===
November 15, 2011……5:30 p.m.
===
It had been over a week already and her wound still pained now and then, causing her face to twist slightly in turmoil. Nancy sat up from her white leather sofa, her good arm trying to ease down the pain by massaging areas around her wound. That didn’t seem to be working as the pain and aching only stayed there. She sighed out of frustration and pushed herself off the sofa and into the kitchen, looking for some painkillers. Ron stood in the kitchen with an apron on, looking like a stay-at-home husband as he was getting dinner ready for both of them. As Nancy raided the medicine cabinet, he looked up, placed down his knife, wiped his hands and walked over, holding her from behind as he reached up for the painkillers.
“You don’t have to put up a tough girl act in front of me. You can whine all you want,” he spoke softly by her ear as he took out two pills for her.
She laughed softly, leaning back into his embrace. “I’ve just been so tense lately and I don’t want to bring you more troubles than you already have.”
“You’re my fiancée, what trouble can you bring? I’m just thankful you haven’t done anything risky in the past couple days,” he sighed, kissing her neck. “Now as for your mom and Fala, maybe you should try to arrange a day where they both could sit down and talk. Fala still doesn’t know that Michelle is your mother, and I doubt neither does Michelle. The first step may be to break the ice first. Then go on from there.”
Nancy sighed as she held onto Ron’s arms around her. “I don’t know how you always manage to say the right things, but you do. Thank you.”
He laughed softly as he kissed her neck several times again. Then he straightened up and gently turned her face facing him, looking into her eyes. “Can we finally get married after your family gets back together? I think your mom would be pleased to see the wedding herself, rather than on video.” His voice was gentle, kind and sincere as he gazed into her soft eyes.
She simply nodded. Whenever Ron would mention their unplanned wedding, she would always have a mixture of feelings arouse inside of her. On one part she felt unsure of when they could get married, due to all the troubles that kept on coming their way. On another part, she felt guilty that she had been putting it off for so long. Then on the last part, she was quite happy on how faithful he is and how lucky she was to find a guy like him. She smiled as she could just remember the two days when they first met. It was an ironic story, but in her lifetime, they have had two first meetings.
“Now the end of this month, how about we take a day off for the two of us? When your wound closes and we could you know, get risky?” Ron asked with a slight sign of mischief in his eyes.
Nancy smiled and looked back at him with eyes that dared him to continue, in a pleasant way. “You know, you are the worse at asking for dates. But somehow I always end up giving up to you…and I guess this is no exception.”
They both laughed in unison as Ron leaned in closer and placed his lips on hers. He kissed her gently at first. Then slowly he pushed harder and harder until they reached a small level of their usual passion. He knew Nancy was tired, so he didn’t dare push for more, but right then and there, just having her in his arms, kissing him back was enough for him.
===
Even during late hours, the office floors of the police station still bustled with people coming in and out, most were criminals being escorted by cold-faced police officers. Fala stood in the hallway, waiting patiently for the man of whom she had agreed to meet with come face her. Occasionally she would look down at her watch and then look up again, but she still saw no one. After what seemed like a long time of waiting, the usual sloppy mess of a police officer showed up. Something was different about him though as Fala took a closer look at him. He had actually combed his hair just to meet her?
“Bosco, what took you so long?” She asked once he stopped in front of her.
“I had to get a statement for Nancy. With your sister and her fiancé off, it’s been a busy day.”
“Did you actually comb your hair?” Fala asked. “You never look nice unless for some special occasion. And look, you’re even wearing a collar shirt!”
“Ok forensics, I don’t need an excuse to dress nicely. I just thought I’d wearing this shirt since it’s been hanging in my closet for so long. And as for my hair, I don’t know why it looks like this, it just does!” he laughed at her.
Fala shook her head. “Whatever you say,” she sighed. “Here are the DNA tests and documents.”
“Thanks,” Bosco replied. “But I guess I do have a small reason to dress up today.” He leaned in.
“What is it?” Fala asked, oblivious to his actions as he came closer to her.
