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Thread: Ambitious Eye

  1. #1
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    Cool Ambitious Eye

    $this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://www.angelfire.com/film/script2/Ambitious_Eye.jpg')

    A story of an ambitious world of power and dream that leaves behind many sacrifice and regrets.
    So far the cast is: (in order they come out)
    Gallen Law
    Jessica Hsuan
    Louis Koo
    Annie Man
    Julian Cheung
    Wong Hei
    Kevin Cheng
    Kwok Fung (the man that play Flora father in ATE)
    Moses Chan
    Benny Chan
    Yoyo Mung
    Flora Chan
    Frankie Lam
    Myolie Wu
    Bobby Au
    Nick Cheung
    Sunny Chan
    Ada Choi
    Raymond Lam
    Joyce Tangs....and lots more as story develop.
    ~~~

    Ambitious Eye Chapter 1: Addicting Game

    In 1980's the business world is at it blooming state with lots of hope, many people is willing to risk all their saving to the marketing industry. This period is the high point of the business world. Big investors has became a millionaire within a couple of days while other has lost their entire saving and even took their own life. It's a period of gambling for chance to climb up to the top of the pyramid. While many fallen off the competitive race, but there is still one ordinary man with a sharp eyes to hit the jackpot of the marketing world. He risked all he own just on this one chance that everyone say it impossible, but the word impossible was never in his dictionary. And cause of his confident on this one wise choice, he has made his dream come true right after the news announced the upcoming event that sky rocketed his stock. Gallen Law is his name, a very ambitious man that wanted to success in the business world just for the thrill of the game. A man that has always set his goal high above and has never doubted himself from reaching his goal.

    But every gain always came with a lost. Nothing is as easy as what met the eyes. He didn't just start his gambling on the market the day he success, he has invested more then ten years into this game already. And cause of this game he has lost all of his pride procession, including his family, wife, friends, and dignity. He has gone to the point where no one is willing to lean him money cause he never have the money to return it. He has lost his pride and dignity when he asks for a favor and no one is willing to help, no one trust his word anymore and think of him as mud under their shoe. But that never stop him from dreaming and continuing studying the stock market world even if it meant he might have to live in the street.

    Ever since he has graduated from general education in 1970 at the age of 18. He knows his interest, so he entered the stock market world as an office boy and slowly works up. The experience is what he is going after rather then the wage. During his stay at the marketing world, he learns the valuable lesson of how the market world works and the pattern of the stock market. From then on he invested all his time on it and spend all his income to play with the game trying to figure out the key element of the thrilling game. Years after years he has up and down that make him understand more about the stock market and he is determine that one day he will win this game of his.

    With his ambitious goal and confident personality, he has won himself a wife that believes in him and supported his dream. He married a beautiful energetic wife named Jessica Hsuan in 1975, when she is twenty and he is twenty-three. Their marriage is based more on a blaze of passion at the moment more than the thorough love for each other. Jessica thought that she has find the right man that is able to love her, but she slowly find out that she don't really love him, she just loved the thrill and excitement that his dream can offer. But she still carry on with the marriage cause she thought that one day she will gain more understanding and love toward her husband again. Very soon after their marriage she is pregnant with their first child. A little boy that they named Louis is born in 1976. Both husband and wife cherished their son like precious gold.

    After being a mother, Jessica is starting to get anxious and nervous about how Gallen is gambling with all their procession on the stock market. She is starting to feel insecure and wanted a more stable life for her family since they are having the second generation. But Gallen will not lets anything stop his dream, he has ambitiously determine to win, so no matter how much Jessica nagged him, he would just ignore her.

    Gallen just rushed into the flat and ran straight to the radio to turn it on. Jessica whose is in the kitchen walked out to greet her husband with a warm hug, "You are home early! Go wash up and get ready for dinner. I'll bring the soup out." Gallen just nodded absentmindedly, which made Jessica felt pointless to her marriage life. She headed to bring out dinner and started to feed her two years old son while Gallen is still anxiously waiting for the announcement of the stock.

    "That is impossible!!" Gallen shouted with rage and shuts off the radio, Jessica knows exactly what is going on and just stare at him with her hard eyes. Gallen dragged himself to sit down on the dinner table and they eat in silent.

    Jessica didn't feel like eating anymore, she know that something must be change to secure her and Louis lives. Gently she put down her bowl of rice and looked at Gallen waiting for attention. "Gallen we can't go on like this." Gallen just ignore her and continue his dinner, this is not their first time heading into this conversation. Jessica felt her eyes watered from seeing how insensitive her husband could get. "Have you thinks of us? We don't much money left if you continue to throw them into the big ocean. Louis is growing up, he need to go to school. Our expend will be higher and.."

    "And that is why I'm trying to earn money." He coldly finished off Jessica sentence. "Just give me a bit more time, I just calculated wrong. It won't be like this next time" his hand reach to grab her gently. "Trust me, I'll give you a luxurious life like I promise. And Louis will go to private school to get the best education. Jessica you know that I have been investing in stock for the last eight years."

    "I wish I could forget. Gallen I don't need a luxurious life, all I want is a stable secure life that I could depend on. It not just the two of us anymore, we have Louis to worry about, I don't want to risk anymore. You love the game more than me or Louis." She sighed and picked Louis up to walk into her room with the door shut.

    Like always Gallen just pushed her concern away and continue to try masterminding the game of stock. Since Jessica couldn't convince her husband to give up, all she could do is continue to hold in her fear and her nervousness every time her husband has invested. Time dragged slowly fading away with Gallen still struggling with his game, and Jessica trying to struggle with their living cause Gallen has been addicted to the marketing game and has spend almost every penny of his earning on it.

    Instead of moving to bigger house like how he has promised her when they got married, they has moved to smaller flat, then to share flat with other family, then now finally to a tiny shabby flat that is by the hillside where all the poor lived. The hope that is in Jessica eyes seem to be faded away and her heart seem to die along with it, she is tire of this kind of live. The worry and anxiety she would get when she listen to the radio for the stock rating and the news she read in newspaper on how many people has jumped off their building with their family cause they are in huge debt that they can't pull themselves out of. She is afraid that one day it will be their turn if Gallen continue to deepen into this addicting game.

    She tries to talk Gallen out of it and they would end up arguing. Day in and days out Jessica worry has numbed to bitterness. She resented her husband for doing this to her and her son but she still try to stay in the marriage cause she doesn't want her son to grow up in a single parent home. Couple more years passed by and in 1980 she give birth to one more child into this dreadfully poor family, a baby girl they named Annie. The day that Annie is born, the stock that Gallen has brought has dropped more causing a big downhill situation for the family. On that day Gallen has start picking up on alcohol and didn't even go to the hospital when Jessica is giving birth. From then on Gallen is either in one of the stock station putting down his bet or came home drunk. Jessica seeing how her family is getting out of hand, her mood has became more bitter and cold, she blamed on her daughter Annie for bringing bad luck to the family. Therefore she never cares as much for her daughter Annie as she is for her son Louis.
    ~~~

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  2. #2
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    Chapter 2: Final Decision

    Another year dreadfully passed, and finally Jessica has finds a way out of this situation of hers one and for all. She has finally found the right man that can promise her security and most of all a stable life. In one dark night she packed up all of hers and her son belonging, she has decide to leave this shabby marriage one and for all. Jessica is trying to rock Annie to sleep so she can leave. After Annie fallen asleep she put her down on the bed and nudging on Louis.

    "Honey wake up" her warm voice aroused the sleeping five years old. "Mommy?"

    "Yes, hurry up Louis before your daddy get home." Jessica went to get Louis shoes and help him get it on.

    Louis rubbed his sleepy eyes and beamed at Jessica confusedly, "Where are we going?"

    "Shhh...don't wake Annie up, put on the jacket sweetheart, is cold outside" she tied his shoe and lift him off the bed. Holding his hand and getting the luggage, she is heading out the door.

    The child looked back at his sister and back to his mom, he has no idea what is happening. "Mommy what about Annie? Isn't she going with us?"

    "No" was the mother simple answer before she closes the door and lifted her son up in her arms to speed up the process. She didn't even leave a note or anything, she just took the five years old Louis and left, leaving the one years old Annie sleeping in the tiny flat by herself waiting for her father to return.

    When Gallen return finding his wife and son missing he went hysterical thinking that something must has happened to them, since Jessica didn't even leave him a message. After not seeing them return in the next two days Gallen has reported a missing person report and waited days after days for them to return. But there is no sign of them at all cause Jessica has moved to Singapore to her new rich husband for a stable secure life.
    ------------------

    A year passed by, Jessica live is luxurious and happy. Her husband Julian Koo (Julian Cheung) loved her dearly and will give her anything to make her life joyful. He also loved Louis very much and cherished him like his own son, since he don't have any children of his own. Everything went smoothly through out the entire year, until one accident changed everything.

    Julian father Fung Koo (Lam Fung, the man that play David, Flora father in ATE) is a rich and well know tycoon that have power in both the dark and white side of Singapore. Because of this he also have many people wanting to seek revenge on his family, especially on him. This one tragic day, both Jessica and Louis want to head out to join Julian for lunch. Fung Koo insisted that his driver drive them. The car that they were riding on was equipped with a bomb, which was intent to kill Fung Koo.

    Instead the accident has injured both Jessica and Louis. Jessica is in a stable condition but unconscious for several days while the doctor tries to save the six years old Louis. Julian went to visit Louis and notice that something is wrong with his stepson. So he head to question the doctor.

    Julian sat down on the chair in front of the doctor, "Dr. Chan, you must be honest with me, what is wrong with my son? He look delusional, he can't even recognize me and he is not responding to my question."

    "Calm down Mr. Koo. I'm sorry to inform you that Louis has damaged his brain during the explosion, he will be like this from now on. His mental side won't be able to develop like normal children, he will have a mental capacity of a six years old" Dr. Chan finished off leaving Julian with a blank expression. How is he going to tell Jessica this and break her heart?

    He stay at Louis room with his eyes gazed at his son who has major burn and scar from the explosion. He don't want to let Jessica see Louis in this condition, she will definitely cry her heart out to know that Louis will be mentally ill for the rest of his life. What will he tell his wife when she wakes up and ask for Louis?

    Couple days later Jessica woke up with a confuse look in her eyes while she scan the white room, "Where am I?"

    Julian sat down beside her and grabs her hand warmly with a gentle smile. She moved away from him, "who are you?" she asked with her eyes a bit fearful. "Where is Louis?" she looked around the room with her heart pounding harder. "Where is my son?!" she demanded for an answer. She shut her eyes and opened it again looking at Julian really closely, "Julian?"

    "Yes!" he grabs her hand and felt relief that she remember him.

    "What happen? Why am I in here? Our wedding is tomorrow, why am I in the hospital? We have lots to prepare for our wedding. We were taking wedding picture with Louis. How did I get in here?" she asked with puzzled eyes. Julian looked at his wife with worry, their wedding is a year ago not tomorrow.

    Julian went to get the doctor who checked Jessica and found out that she have memories lost, and forgotten the one year period after her marriage to Julian. By taking advantage on Jessica condition, Julian thinks of an idea to solve his problem about Louis.
    -------------------

    Years passed by until one day Gallen finally saw her in the street again, when he was walking Annie to the park. He rushed up after her with his four years old daughter piggybacked behind.

    "Jess!" he shouted with hopefulness, but she didn't turn around. It seem like she didn't heard him.

    Jessica walked into a cafe, Gallen ran after her, but he is stop by a waiter who is looking at him up and down seeing him in old ragged clothes and a worn out sandal. "Sorry private member only" the cold toned sound blocked Gallen away.

    Gallen stood outside peeking into the large glass window seeing Jessica sited down next to an eight years old boy, he know that the boy must be Louis. A warm smile glowed on his face seeing his wife and son again.

    "Dow Dau (beans, a nick name for father.), why are we here?" ask the innocent voice of a four years old who is peeking in curiously too.

    Gallen putted her down on the ground and pointed toward Jessica and Louis. "That is your mommy and gor gor!" he grinned with his warm heart glowing excitedly.

    Annie peeked in and looked at the eight years old that have darker skin then hers. "He is gor gor? Why is he so dark?"

    Gallen shrugged, he remembers his son being really light skinned like Annie. Annie eyes widen a bit while Gallen face stern up immediately when they saw Jessica kissing a man that just settle down. "Dow Dau why is mommy kissing that guy?" She looked up at her father for an answer.

    Gallen felt anger boiled over him when he saw them kissed intimately and they are now sited side by side holding hand and laughing while the guy is rubbing the boy hair playfully. He swiftly lifted Annie up and charged into the restaurant. Member or not he is going to get this straighten out today! Jessica looked over at the loud arguing noise that heading toward them. She is surprise to see him again. Hong Kong is a very small place she reminded herself. Gallen darted at Jessica with anger and shouted, "What is the meaning of this?!"

    Jessica felt embarrassed by all the stares, her face darken at her former husband. In a soft cold tone, "Lets talk outside." She turned to her husband to reassure him, "Julian I'll be back, why don't you eat with Louis first?" she smiled and pecked her husband.

    Louis darted at Gallen with his hard protective eyes, "Mommy where are you going?"

    "Just stay here with daddy, I'll be back soon" was her reply to Louis question. She elegantly headed out of the cafe with Gallen following behind her.

    "Dow Dau, is she really mommy?" Annie asked while she studies her mom back curiously.

    Jessica heard her voice and it bring some warmth to her heart, she turned around to look at Annie in the eyes when they are outside of the cafe. She missed her, she regret that she has left her behind then and now she wanted so badly to have Annie by her side. "Yes, I'm your mommy" she smiled at Annie and note how adorable her daughter has become.
    She turned over to her ex-husband, "Gallen, I don't think there is anymore thing we could talk about. You have your life and I have mine too."

    "I thought something has happened to you and Louis for all these years! But I finally understand that you just left me for a rich man! How low can you get? I been worry sick over the years and you are just enjoying yourself, you ****!" he shouted and slapped her. Annie eyes widen and she senses her father anger toward her mommy.

    Jessica rubbed her check with her eyes beamed at him, "You have no right to slap me, you are the one who drove me away. I didn't do anything wrong for leaving you" she looked at Annie, "the only wrong thing I made was leaving her behind."

    She sighed at Gallen after she studies his condition, "Look at you, you are still hook with those marketing game huh? I have tries to give you chance and wait for you to quit for six whole years of our marriage, but you never took my words by heart, you are the one who has chosen your ambition over family. I'm tired of living the way we did, the worry and anxiousness of fear. I'm a normal woman that wanted a stable family life, I don't think I did anything wrong."

    She turned toward the cafe, "I'm sorry, my family is waiting for me." She looked at him seriously, "Right now it really doesn't matter who deceived who. It all in the past."
    Gallen looked at the eight years old, "I want my son back."

    Jessica shakes her head steadily, "No, Louis belongs to Julian and me now, you have Annie. His life is much better with us then with you." Her sad eyes glued to Annie, feeling guilty that she didn't bring her along. "Think about it, he don't see you as a father anymore, he won't be happy living with you. Like I know that Annie won't be happy if I take her away from you now. I don't want to talk anymore, we have a plane to catch after lunch. Please excuse me." She turns to head in, Gallen didn't stop her. His heart has stiffened.

    Annie with confuses eyes, "Mommy?" Jessica stopped and turns to look at her with a warm smile, this is the first time Annie called her.

    Jessica reached her hand toward Annie, but Gallen frustratingly rushed away with Annie, leaving Jessica and Louis behind. A drop of tears rolled down Jessica eyes seeing Gallen walked away with her daughter that she has owed so much to. She will never forget how Annie just called her mommy.
    ~~~

  3. #3
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    Thought I should leave you a comment here as well. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

    <IMG SRC="smilies/thumbsup.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/thumbsup.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/thumbsup.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/clap.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/clap.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/clap.gif" border="0">

    Louis <IMG SRC="smilies/fallinlove.gif" border="0"> Annie forever.

  4. #4
    Moderator Em's Avatar
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    <IMG SRC="smilies/clap.gif" border="0"> Interesting set up you have here... will we have to imagine an "old version" of Gallen, Jess and Julian when Louis and Annie grow up? <IMG SRC="smilies/wink.gif" border="0">

    Do continue...

  5. #5
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    CussieB thanks for commenting here too!

    Em, yes you need to imagine an older version for a lot of cast, since it kind of about two generation. Thanks for your nice comment.

    A more up to date version is in the winglin page, I'm kind of posting a bit slow here.

    Ch. 3: Strong Will

    After seeing Jessica again, Gallen has regretted on how he has neglected his family, he know it was his fault for Jessica to leave him, but he couldn't help himself from being angry at her and hated her. As for his son, he know Jessica is right, Louis will be happier with them, he saw how rich they were and know that his son will never want to live in the shabby old flat with him. Now his only family is his daughter Annie, and he swear that he will give the best to Annie and cherish her forever. He will be the best and most loving father so Annie will not regret that her mom left her behind.

    Annie curiously asked her father when they are eating dinner, "Dow Dau why didn't mommy come back? We found her." She stirred her bowl of rice with her confuse eyes on her father. <IMG SRC="smilies/confused.gif" border="0">

    "Your mommy was never missing, she just ran away and leave us behind" he told Annie his half true story with his bitter tone. He smiled weakly at Annie and in a softer caring tone, "Eat up your rice."

    "Why did mommy want to leave?" the four years old asked while she stuff her mouth with rice and salted egg.

    Gallen who didn't really want to ruin his own image in Annie heart and also fearing that Annie will not forgive him if she know that Jessica actually leave cause of him, so he lied "Your mommy wanted to be rich with lots of money to spend. Dow Dau don't have much to offer her, so she married another man to satisfy herself." He looked down and eats in silent feeling a bit guilty. He reminded himself that he didn't exactly lie, his wife did leave them for a richer man.

    Annie frowned and looked at her father sadly. "I'm still here" her soft reassuring voice made Gallen smile warmly with a slight nod. "Dow Dau, why did mommy bring gor gor along?"

    Gallen looked straight into Annie eyes and felt sorry for her. He knows his wife didn't love Annie as much as Louis. He patted his daughter head, "Cause mommy want gor gor to have a better school to attend."

    Gallen is currently trying to find a preschool to enroll Annie into. "So mommy don't want me to be in school?" Annie mumbled with her sad eyes staring at her rice. "Mommy love gor gor more huh?"

    "Well I love you more. Chu Lui (piglet, for girl, Gallen nickname for Annie) it getting late, hurry up and eat before the light went out" her father warned her. Annie nod obediently and they eat in silent. It's not unusual for the power to cut off several nights a week for this poor neighborhood area.

    From then on Annie has hated her mother for leaving her father and marrying another man, but most of all deep down she felt sad that her mom would leave her behind. Not that she don't like living with Gallen but just knowing that her mom leaving her behind bring bitter sadness to Annie little heart.
    ------------------

    Even though how much Gallen has stated he love Annie, however his interest in the stock market has never die, he still try to test his luck and eye sight every so often, but he has keep in mind to limit himself for his daughter sake. He may seem to love playing with stock, but he still adore his little daughter and has try to raise her himself without any support, since his parent and sibling has all moved away cause they don't like the idea of him constantly asking for money. And every time he turn to his friend, co-worker, or neighbor for help they will always shake their head. But that doesn't lower his hope at all, it just made him more stronger and more eager to show everyone that he is not wrong about his ability. And most of all he wanted to proof his wife wrong for leaving him and loss faith in him so soon.

    His strong radiance of hope and never give up attitude has also radiated his daughter Annie, who is growing really fast and her stubbornness and never willing to bend for anything is very similar to Gallen. She has learns to be independent on taking care of herself and sometime even her father. She obeys her father word and loved him dearly since she only has her father and her father only have her. Theirs bond has grow really strong and in Annie heart she has never doubt her father ability.

    Time passed swiftly with their usual life in the small little flat by the dirty hillside, but Annie has never shed a tear, in fact she felt happy and warm all the time. She is a child that sees everything toward the bright side and knows that she is capable of anything just like her father. When the topic of her father is mention she felt proud even when everyone has label her father as a worthless dreamer. She believes in her father and will always stand up for him if anyone tries to put him down. But when the topic came to her mother, which is her weak point. She will get really serious and sensitive to what other say and sometime those words could bruise her feeling.
    -------------------

    Gallen laughed with his head held high toward the sky. "Things will change now!" he shouted with his most excited mood. May 9, 1986, he will never forget today, cause he can finally prove the world that he could do it and also let his daughter see that she has not mistrusted her father. After countless years of studying the game, he has finally hit the target when everyone else fails. Gallen is the happiest man on earth now with his new wealth, it not enough to buy a mansion and have servant, but it more then enough to have a luxurious life for him and his six years old daughter.

    The first thing he did after knowing that he is a rich man now, was that he rush straight to his daughter elementary to pick her up from school. Usually Annie would walk home with the next doors neighbor son and she would stay home alone until her father came home to cook with her. But from today on it will change a little.

    Gallen arrived at the shabby elementary school that definitely needed donation to rebuilt, he grinned and think that he might be the man who will donate. He is just too excited and over joy, in his mind he knows that he can earn more money now that he has masterminded the pattern of the stock.

    "What take so long?" he tapped on his watch anxiously while his eyes impatiently glanced at his wristwatch every couple minute urgently waiting of the bell to ring.

    Mean while Annie is still in her first grade class waiting impatiently for the bell to ring too, but her face show a nervous look fearing that her teacher will call on her. She never really liked school much, since her father never really forces her to learn or look after her homework. School is just a dread of work to her, she would rather go play in the streets or just stay home to help her daddy.

    The teacher turned around to scan around the room deciding who should come up and read their little poem on the topic "Why I love mommy" since Mothers Days are just around the corner.

    Annie saw her teacher gaze coming close, and even though she has purposely sited in the back row she still don't feel comfortable cause her heart is racing with worry. She quickly pulled a piece of paper up slightly to cover herself with it.

