The Sweet Rival (Mango Shen and Nathaniel Ye)

"Be careful!"

The bodyguards quickly stepped forward to stop him.

However, Mango didn't dodge. She looked as the vase was thrown in her direction. She reached out her hand and grabbed it in the nick of time.

"I said it before, I don't need you guys here!"

Zion thought that only the Ye family's bodyguards were present, so his anger flared up instantly.

He wanted to find his mother, but she was now severely injured after the car accident. Hence, he was very devastated by it.

His mother had suffered from an accident, and Nathaniel had failed in ensuring her safety. Zion was extremely mad, and he didn't want to see Nathaniel's face anymore.

Mango wasn't feeling too good after witnessing Zion's agitation.

She had never seen him acting like this ever since he was a child.

When did such a calm and wise boy become like this?

She walked up to him quickly and hugged him tightly.

"Let me go!"

Zion struggled forcefully. Then, he suddenly quieted down.

He allowed Mango to hold him in her arms as he gently turned around and looked at her. At this moment, tears immediately welled up in his eyes.

"Mommy!"

He threw himself into her arms once again.

His tears rolled down and dripped onto her shirt. It felt like hot lava on her skin.

Her heart ached.

She thought that allowing Zion to stay with the Ye Family was the best decision as he would be well-treated. After all, he was the sole heir appointed by Madam Ye. However, she never expected it to turn out this way.

If only she had known earlier...

She paused all of a sudden.

There were no ifs in life.

At the thought of this, she hugged Zion close to her. Despite that, she couldn't provide the comfort that he needed.

Noticing that she hadn't said anything, Zion thought that she was mad at him. Then, he quickly whispered, "Mommy, I tried my best to be good. I'm sorry I let myself get injured. Don't be fooled by my cast, it doesn't hurt at all!"

It was heart-wrenching seeing him act like this.

How could a serious injury like this not hurt at all?

He was just trying to comfort her!

Moreover, he had stayed in a strange place for a month all alone. What kind of feeling would that be?

He was the Ye Family's grandson, and he had powerful parents. However, he was trapped in the hospital like an orphan.

What was he thinking back then?

Then, Mango got emotional all of a sudden.

She felt that she should apologise to him. However, she didn't know how to convey it.

She brought over a paper and pen. Then, she wrote on the paper, "I'm sorry. It's mommy's fault for making you go through all this."

Zion was stunned for a moment, and he had no idea what was going on.

He had only heard that something had happened to his mommy, but he didn't know what exactly happened to her. Seeing her distressed expression and that she had to write the words down, he suddenly understood something.

"Mommy, your throat..."

Mango shook her head with a smile, indicating that she was fine.

Tears flowed out of his eyes again.

"Mommy, it must've hurt a lot, right?"

Zion reached out his hand and caressed her throat, and he could feel the softness and slight warmth there.

She held his hand and shook her head again with a smile.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel had always been there all along, and he knew that Mango would come.

Actually, he already knew it when she arrived. However, he just didn't want to appear in front of her, as he was worried that it would make her feel sad.

Seeing the heart-warming scene of Zion and Mango in front of him, the familiar pang of heartache struck again.

Their originally harmonious and beautiful family was now torn apart. He felt extremely sad upon the thought of such a sorrowful ending.

At the same time, Zion and Mango laid quietly on the bed while the sun was shining in. For the one month that he had stayed there, it was the first time that he had slept so soundly.

Meanwhile, Mango didn't dare to move as she was afraid that it would wake him up.

She just laid beside him and looked at his face quietly. Looking at his pale visage and the tears in the corners of his eyes, a sense of self-blame and guilt arose in her heart. She was not a good mother.

She had not given her children a complete family ever since they were born. Now that she had finally come back and gained her children's trust to accept Nathaniel as their father, she had to leave the Ye Family again with them. She had to leave Nathaniel and become a single parent.

She didn't know how to talk to Zion about their divorce, and she couldn't make him understand the complex emotions between adults. Although some may say that they could try to reconcile the marriage for the sake of their children, she knew that it was impossible between her and Nathaniel.

There was no tolerance or space for any outsiders or triggering factors in love, let alone a person's life.

She only hoped that she could provide everything she could for the children and make them feel better as they were to be raised in a single-parent family

She stroked Zion's face before she gently pulled the blanket over him before walking out of the ward.

She knew that Nathaniel was there.

Just as she walked out of the ward, Nathaniel was sitting on a chair in the corridor and smoking.

It had been a month since they had last seen each other, and Nathaniel's nicotine addiction seemed to have increased. The smell of tobacco was strong on his body. Seeing this, she was very upset. Then, she walked over and sat down beside him.

