30 Choices

At first, Sun Mei thought this was a joke. However, when she started laughing, Mr. Wu gave her a strange look.

"You are serious, sir?" she asked him in disbelief.

Mr. Wu nodded. "I'm afraid so."

"Was this what you agreed to? To keep me here?" Sun Mei asked with a deep frown.

"No. I just promised her that she would get to promote the book if she signed your contract. The problem is, she is technically also your boss now so she can fire you if I don't accept her request."

"That is blackmail!" said Sun Mei, who felt completely exasperated.

"I know." Mr. Wu set the book down on a side table with a sigh.

"Do you have to do it?" Sun Mei asked. "Can't your company say no on your behalf?"

"I suppose…" Mr. Wu looked away uncomfortably.

"Are the protagonists of the book even Chinese? The author is called Laura Dane," said Sun Mei as she squinted down to look at the manuscript's white cover.

"They are not. But Jenny doesn't care. She said she wants to be on the cover even if her face is not visible."

"That is ridiculous!" Sun Mei didn't know why she was losing her composure over this, but she had a feeling that it wasn't because the models on the cover wouldn't look like the original characters of the book.

"I have to do it," said Mr. Wu calmly. "Not just because she will fire you otherwise. She also promised that Lily could be on set during the photoshoot and then she could spend the rest of the day with her. Lily has been begging to see her for weeks. I can't act selfishly when it comes to her…"

"You are not selfish," Sun Mei said immediately. She wished she could squeeze his hand to reassure him. "She is being selfish."

"Thank you, Sun Mei," Mr. Wu said with a sad smile. "But I chose her to be my daughter's mother, so now I have to deal with her."

Sun Mei didn't know what to say. Was Mr. Wu really blaming himself for giving Lily a selfish, cruel mother? She didn't think that was completely fair.

"Don't blame yourself for falling in love," she blurted out before she could stop herself. "You… You probably couldn't help it. Feelings can't be helped."

"I certainly can't help the tiny feeling of despair in the back of my throat when you look that dejected and sad…" Sun Mei thought.

"Maybe," said Mr. Wu. "Or maybe I was a fool. Perhaps this is why I haven't dated much since Jenny and I separated. I don't trust myself to make the right choice."

"Yeah, Vivian mentioned that you have turned into a monk," Sun Mei said with a teasing smile in an effort to lighten the mood.

Mr. Wu laughed a little. "Yeah, you could say that. I have her to think of now." He tilted his head in the direction of the living room, where Lily was still silently watching her favorite movie. "I can't make any more wrong choices. I can't bring someone into her life who will eventually leave and hurt her again."

Sun Mei's heart almost broke.

She certainly wouldn't leave if Mr. Wu asked her not to…