After a smooth thirty-minute drive, they finally arrived at the destination. The location was a beautifully chosen resort—neither too flashy nor too modest, but carrying an incredibly welcoming, comfortable, and positive vibe. Akira smoothly steered the car into the parking lot. Once the engine cut off, she stepped out to help Naea. Carrying a quiet and curious Naria securely in her arms, Naea stepped out of the vehicle but didn't head inside immediately. Instead, she stood by the side, patiently waiting for Akira. After locking the car and retrieving the neatly wrapped, heavy boxing kit from the trunk, Akira walked back to her. She passed Naea a soft, loving smile, and together, the three of them walked through the resort's entrance.
The atmosphere inside was bubbling with pure, unfiltered fun. Lively music from the DJ echoed through the beautifully decorated space, blending seamlessly with the cheerful chatter and lighthearted gossip of the gathered guests.
Nearby, Zheng was deeply engrossed in a conversation with one of her close friends, her back facing the main entrance. Suddenly, her friend paused, looking past her shoulder toward the doorway with an impressed expression. "Wow... look at those three. They look absolutely stunning together."
Curious, Zheng turned around to see who had arrived. The moment she did, her eyes instantly locked onto Naea, and her breath hitched. In that flowing, light green dress, Naea looked breathtakingly elegant—far more beautiful than words could describe.
Shaking off her brief daze, a bright smile took over Zheng's face as she quickly walked over to greet them. Akira was standing right beside Naea, and she immediately extended her hand, passing the heavy package forward. "Happy birthday, Champ," Akira said with a warm, genuine smile.
Zheng's smile widened as she took the gift, feeling the distinct shape beneath the wrapping. "Thank you so much, Miss Akira!" she replied, her eyes shining with genuine gratitude.
Naea stepped forward next, softly offering her own sweet birthday wishes. Zheng looked at Naea, the admiration completely transparent in her eyes as she spoke softly, indirectly showering her with a profound compliment. "Honestly,Miss Naea... your presence just brought this entire party to life."
Naea caught the subtle, heartfelt compliment and reacted with a graceful, appreciative smile. Within moments, Aunt Zhi also spotted them through the crowd and rushed over, her face glowing with pure maternal happiness as she welcomed the small family into the fold.
From that point on, the night dissolved into pure, untamed joy. The heavy clouds of the past week were entirely forgotten in the warmth of the celebration. Everyone mingled effortlessly, shifting from lighthearted conversations to enjoying the delicious food layout. As the night deepened, people hit the dance floor, singing along to the upbeat tracks, laughing, and dancing without a single care in the world. Everything was flowing beautifully, moving in a perfectly normal, happy, and comforting rhythm.
Throughout the evening, the chatter flowed effortlessly, and Zheng found herself staying close to Naea's side for most of the night. Intrigued by her intensive preparation, Naea turned to her with a warm, encouraging look. "So, Zheng, how did your examination papers go?"
Zheng's eyes lit up with genuine pride. "They went incredibly well! And honestly, it's all because of how beautifully Miss Naea taught and guided me."
Naea let out a soft, humble laugh, waving her hand dismissively. "That's not entirely true, Zheng. All of this success is the direct result of your own immense hard work and dedication."
"Maybe," Zheng smiled playfully, before her expression turned slightly mischievous. She leaned in a fraction closer. "But you haven't forgotten your promise, have you? You told me that if my exams went well, you would give me a reward."
Naea's smile widened as she nodded. "Yes, of course I remember. But you still haven't told me what exactly it is that you want."
"I'll tell you the exact moment my very last exam is over," Zheng replied confidently. Naea simply chuckled and nodded her head in agreement, completely fine with the mystery.
Meanwhile, a few feet away, Akira was keeping a close eye on little Naria. She had noticed how Naea had tirelessly handled and carried the baby throughout the entire thirty-minute drive and the initial part of the party. Wanting to give Naea some breathing room and let her feel completely free to enjoy the celebration, Akira smoothly took over, cradling Naria in her own arms.
While keeping the baby perfectly comfortable, Akira drifted into an easy, respectful conversation with Aunt Zhi. She completely blended into the background, balancing her protective eye over her family while letting Naea shine and relax under the resort lights.
The music transitioned into a soft, melodic tune as the announcement for the cake-cutting ceremony echoed through the resort hall. Everyone gathered around the beautifully decorated central table, clapping and cheering as Zheng stepped forward. With a bright, confident smile, she sliced through the large birthday cake.