    The teacher saw how sneaky Annie was so she cleared her throat, "Annie Law why don't you come up and read your poem to the class?" Annie gulped and pretends she didn't hear a single word. Her teacher warmly urged her, "Come on Annie, don't be shy."

    "Shy?" Annie thought. That was never her problem, she never care how other sees her and she speak what in her mind, the word shy was never use on her before. Her problem is not cause of being shy, but rather cause she didn't write one. Since she never get to really know her mommy, and she has constantly reminded herself to not like her mommy either. She really couldn't think of how to write her poem when there is no love between her and her mom.

    Annie lowered the paper in front of her and grinned at her teacher sweetly with a lie. "I left it at home." She lies without a blink of her eyes, a technique she has learned through out the years from being independent and strong so no one dare to pick on her.

    One of her classmate whispered to another boy that is a couple seat in front of her. "I bet she didn't even write it, she don't have a mommy, what is there to write?" Annie eyes harden and darted at the boy with her anger showing all over her face. <IMG SRC="smilies/irked.gif" border="0">

    Her teacher heard it too, and clapped her hand to get everyone attention and end the spreading whisper. "Enough with the whisper." She commanded and turn to looked at Annie with a disappointed look. "Annie this is your third time this week that you didn't do your assignment. I'll have to meet with your father?"

    Annie nodded just to get her teacher off her back. The bell ringed right at the moment. So she swiftly packed her stuff and cheerfully rushing out to meet Wong Hei the boy next door that always walks her home. The buddy that she could relies on to spill her feeling.

    Kevin Cheng the boy that made the earlier comment about her being motherless throw a pencil at her, right when she walked by his desk. "Oops I'm sorry it slips out of my hand." Annie gazes at him with angry eyes. "Annie can you please pick it up for me?"

    "Hmph!" <IMG SRC="smilies/hmph.gif" border="0"> with that she turned with her head held high and walked away ignoring him.

    Kevin and his friend quickly go after her wanting to cause trouble. He's pulling on Annie backpack. "Hey I'm talking to you! Don't you have any manner?"

    His best friend pitched in to help him pick on Annie, a boys thing to do. He laughed at Annie rudely. "Kevin did you forget? She don't have a mommy to teach her how to be a mannered girl."

    Kevin nodded with his hand picking his nose. "True true, look at her uniform is all wrinkle and stinky, I bet she don't even shower. I bet that is the reason why her mommy don't want her."

    Annie hissed her anger and turned around to dart her eyes at Kevin. <IMG SRC="smilies/mad.gif" border="0"> "Say sorry now Kevin!" she demanded with her eyes stilly at him.

    Kevin chuckled rudely and rolled his eyes, giving Annie a not-in-a-million-years look. Annie fist tightened and swing over to punch him on the right eye. "Who say I need a mommy?" she stated coldly, then beamed at Kevin friend who is staring at her with widen eyes. "You want a fight too?" she asked while she wrinkled the bridge of her nose to make a mean look at them. "Don't you dare come after me, or Hei gor gor will crush you to pieces." she grinned <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0"> with amusement at the Kevin who is still rubbing his eyes, she then turn around and head toward the gate for Hei.

    Gallen pacing around wondering why it take Annie so long to walk out. He finally saw her and rushed to her to lift her up, swinging in the air. "Chu Lui!!" (piglet for girl) He shouted loudly that made Annie chuckled at her father, "Dow Dau!"

    Gallen carried his six years old daughter in his arm. "Dow Dau ah, why did you come pick me up today? Did Missy call you to see her already?"

    Gallen gave her a disappointed stare. <IMG SRC="smilies/shame.gif" border="0"> "Your missy needs to see me again? For what this time? Let me guess you didn't do your homework again?" he sighed with a shrug. <IMG SRC="smilies/noidea.gif" border="0"> "Oh well, just don't do it again okay?" Annie grinned with her set of tiny white teeth shining. Gallen chuckled at her. "Lets celebrate! Your Dow Dau, me finally in luck to be rich! How you like it Annie? You will be like a princess from now on! No more of this crappy school and missy again!"

    Annie eyes widen with a constant nod, "That sound really good! Dow Dau are you sure I don't have to return to this school?" Gallen nodded with a loud smooch on Annie cheek.

    Annie sighed with a pout, "Aww..I should of punch Kevin left eye too!" Her father beamed at her and she sheepishly grinned. <IMG SRC="smilies/newangel.gif" border="0"> "I mean buy him a punch to drink." Gallen laughed at her knowing she meant physical.
    ~~~

    [ December 03, 2002: Message edited by: Yak ]

  6. #6
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    Chapter 4: Piggy Bank

    After that day Gallen buys a fancy flat that is in the wealthy neighborhood, he don't have money to buy a mansion by the hillside yet, but that is his new goal now. He is planning to continue exploring the stock market world and earn enough money to climb higher with larger house and even a stock company of his own. But as for now, this flat is still big enough for Annie to get lost in.

    While Gallen is packing his belonging in the old flat, Annie ran over to Wong Hei flat to say goodbye. She whispering to get Hei attention, she didn't want to wake up Hei grandmother who is napping by the window that she is at. "Haam Daan (salted egg)...haam daan..." she whispered as she rolled her eyes at the eleven years old who is napping on top of his homework. Hei is more then just her friend, he is very protective of her, like a brother that she has lost.

    Gallen stepped out of the flat with a small luggage of only the important stuff, since he is going to buy everything else anyway. "Chu Lui, come on, time to go." He started to head down the long flight of dirty and trashed outdoor stairs toward a taxi.

    Annie impatiently took off her shoe and aims it toward Wong Hei hitting his arm. He rubbed his eyes and stare at her direction. She grinned, "Haam Daan Chew Yan (salted egg hero, one of Hong Kong very popular figurine.) I have to leave now. You take care of yourself." She whispered.

    Hei rush out to see her and looked at her with his sad eyes. "Shaw Chu (silly pig) where are you going?" Annie frowned missing him already, he is her best and only buddy in the whole wide world.

    Her head dropped down depressingly, "I'm moving." Hei looked at her with his blanked face, he didn't expect her to move. Annie bravely lifted her head up to look at him with a bright smile, "My daddy taking me to a very large house, maybe you can come by to visit me."

    Gallen shouting as he head down the outdoor stairs, "Chu Lui hurry up!"

    Annie quickly answered, "Coming!!" She quickly pulled out a round pink piggy bank and shoved it to Hei, "This is to replace me when I'm gone." Hei chuckled as he looked at the ceramic piggybank while Annie continue with her order as usual, "I'm expecting you to continue saving money and feeding it to the piggy. Then when I return to visit you, you are going to buy me ice cream and toys okay?"

    Hei rolled his eyes at her, "Haven't you spend enough of my allowance?"

    Annie ignore his complain and pulled a hero figurine with huge egg shapes eyes, out of her backpack too. "I asked daddy to buy it for you. You had always wanted to have one. Anyway I really have to go now, bye!" She slipped her backpack back on and turned to run down the stairs.

    Hei eyes sadly watch her running away. "Shaw Chui when will you be back?!"

    Annie shouting as she run, "I don't know! Just remember to save money in my piggy bank!" Her voice trailed off and the area is silent again, Hei nodded sadly watched her run down the long flight of stairs heading to the taxi that quickly drove her out of his life. The sky seem so gloomy all of a sudden to Hei eyes.
    -----------------

    The taxi finally stopped at the huge tall building with marble fence and a big heavy iron gate with security guard. Annie and Gallen got out of the taxi with a big refreshing smile spread across their face like identical image. Annie head tilted farther back with her aw to the tallness of the gate and her new home.

    "Dow Dau this is really going to be where we will live from now on?" her mouth slightly open with amaze.

    Gallen nodded satisfyingly and laughed at her expression. "Yup! But not from now on, it just our temporary new castle. We will move into a better castle really soon." he patted her back. "Come on Chui Lui lets go explore the flat again!" Annie nodded and they rushed into the huge building.
    -------------------

    After winning the huge sum of money from his stock, Gallen is still not totally satisfied yet, he want better live style, he want a mansion with maid and he want to open one of his own marketing company. So he continues to gamble for chance to climb higher. So far he has gone a long way already.

    During the past sixteen years, he has moved from a small position of an office boy to a small department manager, and now he is one of the top two managers of this stock market company. Gallen boss Felix Wong, has consider Gallen as a valuable follower, kind of like his right hand, while Moses Chan is his left. Both Gallen and Moses has been really competitive on this game trying to climb higher and challenge each other. But they are always in good term and accept each other challenge as a way to achieve higher stander. After Gallen has hits the target and bring his own status up to Moses, they has became closer friend and even buddy.

    After the usual meeting Moses walked over to Gallen and swing his arm around him, "Well, what do you think of next week result going to be?" He displayed a sly smile with his sharp eyes. "I'll say the North Stars stock will raise at least twice it rating."

    Gallen shook his head with a chuckle, "No it getting too high up already, like what they say what go up must come down. Didn't you hear that Mr. Lam is sick? It will drop drastically when his health report is release."

    "Ah, he is always sick. Even the media don't buy it anymore." Moses laughed while he patted Gallen shoulder. "Hey you want to join me and my family next week at Hong Kong Horse Track? I have a horse that is going to race for the first time." He smiled proudly and excitedly to the event.

    "Sure, you don't mind that I bring my daughter along right? She loves horse." Gallen turned to smirk at him, "Want to bet who will win on the horse race?"

    Moses shrugged, "I don't see why not, my horse Thunderbolt will certainly win." He grinned at Gallen with his knowing eyes. Gallen smirked, "We'll see about that."
    ~~~

  7. #7
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    Chapter 5: New Bully

    Mean while her father is busy with his new goal in life, Annie has to deal with her new environment of new private school, new friends, new bullies, and new neighbors. She actually missed Wong Hei, her old school, and even the loud mouth Kevin. It was much simpler than her new school.

    Her new private school is strict and the teachers are mean and demanding trying to train every student to be genius. And her classmate doesn't get along with her well, cause they sees her as outsider. Annie could figure why, she knows she is not smart addict like them. She has hated school, still hated school, and will probably hate school in the future too.

    The loud bell ringed letting everyone out for a fifteen minutes of recess. Annie finally gets a chance to relax her fried brain after the first grade math lesson. She sited herself on the bench by the playground. While everyone is actively busy playing around, Annie dig herself into her new Ding Dong comic that Gallen brought her.

    A group of third grader playing soccer near by huddled into a group whispering while they looked at Annie and laughed out loud. Annie looked up cause of the laughter, and to her surprise the soccer ball is fly her way. She is too shock to react to it and just blankly stare at the incoming ball.

    A dark toned ten years old blocked the soccer ball by bumping it with his forehead and knocked the ball off track and into his arm. He grinned at Annie with his handsome smile and turned to the group of immature eight years old, "Pick someone your own size!" He throws the ball back to them forcefully as a warning sign for them to back off. Annie soft eyes just gaze at him unmoved, he is her hero, her heart warmed to the thought. She smiled sweetly with her eyes studying his feature.

    A deep voice from a couple feet away, "Louis!"

    "Coming dad!" he looked at Annie with a soft chuckle. "Maybe it will be safer for you to read inside." He turn and ran away heading to his father. "Louis" Annie reminded herself, she is not going to forget his name from now on. She continues to look at his back until he has disappears.

    After Louis has left, Annie turned to dart her eyes at the group of eight years old with her angry pout. She headed straight to them and stand bravely in front of them with out fear, even though they are all taller and bigger then her. In a steady voice, "Who kick that ball?" she demanded for an answer while everyone just paused and silent filled the air. They were amaze that a six years old girl has the guts to stand up for herself in front of them. The silent quickly disbursed into laughter, Annie face just got sterner with her eye gaze at them motionlessly.

    "I did" a calm cold voice answered from behind, the group stepped aside and a boy walked out with his eyes scanning Annie. "You have a problem with that?" he coldly asked with a rude chuckle at her.

    Annie didn't feel any fear at all, "Say sorry now." She steadily commanded the boy that is both taller and bigger then her.

    "Why should I?" he rolled his eyes at her cockily. "Yes I purposely aim at you, what you going to do about it?" The crowds wooed while Annie slightly looked at them and mainly focus on the bully in front of her. "I want you to say sorry" was her cold and stubborn reply.

    The boy laughed at her loudly, "Look shorty, the only one that going to be sorry is you if you are not smart enough to walk away. You don't belong here, I'm teaching you to get back to where you belong. Both you and your father don't deserve to even step into our world. Go back to your trashy elementary and live. This is our world, you are nothing but slaves and your father is just a dog that trying to get a higher status." He turned to look at the other, "Am I right?!" They cheered, cause he is the leader of the group.

    Annie tries to calm herself down, "Apologize now!" she loudly demanded.

    Laughed at her rudely, "Me, Benny Chan apologize to you? What you think you are? You are nothing! You don't belong here!"

    Benny Chan is the most popular kid in school that could also be a big bully with new kid especially commoner. He is Moses Chan son, and from his father, he knows that Annie and her father are poor commoner. Benny is rise to treat commoner differently, since he is rich through out his life. His mom side of the family is wealthy rubber tree plantation owner in Malaysia. So his grandparent loved him and spoiled him rotten.

    "Say sorry Benny Chan!" Annie bravely shouted out at him while the others are silent in surprise to her fearlessness. Benny stepped up to her and grab her front collar lifting her a bit off the ground, Annie fearlessly dart at him. He is quite amaze with her stubbornness. His eyes fiercely beam at her, "Make me shorty" he releases her after his threat and turned to return to his soccer game.

    The entire playground of children started to laugh at Annie for being foolish to mess with Benny and started to shout "Shorty" over and over at her. Annie lifted her head up to look at them. Her face crimsoned right away, not because she is embarrassed, it because she is steaming up with anger. With a soft hiss, Annie hand tightened and she storm up to Benny and forcefully shoved him to the ground with all of her might.

    "Say you are sorry now!" she commanded while she struggles with Benny on the floor trying to punch him. "In your dream!" Benny shoved her away and she got herself back to push him. The students are amused by their fight and just cheered them to go on.

    Benny in a warning tone, "Don't make me hit you!"

    "I'm not afraid of you Benny Chan!" she stubbornly reply while she continue to get her hand on him. "Okay that is it!" the irritated boy shouted and getting ready to punish the puny little pest that is on top of him.

    The teachers quickly arrive to separate them before Benny has the change to lay his hand on Annie. One of the teachers is Annie teacher, he gazed at Annie with his disapproval eyes, "Miss Law, a mannered child especially a girl is not suppose to fight." Annie hard eyes are still darted at Benny with hatred. Benny darted back at her, but deep down he felt a bit guilty after seeing her seriousness to his words.

    They were both punished to stand in the middle of the large playground to claps easers for the rest of the afternoon. Both of them stare at each other with hatred while they clapped easer and purposely clapped harder to make chalk dust flying everywhere making each other sneeze and cough. Even though they were not allow to say a single word, but it seems like they are continuing their battle in their head by giving each other hard stares and angry expression.
    -------------------

    Julian just stepped out of the principle office with Louis. Louis gazed down the second floor balcony and out to the playground seeing both Annie and Benny coughing like crazy, he can't help himself from chuckling at the two younger kids.

    He tuned his attention to his father, "Dad, are we really going to move back to Hong Kong?"

    Julian shrugged as he walking out of the school with Louis, "Depend on the business. If we are moving back, this seems to be a great school for you and your sister Myolie. Do you like it here?"

    Louis shrugged too, "I guess." He enters the limo and gazed out of the window while the driver drive them to their hotel. "But I rather stay in Singapore, all my friends are over there. So is grandpa, uncle Sunny, aunty Ada, and cousin Raymond."

    His father chuckled at him, "Don't worry too soon, it will probably take us couple more years even if we decide to move over."
    --------------------

    Right after school Annie walked home herself without Wong Hei to walk with her anymore. And her classmate laughs at her cause they all have driver and she has to walk. Annie really didn't mind walking, since her new home is really close.

    She walked cheerfully reading her comic book of Ding Dong and weren't really paying attention to where she was walking. She bumped into someone and quickly got herself off the hard cerement.

    The boy that she bumped into picked up her comic book. "What is this?" he beamed at her with smug little grin.

    Annie held her hand out and calmly with her steady voice, "Hand it back Benny Chan." Benny grinned and gives her back the comic, he really enjoys Annie amusing attitude toward him.

    He held his hand out offering a shake, "I'm Benny Chan, nice to meet you, Annie Law right?" he grinned and wanted to start over and willing to accept Annie as his friend.

    "Hmps!" Annie rolled her eyes at him and ignored him. She turned around and proudly walked away. Benny chuckled softly looking at her walking away. He got into his car and his driver drive him away, he rolled down the window and shouted at Annie when they passed her, "I'm sorry!" with that he disappeared down the road. Annie giggled with a bright satisfy smile and cheerfully headed home.
    ~~~

  8. #8
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    Chapter 6: Distanced Bond

    Quickly next week arrived, Moses and his wife Yoyo Mung along with their son Benny are settled in a private room of the Horse Race clubhouse. Benny and Moses are both holding binocular looking out the glass window down toward the horses.

    Yoyo laughed at the sight of her husband and son looking so alike, "Honey, do you think our horse will win? I'm all dress up to take the picture with the trophy." Moses laughed at his wife comment and nodded certainly.

    "Daddy, can I go ride on Thunderbolt later?" asked the excited eight years old.

    "Sure, why not?" the door opened and Moses turn around to greet his buddy Gallen who is carrying Annie in his arms. "You finally came, I thought you going to just abandon us."

    "Hey I always keep my word" he put Annie down on the floor, "Greet uncle Moses and aunty..."

    Moses wrapped his arm around his wife, "This is my wife Yoyo." Yoyo smiled warmly and held her hand out. Gallen gently shake it with his smart looking grin, "Nice to finally meet you."

    Moses turned Benny around from the window, "And this is Benny"

    Annie eyes widened in surprise that it was him, she stood there with her eyes harden on him. Gallen pushed Annie forward a bit, "She is the precious gem that I kept mentioning about, Annie say hello." Annie weakly with her eyes beamed up at the two adults and back to Benny, "hello". Benny just chuckled at her like how he has been for the pass week.

    Benny walked up toward Annie and grab her hand which make Annie face darken at him, "Come over, the race is about to start!" he shoved his binocular over to Annie, "this will help." While the children are settle by the window, the adults settle down at the round table to chat.

    Moses pushed a box of cigar over toward Gallen, "I have to hand it to you Gallen, the North Star stock really dropped to the bottom of the valley. How do you know that Mr. Lam will hand his company over to his nephew?" he held his glass of Brandy and knocked on Gallen glass slightly.

    With one big gulp Gallen drink it up, he smirked at Moses, "Nothing can be kept as a secret if you have a bit of money to buy some news from employee." Moses nodded agreeing and poured some more Brandy into Gallen glass. Gallen looked over at the polite Yoyo then to Moses, "No wonder, you go home right away each day, you have a beautiful and lovely wife to attend to."

    Yoyo softly laughed to his remark and looked over at Annie, "She is an adorable child, it must be hard to raise her yourself. Have you ever think of helping Annie find a mother? I have several close friends of mine that needed a handsome man like you."

    "Here's my wife go again, don't mind her, she do this to all of my friends. Now you know why I don't have much left, they all driven away by her friends." Moses stated with a sharp grin on Yoyo, who slapped his lap playfully.

    "They are not that bad. Maggie (Maggie Siu) is a great independent girl." Yoyo said trying to sale her friend.

    Moses nodded, "Yeah, and cold as a block of ice too."

    Gallen laughed at the two with some memories of how Jessica and he use to be when they dated. He cleared his throat and head toward Annie, "Well, so far I'm fine with being single." He stood behind Annie and pecked her head. Both Moses and Yoyo join them and waited for the race to begin.

    "Hey Gallen, have you think of starting a stock company?" he smoothly asked with his eyes piercing through the binocular checking on his horse. Gallen looked at Moses, trying to calculate what he meant with his question, he sense that Moses wanted something from him.

    "Well, not too soon yet, I don't have enough finance to do so yet" he nodded confidently with his sharp eyes, "In two more years, yeah in two more years, I'll be ready for sure." Gallen grinned with determination on his new goal.

    The other man put his binocular down and looked at him with his determine eyes, "What if we open one together? I have the other half of the money that you need," he turns back to the window to look through the binocular, "with both of our skilled expertise in this field, we will be unbeatable. Why wait any longer and let more money slip away?" His eyes showed excitement as the horse race begin.

    They cheered for his horse to run and Moses laughed proudly when his horse won by a nose, "See unbeatable!" He turned to Gallen, "I trust my own eyes sight, and I know that we will be very successful if we start one of our own. What do you say to it?"

    Gallen slyly grinned, "What else could I say? You have made it sound so luring. I can't let this piece of fat meat slip away." They laughed and toasted each other to celebrate their new plan.

    After their agreement, they have become very close partner that is both ambitious and determine to expand their company to the fullest. During their partnership, their friendship has also grows rapidly. Yoyo invited Gallen and Annie over to their mansion very often to have dinner. She has also introduced many of her friends to Gallen, but at this point Gallen don't want anything to do with relationship yet. All he wants is to build a strong career and take care of Annie.

    During this period of time, both Annie and Benny has become great friend like buddy. They hang out during recess playing soccer with Benny gang of friends, and after school Annie will stay at Benny mansion to do her homework with Benny help and wait till her father come over to pick her up.
    ---------------------

    Mean while in Singapore, Jessica life is peaceful and easy as usual with time flying quickly. She has been married into the Koo's family for ten years now and it seem like a blink of an eye. And through out the years Julian has loved her and cared for her like a loving husband. Jessica likes all wife of a successful and wealthy man, she is supportive and tries to reduce her husband burden by taking care of the children and run the family, so Julian can concentrate in work. But like all normal housewife, she would expect her husband to return home for dinner each night, which Julian usually does. Like all caring mother, she has loved both her son Louis, who is now fifteen years old, and Myolie who just turn eight. Myolie is Jessica and Julian daughter, she is three years younger then Annie (who is eleven). Unlike Louis, who is very obedient and mannered, Myolie is spoiled by everyone cause of her charm. Sometime she could get really demanding and wild with her ideas.

