บท 1: Shattered
"So beautiful....."
Li Xiaolu was in awe. A bright smile lit up on her beautiful face as she stared at her wedding dress. This was her masterpiece, the most beautiful dress she had ever created. This wedding dress was her heart and soul. Today, she was getting married to Chen Yufan - her fiancé, the love of her life, the inspiration behind her beautiful masterpiece.
It's been four years since their relationship and now, she was getting married to him. This was the most awaited day of her life. A day of her dreams coming true. But, there was something more, something dear and something important for her. Not only she was going to get a new identity, but she was also going to reveal her identity as the eldest daughter of the Li family and also the famous fashion designer, LX.
The world didn't know of her, yet.
Today, that was going to change. She was going to have a name, an identity, a loving husband, and a beautiful married life. Finally, she was going to be free; living without any restraint, any shackles bidding her. From today onwards, she was going to live a life that she wanted for herself along with the love of her life, Chen Yufan. No more hiding anymore.....
Li Xiaolu was imagining and picturing her beautiful life after her marriage to Chen Yufan. She was so into her thoughts that she failed to realize it when her younger sister, Li Roulan, and her best friend Meng Xuimin entered her room. Startled by the sudden noise, Li Xiaolu turned around.
"Roulan, Xuimin you guys are here," she smiled, her eyes shining with happiness and excitement.
Li Roulan and Meng Xuimin glanced at each other and smiled. Suddenly, their eyes fell on the beautiful mannequin behind Li Xiaolu and both of them gasped. They had never seen such a beautiful wedding gown in their life. Seeing their surprised reaction, Li Xiaolu smiled with pride in her heart. Her heart was dancing inside her chest to see her masterpiece being appreciated by them.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked.
"Hmm... One of the most beautiful dresses I have ever seen," Meng Xuimin commented.
Li Roulan walked closer to the mannequin and touched the beautiful white gown. Her hands carefully traced the delicate edges, the fabric, the design, and her eyes noticed how every detail on the dress was done so meticulously. "Elder sister, you have done well. I feel so jealous," she muttered.
Li Xiaolu chuckled. "Hey now, you don't have to be jealous. Roulan, when your time comes, I will make you a wonderful wedding dress. I promise it will be much more beautiful than mine."
"Elder sister, you have already fulfilled your promise."
"W-what?" Li Xiaolu looked confused.
Seeing the confused look on Li Xiaolu's face, Li Roulan smirked. "Elder sister, you have already created my wedding dress."
"Where?"
"Isn't it right in front of you?"
"What.... are you saying?" Li Xiaoyu was so confused.
"Tsk... Xiaolu, sometimes you can be so obtuse." Meng Xuimin laughed. She pointed toward the beautiful wedding dress that was on the mannequin and informed, "That is Roulan's wedding dress."
"Huh? What? You guys are really bad at creating jokes."
"Who said we are joking, elder sister?" Li Roulan smiled. "Today is my wedding day and this is my dress."
"Really?" Li Xioolu arched her brows, crossed her arms over her chest, and smiled at them. "What's next? Chen Yufan is going to be your groom?"
"Correct." Li Roulan clapped. "Xuimin, didn't I say that my elder sister is quite smart? Look!!! She got my point."
"Yeah," Meng Xuimin nodded. "That saves us a lot of time."
Listening to their words and seeing their act, Li Xioalu simply rolled her eyes. She knew they messing with her like always. Hence, she didn't take them seriously. She glanced at the clock and looking at the time, she exclaimed loudly, "Oh no! You guys!!! If you guys are done with your drama, can you please leave my room? I need to get ready for the wedding."
"Tch... Xiaolu, didn't you hear us?" Meng Xuimin remarked.
"I heard your nonsense," Li Xiaolu nodded. "It was good. Now, leave my room."
"You still don't believe us, do you?" Meng Xuimin smiled. "Trust me, Xiaolu. We are not joking with you. Today, Roulan is getting married to Chen Ruyan. Everybody knows about it. Well, aren't you the bride's sister? How come you are still living in your own little delusion? Did you not see the names printed on the wedding invitations?"
"Xuimin, don't blame my elder sister. It's not her fault," Li Roulan informed. "How can she see the wedding invitations when I didn't give her one?"
"I wonder why's that?"
"Tsk... Xuimin, did you forget?" Li Roulan looked at her friend with wide eyes. "We don't invite a dead person to a wedding."
"Ah... now, it makes sense!"
"Enough!!!" Li Xioalu yelled, her eyes glaring at the both of them. Time was ticking, the wedding was about to begin and she didn't have much time. Yet, instead of helping her to get ready, her sister and her best friend were speaking nonsense and wasting her time. She had no time for this.
"Xiaolu, Roulan, this is getting too much," she reprimanded them. "Now come and help me. I need to get ready for Chen - "
However before Li Xiaolu could finish, a hard slap fell on her cheeks
PAK!
