บท 15: Hard Truths

"Suffer," Kyle said with a smirk.

Kai choked on that statement.

"Love at first sight," Kyle said with a sigh, suddenly looking like he was pitying Kai, "I know the feeling."

Kai kept quiet, waiting.

"It was love at first sight for me, with my ex," Kyle revealed, "And see where that ended up."

Kai gulped.

"There is no way in Hell would I allow you, with these so called 'love-at-first-sight' feelings, to rock the boat for her," Kyle said, his demeanour changing suddenly, causing the danger signals to ring loudly within Kai, "You say that you love her? Fine, I accept that."

"After all, I know what it's like to have that uncontrollable feeling that you can't explain yet can't stop," Kyle said with a sigh, going gentle again, allowing Kai to breathe again.

"But it doesn't mean I'll allow you, an insignificant speck, to create trouble for her," Kyle hissed, "Have you forgotten what the Sheng Family is like? You want to bring her into that world? What sort of measures have you taken to ensure her safety? Or are you just sitting here like some love-sick fool? Where is the Kai Sheng that ruthlessly cut down his competitors to be at the top?"

"She is an ordinary girl, and you are not," Kyle said, "Believe me, love is not enough. No matter what I did, how hard I worked, and all the measures I took, it did diddly-squat when the girl does not feel safe or loved. I lost her to an ordinary man, who was able to give her the love, time, and comfort that she needed - in the manner that she needed. I was not that."

"Are you that?" Kyle asked, "You love her? Fine. But is your love what she needs?"

Kai couldn't look at Kyle, knowing he was right about the Shengs.

"I have taken steps," Kai said softly, "I would never put her in any danger. Even though I feel that she has the capabilities to stand against them, I would never let her do so by herself."

While it was true that she had pulled at him in a way that he never thought possible, he had also seen how calm she had been in facing Irene. The ability to recognise Irene, to hold her ground despite his numerous attempts to touch her, and her firmness in dealing with him.

She had spunk, she had integrity, she was decisive, and she was highly intelligent.

All of this just made him fall for her more and more.

Yes, he may not know her but he certainly did find out a lot about her in those few hours.

How does anyone really know another, anyway?

Someone could know someone else for years yet, never truly know another.

Yes, Kai was also well aware that there were a lot of things about her that he did not know. But that was the point, wasn't it?

He wanted to get to know her more, to be with her more.

It didn't mean he could not be in love with her just because he had only met her once, and interacted for a few hours.

Those hours were enough.

The initial attraction turned to admiration, and solidified to love.

But Kyle was right.

Not only was this all one-sided on his part, he had a lot of baggage and trouble on his back which follows him. He thought hard of the next steps that he had to take. Whether or not his Angel would be with him, he still had to work at making sure she would be safe.

As Kai was thinking deeply, Kyle was studying Kai closely.

The boy he had met on the train had truly grown up.

He had kept track of Kai Sheng, though he never reached out again. It was Kai's struggle, and Kai's path to take. Kyle's interest in him was merely that: interest to see how he turned out.

But now, his Princess may actually be interested in him?

Kyle had seen that hesitation within her clearly.

He was not here to matchmake them at all, but he was not going to let Lianne cut herself off either. She was interested but she was scared to take that first step.

So, Kyle just wanted to smoothen the path for her so that she can see clearer. Should she take that first step, he will gently guide her silently. Should she decide she does not want to take that step, no matter what, then he will be there to catch her if she falls.

Every parent wants the best for their child, and the hardest thing to do … is in *not* doing anything at all. Lianne was stubborn and resolute. Pushing her would not do anything but may result in the opposite.

But she was also too stubborn and may refuse something good for her.

Whether Kai is that "something" that was good for her, Kyle wouldn't know. He had been convinced Sari had been the one for him, and look what happened there. He had been adamant at denying and pushing away Sayuri, and look what happened there.

So the question was, is Kai going to be 'Sari', or 'Sayuri' to Lianne?

Kyle was the last person to know this or decide this.

Only Lianne could, and only time would tell.

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It had been several hours since Kyle left the cafe. Kai was still sitting there, deep in thought.

The roller coaster that Kyle had given him had made him sweat buckets earlier. Kyle had made him see the harsh truth that he had been avoiding. It wasn't that he was blind to it, but he was simply … focusing more on how to meet up with her and woo her.

One step at a time.

Being the party that breaks up a relationship, or was working at it, was not nice. He would not do that.

So what was he going to do?

For now, continue the search for her.

But do nothing.

Just observe from afar. Get to know her more,

Kai laughed to himself.

In short, he was going to be a stalker.

He sighed.

But his lips still curled up to a smile.

At least, he now knew where to look. He was going to see his Angel again.

Picking up his phone, he called Zayn and told him, "Get all the information you can on Kyle Smith and any young woman that he is close to, that isn't his wife or family."

As Zayn heard the directions, he thought his boss was crazy because everyone knew about Kyle and his wife. Was he looking for some sort of scandal? Still, being a professional, he didn't argue and did as instructed.

Meanwhile, Kyle was smiling softly as he headed back home.

He had given Kai a lot of think about and to prepare. If Kai was as capable as Kyle thought he was, it wouldn't be long before Kai would realise the obvious and find Lianne on his own.