Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 124836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 624(@200wpm)___ 499(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 624(@200wpm)___ 499(@250wpm)___ 416(@300wpm)
“Smart move, Mountain Master.” Aunt Min bowed.
Aunt Suzi joined her.
Chen pocketed the phone. “Lei, what else do you want us to do?”
“I need time alone with Moni. My head is. . .”
Moni squeezed my hand, letting me know that she was with me. “The Mountain Master needs time to be by himself and consider tomorrow.”
What would I do without her?
I swallowed. “I’ll see you all later.”
Chen quirked his brows. “Are we still having the cookout?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “Moni’s sisters need to be here—”
“Hold on.” Moni shook her head. “Lei, we don’t have time to rush my sisters’ moving, with everything you are dealing with. You should have time to mourn your sister. We should make this a quiet evening.”
Aunt Min stepped forward. “What cookout?”
Aunt Suzi placed her hands on her hips. “We’re moving in my new little nieces tonight? Why wasn’t I notified of this?”
I glanced back at Moni and kept my voice low. “We can still do the cookout.”
“Lei. . .are you sure?”
“I am.”
Moni didn’t appear convinced.
“Are you okay with my aunts being there?”
“Of course.” She gazed at them. “You all are invited, but honestly we don’t have to do this—”
“What other way will we be able to deal with the rest of this day?” Aunt Min held her hands out. “I’m sad. I want to drink a lot of expensive champagne and smoke my medicinal herbs and. . .I absolutely cannot be alone. I may harm myself.”
I rolled my eyes. “You will not harm yourself.”
Aunt Suzi didn’t look like her mood had brightened all the way, but she did seem less devastated. “We can spend the next hours shopping for presents for the girls and we’ll need new dresses.”
Aunt Min bobbed her head. “One must look nice for their welcome.”
“Then, it’s settled.” I looked at all of them. “Moni and I will see you later today.”
Chen placed his hands in his pockets. “I don’t think you two should go back to the palace. The tea ceremony was abruptly ended. People will be searching for the story. You will not get much peace.”
I considered that. “I can’t stay in Lotus Blossom right now. Not while Yan’s. . .head is still in the kitchen.”
Aunt Min stepped forward. “I will handle your sister’s. . .remains. Do not worry about that.”
Aunt Suzi raised one finger in the air. “Perhaps, you two should go to the beach house. It is a lovely day for a swim.”
“That’s a perfect idea.” Chen pulled out his phone. “I’ll have the helicopter ready and men will be there to guard. I should come along as well as Hu and Duck. Also, we should take Moni’s ladies-in-waiting.”
I thought about all the people on that list. “I don’t know.”
Moni spoke, “I think taking them would be fine. We all need a break and the beach sounds good.”
Chen gave her a sad smile. “Thank you, Moni.”
I turned to her. “I just want to be alone with you.”
“We will be alone.” Moni nodded. “They will give us space. I just want our people to enjoy themselves on the beach too.”
I checked her ladies-in-waiting. They did seem a bit shaken. Surely, they hadn’t expected to see a severed head on their first official day of service.
Moni glanced at Chen. “Make sure everyone has their swimsuits and all that. I really want you all to relax because we have a rough day tomorrow.”
Chen blinked. “Oh. Well. . .I’ll be wearing a suit and not swimming or—”
“Get the helicopter.” I slowly guided Moni to the helipad. “And she’s right. Make sure everyone has swimsuits, even you. Have fun at the beach house, just make sure you all leave us alone.”
Chen sighed. “Umm, Lei. I think that we should still maintain our official attire—”
“You heard the Mountain Mistress.”
Chapter nine
Butterflies and Flowers
Moni
The helicopter glided smoothly over the vast expanse of ocean, its blades slicing through the air with a gentle hum. The whir of the rotors was the only sound as we soared over Paradise City’s eastern coastline.
Behind us, three other helicopters followed, carrying his men and my ladies-in-waiting.
Lei sat next to me in quiet contemplation. Surely his thoughts and emotions swirled over and over like the waves below.
The landscape beneath us was a blur.
How can I help him?
I turned his way.
Lei’s expression appeared carved from stone. Like in the garden, his eyes remained distant and filled with sorrow.
What can I say to get all of that sadness out of his eyes?
I wanted to say something, to offer comfort, to ease his burdens but. . .I felt like my words would be useless. . .insignificant in the face of this overwhelming situation.
Damn you, Leo.
I put my attention on our approach to the East’s curved coastline.
It was no longer just ocean. Now I could see white sand.
Fuck. . .this day. . .
While I had just lost my father, Lei had to grieve Chanel, Romeo and now his sister, Yan.