The weight of Ben's slap unbalanced Charmaine and she fell to the floor clutching her throbbing face.  From the floor, her eyes riveted to Ben in shock.  Confused and frightened by this side of him, Charmaine couldn't seem to remove her gaze from the cold harsh planes of his face as he returned her stare.

Kenneth who had just entered the house saw what happened.  Appalled by his brother's brutality towards Charmaine, he quickly went to her side.  "Are you alright?"

Charmaine was too shock to answer.  She continued to stare up at Ben, her eyes filling rapidly with tears as she tried to make sense of what just happened here.

Turning to Ben, Kenneth demanded furiously, "Why did you do that?"

Ignoring Kenneth, Ben pointed an accusing finger at Charmaine and said in a barely controlled voice, "I'm going to ask you again – were you alone all night?"

The tears Charmaine had been trying to hold flowed freely down her face.  She never imagined that Ben would strike her.  He had always been gentle and courteous towards her and the unexpectedness of the slap rendered her incapable of any response.

Charmaine's refusal to speak incensed Ben.  He was now beyond furious and with blind jealousy guiding him he curled his fingers around her arm and dragged her up to a standing position.  "Answer me!" he barked.

Kenneth grabbed Ben's wrist and tried to push it off of Charmaine but it wouldn’t budge.  Looking beseechingly at Ben, he pleaded, "Ben, stop this nonsense!  You're scaring her!"

Ben turned and gave Kenneth a scathing look before returning his frosty eyes on Charmaine.  "Answer me!" he screamed.

Ben's thunderous voice snapped Charmaine out of her trance.  Trembling with fear she nodded her head vigorously and wept, "Y-Yes, I-I was."

Enraged by her lie, Ben's fingers bit hurtfully into her arm as he pulled her up close and growled, "I saw you and Raymond Lam eating together at a noodle shop.  How dare you lie to me."

Charmaine shook her head in denial.  Seeing the black rage on Ben's face, she began to shake convulsively with fear.  "I-I was there a-and he just happened to come in.  I-I didn't tell you because i-it's not worth mentioning."

“You expect me to believe that?” Ben asked incredulously.

Charmaine knew he didn’t.  “It's the truth," she whimpered.  "Since you don’t trust me there’s no point in me staying here.”  She tried to tug her arm free but Ben’s grip only tightened.

“Did I say you can leave?” he asked with menace.

Charmaine was now beyond fear.  Her face paled and she struggled frantically against his grip.

"Ben, what are you doing?" Kenneth asked nervously, fearing that he may do more physical harm to Charmaine.  He looked at the pain and terror on Charmaine's face and tried to ply away Ben's biting fingers from her arm.  "Let go of her!  Can't you see you're hurting her."

Kenneth's words penetrated Ben's rage.  He searched Charmaine's face and what he saw made him regretful of his actions.  Since the first time he laid eyes on her he had fallen in love with her.  He vowed to make her his to pamper, love and protect forever.  Ben promised himself that he would never let any harm come to Charmaine.  However, right now he was the one inflicting pain on her and the realization of what he was doing pained him more than he would admit.  Slackening his grip, he asked, “Are you telling me that it wasn't planned?”

Charmaine locked her eyes with his.  In spite of her tears and fear, she whimpered, “Yes.  It was just a coincidence.”

Ben instantly released her, his face apologetic.  “I’m sorry Charmaine.  I don’t know what came over me.”  He reached for her but Charmaine cowered back in fear.

“Please don’t…” she whimpered, her eyes red and swollen from all the crying, while her hand rubbed at the area on her arm where Ben's hurting fingers had been.

Seeing the raw fear on her face shamed Ben.  He had never struck a woman and Charmaine being the only woman he had ever loved made it ten times worse.  “I’m really sorry Charmaine.  Please forgive me.  Please.”

Charmaine turned from him.  "I want to leave," she croaked and then ran towards the stairs and up.

