The Unfilial Daughter - Chapter 2

It had been well over a month since she accepted Daniel's proposal.

Sitting by the window inside a small cafe, Gillian stirred her cup of coffee absentmindedly, recalling her earlier conversation with Daniel and the reason she had come to the cafe.

He was once again urging her to contact her family. This time he asked her to do it for the sake of their upcoming wedding. He was right. She couldn't marry without informing her parents and brother. But her dilemma was she didn't know how. That's when Daniel suggested she contact her brother first then let things proceed from there. After a night's thinking and an entire pack of cigarettes, she agreed it was probably the best approach but even that was easier say than done.

For one thing, she didn't have her brother's direct contact number; it took some convincing to get his secretary to connect her call without having to reveal her true identity, fearing word of her call would travel to the ears of her father. She was certain that he was far from having forgiven her.

She nearly stuttered after hearing her brother's deep voice through the receiver. He sounded surprise at first but his manner quickly changed to courteous and formal which puzzled her until she heard her father's voice on the side. That helped to explain her brother's behavior and why he seemed so anxious to end the call after settling on a meeting time and location.

Two days since the call, she was now waiting at their agreed meeting location. Each minute passed like an eternity while knots were being tied in her stomach as she nervously anticipated her older brother's arrival. She had not seen him in six years. She wondered what their first meeting would be like.

Would he coddle her like when they were children or would he reprimand her for irresponsibly running away?

"Gillie!"

"Gillie" was always his nickname for her.

She looked up to see her old brother taking long strides toward her. Instantly, she found herself crushed against his broad chest. "Kenny!"

Her brother had changed a lot since the last time she saw him, his stature was much more poised; commanding respect and attention but his charming grin was still the same. After she had an eyeful of him, she noticed the petite young woman beside him. "Uh?"

"Oh, this is Charlene, my wife," Kenny smiled.

Her brother was married!

"Nice to meet you, Charlene," Gillian extended her hand respectfully while Charlene also extended hers and smiled. Charlene radiated a welcoming warmth that made Gillian instantly feel at eased with her.

But shock overcame her when Charlene moved aside, revealing her mother's slender figure. Already in her late forties, her mother, Carina Chung was still as beautiful as ever, her long mane was put up in an elegant bun, a fur shawl on her shoulders partially covering her black dress as a clutch purse rested between her two hands; she looked every bit the lady that she is.

"Mom," Gillian squeaked, rushing into her mother's ready arms.

Her mother's tender eyes looked at her longingly before blurring with tears as did her own.

It was an emotional moment for everyone but her in particular, as two of the people she loved and missed most in the world stood right in front of her for the very first time in six long years.

The next few hours flew by as Gillian relayed her struggles and accomplishments in New York to the others. Packets of tissue were opened and used. In turn, she also learned of their lives in Hong Kong.

Apparently, Kenny had taken over most of their father's business and worked diligently to continue its success. He and Charlene had met two years ago when he went to New York for business and took the opportunity to search for her whereabouts but it seem as if fate had other plans for him. During his five-day trip, he bumped into Charlene over a dozen times. One thing lead to another; the two flew over to Las Vegas and gotten married before returning to Hong Kong. It was always a joke amongst the two that Gillian was inadvertently their matchmaker.

Charlene's family was not as prominent as her own but she grew up in a loving environment. Her passion laid in fashion design and recently opened her own boutique that was coincidentally only several blocks away from Gillian's office. It was obvious from her colorful silk tank top and pink uneven chiffon skirt that she had a unique sense of style.

The moment finally came when Gillian could no longer avoid the topic. "How's Dad?"

"He's been very busy," her mother briefly answered.

Her parents had not married willingly. They too were sacrificial victims of upper-class alliances. She wished that she could say her parents had found true love through each other but that was hardly the truth. Her parents lived courteously and respected each other; there was perhaps friendship but not love.

While her father ran the family business, her mother dominated the household, and jointly took part in social obligations; they each upheld their own responsibilities and rarely crossed the boundaries.

The only time she ever saw her parents fought was immediately after her father announced his plans for her marriage.

To this day, she still could not comprehend why her father had been so adamant about the marriage. Was business and power really above all, even above his love for her?

"I guess Dad still hasn't forgiven me," Gillian frowned, bitterly.

While everyone became quiet because no one knew what to say, Charlene reached over the small table and gave Gillian's hand a comforting pat.

"Thanks," Gillian smiled weakly as she looked at Charlene's hand on hers then remembering the engagement ring that she was wearing. "Umm, actually the main reason I called was because," she hesitated momentarily, "I'm getting married soon." Waving up her engagement ring.

Her mother and the married couple took turns congratulating her as she told them about Daniel, their wide smiles never leaving their faces. The glistening in their eyes, truly made her feel blessed.

How she wished her father was amongst them right now, smiling broadly, wishing her happiness.

"Don't worry, Dad will come around," her sister-in-law assured, then giving her a mischievous wink, that seem to imply more.

The four continued to chat a bit more until they unwillingly had to depart due to the time, agreeing to meet again next time, with assurance from Gillian that she would bring Daniel along.

*

It was already long after office hours. The floor was virtually vacant but the light in one room remained lit.

Inside this spacious executive office a small pile of documents shattered about on the wide desk surface.

These were the papers that would bring her back to him.

He knew once she read the contents she would have no choice but to return to him where she rightfully belonged.

She was his.

She belonged him.

He wasn't going to let another man have her.

If he couldn't have her then no one could, he'll make sure of that.

He threw his head back onto his leather chair, playing with the letter opener in his hands and smirked as he envisioned her standing before him.

Soon.

Soon, it would not be a vision but a reality.

He would make her pay!

With that thought, he took the letter opener in his hand and swiftly stabbed into the wood of his mahogany desk.