1 The Assent

When Wang Jun finally agreed to his grandmother's requests to meet a woman, he had not been expecting her. He had been pestered for months but the nail on the coffin was his child coming tearfully to him and asking for her mother. Though he had agreed, he had no intentions of inserting some woman intent on social climbing and cementing business ties into their little family.

Mahiya Sen, otherwise known as the black sheep of the Liu family, was her uncle's favourite and were it not for him, she would have never said yes to meeting a man. Business tycoon or not, she had no wish to start a relationship. Not when it was futile to begin with.

Friday afternoon came, the harsh rays of the afternoon sun halted by the awning of the cafe cast a play of light and shadows on the interior of the café. Mahiya had chosen this particular café for its coziness. It was a quaint little shop, a place no self respecting business mogul would deign to visit. She sat down near the window overlooking the garden outside with a cup of almond latte. She was sure her date would not come based on the location alone but then, the bell over the entrance rang.