No, I was the reason. I did everything in my power to keep that little girl off of Chang’s radar. I said nothing. I hated Joseph so much I put a bullet right between his eyes. Cousin or not. He must have had a serious change of heart, because he spilled her little secret and was going to kill Cecily. I wasn’t going to let that happen. For now, I kept that bit of information to myself.
“Chang asked Joseph to rig my car.”
I listened intently. “He seemed to have always had Joseph doing his dirty little deeds.”
Nina continued on. “Joseph and I planned it so that I would be ejected before it exploded. I’m not sure who the dead woman was in the car with me, but that’s who you buried.”
“Nina, why didn’t you tell me? I would have helped you. There is nothing I wouldn’t have done for you.”
“Do you really want to know the truth?”
“You come waltzing in here after almost fifteen years. I sure as hell think I deserve the truth don’t you?”
“I didn’t tell you because . . .” The faraway look in her eyes came back to rest on me. “You wanted to be the spitting image of Chang. He was a monster.”
Those words knocked the breath out of me. It was as if she’d shoved a knife into my chest and twisted it around and around.
“I’m nothing like Chang.”
“Really? You want power, Gina. That’s no secret. You killed Joseph. You killed Mr. Wong as you’re trying to consolidate your power within The Family, and you killed Chang. Most people suspect he didn’t actually die of a heart-attack, but I know you killed him. I knew you would . . . eventually. Two alpha lions couldn’t roam the same pride for long. Honestly, I expected it to happen long before now.”
At first, I said nothing. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “I did what I needed to do to protect your daughter!”
“Don’t blame this on Cecily. You wanted Chang’s empire, and nothing was going to stop you from getting it.”
“You ungrateful little bitch! I sacrificed everything, because I loved you and by extension your daughter. Yet, you walk in here after fifteen years—FIFTEEN years—trying to judge me for my actions? Do you even know what I went through all this time trying to keep him from finding out about her? No. Because you were off doing God knows what.”
I was feeling hot all over. I needed to calm down. “Where were you? What were you doing all this time! No.” I put my hands up to stop her words. My chest was tight. I’d get answers to those questions another time. “Why are you here Nina? Why not just pretend to still be dead?”
“Chang is dead. I want my life back.”
“Wait a minute? What do you mean you want your life back? I know you’re not talking about Cecily?”
“I want everything that will says I’m entitled to.”
The will doesn’t mention her. Ooooohhh. “Okay. I get it. You came back for the money, not your daughter.”
“Maybe both.”
What was I hearing? Who was this woman sitting in front of me? It wasn’t Nina Lee-Xiou, the sister I’ve always loved more than life itself. Anger I’d never felt before rose up from deep inside of me. “What the hell do you mean maybe both? You’re not going to go anywhere near Cecily.”
“Aren’t you being overly dramatic? Look . . . let’s just get these papers signed, and we’ll figure everything else out later.” Her words were spoken so flippantly I could barely wrap my mind around them. “If I get what I’m entitled to maybe I’ll disappear again.”
She came back for the money. THE MONEY! I had to keep it together. I breathed in deeply through my nose then calmly responded. “I see.” Nina had Chang’s blood running through her veins after all.
I had heard enough. I stood and walked over to the door then opened it. “Gentlemen, please come back inside. I think we’re ready.”
Between Woo and Associates, my lawyers, and Nina’s, the room was packed tight. She walked over and had the nerve to sit in the chair where I’d been sitting. She’s lucky the death stare I gave her didn’t actually extend to her physically. Instead of completely losing it, I walked around the table and took a seat opposite her.
I could have melted Nina’s lawyer with my eyes when he spoke. “While we were in the waiting room, your administrative assistant provided us with a copy of Chang’s Last Will and Testament.
I leaned over and whispered into my lawyer’s ear. He stood. “Excuse me. I need to make a phone call. I’ll be right back.”
Mr. Woo blew out a frustrated breath as he responded to him. “Gina, we reviewed your set of documents before these surprising developments occurred. You can begin signing your copies, and I’ll have Lucy prepare another set for Nina.”
I said nothing and started to sign the papers. Just as I was about to put my signature on the last document my lawyer returned.
He sat back down and leaned over to whisper into my ear exactly what I wanted to hear. Fantastic.
I signed the last document. “Finished.” I stood as did the rest of my team. “How long before everything is recorded, and I can start making decisions.”
Nina’s lawyer