Alarmed seized Ben at the thought of her leaving.  "Charmaine!"  He took the stairs two at a time and caught up to her at the top landing.  "Please don't leave.  I'm sorry.  Really really sorry.  I don't know what came over me.  It won't happen again."

Charmaine continued to walk towards her room but Ben reached out and stopped her with firm hands on her arms.  With panic and anxiety laced into each word, she wept, "Please let me leave."

Ben suddenly dropped to his knees, his hands sliding down her arms to encircle her wrists.  Lowering his head, he begged, "Please don't leave me!  I was overcome with jealousy when I saw you with him.  Please… please don't leave," his words trailed off as he broke down in tears.

Kenneth has now joined them at the landing.  He was astonished to see Ben kneeling on the ground and begging Charmaine not to leave.  He had never seen his brother in any moment of weakness and now he has and he didn't like it.  "Ben," he called out softly but Ben kept his head bowed.  He then looked at Charmaine.  She was staring down at Ben in stunned silence.

"Don't leave me Charmaine," Ben continued to beg.  Stifling a sob, he added, "Please.  It won't ever happen again."

"Please get up," Charmaine urged.

Ben shook his head.  "I won't get up until you promise that you won't leave me."

Charmaine was torn on what to do.  She wanted to leave and never see Ben Wong again and yet, a part of her knew she owed him too much to walk out on one slap in which he had apologized profusely.  He was remorseful and it showed in his eyes.  Charmaine also knows it won't happen again and with this knowledge she finally nodded her head.  "I won't," she said lowly.

Ben heard and it was like the sun was shining down on him again.  Getting back on his feet he looked uncertainly at her and asked tentatively, "You promise?"

Charmaine nodded but her face was devoid of all emotion.

Relieved that Charmaine was staying, Ben pulled her into his embrace.  "I'm really sorry about hurting you.  I give you my word it won't happen again."  Pulling slightly away, he looked down at her and said softly, "I love you so much."

Kenneth who watched from the sideline couldn't believe what he had just witnessed.  He of all people knows his brother better than any one else.  Ben has a violent side to him but he never shown this side to a woman.  To Ben, women were insignificant and to be taken lightly.  Therefore, when it comes to women, Ben was always polite and courteous.  Then again, no other woman had ever evoked emotions in Ben.  No one except for Charmaine.  At this very second, Kenneth wondered whether Charmaine's appearance in Ben's life was a blessing or a curse.

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

Raymond walked into Miu Sir's office and sat down.  "You summoned me?"

Michael opened the folder on his desk and rotated it around so that Raymond could see it.  A picture was clipped on top and Michael tapped his finger on the face.  "He is Wayne Lai.  A Thailand citizen who landed in Hong Kong two days ago.  Our informant told me that he is a drug lord in Thailand and is here to finalize some business with Ben Wong."

Damn Ben Wong again!  Isn't it bad enough that he took Charmaine from him and now he has to keep hearing his name.  Keeping a straight face, Raymond asked casually, "What do you want me to do?"

Michael flipped through the folder and pulled out an invitation.  He tossed it in front of Raymond and said, "There's going to be some sort of charity ball on Friday, sponsored by a cancer foundation.  We were informed that both Wayne Lai and Ben Wong will be attending and their purpose is to conduct business."

"At a charity ball?" Raymond asked with surprise.

"Yes," confirmed Michael.  "A lot of people are attending.  Councilmen, business people and even our very own Chief of Police Dominic Lam."

Baffled by all this information, Raymond asked, "Where do I come in?"

Michael placed his finger on the invitation and moved it towards Raymond.  "This is your invitation.  I want you to spy on them.  Tell me how many times they interact and see if you can find out where they will be doing their exchange."

Raymond picked up the invitation and read it slowly.  Placing it in his pocket, he stood up and said, "I'll do my best Miu Sir."  He turned to leave but Michael halted him.

"One more thing Raymond.  Go with a date and not someone from the station.  That'll be too obvious."

"Yes Sir!"