As innocent as she was in terms of romantic relationships, Fala didn’t realize it until a second after it had already happened. Bosco had come closer to her, and quick as lightning, he placed a gentle kiss on the side of her cheek. It was something reckless for him to do, but not impossible. He leaned back and rocked on his feet with a smile on as Fala stood frozen as ice, surprised and speechless, unsure of what to say.
“I know you’re single,” Bosco smirked. “Nancy complains about that all the time. What do you say you give me a chance and go on a date?”
Without thinking, Fala wanted the best excuse to reject Bosco, mainly because she didn’t want to have a boyfriend at the time. So what would be the best excuse? “I already have a boyfriend, thank you,” she replied. Then afterwards, she wanted to mentally kick herself a million times realizing what excuse she had just given him.
“Really?” Bosco asked. “I don’t believe you. Look I just kissed you and you’re blushing.”
“I do, he’s going to pick me up right now,” Fala continued, wanting to kick herself even more.
“Alright, I’ll walk you down and see your boyfriend down there,” Bosco offered as he pushed her to continue walking towards the elevator.
As she walked, Fala’s mind shot to a complete mess. She wondered how she would ever pull it off to convince Bosco to back away from her. She wasn’t surprised that Bosco liked her. She was surprised at how strongly he came on and how stupid she was all of a sudden to say she had a boyfriend, which didn’t exist. She doesn’t have a boyfriend, how will she pull out a fake one in five minutes? That’s it! Ruco’s name suddenly appeared in her head as she quickly pulled out her phone and hoped to God he’d pick up.
“Hello?” Ruco’s voice came on over the line.
“Ruco? Can you pick me up at the police station front doors?”
“Sure I’ll be right there, but what’s going on?”
She quickly hung up before he could finish, hoping not to lead Bosco into thinking this was all an act. “There, my boyfriend will be picking me up.”
“I’m still coming to see,” Bosco smiled.
They walked into the elevator and Bosco pressed the button for the first floor. Fala stood beside him awkwardly as she wondered what else she should try to pull off to convince Bosco to back away from her. She knew she didn’t like him in any special way besides just friends, but she had no clue how to handle her current situation. Her sister was right, Fala may act like the older sister, but in terms of romance she will always be the younger one.
Stepping out of the sliding glass doors, Fala could see the young man standing there beside his car, waiting for her. He had on a light blue polo and worn out jeans, his goatee and moustache nicely trimmed and his eyes lit up once he saw her. His hands were in his pocket and he smiled as she walked towards him. He had a sense of confusion in him though once she came up closer than she would normally do.
“What did…?”
“Shh,” she hushed him quickly as she wrapped her hands around his neck. “I’m sorry but play along, please,” she spoke again before suddenly her lips were on his.
Ruco was surprised and his heart nearly burst out of his chest, but he finally calmed down after a moment. Fala didn’t seem to know what to do, but he guessed that she was trying to give him a kiss. He really didn’t mind playing along with such a pretty girl, and so he returned her kiss, leading the way for her as Fala’s lips eased up and softened along with his. After a moment, when Ruco was about to close his eyes and push closer to her, Fala pulled back gently and smiled awkwardly at him.
She then turned around to the officer who stood behind her. “Believe me now Bosco? Bye!”
As they got into his car, Ruco finally had the chance to ask her. “What was that?” he laughed.
“I’m sorry,” Fala stressed, looking at him with innocent and sincere eyes. “That was Bosco Wong, I’m sure you already know him. He wanted to go out on a date with him and I didn’t want to lead him on because I don’t like him that way and I couldn’t come up with a good excuse to get him to back off because he came on pretty strong and just then your name suddenly appeared in my head and I knew that you would never like me that way due to how different we are but I guess since we’re friends you would help me out and so I called you to pick me up to have him think that you’re my boyfriend and I knew he was still suspecting me so I didn’t know what to do so I just kissed you! I’m sorry!” Fala spilled out, speaking too fast as she tried to explain.
Ruco only laughed at her silliness. “It’s ok, I didn’t mind the kiss. It was good, thanks.”
“What?” Fala replied, confused.
“Nothing,” Ruco laughed and shook his head. “You know, I could actually fall for you too if this keeps happening.”
