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But Andy was a woman in her mid-thirties, attractive in her own way, though not in a manner that would pique Kai’s romantic interest. I had known Kai long enough to understand that Andy wasn’t the type of woman he would take to bed.

He had hired her for her qualifications and experience, not for her looks.

“Believe me, I tried to keep tabs on Ms. Law as soon as she went missing. But all information about her has been completely cut off. It’s like no one is allowed to talk about it.”

“Why do you think that is?”

“I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this…”

“You can tell me anything.” I didn’t know how I knew, but something told me that she was hiding something. “I—we won’t tell anyone that you told us this.”

Trevon and Wendy both nodded in agreement.

“Usually, I can get any information from just about anyone. But this time, it’s very different. I have a feeling they were specifically told to keep quiet—or else something bad might happen to them.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. When Ms. Law first returned, her personal assistant mentioned she wasn’t in great shape. But the last time we spoke, she seemed scared—like she was afraid for her own safety just for telling me that. Then I asked about Ms. Law’s family, her husband, but she refused to say anything.”

“So that means some serious shit has gone down with that family, and they’re trying to keep everyone’s mouth shut.” Wendy concluded.

She could be right. She was probably right. But I wanted to keep an open mind, to be a little more optimistic. Maybe the family was just very private.

“Where are we going now?”

“I’m taking you to Mr. Li’s penthouse. You guys can stay there for the time being.”

Then I remembered her saying that two minutes ago. My mind just hadn’t caught up somehow. “Sorry, yes. You already said that.”

A few minutes later, we arrived at Kai’s apartment. Andy led us inside and handed us the door code. According to her, Kai had invested heavily in this building, ensuring the developers constructed it to his exact standards—modern, luxurious, and equipped with the latest security systems.

Andy gave us a quick tour of the apartment. It bore a striking resemblance to his place in New York, and I couldn’t help but wonder which building had come first—and who had stolen the design from whom.

“That over there,” she pointed to a sleek, glass-covered structure across from us, “is our Shanghai office, our Chinese headquarters.”

I observed the building, idly wondering which floor Kai’s office was situated on. It wasn’t something I needed to know, but there was something oddly comforting about seeing people working behind the glass. Perhaps that was why he had chosen to live in the building across from it.

“That’s very convenient, being so close to work.”

“Yes,” she replied matter-of-factly, then handed me a piece of paper.

“Here’s a list of numbers you can call for anything you might need.

Dr. Liang is the building’s doctor, and he’s available 24/7 for medical issues—he can do house visits or send an ambulance if necessary.

The fridge and pantry are stocked, but if you need anything else, you can call the housekeeping team. They’ll be happy to assist.”

“How do we get around?”

“I can drive you whenever possible.”

“We can just call an Uber or something.”

“We don’t have Uber in China, but you can use Didi. It’s pretty much the same thing. But honestly, you’re Mr. Li’s special guests from the United States, and I’m happy to help whenever possible.”

“It’s not your job to do that.”

Wendy tapped my shoulder and gestured upstairs before disappearing with Trevon.

Andy paused.

“Yes and no. My job is to take care of Mr. Li’s needs as best as I can. Right now, ensuring your well-being helps put his mind at ease while he deals with other matters.” Her voice trailed off slightly at the end.

“Well then, thank you. Truth is, I don’t know anyone here. It would be a huge help to have you around.”

“My pleasure. Now, are you hungry? I can order food or cook.”

“You can cook?”

Andy smiled. “Not well. But I can manage something simple like cup of noodles. Or I can get the chef up here.”

“Chef?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” I wanted to ask for more details, but my head was already spinning from all the information she had given me. “Will Kai come here when he finishes with the investigation?”

“That…” she hesitated. “This is Mr. Li’s preferred place to stay.”

“He has more than one home?”

Her gaze dipped before she looked back up. “Some nights, he stays at Mrs. Li’s house. That is still his official address.”

“Are you saying that he lives with his mother?” I laughed out loud. Despite the worries for him, I couldn’t help but find the image of Kai, a well-known womanizer, living with his mother absolutely hilarious.

“Yes, it’s our culture,” Andy said flatly. “Unmarried people live with their parents unless they move away for work. Sometimes, even married couples live with their parents.”

“I’m sorry for laughing. I actually knew that—my mother is half Chinese, and she tried to make me live with her,” I said, still suppressing a chuckle. The thought of Kai, of all people, in such traditional setup was just too amusing. “So, this place is more like his bachelor pad?”

“I… I don’t know what you mean.”

I gave her a sideway glance, trying to gauge whether she was genuinely that naive or just pretending. As Kai’s personal assistant, she had to be aware of his little obsession, his fondness for beautiful women. This had to be the place he brought them.

The doorbell rang and Andy hurried over to open it, letting in two young men who looked to be in their twenties. They greeted me politely before directing a few questions my way. After a brief discussion, we decided on traditional Shanghai home cooking.

While the cooks busied themselves in the kitchen, I sat at the dining table with Andy, who was clicking away on her laptop.

“What if I need help in the middle of the night and you’re not here?” I asked, though I hoped it wouldn’t come to that. Still, it was best to be prepared.

“You can call me,” she replied without looking up.

“What if you don’t pick up?”

Andy pulled off her glasses and placed them on the table.

“In that case, you can call the building reception. They have someone who speaks English, and they’ll be able to assist you.”

I nodded. So far, I’d been lucky with this trip—most of the people I’d encountered spoke decent English. “Do a lot of people speak English in Shanghai?”

“Depends on where you go,” Andy said, her fingers still poised over the keyboard. “You’re fine in the city and the touristy areas. Are you planning to go somewhere? I can take you if you want.”

“No.” I shook my head. Sightseeing was the last thing on my mind while Kai was… I couldn’t even bring myself to think the words.

Jail.

Police custody.

I forced the thought away. “I just need to know in case I have to handle something for Kai. You know…”

“I see.”

Before either of us could say anything more, the sharp, urgent chime of the doorbell shattered the quiet. Andy froze, her brows furrowing.

“I… I don’t know who that could be.” Slowly, she got up from her seat. “The reception is supposed to call if we have a visitor.”