    Louis unlike other teenagers his age, he is more mature and realistic about life and his dream. He has been taught well by Jessica, who has told him that he is not Julian biological son when he is ten. Jessica wanted Louis to know so he understands why the Koo's has loved and spoiled his younger sister and two cousins more than him. Louis has learned to be grateful for the Koo to still love him and treated him as a family member, so he is extra obedient and willing to yield to his sister and cousins on everything. It is because of this characteristic of Louis that made Julian loved him more and treated him more as his own son. He wanted Louis to follow his footstep and is very positive that Louis will do great with business and that one day he can help with the Koo huge expanding business.

    After Jessica has told Louis about his biological father and sister, Louis don't seem to remember anything that happened before he is five years old. He has no image of how his sister Annie or his father Gallen looked like, even when Jessica reminded him that he have seen them again when he is eight. He is just too young then, Jessica has told him to reassure him that is alright to forget. Sometime when he sees Myolie demanding for attention, he would wonder if Annie is the same. And he would wonder if Gallen would of love him as much as Julian is.

    Julian returns home early today, since it is the fifteen of the month, which is the day that he needs to visit a special family with Louis. This special person is Julian god-sister Flora Chan, who live in a quiet rural area with her son Frankie, who is now fourteen. She use to visit the Koo's often with her son, but ever since nine years ago, she hasn't visit much, since she need to take care of her son. Instead of her going to the Koo's mansion, Julian will come visit her once a month and always bring Louis along with him. Sometime Jessica will come along when she have nothing else to do.

    Flora whose' by accident and out of her kind heart has saved Fung Koo when he is injured, she was only fourteen back then. She is an orphan with no family, so from then on Fung Koo has accepted her as his god-daughter and provided her with everything, including a fatherly love that is equal to his other two sons. Flora became really close to Julian since they are the same age and seem to have a lot in common. She is so happy and grateful to be able to go to school and earn a degree, and to also have a loving family like the Koo.

    Flora has also swears that one day she will do anything to repay them for their kind deed. Especially for saving her son and giving him a chance to live a better life. Her son use to be really weak and get sick very often, and there is one time that he has a high fever and stayed in the hospital for months to recover. She is a single parent trying to raise her son, which is sometime hard when bad thing happen that require large sum of money, like his hospital bills. But cause of the Koo wealthy support, her son is now healthy and happy with his new life and a bright future.

    The fifteen has always been Flora favorite day of the month cause Julian will visit her with Louis. She always makes some of Louis favorite food ready so he could enjoy. But today she is a bit distracted by a letter that she received.

    A loud noise is heard from her son Frankie room, so she quickly ran to the room from the kitchen. She shakes her head and chuckled at her son, seeing her fourteen years old son rubbing his head with a pout, while his hand is holding to a crayon, "What you think you are doing honey?" She asked while she sat on his twins size bed and gently grab his hand, "Remember no scribbling on the wall? Come on give it to mommy." She patiently looked at him and waited for him, with her hand held out.

    "I...I...I want to draw..." the fourteen years old said with his frown and his hand tightened on the green crayon.

    The doorbell ringed which bring a bright smile to Flora face, "Did you hear that?" she smiled playfully at Frankie, "Louis gor gor is here with uncle Jule, lets go out to see th..." before she could finish, Frankie rushed out of his room heading to the door and waited for Flora to catch up.

    "Mommy open door." He said with a cheerful innocent smile of a child, he knows that he is not supposes to open the door for anyone. Flora opened the door and let Julian and Louis in. This time both Jessica and Myolie have came too. Frankie grab Julian hand tightly shaking it vigorously. "Uncle Jule did you bring toys? Toys!" he excitedly demanded with a six years old enthusiasm.

    Flora chuckled at her son and pulled him back, "Frankie behave now. Come in Julian, Jessica." She smiled at Louis with a bit of sadness in her eyes. "Dinner will be ready in awhile, I got your favorite dish Louis."

    "Thanks aunty" the boy shortly reply with a mannered nod and walked to stand by his mother Jessica.

    "I want my dinosaur, you promise uncle Jule!" Frankie shouted with a pout, Myolie study him with a bit of fear to his weird behavior, she is still young and don't fully understand Frankie problem.

    "Frankie, greet aunty Jess first and be polite." Flora turned him over to Jessica. Jessica smiled at the boy in front of her with her sympathy heart. He looked handsome, but this flaw of his, will certainly give him problem throughout his lifetime.

    The fourteen years old frowned but obediently, "aunty Jess." Jessica patted his head with a sweet smile. "Aunty Jess did you remind uncle Jule about..."

    "Frankie" Flora warned before she head into the kitchen, "Stop asking for toys and go wash your hand hun." She smiled at her guest, "I'll bring the food out."

    "Lets me help you Flora" Jessica said as she trailed after Flora heading to the kitchen. Frankie looked at Louis and Myolie who obviously rather be somewhere else then coming over for the visit.

    Frankie walked up to them wanting to play with them. "I have crayon" he held his hand out revealing the green crayon, "want to draw?"

    Louis pushed Myolie toward him, "Myolie will draw with you, she love to draw." He smiled awkwardly at Frankie and walked over to Julian. He has never really like to visit Flora or Frankie, they are just his aunty and semi-cousin to him and it quiet boring to play with Frankie.

    "I don't like to draw!" Myolie protested and walked away too. She don't want to play with Frankie since Louis is not willing too.

    Julian shakes his head at his two children warningly and headed over to Frankie, "Frankie guess what uncle Jule have for you?"

    "Dinosaur!!" the boy shouted excitedly with anxious eyes.

    Julian chuckled at him and rubbed his hair, "Yup!" He gave the wrapped present to Frankie, who excitedly sited on the cement floor opening it. Julian leaves the children outside and headed in to have a talk with Flora. "Flora, father have something he wanted me to ask you, do you have a moment?"

    Flora who got the hint and nodded, "Sure, Jess can you help me finish up in here?" Jessica agree, so Flora lead Julian to an empty room to talk. Julian pulled out a check and handed it over to Flora like every month. Flora shakes her head, "I told you, you don't have to Julian."

    "Is for Frankie, he will need it." He opened Flora hand and places the check on her palm. "You deserve this."

    Flora sighed with her eyes glimpsed out the door and saw Louis sited there boringly staring ahead, "No, I owe you so much already Julian. I really don't need this sum of money, I found a job already."

    "You did?" Julian asked in surprise, Flora never applied for any job for nine whole years, cause she want to take care of Frankie herself and not willing to let other look after him.

    She nodded with a reassuring warm smile, "Yeah, don't worry, I still can look after Frankie. Is a pretty good job with great benefit. The Hong Kong Institute for the Mentally Ill has hired me for their nursing position. They are really understanding and willing to let me bring Frankie with me to work. He will have more real friend that are willing to play with him..." her sentence trailed off with some gloominess.

    Julian looked outside and saw Louis helping Jessica with the table, he know that it must be really hard on Flora to see Louis being so close to Jessica, "What about Louis?"

    "What about him?" Flora simply reply with her head dropped a bit, "I know he will be fine with both of you."

    "When do you need to leave for Hong Kong?"

    She shrugged, "They give me a month, so maybe next week."

    "That fast?" Julian brows raised with a bit of concern, "Are you sure you going to do this? You can always stay, I have enough to take care of both you and Frankie."

    Flora chuckled at him, "Why you make it sound like I'm your mistress?" she nodded, "Don't worry about me, my mind is set. It will be better for all of us. Frankie will be more happy to be able to know more people and learn more. The institute also have recreational program to teach him. And I'll be back to doing what I love. And it is about time to let go of Louis anyway, it will only hurt him if he knows or if Jessica know. Therefore it benefit everyone if I leave with Frankie."

    Julian nodded sadly with uncertainty, he felt a bit guilty to take Louis away. Flora smiled at him knowing what he is thinking about, "Really Julian, I know what I'm doing."

    "MOMMY!!" Frankie yelled loudly while he cried. Flora rushed out and saw him crying while he is pulling on his new toys with Myolie on the other end doing a little tug a war with him. Both Jessica and Louis headed to them too.

    Julian angrily, "Lets go of the toy Myolie!!"

    Myolie lets go of it and darted her angry eyes on Frankie, "I didn't do anything wrong! He don't know how to play with it, he is going to break it! I was just going to show him how to play with it!"

    Flora gathered her crying son into her arms, "shh..is alright, she let go already, now hush up." Frankie nodded and sniffed with his eyes darted at Myolie. Flora gave a weak smile to everyone trying to settle thing, "It not a big deal, lets have dinner. Come on Frankie, let wash your face and hand." She walked Frankie to the bathroom.

    In the bathroom, Flora bend down a bit and smiled at Frankie motherly and wiped his tears away, "Are you okay honey?"

    He shake his head, "She is mean! She wanted to take my toys away." Flora nodded with a glister of tears in her eyes that is escaping when she see Frankie condition, she felt sympathy for him. Myolie is his half-sister, that is seven years younger then him, but she is even capable of picking on him. Flora blinked her tears away and pulled Frankie in for a hug. "Mommy, I don't want to see her again."

    Flora nodded, "She won't visit us again, okay?" Frankie nodded with his tears dried.

    Couple minutes later they joined the rest for dinner. Myolie is pouting cause Julian has scolded her when Flora and Frankie are in the bathroom. Louis just wanted to go home, he don't understand why they must visit Flora once a month. Jessica cheerfully trying to break the tensioned mood of the children, "Frankie look I made you a glass of chocolate shake." She nudged her daughter, "Honey."

    "Sorry" the little girl mumbled, still angry with her parent, all she wanted was to teach Frankie how to play with his new toys. Why do they make it look like she is the bad guy? "such a cry baby" she murmured softly to herself.

    Flora picked some sweet and sour fry pork with her chopstick and place in Myolie bowl, "Is your favorite." She smiled warmly at the child.

    "Thanks you" Myolie said and started to eat. They all started to eat, Flora is mixing rice for Frankie and making sure there is no bone. Myolie stare at Frankie with confusion to why he is so different. But she didn't dare to say another word.

    Julian looked over at Louis, "Louis why don't you go get a cup of tea for aunty Flora? She don't have a drink yet." Louis looked at his father puzzled. "Go on." Julian urged, Louis nodded obediently and head into the kitchen to do so. Louis return with a cup of tea, Flora looked at him with her heart warmed and stiffened when he is heading toward her.

    "Aunty Flora, here is the tea." He hand it to Flora and she took it with a drop of tears in her eyes. Louis narrowed his eyes on her, "are you okay?" Jessica looked over to Flora and notices her sadness too. Flora quickly nodded and turned away to blink her tears away.

    "Yeah of course. Good boy Louis, sit down for dinner now." She scooped a lot of Louis favorites into his bowl of rice.

    "Flora is there something wrong?" Jessica asked curiously after studying Flora action toward her son.

    "Flora and Frankie will leave for Hong Kong next week. You know how emotional she can get." Julian explained.

    "Yeah, I'll miss all of you really much." She said with her eyes mostly glued on Louis with a soft sigh in her heart. "Louis you need to listen to your mommy and daddy more, okay? And don't ever do anything bad."

    Louis looked at her strangely, he don't like the attention that much. In a weak voice, "okay." Flora smiled with a nod of relief.

    A loud slurp was heard from Frankie, who is now holding the empty glass of shake toward Flora, "I want more mommy." Flora nodded and took the glass. She walked into the kitchen and started to cry silently feeling a bit weak and missing Louis already. How will it be like to never see her son again?

    Jessica looked into the kitchen and wonder what take Flora so long. She then looked at Frankie and felt sorry for Flora to have such a burden. "Frankie can you come over?" she asked the boy that is eating messily.

    Frankie lifted his head to look at her, "I'm eating. Where is mommy?" he asked after noticing that Flora is still not out of the kitchen yet.

    "Mommy is getting you, your shake. Frankie come over to uncle." Julian said with a warm smile. Frankie walked over to Julian, he has always listens and respected Julian, cause he always bring him toys and play with him. Julian turned Frankie to face Jessica, he kind of want Jessica to see Frankie more before he has to leave with Flora.

    His wife softly felt Frankie face with a set of sympathy soft eyes, "Frankie you need to listen to mommy more, she has done a lot for you. You understand me?"

    "Mommy love me, and I love mommy too." The child answered with a bright smile that made both Jessica and Julian smiled too.
    ~~~

  9. #9
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    Chapter 7: Developing Feeling

    Years passed by swiftly. Annie is now thirteen years old and in seven grades. Her personality is still as stubborn as ever and she never bends for anyone including Benny, her best friend. Now Benny is no longer the big and tall bully, Annie finally caught up to his height, he is now only an inch taller than her. But his rude and mean appearance still hasn't change a bit, still as mean as ever to new kids. He ticks Annie off very often, so they still get into a lot of fight and argument. The more fight they have the more they understand each other, at least that how Benny felt. He has a special feeling toward Annie throughout the years and didn't know what it was, until the ninth grade prom came up.

    Even though Annie is only in the seven grade, and her appearance seem to be very tomboyish but there is still a couple of boys that has asked her to the dance. But of course Annie would decline their request, cause she don't like to go to those kind of dance anyway.

    Benny just grinned every time she say no to other boy, he don't know why he felt happy inside to see Annie not going. But to his surprise Annie actually say yes to one of the boy that been pestering her for several days. After he notice that she is going with another guy, his heart felt unsettle and bothersome, and he couldn't figure out why. Finally one day he decide to talk to Annie and find out more about why she would say yes, and if she seriously going to go with that guy.

    Annie sighed loudly with irritation and hold both of Benny shoulder firmly steadying him in front of her, "Stop pacing around! I'm getting dizzy, now spill it out or I'm going home, I don't have all day you know?" She looked toward her driver signaling him to wait longer. "Come on Benny are you a girl or a boy? Just spill it out."

    The fifteen years old boy stare straight into her eyes and felt a strange nervousness swept over his body, his heart beats louder and at that moment he finally know what is going on. He cleared his throat a bit when he saw Annie eyes narrowed at him impatiently, "Annie don't go to the dance with him."

    "Why?" Annie asks with her arched brows, while Benny thinking of a reason. Annie shrugged and let go of him. She chuckled, "I never plan on going to that dance anyway."

    Benny grinned widely with surprise, "Really? Then why did you say yes to him?"

    "Is there any better way to stop him from bugging me?" she smiled slyly at Benny and started to walk toward the driver. "Beanie you should of know me better than this."

    "Can you just stop calling me that?" the irritated boy shouted while Annie just ignore his complain and continue, "So who are asking to go to the dance with you Beanie? Tavia is cute, but she does talk a lot. Maybe Michelle, she is more quiet."

    Benny smoothly walked by her side trying to act normal and slick, "Nah...I still have lots of other choice. There is just too many of them, I haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll just decline all of them and ask..." he looked to his side and notice Annie has walked away already.

    "Bye Beanie! I'll see ya tomorrow!" she shouted and got into the car with the driver droving her away.

    "you" Benny gloomily finish his sentence to the breeze passing by him. "And is Benny" he grumpily mumbled to himself. He felt his heart dropped sadly with a bit of missing Annie. Benny place his right hand over his heart, "Oh my gosh, I like her."
    ----------------

    Mean while both Benny and Annie have grown so much over the past seven years, both of their parents have worked hard expanding their dream. Both Gallen and Moses stock company has expended successfully and they have also open up many other companies including construction and real estate. Within this seven years they has became really well know to Hong Kong and even won The Most Successful Young Businessman award.

    But their method in the business world is not as clean as what met the eyes. They have bribe people in giving them report and buy blueprint to know where the hot spot for the coming year. But Gallen does have a limit, he will never do anything that will harm other and cause life. Therefore he never agree in cutting building material down to save money, cause he know the price to it if anything ever happen.

    In other hand, Moses does agree with him, but he is susceptible in leaning toward the wrong, do to his greedy weak heart. When he and Gallen have started theirs construction business, they were doing great and are able to expand to the fullest, but the only problem is they are short in cash. Moses has tries to talk Gallen into buying cheaper material, but Gallen has stated clearly that he won't do such a thing. So they decide to think of other way, but there is no other way to get large sum of money. Seeing how stubborn Gallen is, Moses has decide to change the building material without Gallen notice, and just tell Gallen that the excess money was borrow from Yoyo family.

    Gallen who think that business and especially partnership relay on trust, so he has trusted Moses word, and started the construction project with the flaw building material that is half the price they were suppose to be.

    Everything went smoothly and unknown for many years until one day the entire building that they build five years ago clasped and killed a hundred and twenty three residents that is living in it. When the news spread like forest fire, their company stock has also drain down to nothing. News, media, and reporters from everywhere questioned them about the building and demanded an answer to all the victim family.

    Moses who starting to worry that someone sooner or later will find out that he has switched the building material to cheaper one. He don't want to be responsible and risk the change of going to jail if they find out, so he quickly think of a plan to cover himself up. He has go through all of the old document that related to this construction and make sure that none of them have his name on it. He knows that he can't burn all the documents or else people will get suspicious and will eventually track back to him. Therefore he only get rid of all of those that have his name on it and purposely keep all of those that have Gallen signature, Gallen at the time didn't notice the change in material company, so he too has singed lot of agreement contracts.

    Like how Moses has predicted the ICAC has started to investigate their companies and asked both of them back for a talk. Gallen who is ignorance to all the fact, was confident with his clean conscience answering all of their questioning with a bit of anger for them to waste his time. Until they presented him with fact that he has signed paperwork to those building material. Gallen was shocked and has no idea how his name got on the paper, the image of Moses popped up into his mind and he is raged. He told the investigator that he is innocent and ask them to check on Moses, but the investigator told him that Moses has no documented material pointing at him for doing so.

    Gallen is release to go home and wait till court hearing for his case. He has went to Moses and demand an answer from him, but Moses just deny everything and pointed the finger back at Gallen. Gallen finally see what kind of partner Moses has become, and he swears that one day he will make Moses pay back ten time for what he have done.

    From then on Gallen wouldn't let Annie see Benny anymore and Annie is angry at Benny and his family for betraying her father. Benny who also believe that his own father will never do such a thing, and there is no proof that point to his father, so it hard for him to believe that Gallen is right. So he too was anger at Annie and her father for accusing his father. Therefore they hardly talk to each other anymore in school, even though they still care for each other condition deep down. Benny is worry about Annie, cause she has been really moody ever since her father case went to trail and it doesn't seem too good. Benny is concern that Annie couldn't hold it in any longer and will collapse if the court sentence Gallen to jail.

    Gallen wealth is slowly suffering since his company stock is dropping down the steep slope so fast. He hired the best lawyer to help him fight this battle, but there is no use since there is proof and the collapsed building has caused many live with many families and friends of those residents wanted justice and repay for what his building has cause. Even his lawyer told him that they would not win with this kind of data.

    His lawyer has explain to him that all of his wealth which include his money, mansion, and companies stock will be taken over by the government to repay for the resident family. Gallen felt lost and hopeless after learning that he will end up with nothing and even ten years of prison. The world seem to be upside down for him, and he couldn't see how he could get himself back up again after ten years in prison. How is he going to make Moses pay for what he has done? And how is he going to finish his dream of being a well know businessman and let Jessica see that he is capable? Ever last hope seems to fade away to Gallen eyes.

    "No, Jessica is right. She made the right choice for leaving." Gallen told himself with his depressed face heading into the large mansion. His last final court hearing is next week and his life will forever ended there.

    Annie just came home from school and saw her father lies on the sofa with a bottle of alcohol in his hand and his face is redden from consuming too much. She walked up to him and bend down to nudge him, "Dow Dau are you okay?"

    The father opened his eyes to beam at the teenage daughter with his hand swinging toward her to touch her face, "Your mommy is right! I'm worthless! She is right for leaving me!" he pushed Annie away, "go to her! She can give you a better live than I could ever give!"

    The thirteen years old quickly stood back up and shake her head stubbornly with her determine eyes on her father, "I'll never live with mommy! Dow Dau you are not worthless! In Annie heart, Dow Dau is always the best. I know Dow Dau is much better than uncle Moses, and is him that blames everything on you! Dow Dau you have to show everyone is not your fault! I don't like it when everyone say you are a killer..." Annie bit her lower lip with her eyes hard with anger. She been tease in school by everyone that think her father took the life of the residents. Tears were glistering in her eyes but she holds it in stubbornly, "I know you are not."

    The father pulled her in and hugged her tightly, "I love you so much" Annie nodded with her head rubbing on her father shirt trying to get rid of her tears. "What are you going to do without me?"

    Annie pushed her father away so she could look at him, "Who say you going to lose? I know that the law will get the right person, you didn't do it so there shouldn't be any worry." She told her father with her navies thinking. "Uncle Moses is the one that needed to pay for all of this, not you, Dow Dau."

    The father nodded with his hatred eyes burning with flame, "Yes, Moses is the one that will pay for this."
    ~~~

  10. #10
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    Ch. 8: Seed of Hatred

    The day before the court hearing, Annie is so nervous that she couldn't concentrate on her test. She kept looking at the clock wanting to go home to see her father. She is really afraid that tonight dinner might be the last one she will have with her father. While everyone is quietly scribbling down answer to their test question, Annie suddenly stood up and crumbled her test.

    A firm voice warning her, "Annie we are in the middle of a test session, sit back down and finish your test." Annie didn't listen, she picked up her backpack and rushed out of the classroom. Her teacher ran after her while her classmate nosily looked out the door. "Annie!"

