Page 55 of Billionaire’s Heartbreak

I stopped pacing. “Yes.”

She was right, and somehow, that made me feel worse. I shook my head.

“This shouldn’t have happened in the first place. We were careless.”

Andy didn’t answer. Her gaze dropped toward the floor. It wasn’t her fault. The responsibility belonged to me.

I’d told myself I was protecting her, that I knew what was best for her, and that if I controlled the situation tightly enough, I could keep her safe. But June and I hadn’t reached this point overnight. It had taken years of secrets, mistrust, and me making decisions for her while expecting her to accept that I was doing it for her own good.

I’d abused whatever trust she’d once given me until there was nothing left. Now she barely trusted me enough to breathe the same air, and I couldn’t blame her.

“I could arrange for more people if you like,” Andy offered carefully. “Perhaps Mrs. Li could spare Clare for a while. Just for this operation.”

I looked at her. She had read my mind.

Clare was exactly the kind of person I could use right now. Street-smart, quick-thinking, and someone who didn’t freeze when things went wrong. She hadn’t always followed my orders, but that had never been what mattered most with Clare. When things went bad, she reacted. She thought on her feet, and more often than not, she did what was best for the team.

I could use someone like that. Especially now.

But I shook my head. “No. Clare stays.”

I didn’t really know what to do in a situation like this. This wasn’t a share price collapsing on the stock market, a hostile takeover, or a negotiation with some seasoned dealmaker who could smell weakness before you realised you’d shown it.

Those were problems I understood. Problems I could solve with numbers, information, leverage, and, when necessary, money. Whatever business school had taught me, none of it had prepared me for this.

This was different.

We were talking about Hong Kong’s triads.

“But we do need more people,” I murmured.

A soft knock interrupted my thoughts. One of the security men appeared in the doorway with a tablet in his hand.

“Mario is here to see you.”

“Let him in.”

A few moments later, the elevator doors opened, and Mario strolled into the penthouse as though he owned the place. His broad shoulders filled out a floral shirt that looked more appropriate for a beach resort than a Hong Kong safe house.

“Ni hao!” His voice was bright and cheerful, completely out of place with the tension hanging over the room.

“Where have you been?”

“Bali.” He spread his hands as if the answer explained everything. “I couldn’t stay too far away from you, boss. In case you needed me.”

I glanced down at his shirt. “Of course.”

He looked down at himself and laughed. “That obvious?”

“Just a little.”

He had clearly embraced the tourist experience completely. But beneath the ridiculous shirt and easy smile was a man I’d trusted with my life more than once.

I gestured toward the screen. “Take a look at this.”

Mario’s expression changed as soon as he saw the footage. The smile remained, but his eyes sharpened.

Andy picked up her phone and replayed the footage on the large screen while I began pacing again. This time, I grabbed a sweet iced coffee for myself and a beer for Mario. I couldn’t afford to lose my focus tonight. Mario, on the other hand, seemed to function better with a little help from his favourite stimulant.