Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 112567 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 563(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112567 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 563(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
“Drug me again and I will put you in the coldest cell under the palace.”
Aunt Min widened her eyes. “You would not.”
“I would.”
Aunt Suzi wagged her finger at me. “Lei, you know better than to talk to your aunt that way. Your mother would have never approved—”
“And would she have liked your putting stuff in my tea?”
Aunt Min shrugged. “I believe she is smiling from heaven that you got some rest.”
I scowled at them. “Do not push me. I love you both, but the meddling must stop.”
A shocked expression decorated both of their faces.
Aunt Min held out her hands. “Meddling?”
“No one asked you to come here.”
Aunt Suzi shook her head. “Our being here today was a coincidence. We absolutely love the town of Glory. As you know, long ago we used to live here.”
Aunt Min nodded. “I hoped to see this town again. It has great. . .cafes.”
I frowned. “You are here to get in the way of my killing—”
“We must not discuss such things during dinner.” Aunt Suzi held her hand up. “Lei, where are your manners?”
“My manners died with Chanel.”
They both frowned yet remained silent.
Aunt Min reached her hand to me.
I shook my head.
She placed the hand on the table. “I was devastated when Chanel passed—”
“She did not pass. My father killed her.”
Aunt Min’s eyes watered. “Leo has suffered a lot from your mother’s death—”
“Suffered? He has become a mad man that must be stopped.” I tilted my head. “Do you not agree?”
Aunt Suzi tapped her fingers on the table, telling me she was on edge. “Leo has done despicable things. Yes. It is true. He must be stopped, and we have considered another option to your killing him.”
Aunt Min bobbed her head. “You spoke of our palace cells and I invite you to consider placing your father there for the rest of his life. This is a proper solution for our family—one that we could all stomach.”
Aunt Suzi nodded in agreement. “Plus, it would be the worst punishment for him.”
With a bored expression, I watched them. “How? He would still get to live.”
Aunt Suzi raised her finger. “Exactly. Leo does not want to live. He wants to be killed and sent to your mother.”
“Yes.” Aunt Min gave me a sad smile. “Keeping him alive and growing old in a cell would ruin his legacy in the East—”
“And allow you to not mourn the death of your beloved brother.” I shook my head. “My father? Spending the rest of his life in prison? You think that our people will not break him out of a cell in the East?”
Aunt Suzi shrugged. “Then, put Leo in the North. With all those sexual things Dima has going on up there, it must be at least one dungeon in that territory to lock Leo in.”
“If I cage my father in the North, my people will revolt and start a war.”
Hotel staff began carrying out large platters and placing them in front of me.
I spotted Imperial Peking duck with black caviar and foie gras fried rice with gold flakes.
I frowned. “Why are we eating this tonight?”
Aunt Suzi gestured around. “Because we are here to celebrate family and the great love that we—”
“You are to head back to the East in the morning. I cannot believe you helped him today.” I spoke through clenched teeth. “Did he tell you that the blood on his clothes belonged to Monique’s father? I was next to Monique when she saw her tortured father’s dead body on the ground today. You talk about family. Could you imagine finding your father like that?”
They both directed their gazes to the table.
I sneered at them. “You both should be ashamed of yourselves.”
“We did not know that Leo killed Monique’s father.”
“He stabbed the man’s eyes with pink chopsticks, sliced up his face, and stuffed his mouth with money.”
Aunt Suzi touched her stomach as if she were about to vomit. “Leo said that he killed a bad man that was bothering your future wife, Monique.”
“Who is my father to say anyone is bad? And Monique will not be my wife.” My voice grew weak. “My wife died by his hands. My wife. . .is gone along with my happy ending—”
“You are young, Lei.” A tear left Aunt Min’s eye. She wiped it away. “You have your entire life ahead of you.”
I pointed at them. “Tomorrow morning do not make me order my men to force you to go. Just leave. That is it.”
Aunt Suzi frowned. “You need us.”
Aunt Min huffed. “And I would like to see your people try to force us to do anything. It is true that it has been a long time since I have spilled blood with my sword, but I pick it up every morning to practice. They better not attempt to force me to do anything.”
“And what will you do if it is me physically forcing you?” I eyed her. “Will we be having a huge sword fight in the middle of the streets? Do you really think that is necessary after the heartbreaking month I have been dealing with?”