    "I don't care about your test!" Annie reply as she run with her heart beating faster, she sense some eerie feeling that something is definitely wrong. She ran across the soccer field where Benny and his classmate are having PE (physical education).

    Her teacher continues to shout after her, "You'll get kick out of the school if you run out without an excuse!"

    Benny saw Annie and swiftly ran toward her and firmly grabs her wrist pulling her to a stop. "Annie!"

    "Let go of me Benny Chan!" Annie said with her fierce eyes on Benny with hatred.

    He loosened his grip and seriously looked into Annie eyes, "Annie, calm down. Where are you going?"

    She stubbornly turn and walked quickly with Benny following after her, "Leave me alone, it none of your business. And it all your fault!"

    "How is it my fault?!" the frustrated voice shouted at her with anger, he is frustrated about not being able to be friend anymore. "Stop being unreasonable!"

    Annie swallowed her anger and stopped to shot a cold eye at him, "If Dow Dau go to jail tomorrow, I'll hate you and your father forever." She coldly said with her anguish tone and walked away. Benny stood there feeling lost to what he should do to help.

    Suddenly two officer walked toward them, "Where is the principle office? We need to look for Annie Law." Annie stopped and turned back to look at the two cop in uniform.

    Her teacher is curious to the matter, she pointed to Annie, "She is Annie." The two cops walked up to Annie who stares at them with worry.

    "Annie Law?" Annie nodded to the questioning cop. "Will you please follow us?"

    "What happen? Why?" Annie asked with uncertainty.

    "We need your help to try convince your father..."

    "What wrong with my father?!" she asked with urgent round eyes of confusion. Benny and his classmate gathered around to listen nosily along with her teacher.

    "Annie, your father has held Moses Chan hostage and he is threaten to kill him by jumping off the building with him." The officer said it calmly trying not to scare Annie too much.

    "WHAT?!" both Annie and Benny shout at the same time.

    "Dow Dau will not hurt anyone! You are lying!" Annie pushed the officer away and running out toward the street. "He is home waiting for me!" Annie stubbornly said. The cops go after her and hold her still trying to calm her down.

    The female officer bend down to Annie height and looked at her straight in the eyes, "Listen Annie, we need your help to save both your daddy and Moses Chan. You think you can talk him into listening?"

    Benny grabbed Annie wrist firmly jerking her to get attention, "I don't care you are going to get your crazy father away from my dad!" Annie eyes have darted at him with flame waving angrily. Benny stopped and notices what he just said. He don't care, he is worry about his father. There is just no reason for Annie father to harm his father.

    "Lets go of me" Annie warned. Benny did. Annie looked at the two officer, "I want to see Dow Dau." They nodded and driving her to the tall building of Gallen and Moses company. Benny followed along to see his father.

    Mean while, Gallen is holding a sharp knife against Moses neck and is standing at the edge of the building while the negotiators trying to calm him down. "Don't come close!" Gallen shouted with his knife pressing closer against Moses neck. "He deserves to die for framing me! He is the one who has changed the building material! I didn't do anything!" his eyes darted at Moses with hatred, Gallen no longer care about anything, all he wanted was Moses life.

    Moses swallowed his fear and try to get himself loosen, "Gallen listen to me, I didn't do anything, maybe someone else frame you. I know nothing, you can't just blame me. Ahh.." he felt the sharp blade cutting his skin. "Calm down Gallen, think of the result if you kill me. You'll go to jail for live, what will Annie do?"

    "You are the one that taken everything away from me! What is there for me to think? I'm going to be in jail for ten years starting tomorrow, what is the different? I can't take care of her anyway and it all because of you! You are the one that caused all of this! I'm not letting you go so easily!" he stressfully shouted.

    "Calm down Mr. Law, there is always another way out." One of the negotiator speak up trying to calm him down or at least drag the time till they get Annie here. "Mr. Law thinks of your daughter, she need a father. How will she feel to know that her father committed murder and suicide?" Gallen lowered the knife a bit while he thinks about Annie. "Mr. Law, if you didn't break the law, the court will not sentence you to jail tomorrow. You still have a chance to take care of your daughter. But if you killed him, you will be imprisons for life."

    Moses nodded with the limited movement he could make, "Yes Gallen think of it. I swear I didn't do anything, I didn't frame you. You are my partner remember? Why would I frame you? Come on, I can help you find a better lawyer for your case."

    "SHUT UP!!" Gallen shouted with his angry redden face. "You think I'm an idiot?! You have bought all of my shares of stock from behind my back during the last week! I'm not a fool Moses! If you want me dead, I'm going to pull you along with me!" he stepped back heading toward the edge.

    "NO..NO NO!!" Moses cried in fear seeing the miniature cars below looking like ants.

    "Mr. Law! Don't! You will regret this, calm down and think clearly. We have contact your daughter Annie to come..."

    "I don't want Annie here!" Gallen shouted in disbelief, he don't want Annie to see him as a killer. With that he rushed to the edge and jumped off. Moses was able to grab hold of the antennas while everyone rushed over toward them. Gallen who got hold of Moses legs jerked him hard causing Moses hand to slip out of the antennas before the team of helper could grab hold of him. Both Annie and Benny just got out of the police car and lifted their head up to look at the tall building.

    "DADDY NOOOOO!!!!" Annie shouted as she witnesses her father and Moses falling down the fifty stories building. Benny was shock with widen eyes.

    Moses and Gallen have fallen apart from each other. Moses saw the hanging platform that the window washer use to stand on to clean window, so he reach his hand toward his right and grab hold of the cable. His body jerked forcefully when his falling is stopped and his body slammed on the glass window and bouncing a bit before he is stable. His hand is burn with deep cut from the cable that he is holding on tightly not willing to let go. Benny jaw dropped with his heart pounding with fear and anxiousness, seeing his father hanging in the middle of the building.

    Mean while Gallen continue to fall and Annie kept shaking her head running toward her father direction. The firemen hold her back while a group of them has pulled out a huge blanket holding it in the airs ready to catch Gallen. Annie felt her entire body trembling seeing her father coming down. She couldn't hold in anymore and started to cry, wishing so badly that Gallen will be okay. Gallen fallen all the way down gaining momentum and force. He falling down toward the three lower level where there is advertisement sign and stuff in the way that his body crushed into and he hits his head and finally plopped down into the blanket unconscious with bleeding head injury and a broken leg from the fall.

    Annie pushed the fireman away and rushed over to her father but she are stopped by other fireman. "Dow Dau!!! Dow Dau! Let me see him!! Let go of me!!" she shouted with all her strength while she struggled with them. Benny saw her and Gallen condition, he felt confuse and sorry. He lifted his head up and saw his father being pulled up and saved by other firemen. He is relief to know that his father is save, but deep down inside he starting to have second thought about his father words. He starting to think that Gallen didn't accuse his father, why would Gallen want his father to die this badly if he is just accusing him?

    The EMT got Gallen strapped securely to a cart bed and pushing him to the ambulance, Annie ran after her father and kept shouting, "Dow Dau, you promise to love me!! You promise to take care of me!!" Gallen condition is too severe to answer her call, the EMT is giving him oxygen and getting him to the hospital as soon as possible, they also allows Annie to ride on the ambulance with Gallen heading to the hospital.

    Moses was also sends to the hospital for a checkup, Benny followed along. In the ambulance Benny didn't say a single word to his father, he just look at him with his still eyes trying to figure out if he lied or not. Moses saw his son stare and felt a bit small, he didn't say a word or try to cover up himself. The ride was in total silent with the father and son bond starting to wobble.

    Gallen is pushed into the ER with Annie sited at the waiting room shivering with shock. The nurse saw her and started to gossip about the big event that send her father and her into the hospital ER unit. Annie couldn't help herself from trembling as she waited for the doctor to let her see her father, she felt like time has stopped to tease her.

    The police have contacted a social worker Bobby Au to come help Annie, since she is the only one left. Bobby silently sited next to Annie on the waiting room, giving Annie all the time she needed to relax herself. Minutes passed by and the curtain was swiftly drawn open with the doctor rushing out with Gallen on the cart bed pushing him quickly to the surgery room. Annie ran along the cart bed while Bobby tries to remove her.

    "Annie, let the doctor help your father." Bobby said in a warm voice while his strong arms are holding Annie back. Annie shakes her head at her disappearing father.

    "Dow Dau is going to be okay right?" she suddenly asked after being silent for so long, it was the first time Bobby get to hear her voice. Bobby nodded reassuringly. "He promise to take care of me, I don't want to live with mommy. I want him. He has to be okay. He promise to take me to London."

    Bobby nodded and guided Annie to sit back on the chair, "Don't worry, the doctor will do their best to save him."

    "Dow Dau didn't do it, why can't they just believe him?" she rambling on and on not caring if Bobby is listening or not. "Dow Dau didn't kill anyone, why do they have to accuse him? Is all uncle Moses fault, why is he okay? Why is he not the one that fallen off? Why is he not the one that is in there?"

    "Annie, it won't solve anything if Moses Chan die." Bobby tries to reason with her before she thinks toward the wrong side.

    "They have took away mommy and gor gor already, isn't it enough? All I want is Dow Dau." She bit her lip so tightly with tears glaring in her eyes. Bobby pulled her in for a comfort hug, but she stubbornly pushed him away. "I don't want anyone else, I only want Dow Dau. I won't cry, is not my fault, is not Dow Dau fault, he will be fine. There is no reason to cry." She tries to remind herself even though a drop of her tears has escaped. Bobby never saw a tough and stubborn child like her before.
    ~~~

  11. #11
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    Chapter 9: True Motive

    A month has passed since the tragic incident occurred. Annie hasn't allows herself to shed a tears and she became a bit more bitter seeing how the cruel world has treated her. Her father Gallen, hasn't wake up from his coma at all. The doctor say his injury was too great that causes his brain to swollen up for a period of time, which caused the unconscious side affect.
    Even though Gallen is hospitalize, the court has sentence him to jail for ten years, so he is staying in a hospital prison system, where there is constant guard checking on him and visiting period is limited. Annie only gets to see her father once a month. And she still stubbornly wouldn't let herself cry in front of Gallen. She has reminds herself to be strong in order to take care of her father.

    Annie life has changed drastically, she no longer live in a mansion with servant and driver, she no longer go to her private school, but Annie don't really care about those thing anymore, all she wanted was for her father to wake up. After Gallen is sentence to jail, Annie has stayed in a temporary orphanage until the social work locates her relative to take care of her. After one month Bobby finally contacted Gallen sibling to take Annie into their family. Annie hasn't seen any of them before, and she has told Bobby that she rather stays at the orphanage then living with them, cause she know that they aren't going to like her, since they never willing to help when Gallen asked them in the past.

    But Bobby can't allow her to stay when she still have family that can take care of her, this is the rule to the orphanage, so Annie is force to move to her uncle and aunt. Bobby droved her into a middle class family neighborhood and walked her up to the flat that Annie is going to stay till she grow up enough to move out herself. Annie nervously waited next to Bobby as he knocked on the door of her uncle flat.

    A stylishly dressed mid thirty years old woman opened the door with a big smile at Annie, "Hello you must be Annie! Come on in! All of us are waiting for you!" she welcomingly stepped aside so Annie and Bobby can walk in. Annie saw the welcoming banner with balloon and a group of adult staring at her with cheerful smile. Something is not right, and Annie could sense that they are all fakes. She remember her father has asked them for help when they were poor, but they all ran away with shaking head, why are they treating her so welcomingly?

    "Annie, Annie!" they all called her name one after another and trying to reach for her. Annie stepped a bit behind Bobby with her eyes studying them closely to their motive.

    Bobby squeezed Annie hand and nudged her, "Come on Annie." Annie hesitatingly nodded and stepped in with Bobby.

    "Honey! Annie has arrived!!" the woman that open the door yelled toward the kitchen to get her husband.

    A forty years old rounded man run out quickly with excitement, "Annie!" he hugged Annie, Annie eyes widened and shrugged him away to step back to Bobby again. "Don't be shy Annie, I'm your uncle Jerry, don't you remember me?" her uncle smiled hopefully at her, but he know that she don't remember cause she was only two when Gallen take her to them for help.

    "No" the cold voice answered with her eyes looking toward the door wanting to leave.

    "Jerry, Annie is only two how you expect her to remember? Is alright Annie, dinner is starting really soon. Emily comes help your cousin unpack!" woman called out to her fourteen years old daughter.

    "Annie comes over to aunty Julie! I haven't seen you for so long, sweetheart!" Another nicely dressed woman trying to reach Annie hand, but Annie moved away to stand closer to Bobby. Somehow she felt more secure with Bobby then with her so call relative.

    Emily, Annie fourteen years old cousin walked out and looked at Annie with her rolled eyes, "Come with me." She don't understand what the big deal with Annie that everyone in her family including relative are willing to gather to throw a welcoming party for her. Emily is a bit jealous of the attention Annie is receiving.

    Annie looked at Bobby, "Bobby I don't want to live here, can't I stay at the orphanage?"

    "Oh come on kiddo! Of course it will be better to live here, why would you want to live at the orphanage? All of us are here to take care of you." her uncle Jerry asked while signaling his daughter to get Annie luggage in to unpack. Jerry is two years older then Gallen. While, one of the women is Gallen younger sister, who is only one year younger than Gallen.

    Bobby looked at Annie in the eyes, "I'm sorry Annie. You know the rule to the orphanage. And this seem to be a very warm family, I'm sure your uncle and aunt will love you a lot."

    "Annie, just make yourself at home. I'm your Daai Sum (older uncle wife, she is Jerry wife.), you can call me aunty Sandy. And she is your aunty Diane." Her aunt said warmly. Annie nodded in silent, there is no way out of this.
    -----------------

    Jessica who has always keeps herself busy during the day either reading or working around the house to make it look perfect. But one phone call from Hong Kong has made her felt happy and worry at the same time. She called a family meeting after dinner and they have gathered around the living room to talk.

    She looked at her husband with a bit of worry that he will say no, "Julian, I have a request to make."

    Julian chuckled at her, "You don't have to be this polite, we are husband and wife."

    "Mommy probably wants a new set of diamond necklace and ear ring." Laughed the ten years old daughter. Louis and Julian laughed at her remark while Jessica rolled her eyes at them.

    Jessica cleared her throat with a serious look, "Julian, I want Annie to move over and live with us. Will that be a problem for you?"

    "Who is Annie?" Myolie asked confusedly, Louis has forgotten that Annie is his sister, so he too looked at Jessica for an answer.

    Jessica smiled warmly with uncertainty to how her daughter will take the news, "She is your half sister."

    "Half sister? When do I have an half sister?" the nosy girl asked one question after another. "Are you pregnant mommy? But why would it be half? How do you know it going to be a sister?" she asked what ever popped into her mind.

    Louis rolled his eyes at his ignorance sister, "Put a sock in it Myolie." Myolie stick her tongue out at her brother who just shakes his head at the immaturity.

    His father cleared his throat to warn them to stop with the bickering. He turned to seriously give her attention to Jessica, "Wait, isn't she with Gallen? Why would Gallen willing to let her live with us?"

    Jessica explains everything to them and the family listened with concern about Annie. Myolie finally find out that her mommy have a husband before her daddy and that Louis is only her half brother and that she is also have a half sister too. She is so overwhelm with all this new relation that she is silenced feeling her family is not as perfect as she has always thought it was. Somehow it felt strange to know that her mommy doesn't only love her daddy and that her brother, not really fully her brother.

    Louis is wondering about his father and sister now. Why did his father when to jail? He curiously pondered with question mark in his mind. And also how it likes to live with another sister. Will she be a demanding pain like the sister he have already? He felt a bit discouraged at the thought of two Myolie pulling on him wanting him to play with them. But Annie might be different, she is older than Myolie and she is fully his sister, maybe she don't carry the spoil trait like Myolie, Louis reassured himself.

    "Of course, Annie can come live with us. Honey you know that I always wanted you to be happy. I know you have always wanted to take care of Annie after the time we saw her with Gallen in Hong Kong." Julian patted Jessica lap reassuringly, "I'll order four plane tickets to Hong Kong so all of us can go over to bring her back."

    Jessica motionlessly looked into her husband eyes with touched warmth, "Thanks." her simple word and simple smile always made Julian heart warmed cozily.
    --------------------

    During these couple weeks Annie has been trying to pull herself together and start her new life again, she know that she need to be strong for herself and her father. She still needs to take care of her father when the ten years of imprisonment is up. So she go to school along with her cousin Emily and try to be tough and take life a step at a time.

    Just when she is about to accept her new life with her uncle and aunt she finally finds out their purpose for treating her well. One night Annie came home early and hears her uncle and aunt was talking about her, so she stays in front of the door listening.

    "Are you sure Jessica is coming over for her? It has been two weeks already." the wife asked her husband with a concern look.

    "Of course she is, she called last night. She will be here tomorrow with her entire family. I bet she is going to give us a reward to take care of Annie too." Her husband answered with a greedy look. Annie eyes harden, she knew it too good to be true that they take her in only cause of their kind heart.

    Sandy filing her nail as she gossiped, "Why would Jessica want Annie back? I don't get it, she is the one that left Annie behind when she is one. Why would she want Annie back now? Are you sure she is not just lying to you?"

    "Well, she is wealthy now and wanted to repay back what she owe Annie, I guess." Jerry answered with questioning mind too.

    "I hope she is coming. Or we'll get stuck with Annie for no reason...."

    Annie opened the door, both her uncle and aunt stopped with a surprise look on their face. They could tell that Annie knows about their plan by her set of hard eyes. Her uncle face quickly smiled at her warmly, “Annie you are home early, didn’t you say you will be home late?”

    “I don’t want to live with mommy.” Annie gets straight to the point, she hated fake people and standing in front of her is two of them. She beamed on her aunt, “If you don’t want me here, you could of just tell me.”

    Her aunt quickly got up with her head shaking denying everything, “Sweetheart, what are you talking about? Of course we welcome you here. It's just that your mom has called us and say that she missed you really much and...”

    “I said I don’t want to live with her, and I don’t want to see her. Do you two really wanted me to live here? If not, I could leave.” she stubbornly say what is in her mind.

    Her uncle sighed with his head shaking at her, pretending to be disappointed, “Annie, how could you say those thing to us? Of course we wanted you to stay. You are Gallen only daughter, I’m Gallen older brother, of course it my responsibility to take care of you when your father is unable to do so. Don’t be a silly girl. If you don’t want to live with your mom, then that is okay with us, our place is always open to you.”

    “Yeah Annie. Silly girl you must be tired from studying, why don’t you go wash up and sleep early hun?” her aunty Sandy say with a bright smile.

    Annie nodded and headed to her room. She knows that they are not going to let this go easily, they will turn her in to her mom to get their reward. And Annie has sworn to herself before that she will never allow her mom to take care of her and definitely not live under Julian roof. She loved her father, and she knows how much her mom has betrayed her father. Annie have a backbone of her own, she will certainly not use a penny of her mom new husband and have to call him stepfather. Annie knows she must leave before tomorrow or it will be too late to escape from her mom.
    ~~~

  12. #12
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    Chapter 10: Haam Daan

    Annie waited till it was two in the morning when everyone in the entire house is asleep. She quietly got out of her upper bunk bed trying to not wake her cousin Emily up. She sneaked out silently heading to the door, and stopped, she know that she will need money to get back to the city area, which is so far her only plan. So she quickly sneaked down the hallway toward her uncle and aunt bedroom.
    Quiet as a mouse Annie places her ear against the door to listen for sound. When she is sure that there is no sound, which indicate that they are indeed sleeping. Annie slowly turned the doorknob with as minimal sound as she could make it. She sticks her head in to see her aunt and uncle sleeping soundly with her uncle snore filling the room. Silently she tiptoed in heading toward the nightstand where she spots her uncle wallet. Annie didn’t even dare to breath when she walk closer to her uncle and grab his wallet to run out of the room quietly.

    She let out a relieved breath when she is back out of the room with her uncle wallet securely in her hand. Annie opened and pulled out a hundred buck, at that moment her cousin Emily stepped out of the bedroom wanting to use the bathroom. Emily stilly stare at the back of Annie seeing her suspiciously, she turned a bit and saw Annie with her daddy wallet.

    “What are you doing?!” she fiercely asked Annie who shivered to her voice from behind her back. Annie quickly turns around and hides the wallet behind her. Her cousin is forcefully jerking her arm to retrieve the wallet. “How could you steal from us?! We are the one who feed you and let you live here!” She yanked the wallet out of Annie hand and ran to pound on her parent door to wake them up.

    Annie knows that she must run now if she ever wanted to leave them. She took off running out of the door and heading toward nowhere in particular. Annie wondered in the middle of the street with no money and nowhere to go, her heart is beating fearfully to the darkness and the lost feeling that is swept over her body. She knows that she can’t go back to the orphanage or Bobby will return her to her uncle. She sighed and squatted down in the middle of the dark street, wishing that her daddy is here with her now, he will know what to do, he always does.

    The more Annie thinks the more she missed Gallen and wanted to visit him, but she is not allows to, not until two more weeks. She felt like crying, but she shook her head stubbornly telling herself to be strong, crying can't solve her problem. Crying will only let those people see her weak side, she is not going to let them see her weak side. Her eyes beamed at the street ahead with a bit of rage and hatred, she wanted those people who has mistreated her and her father to pay one day. And Moses is on the top of the list.

    Annie took in a deep breath and slowly stood back up with her determines mind settled on wanting revenge. She know that one day she is capable of making Moses lose everything and even more then what she and Gallen has suffer through. But now, what she needed is a place to stay. But where? She don't even have a penny.