“Don’t say that. I don’t want a boyfriend right now, I still have a career to focus on,” she sighed.
“Whatever you say. But just remember, now in front of Inspector Wong we’re boyfriend and girlfriend. I’m up for helping you with the act. Now it all falls on you to tie it together.”
Fala sighed as she leaned back in her seat. “Fine.”
“Alright, so we’re setting up a date at the end of the month and having him accidentally run into us so that he’s convinced you have a boyfriend.”
“Fine,” Fala sighed again. “Wait, what?” she suddenly sat up, realizing what she had agreed to. It was one heck of a strange night for her. She had just managed to avoid Bosco’s date but then somehow ended up agreeing to a date with Ruco. She fell back in her seat and sighed, giving up.
===
November 17, 2011……2:30 p.m.
===
That day was probably the last day he’d see Yoyo for a while. She was boarding a plane in the evening, heading for Toronto, Canada. He was hoping that bringing her away from Hong Kong and into the hands of a closely trusted friend, she would have the time to relax and possibly get over her growing, already out of control addiction to drugs. He had helped her pack in the early morning, now he left her alone with her words to Tavia.
Raymond walked into the sunlit living room with two steaming coffee mugs in his hands. As he sat down, he handed one to Michelle and placed his on the table. The elegant woman set down her magazine as she turned to him with her soft and gentle eyes.
“Are you sad that she’s leaving?” Michelle asked.
“No,” Raymond replied, shaking his head. “At least I’ll know that she’ll be safe over there.”
She nodded and took small sip of her coffee. “I’ll only send her over until everything settles down. With Kevin Cheng knowing her relationship to you, he’ll use her against you. That’s why we need to worry about our family members in this business. Thankfully, my two girls are elsewhere. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know how to face them if they are harmed in this struggle between me and Kevin. I wouldn’t know how to face them if they were harmed because of me.”
“But you told me you left your two only daughters in an orphanage in Beijing. Aren’t you ever going to look for them?”
“I did,” Michelle sighed. “Sadly when I came over there a few years ago, the caretaker told me the younger sister had been adopted. Nancy, the older one ran away and they both ended up in an orphanage in Hong Kong. When I came to the orphanage in Hong Kong, both girls had left already. I just hope they’re ok and happy wherever they are.”
“Not that I don’t support you. I’ll never forget all the good things you did for me. You treated me like your own son and I treat you like my own mother. So with our relationship, I want to know why you’re taking such a big risk in fighting Kevin Cheng for 14K. Sure you have an even chance of winning, but it’s still too risky.”
Michelle set down her coffee and looked up, staring at something far away in the distant horizon. She watched as the sun rose high up in the sky, glimmering down upon her for coming success. “I’m doing this, because I want to get back at him for all of those years. When I met his father, I thought my chance had come. If I married him, me and my two little girls would live a happy and fulfilled life. His father tricked me into leaving my girls back at the orphanage in Beijing for safety and promised me that once things got settled down we’d go back and get them. Well it all turned out to be a lie. Once things settled down, he had his men watch me all the time and he wouldn’t allow me to even step near an orphanage. He wanted his son to be my only priority. That kid never even respected me and as he grew older, he would always create trouble for me. Because of him and his father, I lost contact with my precious little girls. For twenty years I didn’t know how they were doing or if they’re safe or happy. For twenty years I’d spend every night wondering how their day went and wishing that I’d be able to care for them again. I thought that once his father died, I’d be able to see my girls. But it was too late. So the only form of vengeance I could think of was to bring his life’s work down to ruins. Once I have 14K in my hands, taking it down would be easier than ever. That’s why I have to fight with Kevin for it. I’ve already won over two elders to support me through bribery and blackmail. Nothing beats the power of money in this world.”
He sighed and took her hands. Raymond sat close to her, treating her as if she was his own mother and caring for her like so. “You have good reasons for doing all of this. But just please promise me when you come to trouble, get help immediately. I know you’re tough but as a woman, you have the right to ask for help. At the end of the day you’re still just a woman. Remember to choose your life over vengeance. You still have two daughters somewhere out there. Don’t forget that.”
