Heartless People |Book 3|

Chapter 22

I, on the other hand, did smile. I smiled so wide I wouldn't have been surprised if he was able to count all my fucking teeth. Nothing pissed your enemy off more than seeing you smile.

Finally, Lisa walked to the podium to thank our President for his kind words.

"Note to self, hire the presidential speechwriter," she said, causing everyone to laugh. Taking a deep breath she sighed before she began her speech. "I wish I could say that everything President Myoi said was true. He made it seem as if we'd thought long and hard about this, but in all honesty, everything happened so quickly that there was barely any time to think. We simply reacted to a problem presented to us. There were many times when we were scared, tired, and just fed up. And while it feels like a lifetime ago, it is not something I ever want to go through again. It was hell. Being separated from my wife, my newborn son, my entire life; it was hell.

"Which puts into perspective the millions of Americans; firefighters, police officers, government agents, all who wake up every day knowing that they might have to go through hell, but they still get up and do their jobs. Walking five months in their shoes, I can say that those are the people I am humbled, astonished, and proud to share a nation with. There should be medals of freedom for them all to show the gratitude we feel."

When we hugged again, I whispered, "St. Lisa, the people's hero."

At that point, Ethan grew fussy, which luckily for us gave us an excuse to escape the press. Lisa whispered something into Myoi's ear and he nodded and gave the signal to his advisors that we were through here. Surrounded by the secret service, we walked behind the President through the halls, which were lined with portraits of all past Presidents, until we reached the Oval Office. I should've been shocked to find Mina standing there, but I wasn't.

"Sweetheart, you look horrible, what's the matter?" her mother asked, as she walked over to give her daughter a hug.

Mina didn't return it, she just stood there, frozen as she stared at me. I knew she must have thought of running. But with the tracker around her ankle, where could she really go?

"You still have a press conference to do," she whispered.

"They can wait a moment. After all, it's not like they have anything better to do," Myoi replied to their daughter's dismay.

"She was hoping for a private moment to speak with you," I told them, as I took a seat on the couch and placed Ethan on my knee.

"Sweetheart?" her mother whispered, as she brushed the strands of her hair.

"I'm fine. I should head back."

"I don't understand," President Myoi said as he looked between us.

Before he had a chance to say another word, the door opened and Bambam came in, dressed quite sharply in black suit and red tie.

He looked straight at Mina for a moment, and as she took a timid a step forward, he all but cut her down with a look of disgust and anger in his eyes, causing her to take a much larger step back.

"Right on time, big brother, your wife here has a lot of press to do today, isn't that right? I'm sure you both can come off as a loving couple for the camera," Lisa said as she waved him inside.

"Yes, I can. Is there anything else you need?" he asked, and I glanced at Lisa who smirked.

We'd broken him, which meant that we had to fix him...but that part would come later.

"Wife," Bambam called for Mina with an unfamiliar harshness that caused her to shudder.

She took his arm, and turned to leave.