Chapter Two: Two Sides of the Same Coin

"You worthless whore!" The woman exclaimed as she slapped Ling Hua, whose blue eyes stared past her. There was no emotion there, just emptiness. Her older sister watches in horror as one hit came after the other.

"I saw you with him." Her voice was sharp as Ling Hua's eyes widen slightly before returning to her former expression.

"Who exactly is him?" She asked almost challenging her as she quickly raise her hand to deflect the blow coming at her. She caught the woman's hand in reflex. "How dare you?" She spoke in a low tone, almond eyes narrowed at the woman.

"Mother, please," Suyuan said trying to intervene before everything became too ugly.

"Stay out of this Suyuan. This is none of your business."

"It is when you do this."

"Suyuan," Ling Hua silently pleaded, "Don't do this please." Suyuan stood there somewhat confused at what to do in response. "As you can see since you are her real daughter, she simply doesn't want to hurt her precious gift from heaven," Ling Hua spat out cruelly as she glared at her.

Finally, after years and years, it was the same thing. She knew she finally came to her limit. Her aunt, she was the source of all her misery, hurt, and pain.

"You disrespectful little wench," her aunt growled out, going for another blow across Ling Hua's cheek.

She merely stared back at her, ice blue eyes looking through her almost.

"How dare you speak to me in that manner?" Her aunt voiced with rage.

"How dare you hit me, you broke the promise you made to my mother!" She yelled back at her as she got hit against the wall.

"Your mother was nothing more than a lowly prostitute!"

"Meimei..." Suyuan murmered, grabbing Ling Hua and hauling her into her room.

Ling Hua shivered lightly as she tried to get out of Suyuan's grip. "Meimei, no, she'll kill you! You have to live, please don't--" Suyuan begged as she tighten her grip on her arm.

"She had no right to say that about my mother, I will kill her before her hand ever touches me!" Ling Hua spoke, shaking still before slowly going to tears "Let me go, I don't care if she is your mother..."

"Do you honestly want to became like her?" Suyuan asked her softly as Ling Hua slowly started to calm down, "Too beautiful of a face to be scorned by revenge," she murmured softly to herself, "And to be hurt so deeply."

"Don't lie to me Suyuan." Ling Hua replied, wiping away the tears.

"Meimei, you know I'd never say anything false to make you feel better," Suyuan joked as a small smile slowly came to Ling Hua's face.

"Thank you."

She knew she was out of danger for now, but for how long? She knew how much she despised her, how her aunt looked at her. Her eyes were the main reason why she often hit her. How they seem to be strong, unaffected...What a lie that was. If anything, she was weak. Not even enough to be considered human, let alone a woman.

Meiling soon found the very same woman looking at her. "Exactly like me..." She muttered softly as she walked towards Meiling. "Just one major difference, you have courage and strength. Something I always wished for..."

Meiling took a few steps back as she looked at the woman in front of her. She looked at the older reflection of herself, confused. "I find that impossible to believe." Meiling said as she continued to stare. "What exactly is the meaning of this?"

"In time, it'll slowly come together," she replied, disappearing as Meiling woke up

"I got to ask Erio...Hiiragizawa-kun when I get the chance," she muttered holding her head before looking out the window. Every since she met him, everything been turned upside-down