Quietly Aisha let herself into the main hallway of the Hua Ze mansion, relief flooding her at the silence that welcomed her. It is comforting, this silence.
She went up the wide staircase to her room but as she neared the door, she heard a soothing sound from somewhere in the mansion. Dropping her tote bag outside the door of her room she walked quietly to the end of the corridor, where she knew the sound was coming from, and by whom.
The door to the music room was slightly ajar, and she was struck by how much this moment seemed to replicate that scene at Studio 7 back in Tokyo.
Carefully she pushed the door and inch more, until she was able to get a clear view of him playing the Stradivarius.
A sorrowful look fell upon her face as she stared at him, his profile to her, his eyes half-closed as he drowned himself in the music he was spawning with his violin.
She stood there, content to merely watch him and listen to him. After a few minutes she stepped back from the door and, without a sound, walked back to her room, letting herself in and crawling under the covers, feeling weak and tired.
From the music room, the sound of the violin ended and Hua Ze Lei slowly turned to look at the doorway. He knew she stood there; he felt her eyes trained on him.
He also knew something was troubling her.
Once more he lifted the Stradivarius to his chin and let the strains fill him, hoping it also has the ability to soothe Aisha as much as it did him.
Two days after Dao Ming Si closed the deal with Alar, he strode into the four-story building that held the company, and walked straight into the elevator.
This is his office now. His building. It starts right here.
All day yesterday he knew Reeyu had been busy overlooking the furnishing of the new President's office.
And Dao Ming Si was not disappointed.
As he looked around at his medium-sized office, he could not help but compare it to the one he had occupied at the Dao Ming Building. He opted for the exact opposite of that office his mother had given him.
For this place he opted for an elegant mahogany desk and a comfortable leather seat. Everything was dark-brown, instead of the high-powered grays and blues of the Dao Ming offices.
When he heard a commotion at the doorway and noted Reeyu's distraught voice followed by Dao Ming Feng's cold aristocratic voice, Dao Ming Si turned around and waited for his mother to come in.
When she did, he looked calm and ready to take her on.
Dao Ming Feng barely even spared a glance at the office this time. She was looking straight at Dao Ming Si.
"What are you trying to prove, A Si?" Her voice was soft, but the steely edge to it was unmistakable.
He acted ignorant. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You know damn well what I am talking about! You took Alar right under my nose!"
"Let me correct that, Ma. I did not take Alar. If I remember correctly, I was the one who first laid an offer."
"Mine was the better one."
Dao Ming Si shrugged. "Apparently Mr. and Mrs. Chan don't think so."
He watched as his mother fought for composure. As expected, Dao Ming Feng smiled a while later.
"Very well, A Si. This was unfortunate. I just hope it would not happen again."
"Let us try not to let it," he said quietly.
When she left, followed by her posse, Li Fong came in. Obviously he had been standing outside the office the entire time.
The lawyer, hands in his pockets, regarded Dao Ming Si with curious eyes. "She sounded really pissed."
"Let her bitch," Dao Ming Si said. "She'll get over it, once she finds another prospect." He reached for his phone and dialed Shancai's number, wanting to hear his wife's voice.
Mei Zuo was not surprised when he found Xiao Qiao waiting in the living room when he got home later that evening. He had been avoiding her calls all day; naturally she would begin to wonder...and worry.
He gave her a small kiss on the lips and sat down on the sofa wearily. Xiao Qiao looked at him curiously.
"Mei Zuo?" she asked softly. "I've been calling you all day, but I couldn't seem to get through. Even your mother doesn't seem to know where you were. Not even Xi Men and Hua Ze Lei could not tell me."
His head jerked upward. "You asked Hua Ze Lei?" He began to wonder if Hua Ze Lei told Xiao Qiao about him sneaking into the Hua Ze mansion at dawn. "What did he tell you?" he asked when she nodded in confirmation.
She shrugged. "He said he doesn't know where you are."
Relief flooded him, as well as guilt.
After seeing Aisha downtown before lunch earlier, he had wandered aimlessly through the streets, leaving his car on the street after greasing some of the cops assigned in the area to look after his BMW.
Then he walked around, with no particular destination in mind. And he had done a lot of thinking…
He hadn't really reached any kind of decision. But one thing is for sure...he could not go on with this. Right now he doesn't have the heart.
And as he looked at Xiao Qiao sitting before him with worry in her eyes, he found it harder to tell her…
"Where have you been?" she asked.
"Around. You?"
At his question her face brightened. "I've spent the entire morning with Shancai, picking out ideal spots for our honeymoon. There were a couple of suggestions she gave that I - " She broke off abruptly as Mei Zuo got to his feet and began pacing in front of her.
"What's wrong?" she asked, this time getting really worried.
