Xian's POV

My mind is buzzing with all the things that Hua...Hei Chi has shared with me. So, it doesn't come as a surprise that as soon as I lie down on the bed, I remember why I had agreed to meet him so late in the evening.

Jun... I had completely forgotten to ask him about Jun's call. I can't help but wonder if it was just his excuse to talk to me. Anyway, I am glad that I didn't bring up Jun. If I had, I would have looked like I was interested in knowing about him. The lesser I mention Jun, the better the chances were to convince Hei Chi that Jun was not an angel.

I wait to fall asleep, but it eludes me. I think about what Jun must have been up to since the time we had parted. Though it has only been a week since I held him in my arms, it feels like a lifetime has passed already. My body craves his touch, and my heart his love.

Jun, why did you not call me?

Not able to fall asleep, I decided to give studies a shot. After all, if I have a future to go back to once this ordeal is over, I would have to prove myself in this competitive world. Holding on to that hope for my future, I pick up the book closest to me and busy myself with it.

"Xian," The sound of my name riding on the wings of the cold night breeze entering through the open window distracts me. I peek outside, wanting to know the source, but nothing catches my eyes. Instead, a strong gush of icy cold wind forces me to shield my eyes for a second.

Keeping my eyes shut, I close the window. I turn to grab my jacket and almost let out a yelp of joy. Almost.

I find Jun standing in front of me dressed in jet black attire. It is the same one gifted to him by the heavenly father. His face is calm, and his lips are slightly upturned. His eyes are fixed on me. They hold an expression I hadn't seen in ages.

"Xian, how have you been?" He enquires, taking a step towards me.
Apprehension takes me in its grip. There was something wrong with Jun. It did not sound like him at all.

I school my features into one of fear and look around. "Who let you in?" I demand, backing up towards the door. "Did Mr. Zhu let you in? Please leave. I haven't forgotten what you did to me! If you try anything, I will call security." I command, showing him the door.

He was in front of me after a week of missing him...not knowing where he was and what he had been up to. I should have wanted to hold him...kiss him, but the brief moment of excitement on seeing him in front of me had given its place to apprehension.

What if it was some kind of trap laid down by Hei Chi? Perhaps he had done something to me without my knowledge.

I wasn't sure if the man in front of me was mine or an imposter sent by the king of the underworld to test me.
I had to be absolutely sure that the person in front of me was indeed my Jun.

"Xian," The man calls and reaches for my hand. The way he says it exudes the kind of fondness I have never experienced firsthand.

I stagger back till my back collides with the door. I don't know why I am scared...I can tell that this person, whoever it was, posed me no harm.

"Careful!" The man warns and stops advancing towards me. "I am not here to hurt you. I would never hurt you." He reassures and steps back. "I came here to check on you. How have you been?"

The more this person speaks, the more alien he feels. "Fine. No thanks to you." I retort, referring to when Hei Chi was controlling him. His face falls.

Without offering any explanation, he pleads, "Tomorrow I will come to fetch you. Please, don't refuse me." He hesitates for a moment as if contemplating, then, "Don't believe your eyes. Trust your heart. Do you understand?"

I narrow my eyes and give him a once over. I take a step towards him, and he smiles pitifully. "Where were you all this time?"

"Heaven." He replies like he was stating something obvious and scans the room. His eyes catch mine. "How has Hei Chi been treating you? Did he hurt you?"

As soon as the words leave Jun's lips, relief washes over me. All my doubts vanish, and I throw myself in his arms. I bury my face in his chest and let the emotions I had kept under wraps for the past week show themselves.

"Jun," I whisper and feel him go stiff. Once again, uncertainty raises its ugly head. I step back but don't let go of his hand. "There is something wrong, isn't it? Did Heavenly Father refuse to accept us? Did you tell him that I was on his side?"

Jun places his hands over mine. It feels the same. "I don't have much time." He states, taking in my appearance, and I realize that I had not answered him, "Jun, Hei Chi hasn't done anything to hurt me. He seems keen on having me on his side. Today he told me a great many things." I glance at the door and add, "He told me a story...well, at least he started to tell me one. He told me that my father was an angel, just like him."

Jun's eyes widen, but he doesn't speak.

"Jun, you know, don't you?" I guess, and he nods. It was not so far-fetched to think that Jun already knew about my father. After all, he had returned after visiting heaven. He must have gathered a lot of intel during his visit.

"Your father was an archangel," Jun answers dejectedly, and I can't help but wonder why the revelation had made him sad.

"Isn't that great. I am the child of two-" Jun's words echo in my mind, 'Your father was an archangel.' they me stop and think.

'My father was an archangel... not 'is' an archangel.' I mull over the sentence.

What did it mean? I had always hoped that my father was alive even though Jun had told me he wasn't.

