Chapter 30

• “She held out as long as she could, but by ten, she was out like a light…. she so badly wanted to see you before bed.” Ling leaned against the door jam with crossed arms, watching Meilei sitting in the dark by Yue’s sleeping little figure. Stroking back her daughter’s hair with a pensive stare, Ling could tell how exhausted she was even from here. She had been home for five minutes, and it was already past midnight. She stank of stale smoke, alcohol, and lingering odors normally found in nightclubs that told Ling how hard a night it must have been.
• “I’m failing her.” Meilei's sudden raspy and emotional statement highlighted how down she had felt these past days, and it tugged at Ling’s heart and spiked her anger simultaneously.
• “No, you are not, but Meilei, you can’t keep this up. He’s the lowest of the low to do this to you.” Ling was terrified that Kai would drag her back into the darkness they had once rescued her from if he kept pushing her this way. They could see her struggling, yet Ling and Suying could not help.