Liberty

by -dolce-
Tags   taiwanese  

"Yan Xi Jie?" She can't believe it. She can stay in a room with Kingone in it now? They can't stand each other before. And judging from how her cousin's face pale in seeing Michelle, she thought that nothing has changed. Or so she thinks.

"Honey...I was just kidding." Kingone walked towards her and tried to kiss her on the lips but she turned her face and the kiss landed on her cheek instead. "I'd rather die than to marry other woman."

Michelle pretended not to to hear Kingone and walked to Iris and she hugged her and kissed both of her cheeks. "How are you Mei Mei?" She asked her. Michelle Chen was Calvin's older sister and Kingone's nemesis way back. The moment their eyes would meet, it's chaos. When Iris lived with him and Figaro in Michigan, she discovered Kingone's dark secret. Or he divulged it rather when he was dead drunk on the floor of their pad. He told her he saw Michelle, who was a most celebrated Cliffie at that time in Harvard for winning three Pulitzer prizes while still in Journalism school, in a private club kissing a famous football player he lambasted greatly in his half-consious state.

She figured out long before he admitted it that the sole reason why he seemed like he was born to outrun, outlast and displease Michelle was because he was in love with her for the longest time. Their families were like relatives by affinity and they can't help but to bump to each other from time to time. It was so hard for him to turn the tables in his favor when he and Michelle already started on the wrong foot so he devised all plans to get her attention to the point of making her mad. He dated each and every girl in Michelle's social circle just so he'll have a reason to bump to her and see if there's even a hint that she's jealous. But his making-her-jealous strategy seem to boomerang to him all the time when he see her dating other guys. Even if Cambridge, Massachusetts was roughly eleven hours away from Lapeer, Michigan where they are located, he would drive to Harvard whenever he had time and be contented in watching her from a distance.

"I am good Jie. My, it's been a while. The last time I had a time to tune in to BBC, you were in Afghanistan. Wasn't that super scary?" She laughed. She knew the word scary did not exist in Michelle's dictionary. "Don't tell me you are the unlucky girl he's about to marry?" She asked even if she knew what the answer would be.

"I'm still thinking about it." She smiled slyly.

"Wei!" Kingone whined while the three of them fell into a fit of laughter after seeing his frightened reaction.

"Do you have anything to do today, Mei?" Michelle asked her.

"I still have work but I guess I could take the rest of the day off, right Ge?" Iris winked at Mike and he rolled his eyes. "Want to go shopping?"

"Sounds great! Let's go. And I'll deal with you later Kingone Wang Chuan Yi." She said haughtily before dragging her to the executive elevators reserved solely for the family use.

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"Martin! Olivia! Run! Run please..." She is getting weaker by the minute. She's holding on to her blurred vision and trembling hands. "Don't ever come back here looking for me, do you understand? Olivia, you have to take care of your brother. I'll look for you if I make it. I promise." She held the little girl's hand and she just got uncontrollable sobs from the two. "Now go! Go!" She pushed them to the direction of the dark alley.

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"Good morning everyone!" Iris kissed her parents and sat on her place in the dining table. The weather was a little bit gloomy and it's drizzling lighty that's why breakfast was served at the main dining area instead of the lanai like how they used to.

"Zao shang hao! Did you have a goodnight sleep?" Mike had that perpetual annoying grin on face. A lot of girls found it charming but she finds it exasperating to say the least.

"Of course. I sent the design to my immediate boss and I sent it to you too. You have to keep your end of the bargain." She told him. She proceeded to stuff her plate with all her favorite morning food. Three pancakes, two eggs sunny side up, lots of hash browns and asked the maid for an extra plate for her melon and ripe mango slices. Phoebe poured her her favorite strawberry and banana smoothie.

"What's the deal?" Joe asked them while eating his lasagna. Lasagna in the morning? You can trust Joe for eating all the weird things for breakfast.

"You finished it?!" Mike asked unbelievingly.

"Uhuh. It was a very difficult couple of hours." She beamed. "Did you ever forget, Han Jun Xiang, that I am an Engineer too? I was at the top of my class." She said arrogantly. It was now her turn to give him a smirk.

"Care to tell us about it?" Quan inquired and asked the maid for another cup of Brazilian coffee. The only kind that he drinks. "And darling, aren't you going to be late for work if you are going to finish all the food that you got on your plate--plates?" He asked, looking at her food, wondering why his daughter do not have an ounce of unwanted fat in her body.

"Uhm, As of," Iris responded, looking at her watch. "9pm last night, I am not your employee anymore Papa." And before anybody could ask why, she patted Mike's back. "And Xiao Mei Ge would explain to you why." She started to eat.

"You said you wanted to work before going to London, didn't you?" Ethan beseeched in his usual no-nonsense tone. Ethan and Joe were back from Cairo and next month, the whole family will go to Egypt for the ribbon cutting ceremony of the latest addition to the chain of Han Hospitals and Medical Centers.

"Say something." It was Zun, looking directly at Mike. Defeat was all over his brother's face and he could tell they would not like what he's going to say.

"Uh...ahm...I...what I m-mean is..." Mike stuttered badly.

"What are you up to, Princess?" Aaron asked. "Did you bully Xiao Mei Ge again?" One look at his brother, anyone could tell that he's on his way to one of his kart races. He's already in gear minus the helmet. Aaron began winning races when he was eight. Quan allowed it much to Phoebe's fear. She just learned to be cool about it as time passed by.

"FYI, he bullied me into doing the GPS design those people he pay big bucks for cannot finish in the last six months. He assigned it to me last night by the way." She corrected Aaron.

"Give it up Sis!" Joe motioned for a high five from across the table that she returned. "You are finally back!" He joked.

"In exchange for letting you off the hook? Is that it?" Their mother spoke for the first time.

"Uhuh. To work in his office is really exhausting. Dodging death glares from all of the females in the building is not an easy task while juggling your work as a gofer for some twit who thinks I am hitting on my own brother. Kill me now." She said dryly.

Mike was about to retaliate when one of the house help came running, the wireless phone at hand.

"What is it?" Phoebe asked the maid and took the phone she's handing her. Fear was visible at the young girl's face and inside her, panic's starting to build up.

"Phoebe Han speaking." She indicated in English. They all know the call was from overseas. That particular number was being used for all international incoming calls. She listened on whatever the person on the other line was going to say and they all witnessed how she instantaneously paled and soon enough, she fainted in Zun's arms who caught her.

"MA!!!" They chorused. Their father lifted Phoebe and brought her to the nearest couch while barking orders. Joe ran upstairs to get his medical bag while Zun got back to the phone.

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A/N: Who wouldn't want to marry a guy who would drive 11 hours just to watch you from a distance? Make that 15 hours or more during winter 'cause you cannot drive that fast. With a risk of hitting maybe half a dozen deers along the way! Believe me, Michigan is a deer infested state! (Wo ai ni Rudolph!). And I love Michelle Chen by the way. She's just, what, amazing in Huan Huan Ai!