    A hopeful thought lit her face and bring her a faint smile, Annie finally remembers whose she can always turn to for help. With a hopeful heart Annie started to walk heading toward her old home in search for her childhood buddy. She knows that it will take her forever to get there without transportation but she is not willing to give up. It will be slow but her pair of legs will eventually take her there.
    ------------------

    The next morning sharply at eight, the airplane from Singapore arrived to Hong Kong, Jessica urgently got off and heading straight to the Jerry house only to learn that Annie has ran away last night when she fine out that her mom is coming for her. That excuse Jerry gave Jessica, made Jessica heart stiffen with guilt and sadness, she knew Annie hated her but she don’t know that she hated her this much to run away in the middle of the night.

    There is nothing else Jessica could do to find Annie, she don’t know how she looked like now, she don't even have a picture of her. So they return to the hotel to settle down for a while. Julian hand a cup of warm water along with too headache reliever pills to Jessica, “Don’t worry, we will find her. I’ll go talk to the police and social work area to see if they can help us locate her.”

    His wife drink the pills up with her head shaking, “She don’t want to see me, that why she left. She won’t be willing to go to Singapore with me even if we find her. I just hope she is alright. She left at two in the middle of the night, by herself. She is only a girl, you know there is so many of those psycho kidnapper out there. Who know what they will do to her...” her voice is filled with worry.

    Julian quickly wrapped his arms around Jessica and patting the side of her shoulder, "Don't worry too much Jess, I'm sure she is safe. Annie sound like a smart girl." He sighed, “Why don’t you sleep for awhile? The kids are outside exploring themselves, so no one will bother you. I’ll go ask the police for help.” Jessica hesitatingly nodded, Julian helped her lies down in bed and pecked her forehead, “I’ll be back soon and we’ll go out to have something to eat when I'm back, okay?” Jessica nodded silently and closes her eyes to rest her headache for a while. But her mind is too worry about Annie to really fallen into deep sleep.
    -------------------

    Mean while Myolie has walked to a mall near the hotel. Louis has wondered farther with a private driver Julian hired to drive them wherever they wanted to go. Louis asked the driver to just keep driving so he can see how Hong Kong looked like, he is amaze with the tall building and how fashionable they are. The architectural design of building and bridge has always brings interest to him.

    The driver also droved him into a poor neighborhood street that is filled with street food stands and other street vendor selling antique. There is even fortuneteller stand and other little entertainment stand showing tricks. Louis is really excited seeing the busy street filled with ocean of people that seem to be awfully busy. He has gotten off to wonder around the street testing food and snooping around outdoor shop selling all kind of cheap copy material. This part of the city seems very interesting and amusing to him, kind of like a flea market with entertainment.

    After an entire night of none stop walking, Annie has finally walked all the way back to where she use to grow up. After walking for over eight hours Annie felt her legs is no longer hers. She squatted down in the middle of the sidewalk for a rest before she climbs the long flight of stairs back to her old flat and Hei flat.

    Louis just pasted by and saw the thirteen years old girl squatted by the stair rail with pale face and weary set of darken pocketed eyes. He thought Annie is sick, either that or she is a beggar. He squatted down next to her with his hand patting her shoulder, “Are you okay?” he asked the thirteen years old, who lifted her head up to look at him. Annie nodded with her paled face, and her growling stomach. “Do you want breakfast?” Louis asked thinking that she is some must be a beggar, since she is kind of messy and sitting down in the middle of the sidewalk.

    “No, I’m fine.” Annie pushed herself off the floor to force herself to walk ahead. She is wobbling with her weak knees that is feeling really numbed.

    Louis looked up the long flight of outdoor stairway that is at least a hundred steps. He turned to look at Annie condition with his mind thinking that there is no way she can make it up herself, “Do you live up there? You want me to help you?” He asked with his caring voice to this skinny little girl in front of him.

    Annie shakes her head and is determine that she can get herself up. She has walked a long way already to get here so this one hundred and thirty-five steps, that she use to run up and down before when she was a child, will certainly not going to stop her today.

    Annie started to head up slowly with the handrail to guide her, Louis stare at her back with a smug smile hanging on his face seeing how stubborn she is. He shrugged and headed back to the food stand to enjoy himself. While Annie slowly make her way up with her weak pair of legs and her hungry stomach. Louis bought a bowl of porridge for himself and sipping on the hot substance as he watches Annie walking up higher and higher. He smiled brightly at her back and nodded with amused eyes to the girl diehard attitude.

    Finally after a hundred and thirty-five steps Annie reached to the leveled land and turned to head toward Hei flat. She knocked on the door but there is no answer. She peeked in and saw no one in the house. So she sadly waited outside for either Hei or his grandmother to return. Her stomach growled in pain and she felt her intestines tying knot. But she is not going to go anywhere until she sees Hei. She don’t have any money for food anyway.

    Suddenly a white bag with a Styrofoam bowl inside, is swinging back and forth in front of her. Annie beamed up to see the same dark toned guy that was asking her things at the bottom of the stairs. Could he be Hei? She wondered with her eyes narrowed at him. He looks old enough to be Hei age. She felt a warm sensation passed her for seeing her long best friend again after seven whole years. She pushed herself up and hugged him tightly, she has missed him so much! Louis eyes widened with surprise, he didn’t expect her to do so, the most he expects was a thank you for the food.

    “Haam Daan!!” Annie shouted with her head rubbing on his chest. Louis gulped to the skinny girl that is hugging him, he just wanted to be kind hearted and feed the homeless not to be hugged by one. “I missed you!” she felt so good to have her protective best friend by her side again.

    Louis awkwardly cleared his throat, “Umm..I’m sorry, I think you got the wrong person. I’m Louis, I just thought that you would like some food.”

    Annie paused with confusion, so he is not Hei? She quickly releases her hug from the stranger and felt embarrassed. But his voice and his name have made Annie curiously stare at him with her eyes studying him. “Louis?” she asked with her heart feeling a bit lightened, is he the Louis that she has always remembered? The one that has blocked the soccer ball and became her hero?

    Louis nodded with his eyes studying Annie motionless large round eyes looking at him. She is kind of cute, he chuckled at her, “Yeah I’m Louis. I’m sure I’m not your Haam Daan. Anyway, I bought this for you, you must be hungry after those stairs and you look really pale.” He grabs Annie hands and places the bowl of porridge in her hand. “I better go now. Eat it before it get cold.” He smiled with his handsome grin, exactly the way Annie remembered seven years ago. But could this world be this small? Annie shakes her head at the back image of Louis, it must be a coincident, there is thousand of Louis out there. It's impossible to be the same one.
    --------------------

    After finishing the porridage, Annie continues to wait for Hei. Hour after hours has passed by and the sun was replace with the moon. She has asked the people around about Hei and his grandma, they told her that Hei grandma has passed away several years ago, and that Hei usually don’t come home until pass midnight and even don’t come home sometime.

    Annie frowned, why is she so bad luck lately? She wondered while she stares up into the dark sky looking at the stars. She squatted down leaning against the door to Hei flat. Her hands are cupping her cheeks while her elbow is elbowed on her knees.

    “Haam Daan Chew Yun where are you when I needed you?” she asked the sky with her hope dying a little and the breeze is getting chilly. Annie yawned and snuggled her head into her folded arms to sleep for a while as she wait. She is really exhausted, since she didn't get to sleep last night.

    Several hours passed by, and final the owner of the flat returned with his confused eyes at the little girl in his way. “Hey kid, go home to sleep” said the eighteen years old guy holding a bag of beer in a white plastic sac while holding a bag of freshly roast peanut in a small yellow paper bag in his other hand. A lit cigarette hangs on the corner of his left mouth. And his appearance is very sloppy dressed with a faded jean and a purposely torn sleeve white T-shirt.

    Annie didn’t wake up, so he uses the side of his right feet to nudge Annie. “Wake up! You are sleeping in front of my house.” he grumpily mumbled trying not to drop his cigarette. “Come on hustle! I don’t have all night.” He nudged with increased force.

    Annie finally wakes up by the harsh voice and the foot that is pushing her. She rubbed her eyes and try to focus to the dark night with only the moon light, she saw the shadow in front of her and her heart skipped a beat with fear cause she is a bit lost to where she is. Then she remembered that she was waiting for Hei, so a bright smile glow on her face. “Haam Daan?” Annie asked to make sure she got the right person this time.

    Hei paused, he haven’t heard anyone call him that for seven long years. He pulled Annie up and moved her out toward the light more, his eyes widen at her, “Shaw Chu?” Annie nodded with tears immediately welled her eyes, she leaned in and hugged him tightly for comfort. Hei jaw dropped and his cigarette dropped to the ground. He is surprise alright, this girl is the six years old he always walk home with and play with? They haven’t seen each other for so long. And now she is back and still hugging him. “What the matter Shaw Chu?” he asked with his gentle voice that he haven’t use for quite a long while. “Where is your daddy? Aren't you supposes to live in some fancy mansion with poodle?”

    Annie started to cry at the mention of her father, she don’t know why she always felt comfortable enough to cry in front of her Haam Daan and no one else. Hei patted her back with his free hand while Annie is grabbing hold of his white T-shirt to cry louder. “Okay okay don’t cry, I know you missed me but don’t cry like this.” he hates to see girl cry, especially Annie.

    "I missed you Haam Daan..." Annie murmured with her teary voice, she has kept so much inside her for so long and finally found a secure enough place and person to share her emotion.

    Hei nodded with a grateful little smile on his face. He is so happy to see her again, but it worry him to see her like this, "Me too. Shaw Chu what happen to you?" he asked seeing Annie condition.

    Annie sniffed away her tears, "Can I stay with you?"
    ~~~

  13. #13
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    Chapter 11: Everything is Gone

    Annie wanted to drop out of school and find any job to help out with the income, but since she is only thirteen there is not much job she can get employed. Hei has told her many time that he can handle supporting her and himself. He wanted Annie to at least finish general education, so she doesn't have to be a drop out like him that have no potential in the future.
    Hei dropped out of his junior high school, when he is fifteen. It was also the year that his grandmother passed away. After dropping out of school, he hangs out with a group of teenagers that is in the Red Panther gangs, which is one of the two most popular gangs of Hong Kong. Hei is lured into the gangs and joined them too.

    The Red Panther has many different territories that they look after, Hei helped out with the parking service at Kow Lung nightclub to earn a living for himself. This is the job that he has worked on for three years already, and now that he needed more money to support himself and Annie, he asked Andy Lau to give him another jobs. Andy a twenty-four years old, is one of the most popular assistants of the gang leader Ekin Cheng and Hei are one of hundreds of members that is under Andy guidance. Andy agrees to Hei request and has giving Hei another job as a debt collector.

    For the next five years Hei has supported Annie totally with his two jobs, in the morning he would go to residential area and stores to collect money while at night he return to the nightclub to park cars until late passed midnight before he can go home. Annie felt guilty seeing Hei working so hard just because of her, so she also wanted to join the gang and find a job to help out. But Hei won't allow her and demanded her to stay in school, he won't allow her to join cause he know the complication that come along with being a gang member.

    Hei wanted Annie to continue with school and finish her general education and even college, he is willing to support her through it all. He has always treated Annie as his own little sister and for the past five years Annie is the only family to him, so he seem to be overly protective. Annie like usual, she always drop by the nightclub around seven to bring Hei his dinner.

    "Haam Daan!" Annie cheerfully shouted seeing Hei stands in front of the nightclub.

    Hei looked at his watch, "You are thirty minutes late tonight, what take you so long? Did something happen?" Annie chuckled at the worry twenty-three years old.

    "Hey honey, did you got me dinner too?" asked a twenty-two years old with his head sticking out of a costumer car.

    She walked over to him and bend down with her arms rested on the widow frame of the car door. She smiled sweetly at him, "Of course! Soup too." She smiled proudly at her boyfriend, that she been dating for a year. The guy leaning out to peck Annie, but Hei throw a piece of crumbled up paper at him.

    "Nick Cheung you stay away from my sis!" he shouted with the two laughing at him, "Enough already! I'm starving!"

    Annie has knows Nick for five years already, since Nick is one of Hei best friend and also worked alongside with Hei. And since Annie always bring homemade dinner for Hei, she also get a chance to meet Nick and other gang members including brother Andy. Most of the gang members of Andy group, know Annie very well and treated her as the baby sister of theirs and also help Hei out in protecting her.

    Annie didn't develop feeling for Nick, until a year ago when Nick has started to purposely come over to Hei flat more in order to see Annie and asked her to go out for movies or something. Annie agrees to it and after that they started to hit off and became an inseparable couple.

    Annie leaned in to peck Nick on the cheek, "Go parks the car. I made you something special." Nick nodded and kissed her once more before he zoomed away with the car and Annie walked over to Hei with her bright sweet smile.

    He rolled his eyes at her, "He left already, you don't have to look so cheesy."

    "I'm not!" Annie protested while she pulled out the lunch boxes of rice and a thermo of soup. "Haam Daan, I cooked your favorite tonight, aren't I sweet to you?"

    "Yeah cause my favorite is Nick favorite too," his voice is purposely dragging gloomily. Annie chuckled and just ignore his complain, "Have you done your homework yet?"

    The eighteen years old in front of him pouted, "Do you have to sound like a father to me?" she hand Hei a bowl of rice, "I'm graduating next month." She looked around to see if Nick is coming yet, but he is no where in sight, so she turn her attention back to Hei, "Haam Daan where is brother Andy?"

    "What do you want from him?" he ask suspiciously looking at Annie seriously getting a hint what she wanted, "No, for the last time you are not going to join. You still have college."

    Annie laughed, "Me going to college? You know I just barely quantify to graduate. No way I'm going to college, it'll just waste your money anyway. And you have taken care of me long enough, is about time..."

    "To live with me and let me take care of you!" Nick voice ringed from behind. He walked up to Annie and wrapped his arm around her waist while she giggled at his remark with sparkling eyes.

    "Watch the hand boy!" Hei warned with his chopstick throw at Nick hand that is on Annie waist. "And in your dream that my sister will live with you!" Annie chuckled and sweetly shares a kiss with Nick. "Annie didn't you say you have homework?" Hei asked, he don't like the idea of Annie kissing Nick so intimately, she is still the young girl that needed protection in his eyes. Hei has always called Annie his sister, since to him Annie is really like a sister to him.

    "Gosh bro, get yourself a girlfriend so you can leave us alone! You're sounding like those old grandpa that the retirement home won't even accept." Nick said as he gotten closer toward the food. Hei cleared his throat warningly making Annie and Nick laughed at him.

    "Well, you two enjoy dinner, I really do have some business to take care of at home." Annie squeezed a hug on Nick and he pecked her forehead, "I'll see ya later. Are you dropping by tonight for dessert?"

    Nick nodded, "Of course, if you're the dessert." Hei throw his other chopstick at Nick, "Hey! I'm just kidding!"

    Annie chuckled at Haam Daan beaming eyes, she walked over and give him a hug, "Bye Haam Daan. I'll make your favorite dessert tonight." She smiled at Nick, "See ya tonight," she then headed home.
    ------------------

    During these past five years living with Hei, Annie has taken care of everything in the flat and also Hei. Which include cleaning, washing, cooking, and making sure to pay the rent, gas, water, electricity, and telephone bills on time. Of course Hei is the one that provide her the money to do so. Both of them bonded really well with each other and treated each other only as sibling, but to other people eyes they easily misunderstand Annie as Hei girlfriend that has slept with him for many years. Since Hei flat only have one room.

    They has shared a room together for five years already, Hei has split the room in half with a drawn curtain in between the two beds. Annie never minded how other view her relationship with Hei, all she need to know is that is not true and she can't control how other people think.

    During this period of time, Annie is also juggling several things at once. She is struggling with school to graduate from general education and also have a part time job at a small tea restaurant, which Hei didn't know about. She know that Hei wanted her to concentrate in school, but she just can't allow Hei to take care of her school book and uniform fees too, she has depend on him for too much already. Other than school and her job, Annie has also pulled time out to visit her father once a month and never missed a single visit.

    Today is the day that she gets to see her father again, Annie excitedly packed her handbag with a thermo of soup for Gallen. Yes, her father has woken up from his coma two years ago. But he is delusional and don't respond much to his surrounding. He seems to be lost in his own world and can't even recognize Annie.

    At first Annie felt really hurt and depressed seeing her father in this condition, but time is always the best way to wash away gloominess. Especially with a supporting boyfriend Nick and best friend Hei. Now she is just grateful that her father has woken up from his coma and that he is half way in finishing his sentence. Annie can't wait till the day Gallen is release and able to return home with her so she can take care of him.

    Annie headed into Hong Kong Institution for the Mentally Ill with a bright smile. Gallen has been transferred over to this hospital for the specially need. Like the other hospital imprisonment system, Gallen is kept in the convict area of the hospital with high security guard.

    Annie pretty much knows the hospital in and out since she came here very often and even volunteer here to learn how to take care of her father when he is free again.

    "Annie!! Annie!!" a twenty-two years old guy shouted after he sees Annie walking in. He ran up to her and grab the eighteen years old arm excitedly, "Are you here to play with me again?! Mommy bought me a new coloring book! Or we can play hiding-go-seek!" he excitedly told her while another mentally ill patient heading toward Annie.

    Annie shakes her head with a bright smile and pulled out a bag of candy, "Sorry Frankie, I can't play with you today, I need to go visit my Dow Dau. But I did buy you a bag of candy to share with the other."

    He yanked the bag of candy from Annie and started to munch on it, "Will you be back to play later, when we get home?" Frankie and Flora, has moved to the same area Annie and Hei live, but in a newer building that is just across the street of Annie, so they are actually neighbor. Frankie go over to visit Annie a lot, since she is usually home alone until late night when Hei return, and Annie is always willing to play with him most of the time.

    "Sure, where is your mommy anyway?"

    He shrugged, "Somewhere around."

    Just at that moment Flora, a forty-four years old nurse supervisor, walked out of a patient room and smiled at Annie brightly, "Annie are you here to volunteer again?"

    "Not today..."

    "Ah, must be here for Mr. Law then."

    Annie nodded cheerfully, "Yup! How is Dow Dau doing today, Flora Yee?" (Yee=aunty)

    Flora shakes her head disappointedly with a soft sigh, "He is still stubborn about taking his med, I've try everything. Why don't you have a talk with him?"

    "Alright, I'll see ya in a while" Annie headed up to the top floor to see her father. The guard opened the door for her to go in and she saw Gallen sited by the window gazing out pointlessly. "Dow Dau" Annie sweet voice filled the silent room. Gallen didn't even turn around.

    Annie is use to it, he been like this ever since he is out of his coma. "Dow Dau ah, I cooked you some health soup." She told her father as she pours out the soup for him, "Haam Daan said he will visit you next time, he have to work today. Nick will come with me next time too."

    Annie carried the soup over to her father and sited in front of him with her eyes looked straight at her father. She wishes so much to have him response to her, "Dow Dau, Flora Yee say you wouldn't take the medicine again. You won't get better if you don't drink them." Annie scooped a spoonful of soup and blow on it before she brings it up close to Gallen lip.

    "Dow Dau?" Annie sweet voice nudged him to open up. Gallen turned to look at her and back out the window again. Annie frowned a bit and quickly smiled again, "If you don't like this, I'll try cook another kind next time, but at least drink the pills?" Annie looked at her father with pleading eyes.

    "Everything is gone." her father speak all of a sudden, Annie eyes widen in disbelief, he actually say something!

    A big cheerful smile glow brightly on her cheek, "Dow Dau! You talk again!" she squatted down in front of Gallen looking at him with hopefulness, "Dow Dau, I'm Chu Lui, look at me Dow Dau!"

    "Chu Lui?" her father said it slowly with set of sad eyes.

    Annie jumped up to hugs her father neck and pecked his cheek, "Yes, yes, I'm Chu Lui!" Annie said as she hugged her father tightly with tears in her eyes.

    "Chu Lui is gone, she went back to Jessica. Everything is gone. Moses took everything." The empty voice sadly spoke with tears in his eyes. Annie slowly releases her father and look at him, she see that he is not really connected with his surrounding. He is just speaking his mind.

    "I'm here." Annie soft voice said as she looked at her father eyes with her pair of red one, knowing that her father doesn't recognize her anymore.

    Gallen face was a blank and he gaze back out the window that have metal bars, "Moses took everything. Everything is gone." Annie swallowed her anger and nodded, her eyes is glowing with hatred and revengeful.

    "I'll make him pay Dow Dau, I'll make him pay." Annie said with her sharp eyes determine to somehow make Moses and his family pay for all of this.
    ~~~

  14. #14
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    Chapter 12: Class of 1998

    A fifteen years old girl pouting as she waited at the airport of Singapore with her parents. They have been waiting for an hour already, since her brother flight has been delayed. "Mommy, how much longer will it take Daai Gor (older brother) to return?" she irritatingly asked with weary eyes.
    She lean on her father, Julian wrapped his arm around her fatherly with a nudge, "It wouldn't kill you to wait a while longer right?" Myolie nodded, Jessica chuckled at her. "Well why don't you go entertain yourself for a while, your brother should arrive very soon."

    "There is not much to do around here," she whined and walked over to her mom. "Mommy what do you think Daai Gor bought me this time? I hope he keep his promise and buy me that new game." her eyes shine while she images playing with her gift.

    Jessica chuckled at her expression and pecked her head, "That all you ever think about."

    "Uh ah! I did help him decorate his room this morning with fresh flower!" she said it proudly with her parent laughing. They eagerly stepped ahead when there are people starting to come out of the gate. "Daddy do you think Daai Gor get darker since last time he visit? I bet he look like a piece of coal now!" she pointed toward a very dark passenger that is walking out, "That must be him!" she shouted jokingly.

    "Myolie!" her parent yelled while they chuckled at the passenger.

    Jessica eyes brightened at the sharply dressed young man at the age of twenty-two heading out, "Louis!" she waved her hand with her heart warmed seeing her son back again from his oversea study. Louis saw his family and headed to them. He hugged Jessica knowing that his mom wanted a hug from him. Jessica release him, "How is the flight? You must be exhausted and sleepless."