Michelle chuckled lightly and replied to him with a tight squeeze to his hands. “You sound just like that girl who saved my life from the police station.”
“Nancy Wu, the recklessly amusing cop?” Raymond replied. “I said this because I care about you and I treat you as my mother.”
“She said the same thing and that was the first time we saw each other. Though for some reason, I have this strange feeling about her. I feel close to that girl. The whole time I was there, I was fighting the feeling to hug her. I didn’t want to seem weird and weak.”
“I guess Nancy does have her way with people then,” Raymond replied. “I like her too, and like you, we’re triads and she’s a cop.”
“Maybe not all cops are justice blinded fools then.”
“Not all of them, but some of them are still pretty bad people. Kate Tsui, that other police officer, I suspect something about her. Once we all established that Macy’s move might somehow be related to Kevin Cheng, she suddenly acted really weird. If I didn’t know better, I might even think that Kate is somehow associated with Kevin.”
“I doubt you’ll have to worry. Besides, she seems like she could do little to harm me.”
“I just hope so then,” Raymond replied, finally picking up his coffee mug.
===
Her mind was saddened once she realized she won’t know when the next time she’ll be able to see Raymond again will be. Yoyo never had the chance to properly thank him, and with her leaving him alone, she couldn’t help but worry. As she finished packing the last of her things, she turned back and smiled at the young woman who sat quietly on her bed with her hair tied back, wearing a casual flannel shirt that still made her look stunning. Looking at that woman, Yoyo felt at ease leaving Raymond with her. She knew that the woman, Tavia Yeung, would take care of her only brother properly.
Yoyo smiled, sadness showing in her eyes. “Promise me you’ll look after Raymond when I’m gone. He tends to get himself in a lot of trouble. But he’s a good guy.”
Tavia nodded and assured her of the promise. “I promise. You won’t have to worry.”
“I know your impression of him wasn’t very good, and I don’t know if over the time you’ve been together that impression has changed or not, but please trust me, he’s not the heartless player that people make him out to be. I feel that with you around, you’ll be able to bring out the real him. He’s only afraid to show others the real him because he’s afraid people will take advantage of him that’s all. He’s not such a heartless person. Please don’t believe in those rumors.”
Tavia nodded. “I won’t believe those rumors, you can count on that. My impression of a person won’t be turned that easily, and I think I’m already starting to see the real Raymond Lam.”
“I don’t talk much to my brother about his romantic relationships, but I know enough that you’re currently his girlfriend, and I know him well enough to say that you’re the first girl whose heart he doesn’t want broken. Please trust him and give him a chance.”
Tavia smiled as she took Yoyo’s hand and held them gently. “You won’t have to worry. I don’t know what had happened to you two in the past that caused Raymond to build such a wall around his heart, but I will be sure to give him a chance and I will be sure to treat him well.”
“Raymond never told you about our past did he?” Yoyo asked.
“No, the most I’ve heard was about you and him a couple years back.”
Yoyo gave her a warm smile, one of which only an innocent little sister of someone could give off. She looked down at their hands as she began speaking again, slowly and gently. “He used to be very different actually. When we were kids, Raymond could actually be considered a nerd. He went to school and then home to study. He’d help mom, dad and me and never complain. He was the nicest guy ever and was probably such a pushover in school. Raymond had good grades and really good relations with the teachers. He even aimed to be a lawyer or doctor. He once told me he wanted to be someone who could help people because we need a lot of help back then and the people who helped us such as the social worker people were very kind and very good people.”
“Raymond used to be like that?” Tavia asked as Yoyo gave her a nod. “What happened then?”
===
Lost & Found in Hong Kong - Raymond’s Story
===
I remember I was in elementary school then, and Raymond was in middle school. We had a nice family, a mom a dad and everything. We were very poor though. Dad worked as a mechanic and mom worked in a sweat shop. They’d always come home very late so Raymond and I usually ended up making dinner. It wasn’t a full life, but we were happy the way we were. The only problem was we were so short on money dad was forced to borrow money from the government to keep the rent for our house. When the government stopped loaning us money, the only place left for us to turn to was the loan sharks.
