Page 25

June

“I ’m still not sure.” Kai blurted out, his head shaking no to what we had already agreed upon.

“What are you not sure about?” Wendy asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

He sighed lightly. “Are you sure you don’t have feelings for him?”

I wasn’t expecting that from him.

“No, of course not,” I said quickly, trying to sound convincing. Too convincing. I realized then that if the answer were true, I wouldn’t need to try so hard.

Kai shrugged, then let out a bitter, hysterical laugh. “Can you believe it? Kai Li asking such a stupid question. So fucking pathetic.”

“Don’t say that.”

It had barely been an hour since Kai and I reunited, and already we were questioning and doubting each other. I used to think it was cute when Kai showed his insecure side. In the business world, he was known for his iron will, his ruthlessness, his rigid rules where weakness was unacceptable.

Part of me felt honored to witness the side of him he wouldn’t let anyone else see. But another part of me was terrified. What did it all mean? Why did he trust me enough to show me this vulnerable side?

“I’ve never felt like this for anyone. You make me go crazy.” His voice softened as if he were confessing his love for me. Unless I was totally hallucinating.

“I feel the same about you.”

Just the sight of him brought a smile to my face. No matter how miserable I was, he could always brighten my world by being there.

“How do you feel about Dannie boy?”

I hesitated for a few seconds. “It’s different.”

That probably wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear.

“Different how?” He let out a dry chuckle that sent chill down my spine. “No, don’t answer that.”

“Kai.” I reached out to touch his shoulder, but he leaned back in his chair, putting distance between us.

“We should leave soon,” Kai announced, his tone detached.

“Now that these two are no longer in danger, and I’m no longer laying low, am I allowed to use my private jet back to Shanghai?

Unless you have something else to tell me?

” His voice grew colder, and he was no longer speaking directly to me. Somehow, I had screwed everything up.

I’d started to grow tired of his nonsense.

We all knew he had bigger issues to deal with such as helping Jenny clear her name and to try to get her out of jail.

Honestly, I didn’t understand why he kept going back and forth about my relationship with Dannie, treating me hot and cold.

And I couldn’t help but wonder when all of this would end.

Sudden anger surged through me, and I knew this nonsense had to stop—now.

“Dannie made me feel safe.” The words slipped out before my brain had time to catch up.

“And I don’t?”

“That’s not what I mean,” I choked out, tears blurring my vision.

“He kept me safe when I was away from home, alone. There was a time when nothing I did felt right. My mother didn’t approve of the medical school I chose.

She wanted me to attend a more prestigious one—someplace where I could leverage the powerful pharmaceutical connections she had meticulously arranged for me.

My dad wanted me to do anything else but that—he probably didn’t think I had what it took to be a doctor.

I felt like a failure. All I needed was some time to myself, so I ran here.

To Hong Kong. I thought being around people who looked like me would make me feel safe. ”

I wiped tears off my cheek. “But I was wrong because I didn’t speak a word of Cantonese or Mandarin.

People assumed I was a fake, a pretender.

Then I met this American guy, but he… he…

” My breath hitched as a hiccup threatened to escape.

“He wasn’t a friend. He violated me in a dark alley.

If it weren’t for Dannie finding me that night, I would have ended my life then and there. ”

“Oh, sweetie,” Kai murmured as he stood and wrapped me in his arms. “I’m so sorry. I feel like such an idiot.”

“In so many ways, he saved me. I couldn’t speak for days. I had lost all hopes, and he let me stay at his house while I got better.”

“I’m so sorry,” he repeated, his hand reaching up to stroke my hair gently.

Anger surged through me suddenly, and I pushed him away. “I didn’t want to remember that. Why did you make me bring it all up?”

Kai said nothing, only holding me tighter as if his touch could soothe the pain away.

“I still have nightmares from that night,” I admitted, my voice trembling. “I remember how he grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t fight him off. I can still feel how helpless I was, how he pinned me down like I was nothing.”

Tears poured from my eyes again, hot and unrelenting. “You know what? Maybe it isn’t kind of me to say this, but I didn’t feel an ounce of sympathy when Dannie wrung the last breath out of his neck.”

“I don’t know what else to say,” Kai whispered, his voice rough with emotion.

“You need to trust me.”

“I do trust you.”

“Then why don’t you act like it? Do you know no one has ever trusted me? My family never believed I could accomplish anything on my own. My best friend couldn’t trust me with her secrets. And now you don’t trust that I wouldn’t cheat on you?”