But the moment the slice was lifted, the cheerful chatter in the room instantly dropped into a stunned, confused silence.
Instead of turning to her mother or her close friends, Zheng confidently guided the very first bite straight toward Naea.
Naea blinked in absolute surprise, completely caught off guard, while the surrounding guests exchanged puzzled whispers. A few feet away, Akira stood perfectly still, her dark eyes tracking the movement of Zheng's hand. Her expression remained unreadable, but a sharp, cold knot instantly tightened inside her chest.
Sensing the sudden confusion in the room, Zheng spoke up, her voice clear and unapologetic. "This birthday is incredibly special for me because my exams went beautifully—and that is entirely because of Miss Naea. So, she is the one who truly deserves this very first bite."
Hearing her explanation, the tension in the crowd softened, and most of the guests began nodding and clapping in agreement, viewing it as a pure gesture of respect toward a mentor. However, Naea remained grounded. She looked at Zheng with a gentle but firm gaze, shaking her head softly as she chose not to accept the bite.
"Zheng, this first bite belongs to your mother," Naea said, her voice carrying a deep, comforting maturity. "You are happy and confident today because of her unconditional love. Even the opportunity for me to guide you only happened because Aunt Zhi personally trusted and asked me to teach you. She is the one who deserves this."
Realizing the profound truth in Naea's words, Zheng's eyes softened. She nodded respectfully and turned around, feeding the first piece of cake to Aunt Zhi instead. The crowd erupted into loud cheers, showering Zheng with warm wishes and singing aloud for her birthday.
Everyone dove back into the festive mood, laughing and enjoying the cake. But amidst the clapping and the happy music, Akira felt the remaining warmth of the evening completely drain out of her. Standing there with Naria in her arms, she suddenly felt entirely out of place. The open weight of Zheng's devotion toward Naea, combined with the secrets she was carrying in her own heart, made it impossible to breathe normally. The celebratory atmosphere had suddenly turned suffocating, and Akira couldn't shake the unsettling feeling twisting deep inside her soul.
Unable to bear the suffocating weight of the celebration any longer, Akira needed a moment to escape. Turning to Naea, she gently transferred a quiet Naria back into her arms, whispering that she needed to use the restroom. Naea nodded softly, watching her walk away, entirely unaware of the storm brewing inside her partner.
As Akira walked into the spacious restroom area, she instantly froze near the entrance.
Zheng was already in there, standing near the mirrors with one of her close friend. Akira instinctively stepped back into the shadows of the doorway, knowingly keeping herself hidden. She hadn't wanted to deal with any awkward confrontations tonight, but before she could turn around and leave, the voices of the two girls echoed clearly through the quiet space.
"I have to admit, Zheng... your choice is absolutely elite," her friend said, laughing as she leaned against the counter. "Miss Naea is incredibly pretty, and she is so damn humble. You've got great taste."
Zheng smiled, picking up a paper towel to wipe away a stray smudge of birthday cake from her jaw. Her tone carried an unfiltered, arrogant confidence. "My choices are always perfect. And honestly, I don't think I've ever met anyone like Naea in my entire life."
Her friend raised an eyebrow, catching the sudden shift in her wording. "Oh? Moving from 'Miss Naea' to just 'Naea' already? What's the play here, Zheng?"
"The play is that I am not stepping back anymore," Zheng stated bluntly, her eyes locking with her own reflection in the mirror. "I am going to put in my absolute everything, and I am going to make Naea mine."
A sharp, warning chill ran down Akira's spine in the shadows, her dark eyes narrowing instantly.
Inside, Zheng's friend let out a skeptical sigh. "Come on, drop it, man. They have such a beautiful, perfect family. Why the hell do you want to ruin and tear that apart?"
"Yeah, it's a very beautiful family," Zheng replied, a cold, casual shrug accompanying her words. "And it will stay beautiful... even if we have to replace someone inside it."
Hearing the word replace, Akira's chest tightened violently. The phantom tears of the past week, the agonizing hours spent watching her family sleep, and the terrifying fear of losing them—it all collided with a sudden, vicious wave of raw fury.
Zheng's friend let out a low whistle, clearly amused by the drama. "Oh wow. And what about her partner? She looks incredibly sharp and attractive too, you know. Tell you what—you take Naea, and just hand her partner over to me."
Zheng chuckled darkly, tossing the paper towel into the bin. "Oh? And what's the benefit in that for you?"