At the doorway of the living room Mei Zuo's mother was about to enter but stopped when she heard Xiao Qiao's upset voice.
Neither Mei Zuo nor Xiao Qiao notice the matriarch standing there. Mei Zuo stopped pacing and tried to look at Xiao Qiao, but found it hard to do so. Instead he fixed his gaze on a spot in the carpet.
"Xiao Qiao...about the wedding..."
"Yes?"
"Can we...can we...I mean, I was just thinking...would you mind if...we move it...later?"
Slowly Xiao Qiao's face darkened in confusion. "What do you mean...later?"
"I mean," he breathed, finding it hard to say the words. "Could we move it later...I don't think I'm ready yet, you know what I'm saying?"
A grave expression settled on Xiao Qiao's face. "Why?"
"I just...need some time. To think."
"Don't you want to marry me?" For someone in her place, she sounded and looked really calm. But that's typical of Xiao Qiao, he found out through the months they've been together. "What happened, Mei Zuo? What did I do?"
Mei Zuo shook his head. "No, no. Of course I want to marry you. It's just... This isn't about you," he said, silently hating himself for using this overused line, but finding no other way to say it. "It's not you, it's me."
From the doorway Mei Zuo's mother finally could not bear it any longer.
"Mei Zuo!"
They both turned to see his mother red-faced in anger. "Ma..."
"What is this?" The old woman strode forward and slapped her son across the face, hard. Mei Zuo bit his lip, feeling so wretched he was willing to take anything from his mother. But what hurt him most was seeing the pain in Xiao Qiao's eyes.
"Ma," he said slowly. "I am not breaking up the wedding. I just...I am just asking for more time."
"But the date has already been set! You are willing to shame us in front of our friends? What will they say?"
Mei Zuo looked at Xiao Qiao and saw her fighting back tears. He looked away and said, "I'm sorry," before running out of the living room and into his bedroom, leaving his angry mother and the stricken Xiao Qiao.
Mei Zuo's mother turned around, her face softening at her future daughter-in-law.
"He'll come around, Xiao Qiao. You know Mei Zuo. He jokes around. I'm sure this is one of his pranks."
Xiao Qiao nodded dumbly, wanting to believe Mei Zuo's mother. But she could not quite shake off the image of Mei Zuo looking so lost and confused as he spoke to her. Something's wrong...
Proudly Dao Ming Si led the way into his office, looking at Shancai with an expectant look on his face.
Shancai spread her gaze around Dao Ming Si's office. A small smile escaped as she noted the gold-gilded frame at the side of the mahogany desk, containing their photograph taken back in Spain, on top of Casa de Familia.
"Well?" he asked when she would not say anything. "What do you think?"
"It looks...alright," she said grudgingly, wanting only to tease him. When a pout began to appear on his face, she burst out laughing. "The place is very nice, A Si. It suits you very well!"
Relief crossed his face as he said, "I thought you were going to react the same way as Ma did when she entered my old office."
She bit back a smile, remembering how he described that unexpected visit from Dao Ming Feng.
"Your mother is very well-known for her impeccable taste in everything," she reminded him, but he snorted.
"In most things, yes. But not in everything." He drew a deep breath. "I bet right now she's still fuming mad at me. As I told Li Fong, let her bitch."
Shancai's voice became grave. "That is not a good way to speak of your mother, Dao Ming Si."
He turned to look at her and asked, confused, "Why are you defending her all of a sudden?"
"I am not defending her, A Si," she sought to explain. "I'm just saying it is wrong to speak ill of her. She's your mother."
"But she wasn't exactly the relenting parent when it comes to us being together."
"I know that. But, Dao Ming Si, please understand. As crazy as it might sound, a part of me is still hoping that the two of you would reconcile. I was a major part of the reason why you are at odds with her, and I don't want that to weigh on my conscience for a long time."
He regarded her with disbelief in his eyes. "After all that she had done, you still hope for that?"
"She's your mother," she stated simply, as though it answered everything.
Defeated, Dao Ming Si glanced away, then slowly looked back at her, a wry smile pulling at his mouth. "Alright. Once again, you are right." He shook his head. "But you're hoping for reconciliation between me and Ma...as much as I would also like that, I don't think it could actually happen."
"Anything is possible."
"I admire your optimism. I wish I shared it."
Shancai smiled brightly up at him. "You never know, Dao Ming Si. You might have already acquired it."
Without arguments, Dao Ming Si smiled back at his wife.
They were interrupted by a short rap at the door and they both turned around just as Reeyu pushed it open.
"There's somebody here looking for Madame Shancai," Reeyu said.
Dao Ming Si and Shancai looked at each other, both wondering who would look for her here in Dao Ming Si's office.
