Chapter 25

Oh man. This chapter would've been posted so much sooner, but I, like, lost the will to write for a few days there. :S It hasn't quite been a month since the last chapter, though, so…heheh. X) I hope you all like this chapter! Please review! (And the poll! Don't forget the POLL!) And if you're looking back at other chapters, the scene splitter dash things are all gone so the scenes are all jumbled together. :S Uhm, I'm working on it. c(;

Syaoran's Point of View

The blood pounded in my ears and a growl erupted from my throat. Even my vision seemed to be going funny; if this man had done anything bad to Sakura, I swear I'd kill him.

He clicked his tongue. "Dear Syaoran, you and your brother both leave the things you claim so important to you lying around where anyone can steal them." His eyes flashed, and his grin suddenly seemed so much eviler.

"What did you do to her?" I hissed, my eyebrows furrowing together so hard it hurt.

He chuckled darkly, shaking his head lightly. "Dear Syaoran…" he cooed.

The door opened slowly and Sakura stepped in. As she looked up, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Syaoran! You know…this man?" she asked. I couldn't help the relief that washed over me at seeing her innocent, unhurt face poke into the room.

My eyes flicked back to him. She didn't know his name. She couldn't make the connection that he was my father, or that she was in terrible danger as long as he was around.

I grunted a response that was neither yes nor no. Father's gaze was fixed on me, and it felt strange. When I finally dragged my own eyes up to meet his, he winked at me. A shiver ran down spine. Although it may seem like a simple gesture, to me it was a deadly threat.

I walked over to Sakura and opened the door, half shoving her out. I turned back to Father and stared at him icily.

"Bye," I grumbled.

He smiled, his 'laugh lines' crinkling with the movement. His whole persona screamed 'Old Prince Charming' but I knew better. He was the wicked queen.

"Goodbye, Syaoran," he said quietly, and I turned around quickly so he wouldn't see the drop of cold sweat race down my cheek.

"That was an abrupt leave, wasn't it?" Sakura asked, frowning. "And a little rude?"

"Since when has 'rude' ever meant anything to me?" I retorted. "I don't put up fake smiles for people I don't like."

Sakura sighed; she knew it was true.

She just didn't know how much I hated him.

I didn't tell her he was my father. If she knew, she'd be in that much more trouble.

I figured she wouldn't have any more reason to talk to him while he was there, but I caught them talking a lot in the halls. I still didn't say anything about, though…

Until I had to.

Sakura and I were walking in the mall together, and we had just finished eating.

"God, you're fat," I said, sniggering. "You ate two combos by yourself! Two large fries, and not a trace of potato left. Two huge burgers with everything on them, the only evidence a couple of seeds from the bun."

She slapped my arm. "Shut up! I haven't had anything to eat since yesterday!" She sighed, frustrated, and twirled a strand of hair between her fingers. "God, having the Board of Directors there is really stressful."

I side-glanced at her. "But you like talking to…that one guy."

"Well, yeah, but…I don't even know the guy's name! It's weird, I've never had to address him because he says the right things all the time, and he's never even brought his name up before."

I turned my gaze away from her again. "Yeah. Weird."

"Sakura-chan! Syaoran-kun!"

I looked to the left at hearing my name called by that familiar voice. Tomoyo was running towards us, Eriol walking swiftly to catch up with her.

"Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura exclaimed as her best friend ran up and hugged her. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We just went to see a movie," Tomoyo said, giggling. I raised an eyebrow and smirked at Eriol, who coughed and looked at the ground, blushing.

We started to walk with them, and as Sakura and Tomoyo chatted happily, Eriol elbowed me.

"Have you noticed the crowd is thinning out…?" he asked, glancing around suspiciously.

I looked around us, as well. It was true—there was hardly anyone around us anymore. I frowned. "That's just…abnormal." A ball of fear was growing in my stomach—something about this screamed 'Father.'

We went into a bookstore for a few minutes, and when we came out, the silence of the mall was deafening. I stared, bewildered, at the emptiness. No one was left in the mall. It was just us.

I grabbed Sakura's hand and yanked her towards me, my narrowed eyes scanning for signs of Father.

"Syaoran…?" Sakura asked, confused. "This is weird."

"No kidding," I muttered, and then I heard a maniacal laugh that was abruptly cut short. I looked up to the second floor to see my father leaning against the railway, grinning maliciously. (He had clearly been embarrassed by his stupid laughter.)

"Hello, my dear son!" he called giddily. I growled.

Sakura's Point of View

I blinked, and then focused my wide eyes on the man standing above us—one of the Board of Directors! And…he had called Syaoran his son.

I looked up at him. His amber eyes were narrowed as he glared.

"Syaoran…?" I whispered. "Is that true? Is this man your father?"

With a clenched jaw, he nodded.

I was speechless—but not for long. "What…why didn't you tell me before? You could've said something—!"

He shook his head. "I didn't want to put you in more danger."

My head was spinning. So this was the man…Syaoran's dreaded, terrible father? He didn't seem so bad, though. He seemed like an okay, polite guy. He hadn't freaked me out when I was chatting with him…

I frowned. So that's why he wouldn't say anything about his name. It would tip me off.

