Chapter 2 Destined To Meet

A few seconds of tense silence later, Sabina and Ashley glanced at each other, and as if by mutual consent, changed the topic.

"Let's leave. I'm tired of all the drinking and singing. Let's go to that spicy hot pot restaurant we often visit! I believe Jean misses the food there very much," Sabina said.

Jean's eyebrows rose in surprised appreciation. "Well, that's a good idea! You called me here the moment I got off the plane and now I'm almost starving to death!"

"Then why are we still wasting time? Let's get out of here right now!"

Sabina, a quick mover and a go-getter in her own right, pulled Ashley and Jean by the hand and out they went.

They made their way to the restaurant and after a wholesome feast that took them hours to finish, Jean waved goodbye to Sabina and Ashley. It was late at night and she felt a chill zip through her veins as she waited for her brother, Andy Jian, at the street corner.

Jean looked around at the people bustling around her on the street and was soon lost in thought.

The first thing that came to her mind was Stark's blazing eyes, which looked so furious. The very notion was ridiculous!

Why would he be angry? He should be pleased that she had gone abroad. Instead, he was behaving like she had abandoned him. That didn't make sense at all!

She closed her eyes, trying to figure it all out.

The man's cold voice from the night of the engagement party sounded in her ears again.

"I would rather marry a barmaid of a nightclub than you, Jean!"

Her lower lip trembled, but before she could break down, the sudden honk of a car startled her back into the present.

She looked in the direction of the noise and found a black car parked on the roadside, its windows rolled down.

Andy was waving at her from within it.

Jean smiled and made her way to the car. Once she had got in and settled down, Andy eased the car into the traffic and drove slowly away from that street.

"You shouldn't have gone out and gotten crazy the moment you got off the plane. Mom and Dad are fortunately still on a business trip. You'd have been scolded if they had known!" Andy said, mildly berating his sister.

"I know they aren't at home, or I wouldn't have met my friends. If they were, I would have gone and confessed to them right away," Jean retorted.

Andy looked at Jean affectionately and shook his head.

"What's your plan after coming back this time?"

"Let's not talk about this now," she said and changed the subject. "You tell me, brother. How are you doing? Are you still in good health?"

Andy's smile froze for a second, but he soon switched back to normal as he said gently, "Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

"That's good," Jean replied, her eyes lowered so that Andy wouldn't see the pain in them.

Andy suffered from a congenital heart disease and had had an operation when he was young. His health remained delicate and about a month ago, had even caused him to faint at work.

Her parents had told her the news over the phone a week ago.

That was one of the reasons why she had returned.

Early morning, in the Lu family's old house...

Stark entered the room, the smell of alcohol strong on his breath, only to find his father, William Lu, sitting on the sofa. Stark's face darkened. He was in no mood to talk to his father right now. So he strode past William and made to go upstairs.

"Stop! Don't you want to greet your father when you come home?" William's tough voice sounded from behind him.

Stark stopped in his tracks, but didn't turn around. A disdainful snort escaped him at William's question.

"I don't see my father here. Only a murderer," he said, his jaw clenched.

William's face darkened with rage and he thumped the tea table loudly as he shouted, "Stark! How dare you? I'm your father!"

"How dare I? You're just irritated because I'm telling the truth!" Stark retorted, his words slurring a little.

"You..."

William pointed a finger at him, trembling with anger.

"I don't want to quarrel with you right now. Your grandmother is in poor health and I'm here just to tell you that you must attend the birthday party of the young lady from the WH Group tomorrow evening."

Stark turned around abruptly to fix his father with a cold stare. His sharp eyes seemed to be able to see through his father's heart.

"William Lu, I'm warning you, you'd better mind your own business!"

Stark knew that his father wanted him to be with Faye Lin, the said young lady of the WH Group.

He would never trade his marriage and happiness just for some benefits in business!

"You're such an asshole!" William yelled. He knew he couldn't persuade his son and turned and walked out, his anger evident in his strides.