They soon had their answer when a distraught Xiao Qiao entered.
"Xiao Qiao?" Shancai stared at her friend who looked on the verge of tears.
As though she did not notice Dao Ming Si's presence, Xiao Qiao looked weakly at Shancai.
"I went to your office. Your secretary said I could find you here."
She rushed beside her friend, who looked about ready to faint.
"What is it?" she asked, sensing something was wrong. With her hand on her friend's arm she led Xiao Qiao to the seat pulled by Dao Ming Si.
Xiao Qiao seemed to be having trouble keeping from crying. "Shancai...the wedding is off."
It was Dao Ming Si who spoke, flabbergasted. "What do you mean 'off'?"
"It's postponed," Xiao Qiao said. "But I don't think it's going to happen."
"This is crazy," Shancai said, hoping this was all a joke. "Don't kid around, Xiao Qiao. This is not funny."
"I am not joking, Shancai. The wedding is off."
"Says who?" Dao Ming Si demanded.
Xiao Qiao's reply was a soft whisper, but the couple heard it nonetheless.
"Mei Zuo."
Dao Ming Si and Shancai exchanged troubled looks. Then slowly his face turned into a mask of anger.
"Excuse me," he murmured and strode out of the office.
Shancai hurriedly spoke to Xiao Qiao. "Please excuse me a moment," she said and hurried after Dao Ming Si.
She caught up with him just as he was about to step into the elevator. Pulling at his sleeve, she said, "Dao Ming Si, where are you going?"
A muscle ticked in his jaw and she could tell he was really angry. "I'm going to have to speak with Mei Zuo," he replied.
"But, Dao Ming Si...!"
He looked at her. "Go back to the office and take Xiao Qiao home. I don't think she could go home by herself." He planted a quick kiss on her forehead. "I'll see you at the bar later."
"Dao Ming Si!"
He stopped just as the elevator doors opened. Upon seeing the worried look on her face, he gave a reassuring smile.
"I meant what I said, Shancai. I will just talk to Mei Zuo. Now go to her. She needs you right now."
Shancai watched dumbly as the doors closed, hoping Dao Ming Si would fulfill his promise and TALK to Mei Zuo. She knew Mei Zuo could get quite a fiery temper, and in the face of Dao Ming Si’s impatience, something worse could happen.
But Xiao Qiao needs her right now. Slowly she retraced her steps back to the office, wondering what she would have to do or say to soothe her friend.
But how does one soothe a bride-to-be whose wedding has just been put off by her own prospective groom?
With a sigh she pushed open the door and joined Xiao Qiao.
Mei Zuo was doing a few laps in the Olympic-sized pool when Dao Ming Si strode into the patio, looking really impatient. He waited as Mei Zuo's figure sliced through the blue water and reached the other side, only to do a clean flip and return to the other side.
Breathing deeply, Mei Zuo lifted his head out of the water and shook water out of his hair. Then he saw Dao Ming Si standing there, his arms across his chest. A dark pall fell over Mei Zuo's face as he got out of the water, reaching for the towel.
Wiping his hair dry he walked over to where Dao Ming Si was standing.
"A Si," he said lightly. "This is a surprise. Want a drink?"
"That's not what I came here for," Dao Ming Si said, trying to rein his temper.
Mei Zuo took his time in answering and when he did, it was with a wry smile.
"I think I might have an idea why you're here."
"Do you?"
"Believe me, A Si, this is hard for me as well."
"Is it?" Dao Ming Si shook his head in exasperation. "I thought you were better than this, Mei Zuo. What the hell were you thinking?"
"I don't know!" Mei Zuo's reply was loud, and he seemed surprised at it himself. "I know I hurt Xiao Qiao, my mother and possibly the entire world, and I don't know why!"
"Then why did you do it?"
"It just happened!"
The two of them were shouting now, and it drew the attention of the other people inside the house. Soon most of the household helps trooped in the windows, followed by Mei Zuo's mother.
"Is this about Aisha?" Dao Ming Si questioned and this time Mei Zuo gave a pause and stared at his friend.
He repeated the question. "Is it because of Aisha that you decided to put off your wedding? For Christ's sake, Mei Zuo, she is with Hua Ze Lei!"
After a while, Mei Zuo shook his head wearily and sank down on the lounge chair, his head in his hands.
"I don't know, A Si. Honestly I don't know what is happening to me..."
Pity overtook his anger as Dao Ming Si looked down at Mei Zuo. He drew his hair back with his fingers and sighed loudly. "I so want to hit you right now," he said in a low tone.
Mei Zuo spoke with his head still down. "If you do, I won't hit back. I feel like I deserve it, anyway."
The two men remained in that position, unaware of the other eyes looking at them, or the pair of ears that heard the name. Aisha.