59

Henry wanted to pull his hair out, the damned board members who kept stopping his every move. He was ready to unwind with an old French cinema in his genre of choice. He had thrown off his tie and blazer to one of the serving men when he heard them. He heard a woman's voice with soft tinkling laughter--Nadia? Had she come back from her trip so soon and come to see him. His heart caught him his throat as he walked faster into his sanctuary.

The servant opened the door for him and to his horror he didn't find the woman of his dreams, but his irritable brother-in-law trying very clumsily to make a move on an older woman whose face was flushed with drunkness. He felt his face grow hot that people were invading on his personal space. Henry wanted to immediately pounce into action, but he remember that this was the sister of his bride so he began to retreat. Nolan could be a pain in his side, but Michael could deal with him. The boy was just a child, after all.

"I have some horrible news to report, Mr. Wong." Nolan said, glancing up as Henry was trying to tiptoe out apparently not so subtly.

Henry froze. A thrill of cool air chilling him to the bone as he stopped to consider the worst. "Are you meaning to tell me . . . it happened? Ellie is no longer with us." The words felt hollow coming out of his mouth. He couldn't imagine the beauty being cool as ice upstairs, her beautiful eyes losing their light. He hadn't even been informed that he should be at home. He hadn't even really got to know her before she left. Like a songbird gone before it's final note to be sung. No wonder there was the Wong brand whiskey out.

"I'm afraid," Nolan continued in the same tone, "Dr. Janna Wu here had made some smashing success in performing some life changing surgery for my dear dear Ellie. Not only did the surgery go well, but she is going to make a complete recovery back to her former self."

She . . . was not dead? Ellie Chen . . . no Ellie Wong, his wife was going to be alive?

Henry reached back for something to sit on while he collapsed, but he only felt the hands of his serving staff. He bounced forward and a seat appeared where he sat to think, to breathe, to . . . do what exactly? His head spun from trying to hear the rapid onslaught of news that had been thrown at him. Henry felt like his head had just been smashed by a bottle in a brawl. Not that that was something he did nowadays, but the unsteady feeling was akin to that.

It was simply miraculous, if Nolan was to be believed, it was the best news. Ellie was deserving of all the finest things and now she could see them. He could--

No.

An ice cold feeling began to creep up his back. He didn't want her there by his side. This went against their agreement. A living breathing wife and her irritating annoying family was not what he wanted.