บท 5: 5
None of the ladies including me could turn our heads away from the woman walking down the stairs. She wore black heels, black knee length, her wavy hair let loose and had a simple black bead earrings. It was the exact attire I used to wear every single day before this chaos happened.
As this woman came near me my eyes welled up in tears. "Lang?" I ran towards her and hugged her tight. My tears were now unstoppable. "At least you are alive. I am so happy to see you, Lang. I thought you were dead ... like everyone." I could not bear the fact of losing her.
Surprisingly, she pushed me and I fell down to the ground. Her feet were to my eye level and it took a second to balance myself. She did not spare even a glance towards me and spoke with Jin.
"My queen, what's all this drama?" Lang questioned Jin.
Jin pointed, "Meet them dear, all of these women are pretending to be you, Shi Min."
Lang laughed out loud and wiped the corner of her eyes in a dramatic way, "Pretending to be princess of Li empire is more than a dream for people like them and how dare they to walk in with my identity. My queen I request you to bury them alive for misusing my identity."
What is happening here? Why is Lang pretending as me? And why isn't she not recognizing me?
"Lang, why are you doing this, tell them I am the real Min. You are the only person alive who can help me." I pleaded again.
She shook her head and moved a few inches away from me as if I am dirty and should not touch her. "You are wearing a servant's uniform and you expect everyone to believe your story? Do you have any proof of your identity?"
I removed everything on me the day I was trying to run away from my home. I was dressed as a servant with the help of Lang and she clearly know it but why is she questioning my identity. We have been together for more than 20 years of my life as friends. She knows about me more than I know about myself. Did she get hurt during the murder and forgot me? Or is she trying to be safe inside Li mansion using my identity?
This hurt me so bad and I tried to gulp down my emotions but it didn't work. While all the women around me are trying to prove their identity through challenges I sat here crying silently. Lang and Jin are arguing about burying us alive and the guards pushed the women back who tried to escape or fight them.
"In a mafia family, as soon as the heir turns 18 it is celebrated like a big festival," I started and everyone around me halted and keenly listened to me. "All your family, assigned friends, and close allies witness the ceremony depending upon the mafia clan's strength. At that time, we are supposed to swear marking our entry into the family officially."
I stood up and did not care about the tears on my cheeks and showed my palm to Jin and Lang. "The head of the Shi Mafia, my father, slit my palm with the family heirloom. This cut is my proof that I am the heir of Shi Mafia, the real Min Shi. I swore it with my blood."
Jin softened a bit and questioned Lang to show her palm as well. For a second Lang was shook with my attempt to prove my identity but immediately gained her composure. She forwarded her arm and showed the cut as well. It was an exact copy from my palm. I thought she cut it now but it wasn't fresh it was as old as mine. But how is that possible? Only the legal heirs gets to swear on the ceremony not others and not the servants.
This is possible only if Lang was planning this from a very long time, even before the fiasco. Why her? She was my only friend and now she turned out to be my enemy.
"Even I swore on my 18th birthday." The woman in Christian Bridal attire said showing her palm with the cut breaking my thoughts and increasing my blood pressure.
Within few seconds all the women came forward with their palms extended and proving their identity. Every single women present here had a cut on their palm. Okay, now everyone is Shi Min, officially.
Jin looked at me for an explanation and I shrugged. "Look girl, all I..." I was interrupted by Lang and Jin, "It's queen or queen mother. Not girl. Stop using filthy language."
Seriously? This is how Lang and me spoke every single day and now she speaks so classy. I rolled my eyes even though they are filled with tears. "Okay, kweeeen!"
"How did your parents die?" I questioned Lang.
"I am not answerable to you." She faced away from me but Jin urged her to speak to find out the truth. "They were dead in an earthquake. The building collapsed while I am the sole survivor of Shi Mafia."
So this where the origin of Shi mafia and earthquake started and these women were just sequels to this story. "Then who brought you here? As far as I know papa never mentioned about Li family."
She scoffed. "On my swearing ceremony, The King of Li Empire, Late Mr. Li Duan was a chief guest. My father discussed about my marriage with The Boss and had an agreement that I will be married to his son when I turn 25. So, now that my family is dead I am here as the would be wife of the present Boss of the Li Empire."
See, she knows me better than I do. With this even I am convinced she is the real Shi Min and I am an imposter. Even if I break my skull I won't know what's happening in my life.
"She has more information than me so I give up. All I can say is I am real Shi Min. So, queen can you give me some hints to prove my identity. Something your husband told you about me, like I can eat anything without knowing the name of the food?" I questioned hopefully and Lang stood between us shielding Jin from me.
