Page 87 of Billionaire’s Cruelty

“If you insist.”

“I do. Now, please—where is Kai?”

“Kai is with the police,” Trevon answered.

“Are we going to the police station?”

“No, we won’t be allowed in without permission.” Andy pulled the car to a stop as traffic ahead stalled. “The police can’t hold him much longer. As far as we know, he’s only being questioned. He hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“Then what can we do? Does he have a lawyer?”

“Yes, Dr…” Andy cleared her throat. “June. Mr. Li’s lawyer has been with him the whole time.”

“What can we do?” My voice rose in frustration. “There has to be something we can do.”

“June,” Andy said patiently, “Mr. Li instructed me to take care of you. The only thing you can do right now is enjoy your time here in Shanghai.”

“Enjoy myself?” I scoffed. “How can I enjoy myself knowing Kai is in jail?”

“Calm down, June.” Wendy wrapped an arm around me in a reassuring squeeze.

I inhaled sharply, then exhaled—forcing myself to practice the same deep-breathing techniques I taught my patients. After a few seconds, I managed a steadier voice. “Okay, I’m sorry. I get it. Where are we going now?”

“We’re heading to Mr. Li’s apartment. He instructed me to take you both there.”

I sighed, frustration still simmering beneath the surface. My questions weren’t getting me anywhere. Either Andy wasn’t willing to give me more information, or I wasn’t in the right headspace to ask the right ones.

What I thought I wanted to know versus what was actually necessary blurred together in a tangled mess inside my head. My mind felt foggy, disorganized.

Maybe it was best to let someone with a clearer, calmer mindset take the lead.

“Andy, hi.” My sudden greeting seemed to catch her off guard. “I think we got off on the wrong foot.”

“What made you think that?”

A trembling smile spread across my face. “I must apologize for not recognizing you, for not properly introducing myself back in the States. I feel like a jerk. Really, for that alone, I’m truly sorry.”

“Oh no, don’t say that. Mr. Li, well, we were the ones in the wrong. We caused a lot of trouble for you and your patients. You were right to ignore us.”

I suddenly missed Kai. I didn’t know what he was doing at that moment, but I understood why he had tried to stay close to me. He was trying to protect me from Mack, afraid that Mack—or any of his accomplices—would show up and hurt me. After everything he had been through, there was no way he would ever willingly put himself at risk. Yet, he had. He knew what Mack was capable of, and he still chose to risk his safety to protect me.

A tear slipped down my cheek.

“Thank you. You’re too kind. So kind that you didn’t even notice how rude I was.”

“Oh.” Andy made a face, clearly uncomfortable with my sudden display of emotion.

“Can you tell me everything you know? How did you get involved in all this?”

The traffic was finally moving, though still at a crawl. I leaned forward slightly, straining to hear Andy over the hum of the city.

“After Ms. Law disappeared, I was asked to return to Shanghai and stand by for Mr. Li’s arrival. As usual, I reported to our Shanghai office every day, just doing my job.”

“Kai didn’t contact you at all during that time?”

Andy honked at a motorbike that had suddenly swerved out from a side street, nearly causing an accident.

“These delivery drivers—so reckless.” She rolled down the window and shouted something in Chinese. The rider yelled something back, unapologetic, before speeding away. With a sigh, she rolled the window back up.