Not Willing

Kai was flabbergasted.

No, beyond feeling flabbergasted.

They couldn't even be friends?

Not even first base?

He failed from the start?

There had never been a time since he returned to the family, did he get so firmly rejected.

When he was younger, he used his looks to get certain advantages.

When he reached puberty, he used it to get people to lower their guards and … get certain advantages.

He learned from a very fortuitous encounter with the great Kyle Smith (who was not the CEO then), about accepting who he was and how he looked like. Once he managed to do that, he realised that he could utilise what he had to his advantage.

It wasn't to say that he was an empty vase, but rather, he was one that used the exterior to get additional benefits. If he wasn't smart and decisive, he would know how to be able to do so without incurring too much jealousy or wrath.

People tended to look down on him because of his pretty face, making people underestimate him. Thus, he managed to get where he was right now because of that.

They say that behind every great man was a great woman. She could be his greatest asset … or the cause of his downfall.

What was sauce for the goose, was also sauce for the gander.

This meant that while women would use their wiles on the men to control them, he did so on the women as well. Girls who were the apple of their father's eye, or women who were neglected by their husbands or boyfriends.

He never crossed the line, of course, and he never slept with any of them. He simply made use of them without them even realising it and they, in their haste to gain his favour, would do things that helped him.

Be it the princess daughters asking their father who doted on them, or the wives who pillow-talked their husbands to get something.

He never regretted it.

He had honed the skill and he was good at it.

He never forced those women to do what they did, and he never promised them anything. He only gave them the illusion of a promise and they had no one to blame but themselves.

He would use what he needed to get ahead, to build his 'empire', so to speak, and to protect his mother.

But …

It all seemed to fail with her?

The one time he was sincere, truthful and open … she did not want it?

The one, and the only one, that he actually did want to be with, refused him?

The Heavens were surely punishing him for all the women that he had successfully conned.

….

That didn't mean he gave up, though.

If it did, then he wouldn't be Kai Sheng now, would he?

If he had stepped back for every setback that he faced, he would not be where he was right now. The CEO.

Winning over the other contenders to the position.

He sat down quietly, deciding that he would take his time.

"Could I at least know your name?" Kai asked, "After all, the charade is supposed to last until Country Tz, right?"

Lianne tilted her head at him, impressed that he wasn't showing any anger at her rejection.

"You��ve been calling me Angel," Lianne said, "That would do."

Kai blinked.

Then smiled, saying, "Angel it is then."

Lianne nodded then continued her sketching, trying vainly to ignore Kai who was just sitting beside her.

Looking so pitiful.

She felt like she could feel his dejection oozing out of his pores towards her.

She found it hard to get into her zone.

But he didn't disturb her.

He didn't complain, or whine, or try to persuade her otherwise.

He just … sat there.

He didn't even stare at her though she could see that he would take occasional glances.

Why couldn't he have been the annoying type?

The type that clung to desperately? Like, not able to accept what he was being told? That he couldn't believe the rejection was real?

Kai didn't show any of that and it made it so hard for Lianne to be apathetic towards him.

She was already interested due to his looks but now, she was interested due to his stance.

Her grip on the pencil became firmer as these thoughts went through her head.

No matter what, she could not weaken.

She was happy in her life right now.

She had reached the stage that everything was perfect.

She lived by herself in her apartment. It was decorated exactly how she liked it.

She didn't have to think and wonder if anything she did or said would antagonise anyone. She didn't have to worry whether her actions of staying in her room would make someone worry.

She had absolute freedom.

She did not have to worry at all.

Her father was happy with his new wife, and they had their new set of kids. Not to say that she was being ignored. In fact, she was ecstatic because it meant he was preoccupied and since she is an adult, he didn't need to focus so much on her.

Her brother was married so he had his own wife and family as well.

She had the perfect life.

Adding a guy into it was not in the cards.

It would disrupt everything!

She was not willing.

Even though he was, oh, so interesting.

She was not willing.

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Lianne didn't know how she did it, but she did.

All the way from the airport lounge of Country M, to the plane, and finally, landing in Country Tz. Her visit to her grandparents this time was truly an adventure.

Kai remained a gentleman and did not do any more PDAs.

However, they stuck together until they got their luggage from the luggage rack. Kai helped her with the bags, lifting it up and putting it on the trolley.

Irene watched all of this with despair but she didn't dare approach. The moment she got her bag, she left.

Seeing this, Lianne smiled and turned to Kai, saying, "Since all is clear now, I bid you goodbye."

Kai opened his mouth to protest but he managed to stop himself in time, "I thank you for all of your help."

"I would say it's my pleasure, but it wasn't," Lianne replied with a smile, "Goodbye."

Kai watched her walk away, not even turning back to look at him. He followed her in silence, not overtaking her as he wanted to imprint her image in his mind.

That, and he wanted to observe her for as long as he could.

As they walked out, he saw her looking about and then shout excitedly, "Zero!!"

Zero??

What sort of stupid name was that?!