Lei
When we got home from dinner with my parents, I immediately called my lawyer. I knew what I should do.
When I got beside her on her bed, I really wanted to kiss her. I did. But, I know it's wrong. Yes, we're getting married and she agreed to it. Still, I have to know my limits. I have to earn her love again. I've been really selfish. I want to give back to her.
So, the next morning, I decide to make her breakfast. Ok...I admit...I didn't really cook it on my own. I had the help of my chef. Omelet is not that hard...but I want it to taste good for her. I also brought her flowers. It wasn't that hard to get them.
I also took her out for some shopping and just strolling around. I wanted her to be comfortable with me again. Just like the old days. I don't want to see the fear and pity I've seen in her eyes these past few days. I want her to love me again.
I know she still loves Mark. I can feel it. I even heard her say his name one night in her sleep. My heart aches, but it was my fault. I shouldn't have treated her that way. I regretted it since she broke up with me in high school. And I am regretting it more now.
Today is the best day we've spent together, so far. Most especially when I finally announced to everybody that she's the woman I'm going to marry.
What made me change my mind about the wedding date? Simple. When we get married, I want her to accept me as a real lover. I want her to love the idea of marrying me. When she would say she loves me back, that's the only time I'd marry her. For now, I just need to work hard to get to that point. Why? I love her, that's why.
However, the perfect day - supposed to be - doesn't go undisturbed. My father had to call me just when we get home from the charity event. Way to destroy the night!
He says, he'd do anything and everything to stop her from marrying me or vise versa. Can't they just accept that I want her? Why do they have to dictate everything?
What made me really angry was when he said he'd take her away if he had to and take back the company from me. Well... he can get his company back if that's what he wants. I just want Jess' company to be given back to her.
I throw the phone across the lawn and start hitting the nearest thing I see - the brick wall. I try to let it all out before I get in. I don't want Jess to be seeing me like this anymore. I don't want her to be scared of me or pity my condition. The pots of flowers along the front steps become shreds of broken clay and soil as I kick them off the stairs. I would've destroyed the doorknob if it weren't for the guard turning it to open the door for me.
As I enter the house, Jess comes down the stairs, all worried. I hate that look in her eyes. I try to get away from her as much as I can but she's just being persistent. I don't want to hurt her anymore, you see. I try my fucking hardest to dismiss the urge boiling from deep inside me. I lock myself up in the bathroom just to restrain myself from touching her.
The glass surrounding the shower crash down on the floor after I hit it repeatedly with my fists and feet. All the bottles on the counter roll on the floor.
I hear Jess shouting and banging the door from the other side, but I muffle the sounds by putting my hands up against my ears. I sit on the cold tile floor and wait for the shouting to subside. It does...in an hour.
I undress and dip my body in the tub, hoping that the water would cool me down. But, it doesn't.
Instead, all the things that's been bothering me all this time resurface in my mind - father, the company, Jess, her dad's company, Jin-Ah, mother, drugs, women.
Unconsciously, my hand gets a hold of a broken piece of the glass and I start cutting my arm with it. The pain is nothing compared to the one that's burning me from the inside. I continue cutting until the tiles under me are covered with my warm, thick blood.
Everything turns black.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Jess
"Oh my God!"
I run to Lei's unconscious body on the floor. Blood flowing from him and spreading over the tiles.
"David," I shout at the guard beside me, who seems shocked at what he sees, "call an ambulance. QUICK!"
Lei, why did you do this? You know I have your back. Why? Don't leave me now. We can fight this together. You have to be strong.
Tears don't stop flowing.
Hours in the waiting room and the doctor still isn't coming out.
How is he? Please don't let him die. Not now that he's trying to change. Please....
The sun is already brightening the sky outside when the doctor tells me that it's ok to go in.
"He's lost too much blood," the doctor says. "Also, we found something else."
"What is it?" I ask nervously.
"We've gone through his past records and it shows that he has 'autism'."
Why doesn't that shock me.
"Has he been using drugs?"
"I believe so." I answer.
"People with autism are more prone to drug addiction. When they get addicted, their brains become more and more confused. Thus, they tend to hurt themselves if not others."