    "Mom I'm fine," said the handsomely looking young man in front of her. She nodded. Julian throw his arm around Louis and patted his shoulder, "Dad" Louis greeted. And his eyes caught the pouting sister with folded arms in front of him, "Don't worry, I didn't forget. Is in one of my luggage."

    His sister hugged him tightly and pecked his cheek, "Thanks you!" She grabs his hand and started to drag him toward the baggage claim station, "Daai Gor how is America? How is Kristy Jie? Is she coming over soon? Since you are finish with schooling already."

    Louis chuckled at his impatient sister, "You never change huh Myolie?"

    "Huh?"

    He removed her hand, "Nosy as ever and never stop talking." He sighed, "I guess I need to warm up my ears again." Their parent laughed as they walked just behind them.

    "You haven't answer my question! Are you going to stay here without Kristy Jie?"

    "What the problem with that?"

    Myolie sighed loudly, "Of course there is a problem! She will miss you so much. How can you stay here and leave her in New York?! Someone will take her heart away and you will be sorry..."

    "Myolie stop pestering your brother," her father warned, "Louis have you talk to uncle Yeung?" Uncle Yeung is Kristy father, a very successful businessman in New York.

    "Yeah, he is coming over next month for a visit with you, father. Uncle wanted to know more about the agreement." Louis informed while Julian nodded with a smile.

    "Ah! That is why you aren't afraid of losing her, cause she is coming over next month!" the fifteen years old excitedly analysis the situation, she consider herself as a love expert.

    "Louis are you really dating Kristy?" ask the interested mother.

    Louis rolled his eyes, "Mom there is nothing other then best friend between me and Kristy. And Myolie don't you play any trick when she come over next month, is embarrassing enough last time." Jessica laughed at her daughter pout.

    Louis has finally finished his four years of business school and graduated in the class of 1998, earned a bachelor degree in Business. During the four years in New York, he constantly travels back to Singapore to visit his family when there is any break.

    He stays with Kristy family in New York and has become close friend with Kristy, who is two years younger than him. Kristy is a very shy girl that has always has a crush on him since she met him. And Myolie was the one the burst her bubble when she came over with Louis one year to visit his family.

    Louis himself know that Kristy is not his type of girlfriend, so he deny any sign of Kristy liking him and hopefully Kristy get the idea herself. Kristy is too quiet and shy for him, and she seems so fragile and weak. Louis have a very ambitious heart wanting to success in the business world, and he would want someone that is more strong and determine to be his other half. He only treats Kristy as his little sister that he will take care of her and protect her.

    Now that he have graduated with a BA degree, he planning to go for a master degree too after his summer break. During this break he don't want to relax and play around like Julian has told him, in fact he wanted to go help his father out with the business and gain more experience. Julian is joyful to know that his son is very eager and serious about business.
    --------------------

    They returned to Fung Koo mansion instead of home, cause everyone has gathers there to welcome Louis home. Louis older cousin Joyce (Joyce Tangs) is the only one that is not there. She has went to Hong Kong three days ago to talk about a business deal with the Chan enterprises. But everyone else is here to celebrate.

    Other than Julian, Fung Koo have an older son name Sunny. Sunny is serious about business, just like Julian, and their brother bond is really strong, they never fight for power or money. Sunny is married to Ada for twenty-four years already. And they are a loving couple ever since. Since Ada is both a loving and supporting wife just like Jess. Sunny and Ada have two children, an older daughter Joyce who is twenty-three and a younger son Raymond, who is nineteen.

    Unlike his sister and Louis, Raymond doesn't have much interest in business, he is the wild one that likes to play around and experience life to the fullest. Sunny has tries to force his son to get serious so he can take over the Koo's business.

    Even though Fung Koo accepted Louis as his grandson, but deep down he still wanted his real grandson to take over his business. And Raymond is the only one that is his biological grandson. Therefore he have told Sunny many time to make sure Raymond get serious about business and force him to go to business school. Raymond is currently enrolled in Singapore Business school, but his grade is not doing too well, since his heart is never there. He don't see why he needed to worry about the Koo's business when there is his sister Joyce and cousin Louis to take over.
    ------------------

    The front door of the huge Koo's mansion opened and Louis stepped in with his father next to him following along is Jessica and Myolie. Fung who is sixty-five years old, walked up to them. Louis smiled brightly, "Grandpa!" his grandpa held his arm out signaling Louis to give him a quick hug, which Louis did with a pat on his back.

    "So Louis are you ready to help grandpa with the business?" he asked while the family started to gather around the dinning table.

    Louis nodded confidently, "Yeah for the summer, then I'm going back to finish a master degree." Fung nodded agreeing to his plan. Louis looked around, "Where is Raymond?"

    "I'm here!" shouted a voice that is running down the stairs.

    "Raymond settled down for dinner," Ada warned after seeing her husband disapprove look.

    "Cousin Raymond, Daai Gor has brought the newest game station for me like he promise, want to hook it up after dinner?" Myolie asked excitedly.

    "Myolie eat dinner first." Jessica warned.

    "Louis, I heard uncle Yeung said you did an excellent job helping out in his company." Sunny complimented while they start dinner.

    Louis chuckled softly, "I didn't really do much."

    "Well, we will see your ability this summer." His grandfather said with confidents that he could handle the business world. "Raymond why don't you help out too, you can learn from Louis and Joyce." Raymond face went a bit bored by that suggestion. His father shakes his head at him disappointedly.

    Raymond quickly switches the subject, "Ah! Grandpa, I still haven't beat you on that chess game yet, lets give me a chance to do so after dinner." He quickly started to eat hoping that his suggestion help distract the original subject.
    ------------------

    Mean while in Hong Kong, Joyce is seating in a conference room waiting for the president of Chan Enterprise to meet with her. A secretary opened the door and nodded to her politely, "I'm sorry for the long wait Ms Koo. Mr. Chan is currently on an important phone call, he will be right with you. Why don't you have a cup of coffee first?" She places the cup down on the table.

    "Thanks" Joyce firmly answer and the secretary excused herself leaving Joyce to wait alone again. Joyce turned her wrist to look at the watch and note that she been waiting for half an hour already. She is getting impatient and a bit dissatisfy with the way they neglected her.

    Joyce looked out the glass window seeing the office being really quiet. With nothing else to do, she begin to go through the contract that is in her hand to make sure that everything is the way she wanted. A nod is heard, "I'm so sorry Ms Koo." He held his hand out, Joyce quickly stood up mannerly and shake it firmly.

    "Mr. Moses Chan nice to meet you again. Shall we get straight to the point and discuss about this contract?" Joyce confidently said as Moses signal her to sit down.

    "Of course Ms Koo." He replied. And they go through the detail together. Joyce tries to present everything to him and have him clarify to the deal. "Ms Koo, there is a slight different in the contract. Didn't we agree already that the total price of the building material being 20 million? How did it change to 25 million?"

    Joyce turned to the data page, "Mr. Chan, you decided to change the material of the lumber to the better quality one, which of course would increase the price. I assure you that, we do business fairly."

    "Oh don't get me wrong, I have always trusted Mr. Koo. Oh yes, I remember now, it just that I have so much projects in hand and forgotten about this. It a deal then." He pulled out a pen from his pocket and signed the agreement.

    Joyce stood up with a professional smile and held her hand out, "Thank you and nice doing business with you Mr. Chan."

    Moses shakes her hand with a nod, "Help me say hello to your father and grandpa."

    "I will" she smiled and is being walks out by him.

    Yoyo walked out of the same elevator as Joyce walked in. Yoyo walked over to her husband with a sweet smile, "Ready to have lunch yet?"

    Moses eyes narrowed confusedly trying to recall, "We have plan for lunch?" His wife sighed with her eyes rolled.

    "What do you mean by that? Am I supposes to ask your secretary for an appointment?" she gazed at her husband with stern eyes.

    "You know I didn't mean it that way," he said as he headed back into his huge office.

    After Gallen has taken his position in jail, Moses has brought their company up to the fullest, and it now one of the tops ten companies in Hong Kong. But he has changed the name to Chan Enterprise instead of LC Link.

    Yoyo followed him, "So are you free for lunch? I called Benny out, he just got a letter of acceptance to train in the Police Academy. We can go out to celebrate with him."

    Her husband chuckled with a disapprove tone, "What is there to celebrate?"

    "Moses"

    "I told him to not enter the police force, but does he listen? There is nothing to celebrate." He ended his sentence with a cold empty tone.

    "At least you want a chance to eat with him. He moved out for two years already and both of you haven't sit down to eat a single meal." Yoyo reminded him with her disappointed voice that Benny and Moses relationship has changed more to enemy than father and son.

    "Is that suppose to be my fault?!" he sighed and calm himself down, "I don't know what gotten into him. He has been rebelling against me and disrespecting me ever since Gallen went to jail and in a coma. It like he wanted me to replace Gallen instead!"

    "You know that is not true," his wife said, "He just misunderstands you. All you two need is to sit down and clear thing up."

    "Does he ever want to sit down and talk with me?" Moses voice was filled with frustration. Benny is his only son, and he has loved Benny so much, he never wanted their relationship to turn out this way. He wanted Benny to follow his footstep and take over the business one day, but Benny never like business, especially since what happened to Gallen and Annie.

    Yoyo looked down, Moses is right, Benny been avoiding any conversation with his father. "He is still young" her soft voice spoke up trying to ease her husband feeling.

    "He is twenty already. And I'm betting he didn't know that you are going to ask me to this lunch with him?" he looked straight at his wife eyes. Yoyo swallowed guiltily, she is trying to set up this lunch so Moses can see Benny. Moses walked to the huge window and looked out into the city, "I don't want to argue with him. You go have lunch with him yourself. I have a business meeting to attend to anyway." He actually didn't want to spoil Benny mood and excitement about the Police Academy accepting news. He knows that Benny won't be happy if Benny sees him.

    "Are you sure?" Yoyo asked, she really wanted them to settle thing. Moses nodded. "Alright then. I'll see you later tonight." She hugged her husband and he pecked the side of her forehead.

    Moses pulled out a set of car key, "William say Benny has went down to his car dealer store and was looking at the new sport car model. This is the key to the one he was interested in, tell him that you buy it or your parents buy it for him. Don't let him know it from me."

    Yoyo nodded with a soft chuckle, "I know both of you are just stubborn to admit you care for each other."
    ~~~

  15. #15
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    Chapter 13: Artistic Mind

    Joyce is holding a piece of paper in her hand as she walked around the street looking for the address on the paper. She is born in Singapore and this is only her second time visiting Hong Kong, so she don't know her way around much. She is trying to find Flora flat and visit her. She know it should be somewhere around this area, there is just too many old building around that she get confused on which is which. Joyce kept her eyes up looking at the name of the building.
    Frankie who's just ran back down after he has retrieved more color chalk. His lower jaw dropped seeing Joyce stepping all over his drawing on the sidewalk, "What are you doing?!" he shouted angrily as he stormed over. Joyce is startled by his sudden shout, so she is staring at him and trying to see what she did wrong. She don't understand what he meant. Frankie squatted down in front of his chalk drawing on the sidewalk and pushing Joyce away by pushing her legs.

    "Don't touch me, you pervert!" she try to push Frankie hand away, she backed off and notice that Frankie is ignoring her and just checking on his drawing which is just scribble of different color to Joyce. She studies him with interest wondering what he is doing.

    The twenty-two years old sighed loudly with a pout and his eyes rolled up to beam at Joyce, "You ruin everything!" He frustratingly rubbed on his sidewalk drawing with a rag. Joyce backed off thinking he is some kind of a lunatic. "Now I have to start over!" whined Frankie as he hissed disappointedly.

    "Frankie! Come back in it going to rain very soon!" Flora shouted from the third floor balcony after seeing the gloomy weather out side.

    "Coming mommy!" He answer and pouted disappointedly as he gathered his chalk to go in. Joyce studies him and a bright smile lit her face suspiciously. She grabs hold of his arm before he leave. "Lets go of me, I don't want to play with you."

    "Are you Frankie Chan?" she asked with urgency. After seeing Frankie behavior and Flora called out his name, she is positive that he is the Frankie that she visit before when she was young.

    "How do you know my name?" Frankie shrugged her away.

    Joyce cheerfully smiled at him, "Don't you remember me?! I'm Joyce Jei, the one that give you my cotton candy?" she notice Frankie just stare at her confusedly. "Never mind, I'm here to see your mom, lets go up together!"

    "I don't know you! Mommy said to not let stranger like you follow me home!"

    "I'm not a stranger, I'm your cousin." Joyce tries to remind him.

    Flora walked out to the balcony to check on her son, she saw Joyce, "Is there a problem?" she shouted down to them.

    "Aunty Flora! I'm Joyce, can you recognize me?!" she excitedly shouted back up. Flora was surprise, she haven't have a visitor from her Singapore family for a long time.

    "Well come on up Joyce! Frankie show Joyce the way up, hun!" a big smile spread on her face excitedly.

    Frankie didn't like Joyce much so his face looked grumpy as he purposely stormed faster ahead as he leads Joyce to his flat. Flora has opened up the door waiting for them. She saw Frankie expression and looked at him concernedly, "Are you okay hun?" Frankie nodded and headed to his room.

    Joyce sheepishly explain, "I kind of step on his drawing that was on the sidewalk, I think he is mad at me."

    Flora chuckled, "Don't worry about him, he'll forget in awhile. Well come on in and make yourself at home."

    Joyce looked around the flat. It an old one but looks very cozy and comfortable. "Joyce what bring you to Hong Kong? Did your parents come too?"

    "No. I came for a business deal. Just thought of visiting you aunty Flora. This is a very cozy house." She complimented as she sat down.

    "You grown so much, I almost couldn't recognize you." Flora is heading to get a glass of water. "How is everyone in Singapore? Is god-father still healthy and strong as ever?" she asked from the kitchen.

    "Yeah, grandpa is doing very good. He wanted you and Frankie to fly back for a visit." Joyce saw all the drawing of colorful scribble and paint splash artwork hanging around the house and even a big stack in the living room. "Frankie like to draw huh?" she asked with amazed to the amount of painting lying around. Flora returns with a glass of juice and handed to Joyce, "Thanks"

    "Yeah he likes to draw a lot." Flora sat down next to her, "How long are you going to stay?"

    "Actually, I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

    "Oh, that fast?" Flora frowned a bit. "But I guess you are really busy with business huh? Julian has mention in the letter that you are a great helper now." Both Flora and Julian have always mail each other with short letter and photos.

    "I try my best." She handed a bag of gift over, "Aunty Flora these are from grandpa." She pulled a gift with shinny wrapping paper, "Uncle Julian bought this for Frankie."

    "Thanks for bringing them over Joyce." Flora smiled warmly at her, "I hope you're planning to stay for dinner."

    "Sure." She remembered something from her purse and quickly pulled out a photo album, "These are pictures of Louis graduation, Uncle Julian told me to bring it over to you."

    "Really?" Flora impatiently flipped through the album to look at Louis. A bright warm smile glow on her face as she saw pictures of Louis in graduation grown and cap holding his diploma. She chuckled at a picture of him making a funny face, "He must be really happy."

    Joyce nodded as she follow Flora looking through the pictures, "Yeah, he did really well in his class, he is the top student of his class." Flora felt warm and relief to know how successful her son has become. "He just returns to Singapore yesterday. I called home and they were having a party for him. Too bad, I have to be here."

    Flora nodded with a soft sigh to herself, she missed Louis a lot, "Yes too bad." Joyce smiled and looked at her curiously. "Is he going to help out with business now?"

    "I heard mommy say that Louis decide to help out for the summer and go back to New York to get his master degree." She saw Flora bright smile and smiled along with her. "Aunty Flora you have always loved Louis more than us." She jokingly teased.

    Flora snapped out of her daze and chuckled, "Don't be silly, I love all of you the same. You just don't know, when I'm thinking of you. Like right now, I know that you wanted to eat spinach with crab meat and mushroom chicken." Joyce laughed and nods. "Make yourself at home, I'll go get dinner ready."

    Joyce walked around the flat and saw Frankie in his room drawing something. She knocked on the door, "Frankie can I come in?" she asks her younger god-cousin. Frankie turn to look at her and quickly rolled up his drawing to protectively hide it away from her. She felt guilty about what happen to his sidewalk drawing, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ruin your artwork earlier, can you forgive me?"

    Frankie looked at her and sighed, "Is okay, it going to rain anyway." He unravels his drawing to continue after sensing that Joyce won't do any harm. "You want to draw too? I have more color pencil or pastel."

    She shook her head, "No, I'm not good with it." She silently sited by Frankie watching him concentrating on his drawing, it seem like he have a way to express himself with the drawing through line, texture, color, shade, and design. "Frankie what are you drawing?"

    "Something I dream of." He simply replied. He is using a lot of orange and blue in his pastel drawing. Joyce studies his room and is filled with art material and his drawing and painting is hangs all over the room. "I saw a little girl sleeping." He pointed to a blue rectangular shape on his painting. "She seems very sad and lonely." Joyce just nodded and has no idea who he is talking about.
    -------------------

    Two months after the accepting letter, Benny is heading into training camp. A large group of young men and women like him has gathered in a room waiting for farther instruction. Their trainer arrive and has assigned them to room, that will be share within two members and they will also be partnered for the rest of the training program. Benny gathered his backpack and other belonging heading to room 135. He looked around for his roommate but he is nowhere in sight.

    "Hello" said a voice from behind. Benny quickly turns around with a greeting smile. The eighteen years old stick his hand out toward him so he shake it, "I'm Kevin Cheng."

    "Benny Chan" he reply, then looked toward the bed, "Upper or lower bunk?" Kevin shrugged. Benny grinned, "Great I'm choosing the lower one."

    During the three months period of training together, both Benny and Kevin get to know each other more and has became buddy. They are the tops of the team since they cooperated really well with each other. Even though the training was harsh and tough but both of them enjoy it really much and use the training to sharpen their confident and skill.

    Each morning they are woken up at five to do warm up and running till the sun is fully up. Then they would have a short breakfast and head to lecture hall for their lesson. This is the worst section of the daily activity to both Benny and Kevin, in order to get through with the lecture easily both of them decide to take turn taking note. This way one of them could sleep while the other take note every other day. After lecture they get to have a half hour lunch and then back to the classroom for gun lesson and in the afternoon playing war game and other training.

    Three months has passed swiftly, both of them are excited about completing the training program and being able to be assigned to a police headquarter soon. To their surprise both of them are assigned to the same Anti-Crime Squad. They are expected to be on duty next week.
    -----------------

    Benny excitedly headed into a classy restaurant and looked around for his mom, he has called her out to have lunch. He saw Yoyo sited by the window and hurried over with the waiter followed behind. "Yoyo Jie!" he excitedly greeted and settles down with the waiter placing a menu in front of him and left.

    Yoyo sighed at her son with her head slightly shaking, "Is mom." She warned her son with her eyes beamed at him worriedly, "Benny you are thinner than last time."

    "Yoyo Jie this is call being 'fit'." He looked around the restaurant, "And how could I let people know that I'm actually your son? They will think you have me when you are sixteen," he grinned widely with mischievous eyes, "beside what will chic think of me, seeing me spending my lunch with my mother?"

    Yoyo cleared her throat with her elegant sardonic smile. Benny chuckled, "Anyway, I'm starting to work in the Anti-Crime Squad next Monday!" he proudly announced with a wide grin.

    His mother nodded with a happy smile seeing him happy, "Is it dangerous though?"

    Benny settled down his excitement a bit to seriously looked at Yoyo with brows narrowed and directed at her, "There is always risk in everything Yoyo Jie. For instance I could be walking in the middle of the street and a brick hit my head and..."

    "And I'm serious" Yoyo warned her son with her eyes beaming at him.

    He laughed, "Alright, alright, just don't worry, I know how to protect myself and take care of myself."

    The forty-one years old mother rolled her eyes at her twenty years old son, "If you know how to take care of yourself, you wouldn't look skinner and skinner each day. Even the wind can blow you away if you keep up this 'fit' thing you call it."

    Benny just laughed and signaled the waiter to order his lunch. Yoyo pulled out the key that Moses gave her and Benny refuse to accept last time, "Here since you have a new job, this can help you get to it on time."

    His face serious immediately, "Mum, I told you already, I can be independent. If I want a car, I'll get one myself. Beside since you say the wind can blow me away, maybe it can take me to work too." He took a sip of his drink.

    His mother eyes rolled immediately in response to his reply, "Stop being stubborn. It very important to be punctual for your job." She shake her head at him before he could say a word, "I'm not accepting any 'no' as an answer, if you won't take the car, you'll have to move back home and have our driver drive you to work each day."

    Benny stares at the set of key, "It really not from him?" His mother sighed with a bit of anger toward him and he sense it. "Alright, alright I'll take it."

    "I don't understand you and your father, do both of you have to be so stubborn? I know that you felt sorry for Annie..."

    "Mum" Benny warned. "Lets not talk about it," he smiles brightly, "Aren't we here to celebrate? Yoyo Jie would you like to try their chef salad? It pretty good!" Yoyo sighed and nods.
    ~~~

  16. #16
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    Chapter 14: Hidden Flame

    Annie shifted her body to the right as she fall into her deep cycle of nightmare. Her forehead started to sweat with little cold droplets soaking into her bang and her eyes moved rapidly under her eyelids. Annie swiftly swings her head to the other side as she struggle with her vision of the past. She is thirteen again and standing beside her is Benny who is looking up toward the sky. Annie followed his gaze and her eyes widen at the sky turning red and the image of her father falling down the building is once again alive in her mind. Annie could see her father expression clearly and every little detail of him, even the edge of her father shirt fluttering violently against the wind has never escape her mind.