“That’s not what I mean. I trust you, of course I do.”

“Come with me.”

Without another word, I grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the restaurant. I hailed a taxi, dragging him inside before Wendy and Trevon had a chance to catch up. I gave the driver the name of our hotel, determined to leave everything else behind us for now.

“What are you doing?”

“Introducing you to Dannie. You’ll see. He’s nice.”

“I’m sorry for doubting you. I really am. You have no idea how much I hate myself right now.”

I couldn’t see his expression clearly in the dark, but under the streetlight, I could just make out the tension in his jaw. He wasn’t happy.

“It wasn’t your fault,” I said quietly.

“Yes, but I had to go poking at that wound of yours. Believe me, I know about covering up old scars and never wanting to see them again.”

“What kind of old scars?” I asked. I had always known that Kai wasn’t as strong and charming as he pretended to be. Beneath the polished exterior, there were secrets he guarded fiercely—memories that haunted him, truths he refused to admit.

He hesitated. “When I?—”

We pulled up to the hotel just as he was about to reveal his deepest, darkest secret. My heart pounded with anticipation, but the moment slipped away. At the entrance, a familiar figure stood beneath the warm golden lights, a cigarette glowing between his fingers.

“Hey, Dannie,” I greeted him nonchalantly as I got out of the taxi.

Kai paid the driver and stepped out from other side, his posture tense but composed.

Dannie exhaled a slow stream of smoke, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly. “Where have you been? I had people looking for you everywhere.”

Behind him, two men hovered just out of the light, their presence a quiet reminder of the world Dannie lived in. As Kai joined me, their steps grew heavier, edging closer.

“There’s someone I want you to meet,” I said, trying to ease the tension simmering in the air. “Kai, this is Dannie. Dannie, Kai.”

I didn’t want to define either man’s role in my life. Labels would only complicate things further. Kai and I weren’t officially anything, and Dannie didn’t need to know the tangled history between us. Besides, which label should I choose for Dannie—my ex, my savior, my husband?

“Sorry for disappearing,” I added, leaning against Kai. His hand found my waist, steady and reassuring. “I went out to find this one.”

“Perfect timing,” Dannie said, extending a hand toward me. “It’s time for cake.”

I straightened, pulling away from Kai’s warmth. “What is going on?”

“It’s my grandmother’s birthday, remember? We’re having a party upstairs,” Dannie explained, his voice unusually light. He said it like I’d forgotten—but I was there. What was he really trying to say?

“You should go,” Kai murmured, making a subtle gesture for me to leave.

I hesitated, leaning closer to whisper, “Thanks Kai.”

“You should join us,” Dannie added, surprising me with his invitation.

I smiled at Dannie, grateful for the effort he was making. With Kai by my side and Dannie leading the way, we entered the grand lobby and stepped into the elevator. Strangely, Dannie allowed his men to follow us inside. Normally, he preferred distance. Was it Kai’s presence that changed his mind?

In the ballroom, the soft hum of conversation mixed with clinking glasses. Dannie gestured to a passing waitress to bring us some drinks. Both Kai and Dannie took a glass of champagne while I opted for sparkling water.

Kai studied Dannie for a moment. “You look familiar. Have we met before?”

Dannie gave a faint smile. “Maybe in a past life. But I do have one of those faces.”

Dannie didn’t. His face was the kind people remembered—the kind that made strangers look twice.

Some wouldn’t call him traditionally handsome, especially if they preferred clean-cut, Wall Street types.

But his angular jaw, tall nose, and the mystery behind his gaze made him unforgettable.

There was an exotic quality to him that kept people guessing about him. Was he Mongolian? Russian, perhaps?

“I’m usually very good with faces. Apologies if I’ve forgotten,” Kai said smoothly.

“Not at all. I hear you’re in the food business,” Dannie replied. I felt the tension ripple inside me as I knew that he had a habit of keeping tabs on potential threats, but I hadn’t realized that included Kai.

“Yes, among other things. Have you been to any of my restaurants?”

“Ding Lou was a favorite,” Dannie admitted. “You’re brave to open in Hong Kong.”

The hair on my back prickled. Was that a warning? Without thinking, I reached out and tugged Dannie’s sleeve lightly.

His expression softened instantly.

“What is it, sweetie? Are you okay?” His voice dipped gently, his gaze softer.

I shook my head quickly. “I’m fine.”