Chapter 127 - One team, husband and wife

Shen looked down at his palms and sighed. She was already a part of his life, she had been since the day they met. He couldn't selectively shut her out from another part of his life. 

"Darling..." Lina said softly, the coldness in her eyes disappearing entirely. 

Shen looked into her eyes, recognizing the woman he had been in love with since the day they met. 

"Don't underestimate me. I'm stronger than you think." 

It was as if she could read his mind. 

There was no need to ponder this anymore. 

It was time to work together as a team. 

"We've been working with the main branch of the Lim clan for years. They're extremely powerful in country J and country C. They are directly related to royalty in country C and very well established here." 

Lina nodded, taking in everything her husband was saying. Their two heads were always better than one. 

"Moshi Corporation was initially a shipping company, enabling and establishing international trade in country J. We were the pioneers back in the day, and there is nobody as trusted as us in the industry. Over the years Moshi has expanded into various different markets, but shipping is still our main business." 

"Magnolia Holdings on the other hand...there's a reason they are so discrete. They trade under the table and in goods that are restricted in various regions." 

Lina furrowed her brow. 

"Then why did you get involved with them?" Lina asked, knowing full well that when you ran a corporation as big as Moshi, it was hard to remain clean. 

Shen drew in a deep breath. 

"Well, before my father took over, Moshi Corporation was declining. Our investments were failing, our business was also falling because of competition using underhanded methods. So...Moshi got involved with the Lims, did things for them that weren't entirely above board. That's how Moshi Corporation was saved from disaster." 

Lina bit her lip. It wasn't Shen or Soren Moshi who had voluntarily chosen to go into business with Magnolia Holdings. It was another member of the Moshi family's fatal error that got them involved with this dangerous clan. 

"Since then, we have had to continue working with them, because if we pulled out, they have too much information on our dealings in the past to completely destroy the company. However, now some illegal activities conducted by Moshi are reaching their statutes of limitation and we are slowly becoming free of their control, giving me a lot more room to negotiate our renewal contract." 

Lina looked thoughtful. This entire web was woven out of her husband's control. 

"Yet, they are people you cannot afford to offend." Lina said, understanding dawning upon her. 

"Especially because..." Shen began to explain, but stopped momentarily. This was something he didn't like talking about at all. 

But Lina had an inkling already. 

"Your brothers." she finished for him. 

He looked up at her, his eyes full of pain and anger. 

"They almost got my father killed." 

Lina felt a lump in her throat, seeing her husband's pained expression. He cared only about her and his parents in this life. 

And his brothers had almost taken his family away before she was there for him. He had suffered and fought all alone with his own blood. 

He'd had to compromise, and bend his own morals, bow to people who threatened him and beg for his parents. 

He didn't have to tell her. She could see it on his face. 

"In trying to overthrow my father out of greed, Shao and Shigeo went behind my father's back and made deals with the Lims' competitors for a quick buck and indulged in..." he stopped speaking again. 

The things they had done were abhorrant. 

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me." Lina knew he wasn't trying to hide anything from her. He was just too ashamed. He shared the same blood as those monsters. 

Shen remembered the days he had fought his brothers after finding out just how far they had gone. 

They had used the Moshi fleet to ship women and children that had been kidnapped and sold at auctions. They had faciliated the most heinous kind of human traficking. 

Shen continued.

"Five years ago I was able to stop them and take my position as the CEO of Moshi Corp. I...locked my brothers away. They would be too dangerous if they were anywhere but under my nose. Last week...my oldest brother Shao, he escaped. So, I've been on edge." 

Lina gasped. He had been going through so much, and yet had tried his best to shield her. Her heart ached for him. Why?! Why was he so generous. 

"How can you not share your burden with your wife?" she asked in a small voice, dejected. 

"How can I put my dearest wife in any danger or under any stress, when all I want...is for her to get better?" Shen said softly, holding her delicate chin between his index finger and thumb and tilting her sad-looking face up to his. 

Her expressive, large eyes were brimming with tears at his words. 

Once again, there was an understanding between the couple. Shen kissed her deeply. 

It was a genuine, loving kiss, devoid of any emotion but faith and trust. 

"You're not going to marry Lila, are you?" Lina asked in a small voice, playing with her fingers, too embarassed to look at Shen. 

Shen's face scrunched up. 

"How do you know they're trying to push her on to me?" 

Lina turned her face away nervously and laughed a short, scared laugh. 

Now it was her turn to spill the story of her snooping. She wasn't going to get away. He would probably punish her. 

And be angry or disappointed at her for disobeying him? 

Suddenly Lina clamped up nervously. She didn't want her sweet husband to be in any way displeased with her after the sweet moments of trust they had shared just now. 

"I promise I won't be angry at you, angel." Shen reassured her, reading her mind. 

Her face could be so easy to read sometimes, he almost laughed at her cute pout. 

Lina bit her lip nervously and decided to face him and come clean. 

"I know...because tonight...I was also there. I was there at the Lim Villa."