The Unfilial Daughter - Chapter 20

Noon was among the busiest time on the streets of Hong Kong; buses, cars, and various other types of vehicles saturated the roads while endless streams of pedestrians flowed from all directions. Hidden along the currents was Karena.

Dressed in a floral beige camisole and stonewashed jeans, a large navy sling bag across her petite body, she was perhaps the only person amongst the crowd carrying a sweet smile glistening with happiness.

A radiant smile that only two people had the ability to bring to her lovely face.

The first was her only sibling, Edison.

The second was her handsome boyfriend, Ekin. And it was indeed the latter that she was rushing to meet.

Unaware of the sorrow awaiting her.

A joyful bounce in each step, she light-heartedly made her way to the Italian restaurant her boyfriend and her had agreed to dine at. Seconds after glancing around the dimly lit restaurant, she spotted her boyfriend sitting at a table located on the right of a large white pillar.

Instantly her smile widened as she headed toward his direction. But her happiness was short-lived. Only a foot from the pillar, her eyes traveled to the opposite side of the table and saw a familiar male figure.

Her father.

Her smile immediately faltered as her legs came to a stop, placing her just out of the two men's view.

Her father had found out about her boyfriend.

As hard as she had tried to hide her relationship from her parents, knowing they would disapprove, her father still found out.

"Name your price," her father said in a smooth voice, before taking a sip from his cup. It had only taken her seconds to realize what his intentions were.

Her father was doing what he did best.

He was deciding her life.

The same way he had paid Amanda to leave her brother, he intended to pay her boyfriend to leave her.

With each second that passed, her heart pound furiously, anxiously waiting for her boyfriend's answer.

Afraid of what his answer might be.

Seated on the far end of the table, her boyfriend's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "I don't know what you mean, Mr. Chen. I love Karena with all my heart."

His reassuring words made her heart swell with joy, bringing a small smile to her lips, but such happiness did not last.

A sudden cold chuckle from her father made her hands shake with fear. "Since it's just you and me, you can cut the act. I've already had you checked out. Cheng E-Kin...age...thirty-five...born in Hong Kong...parents passed away at age five...raised by your uncle...a con artist...began conning professionally by age seventeen..targets mostly young rich girls....almost married twice...each time the girls... parents had to pay you off. Is there anything I missed?"

"You must have mistaken Mr. Chen," Ekin protested.

A sly smile appeared on her father's confident face. "I don't think so. Your uncle already told me everything. It's quite amazing what $100,000 is capable of. Let's cut to the chase, shall we?"

Rather quickly her boyfriend's expression changed, his once innocent warm eyes suddenly turned cold and menacing, revealing a side she had never seen before.

"Name your price," the elder Chen repeated confidently.

"One million dollars."

"Fine, but you have to leave Hong Kong immediately."

"No problem."

The unexpected exchange made her stagger backwards unknowingly, unable to believe the reality that had just unfolded before her very eyes.

Con artist.

Her boyfriend was a con artist.

He was only with her for money.

Finally unable to suppress her shattered heart, a small sob escaped her lips, catching the attention of the two men, surprising both. Taking one last look at the two through her tearful eyes, she swiftly turned and ran out the restaurant.

Once on the hard cement sidewalk, she ran as fast as her slender legs could carry her, bumping into surrounding pedestrians. From behind a loud voice called for her but her wild mind could not hear.

Would it have made a difference if she had heard?

Would her heart have ached less?

Would it have saved her life?

Absentmindedly, she ran into the street just as a car was coming. The impact came quickly, sending her onto the pavement several feet away.

"Karena!"

*

Inside the large open office belonging to Edison, he forced an obligatory smile as he dismissed two investors from his office. As the door closed beware the two men, Edison pinched the bridge of his nose, leaning his head onto the leather exterior of his chair. Tired and exhausted from the previous meeting, he unconsciously drifted off.

The expression on his handsome face slowly relaxing as he entered into another world.

After an uncertain amount of time, he felt a soft touch caressing the side of his face, bringing consciousness back into this weary body. Much to his surprise, the face of his sister met him as he opened his eyes.

"Karena," he called but she only smiled. "When did you get here? Why didn't you wake me up?"

Again instead of answering his questions his sister continued to smile. Meanwhile his heart began growing uneasy.

Despite the sweet smile on her face, his sister's eyes were filled with sorrow. But why?

"Edison!" called a familiar female voice. Instantly his sister's presence faded away as he felt his body jerk upwards. When his eyes opened again, only the distressed face of his wife greeted him.

"Edison, wake up. Wake up," his wife cried. "Karena was hit by a car."

*

The sound of their quick hard heels echoed through the hospital halls as her husband and her approached the emergency room where her sister-in-law was sent, meeting the grim expressions of her in-laws.

At the same time stepping out of the heavy pale blue curtains to greet them was an elder doctor dressed in a light blue hospital gown.

Immediately her mother-in-law rushed toward the doctor. "Doctor, how is my daughter?"

Under other circumstances Gillian would have been surprised by the other's concern, seeing how her sister-in-law had been mistreated, but now all that occupied her mind was her sister-in-law's well being.

Unconsciously, she inched toward her husband as the doctor began to speak. "I am sorry. The patient did not make it."

Even before her mind could register the heart wrenching news, her husband's sudden bolt through the offensive curtains instantly had her trailing from behind.

On the other side of the pale blue curtains, the large bed covered by a white sheet immediately called her husband's attention as she stood steps behind him, still in the state of shock; unable to believe the surreal truth.

Inch by inch, her husband slowly lifted the large sheet as her eyes soon met the pale complexion of her sister-in-law, who looked as if she was merely asleep.

And asleep she was indeed.

Eternal sleep.

But how could that be?

How could someone so wonderful and so young die so early?

Only several days ago, they were walking around her sister-in-law's botanical nursery as the other explained to her the varies kinds of plants that grew there.

Now she was gone.

"Karena," her husband called softly, making her heart ache. "Karena, wake up."

Almost feeling a sense of reluctance, she slowly tore her eyes away from the sweet features of her sister-in-law to meet the unreadable expression of her husband. Through blurry tears, she watched as he lifted his hand to gently caress his sister's face.

Even biting down onto her lower lip was unable to stop the overflowing bitter liquid that ran from her eyes down to her jaw as she placed a gentle hand onto his forearm. "Please Edison, don't be like this."

Seeing her husband so sad and vulnerable filled her heart with pain and helplessness. How she would she could ease his sorrow. But she knew only too well that would not be possible, at least not at the present time. After all, if god forbid, it was her brother that was on that bed instead, she couldn't even imagine being able to cope with the loss.

"Karena, wake up," her husband cried. "You promised you would never leave me. You promised even if the entire world abandoned me you would still be by my side. You promised."

His pleads made her heart ache even more, not knowing what else she could do, she wrapped her arms around her husband from behind, burying her head onto his back as they both broke into sobs.

From outside closed curtains, the entire floor heard the alternating cries and screams coming from inside.

It was a day they would never forget.

It was a day their angel returned to heaven.