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“You are my soon-to-be daughter-in-law. Believe it or not, I want you to have the best of the best. Not to worry, we won’t be here for long.”
“How kind of you.” I shoot him a glare.
“We have much to cover at dinner. I thought you’d like the dress. It’s perfect for your complexion.”
The psycho himself says so sincerely, as if he didn’t just kill my adoptive parents, Liling’s father, and threatened to kill poor Dot to get me here. This man is actually delusional. He hands over the folder.
“What is this?” Eyeing it skeptically, I reach for it.
“See for yourself.”
Grabbing the folder and opening it, I scan the contents. Annulment papers. Before I can think to argue, Caishen interrupts my thoughts.
“You made a deal. Do the honorable thing.” He pulls out a pen from his pocket.
“You don’t get to lecture me about honor. You’re the one interfering with my marriage. No one will respect you after this,” I assert while scribbling on the signature line. I don’t even bother with my real one. This paper doesn’t mean a thing to me.
“A marriage that will, in approximately three seconds, never have existed.” He mutters something liketypical American, so emotionalto one guard in Mandarin as he snatches the papers out of my hand. “This is what happens when a girl is raised without a father to beat her into submission. Peter never would have allowed such insolence.”
Did he just tell me I have daddy issues?
“You don’t know a thing about my father,” I seethe.
“I knew him better than you. I respected Peter, and you dishonor his memory with your righteous attitude. You don’t have what it takes to rule, and you will keep up his promise.”
“My father never would’ve given me up to the likes of you. Not only does he not have the right, but the Lius left China and the 14K for a reason!”
“Even so. You’re not getting out of this. Don’t be so emotional. It’s just business.”
“How’s my marriage business?”
“Stupid girl. Marriages have been a business transaction since the beginning of time.”
“You gain nothing by marrying me off.”
I realize if I do a good enough job to convince him I’m useless, he could easily shoot me and leave me to die in the cold, but I don’t back down.
“Once you are married to my son, I’ll have the West and the East. We can move opium and Syne. Which reminds me, I’ll take the name of The Chemist now.”
“Keep dreaming, asshole. If you think the Deluccis are just going to hand over their territory to you, you’re fucking deranged.”
“They will if they want you to live,” he retorts. “See, whether you are married to him or not, something tells me that Nico will do anything to ensure your safety.”
“I’d sooner throw myself off of a cliff before I let you use me against them.”
Okay, so maybe he was alittleon the nose about me being dramatic, but there’s no way I’m letting this guy win.
Dramatic? Yes.
Foolish? For my family. Also, yes.
“I knew you’d be stubborn, but not to worry.” He snaps his finger. “I planned for it. You see, the qualities of a good ruler—know your opponent and always plan ahead. You could learn a lot with my help.”
Before I can remark, a frail Asian girl is escorted into the room. She looks about my age, maybe younger. Her long dark hair is matted, and her haunted eyes lock onto my soul before she looks at the floor, shaking like a leaf in this man’s grip in only a thin white nightgown. I catch myself relaxing that it at least covers her body. Not that it would stop any of his men if they wanted to. I shudder at the thought.
“What are you doing?” I demand, my eyes flying from the girl to Caishen.
“Do you remember what I said about having a choice?”