Then, he put out the cigarette subconsciously.

"Sorry!"

He knew that no matter how many apologies he said, they couldn't fix anything. However, he knew that he still owed her an apology.

Despite that, Mango didn't want to listen to any more explanations.

After all, he wasn't by her side when she needed him the most.

Her eyes became teary again, but she held it back.

She still loved Nathaniel, but reality forced them apart.

Then, she took out a pen and paper. Just as she was about to write something, Nathaniel held her

hands tightly.

He couldn't bear to see her struggling to express herself, nor could he tolerate her actions of using pen and paper to replace her speaking out.

She didn't deserve this!

She was his wife and a princess who ought to be doted upon by everyone. How did she end up like this?

"I know what you're going to write. You want a divorce and I agree."

He said it in a hoarse voice, and she was slightly taken aback.

Did he just agree to it?

Mango couldn't believe it.

She looked at him again.

She could notice the pain and struggle in his eyes, but there was also a trace of guilt and reluctance.

"Thank you."

She opened her mouth but couldn't make a sound at all. However, she knew that he had clearly understood what she was trying to say.

They used to be husband and wife, but in the end, there was only one word left to say-thank you.

"What are you thanking me for? Thanking me for letting go? You know that I don't want to divorce at

all!"

He looked at her in devastation, and he couldn't wait to hold her in his arms once again.

She was his wife!

She was the mother to his children.

But now, they were like strangers.

"We're husband and wife. Mango, as you know, you've already become a part of my life. You're my body and soul. Letting you go is like killing me. Are you still going to thank me after leaving me hollow and lifeless?"

Mango suddenly turned her head away.

She could not listen to him anymore.

Her heart would waver if he went on.

Mango's expression made Nathaniel feel even more uncomfortable.

"I love you, Mango. I've never given up on our relationship, but I know that I have no reason to force you to stay. After all, it was my fault that you became like this because of my negligence. My mother taught me since I was young that there are some mistakes that I can't make up for. I've never encountered such a situation before, and now that I've finally run into it, I realized that this kind of pain is like being torn to pieces. I'm unwilling to let you go, and I don't wanna let you go. However, I know that I can't expect you to forgive me, to forgive the Ye Family or my mother. However, I still refuse to let you go. I don't want to a all."

Upon hearing this, Mango suddenly stood up.

She could not bear to listen any longer, otherwise, she would let him in once again.

Meanwhile, he watched as she got up and walked away. Then, he suddenly voiced out.

"Desmond is a good guy. If you like him, you can consider being with him. If you get married and if your hands are full with the kids, I can take care of them."

Mango immediately stopped.

What did he say?

Desmond and her?

She suddenly turned around and looked at Nathaniel with anger.

Who did he think she was?

Although she could not continue this marriage with him, her feelings for him were real. How could she forget about their eight-year-long relationship?

Plus, when did she and Desmond become a couple?

She really wanted to curse at him, but she changed her mind.

What was the point of talking about it?

Anyway, she knew that their marriage could no longer be maintained.

Instead of making it hard for both of them, it was better to let him think that it was her that fell in love with someone else.

Everything would be fine as long as she bore the pain alone.

The anger inside of her gradually eased.

She looked at him and said with a smile, "Thank you."

After that, she turned around and left. However, the smile on her face disappeared as soon as she turned around.

She was terribly sad and frustrated.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel was feeling just about the same.

Earlier, he was just kidding.

He was somehow jealous but relieved to see both her and Desmond together. He had always hoped for her happiness after she left him. Sadly, he wasn't the guy that she wanted.

Perhaps there would be no chance for him in the future.

At the thought of this, he suddenly regretted it.

He shouldn't have agreed.

However, what should he do if he didn't agree? Force her against her will to stay by his side?

She already hated his family, and he didn't want her to hate him anymore.

Then, he looked at her and hurriedly said, "Tell me what you want. I can give you anything, including my assets. After all, you're raising the children by yourself, so you can't do it without support. Don't reject my offer. You should go back and think about it carefully. Contact me when you've thought it through."

Her footsteps came to a halt.

She knew that he was doing this out of kindness and for the sake of her and the children. However, she still felt uncomfortable.

Could it be that he and Madam Ye both felt that she was useless?

Perhaps that was the case.

She had lost herself after being married into his family.

She gave up her job and her dream. She hung around with him and her children all day. How was that anything to be proud of?

She secretly swore to herself that she had to improve and become a way better woman than she was now. At least, she would not allow Nathaniel to look down on her.