A sudden rage consumed Mira and she grabbed onto a coat hung with the rest by the wall and stormed out of Ming Tao’s bed chambers. If he was going to have a bath, she guessed he would be at the stream so she headed there straight from his room.

That man was not serious. If he had an issue with her, then he should state it and if he was going to be a tantrum throwing baby, she would force him to speak. And when he finally does and they clear the air, she can finally give him a piece of his own medicine without the mean words.

When Mira arrived at the stream, she took a deep breath. Her heart was racing and she did not know why. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Ming Tao is my husband, she reminded herself in her mind, he may have been a ridiculous asshole a few minutes ago, but he was till my husband. Mira let out an exhale and shut her eyes to prepare herself before making her presence known to him. The sight before Mira made her lips part. Her jaw dropped in disbelief at the person she saw with Ming Tao in his private stream. A woman she never thought she would be meeting in a long, long while.

"What is she doing here, Ming Tao?" Mira blurted, her brows furrowed and eyes full of rage. Her own sister, Hye Yang was in the stream. She was not undressed nor was she inside the water, but she being here was so infuriating. It made Mira uncomfortable, especially because Mira was with child.

Mira shut her eyes then parted it back open to check whether she was dreaming or hallucinating. She was not. Her sister was standing before her in the flesh with a wide grin on her face as she clung to Ming Tao’s hand.

"Answer me immediately! What is she doing here, Ming Tao?!" Mira yelled. She was out of breath from speed walking to the stream.

Hye Yang’s laugh echoed in the stream as she tugged at Ming Tao’s arm. "If you cannot see it sister, let me spell it out for you. I am his special guest. The one he was with last night instead of coming to you." Hye Yang blurted out loud like an achievement. Mira ignored her.

"I am waiting for a reply, Ming Tao." Mira pressed. Hye Yang’s smiled faded into a sneer as Mira acted like her presence was air. She hated being ignored so she pressed her body onto Ming Tao’s arm and Ming Tao did not shove her away. This made Mira grit her teeth. She did not want to show how much she was affected by everything in front of her sister but it was getting hard to hide it.

Ming Tao let out a lazy breath as he his eyes rolled up to face the woman supposed to be his wife. He looked bored. "As she said, she is my guest." Ming Tao confirmed. Hye Yang’s sneer drifted back into a half grin.

Mira wanted to say so many things but she hesitated. Not in front of her sister. "Hye Yang, leave."

"No." Hye Yang said, she took her hands off Ming Tao’s and walked in front of himh. "You thought you won in the lion clan. You thought you had your way when you chased me away but little did you know you were wrong, sister." Hye Yang gestured maniacally with every word. Her voice as full of excitement and malice. Mira swallowed, she could not believe this was the sister she spared. "I may be banished from the pride lands but I am still welcome here/ and guess what? The people here love me. Unlike a certain someone I know." Hye Yang shifted into a melancholic suppressed tone as she concluded her statement. She meant Mira by her words. Mira swallowed.

"I will not say this more then twice. Leave us here. Husband and wife need to speak and the irrelevant thing should not be here." Mira stated calmly.

Hye Yang’s fist clenched at Mira’s words. She hated that her sister was not reacting the way she expected her to. She hated that she was not giving her the satisfaction of watching her lose her mind. She hated that her sister acted like she did not exist even though she was talking right in front of her. Hye Yang hated all of it. She ran back to Ming Tao and stayed behind him, like she wanted him to be her shield.

"Ming Tao, she wants to chase me away. Do something." Hye Yang whispered. Her tone was completely different as submissive. Mira could not help but huff in disbelief at what was going on. If that girl does not walk out when she was asking politely, she would grab her by the hair and throw her out with her bare hands. At first, Ming Tao did not say or do anything. He just stood there, staring blankly. That was until Hye Yang tapped him. And like a switch was flipped. He shook his head up.

"No one leaves." He stated, his voice firm. "And even if anyone was to do so, it would be you, Mira." Ming Tao said.

Mira could not believe her ears. What on earth did her sister do to her husband? It seemed like he was under some kind of spell that programmed him to say the kind of things she wanted him to say.

Mira let out a careful sigh. She made her way to Ming Tao, raised her hand high up and struck him across the face. For the first time. She noticed an emotion written across his face but that only lasted a little bit longer than a second. Ming Tao looked confused and hurt before his expression dimmed into blandness. "You will address me with respect." Mira spat at Ming Tao.

Hye Yang stood there, stiff as a stone as fear tickled down her spine. This was the least of her expectations. In fact, she never imagined her sister, the one who let herself be prone to her dirty tricks, have the back bone to hit the Mighty cheetah across the face.

Mira tilted her head to the side to look at the rat standing behind her husband. "If you know what is good for you, you will step away from him and run when I am giving you the chance to or I swear, I will beat you till you barely recognise yourself and drag you across this ground as your skin peels and that will not even be the end of your torture."

Hye Yang shivered. She loved her skin and beauty more than anything and never in her life did she expect to hear such terrifying words from her sister. It was almost as if this Mira standing before her was a completely different being than the one she used to know. Where was the Mira who let herself take the blame for Hye Yang’s dirty antics and hide away in fear when Hye Yang did something terribl because everyone would think it was her? Hye Yang could not understand this. The woman standing before her looked terrifying, way different from Mira Yang, the demon of the forest.

"You are still here?!" Mira barked. Her voice echoed in the stream like thunder and Hye Yang nearly peed herself. She squirmed. She was in the cheetah’s territory yet her sister acted like the one who had the power. This vexed her. After all she did to get inside here, she least expected this.

"I-" Hye Yang began. Her eyes met Ming Tao’s back before shifting back to face Mira. Mira lost her patience. She pulled a hand forward and held Hye Yang by the hair. Her fingers tightened into the woman’s hair and she pulled Hye Yang like a rag doll with a strength she never knew she possessed. Mira knocked Hye Yang’s body onto the ground.

Hye Yang shrieked with pain. She lifted her body up the ground and scurried away. Now it was just Mira and Ming Tao left alone in the stream.

Mira looked at the man standing in front of her. She lifted her other hand then placed a resounding slap across the planes of his smooth skin.

Ming Tao stood still. His face swung to the other side in the opposing direction due to the slap. His eyes landed on Mira. There was no hate nor anger. Just. . . sadnesss.

What? He was sad? Mira could not understand. His cruel words replayed in her head again and she wanted to give him another smack on his face but she held herself from doing so. "Now we’re alone." Mira whispered, she felt drained. "Talk to me. Explain to me why. I really need you to. I do not want to have any hateful feelings towards you, Ming Tao. So please, don’t make me and tell me why." Mira sniffed and swallowed.

They made love just two nights ago. She was carrying his child and wanted to tell him that more than anything yet here he was, being a completely different person to her. It hurt worse than a bitch.

Ming Tao’s face was directed at her now and a tear ran down his cheek. "Darling," he cooed. "Help me, please. I am not myself."