The Unfilial Daughter - Chapter 31

The curtains over the double sliding glass doors were pulled shut. The lights were off. With the exception of the small glow from the alarm clock the large rectangular bedroom was enclosed in absolute darkness. From the model racecar collection that filled the shelves to the walk-in closet that was almost equal size to the room, all was hidden.

Hidden behind a blanket of emptiness.

"Hi, this is Charlene. I'm not available right now. Please leave your name and number and I'll return your call as soon as I can. Thanks."

The sweet voice vibrated from the receiver. His grip around the smooth handset tightened until the pads of his fingers were numb. But with the same force, his powerful thumb landed on a small rubber button and abruptly ended the call before the anticipated piercing beep. His heart wanted to hold on but his pride made him let go.

He was no longer in her thoughts.

He was no longer the one she loved.

He had lost her.

The only comfort came from the occasionally glimpses of her he managed from deliberately waiting by her home or boutique. He was aware of exactly what went on in her quiet life. To his surprise, not only did she not go back to Kenny Chung, she signed the divorce papers to end their marriage of two and a half years. On top of that she had adopted Timmy. Their Timmy. Her full lips curved into such a sweet smile when she looked at the young boy that he couldn't help feeling a twinge of jealousy.

She had once given him the same sweet smile. The same loving grace. But that would be no more.

With his back against the cushioned backboard of large king-sized bed, Nicholas looked distantly into the still darkness through the feathery long bangs that covered half of his face. Rather than the usual home attire, he wore a wrinkly unbuttoned silk navy-blue shirt and a pair black pants displaying the same traces of neglect. The same outfit had earned him many admiring glances and flirtatious smiles the night before at the Mayor's celebration party. But like his expressionless features, they too had lost their appeal.

He had not slept a wink the entire night. The familiar feeling of numbing boredom enveloped him again. Irritating him. Frustrating him. He sought for an escape. But how could one escape from their own self?

In the last year, he had bribed, hurt, sabotaged, and prorogated. Sending thugs to harass innocent residents in order to acquire their building. Bribing an architect to make the structure of what would be the biggest resort in Hong Kong unsound.

Was this the same man that had spent six months just lounging on a beach in Hawaii? Partied seventy-two hours straight without sleeping? Volunteered at an orphanage for the fun of it?

He hadn't always been an honorable man. But for the first time in his life he was malicious and calculative.

A trail of loud hollers broke through his thoughts and made his brows furrow. In an instant the stillness that encapsulated the large room evaporated. With cat-like reflexes, he hopped off of the bed and headed out to investigate.

His eyes needed a second to adjust to the light. When they were finally focused, he stood stunned over the metal banister, overlooking the living room. Two of the maids were by the front door, trying desperately to keep a tall intruder from entering, but failing miserably due to their obvious physical inferiorities. The intruder dressed in a casual cotton sweater and slacks registered in his mind immediately.

Daniel Wu.

"Let him in."

His order was met by silent obedience. The two maids dutifully moved away from the door and allowed the taller man to enter.

"There will be nothing else," he spoke one last time to the maids before meeting the other man's furious expression.

"Why did you sabotage the resort?"

They stood face to face in the middle of the modernly furnished living room. A pair of chilling eyes meeting a pair of flaming ones.

Nicholas realized immediately the reason for Daniel's visit. The taller man had found out about the sabotage. His expression hardened instantly, half annoyed by the other man's presence and half irritated by his own bad mood.

"How could you sabotage the beams? People could have been killed."

"It would have been their bad luck." The answer was a front to cover his own traces of guilt as well as an attempt to get a ride out of the other man. It gave him pleasure when Daniel's expression darkened some more.

"You b@stard!"

"Revenge always has a price."

"How could you be so cold-blooded?"

"Simple. I don't lost sight of myself the way you do," his lips curled in angry distaste, "allowing myself to be wrapped around the pinky of a woman that betrayed me."

He wanted the other man to hurt because he was hurt.

"You -- I'm going to expose you. I'm not going to let you get away with this," Daniel raised his right index finger and pointed threateningly at him.

"Are you sure about that?" Nicholas crossed to the bar and began pouring out a glass of brandy. He hated the other man for acting as though he was better. "Do you really think you can claim innocence? After all, were we not in this together? Did you not want revenge on the Chungs? Spreading the truth of their financial situation all over the grapevines?"

"I never agreed on harming innocent people," the other man firmly held his ground.

"Who's to prove it? You're in it just as deep as I am. If something happens to me, you can be sure I will drag you right down with me." His lips gave way to a smirk.

"You--"

He took a sip and slowly rocked the tall shapely glass held in his palm. "I suggest that you remain an obedient little soldier and do your job as the Marketing Director -- think up a wonderful proposal to promote the resort," the right side of his lips lifted even higher, "it's just ashamed that it will never be put to use because I can promise you that I will not let the Chungs complete that resort. And if you're thinking about quitting -- you can forget about it. You signed a five-year contract. Even if you sold your soul, you still won't be able to afford to get out of it."

