Gigi heard Raymond's bedroom door open and looked up from her breakfast, "Good morning son," she greeted cheerfully.

"Morning Mom," Raymond replied.  He walked over to the dining table just as Gigi got up and went into the kitchen.  She returned seconds later with a plate and set it before him.

"Have some breakfast before you leave for the station," she ordered motherly.

Raymond smiled and without any argument sat down next to her.  "Thank you Mom," he said with a sweet smile.

Surprised by his compliance and the radiant smile on his face, something which she hasn't seen in a long time, Gigi said thoughtfully, "I take it you had a wonderful time with Mandy last night."

In between bites, Raymond looked at his mom and gave her a secretive wink.  "You could say that."

Gigi burst out in giggles, her hands clasping together in joy.  "I knew it!  I knew you two would find your way back to each other.  I'm so happy!"

"Whoaaa Mom," Raymond interrupted before she could say any more.  "I don't know what's going to happen for us in the future.  Right now I'm going to treat Mandy as someone whom I just met and take it slowly from there."

Gigi positively beamed at the prospect.  "That's still great news!"  She suddenly got up and grabbed her purse before heading for the front door.

"Mom?  Where are you going so early?" Raymond asked with surprise.

Opening the front door, Gigi turned to look at him, "I'm going to the temple to thank the Gods for this great news.  Then I'm going to buy some seafood for tonight's dinner.  We're going to celebrate.  Remember to invite Mandy over."  Gigi walked out before Raymond could object.

Alone in the apartment, Raymond gradually finished his breakfast.  The smile he had slowly vanished as a look of repentance took its place.  He hoped he knew what he was doing and won't regret it at the end.  Suddenly he had a vision of Charmaine and his heart twisted painfully.  She was lying on his bed and in his arms.  It was the time when he had last seen her, before her disappearance.  He could still remember the feel of her touch, her kiss and how great it felt holding her in his arms.  His sweet beautiful Charmaine.  Why can't he get her out of his head?  But he knew the answer.  It was because he still loved her.

------------------------------------------

Ben sat on a chair next to Charmaine's bed with his face in his hands.  They had gotten her to the hospital in the nick of time.  If they had discovered her any later she would have gone into shock due to the massive lost of blood.  She was sleeping now with the help of some sedative.  Ben looked at her bandaged wrists and pain shot through him.  This was his fault.  If he hadn't done what he did, Charmaine wouldn't have wanted to end her life.  It was all his fault!

"Here," Kenneth held out a cup of coffee to him.  "Black, no sugar," he said stoically.

Ben didn't take the coffee.  He lifted his sorrow filled eyes to Kenneth and asked hoarsely, "Are you mad at me?"

Kenneth set the cup down on a nearby table and walked to the other side of the bed.  He looked down at Charmaine.  The bruises on her face were no longer red and swollen and have faded to bluish yellow marks.  Her lips were chapped and there were the remnants of blood caked on certain areas of her lips.  She looked so pale and battered that it took every ounce of Kenneth's willpower to remain calm and not act out rashly against his brother, a man he grew up respecting and held as a role model.  He can't even imagine what Charmaine endured under his brother's abuse to sustain such injuries.  And these were only the physical ones.  "I don't know," he said quietly.  "What you did to her…" he trailed off unable to finish.

Out of shame and guilt, Ben had confessed everything to Kenneth.  Their bumping into Raymond at the charity ball to his drunken stupor when they returned to the house.  Kenneth was silent throughout but Ben saw the clenching of his jaw when he heard what Ben eventually did to Charmaine in her room.  But he knew Kenneth was on his side no matter what.  They were brothers.  They shared the same blood.  Kenneth would never betray him.  "I'm sorry for everything.  I really am," Ben cried out in agony.  His gaze shot to Charmaine's still form and he broke down, "I love her so much.  I would never intentionally hurt her.  You must believe me!"

"How can I?" Kenneth yelled.  Seeing the suffering on Ben's face, he took a deep long breath and lowered his voice.  "You hit her.  And this isn’t the first time.  And you also," Kenneth paused and then spat the words out, "You her!"

Ben cringed at the truth of Kenneth's words.  Shaking his head he wept uncontrollably, "I know I'm wrong!  I don't know what came over me.  I saw her with Raymond Lam and I… I snapped.  But you have to believe me when I say I really do love her."

Kenneth had no doubt of Ben's love for Charmaine.  He could see it now.  However, his love for her was carried out in all the wrong ways.  He remembered wondering to himself whether his brother's meeting of Charmaine was a blessing or a curse.  He had the answer now.  It was a curse.  He didn’t think Charmaine was aware of the power she holds over Ben.  Kenneth knew and it was making Ben act out in ways that was unlike him.  Kenneth was also worried about how Charmaine's attempted suicide might affect Ben when she recovers.  He didn't want to think about that.  Not now.

"Do you believe me?" Ben asked again, his voice low and barely audible.  "That I really love her and would never hurt her in any way."

Kenneth turned his gaze on Ben.  There was no denying the grief and remorse on his usual confident face.  "I do," he said quietly and then returned his gaze to Charmaine.

-------------------------------------------

"Raymond."  Nancy walked into his office and dropped a folder on his desk.  "This just came in from the other station."

Raymond opened the folder and scanned the handwritten notes.  "Looks like we might be looking at a serial killer," he remarked dryly as he turned to the next document which had a layout of pictures depicting female arms and legs with severe bruises and cuts marring each limb.  "Who is this?"

"This is the latest victim.  Her name is Selena Li."  Nancy bent over the desk and said slowly, "She survived the attack."

Raymond's gaze shot to her face.  "Where is she now?"  He was already standing up with one arm in the sleeve of his jacket.

"She was found early this morning by a park sweeper who called 999.  She has been badly beaten and is now being monitored at St. Mary's Hospital."

"I'm going over there to see her.  I want to question her," he told Nancy and strode out of his office.

"Wait Raymond," Nancy called after him.  "Do you want me to come along?"

Raymond grinned at her, "I thought you were already planning to.  Come on."

---------------------------------------------

The drive to the hospital took only minutes and Raymond swerved his car into the hospital's adjacent parking lot reserved for cops.  He walked briskly into the hospital and informed the reception in the lobby who he was and who he was looking for.  She quickly gave him the room number and directions along with it.

"She may not be awake," Nancy said as they got off the elevator.

"That's okay.  We'll wait until she does," Raymond said.  They walked passed room after room down the wide corridor.  As Raymond passed one particular room he thought he saw a familiar profile.  Retracing his steps he peered into the oblong rectangular glass on the door and saw Kenneth.  He was slouched against a wall facing the bed, his eyes downcast.  Raymond's eyes moved a little and he saw Ben Wong.  He was sitting on a chair hunched over the bed.  His shoulders were shaking.  He appeared to be crying.  Raymond's heart began to pound as apprehension filled him.  He moved his eyes to the bed and then he forgot to breathe.  Charmaine was lying on the bed.  Her face was covered with bruises and he could still see tinges of blood on her lips.  What devastated him was that both her wrists were bandaged and strapped to the bed.  Throwing the door open, he stomped into the room straight towards Ben and demanded angrily, "What did you do to her?"