Chapter 109 - Fate

Andrea was staring blankly at the wooden box when Lu Fang came up from behind. She was already at the office, inside the man's private room feeling the need to internalize Gabriel's revelation.

She received a peck on her right cheek before the man held her chin, guiding it to the direction of his mouth. They kissed for a brief moment before pulling a chair in front of her.

"How did it go, babe?"

She nodded while pursing her lips then narrated everything that happened including her former lover's apology. She began to recall their exchanges back in the hospital.

"I asked Uncle Harry to look into your kidnapping… It wasn't even hard to find out. You left clues and I never even…I never even took notice. Alexander Bean was not even keeping it to himself, blabbing to the prison guards hoping someone involved would pay for the information." Gabriel was looking out the window, leaning forward with his hands apart, next to the window frame. He was telling Andrea how he found out the truth.

She recalled promising to keep Alexander Bean, her previous kidnapper, alive for the information he gave her. He was a slick at negotiator.

"When you left, I began to feel empty. I tried looking for you and mom knew it… She told me you threatened her and dad because of my betrayal towards you forced them to give you some of the Davies properties, including company shares."

"She told me… you only wanted the money – "

"Now, Gabe. That sounds more like your mother, don't you think?" Andrea protested.

"I know, I realized that too late. I did not open up to dad until a year ago and only then that I found out how the properties ended up under your name… most importantly how your conversation with dad went before you left."

"Mom came up with lies after lies. I know now, it was her way of keeping me where she wanted me to be and that was with Taya." He then turned to Andrea and continued telling her about the company shares from Taya's family which Nancy managed to get through him. Eventually, it became hard for him to let go of Taya as he was already committed to their business and Nancy refuses to give back the said shares.

"The way she treated dad became worst when you had left... She doesn't deserve him… not at all."

"Gabe, I'm happy that you finally have seen through your mother's intentions." She took a moment to think of what to say next the finally was able to let it out, "I can't blame you. I, myself, I craved for Nancy's attention. After all, she was the mother that I grew up to know... "

Andrea looked up to him and made sure her next message gets across well, "but the decision to leave me, ultimately, it came from you, Gabe. Maybe, at the back of your mind, you truly thought I wasn't deserving of being your partner… I think you were just too easily swayed."

Almost immediately, he turned his back, hiding the tears that flowed down his cheeks. He felt a knife stabbed through his heart. He already knew this, yet, being told of his mistakes was more painful than he ever imagined. He lost a treasure... He lost Andy. He did not have enough backbone to make the right and best choices for himself.

"Gabe, can we… can we just be friends?"

"I'll try my best, Andy. I will try my best… I will stay away for a while," his sincere promise gave Andrea comfort knowing they won't be enemies after all.

"Do you love him? Are you sure that he loves you?"

"Gabe, I've never been so sure in my life, thank you for listening to me and to Dad's advice… From now one, let's be siblings… let's be friends."

Back to Lu-Wei Enterprises, it was already eight in the evening and the couple was late to for their supposed dinner with the parents. The Lus and Alfred were at the Marigold Hotel and have been since seven o'clock.

"Babe, let's hurry," said Andrea as she opened the office door for him.

"It's Bolin's fault. He walks rather slowly in handing me the reports!"

His poor assistant reacted that she reprimanded the man, "he is injured! We should be happy he is already walking!"

Gao Rou and General Lei's soldiers were already waiting in the parking lot and as soon as they hopped in the car, they sped through the roads of Beijing hoping to arrive there in no time.

Lu Fang was feeling nervous, wondering what his parents were talking about to his soon to be father-in-law. "I hope they are getting along just fine."

"Don't worry, babe. You know dad can be incredibly funny. For all we know, they are probably laughing, drinking, talking about the little me and the little you…" she paused for a second and remember being constantly asked by Christina if she had already conceived, "they may even be talking about baby yous and baby mes."

The man chucked and placed an arm around her before saying, "I like a lot of baby yous."

Upon arriving at the Marigold Hotel, the couple walked at a steady pace, relieved that they had finally arrived. Back in the car they both tried to contact their parents but were not answering. They assumed that they were having a blast or enjoying their meals.

When the doors of the private room were opened, they were taken aback at the sight before them.

There was no food ordered, instead, there were only six bottles of water, all empty.

Two boxes of facial tissues were on the table, also empty, and pieces of it were scatted.

The greatest shocker of all, all eyes of their parents were swollen and red!

As if in synched, the couple thought, 'Oh my god, wonder what they argued or talked about?'

Christina immediately stood seeing their startled faces and came up to them. She held a hand from each and said, "Lu Fang, Andy do you believe in fate?"