Mystery Woman

Grandma Mei's face soured at the mention of Alex's wife. The old lady knew Crystal since she was a kid. Alex never hide anything from her therefore she is aware of the circumstances of the marriage. Also, he called them this morning informing their arrival and what to expect of Lara.

"As far as I know, he never intend to bring her here. She might now even know this place exist."

Oh. Was is not a marriage of love then? Not knowing anything about the relatonship between Alex and his wife but ashamed to probe any further, Lara did not ask anymore.

Grandma then left them to prepare dinner, while she brought Luke to the bathroom.

*****

Alex came to his study and opened his emails. Still no news about Crystal. His eyes dimmed. He doesn't trust that woman. There must be something that she's planning or else she wouldn't be hiding.

Meanwhile a more comprehensive report about Lara came in from his assistant. While Luke's father is still a mystery man, the report now came in with photos of Lara's childhood. And in it came photos of Lara's parents.

Charles and Lana Lee. The man has chocolate brown hair and though the photo is old, it shows he has the same hair color. While the mother is the spitting image of Lara, except for the hair and eye color. They are her real parents then he concluded. Then, are they Crystal's parents too?

Crystal's parents he had never met though. Her father was not known, while her mother died giving birth to her as he was told. The Yu's avoided talking about it, and it wasn't a big deal to him before. Until he found Lara.

He emailed his assistant to gather information on Crystal's mother.

But not after long his phone rang showing his assitants name in the screen.

"Speak"

"Young Master, your request, I might have trouble fulfilling it." Assistant Cheng's weak voice went through the line.

Alex's forehead immediately showed blacklines and he snapped back at his assistant. How could he have trouble about it, it's just one woman and from what he knew the woman is long gone to the heavens. If she was alive, she is his mother-in-law and therefore he should have a file about her.

"Young Master, for this you might have to call your father." Beads of sweat appeared on the assistant's forehead. He had foreseen what his young master would need in the future, therefore he always gather information he might request. From possible business partners and rivals, to personal acquiantances.

Only with Miss Lara Lee had he needed to start from scratch, as they never thought she will turn into a different woman from the person they are searching for. He is efficient as an assistant and at gathering information.

Regarding Crystal Liu, he had already prepared a long time ago. Files on her and her grandparents. Her father is really a mystery, it seems that her mother had not named anyone. Her mother's information however is strictly confidential.

Alex's frown deepened upon the mention of his father. Crystal' mother's information is confidential? Indeed anything about her is a taboo topic in the Yu's household, but he never thought it is this private.

The Liu's had served the military and therefore has connections that will provide them access to confidential files. If he remembers correctly, his grandfather and the elder Yu had been together at military during their time.

To have someone's information sealed by the military, what could they be keeping about Crystal's mother?

"Send me anything you can uncover." He finished the call.

Luke's father unknown. Crystal's mother is confidential. Either his intel is failing him or there is a missing piece he has yet to uncover. He opened his drawer and from there took out a pocket of cigarette. He smoke very seldom, only on times like this. He doesn't like not knowing.

A knock on the door is heard followed by the old man's voice calling him. He answered for him to come in.

"Young Master—" The old man stop when he saw Alex smoking by the window. "Is there something wrong?" Though he and his wife have always called him Young Master, the formality ends there. Alex have always been warm to them treating them like second parents. And it it to them that he confides openly.

"It's not so much a big deal Gramps. Only I ask for somebody's file and was told I needed father's approval to get it." He has no problem approaching his father, it would also be reasonable for him to want to know Crystal's background. But his father is more clever than to accept such shallow reason. And he doesn't want them to know about Lara yet.

"Must be a very important person to have their information guarded by the military." The old man answered.

"I wonder why. She's only Crystal's mother and her family isn't as prominent as ours." Elder Liu served the military as well before becoming a businessman with the help of his grandfather. But if they wanted to keep their information a secret, wouldn't they keep all of them? Why only her mother's?

"You're talking about Alana Yu?" Grandpa frowned and Alex turned to him sharply.