That quite explains his behavior. I sob again as the doctor continues.
"Are you his wife?"
"Fiance."
"I hope you take good care of him. Watch what he does. Monitor his every action. Make sure he doesn't go near any kind of illegal drugs from now on."
"Is there a cure?"
"I'm sorry. You just need to make sure he doesn't get too stressed or hurt."
"Doctor?" I call him out before he gets to the door.
"Yeah?"
"I hope you don't disclose his condition to anybody." I look at him with pleading eyes. If his father would know about this, I'm sure he'd have a pretty good reason to take the company back. "Please."
He smiles, showing that he understands, and nods.
David stays with me in the room while other men guard the outside.
I sit on the chair beside Lei's bed and hold his hand. "Lei, please be ok." I pray.
I don't notice I've dozed off when I feel a gentle squeeze on my hand.
"Jess?" A very soft whisper.
I look up and Lei's eyes are looking down on me. "How are you feeling?" I ask, sitting up straight but not letting go of his hand.
"I'm sorry." Tears run down his eyes as he tries to move his other hand to touch my face.
"Don't move," I tell him, leaning closer to him, "just rest. Do you need anything?"
"I love you, Jess."
I smile at him, wiping his tears with my thumb. "I know Lei. I know."
"I'm sorry about everything."
"I know." I answer again. "I'm here for you. You know that right?"
He nods, very weakly. "Thank you!"
I stare at him while stroking his hair. After what the doctor said, I feel more determined to help him. I can't leave him now.
"Jess?" He whispers.
"Hm?"
"Whatever happens, I want you to be happy."
I furrow my brows but I still nod.
"You know my lawyer's number? You have to call him."
"Now?" I turn to take his phone from the drawer of the bedside table but he stops my hand.
"No." He shakes his head. "Later. As long as you have his number. There's another phone you could use. It's in my room back in the house. In one of the drawers there. His number is stored there." As he speaks, I hear him trying to catch his breath.
"Lei, enough talking," I tell him, "just rest for now. You can tell me all about it later. OK?"
He nods and closes his eyes.
"I'll just go talk to the doctor," I whisper in his ear.
He doesn't let go of my hand, "Don't leave me."
I smile down at him. "I'll be back." I give him a peck on the forehead before heading out the door with David. I tell two guards from outside to accompany Lei.
As we head to the doctor's office, I see a familiar guy coming towards us.
Jin-Ah? How'd he know we're here?
"Ah-Cy," he calls out, running towards me and pulling me to his arms. "Is he ok?" He sounds really worried. That's a first. The last time I talked to him he didn't give a damn about his brother.
"Yeah," I answer as I pull away from his embrace. "He just lost too much blood, but the doctor said he's gonna be fine. What are you doing here?"
"I went to your house and the maid told me what happened."
Damn it! Didn't I instruct them not to tell anybody about this. Shit! I make a mental note to call them later, in case Lei's father looks for him.
"Why are you looking for me anyway?"
"I need to talk to you." He looks at David standing behind me, "can we go outside to talk?"
I turn to David and nod at him, "it's ok. I'll be back." I assure him.
"What is it?" I ask him as soon as we get to the front of the hospital and seat on a bench. I don't want to go farther because I know Lei would be looking for me in a while.
He runs his hand through his hair. He seems disturbed...nervous.. I can't really tell. He licks his lips and looks behind me.
Before I even get a chance to look at what he's staring at, hands grab me from behind. One hand covers my mouth and my feet leave the ground as another man lifts them. In a second, I'm in a van.
"Sorry, Ah-Cy," Jin-Ah sits in the front.
"What's all this? Jin-Ah? Why are you doing this? Let me go. Your brother needs me." I try to wriggle myself free from the men's grip but they are much too strong.
"Let's go," he instructs the driver, ignoring my questions.
What the fuck is going on? I thought Jin-Ah is on my side. What's he doing?
"Jin-Ah," I shout at him but one man covers my mouth.
"Don't hurt her," Jin-Ah commands him.
I bite down hard at the hand and he lets go. "What the fuck is going on?"
"Shut up, Ah-Cy!" He yells.