"All right, dear Syaoran, Sakura, I'll say what I've come here to say," he started. "Sakura, I want you to stop seeing Syaoran immediately. Cut off all ties with him."

I gasped a, "What—" but he cut me off.

"I wasn't finished," he yelled irritably. "Do this, or you'll never find another job."

My eyebrows shot up and my eyes widened to a whole new level. "What?" I shrieked. "No! You can't do that—!" Could he?

He grinned. "I sure can. I own one of the most influential businesses in the world. You best do what I say if you don't wish to live on the streets."

My heart was pounding now, along with my head spinning. Leave Syaoran…or I'll never get another job…?

"Ah," he said, as if he'd just remembered something. Something told me he was just saving it until now. "And here's one more reason you should think it over." He snapped his fingers and two men appeared and threw a cute girl—over the side of the ledge! AH!

Syaoran and Eriol both dashed forward. Syaoran held his arms out frantically. He caught her, but fell in the process, and the girl would have smacked her head off the hard floor if Eriol hadn't slid down on the ground and been there to break it. I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding.

Syaoran carried the girl back over to us. She was a couple of years younger than Syaoran, with delicate features that were twisted in fear and pain. She had a black eye and blood was dried around her nose and mouth, which were also bruised. Syaoran set her gently down onto her feet, and her legs wobbled as she stood. I stepped forward and caught her, supporting her. I noticed she was shivering, and her fingers clenched my shirt.

"That is dear Daisuke's beloved."

I heard a sharp intake of breath from Syaoran.

"She will die if you do not do as I ask."

My mouth fell open, and I held the girl tighter to me. The men were back, again seeming to appear out of nowhere. One of them grabbed her hair and yanked her away from me. She let out a strangled yelp, and he slapped her. I covered my mouth with my hands, horrified.

"You're…despicable!" Syaoran spat, his fists tightening.

Li was still smiling, though it had a dark edge to it. "And you're a runaway heir dating your teacher. Do I call you names?"

Syaoran suddenly dashed forward and jumped on a table, then up to an awning from one of the stores, and as he reached up for the ledge to get to the second floor, his father moved over and heavily stomped his foot down on his son's fingers. Syaoran cursed loudly but held on. Li pressed harder and crushed his fingers more, until Syaoran finally gave in and let go, falling down on the awning and flipping backwards, dropping to the floor with a loud thud that echoed around the empty mall.

"I wouldn't try anything rash, dear Syaoran," Li advised, shaking his head. "Oh, and don't try to tell Sakura or Eriol to do anything either. Don't worry, I know everything about you and your little companions." He snapped his fingers. "Come, spy!"

I frowned. Spy?

My stomach leapt up to my throat when I saw Meiling step out of the shadows. Her face was pulled into a frown and she wouldn't meet my eyes.

Li let out a loud laugh. "For quite a while now, I've had Meiling reporting to me about your daily lives."

Syaoran swore loudly. Had we been in school, I'd have slapped him for such a profanity. But we weren't, so I echoed it.

My eyes were stinging. I'd put my heart into trusting Meiling. I figured, just 'cause she was sent to marry Syaoran, that didn't mean she had to be, well, evil. But I guess…

"Now, Meiling," Syaoran's father waved his hand and started to turn away. "Do as I have asked."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Meiling move, and then suddenly there was smoke everywhere. I coughed and my eyes almost instantly started watering. I reached out, trying to find someone, anyone, and was surprised when someone gripped my arm and started pulling me, running as fast as they could. I wasn't sure what to make of it, but figured anywhere was better than near that lunatic that was somehow the head of an ultra powerful company.

When we were out of the smoke, we were close to the entrance, and without hesitation we dashed to the parking lot. I hungrily gasped for air, half because of the smoke and half because I'm not the most athletic woman in the world.

When I'd caught my breath again, I looked up. Tomoyo was bending over, clutching her knees and breathing heavily, while Meiling looked like she'd just taken a stroll in the park.

"Are you guys okay?" she asked, frowning in concern at our out-of-shapeness.

"You lied to me!" I hissed.

A shadow crossed her face. "I'll admit…at first, I was his spy. But then…I realized that you didn't deserve what was coming to you. You genuinely loved Syaoran. So I started giving him false information; you might be okay for a while. Of course, it doesn't help that he's patrolling the halls…"

I have to leave Syaoran or he'll make me jobless? I reiterated in my head, feeling the panic rise in me.

I looked up at Meiling. "…I believe you."

She smiled, sighing in relief. "Thank you."

Eriol and Syaoran burst out of the plaza. Syaoran stared at Meiling for a while.

"You helped us," he said at last. "Thank you."

Her smile widened and a pink blush sprinkled across her cheeks.

Syaoran turned his attention to me, serious. "You have to be very careful, I hope you know."

I nodded, though my head was still spinning and I felt like I might pass out.

The ending was a little abrupt but I had to end it somehow! I hope you liked it. A little weird, but still. :P Please review, and please remember to vote in that damn poll!