*

A smile was still on Gillian's lips when she entered through the left side of double mahogany doors into the living room with her mother following closely behind. The weather had been nice out. The sun was warm. The wind was breezy but not cold. And for the first time in days, she felt refreshed and well rested. The doctor had written her off as a case of a bad cold and should be back on her feet in a few more days.

It had been a long time since it was just her mother and herself on an outing. Even after her return from New York, all too often life came in the way of spending time together. Whether it was work or her relationship with Edison. But her mother always understood. She never complained nor reprimanded. Instead, she only kissed away fears and soothed away insecurities whenever Gillian needed.

As far as she was concerned, her mother was the best mother in the world.

Continuing their lighthearted chatter, Gillian climbed up the long spiral stairs and down the hall with her mother, their relaxed features brightened when they noticed the three men in the den but just as quickly mixed with confusion and shock.

"Is this really true? Is Nicholas Tse really your son?" Her brother asked, towering over their father's mahogany desk. While her husband stood a few steps behind. In his usual seat behind the large desk, her father's face was pale, almost sickly. And in his hands was a piece of paper, slightly wrinkled.

The scene made her heart uneasy.

Of the three men, only her husband turned to acknowledge their entrance but even his expression was solemn and unreadable.

"Kenny, what did you just say?" Gillian situated herself between the two standing men, determined to have her brother repeat his question again, stunned by what she thought she had heard.

"Is Nicholas Tse really your son?"

After another long minute she received her answer. Her older brother's gaze remained fixed on their father. "Is Nicholas Tse really your son?"

Her eyes wandered to her father, glittering with hope that he would deny the accusation but he did not. And to his left, her mother had become ash white.

"He is your son, isn't he?" her brother's voice had become shaky.

When her father finally spoke, it was in a strain and distant way that Gillian had never heard from him before, not the strong and decisive tone she had come to know. "Why didn't she tell me?" His eyes closed shut. Pain overwhelmed his aging features. "Margie, why? Why didn't you tell me?"

Like her brother, Gillian felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her.

Nicholas Tse was her father's son.

Their brother.

*

Traces of the recent shower continued to linger. Clear droplets dripped in a soft rhythm from the ends of his dark shiny hair onto the collar of his black t-shirt. The blue gym pants clung to his long muscular legs where moisture was still present.

Alone in the patio, Nicholas listened to the rustling sound of leaves attacked by the fierce wind. Without an opponent to defend against and take his anger on, he felt the painful boredom in his heart again. This time it was combined with guilt.

He had put the lives of many innocent people in jeopardy. He hadn't meant to. He only wanted to harm one family.

The Chungs.

From behind a deep voice called to him. Immediately he recognized the voice.

His adopted father.

Simon Tse was the only father he had ever known. And the only family he had since the death of his mother. Charming and suave, he was every bit of what old money should be. Known in high society as a charitable and generous man, no one would have guess the ruthless ways he used to pursue business, to persecute the Chungs.

"Father," he met the bright knowing eyes of his adopted father.

The older man took the seat next to his. "I heard we had a visit from Daniel Wu."

Nicholas nodded. "He found out about the resort. But I already took care of him."

"Good," came a nod of approval. "I've gotten wind that Edison Chen managed to get backing from the bank."

"What?"

Nicholas had been so sure that the setback would mean the end to Chung Enterprises. And success to his pursue for revenge. But now...

"I've already got another idea," the older man said thoughtfully.

"What is it?"

"A bomb."

"A bomb?"

"Yes, a bomb that would destroy the entire resort from bottom up."

Nicholas suddenly saw all the people that would fall victim to the act and felt a shiver. He never meant for it to go this far. "But all the innocent people--"

"With every goal there must be sacrifices Nicholas. If we are to destroy the Chungs then there must be a price."

"But--"

What would have been if he had not accidentally overheard his adopted father speaking with the private investigator? Hadn't found out that Tony Chung was his biological father. Hadn't found out that Tony Chung and his wife were the true culprits behind his mother's death.

At the very moment, he almost wished he never found out the truth.

"Your mother would not have died if it wasn't for the Chungs. Tony Chung lured her there that night. Then his heartless wife...I'm not going to push you. You are already more involved than I ever wanted."

It had been sheer coincidence for them to find out the truth. His adopted father had hired the private investigator with the intention of finding the driver that had hit his mother. For years there were no leads. Then the private investigator made a breakthrough, he found a resident that had lived in a nearby village a while back but had moved away that claimed to have seen his mother by the lake with a man then later on with a woman. He saw when the car hit her but had not notified the police, afraid of calling attention to himself -- to his small drug dealing business. The man was Tony Chung. The woman was Carina Chung.