Stark made his way to the window, gazing out angrily, his brows bunched as he consumed one cigarette after another.

A while later, something seemed to occur to him and he stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray with his slender fingers.

He dialed a number on his phone.

"It's me... Check something for me. I want to know how long has Jean been back. And..." Stark paused for a second, before continuing, his eyes twinkling, "Did she come back alone?"

The secretary at the other end reminded Stark of the schedule, and later, asked him if she should pencil in Faye's birthday on it. He wanted to say no, but then he changed his mind and agreed to go.

At Faye's birthday party held in Glorious Hotel.

Stark stood stoically, a glass of wine in hand, as he surveyed the room. Jonney Xu winked at him, an evil smile playing on his lips.

"Oh, I hadn't expected you to be here, Stark! Is the rumor true that the Lu Group wants to unite with the WH Group through marriage?" Jonney asked faux-innocently.

Stark looked coldly at Jonney, conveying his wrath in that one look. Jonney quickly took two steps backwards and said, "I was just kidding. Don't take it too seriously!"

He backed away and once he had regained his wits, asked Joe, "What's wrong with Stark? He's plain frightening today! I wonder who made him unhappy this time! Faye Lin?"

Joe studied Stark for a few seconds before he answered Jonney's question with an obscure smile. "Faye isn't that important to him. He's annoyed because Jean has returned. We met her in Nature Bar last night.

After that, Stark began to down alcohol as if it was water."

"Jean has come back?" Jonney said, astonished.

The smile in Joe's eyes deepened as he raised his chin, pointing, and said, "Speak of the devil. Look, here is the girl."

Joe had barely finished talking before Stark's eyes fell on Jean, who was now standing in the entrance.

She was wearing a black sleeveless dress that left her delicate collarbone bare. The design flattered her figure, highlighting her waistline.

The dress was slit up to her thigh and as she walked, her long, white legs played hide-and-seek, a game that was rather eye-catching to anyone who was watching her.

Jean entered the venue and almost immediately spotted Stark standing aside from the crowd, looking like he had swallowed something bitter. She frowned.

It turned out they were destined to meet over and over again.

Noticing that his sister had stopped in her tracks and that she was gazing into the crowd, Andy followed her line of sight. A similar frown as Jean's creased his eyebrows as his eyes found Stark.

"Why is Stark here? Is he really going to marry the daughter of the WH Group's chairman?"

Andy exclaimed. But he soon lowered his head and said to Jean, "Do you want to go back? I'll explain to Mom and Dad later if you do."

"No, that's okay. I figured this had to happen sooner or later ever since I decided to come back and work here. I can't avoid him every single time, can I?"

Jean tore her gaze away from Stark and began mingling with the guests, greeting acquaintances as if nothing had happened.

Jonney clicked his tongue and said, "Is this really that Jean? She isn't rushing to Stark at first sight and isn't even casting a second glance at him!"

Joe chuckled at Jonney's astonished tone. He wasn't surprised today because he had seen the change in Jean last night.

"Who is this woman? I've never seen her before. Is that Andy's girlfriend? Ooh, such a slender waist and such long legs! They are really... Hmmm!"

A man squinted at Jean, his eyes glinting with an ugly lust.

He had barely finished speaking when his head lurched forward as a glass shattered against it. He clutched his head, howling and grimacing in pain. When he had recovered enough to muster his strength, he began to curse and turned around to investigate. "Who? Who the hell ...?"

Behind him stood Stark, slowly retracting his hand that had obviously thrown the glass.

"Sorry, my hand slipped," Stark said, every part of him seething in fury.

The man's face turned red with anger. Anyone with a discerning eye knew that Stark had done it on purpose.

However, he knew that he couldn't afford to offend Stark. And before he could do any damage, his companion pulled him away and they quickly left, clearly dejected.

Jonney and Joe looked at each other, knowing smiles on their lips.

Stark didn't care about the whispers erupting beside him. He watched Jean communicate with the others in the crowd and then, pursing his lips, walked angrily towards her.