Where It All Began

January 7, 1990

Beijing, China

Michele was in great pain as the contraction of her uterus was becoming more intense. The intervals went from every 20 minutes down to every 5 minutes. She was about to labour the baby she had carried for nine months.

Standing beside her was a man in his business suit. He keeps holding her hand as her face was contorted with pain.

"Billie, it hurts!" she exclaimed. She tried to exhale and inhale as this was what the mid-wife told her. She wanted to hold her tears but her eyes were uncooperative. She's biting her lips to the point that it bled.

"Shhh… It will go away soon sweetie. Don't worry. Just inhale and then exhale." Billie was comforting her while rubbing her head softly. He didn't know that giving birth will be this painful for her. He wanted an heir but he did not know that it will be in this painful way.

Michele looked at him with a pained face.

The mid-wife soon arrived and signaled the nurse to wheel her in to the delivery room. Billie wanted to follow but the policy of the small clinic was somehow strict. They did not want anyone aside from the mid-wife and the assistant nurse inside. He couldn't do anything about it but wait outside anxiously.

After how many hours of waiting, a cry was heard. The baby was born safely. Billie rose up from where he was seated and paced to and from in front of the delivery room.

He was excited.

He finally got an heir.

What he really wanted to do that time was to call his grandfather. He wanted to let him know that finally, he got an heir to succeed him. But if he does so, he would breach the contract they signed with her and all his claims will be forfeited into nothing. He did not want that.

He needed the heir. It doesn't matter wether it's a boy or a girl. As long as he can produce an heir to succeed his business and his grandfathers'.

Soon after, the mid-wife got out from the delivery room and halted her steps in front of him.

"Congratulations, Mr. Yang. It's a girl. You can see her in a while." the mid-wife shook his hands and smiled at him.

So, it's a girl!

Billie Yang sat down as the mid-wife walked away from him. He was thinking of how would he explain to Michele about this whole thing. He did not let his family knew that he had an incoming child because of the danger. He and his siblings were at each others throat regarding of the succession of his grandfather. Killing an innocent child was common to them. They would eliminate every possible heir to succeed the old man's business.

For him, he could not possibly lose again, a potential heir. He have taken so many counter-measures just to ensure his child's safety.

After a while, Michele was carried on a wheelchair out from the delivery room. In her arms was a cocoon like bundle. She looked at it with a loving eyes and gently caressing it with her fingers. Michele was exhausted from delivering the child.

The nurse handed her over to Billie as he was recognized as family of the patient. He then, handed over a list of medications to be bought from the pharmacy.

After he settled down his child and Michele, he then went out to buy the necessary medication, Michele needed.

He took that opportunity to call his grandfather. He informed the old man that he had a child as a successor.

The old man on the other line was delighted by the news. He could not wait to see his great-grandchild. He urged Billie to get home that instant but the man refused as he knew the danger lurking when they will move to the ancestral house where the old man resided.

The old man reluctantly agreed.

***

Six months passed like a blink of an eye.

Michele was at the laundry area hanging the clothes leaving the playing infant alone in the stroller. The child looked more like her mother than Billie.

Billie shortly arrived with a huge pink teddy bear in one hand and the other was groceries. Though they were wealthy, he grew up in streets and used to commoners life than of being like the pampered emperor. He was also a normal salary man and though they have an agreement with Michele, they still share the same roof.

He approached his daughter and made face to make the infant laugh. The infant giggled cutely. The sounds made Michele stop on hanging the clothes. She walked out from the laundry area and walked towards the living room. She looked at the man who made her daughter laugh.

"Welcome home." she said after a short while of contemplating.

Billie raised his head o look at her and hummed in response. He handed the groceries to Michele and she brought it to the kitchen. She piled them carefully in the refrigerator.

Billie went to his room to change. He was in deep thought. His grandfather collapsed and wanted to announce him as the heir of their company but the old man did not want to acknowledge Michele as his wife, only the child. The old man strictly told him not to bring Michele in to their house and if he will, he will be forfeited as a candidate for succession.

He could not bring to hurt Michele as the woman had an important part of his life. She was the mother of his child. She made his house a home he looked forward to went after his long hours of tiring work. The significance of Michele in his life was too great. He was conflicted.

They were dining when Billie started to speak.

"Sweetie..." he called her their endearment.

"Yes? Is there something wrong?" she asked. She doesn't know but her heart pounded hard at that moment.

"Grandfather wanted to see Belle." he started.

"Why?" she asked. She knew Billie was from a wealthy family but she did not care because she only loved the man.

"He wanted me to succeed." he confessed.

"Wow! That's great! When will we go to see them?" she asked excitedly. But Billie's face saying otherwise. He fell silent.

"He didn't want you to come along. He only wanted to see Belle and me." Billie bowed down his head with undescerned emotion on his face.

The chopsticks fell down to the floor. She wanted to ask why but she did not know how to. She have an inkling of what was the old man was thinking about her. Her background was not great. She's an orphan and she did not finish her college. Maybe the old man investigated her because their relationship was not a secret to the family. She gulped down her saliva and she did not utter a single word.

After a long while of silence. She spoke.

"When?" she looked at Billie. The tears were threatening to fell down on her cheeks. She did not know why but she suddenly felt nervous.

"Grandfather said as soon as possible." his voice was sad.

She walked out from the table as she did not want to cry in front of him. Billie followed her. She halted her steps in front of Belle's room.

"Take care of her." is the only thing she said. She wiped the tears on her cheeks.

"I will." he assured.

"Don't come home late. It's bad for her." she added.

"I will." he repeated.

She did not know, that it was the last time she would see Belle and Billie.

She moved out from the apartment and found herself a job overseas after how many months of waiting.

She vowed from then that she will get Belle from the Yangs someday.

But how could Belle be here?