Page 74 of Billionaire’s Heartbreak

I straightened in my seat, curling my fingers against my palm to steady the tremor threatening to give away how terrified I actually was.

I wasn’t Dannie. I wasn’t Kai. I was someone who had spent most of her life being told someone else would handle the difficult things.

Maybe that was why I’d always felt helpless whenever something went wrong. I’d been waiting for someone to give me permission to become stronger.

“What do I need?”

He frowned. “To do what?”

My heart hammered against my ribs. “To lead this triad.”

Before anyone could answer, the car slammed to a stop outside the safe house. Someone had run into the road, forcing the driver to brake hard.

My body lurched against the seat belt as the man stumbled backward, shouting angrily at the driver. I couldn’t understand the words, but I understood the tone.

Squirrel stared straight at him.

Then, suddenly, he smiled.

It wasn’t friendly. It was eerie, strange, and unsettling—something about it reminded me of Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker. The hairs on my arms rose. The man stopped talking. He stared at Squirrel for another second, then turned and disappeared into the crowd.

“Who was that?”

“Sei Zai.”

“Son number four?” I was still struggling with the different tones in Cantonese and wasn't entirely sure I'd pronounced it correctly.

Squirrel nodded.

I secretly felt relieved his name didn’t mean something like death child or omen child. Call me superstitious, but I didn’t need another reason to be frightened of a boy who looked barely old enough to shave properly.

He had acne, for God’s sake. He was too young to be terrifying.

And yet every instinct in me said otherwise.

“Is he one of ours?” Kai asked, emphasising the last word.

Squirrel looked at him through the windshield. “Yes…” He hesitated, then turned away. “And maybe no.”

Kai's mouth twitched. He didn't like that answer. Neither did I.

I looked through the window again. The boy was gone, but that smile stayed with me.

“I don't think we should go back to the safe house.”

Kai turned toward me. “Why?”

I swallowed. I didn't have an answer that made sense. Just a feeling. That look on Sei Zai's face had stirred something instinctive that I couldn't explain.

“He gave me a bad feeling.” I paused, searching for something more intelligent, but nothing came. “He just… bad. He looked bad.”

Brilliant. Bad. Apparently, that was the extent of my vocabulary now.

Kai gave me a look. “You're basing this on a look?”

“Yes.”

“That kid?” He actually chuckled.