We were too young to realize what exactly had happened, but all we knew was that dad had lost his job as a mechanic and so the only working person was my mom since no one would hire my dad. For a time, living off mom’s salary and borrowed money was all we could do. Raymond was getting close to an age that he could begin working so we thought if we lasted a few more months, my dad could possibly fix Raymond a job in his school so that he could study and work at the same time. We only needed to last a few more months, but before that time was up, the loan sharks suddenly came.
They were scary and mean people and wouldn’t stop beating up my dad until we agreed to pay double the amount we owed by the end of the month. We knew we didn’t have the money, but agreeing to them was all we could do or else dad would be beaten to death. Things didn’t get any better and soon they came back at the end of the month for the money. We of course didn’t have nearly enough. We could barely afford the food on our dinner table. I would always remember that day for the rest of my life. That’s why I hate the people in the gang, they are just like them. I still remember clearly, how their faces all were on that day.
Raymond and I were in the living room as he was tutoring me on something I couldn’t remember. Suddenly the door burst open and these men came in with knives and glass bottles. I didn’t know what was going on but they suddenly started messing up our house, knocking over everything. They beat my mom and dad until we saw blood. When they realized that beating us won’t get them any money, they were going to kill us. Raymond was already really big then and he tried to save us. He managed to knock out two men and as he helped my mom and dad up, we ran out of the apartment. All I could remember was him half carrying me as we were running and then two gunshots rang in my head. I turned around to see my parents both fall to the ground, no voices, no noise coming out from them. I remember Raymond stopped for a moment, shaking with anger. He even turned back and was about to run back there, but then he looked down at me. That was the last time I saw him cry as he picked me up and turned around, running again.
Several months passed and during those months, we were practically living on the streets. He couldn’t go to work or finish school because he couldn’t leave me alone. So Raymond ended up becoming a pickpocket to get us some money. For several months we lived by the change that I got collecting bottles and cardboard and the money that Raymond stole from people on the street. Occasionally we would see those men who ruined our life again on the streets and Raymond would fight them when they are drunk. One time he got hit with a broken glass bottle trying to protect me. You can ask him about it, he still has that scar on his left shoulder. We found out those men were a part of a huge gang called the 14K. Raymond once swore that he would burn down 14K, ironic isn’t it?
Almost a year passed and one day, Raymond had accidentally robbed a woman named Michelle Yim from the 14K. She chased him down and found me. She was alone though so Raymond thought he could handle her if she wanted to hurt us. But she didn’t want to harm us at all. Instead, that woman looked at me with the most gentle and loving eyes ever. When she saw me, she said something like how I reminded her of her younger daughter with my sweet tooth. Michelle didn’t hurt us or turn us into the police. Instead she even took us in and took care of us as if we were her own. She would make us finish high school and even taught me how to be a woman. As we grew older, she was like a replacement mother to us. Till this day, Michelle would still look at me with those warm and gentle eyes.
Then as we grew older, Raymond decided to join the gang and help her out as to repay her. I wanted to help too, but as a girl people kept trying to take advantage of me, and as a girl I had so much at risk. Raymond didn’t want me to be played or get hurt and so he pretended to not be related to me and made me his girlfriend. With his status in the gang, no one dared trick me or lay a finger on me. I was safe for the time being under his name. With Raymond’s status, he also took revenge on those men who killed our parents and turned our life upside down. I don’t know what exactly he did to them, but I never saw them again after he asked them to meet him out by the bay one night. I couldn’t blame him though. If they didn’t exist, our life would still be like normal, and maybe by now Raymond would be a successful man and our parents might still be alive. If not for them, Raymond wouldn’t have to give up his dream of helping people and end up contradicting his own ambitions.
He once said he was going to become someone who would help people. Now he’s someone who needs help himself. He also said that he was going to burn down 14K. Now he’s a high ranked member of the very organization that killed our parents. Life is such a heartless irony isn’t it? You end up becoming the very thing you said you’d never be.
