Hai-Ren’s composure was visibly crumbling. Her face flushed, and her eyes flashed with anger.
"Your own decisions? You’re a child who doesn’t know what’s good for her. This man—" she gestured at with barely concealed disgust, "—has clearly manipulated you. Filled your head with ideas, made you think you’re special when you’re just—"
"That’s enough." My voice cut through her tirade like a knife. "You’re making a scene, Mrs. Hai-Ren. At your daughter’s birthday party."
"Don’t you dare tell what to do," she snapped, her carefully maintained facade shattering completely. "This is your fault! You’ve turned my daughter against ! Poisoned her mind with your money and your false kindness!"
"Mother, please—" Hai-Min started, her voice trembling.
"Be quiet!" Hai-Ren’s voice rose sharply, causing heads to turn throughout the hall.
"You ungrateful girl. After everything I’ve done for you, this is how you repay ? Choosing strangers over your own family?"
Tears welled up in Hai-Min’s eyes, but she held her ground. "You never did anything for . Not really. You were never there. You never cared—"
"I fed you! Clothed you! Put a roof over your head!" Hai-Ren was nearly shouting now, all pretense of the refined society lady gone. "And this is the thanks I get? You living like so... so whore, throwing yourself at a man who clearly have multiple partners."
I wanted to argue, but the line of girls behind made that hard. Not the best way to begin a defense.
"Please, calm down." My voice stayed low.
"I’ll speak to my daughter however I want!" Hai-Ren turned her fury on fully now.
"What right do you have? What are you to her? Her employer? Her ’Big Brother’? Her lover?"
She threw the titles at one by one.
A faint smile almost tugged at my lips when I heard the last one.
"We both know what you really want from her. A pretty young thing to add to your collection. Does she know about the other won? Does she know this is all just—"
"Stop it!" Hai-Min’s voice cracked like a whip, silencing her mother.
Tears were streaming down her face now, but her expression was fierce.
"Just stop! You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to show up once a year and pretend to care. You don’t get to criticize the people who actually gave a damn about when you never did!"
"How dare you speak to —"
"No!" Hai-Min’s voice grew stronger, even through the tears. "How dare YOU! You ignored for eighteen years! Eighteen years, Mother! You couldn’t even rember my birthday half the ti! And now, now that I’m finally happy, now that I finally have people who appreciate , you want to drag back? Back to being invisible? Back to watching you fawn over Hai-Yen while I sit alone in my room wondering what was wrong with ?"
The entire hall had gone silent.
Hai-Ren’s face went through a rapid series of expressions—shock, anger, embarrassnt, rage.
"You... you selfish, ungrateful—" Her hand rose, and for a mont, I thought she might actually strike Hai-Min.
I moved before I could think, stepping between them. My hand caught her wrist mid-swing.
"Just stop. You’re only embarrassing yourself," I
Hai-Ren’s hand trapped in my grip, her face contorted with fury and humiliation, Hai-Min sobbing quietly behind .
"Let go of ," she hissed.
I released her wrist, but didn’t move from my protective position.
"I think you should leave, Mrs. Hai. You’ve done enough damage for one night."
"This isn’t over," Hai-Ren warned, her voice shaking with rage. "She’s my daughter. My blood. And I won’t let so... so rich kid steal her away with fancy parties and expensive gifts."
"I’m not stealing anyone. I’m giving Hai-Min sothing you never could—attention."
Hai-Ren’s eyes blazed. "She doesn’t belong with you. She belongs with her family."
"Then maybe," I paused. "you should have acted like family when it mattered."
In trying to reclaim her daughter, she instead revealed exactly what kind of mother she was
"Fine," she spat. "Stay here. Stay with him. But don’t co crying to when this all falls apart. When he gets bored of you and moves on to the next pretty face. Don’t expect to take you back."
"I won’t. I’ll never need you to take back. Because unlike you, the people here actually care about ."
Hai-Ren’s face twisted . Without another word, she turned and stalked toward the exit, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor.
Servers parted before her like water, none of them eting her eyes.
The mont she disappeared through the doors, the tension broke. Ellie imdiately pulled Hai-Min into a tight hug.