    Her head started to flop side to side on her pillow as her face wrinkled in concern and pain to live through the incident again. Annie screamed, "NOOOO!!! Dow Dau!" Immediately she saw red crimson liquid flooded the street and reaching her pair of shoe. Her jaw dropped at the sight of Gallen lying in the middle of the street cover in blood. Annie rushed up to her father and shook him hard but he didn't respond, instead she heard a loud laughter above. She looked up and saw Moses and Benny laughing loudly as they stare at her.

    The navy blue blanket is quickly wrinkled with Annie fist clenching so tightly with anger while she continue to live her nightmare. Annie eyes are shut tightly with her teeth clenched tightly as she screamed, "NOOO!!!!" Quickly her entire body jerked upright and she is out of her dream. Annie panted to her surrounding as she wiped off her sweaty forehead. She drawn her legs up and hugged it tightly as she shuts her eyes tightly trying to relax herself and remove the bloody scene from her mind.

    After awhile her eyes open to the dark room that is only illuminated by the city light. Annie darted straight ahead with her fist tighten on her pajamas. "You will pay." Annie softly murmured with hatred in her eyes. She took in a deep breath to relax herself and got herself off of bed. She squatted by the side of her bed and pulled out a portfolio under her bed.

    Her hand opened the folder revealing pages after pages of cut out article on Moses Chan. For the past five years, Annie has been collecting any news of his and putting them together to remind herself who her enemy is and also to know more about him so she could seek her revenge.

    Flames are waving in her pair of once innocent eyes as she flipped through the pages of newspaper article with photos of Moses and Yoyo. None of them have pictures of Benny in them. But to Annie, the nickname "Beanie" has died the day her father jump off the building. She no longer care about Benny, all she wants is his father to be dead or at least in jail. And she wants to be the one who punish Moses.

    The set of flamed eyes grew more raged seeing an article that is five years ago right after her father been sentence to jail. On the article Moses, has blamed Gallen for all of the fault and even stated that Gallen have mental problem which lead to his lies and can't accept his responsibility for the resident lives that Gallen has cause, therefore wanting to accuse him and drag him down too. He has also stated that Gallen is no longer related to the LC Cooperation, Moses has also announce that he changing the company to Chan enterprise.

    Annie scanned down to the section where the reporter asks Moses, what his view to Gallen sentence and the state that he is at now. Moses reply on the article was that he sympathize Gallen and wishes him well. And even though Gallen hasn't treats him as his friend, but he will always treat Gallen as one. He stated that the court is just with the ten years sentence and hope that Gallen will learn to take more responsibility after his imprisonment.

    A hatred hisses softly filled the room, Annie stares straight into Moses eyes in the article with her pair of determines one. "The court is blind, but I'm not. You'll get your just to the deal or I'm not Annie Law." With that she closed the portfolio and turned to look at the clock, it was three in the middle of the night.

    Annie pushed the curtain between hers and Hei bed to see if he is home yet. Hei is sleeping soundly with his tank top and short. Annie softly walked out of the room and changed to go out. She knows Hei wouldn't want her to enter the gang, but she really needed some help to complete her wishes. She knows sitting around won't get her anywhere.
    -------------------

    Even though it's late night, but the busy streets below is filled with loud noise of night partier around having fun. One of the Red Panther hide out that is in the center of this street is the noisiest place with gang member playing cards, pools, dancing, and simply chill with girls around as they gather to talk about gang business. This private bar is filled with only Andy Lau followers while a couple streets down is govern by another helper of Ekin Cheng. Even though they are all from Red Panther, but they seldom mix and gather together unless, there is some big event such as territorial fight with other gang.

    Andy Lau, also known as Wah Gor (brother Wah) is fully respected by his follower cause of his courageous and fearless attitude toward other gang. He won't step back and let other gang take over his territory or disrespect Red Panther. His loyalty to Red Panther and his trustworthy of all of his followers are one of his traits that made him more popular. And when any of his members are in trouble he is the first that is willing to help out and defense to the end even in risking his life. He treat all of his followers as brother and family, making lot of them willingly obey him and even risk their life for him too.

    The entrance to the private bar swing open widely with a solid footstep walked in, some of the members nearby quickly stood up with their respectful nod and greeting, "Wah Gor." Andy nodded in reply and headed in, "Where is Nick? Does anyone know what he do with the undercover of Wing Hing?"

    Wing Hing is the most competitive gangs that always try to dominate over Red Panther territory. Even though both gangs acted like buddy on the surface, but both are sneakily trying to get more power and control of Hong Kong territory. Unlike the leader of Wing Hing, Ekin is a very calm and reasonable leader that won't provoke if the other gangs didn't step over the line.

    "Nick is in the back alley right now, punching the life out of him," a voice of a member ringed loud and clear.

    "Have him pull the spy out to see me!" Andy ordered as he settled himself smoothly onto a chair with a member handing him a bottle of beer while another lighting his cigarette. "Close the door and keep an eye on it, I don't want anyone to interfere." A member quickly shut the door but stopped after seeing Annie heading in.

    "Annie?" the guy closing the door asked curiously to why she is here this late.

    "Is Wah Gor here tonight?" her voice alerted Andy who looked over toward her direction.

    "Come in first." The guy said as he shut the door behind Annie. Annie looked at everyone curiously cause they are staring at her, "Did I came in the wrong time?" she asked uncertainly. "Shh..." the guy warned her and signaled her to stand aside to watch and keep quite for a while.

    Nick appeared dragging a seventeen year old in that has several bruises and a broken nose with black eyes too and maybe a couple broken ribs. "Wah Gor here he is." Nick forcefully suppressed the guy to kneel down in front of Andy. Annie curiously looked at her boyfriend and the kid. She never seen Nick hit anyone before, but look like he did a pretty good job making that kid barely recognizable to Annie as one of the new member that Andy has accepted a couple day back.

    Andy inhaled a puff of his cigarette and lean back on the chair with his eyes gaze at the teenager evenly. "I'm amaze that you have the nerve to go undercover in my territory, have your brother told you what happen to people who betray me, Andy Lau?!"

    "Do what ever you want! I'll never beg!" the fearless voice shouted under his moan of pain while one of his arm is hugging his ribcage.

    The leader of the clan laughed with amusement and amaze, "You think you have enough gut to go against Red Panther yourself huh?" he testingly gazed at the bloody face in front of him. "To tell you the truth I'm quite amazes with your fearless gut, but too bad everyone in the underworld of Hong Kong should know the punishment for spy. I can't really break or bend the rule for you, right?"

    Nick forcefully shoved him, "Answer when Wah Gor ask you a question!"

    Andy chuckled and shake his head with his eyes darken on the intruder, "Now, now Nick, he is a guest. We can't treat our guest like this." He removed his cigarette and tapping it absentmindedly, "If you would say who send you over, we will reconsider bending the rule a bit." Everyone in the room know very well which gang the intruder are, but they can't really react to Wing Hing gang without solid proof.

    The teenager spited and gazes at Andy with a soft chuckle, "Do what ever you want!" Nick forcefully kicked him on the rib and yanked his hair tilting his head back to look up at Andy. Andy flicked his cigarette on the kick face.

    "Don't say I didn't warn you," he swiftly grabs the beer bottle and smash it on the teenager head cause blood to drain down the boy face. Andy grabs his shirt collar lifting him up off the floor a bit. Annie eyes widened on what just happen, even though she been around them before, but she never really witness them fight or punish traitor before. Andy grumpily mumbled in his deep tone filled with anger, "Who send you here?!" the kid who is almost unconscious dizzily gaze at him.

    Andy right hand holding to the broken bottle with it sharps pointy edge against the kid neck. "Who?! I'm giving you to a count of three to answer. One..." the entire room is silent just watching Andy, Annie swallowed and felt her heart pounded knowing that she is about to witness death. "Two..." the cold voice calmly counted with the teenager body starting to tremble, but still stubbornly keeping his mouth shuts. "Three..." without another word Andy shoved the sharp glass to cut into the teenager neck and blood quickly gusted out splattered.

    The dance floor quickly soaks with the crimson warm blood. Annie eyes shuts tightly and turned away when she saw him stabbing the guy. Andy dropped the seventeen year olds body down on the floor to bleed and he wiped his face with his hand. "**** , I want you to throw his body in front of Wing Hing Nightclub."

    "I'll do it right now, Wah Gor," he answered as he bends down with several members putting the body of the teenager into a black garbage bag. And the crowd of member cleared a bit to return to their activity.

    Annie just stood there mesmerized at the image of blood just like her dream, but somehow this is different to her. Instead of fear and wrong she felt a sense of justice being done here, the kid asks for it, if he would just spill it out Andy will probably not kill him.

    "Annie?" Nick asked in surprise to see her here, Hei will never let her come into this club house alone. He saw Annie still eyes and know that she must be a bit daunted by the event. He walked over to her and hugged her with his gentle voice, "Are you okay?" Annie slowly nodded and looked up at Nick seeing the trace of the splattered blood of the guy on him. Nick smiled at her, "Why are you here? Where is Hei?"

    "Annie do you need to see me?" the voice of Andy spoke up as he walking toward her. "Why aren't you home? Don't you have school tomorrow?" He asked with his eyes concernedly at her. He too has treated Annie as his younger sister.

    The girl in front of them finally snapped out of her shock and shook her head, "I'm finish with school. Wah Gor can I talk to you privately?" Nick gazed at her and to Andy wondering what Annie wanted to talk to Andy about.

    Andy nodded and put his arm warmly around Annie to guide her, "Sure kiddo." They walked away and headed into one of the private room, Nick confusedly looked after them.

    Andy closed the door behind and turns to look at Annie giving all his attention to her. "What is bothering you?" He chuckled at her and hand her a tissue, "I didn't scare you too much earlier, did I?" Annie shakes her head with a small smile. "So, what can I do for you?" he asked while pouring himself a glass of Scott.

    "I want to join Red Panther," her soft tone filled the quiet room while her eyes stilly glue to Andy eyes showing him her seriousness.

    "Why?" he calmly asked as he gulp down his drink.

    "I need to learn how to punish someone," she honestly replies while Andy studies her with curiosity and laughed to her reason.

    He chuckled, "Don't tell me I have corrupted your mind already. Who do you need to punish? Nick?" he grinned at her. Annie softly chuckled at his remark and shook her head. "Annie you know that I have promise Hei to keep you out of this."

    She nodded, "I know, but I really wanted to join." She looked at him wishfully. "Please?"

    Andy grinned with his handsome sharp eyes on her, "Who is this someone you are talking about? Maybe I could just get rid of him for you."

    The stubborn girl shook her head, "I want to do it myself. I know Red Panther can get me what I need."

    He poured the rest of his drink into his mouth and swashing it around before he drinks it down, "Annie you are still really young and honestly the gang is not the right place for you. Once you stepped in, it will be hard to pull yourself back out. Like Hei, I also has treated you as a sister, you know that right?"

    "I know, that why I come to you." She answered with her determine eyes. "I can do anything, anything at all. I'm not afraid of work, I won't be lazy and I will do my best on everything. I just want to learn how to...to..." her voice soften to almost a whisper, "kill." She can't believe she is thinking of killing, but she has hated Moses so much over the years that her mind has gotten piled up with hate.

    "No Annie," he firmly told her, "Sorry, I can't break my promise with Hei, and I don't really want you to step into this sticky mess. As for killing, leave those to us men. You are still young, I don't want you to regret about it. If you are willing to give me his name, I'll be more then happy to do it for you." He patted her back, "Don't be stubborn, I'm doing this for your own good. What is the different for having us do the job for you?"

    "It'll be like letting the guy that you just kill commit suicide before you get a chance to teach him a lesson and kill him," she answered with her tone filled with unjust hate.

    Andy is quite taken back by her answer and he is a bit surprise by her strong will to seek revenge. He grinned at her and seriously looking at her while thinking about her request, "How about this. Give yourself three years to think about joining the gang," Annie pouted with disappointment, and he could tell, "Annie you are only eighteen. I don't want you to regret, once you are in, we expect you to be in for a long time. So you need to think this through clearly, don't make a rash decision. In three years if you still wanted to join, then come to me. I promise I won't stop you then."

    "Three years?" Annie sighed with a frown, "that will be forever."

    He stood up and looked at her seriously, "If you can't wait for three years, then you don't have enough patient to plan on your revenge toward your enemy. Haven't you heard the saying 'When a Hero seek revenge, ten years is still not consider late'?" He laughed and patted Annie shoulder, "Come on cheer up! Ah, you haven't dance with me for awhile, you want to dance?!" He nudged her to go out and drop the subject till three years.

    Annie nodded with a pout, "But I'm not a Hero." Andy laughed while she pout and looked at him in the eyes, "Can I at least get a summer job from you?" Andy pouted like her with his head shaking to her request. Annie rolled her eyes and folded her arms, "Fine."
    ~~~

  17. #17
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    Chapter 15: The Business World

    With two years of speech therapy and memories exercise, Gallen slowly gain his self-consciousness again instead of being trapped in the past. Even though he is alert to his surrounding, he seldom talks to anyone, other than Annie. During the time Annie is not around he would concentrate his time on the TV, magazine, and newspaper to keep up with the business world. Same as Annie, he is determines to make Moses pay for what he has done to him. He is going to win Moses with his own game and make him suffer the same way he is.
    While Gallen is silently indulgencing himself in a newspaper the door opened, he lowered his paper and quickly lost interest to the person that is stepping in, so he return back to his paper. Flora walked over to him with his medication, "How are you doing today Mr. Law?" Same as usual he didn't reply unless he is really ticked off.

    Flora handed him a small plastic cup with three pills in it, "Please drink it up, and we will start your range of motion exercise." Gallen pushed her hand away and ignored her. She softly sighed to herself. Flora is knows to be the most patient and caring nurse around, but Gallen could always manage to stress her out. "Mr. Law, you don't want me to get the guard to help me right?" she warned.

    Gallen lowered his newspaper and stare at her with his sharp dark eyes, "I don't need those pills anymore, get out of my room." He lifted his paper up again to read.

    The nurse took in a breath and tries again, "You only have to take the pills for the rest of the week, we don't want your pain to revisit." The stubborn man with his minded sets to refuse, kept blocking her voice out. Flora pulled his newspaper down and stare at him seriously with her motionless set of eyes, "I'm your nurse and I say you need to drink the pills." She firmly told him.

    He stares at her with amusement seeing this side of her. He shrugged, "I don't want to feel drowsy yet, Annie is coming to visit today." He flatly explained and returns to reading again. Flora nodded understandingly and place the pills on the bed table, "Drink it afterward then." Gallen slightly nodded. "Lets start on your range of motion for your legs."

    "I'm fine, just leave me alone woman!" he grouchily warned her.

    Flora sighed loudly at him and he angled his eyes to look at her. "Do you have to make things difficult for me Mr. Law? You are worst then my five years old patient. Now rotate your leg inward," she commanded with her authorize tone.

    "Dow Dau!" a loud angelic tone sounded the room.

    "Oh great Chu Lui you finally came, now this nagging old nurse can get out of my room!" he folded his newspaper while Flora gaze at him with her harden eyes. What do he mean by 'old'?! Gallen looked at her and turned toward the door signaling her to leave. "You know the rule, I can refuse you being here when I have a visitor. Now out!"

    Annie pressed her lips trying not to laugh at Flora and her father, they are always like this, "Dow Dau! How could you be so mean to Flora Yee Today?" She opens the thermo to pour soup out into a bowl.

    "You are wrong Annie, is not just today that he wanted to cause trouble for me." Flora beamed her eyes over at her patient. "When I return the pills better be gone, Mr. Law. And we will work on your legs. You can't get rid of me until another month." She told him and turned to walk out. Since Gallen has recovered from his injury, next month he will get transferred to the Hong Kong Prison System to finish serving the rest of his sentence.

    "Thanks Flora Yee." Annie sweetly said while the nurse nodded at her and exit. Annie then turn around to chuckle at her father, "Dow Dau, why must you keep giving her a bad time?"

    She handed a bowl of hot soup over to her father, "Be careful it really hot." Gallen nodded and sipped on it, "If she would stop bothering me then I wouldn't have to treat her like so," he place his bowl down and grab Annie hand signaling her to sit down next to him. "Chu Lui, tell Dow Dau what you been doing? Ah your twentieth Birthday is coming up."

    Annie leaned on her father shoulder, "You still remember!" Gallen chuckled, "Of course! I lost so much that day, I would never forget." Annie pouted, "Dooowww Daaauuu..." The father pinched her nose, "I'm just kidding. So do Nick or Hei have any plan for your birthday?" Annie shrugged, "It just a birthday."

    Gallen sighed and looked at her in the eyes, she is not the cheerful little girl that he remembered anymore, her eyes are filled with heavy burden. Gallen wrapped his arm fatherly around his almost twenty years old daughter, "Annie you don't have to make yourself so tough. Let Dow Dau take care of his own matter. I want you to just enjoy your own life. Act more like your age, before you get as old as Flora!"

    Annie laughed and place her two hands on her father cheek, "I notice you like to pick on Flora Yee, is it because you like her?" Her eyes mischievously gaze at her father with suspicion. "I don't mind having her as a mother, she is quite nice," Annie grinned widely.

    Gallen rolled his eyes, "Of course not! Is just that she could be really demanding and there is no need for me to be nice." He seriously looked at Annie, "Back to you. I want you to enjoy life and not worry about me."

    A bright smile painted on Annie face, "I am."

    Her father stare at her stilly, "I mean you should drop Moses Chan out of your mind." Annie head dropped and gaze at her lap, her head shake stubbornly, "No... I hate him."

    The father nodded and squeezed her shoulder, "I know, but let Dow Dau take care of it okay? I only have three more years and if I listen and do well they will even let me out early."

    Annie smiled and hugged her father, "I can't wait till you get out." she tilted her head up to look at him, "Dow Dau how are you going to make him pay? He is so rich now..." she frowned. Her voice weakened, "I could punish him..." her father study her and demanded an explanation from her, "Wah Gor promise to let me join next..."

    "No Annie." his face quickly darkened at her idea, "I don't want you to get anywhere close to them. You heard me?" Annie head dropped and didn't response. "I told you already to drop the matter to me." he sighed and pulled her closer, Annie lean her head on her father, "Listen to me Chu Lui, if you still think of me as your father, don't join any gang. I don't want to see you in jail, you understand? You are still young and there is a bright future."

    Annie sadly nodded in agreement, "Then how are we going to punish him?" she looked up at Gallen and smiled, "Wah Gor is willing to kill him for me."

    Gallen shake his head at her disappointedly, "Annie when have you change so much? I don't want their help, I'll get everything that belong to me back from Moses by with my own two hands. There is no need to use the dark side." He tilted her chin up, "And you are suppose to be a decent twenty years old girl, no more talking about killing and joining any gang. You heard me?"

    She nodded with a pout, "Dow Dau can I help in anyway?"

    Gallen smiled and nodded, "If you want to help, it have to be a righteous way." Annie nodded, "Alright I promise I won't join the gang. Dow Dau are you going to use your business talent to win Moses?"

    He nodded, "Yes, I'll get every single penny that is suppose to be mine."

    "But we don't have much money."

    Gallen laughed, "Chu Lui have you forgotten how poor we use to be? If I can pull us out of it back then, I could still do it now." Annie nodded with confident, "I'm sure you could!"

    Her father laughed, "Shaw Chu, now if you want to help me in the future, you must know business stuff. Which mean taking business course."

    "School?" Annie made a disgusted expression. Gallen laughed. Annie nodded, "Alright, I'll take night class."

    Gallen nodded with a warm smile and looking around for pen and paper, "It'll help you to gain experience from working in a business company. I want you to go see my old boss Felix Wong, he will give you a job." He hand Annie a slip of paper with the address, "Since you have no experience at all, he will probably give you the lowest job, but just work hard and learn."

    Annie nodded proudly, "Just like Dow Dau back then!" the father laughed joyfully.
    --------------------

    The next day, Annie dressed herself with the most appropriate clothes she could find, which is pretty revealing, but this is the only skirt she have that look feminine and fashionable for her age. She stares at herself in the mirror and felt uncomfortable in this black leather like tight miniskirt and her tank top. She usually don't wear skirt, but she thought it should be more professional then to wear her usual loose kaki pant with T-shirt. She took in a deep breath and smiled brightly at herself to gain more confident before exiting her flat.

    Once she is in front of the building, her eyes lifted up to look at the talk building with a confident smile spread across her face and her determine eyes beamed at the reflection of herself casting on the shinny building. This is a place to train herself to make Moses suffer, she reminded herself with a wide grin of hope.

    With one quick puff of breath she headed in and waited for the elevator to head up to the 25th floors. While she waited the employees of the building that walked in to join her has been checking her out from head to toes. The guys smiled with drooling eyes as they study the young girl in front of them while the ladies sighed and shake their head at Annie dress code disapprovingly and started to whisper.

    Annie turned to look at their stare and back at herself, she knows she dressed different and she is not too comfortable herself, but not like she is not wearing any clothes! She darted her hard eyes at the ladies so they can quickly end their whispering, but she couldn't really do anything to their strange and rude stare at her. As for the men, she don't really care, since it didn't hurt to let them beam at her.

    The elevator opened up, a professionally dressed guy quickly stepped toward the elevator and hold the door open, he smile brightly at Annie with his eyes gazed at her, "Lady first." Annie smiled sweetly at him, "Thanks you" she stepped in and pressed the floor she needed to go to. The rest stepped in and everyone stare is obviously still on her. Everyone in here is definitely older than her too.

    The door slides open and Annie is amazed by the busy atmosphere of everyone busily at work with telephone lines ringing like crazy. "Your floor miss," a gentleman voice politely mentioned. Annie nodded and stepped out of the elevator and curiously heading into the floor. This is a stock market company with roll after roll of desk that is occupies by busy employees answering phone call to place beat for the stock market. And hanging in the center of the ceiling is four sided TVs with the current rating of the stock market.