"Come on, if you are taking what you want, why shouldn't I take what I want?" her friend laughed shamelessly.
In the shadows of the doorway, the final thread of Akira's legendary restraint snapped into absolute dust.
Her fingers curled with a terrifying force, her knuckles turning bone-white as her hands clenched into lethal fists. The burning, uncontrollable rage completely took over her senses. Moving with the silent, lethal speed of a predator, Akira stepped out of the shadows and stormed directly into the restroom.
Before either of the girls could even register a shadow moving, Akira closed the distance. Her arm shot forward like a lightning bolt, her fingers viciously wrapping around the fabric of Zheng's collar.
With a brutal, unyielding force, she slammed Zheng backward until her spine crashed violently against the solid tiled wall. The mirrors rattled under the impact.
Locking her dark, burning, and completely murderous eyes directly onto the terrified face of the 19-year-old, Akira leaned in, her voice dropping into a lethal, venomous growl that vibrated through the entire room:
"Zheng Zhi..."
The venomous growl of her name hadn't even faded before Akira violently slammed Zheng down, pushing her forcefully onto the hard tiled floor. Breathing heavily, her eyes burning with unadulterated rage, Akira didn't give her a single second to recover. Stepping forward, she aggressively hauled Zheng back up by her clothes and delivered a devastating, resounding slap across her face.
The moment Akira had first grabbed Zheng's collar, her campus friend had completely panicked. Instead of staying to help, the girl had cowardly bolted out of the restroom door, leaving Akira and Zheng completely isolated in the echoing space.
Zheng stumbled backward, holding her throbbing cheek, her voice trembling but still defiant. "Miss Akira... what is wrong with you? Why are you—"
Before she could even finish her sentence, Akira's fist shot forward, landing a brutal, incredibly sharp punch straight across Zheng's jaw.
"Don't you dare speak another word!" Akira roared, her voice dropping into a terrifyingly dark register. "If I hear my name, Naea's name, or Naria's name come out of your filthy mouth ever again, I will make sure you regret breathing!"
Akira closed the distance again, cornering the younger girl against the counter, her piercing glare drilling straight into Zheng's wide eyes. "Naea looks at you and sees a good student, a decent person who deserves a future! But you... you are nothing but a parasite trying to tear her family apart, trying to steal her happiness and rip her away from the people who actually love her!"
With another surge of uncontrollable fury, Akira delivered another heavy blow.
Hearing those words, the confusion in Zheng's eyes finally dissolved, replaced by a dark, chilling realization. She finally understood that Akira had overheard everything. But instead of breaking down or begging for mercy, a twisted, arrogant smile slowly crept across Zheng's bloodied lips. She wiped the corner of her mouth, looking directly back into Akira's murderous eyes.
"So what, Akira?" Zheng spat out, her 19-year-old arrogance flaring up. "If it's about her happiness... I can become that happiness too. I can fill that place in her family. I am completely capable of giving her every single ounce of joy she deserves!"
The sheer audacity of her statement completely destroyed whatever microscopic shred of restraint Akira had left. She lunged forward, throwing a barrage of heavy, unforgiving punches. But Zheng, fueled by her boxing instincts and raw adrenaline, didn't just take the beating anymore. She braced herself and fought back fiercely, delivering a shockingly sharp, heavy punch right back at Akira's face. The pristine restroom instantly turned into a chaotic, violent battleground, the air thick with heavy breathing, striking fists, and an intensely dangerous environment.
Meanwhile, outside in the main hall, Zheng's friend had sprinted straight through the crowd. Realizing that calling the security guards would create a massive public scandal for Zheng's birthday, she targeted the only person who could stop the madness.
"Miss Naea! Please, come to the washroom immediately!" the girl gasped, breathless and trembling with fear. "Your partner... she is beating Zheng up completely ruthlessly!"
Naea's heart dropped into her stomach. Without asking a single question, she handed Naria over to a next table to Aunt Zhi and rushed toward the washroom area.
Pushing the heavy doors open, the violent sounds of flesh hitting flesh echoed loudly against the tiled walls. Naea froze for a split second, her eyes widening in horror as she saw a disheveled, bleeding Zheng trading brutal blows with a completely unhinged, murderous Akira.
Breaking out of her shock, Naea threw herself straight into the middle of the violent chaos, physically stepping between the two fighting forms.
"Stop it! Just stop it, both of you right now!" Naea screamed, her voice cutting through the intense rage of the room like a blade.