===
Her mind was still wrapped around the idea of how different Raymond and Yoyo’s personality used to be. She would never imagine him to be of how Yoyo had described, never at all. As she stood there halfway in a trance, Yoyo wrapped her arms around Tavia’s neck and gave her a tight hug, subconsciously asking her to keep Raymond out of unnecessary trouble while she was gone. Tavia smiled as she returned with a hug and an assuring nod. As she let go, Yoyo slowly turned around and pushed her cart of heavy luggage away from them, heading for the destination gate and her terminal.
“Remember to call when you get there,” Raymond spoke as he watched her leave longingly.
“She won’t turn around, if she did she might start crying,” Michelle sighed. She then turned to Raymond and patted his shoulder. “This is the first time you two have been apart isn’t it? Don’t worry, it is for the best. You can trust that Yoyo will be safe and sound over in Canada. After she gets over her addiction, I even enrolled her in a college course. Hopefully when she comes back she’ll have a degree under her hand.”
Raymond nodded as he took Tavia’s hand without saying a word to her. “Michelle, thank you. Without your help all these years, I don’t know where Yoyo and I would end up.”
“You’re making it sound like you’re leaving as well,” Michelle smiled. She then turned to Tavia.
It was then that Tavia suddenly remembered something, something that suddenly made all the sense in the world to her and tied everything together. Michelle’s eyes, they were warm and gentle just as Yoyo had explained. Tavia also remembered something Nancy had revealed to her long ago. Nancy rarely ever spoke about her missing mother, but when she did the impression she left Tavia with was that no matter how heartless the woman was, one look into her eyes and the world suddenly seemed like a better place. Nancy had once told her that her mother’s eyes were the warmest and most gentle place on the face of the Earth. When Tavia looked back into Michelle’s eyes, she suddenly realized all the care and tender in there. Then she finally thought. Could Michelle be Nancy’s mom? It was all just a feeling or a guess, but she could picture Michelle and Nancy be related. As she began thinking about it, the two women were so much alike from their very features down to their personality.
“Tavia,” Michelle began. “I’m sure with you by his side. This kid here would be a lot better off.”
Tavia nodded and simply smiled as she was still wrapped up in the enchantment of her eyes.
“Do you plan on looking for your daughters now that you have one less worry on your mind?” Raymond suddenly asked.
Michelle smile and nodded. “Hopefully fate won’t play yet another trick on me this time. I’ll see you two later then. I still have a few meetings to attend,” she smiled and turned around, taking slow steps in leaving the airport.
“Her daughters?” Tavia asked as she watched Michelle leave.
Raymond stepped in front of her, taking both her hands up and looking into her eyes as he spoke to her. That was the first time she had the crazy urge to just hug him without control. “Yeah,” Raymond nodded. “Michelle had two daughters of whom she had lost contact with and now she’s still trying to find them.”
“That’s ironic,” Tavia mumbled.
“What’s ironic?”
“Nothing,” she replied, realizing she should have a good talk with Nancy first before she ends up stirring a misunderstanding between everyone. “What do you plan on doing now?”
“I don’t know,” Raymond replied as he placed his arms gently around her waist. “Like Michelle, I too have just had one worry lifted off my shoulders. I’m in a mood to celebrate.”
“One minute you were sad that your sister’s leaving and now you’re in a mood to celebrate?” Tavia laughed as she discreetly danced around in Raymond’s arms.
He nodded. “I was, but now I’m happy because I know that at least she’ll be safe, away from all the drama and problems of this restless city.”
“So what do you plan on doing to celebrate? Are you going to hit the club and play around with some of the girls there?”
Raymond shook his head as he leaned down closer to her face. “I already have a girlfriend, why would I want to play around with other girls?” He watched Tavia as she began to blush. Raymond smiled as he saw her lips begin to curl upwards in a shy happiness. “This might actually be the first time you’re being shy around me,” he commented. “Miss Tavia Yeung, would you like to accompany me to dinner, a movie date, and then relaxing at my place?”
Tavia smiled, trying to avoid embarrassment by shying away from Raymond’s eyes. “I would love to,” she replied. Just as she finished, Raymond’s lips suddenly stopped everything around them as he kissed her. It was a strong coming, a passionate kiss that she overly enjoyed. She began to close her eyes softly, pulling him closer to her, holding him tighter as she let go of anything that restricted her from loving the man she had in her arms.
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