    The noisy background made Annie face brightened in amaze, this seem like a battlefield. Her eyes sparkled at the blue uniform vest all the employees are wearing and all the computers screens that are on at each small occupy desk shine brightly with digit flashing.

    "Miss can I help you?" a soft voice ringed from behind. Annie swiftly turned around and smile at the receptionist, "I'm here to see Mr. Wong."

    She looked at Annie up and down with her mind wondering who she is, "Do you have an appointment with Mr. Wong?" she kind of thinking that it must be one of her boss little play mate. Annie shook her head, "No, but he will see me if he know I'm here." That what Gallen has told Annie to said. The receptionist is sure that she is one of those girls for sure now, she give Annie a smile that hidden her disgust in her, "Can I get your name?" Annie smiled sweetly, "Is Annie Law." The receptionist nodded, "Alright, please wait, I'll tell Mr. Wong." She signaled Annie to sit on the sofa.

    After telling her boss she returns to Annie, "Mr. Wong is ready to see you now." Annie excitedly gotten up and heading in, "Wait not here, his office is at level 28."

    "Oh..." Annie blushed a bit and looked at the lady, "Can you give me the direction to his office when I get up there?"

    "Just tell the receptionist of that floor that you are there to see Mr. Wong, and she will take you there." She patiently explained.

    "Thanks!" Annie cheerfully headed to wait for the elevator again. Moment later, she has gotten to the 28 floors and is now waiting to see Mr. Wong. After waiting for a long time she finally stood up to ask the secretary of Mr. Wong. "I'm sorry, when will Mr. Felix Wong is ready to see me?"

    "Mr. Felix Wong?" the secretary asked in surprise, "I thought you are here to see Mr. Joe Wong (Joe Ma). Mr. Felix Wong doesn't come in to check on the business much other then once a week. Mr. Joe Wong is his eldest son, he have the most authority to the business now, do you still want to see him?"

    "Sure" Annie weakly reply while she ponders if he would still give her a position since he don't know her father for sure. "When does Mr. Felix Wong usually come in?" she asked thinking it will be a better chance for her if she asks the big boss instead. The secretary shrugged, "He don't really have a schedule, when ever he felt like it."

    The door to the large office opened and Joe Wong stepped out with his eyes scanning Annie up and down with his eyes satisfied with spark. His eyes glued to Annie pairs of legs and then lifted up to stare at Annie with a smile, "Annie Law?" Annie nodded and felt a bit strange from his stare. "Well come on in." he told her and stepped back into the office.

    Annie followed and he signals her to sit down on the sofa instead of the chair where he usually sees his visitor. He walked over to pour two glass of Brandy, "Ms Law, I have bad memories, do I really know you?" he smirked and hand Annie a glass, "It a shame of me to forget such beauty like you."

    "I'm sorry, there is a misunderstanding, I'm here to see your father, but he is not here today. Maybe I should come back another time," Annie explains as she gets up ready to leave, cause she sensing his wolf looking eyes on her skin. Somehow it felt so much more uncomfortable then those men that stare at her in the elevator, maybe it because she is alone with him in this large office.

    "Well, maybe I can help you in the same way. What do you need my father for?" he signaled Annie to sit back down, which Annie did cause she really wanted a job here. He swirled his alcohol in the whine glass.

    "My father Gallen Law use to work for your father. Mr. Felix Wong has promise to return a favor to my father if he needed it, so my father asked me to come and ask for a job." Annie calmly answered with her eyes studying him too. She could tell he is just a typical rich playboy that probably change partner every single night.

    "You don't really have to pull all the 'father' business out." He chuckled with his smirk, "I would of just offer you a job, I can't really deny any pretty girl request. It is my weak point." He winked at Annie making her a bit annoyed by his perverted behavior. He cleared his throat, "So what position are you looking for? What degree do you have?"

    Annie weakly answer with a bit of embarrassment, "I don't have any skill or diploma, but I'm taking business course at night." She lifted her head to look at his expression.

    "Do you at least know how to type?" he skimming downs her body again. Annie hissed softly to herself, if she didn't need this job, she would of slap him across the cheek by now or at least punch his eye. Annie suppressed herself and smiled at him with her head shaking, "No, but I can learn now."

    "Hmmm..." he ponder as he continue to scan her body, "Well you can be my personal aid then."

    "Personal aid?" she asked feeling a bit like he is trying to take advantage of her. "What job is that?"

    He chuckled, "Making me coffee, taking care of my need..." he loosened his tie. "Maybe make appointment, set up hotel and dinner reservation, and maybe going on business trip or ball with me."

    "Don't you have a secretary?" Annie bluntly reminded him. "Mr. Wong, I just want a job, I don't mind on starting low and being a coffee girl, but I don't think being a personal aid is a position, beside I don't want to steal your secretary job."

    He steadily gaze at her with his eyes harden a bit and suddenly cleared his throat and scooted closer to Annie, "To be honest, I couldn't really give you any position other then being my personal aid, since you have no skill at all except for the presentable look." He places his hand on Annie lap, making Annie shivered a bit to the foreign touch. "Come on, you dressed like this to just catch my attention anyway. I'm sure both you and me now what you could do for me."

    Annie swiftly moved his hand away and stood up, "Sorry, but you are wrong. And I came for the wrong person too. If you want to hire someone to sleep with you, I'm sorry to disappoint you but I'm not that kind of a girl." She turns to head out but he grabs her wrist and jerked her back into his arms. "Lets go of me!"

    "Who you think I am to let you come and go freely?" he stare at her with tempting eyes beamed at her shoulder.

    "I say let go of me now!" Annie firmly shouts at him. "Don't make me scream and report you!"

    The door opened wide and a man in his mid fifty stepped in after hearing Annie shout. "What you think you are doing?!"

    Joe quickly release Annie and straighten himself up, "I'm just teasing her."

    The older man looked at Annie and sighed, "How many time has I told you to not bring any of your partner to the company? This is a business area not the nightclub!" he hissed at his son.

    "Father you are wrong, she is here to see you." He grinned at Annie with a smug little grin, Annie beamed her eyes at him.

    Felix looked at Annie confusedly, "You're here to see me?"

    Annie nodded repeatedly, "I'm Annie Law, daughter of Gallen Law."

    "Ah, Gallen." The guy nodded. "How is he?"

    Annie smile in relief that Felix still remember, "Father is doing fine."

    "So what can I help you with, child?" Felix smiled at her warmly.

    "Mr. Wong, father said that you would help get me a job to learn and gain experience." Annie looked at him hopefully.

    Felix nodded, "Sure, I have told Gallen to come for me if he needed help. Annie right?" Annie nodded with a bright smile. "You can call me uncle Wong, no need for the mister, it sound so distanced. Your father has done so many great works for me, I have always treated him like a brother. Well do you have any work experience or skill?"

    Annie shook her head with a little disappointment, "No" she looked up at him with confident, "But I know I could learn really fast and catch on."

    Felix laughed, "You know that is the same line your father told me when he came to interview. Alright, I'll make sure to give you a position to work on and get promoted as you learn."

    "Thanks you Mr. Wong!!" Annie eyes are sparkled with hope and joy.

    "Uncle Wong, remember?" Felix laughed and patted her shoulder. Annie nodded, "Thanks uncle Wong."

    Felix looked at her and smiled, "But you will need to wear something more appropriate to work. Would you be okay with starting work at the beginning of next month?"

    "No problem!" Annie quickly replies with excitement.
    ~~~

  18. #18
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    Chapter 16: Gathering

    After several years of planning, Fung Koo has finally decide to travels over to Hong Kong himself to check out the potential for his investment. Julian, Sunny, Louis, Raymond, and Joyce have come along with him too, since all of them are going to have part in this new Koo's company.
    While everyone mind is set on business, Raymond is the only one felt trapped and being kidnapped to come along with his father. He would rather hang out with his group of friends in Singapore than to be here with a bunch of serious folk talking about business.

    Once the plane arrived in Hong Kong, they headed straight to a hotel to settle down first. Just when Raymond flopped down on his bed, he is dragged up by his sister. "Jie ahhh!!" he whined to his elder sister.

    Joyce laughed at her immature brother who is always lazy when it comes to work and always seem to be energetic when it comes to play. "Come on, grandpa and dad is waiting for us!" A loud sighed is heard from Raymond as he pulled himself upright, "I'm so tired from the plane ride, can't we rest for at least a couple more hours?"

    "Hours?!" laughed Joyce, "Mom is right, you will definitely be a trouble maker, now hustle up before you make dad scold me too!"

    Raymond got himself off the bed and followed behind his sister, "Where are we going anyway?"

    "We are going to visit some of grandpa business friends and learn more about the market here in Hong Kong. Stop falling asleep!" she whacked his head and hooked her arm into Raymond to drag him along.

    "I don't understand why all of us must go, I mean there is grandpa, dad, and uncle Julian already. We are just the miniature people, that is not even important." He whined as he headed out of his room.

    "Hey Louis and me are certainly not miniature people, don't drag us down with you. And stop being a baby, you are twenty one already!" she dragged him faster and met up with the rest of the group. Her father gazed at Raymond with disappointed eyes. "Dad we are ready," Joyce sweetly told her father. Sunny nodded and they headed out with two private cars with driver waiting for them.

    After settled into the car with Louis and Joyce, Raymond started his complain again. "See dad don't even want me to come along," Raymond murmured as he lean his head on his sister shoulder wearily. Joyce chuckled at her brother childish behavior with her eye slightly rolled.

    "Stop being such a kid, Raymond." Louis teased as he gazed out into the tall building. "So much has changed since seven years."

    "You return to Hong Kong before?" Joyce asked the twenty-four years old with a bit of surprise.

    Louis nodded and smiled, "Yeah the time mom came back for my other sister. I crew around the street that time, and the building certainly changed a bit."

    Raymond jerked up with his arm around Louis, "Then you must know where to go out for fun! Lets take a trip around the city tonight, I heard that Hong Kong has the best night atmosphere!" Joyce rolled her eyes at Raymond again, it just so predictable that her brother wanted to go out at night.

    "I don't know where to go Raymond. Beside, I promise dad to go visit aunt Flora with him tonight." Louis plainly replies.

    "I want to go too! I haven't seen them for two years." Joyce excitedly said as she remembered Frankie. "Maybe we should buy some art material for Frankie." Both Raymond and Louis study her with their eyes gazed at her weirdly. They never know Joyce is this boring. "What?" she asked seeing theirs still set of eyes.

    "If dad didn't make me, I'll certainly stay in the hotel instead, but you would really volunteer to go?" Louis asked. "Dang you really need to date more." Joyce slapped his arms as he and Raymond laughed at her.

    "Why not? Aunty Flora cooking is the most delicious beside there is nowhere else to go. I wonder if grandpa and dad is going," she too gazed out into the tall building.

    "Count me out! No way, I'm going. It'll be so boring!" Raymond stated as he slumped back on the seat and gazed out at the private car that is in front of the one he, his sister and cousin are in. "I should of drag Myo along, she will certainly go roam the street with me."

    Right at that moment Louis phone ringed, he pulled out and his brows arched at the caller ID, "Myolie?" he place the phone on his ear, "I'm listening Myolie."

    "Daai Gor! Help!! HELP!" She screamed with a trace of giggle following behind.

    "I'm busy Myolie, what are you up to this time?" Louis hastily asked with a sigh. His sister is always a troubles maker like Raymond that never seems to mature.

    "I seriously needed your help this time! I'm here but I got lost, where is the hotel?"

    "What?!! What you mean you are here?" Louis shouted to the phone with a bit of anger.

    "Hong Kong! I took the other plane over." Myolie grinned widely as she looked around the street.

    "Did mom know about this?"

    "Oh use your brain dummy, I wouldn't be here if she know!" she gasped, "Oh my gosh the street is actually crowded with people like ants! Daai Gor comes fast before I get more lost!!"

    Louis loudly sighed, "Just stay put and tell me where you are, I'll come for you right now."

    Myolie laughed at her brother, "I'm just in front of the airport." She loudly smooched at the phone, "I love ya, and don't take too long!" She hang up and waited while her eyes is enjoying the busy street.

    Louis gazed over at Raymond with his dark accusing eyes, "Did you told her to come over?" Raymond eyes widen with his head shaking. Louis sighed, "Stop the car please," the driver stopped, "I'll go pick her up. You guys go to the meeting and tell dad why I couldn't make it."

    "Louis! I'll go pick her up. You can go to the meeting with Jie. Pleeeaassseeee...." Raymond grinned at him hopefully.

    Louis looked at him seriously, "You won't get lost?"

    "Oh come on, I'm not an idiot!"

    Louis nodded, "Alright, but don't go anywhere else." He warned while Raymond quickly got off the car and waving for a taxi.
    -------------------

    Myolie stared at her watch with a pout on her face as she slurping her soda. She lifted her head to look around and wonder what took her brother so long to get her. Suddenly her phone ranged and it was her mom, she bit her lower lip and didn't want to answer it. But her guilty conscious finally got to her and she answered, "Mommy don't scold yet, I could explain." She sweetly pleaded.

    "Where are you now Myolie?" Jessica worry and angry tone made Myolie felt more guilty.

    The seventeen years old weakly answer, "Hong Kong." She hears her mother hissing with disappointment, "Mommy don't worry, I'm fine, Daai Gor is coming to pick me up. I just wanted to come along with daddy and Daai Gor."

    "You could at least talk to me about it!"

    "I'm sorry. But both you and daddy wouldn't let me have fun." She poutingly stated.

    Jessica sighed at her daughter, "Don't you cause any trouble over there and don't bother your brother, he need to help your daddy with business."

    "I know mommy!" the cheerful voice snapped right away, "Mommy I'll miss ya!" she smooched at the phone.

    Jessica rolled her eyes with a soft chuckle, "You don't have to use those set of trick of your on me. Myolie you stay out of trouble, you hear me?"

    Myolie eyes lighted up when she saw Raymond heading toward her, she waved madly at him. "Mommy I have to go now, Ray is here to pick me up! I'll talk to ya later!"

    "Myolie..." Jessica slumped her shoulder cause her daughter has hang up already. "Maybe I should go over too." She smiled and called the airline.
    -----------------

    Meanwhile Myolie tapped on her watch as she gaze at her older cousin, "What take you so long Ray?!"

    "At least I came," he is munching on a bag of roasted peanut and started to wave for a taxi. "Come on Myo, hurry up!"

    Myolie pouted at him, "Aren't you going to help me with my luggage?"

    He shakes his head with a grin while he leaned on the red taxi, "If you could carry them all the way from Singapore, I don't see why you can't carry them into the taxi." He waved his bag of peanut, "Beside my hands is occupy."

    She snatched the bag from him and got into the taxi with the door shut, "Now you have hand to help!" she grinned at him with sparkling mischievous eyes. "Hey Ray what there to do here?"

    After settling the luggage Raymond got in the taxi, "I don't know, but there must be something to play with around."

    The taxi driver, "There is a tour up at the peak."

    "Boring!" both of his passengers answer at the same time with the same tone. The driver rolled his eyes at them and started to pull out driving them to the hotel.

    Raymond scooted up toward the front and asked the driver, "Is there some place that is more interesting and exciting? Like dancing club or any race car event?"

    Myolie pulled him back, "I'm okay with the dancing club but what so fun with race car?!"

    Raymond pushed Myolie aside, "Who said, I'm taking you?" he got back to pester the driver, "Do you know any place that is filled with people at night?"

    "Well, up in Flying Swan Mountain there is always a group of youngster starting a race car competition right past every Friday midnight. But they are doing illegal racing."

    "That sounds exciting! Thanks!" he sited back with a wide grin and his eyes are filled with anxiousness to tonight event. Myolie gazed at him and he caught her eyes. "You are going to keep this as a secret, you heard me?" Raymond firmly warned her.

    Myolie grinned, "Not unless you are willing to shop with me for the rest of today!" Raymond jaw dropped and Myolie nudged him, "Come on Ray! I'll go with you tonight to the race too."

    "Alright, but better keep the race to ourselves," he warned her again. She nodded to agreement.
    ------------------

    Benny leaned back on his chair tilting it against the cabinet with his pair of legs on his desk sitting across from Kevin desk at the anti-crime squad department with nothing to do. Kevin who is more concentrated on his report trying to write down the robbery case that occurs this morning. Benny gazed at his buddy and straightened himself, "Hey Kevin what do you think of our chance for the England training program?"

    His buddy shrugged, "There is a lot of people applying for it." He looked up at Benny and smile in confident, "I'm sure both of us have a very high chance."

    Benny nodded and tilted his chair back again, "Yeah, wouldn't it be great if both of us get selected?"

    He dazed while Kevin chuckled at him, "Hey tonight is your turn to cook and do the dishes."

    Benny quickly snapped out, "Didn't I cook last night?"

    "In your dream!" Kevin reply and collected his finished report. "And don't think of talking me into doing your share again! I did pay rent to you, you know." Kevin is currently sharing a flat with Benny, since Benny wanted company anyway.

    Bowie Lam the chief of the team walked out of his office and cleared his throat, "Everyone to the meeting room in five minutes." He walked out after his announcement.

    Both Benny and Kevin stood up and heading to the meeting room along with the rest of their team. Kevin whispered, "It almost five, don't tell me we can't leave for the day." Benny shrugged, "Seem like we have an urgent case," he narrowed his eyes on Kevin, "You always the hard worker and never whine."

    "But tonight is the championship of the soccer tournament," he reminded Benny as he settled down on the roll of chair with Benny gasping a bit as he sat down too.

    "I totally forgot about that!" Benny loudly replies.

    "Is there a problem?" Bowie asked with his eyes on Benny.

    Benny grinned and shakes his head, "No sir, sorry sir!" He settles back down quietly while Kevin chuckled.

    Benny nudging on Kevin arms, "Call Fannie to record it for us."

    "My sister is not our maid. And she is probably busy with her case." Kevin reply as he started to write down what Bowie has on the broad.

    "Well, she always spoil you, I'm sure she is willing to do so." Benny urged him.

    Fannie Cheng (Fannie Yeun) is Kevin older sister who is a successful lawyer. Both of Kevin parents have passed away when he is ten, afterward Fannie has taken care of her brother and became a bit too overly protective and spoiling. It because of this, Kevin bonds really well with his sister and also respected her and listens to her words.

    "It doesn't mean I should take advantage of her. Shhh..." he signaled Benny to quite down cause Bowie is starting to talk about the case.

    "There will be a mission tonight at Flying Swan Mountain. Many citizens had complained that there are a groups gathering each Friday night for an illegal race. There has been reports from our undercover that tonight race will be a large gathering of both Red Panther and Wing Hing members to solve some kind of a problem. The head chief is suspecting that it will end up with some lives if the event is carried through. Our mission for tonight is to take note of them and arrest them for illegal racing and also to stop their fight before it begins. All of us will meet back here sharply at eleven tonight, is everyone clear?!" Bowie ended with a loud question.

    "Yes Sir!" his team answered to end up the meeting.

    Both Benny and Kevin sighed. Benny shoved Kevin ahead playfully, "It all your crow mouth fault! Now we really have to work tonight."

    Bowie shakes his head at the two younger members, "Benny do you have something to share?"

    Benny quickly saluted, "No sir!"

    Bowie cleared his throat, "If you think working under my lead is hard work, I could always transfer you to an easier team." He seriously looked into his eyes.

    The twenty-two years old repeatedly shake his head, "I'm fine sir!"

    Bowie nodded and walked off. Benny slumped his shoulder to relax and let out a big breath while Kevin laughed at him. He whacked his arm over to hit Kevin chest, "Lets go over to Fannie for dinner, I'm sure she cook extra!"

    "Why you kept using my sister as your personal maid?" asked the twenty years old.

    "Excuse me, where is Lam Sir office?" a sweet soft tone asked from behind them.

    Both Benny and Kevin turned around to give her their attention. Kevin smiled politely at her, while Benny smirked, "Why, may I ask who want to know first?"

    The girl softly giggled and smiled at them, "I'm Tavia Lam (Tavia Yeung)." Benny forehead wrinkled in concentration, the name sounded really familiar to him, but he can't recall whose.

    "Have I met you before?" he finally asked with curious eyes on her.

    Tavia shyly chuckled at him, "I don't think so. Anyway where is Lam Sir office?"

    "Walk straight and the fourth door to the right," Kevin pointed and directed her while Benny is still trying to recall where he met her.

    "Thanks" Tavia politely said and walked off to look for her father.

    Kevin wrapped his arm around Benny, "That is the lamest pick up line I have ever hear. 'Have I met you before?'" he chuckled while Benny shoved him aside. They walked pass Bowie office and Benny peeked in to look at Tavia. He shrugged and dropped the matter.
    ~~~

  19. #19
    Senior Member C Monster's Avatar
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    A complicated and engaging modern fic that draws on many aspects of popular HK culture... from the glamour and gloss of the wealthy to honor and loyality of ganglife to the charting of the rise and fall of a hapless Everyman story to the training camp of the HK police and even to sowing seeds of vengence, possible switch births, misidentities etc... You seem to cover ALL the grounds in this epic piece.

    Much of my sympathy falls on Annie... through all the suffering, abandonments, tragedies and mishaps that has come to her life, she still remains as feisty as ever. A very strong-willed and determined girl that can stand up against anything, yet, retains still so much innocence and sweetness...

    Keep up the excellent work! Yak... <IMG SRC="smilies/thumbsup.gif" border="0">

    <font size="1">[ January 09, 2003: Message edited by: C Monster ]</font>

  20. #20
    Senior Member Yak's Avatar
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    <IMG SRC="smilies/smooch.gif" border="0"> C Monster, thanks so much for giving me a comment! Finally get a respond out of my reader, you don't know how happy I am. <IMG SRC="smilies/tearlaugh.gif" border="0"> Hope you are still interested in my next update! Once again thank for reading my story and commenting! If you are interested check out my other two fanfic, "The Others Soul" and "Noble Blood".

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