Kapitel 55: The calm before the storm

"Brother, are you angry? I am sorry. I will fix it."

"It's okay, I will fix the things I have started. What is your plans with the one you like?" "Let me know if you need me to do anything. I don't know, I want to follow my heart but I'm afraid. What if I fail?" "When you fall, what is your automatic response?" "I pull myself up because I'd be embarrass if people were to see me on my bum." "There you go, if you fail, you try again, you pick yourself up. Plus you have your family to support you." "Mother won't support me. Father don't care." "I will support you." "You will?" "I promise you." April hugged Chris tightly. "Thank you. It means the world to me that I have someone behind me to catch me if I fall."

Madam Lu regained her senses after April left. That girl, don't know what good for her. Don't blame Mother for what Mother is going to do. Mother knows best. Madam Lu plans to drug Derek with aphrodisiac and throw April in the same room and let them do the deed and have them exposed so that Jade will be heartbroken and her world will shatter that she won't be able to work and she will get the board of directors to vote of no confidence in her leadership so that Chris can rise. Derek might be interested in April if he gets to taste April, so it is a win win situation. She rubbed her palms gleefully and walked out of April room to set her plans in motion. If she can't convince that damn girl to help, she will drugged her as well.

April saw Adam was calling after she turned her phone on and was shocked to see 120 missed calls. "Hello." Adam's voice was laced with anxiety and worry. "Hi. I am sorry I made you worry, I called because I missed ..." "I'm on my way, can I see you tonight? Please.." "Mm okay. Safe travels." She hugged her phone to chest and finally let out a sincere and heartfelt smile.

Crystal returned to Beijing last night, she decided to give Master Lu a ring, she was expecting him to come running in an instant, instead she was greeted by sounds of two people making out. Master Lu called out Madam Lu's name in a low growl. She had a feeling Madam Lu purposely answered the call as a sign that she is not backing down and waging a war. The relationship between Madam and Master Lu had improved to some degree. Now that Crystal is back, Madam Lu have to up her game. She was lucky that she strike when the rod was still hot. Madam Lu still did not know exactly is her opponent but she knew it is someone not to be taken lightly. Crystal decided to let tonight's victory go to Madam Lu. Besides, she has plenty information on the family compared to previously. She has also set her eyes on Derek.

Jade was busy the whole week preparing for the fundraising event, Derek pitied her that he did not demand too much of her energy at night because he knew she was tired but he was keeping tabs on the nights he did not manage to exercise his husbandly rights and plans on claiming it in the near future. Since it was a company and family event, she had to invite her parents, she is establishing the Lu family scholarship foundation in the loving memories of Matriach Lu. She is even auctioning off some of her own paintings as a debut. Some other interesting items that were among the auction list were 11 rare and limited edition wines for devoted wine lover, sunset and harbor cruises to any desired destination, unique dining experience for a table for two, four or eight at any of the Lu Corporation Hotels or its partners, and many other exciting items and the top item is the famous A mountain path in spring by Ma Yuan, painted during the Song dynasty. She is overseeing Chris first big project as the newly appointed Area Director of Revenue Management. Chris graduated at the top of his class two weeks prior and had passed the interview process on his own accord to get the position he is currently in.

Derek patiently guides Jade to be a better leader especially in trusting and delegating work and not to shoulder everything just on one shoulder. His methods, reminded her a lot of Mama Lu's way of working. Trust your team, teamwork! She was glad that she has someone she can confide her worries and insecurities without the fear of being mock. He is her steady rock that she can lean on when she needs a rest and a breather. She still can't believe she met such a wonderful man and he is hers.

Adam arrived Beijing in less than 2 hours, he headed straight to the bar that they met when she was relatively sober. He was surprised to see a sweet smiling April, her beauty radiated even more now that all her masks were removed. She was nervous yet all smiles like a school teenage girl waiting for her first date. She rushed up to him and flung herself in his arm, the moment she saw him. This was the first time, he saw her this carefree and it is the first time she initiated the contact in their relationship. He loves it. His worried face instantly relaxed when he felt her in his arms.

He took her away and they drove to forbidden city to walk to the moat along on the northern wall of Forbidden City. He was satisfy with her proper dress, she was well protected from the chilly wind and cold. They were silent during the drive there to savour the moment. He noticed some drastic changes in her but he did not probe, instead he waited patiently till she opened up.

As they were walking while holding hands, she stopped and stared into his handsome face, "I miss you and I realised that I like you too." She tried her best to remember every detail of his face when she confessed to him. She could only observed pure joy in his facial expressions. She stopped him from getting closer and continued to speak. "I am no angel and I have done things that I am ashamed of, I am not a virgin neither I am virtuous." she paused to inhale "All my life, I was brought up pampered and spoilt and with the idea of I need to marry someone rich and influential. If you agree to accept me, you need to know that my family is far from perfect, we are not apart yet we are not one unit, your pride might get trampled by my parents, by my mother especially who sees me only as her chess piece." Tears were already streaming down her cheeks, due to the hurt she is feeling. "All my life, I have been selfish and self centered. I've always thought that what I had was true and it was love but only today I understand the meaning of true and familial love. This is all made possible only by meeting you. Thank you." She tried to walk away but Adam did not let her instead he pulled her into his embrace and gave her a kiss they both been longing for.

"Hush. I have a confession too, when I first saw you in the plane, my motives were not so pure, and I am no angel too, I was a playboy but that was all before I met you. That night in City Q, you were drunk, and in that state you revealed your vulnerable side and it caught my real interest, I wanted to peel every layer till I get to see the real you. I became interested in getting to know you and fate is truly a strange thing. The more I think about you, the more I keep running into you, it is as if, we are destined to be together and it is all written in the stars. I love you April and I don't mind that you are no virgin but from today onwards your body and soul only belong to me. Ok? There are other things I have yet to tell you but let's keep that for some other day, Ok?" "City Q was you?" "Eh, you didn't read the note? I was waiting for your text or call but it didn't happened." "I read the note but I didn't see a name or a number." "Ah, you didn't flip the note to see that I wrote call me maybe, with a wink and my number." he slapped his forehead. April started laughing and it was unrestrained and unrefined but she did not care. She is in the arms of someone who loves her for who she is. She is currently very contented.