I recall my conversation with Hei Chi and remember that he had implied something similar when he had mentioned my father. Thought I had never had much hope that he had survived, somehow, a part of me had always hoped against hope that I would be able to see him someday.
A plethora of questions assaults my mind.

If my father was like Jun, he must have been strong. Then, how did he die? Who had killed him and why?

Wasn't my mother already back in heaven, so why was an archangel targeted?

What sins had my father committed?

Regret surrounds me, suffocating me till I gasp for breath. My act throws Jun into panic mode. He comes to my side and starts stroking my back, but other than that, he seems clueless. He doesn't check my forehead, nor does he ask me if I had taken a cold shower.

What is wrong with you, Jun?

Jun's hand on my back stills. "I need to go. Don't forget what I said." He urges.

A rattling sound calls my attention to the window whose hinges give way at that very second. As the frames fall and crash land on the floor, a gush of icy wind like earlier rushes inside.
Even as I shield myself from the shards of glass that are flying at me, I know that when I open my eyes, Jun will be gone.

"Xian?" Hei Chi's voice from the other side of the door startles me. I look around, but there is no sign of Jun having being there.

Did I dream it all?

"Xian, let me in." Hei Chi commands. The mild cinnamon fragrance drifts towards me, compelling me to comply.

I open the door, and without waiting to be let in, Hei Chi pushes me out of the way and enters my room.

"This is not appropriate, Mr. Zhu." I hold his forearm and turn him to face me. "Why are you here?"

Hei Chi doesn't meet my eyes, "I needed to check something."

"This late in the night?"

The king of the underworld glares at me, "This is my home. I can go wherever I please."

"I agree," I reply; letting go of him and smile. "This is your home."

Hei Chi stops inspecting the room. His eyes follow me as I open the wardrobe and start packing up things I had brought from my home into my bag.

"What are you doing?" He demands, blocking my way, and when I shrug, he adds, "Are you planning to leave?"

"Yes."

"Where will you go this late at night?" His words are laced with concern, but his eyes are cold and calculating. "Will you go home? You can't."

"I am nineteen, Mr. Zhu. I can go where I please, and I don't have to tell you where I am going. Thank you for sheltering me these past days. I will ask Jun to reimburse you."

My words have the desired effect. Hei Chi fumes, "How dare you take that ungrateful tone with me!?"

"Mr. Zhu, I dare to do much more if you keep blocking my way!"

"Like what?" He sneers and makes himself comfortable on the bed, "Will you call YiJun? The man who tried to rape you?"

I hadn't expected him to say that. I forget for a moment that the plan was to pretend that we didn't know what had happened and bite out, "It was not his fault!"

I kick myself as soon as the words leave me. For Hei Chi is immediately on to me, "Tell me, Xian, why was it not his fault?" He leaves the bed and advances towards me. The scent of cinnamon hangs thick in the air as he cages me between his arms.

I noticed it too late that he had backed me up against the wall. Our eyes meet and hold. "Xian, tell me who YiJun is?"

A wave of dizziness hits me a moment later. However, unlike the last time, I am prepared. I do not shy away from the voice. I do not break eye contact.
I was still unsure whether Jun had actually visited me or if I had dreamt the whole encounter, but I was sure that he wanted to warn me.

I needed to get away from Hei Chi. I had not thought much ahead, but from what I could guess, Jun had returned, and the two had fixed an appointment to meet up tomorrow.

"He is my guardian. And yes, he did try to rape me, but after what you told me, I can't help but think that it was probably not him."

The smirk drops from Hei Chi's lips. His face goes blank. He tilts his head, "What do you mean?"

After what Hei Chi had told me and what I had read in Jun's books, to continue to pretend to be clueless would have made the king of the underworld suspicious. So I decide to voice my thoughts...to a certain extent, "Are you trying to suss me out?"

"Take it as you want." He replies and leans away. "Let's see how smart you are."

"You told me that my father was an angel. I presume he is dead, or you would have let us meet. Also, you said that you were an angel. So, as I see it, you are not one now. That means you fell." I stop myself before I mention the demoness. When he had spoken about her, he had seemed so human that it had touched my heart. "What happens to angels that fall, Mr. Zhu? Would I be wrong in thinking that you still possess some powers? I wonder what you are...on the night that I first came to Zhu estate, I thought that you were different...not normal. You smelled of cinnamon when you questioned me, and the next day I couldn't recall what had transpired between us the night before. I still don't..." I watch his brows knit. "I kept thinking why Jun did what he did. He may be boring, but he is not the kind of man to rape someone. Even when he assaulted me, I could feel that I was missing something, but I didn't know what it was....until now."

I take the chance to challenge him, while contemplating my next move. Hei Chi needed me. He thought that I was his weapon and that he could use me against Heaven... against Jun.

Ha! Keep dreaming, Hei Chi, I will never be yours to command.

{Note:- That's it for this update.
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