apprehension struck him like a blade.

'She seemed distant as if she was going somewhere far away.'

All of a sudden, a nasty fear of never being able to see her again crawled in Jin's heart. He drove through all possible places where Alix could be - including Lin's cafe against his own wishes.

But she was nowhere.

His fingers ached at one point dialing her number and sending the same messages again and again and again but not getting any reply from her pained him more than anything. He sat still in his car, waiting for the traffic to clear while staring at his phone with unblinking eyes and a pounding heart.

Where are you…Where are you…?

He rubbed his eyes that were beginning to turn misty and slowly turned his head to look outside the window - which was when he froze. A familiar figure he knew all too well was standing at the walkway facing the river. Not letting her out of his sight even for a moment, he rushed out of his car at the first chance.

"Hey! You just cannot leave your car in the middle of-"

Jin handed the traffic policeman his car keys. "Park it aside please."

"What the hell-"

"I will pay your fines."

And he moved past the officer without a second thought, leaving the former dumbstruck.

Alix…

Alix…

At first he walked hurriedly, then ran at the fastest speed it was humanly possible for him. When he reached her side, so close that he could touch her if he just stretched his arm - the rest of the entire world's concerns had already vanished by that point, leaving only one realization to rise above the dust that settled. freёweɓnovel.com

I love you.

That's what he ended up saying out loud - the only truth that remained in his heart and the only truth that mattered.

"I love you."

Jin could feel his heartbeats going through the roof with every syllable he uttered. Blood rushed everywhere like a crazy sprint, making him feel hot and dizzy. The shock and silence from Alix was naturally ramping up the tension for him.

He breathed out shakily. "I love you and…"

What was I going to say next?

Jin realized that though he said what mattered the most, he couldn't form any more words to express himself.

"Please don't…disappear on me like that again. I couldn't reach you, you..didn't respond back to me and I hated that. I want to continue to talk to you, I want to keep meeting you everyday because I love you so much. The past week went horrible because you were not there. The office was empty, I didn't see you anywhere, I didn't hear you at all and it was just horrible..I searched for you everywhere and you…don't know how relieved I felt when I saw you just now. I thought you had really left somewhere for good.."

He knew he seriously lacked coherence at this moment but he only cared about expressing what his heart wanted the most in one breathless flow.

But Alix didn't want what he wanted and with that affirmation, she shook his hand away holding her cheek.

"Bravo for the confession, Liu Jin but you are saying it in front of the wrong woman. I am not Han Shui."

He froze.

"Surely you are confused, right? You love Shui, not me so your words don't make any sense to me."

Jin stared into the cold depths of her eyes, a bad foreboding ringing in his ears.

"I know who I am confessing to. I know I am standing before Ren Alix, not Han Shui. I am not confused."

"You definitely are otherwise nothing else explains your confused confession. You don't actually mean that you fell for me just because we spent some time together, does it now?"

"...The time we spent together is not..just some time for me, Alix," his voice said with a quiver.

Jin never expected Alix to come all rushing in his embrace with joy and say that she returned his feelings too. He could sense that it was his one-sided feelings for now. He wasn't expecting her acceptance but he hadn't expected such a cold distance either. Her bleak and wintry gaze unnerved him as if rejection wasn't even a concern here.

Then what is…Why is she looking like that? He shuddered.

Amidst a gust of chilled air that blew past them, he saw her lips ever so faintly curve into a smile.

"...Is that so?"

With that said, she slowly took a step away from him and said, "I am sorry but I don't feel that way about you, neither a relationship between us is possible in any way."

Jin stood still, the world becoming absolutely silent. Between his chaotic thoughts that threatened to plunge him in an abyss, he felt her walk past him. Panicked, he held her arm and stopped her.

"I..I am not asking you to answer me right away," he struggled to breathe. "I am just-"

"It's not about time. The answer won't change even if you ask me back a year later. It's just not possible."

She stepped away when he blocked her way again.

"W-Why? Why is it…" he painfully swallowed a gulp, "not possible between us?"

"You were meant to be with Shui, not me. So am I her replacement?"

Alix immediately regretted her words as soon as they escaped her lips. Even she felt that Jin didn't deserve these cutting words, knowing what he had went through.

"You are not a replacement."

She slowly lifted her gaze, staring into his sincere black irises. She had braced for a look of pain but instead, his eyes gleamed with even greater resolve.

A resolve that didn't seem would be shaken by her excuses. It felt an unyielding force that wouldn't bow down before her lies.

She didn't respond for a long time and the silence felt only crippling. Coming to a decision, she asked,

"Will you wait for me here?"

Jin blinked twice. "What?"

"I have to go somewhere right now. Will you wait for me until I return?"

After combing through the city hell and back for her, Jin wasn't sure if he wanted her out of his sight.

"Rest assured, I will return," she said reading his anxious gaze. "I will return and give you your answer."