15 Chapter Four - Crossroads Part Two: Games to Play. . .

Ch'ing Shin-li Says?

"Let go of me," I said as I pulls back my arm then head outside our Lamborghini car.

"Young lady, don't try to do something foolish again," Dylan, warns me.

"Don't worry, and please, I can walk."

Just like the normal scenario of my life that I am tired of, everyone bows and lie low their heads as I enters the palace with my seven bodyguards at my trail.

As I bypass all of them, Gio meets us at the lobby with his eyes down.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Of all people," I answered while holding my temper.

"I did it for you."

I shakes my head as tears starts to fall from my eyes. "I didn't know that you'll betrayed me."

I bumps him on the shoulders as I walks away. Yes, Mr. Dylan told me that Gio is the one who gave them the hint on where I was. I cannot believe him. It hurts to know that he will do this to me. Of all people. . . .

I trust him all these times.

"Where's my father?" I asks.

"He's in his office," Dylan answered.

I give him a betrayed stare.

"You said that he's sick."

As what I had expected, Dylan cannot look at me straight in the eye. I just nod as I bit my lower lip and tried to control myself.

"I go with you because you said that he is dying."

"Young lady - ."

"You lied to me Dylan. I can't believe you."

"Young lady, it's all for your own sake."

"No!" I finally burst out. My bodyguards tries to get a hold of me as if I am a prisoner but Dylan raises his hand to stop them.

"How much money?"

"It's not what you think young lady."

"How much money my father gave you!? To all of you?!"

Tears starts to fall from my eyes.

"I hate you Dylan! I hate you Gio! I hate all of you!"

By that, I run upstairs and locks myself in my room.

King Xander Waldorf Says?

"Shin-li, by this time, is already on my custody. Just give me time."

"I can't wait for another long Xander. We had an agreement."

"I already arranger everything."

"Just make it sure Xander, or else, I'll take over your precious monarchy. Everything you had belongs to me, and I'll take it back now."

I close my eyes for a second.

"Alright, just stick to the original plan, and all the rest is under my control."

I put down the telephone on my desk as I push the end dial button.

I am sorry my daughter. This is all for you. All I want is to make things back to their right place.

I shakes my head and touch my chest, which is now burning in pain. I grab my medicine bottle on my drawer and swallow a spoonful of medicine.

Shin-di, it is getting close at the end, my love.

"Honey."

I look at her with a worry look.

"Xiao Fan."

"Shin-li locks herself on her room. I am getting worried. She pushes everyone away."

"Just give her time to understand the situation."

Prime Minister Seto Lim Says?

I close my eyes as her face conquers my mind over and over again.

"Mr. Prime Minister."

"Duyu, come over, "I said as I opens my eyes.

"Lady Ericka came for a visit."

Hearing that, I reaches for my cane and head downstairs.

"Ericka, my dear," I said as I hugs her close.

"Brother," she smiles.

I gestures us to have a seat.

"How's your condition?" she asks.

"Stronger as ever," I answered with a smile.

"You sure? Seems like you're not," she said. "By the way, are you guyz fighting again?"

"I can no longer get hold of Dom Yo'-gi like before. I guess, he's not a little boy anymore."

"Give me an honest answer brother. You are not thinking Yugi boy as her mother is right? They are different."

I shakes my head as things starts to return back on my memories, little by little again.

"All these times, I gave him everything – the life, the substance, the money."

"But not love that he always longed for. The boy might seems to hate you, but deep inside, he is pleading for your love."

"He's jot my real son," I retorts back but regrets it after.

"But he is. In everyone's eyes, he is. Even you yourself knew that. It is not about the blood. It's in the heart."

"I can't forgive his mother."

"She already suffered a long time ago. You never even made her feel that she's a part of your life."

"Stop this Ericka."

"I went to Xander."

Hearing her words, I compose myself again as I looks at her. It is no longer the pain that conquers my heart this time, but anger.

"I see," I said.

"He is really upset," she said.

"It's good to know."

"Brother, it feels like it's not you anymore."

"It's me all these times Ericka. It's me all along."

With that, she gave a deep and frustrated sigh. She is disappointed in all of my replies to her arguments.

"By the way," I said again, "did he spills something about the wedding?"

Ericka give a deep sigh again.

"Best friends of long ago, turned out to be rivals, then now, having their children getting married. They're not stuffs."

"Nah! Of course, they are not. That's a human nature, and in this rat race, they need to go with the flow."

"I can't believe you," she said while shaking her head. "When do you plan to tell it to Kent-li?"

Dione Tang Says?

Strike!

I smiles as I hit the bull's eye again for a hundred and fifty times around with the use of my bow and arrow.

Ah. . . . I can smell victory this time.

"Sir Dione."

I stands up as my private investigator enters my archer's hall.

"What did you find out?"

"Positive, sir Dione," he answers as he hands me a brown envelope. It contains pictures of Shin-li and Dom Yo'-gi from the past few weeks.

I just nods as I hands him a half a million check.

"Send these pictures to the Monarchy's Secretary of State, to the Prime Minister and to the press."

By the moment he left, I dialed mom's number.

"Kent-li."

"Ma."

"Is everything all right there son?"

"I'm okay. Did you check on Mr. Prime Minister?"

"Yeah. He is alright now. By the way, the crown princess was already on her palace."

"That's good."

"When do you plan to see her?"

"Sooner."

"By the way, I have a salon commitment today. Love you son. Gotta go."

"Bye ma. Love you too."

As I put down my phone, I get a few documents on my desk drawer, and then a letter slips out from the pile of those. To my dearest Ericka. From the upcoming Prime Minister of People's Republic of China, Seto Lim.

I put the letter at the side then get a glass of wine. It is now about time for me to claim my rights. . . .

I take a sip from my glass, and then I received a phone message.

"I took a flight from Paris to Beijing. See you later. Love you. We're okay now, right?"

Reading that, I just off my phone and throws it on the couch.

Seto Dom Yo'-gi Says?

With a cast on my arm, I head on my condominium unit to check on her, but she is out on somewhere.

How I wish you're back. – Shantall.

I smiles as I read her sticky note on the fridge. I dialed her number only to find out that she left her cell phone on the sofa.

Huh! Where is she? It is already too late for a morning walk. In fact, it is already late lunch.

Then I received a call from dad. "Where the hell are you?!"

Yuan Gheo'to Says?

I take my time to have a horseback riding on the palace garden.

You are crazy Gio. You loved someone who cannot love you back.

Now, she hates you even more. You are so stupid.

I hit Pegasus' back so hard that he runs so fast and go berserk, only for me to slide and fall from his back.

I am so unlucky, being in love with my best friend. By that, I manage to lie on the grassy land and the rain starts to fall.