I turned to face Hai-Min. Her makeup was ruined, mascara tracking down her cheeks, her eyes red and puffy. But there was sothing different in her expression too—relief, perhaps. Or freedom.
"I’m sorry, Big Brother," she whispered. "I ruined the party—"
"You didn’t ruin anything," I pulled out my handkerchief to gently dab at her tears. "She did. And you stood up for yourself. I’m proud of you."
"Really?" Her voice was so soft, and too adorable.
"Really." I cupped her face gently, making sure she t my eyes. "You were brave. You chose yourself. That takes more strength than most people have."
"Co on," I gently held her hands. "Let’s get you cleaned up. We can’t have the birthday girl looking like this, can we?"
She laughed through her tears. "I must look terrible."
"You still look prettier than most girls in the world, even like this," I joked.
Her cheeks flushed a deep red, and she looked down, biting her lip to hide a small, shy smile.
As we helped her toward the restroom to fix her makeup, I glanced back at the entrance where Hai-Ren had disappeared.
Good riddance.
*****
*****
*****
An hour later, I headed to the top floor of the hotel. Rooms had been arranged here for everyone. It kept things simple.
Outside one of the VIP suite, I paused, then knocked.
The door opened after a short wait.
Fresh from a shower, Hai-Min stood there with damp hair resting on her shoulders. Clean clothes, soft lighting, quiet hallway—none of it hid the redness around her eyes.
She has been crying.
Good thing I ca to be there for her.
She gave a small smile, then turned and walked back to the bed
"Hey," I sat beside her. The mattress dipped with my weight. "You okay?"
She shook her head, not looking at . "No," she whispered, her voice thick. "I’m... I don’t know. I’m relieved, and I’m angry, and I’m scared. "
"Of course it’s a ss. You just released years of frustration." I gently nudged her shoulder with mine. "You were incredible, you know that?"
A single tear escaped, tracing a path down her cheek. "I just wanted her to love . Just once."
"You don’t have to want it anymore. You have people who do. People who are here. Who show up . You have ."
She leaned her head against my shoulder, her damp hair cool against my neck. "I’m so tired, Big Brother."
"Then get so sleep. We can talk about all this tomorrow. Tonight, you just need to rest."
I stood, giving her a gentle nod, ready to leave her.
Her hand shot out, fingers wrapping around my wrist. "Brother...Can you... can you sleep here tonight?"
My first instinct was a dozen reasons why that was a bad idea. Boundaries, appearances, the complicated knot of our relationship.
I looked down at her hand, then at her face, her wide, pleading eyes swimming in the soft lamplight.
All my reasons evaporated. I couldn’t say no to that.
"Alright, I’ll just change first."
I went into the bathroom, closing the door behind .
The sound of the shower was a welco curtain of white noise, washing away the tension of the night.
Then the door clicked open.
I didn’t look back—it would’ve given away. Instead, I stayed still and waited, watching to see what she would do next.
"Let wash your back for you," she whispered, already reaching out.
The scrape of the brush on my back was a strange, intimate , an act of service that was both innocent and tempting. I told myself it was just gratitude, a way for her to thank .
But then the brush stopped.
Her arms slid around my waist, and the soft, full press of her breasts against my back obliterated every rational thought.
There was no mistaking it. She was naked.
"Hai-Min... Are you really sure about this? You’re really pretty, so tempting like this is not good."
Her answer wasn’t words. It was the warm, wet press of her lips on my shoulder blade, a kiss that seared through like a brand. Her body molded tighter against , one hand sliding slowly down my stomach, her fingers tracing the line of muscle just above my hips.
"It’s okay. I want you to be my first."
Before I could respond, she kissed my shoulder again, soft at first, then a little firr, her teeth lightly nibbling.
I swallowed hard, the sound loud in the steam-filled bathroom. . We might not be blood related, but I did care about her more than anyone.
And now that she was openly offering up herself to , I got the sensation of guilt which was crazy considering how many girls I already slept with.
This was different. This wasn’t a conquest; it was a cornerstone.
I could feel that giving in now would open more than just her legs.
Reviews
All reviews (0)