It was the goodness in his mother's heart that had caused her death.

"I'll finish off the Chungs alone."

The raw determination in his adopted father's eyes made Nicholas realize just how in love the older man had been with his mother. And just how great that love was. The ability to take the son of the woman he loved into his heart. The ability to jeopardize everything there was to seek revenge for her.

If his adopted father could sacrifice so much for his mother then so could he.

"No father, we will finish off the Chungs together."

*

The air in the large room felt suffocating despite the strong ventilation system. Quietness encapsulated the room as the occupants inwardly absorbed the sudden alarming revelation.

Nicholas Tse was the son of Tony Chung and his first love, Margie Tsang.

Edison felt a surge of emotions after hearing his father-in-law conveyed the tragic love story that continued to live in him even after thirty years. He was able to clearly picture his father-in-law as a young man just stepping out of college. And for the first time in his pamper life meeting a young woman from a different class, someone not as privileged as himself but equally proud, and being fascinated by her. Using teasing words to capture her attention without knowing why. Wanting to make her smile without really understanding.

It was love in the most innocent way.

Like his own first love, his father-in-law faced opposition from his rich family for loving a woman below their social status. Even worse was the fact she had grown up in an orphanage. But those were only some of the reasons; the most important one was that his father-in-law's parents had already set their sights on the perfect addition to their family, the perfect alliance of power, the daughter of a powerful politician.

Carina Chung, his wife's mother.

And like Amanda, Margie Tsang left, but for an entirely different reason that Edison couldn't help but feel some admiration for. Being a prideful young woman in love, she choose to leave rather than continue to put his father-in-law in the painful position of being torn being his family and her. And even despite the older man's best efforts, she managed to elude him. She had loved him enough to sacrifice herself for his happiness. Eventually his father-in-law did comply with his parent's wishes and married Carina Chung. But the habit of going to the small lake in the forest where he had spent many happy moments with his first love continued every night.

Ironic how it was at that same lake that Margie Tsang lost her life.

The tale reminded Edison much of his own experience, having to choose between his family and the woman he loved. It was the same way for Amanda and the same way for Gillian. In both times, he had chosen them but only the latter time he had made a correct choice. Amanda had not loved him. She left with his father's first offer.

One million dollars.

Though painful, at least Margie Tsang had wholeheartedly loved his father-in-law. And had their story not ended tragically then the existence of his brother-in-law and his wife would never be.

It was an unending cycle of cause and effect.

"You were with her that night at the lake?" Edison referred to the night that Margie Tsang died, ventured to the lake in the deep forest to meet his father-in-law at the man's insistence when she ran into him at a business party some years later.

While the other attendees' averted their eyes into the distance, clinging to the safe embrace of numbness, he alone watched the older man's pained face.

"Yes," the reply came weakly, "I never should have left her alone. I shouldn't have left first. I shouldn't have...I couldn't even go to her funeral because as long as I didn't see her in that casket, I could still pretend she was alive."

He never imagined a man like his father-in-law could be so sentimental. But then love had made even stronger men weak, Edison thought, taking a quick glance at his wife. "Even after all those years, she still didn't tell you about the son she had with you?"

"No. When I asked her to leave with me she refused. She told me to go back to my family....told me to treat them well. Even then, she was putting my happiness above her own...bearing all the burden herself...Why did God have to take her? After all these years I still dream of that night. Each time, I see bright lights coming and I rush to her but..."

"It wouldn't have been too late if she had made it to the hospital in time. It wouldn't have been too late if I had called for help in time."

Edison's head snapped to window where his mother-in-law stood. In the same disbelief, his wife and in-laws did the same.

"What?" His father-in-law managed.

"I was there that night. I followed you there. I wanted to see where you went every night after we all went to sleep. And I finally found my answer," tears were slowly sliding down the porcelain face. "You told her how much you loved her and missed her...despite the years...despite our marriage and our two children. You begged her to leave with you...to a place where no one would know you two. I heard every single word."

And it broke her heart, Edison thought grimly.

His wife made a move towards the window but her mother gestured weakly for her to stop. "I saw the disappointment that filled your eyes as you left," her expressive eyes continued in the direction of his father-in-law. "I was on my way to the car when she saw me. She called for me and asked me to listen to her. She said she had no intention of taking you away. She promised to walk out of our lives. All the while I just kept going. My legs were weak and I could barely breath through my sobs but I kept going. I didn't want to face her. I didn't want her to see me. Suddenly a flash of lights blinded me. I felt a hard shove to my back. When I finally came to my senses the car was already gone. And she was lying on the ground. I wanted to run to her. I wanted to help her. But I couldn't. I drove off without turning back."

His wife tumbled slightly backwards and Edison moved forward to hold her.

"She saved my life but I left her to die."