Taken aback, Li Xiaolu was in complete shock. For a few seconds, she didn't react at all. It was only when she felt the sting on her cheeks, that she lifted up her eyes and looked at her sister. Her eyes were full of disbelief, her cheeks hurting but more than that, it was her heart that was in pain.
"R-roulan.... y-you..... you slapped me?" she asked but what shocked her was the look on her sister's face. It was so evil, so wrong. She could see that unhidden hatred, anger, jealousy. She could hardly recognize her anymore. This was not her loving sister. This person in front of her was someone else.
"Did it hurt?" Li Roulan asked, her eyes filling with smiles. She walked straight toward Li Xioalu and grabbed her chin forcefully making her sharp nails dig into her skin. When she saw the sheer look of surprise and shock on her face, she smiled from ear to ear. It felt so satisfying to slap her. "You deserve it," she said. "Who told you to take my Brother Yufan's name from your filthy mouth?"
"ROULAN!!!"
PAK!
Another slap landed on Li Xiaolu's cheek.
"ARE YOU CRAZY, LI ROUALN?!?!?!" Li Xiaolu screamed.
PAK!
Li Xiaolu fell to the ground, her head hitting the small table beside her. She winced and cried out in pain both from the wound on her head and the sting on her cheek. She was in complete disbelief. She tried to get up but before she could do so, Meng Xuiming pressed hard on her shoulder keeping her on her knees. "What is wrong with you two? I am your elder sister!!!!"
"No!" Li Roulan sneered. "You are not my elder sister, never was. Do you hear me?"
Li Xiaolu was in a state of complete shock. Her mind was jumbled up because of those slaps. She could not believe that it was her loving sister who slapped her and was saying all of this stuff to her. All of it seemed like a bad nightmare that she wanted to wake up from. "Li Roulan, what is - "
"You will address me as Miss Li, the eldest daughter of the Li family," Li Roulan smiled, taking delight in the plight of Li Xiaolu.
"W-what?"
Miss Li?
The eldest daughter of the Li Family?
What is going on? What do her words mean?
Isn't she(Li Xiaolu) the eldest daughter of the Li Family?
"Hah! Just look at her. So pitiful, so innocent...." Meng Xuimin stated as she circled around Li Xiaolu. "Do you still not understand? Put your smart brain to use and connect the dots, my dear Xiaolu. Wait, you know what, let me clear it out for you. After all, we don't have much time and I need to help my best friend, and by the way, I mean my real best friend Li Roulan to get ready for her marriage."
"You are just a servant of the Li family, my dear Xiaolu." Meng Xuimin smiled and then she pointed at Li Roulan. "On the other hand, she is the eldest daughter of the Li family and the person whom Chen Yufang is going to marry."
"No... no.... no... this is not the truth," Li Xiaolu refused to believe. "You guys are lying to me. You guys are kidding me, right? This is a joke, right? All of it is a joke. I am the eldest daughter of the Li Family. And, today is my marriage with Chen -"
PAK!
"DO NOT TAKE HIS NAME FROM YOUR MOUTH, YOU FILTHY SERVANT!" Li Roulan roared. Anger began to consume her mind. The more she looked at Li Xiaolu and her beautiful face, the more she was fuming mad. For years, she was pretending to be a good little sister, acting cordially with her only for the benefit. She had to put down her pride and get along like a loving sister to a filthy servant, watching calmly when the man she loved had to date this filthy lowlife. She had sacrificed so much and put up with it for a long time.
And today, it was time to stop.
"GUARDS!" she yelled loudly.
On cue, the door which was half closed was pushed open and two tall, bulky guards swarmed inside the room. Li Xiaolu was shocked to see the guards marching toward her. She tried to get up on her feet but Meng Xuiming pressed her harshly to the ground. Before she could fight back, both the guards grabbed her arm and pulled her up from the ground.
"Ah!!!!" Li Xiaolu cried out. "Leave me!!! What are you doing? I am the eldest daughter of the Li Family. I command you, leave me!!!"
"Mom!!! Dad!!! Yufan!!!" Li Xiaolu screamed out for help. She struggled hard against the guards but her strength was nothing compared to theirs.
"Drag down her." Li Roulan commanded.
"Yes, Young Miss."
The guards began to drag Li Xiaolu out of her room and to the stairs. Pain shot through her entire body as she was being pulled by them. Li Xiaolu screamed and shouted for help, but no one came forward to help her. She could hear Li Roulan and Meng Xuimin's laughter behind her. Their words echoed in her mind but it was too hard for her to comprehend.
Just as the guards were done dragging her down the stairs, Li Xiaolu saw a light of hope. She saw that her parents and Chen Yufan were sitting in the hall, sipping tea. "Mom, dad... Yufan," she cried out but stopped when she saw them taking a glance at her and then turning their faces away and continuing with their conversation.
They looked at her as if what was happening to her didn't matter to them.
They seemed unaffected, unsurprised, and unbothered. Li Xiaolu couldn't believe her eyes. Her heart was shattered and the last ray of hope in her eyes diminished. "Why?" she asked, crying. "I AM YOUR DAUGHTER!!!! Why are you doing this to me?"
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