"It is so difficult to believe that you are Shi Min. So stop trying and look at yourself. You stink like a servant living in some outhouse."
Ouch! Lang is being too harsh.
"If it is so difficult than call me Minii or Mino, okay?" I said and stood to her eye level.
Jin pushed us both apart and held her head, "What's happening here! It's all confusing and Mr. Li is also not at home at the right time. How can we solve this problem?"
The bulky guy from earlier came and whispered something to Jin's maid. She hurriedly came to Jin and informed the same. "It's a good news. Mr. Li is arriving within few hours. His flight from New York has preponed and he is on the way."
Jin had a bright smile hearing her son is back but immediately turned serious and looked at us, "You all still have another chance. Escape now or stay forever in hell."
"You think you can scare us, I am staying here and marrying Mr. Li." One woman said.
Another woman yelled after her, "Exactly, let Mr. Li come here chose the real princess. Until then we are not leaving.
Before anyone could speak further I came forward, "Queen, I have nothing to lose or gain by staying here. I will disappear in a second and never come back if you promise me something."
"What do you want?" Jin questioned.
Lang once again stood between us, "My queen, please don't hear her blabber. She will try to manipulate you into believing her fake stories." Lang looked tensed for the first time, and surprisingly I am liking it.
"Don't worry Lang, you were always my wise friend. I don't want to destroy your fairytale." I assured her and she kept arguing that her name is not Lang blah-blah.
"Queen, all my life I was inside the Shi mansion like any women of the mafia and never had a chance to explore the world. Now that my identity is stolen I have nothing to worry about, I can walk around like a normal woman in this beautiful world. A world where there won't be any killings, a place where I can roam freely at night. My freedom." I paused.
"For that, I need 50 million cash, unlimited supply of food, unrestricted travel entry and atleast three assigned friends." I continued and Lang opened her mouth wide.
"Are you crazy? Why would we give you such things? Do you even know how much is 50 million? My queen let me tell you something, she has lost her mind. Just bury her before Mr. Li arrives." Lang is seriously going red on me.
Surprisingly Jin had different questions. "Who told you that the world outside is safer than the Mafia and you are safe even at night?"
A thin layer of water formed in my eyes and Lang was visibly uncomfortable. "My friend, who I look up to introduced me to such world. If not for her, I would have not known of something beautiful existed. She told me fairytales are real."
"Then I would say, that is a wrong friend." I was surprised with Jin's words. "Such world exists only in fairytales. Real world is not so much different than the mafia world. It is a dog-eat-dog world. I don't think you have even crossed the gates of your home, ever."
Trusting the wrong friend, that's what I learnt today. Did Lang ever say a truth to me? Did I live in a bubble till now?
"What can I do, Queen. I have no one to rely on in this world. The best I can do is create my own identity and a memory to live again." Maybe I can be a doctor or lawyer out of the Mafia world.
"Tell me one reason, why we must pay you 50 million." Lang questioned still stuck with that question.
All the emotions dried up in me and I brought all the strength in me from the food I ate and slapped her. She held her cheek in shock and I raised my eyebrow. "Min 1 and Lang 0"
She screamed and hit me back. Within few seconds we were running around the huge yard next to the tent chasing each other and pulling the hair. The guards tried to aim the guns at us to stop the fight but they were distracted when the remaining women began fighting with each other. This scene looked as if everyone's fists are glued into their enemies hair.
I eyed the brooch Lang was sporting on the dress she was wearing. This brooch was my family's heirloom. It came from generations to generations and she had the guts to steal it. I pulled it from her and dress being expensive made a tiny hole. But the uniform I was wearing was made of cheap material and it tore from various places.
Lang tried to snatch the brooch from me again but I held it back successfully preventing her from touching it. But I stumbled on my feet and was about to fall on the hard surface but I was held in between in the air. Did Lang finally became my friend? She saved me?
I opened my eyes to see Lang burning with rage standing afar and that's when I noticed some strong pair of hands were holding me from falling down. I looked above to see worried eyes staring at me. He had crisp, clean white coat contrast to the mafia's regular black attire. The white nearly blinded my eyes, it was that stainless.
The bulky guy march forwarded and saluted, "Mr. Li, we are happy to have you back."
I widened my eyes with realization. He is Mr. Li and I am in his arms way ahead of all these women.
....
Hey, Pearlies, how is the update?
What will Mr. Li do now with all the brides?
Will Min take the cash and move out or stay here to prove herself?
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