Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 112567 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 563(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112567 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 563(@200wpm)___ 450(@250wpm)___ 375(@300wpm)
“You needed your sleep.”
Then, you wake me up from the best dream of my life.
Sighing, I looked back at the elevator doors and placed my hands in my pocket. “I am very close to killing all of you. It would be so easy. Bullets in all of your heads. Everything solved with just a bit of gunfire. I do have the guns. I also have the fingers to pull the triggers. Day by day, I am getting the motivation.”
“We all understand that you are grieving, but it is crucial for me to note that your irrational actions—”
“What irrational actions?”
“Stealing Chanel’s body. Kidnapping Monique—”
“I am not kidnapping Monique.” In my pocket, I tightened my grip on the handcuffs. “I am keeping her safe from my father.”
The elevator stopped.
Next, the doors opened.
I stormed off needing to get away from Chen.
He rushed to my side. “I will give you one more day to have Chanel’s body and then I am going to make an executive decision.”
“You make no decisions.”
“Under regulation 576, a Deputy Mountain Master can deem the Mountain Master mentally unstable and override some actions for the betterment of the empire. This would mean my returning Chanel’s body so that the West and South do not start a war with us—”
“If you return Chanel’s body without my knowledge, then put all of your affairs in order because I will be burying you that evening.”
“Lei. . .” Chen lowered his voice. “There have been whispers.”
“There are always whispers.”
“Our people think you are. . .”
In my other pocket, I held onto the wooden dagger. “What do our people think, Chen?”
“They whisper that you are doing things to her body.”
I rolled my eyes and picked up my pace.
Of course they would think that.
And it wasn’t like the possibility had not crossed my mind.
I wasn’t crazy enough to sleep with Chanel’s dead body, but I wanted to touch her skin, run my fingers along her face, and smell her hair.
But doing that would be crossing a line that I didn’t think I would come back from. Because there was this thought in the back of my head that made me think that I might like touching Chanel’s corpse.
And if I did, then there would be no helping me anymore.
Chen sighed. “We can talk about this later.”
“We will not.”
“I do have something else to say.”
“I’m sure you do.”
“Monique will not be seated next to you during dinner.”
I stopped in the middle of the hallway and sneered. “What?”
“Security footage caught Uncle Leo leaving our aunts’ suite before we arrived today.”
I shook my head. “Of course they are helping him.”
“I then went to the earlier tapes that showed when Uncle Leo entered. He had a long blue jacket on, but I caught blood on his shoes, hands, and neck. His hair was also wet. I’m sure it was due to blood.”
“So he went to Aunt Min’s suite to shower and change?”
Chen nodded. “I am sure you want to discuss this with our aunts.”
I stormed off. “Damn right. I told everyone to not help him.”
“And since your father was washing off Monique’s father’s blood.”
I gritted my teeth.
“And Monique now seems to be enjoying her evening.”
Tension gathered in my shoulders.
Chen continued, “I figured I would put Monique further away from this conversation about Uncle Leo. I think she should enjoy tonight.”
“She should.”
“However, I know you well, cousin.”
“Which means?”
“I put Monique in a seat where you can easily see her while talking to our aunts about their disobedience.”
I tightened my grip on the handcuffs. “Once this conversation with our aunts is done, I leave with Monique. I will not sit in that dinner any longer.”
“That is fine.” Chen guided us to the room at the end. “Are you ready?”
I closed my eyes and fingered the objects in my pocket.
“Lei?”
Swallowing down sadness, I opened my eyes. “I’m ready.”
Chapter twenty
Meddling Aunts and Naughty Balls
Lei
My men opened the dining room’s double doors.
Chatter and glass clinking greeted my ears, but I still didn’t get a view.
Chen entered before me and loudly declared, “The Mountain Master has arrived!”
All chatter ceased.
Next, movement sounded telling me that everyone was rising from their seats.
Music began to play. Notes collided with one another, like liquid fire cascading down a mountain. It was always the same song when I entered a ceremony or formal event, growing louder and faster until it all reached a fevered pitch of ridiculousness.
Once my father is dead, I am getting rid of this damn song.
With both hands in my pockets, I returned to fingering the hidden items—the jeweled cuffs and wooden dagger. I didn’t know why the objects brought me comfort. I just knew I probably wouldn’t have been able to stomach all of this fanfare without them.
Next, the song’s ancient drums filled the air, signaling for me to enter.
My heartbeat matched the rhythm.
Here we go.
I stepped into the hotel’s grand dining hall and was immediately ensnared by the spectacle that unfurled before me.