Flowing Through Her Veins

"I see" came Liling's curt reply. 

For the first time since they had started talking, Yang Huan's expression faltered for a fraction of a second before reverting to her smile. She had no idea what Liling had meant with her short retort. 

Assessing her expression, Liling continued, "Unfortunately there's been a misunderstanding. Li Hao and I were not informed on the decision to hire a nanny. Although I appreciate Granma Li's concern, you can't be employed here before we discuss this" 

She chose her words carefully, knowing that whatever she said would be relayed unfailingly to Grandma Li. 

Yang Huan nodded, visibly less smiley than before, but her lips remained turned up politely. "I completely understand Mrs. Li, and I'm happy to wait until you have come to a decision with Mr. Li"

"That's appreciated. We'll contact you when we decide to pursue this further. So for now, goodbye, and thanks for coming"

She nodded again and allowed herself to be led outside by Mrs Choi. 

As the heavy oak doors closed with a click, she couldn't help but roll her eyes in exhaustion. She was completely uninterested in whatever game Grandma Li had decided to orchestrate, the idea of being a mere pawn in a power struggle did not appeal to her and left a bad taste in the back of her throat.

She massaged her temples for the umpteenth time that day. As much as she didn't want to involve him in her issues, maybe it was time she discussed everything with Li Hao, the stalking, the pictures, and the newest one on her list of problems, the nanny 'decision'.

Maybe, that way she could finally get some peace of mind. She played out the impending conversation mentally as she trudged up the grand staircase making her way to Little Bun's room.

She gently pushed the door open and peeked in.

He was laying on the rug in his room, books splayed beside him, head bent over his tablet as he tried to draw what looked to her like the cartoon version of a frog. With his brows furrowed in concentration, he looked extremely adorable as he drew.

He soon felt her gaze and turned, immediately breaking into a smile upon seeing her. She'd hardly called out to him before running over to her.

She crouched down to receive him and wrapped her arms around him, Pulling him closer, she closed her eyes and pressed a kiss on his soft black hair instinctively. She could already feel the weight of the day slip away with every second spent in his embrace. 

He pulled back slightly and planted a kiss on her left cheek.

At that moment, she could feel her heart well up with happiness as she stared into his large expressive eyes. "Did you have a good day?" 

He nodded excitedly and grabbed her arm, pulling her to the plush rug where his drawings lay. With a smile, she examined his work commending him on how much better he had gotten. 

For the next hour, they spent time together, then went down to have dinner. After, she tucked him and kissed him good night.

*************************************

~Li Hao's study

Li Hao had arrived at dinner time, so she and Li Hao were now sitting in his study going over the plans for their task that evening. 

"Are you okay?" Li Hao asked, brows slightly tinged with worry,

Going over the blueprints of their target's location— Casa del Denaro—, he'd noticed she looked more out of it than usual, even despite displaying her usual deadpan expression.

Living together, he'd learned to not read her face but the little telling signs from her hands. She had been clenching and unclenching her hands slowly as she subtly played with her fingers.

"No", she responded after a long pause, "We're being followed—or I am. I can't exactly tell"

His brows furrowed fully, but he remained silent allowing her to continue. "They sent me photos of us on the balcony on the night of the banquet, nothing else. I can't tell what they want to achieve"

His eyes widened as she gave him the photos. She could tell alarm bells were going off in his head. None of them had noticed the person despite how close the photographer had been to them. That alone was more concerning than the fact someone was following them. 

"They're confident we won't figure out who they are" " he stated, face displaying an emotion she had yet to pinpoint.

Her voice of reason came through, "Let's just leave it, let's refrain from making the first move",

"But that could also be a big risk"

"I think the pictures are meant to edge us on. Let's just forget about them and concentrate on tonight" Saying that, she stood and walked out of his office mind made up, she didn't like the idea of jumping in without understanding fully well what they were getting themselves into.

****************************

~Casa del Denaro, later that night

Liling handed in her invitation to the guards and walked through the grand doors of Enzo Romano's mansion. The opulent display of wealth and luxury within the mansion was nothing short of intimidating, leaving every guest in awe.

Men and Women in elaborate gowns and masks mingled through the grand ballroom basking in the luxury and comforts provided as the massive chandeliers above cast their golden glow over their shimmering fabric and marble floors.

Liling wore a flowing emerald gown that draped gracefully over her figure, accentuating her frame in both a sophisticated and alluring manner. The gown was complemented with a matching lace mask that framed her eyes and left her lips exposed, perfectly suiting her task for that evening.

 Her heels clicked softly on the marble floor as she made her way across the room. she picked up a flute of champagne from a passing waiter and gave a subtle nod. To everyone else, the gesture seemed inconspicuous but that was a greeting of acknowledgment for everyone on the task.

She positioned herself near the edge of the ballroom, dim and away from eyes, the optimal location where she could stand and observe. 

Tapping the small earpiece in her ear in a subtle manner, she relayed her location and state of things in the room so far. A second passed before Li Hao's voice came through, tinged with a hint of seriousness, " Perfect. I'm coming in now. Stay alert"

Her eyes inadvertently flickered to the entrance as he stepped into the ballroom. He fit right in.

He was a vision of elegance in his tailored black 3-piece tuxedo and matching black mask, sleek and accentuating the sharpness of his eyes. She had seen him as they both left the house, but now, moving with easy confidence, he looked like a man who belonged exactly where he was.

As planned, he melted into the crowd, getting into position to carry out his task of slipping through the layers of Romano's security to reach his office upstairs.

She turned her attention away from his movements, remembering her own task that night. She was to keep Enzo distracted and charmed long enough to stay away from his office. It seemed simple enough, but the idea of having to serve as his escort for the night sent disgust flowing through her veins. 

The room slowly grew quiet, anticipation filling the air as the host of the night and her target, Enzo Romano, made his way to the raised platform at the front of the room. He was impeccably dressed in a dark suit, dark hair slicked back, and without a mask. His tall stature commanded attention and he looked every bit the powerful benefactor he claimed to be, except, she knew the lies hidden behind the polished exterior.

"Ladies and Gentlemen", his deep voice boomed through the room, a charismatic smile spreading across his face. "Thank you all for joining me this evening to support such a noble cause, it is because of all your generous donations that we can continue to change and save lives, continue with our efforts to make this world a better place, one we will happily call home"

People mumbled in affirmation of his words, proud they could say they were making a positive impact. To Liling however, his philanthropic words rang hollow, using a children's charity as a cover for a criminal organization was the lowest of the lows, and that was saying something considering the fact she used to kill for a living. 

He continued with his speech, rambling on about their work and the amount of children they had helped globally. She tuned out his words choosing to focus on her task ahead. 

The room erupted in applause once Enzo finished and he descended the platform to begin mingling with his guests. She immediately knew it was time, she needed to grab his attention in a natural yet calculated way. 

She moved out of the dimly lit corner and to the table laden with authentic Italian hors d'oeuvres at the edge of the room closest to him. The chandelier light spilled across, highlighting her figure and the elegant lines of her dress as she moved and reached for the crostinis, placing a few on her plate. Her fingers stayed steady and delicate as she brought one to her lips and bit into it, the air shifted as she felt gazes settle on her. His gaze was one of them, she could tell.

Instead of meeting his gaze, she walked past him, her movements languid and unhurried, as if utterly unaware of the amount of attention she was drawing to herself. She reached a large window at the edge of the room, and the moonlight filtered through, catching her gown just right, illuminating the fabric, and casting a soft ethereal glow on her lonesome figure.