"Can you at least tell me why you're taking me? I thought we had a deal?"
"Deal?" He smirks, "Deal my ass. You bitch just broke it."
"What?"
"You think you can take all for yourself, didn't you? You thought I wouldn't find out about your little evil scheme?"
"What are you talking about Jin-Ah. What scheme? I never tricked you. What are you saying?"
"As if you don't know." He turns around to face me, "I know the company is under Lei now. Why didn't you tell me? You made me look like an idiot in front of my father."
"Wait.." I put one hand up to stop him from talking. "I just learned about it the other day, Jin-Ah. I was planning on telling you. Things just happened."
"You liar."
"You talked to your father?" That's another first from him. Why?
"It doesn't matter."
Fuck! Even if I scream and make a fuss here, I won't be able to go out. There are a total of six men, including Jin-Ah, and all of them are armed.
Lei! He's so gonna be worried right now. He's too weak to take action. Who's gonna get me out of this? Please....just let him be alright. I hope they don't take him out of the hospital. I'm just worried that his father would soon catch up on him. God knows what he's gonna do. Shit!
What happens to me now? Is Jin-Ah planning to kill me? If he wants the company, then why not go straight to Lei? Why me?
I only realized that I have fallen asleep when I hear a phone ringing. I open my eyes to see Jin-Ah answer his. "I'm busy, hyung. Can we just talk later?"
Hyung? Could it be GD?
I intentionally shout so whoever the person on the other line is would hear me. I just hope it's someone who could recognize my voice.
"Jin-Ah you crazy son of a bitch!"
When he hangs up, he turns around. The look in his eyes sends shivers down my spine. It's something I haven't seen from him before.
"You call me son-of-a-bitch one more time and you're gonna see yourself dead in a ditch somewhere."
I immediately lean back on the seat. These brothers are killing me with their insanity. I lean my head and close my eyes.
Mark! I cry silently as his face fills my mind.
I don't even know how long we've been in the car. But, I think we're going south. We stopped three times for food, but I really can't eat. It's already dark outside...it's been dark for hours.
I'm afraid ... I admit. This shit is scaring me to death. I don't know what he's planning and I'm not sure if I would see Mark again....or Lei...or my parents... or all my friends. Would Mark even know? He would think I just went on with my life. Who would watch over Lei now? How about my parents' company? Vic? GD? Would they notice I'm gone? Aside from Lei, nobody else would know I'm missing.
"I know why Lei has everything and you don't," I tell Jin-Ah. "Because you're as greedy as your father. You think I'd cheat you? You think your brother doesn't care about you?"
He looks at me through the rearview mirror, puzzled.
"You're as conceited as can be."
He turns and reaches his hand only to hold me by my cheeks. He squeezes them tight with his hand. "You don't know what I've been through, Ah-Cy," he yells, holding my face close to him. "You don't know shit about me. I've been alone all my life with nobody to turn to. And this is what I get?"
I roll my eyes at him.
"You and Lei had everything you wanted. You didn't experience anything I had." He's still clutching my cheeks and I feel it hurting. "The luxury I should've had...I was denied of all those. Do you know how awful that made me feel?"
"Jin-Ah, you're hurting me," I say through clenched teeth.
He pushes my head and let's go of his grip.
"You know why?" I taunt him. "Because you ARE a SON. OF. A. BITCH!" I stress each word so it would cut him deep straight to his heart.
That did it. He leaves his seat and goes to the back where I am. He straddles me and slaps me real hard. I don't care anymore. I'm gonna die anyway, so why prolong it?
"You're the bitch," he slaps me again. Then his fingers go around my neck and he strangles me. I don't even fight back anymore. I let him. This is the end of me and my story. I don't give a fuck.
But the van does a sudden stop and Jin-Ah flies to the front, hitting his back on the dashboard. I gasp for air when his hands leave my throat.
"What the...?" He yells.
There are three other cars blocking the road.
"Go check it," Jin-Ah instructs the men as he sits on the space beside me, holding on to my arms.
I see men coming out of the cars. Guns drawn out, pointing at the van.
Then an all too familiar guy comes out of one of them.
Mark! What's he doing here?