I got out of his grip. “Professor Harrison, who
are you to me?”
“You’re overstepping.”
Underneath Ben’s cold stare, I ran back into
the club.
08
I found my friends at our booth and sulked.
After about ten minutes, I felt a hand on my
<
I saw a black figure out of the corner of my
eye.
I knew it was Ben.
I ignored him.
He tapped my shoulder again.
I turned around impatiently. “Stop bothering
me! Why are you here?”
“L…”
I stopped.
I looked into a pair of cold eyes and
stammered, “Cousin…?!”
What was he doing here?
<
My cousin, Samuel Chen.
He looked at his watch with his emotionless
face.
“It’s ten o’clock.”
“Are you done?”
I blinked and glanced at the others.
Then, I said, “Yeah, I’m done.”
Samuel looked at me, and said, “I’ll take you
home.”
Then he turned around and walked away.
I grabbed my purse and followed quickly.
く
He was fast, and I had to jog to keep up.
A car was waiting at the entrance. Samuel
got in the passenger seat.
I breathed a sigh of relief and opened the
back door.
I gave the driver my address.
Silence filled the car.
I sat straight, feeling awkward.
“Cousin, what are you doing in D.C.?”
It was so quiet, I started talking.
“Business.”
<
“…Oh.”
He was still as quiet as ever.
“Will you be back in New York for
Thanksgiving?”
Samuel asked me suddenly.
I looked out the window, and replied, “What
for? To watch them have their family fun, and
make myself feel sad, or make them feel
bad?”
Samuel was quiet for a few seconds. “Go see
your aunt sometime. We always keep your
room.‘
I lowered my head, feeling emotional.
<
“I know.”
My parents divorced when I was little. My dad
cheated and didn’t want to give up my
custody.
To get away from that man, my mom gave up
custody.
She went abroad, and married and settled
down there.
My dad’s new wife took her place.
I always made trouble for her at home.
My dad was a jerk, but he was pretty good to
- me.
He always took my side.
L
The new wife couldn’t win, so she became
submissive.
She was waiting for my little half–brother to
be old enough to deal with me.
When school was out, I would go to my
aunt’s.
My aunt had two sons, and Samuel was the
oldest.
He didn’t know me that well. He was usually
very cold and quiet.
And he was a few years older, so we didn’t
talk much.
But he would always get me presents.
<
I knew he was cold, but that he considered
me family.
Of course, I was still scared of him.
“I’m going to a gala in a few days. You
should come too.”
I was still feeling sentimental, when Samuel
spoke, making me confused.
“Huh?”
“Why would I come?”
Samuel’s reason was simple: “I need a date,
and you’re good enough.”
I tried to fight it, “Cousin, you should go with
<
“I might embarrass you.”
Samuel asked, “You busy that day?”
“If I’m busy, can I skip?”
He turned around and looked at me, and I
quickly nodded.
“Okay, cousin, I won’t embarrass you.”
A chuckle erupted in the car, and it became a
full–blown laugh.
It was the driver.
Was my cousin’s driver that bold?
I moved closer to see this “driver.”
く
I saw a handsome, young guy with a pretty
face.
“Hi, Miss James.”
“I’m a friend of Samuel’s, you can call me
Cole.”
I gave a nervous smile, and went back to my
seat.
The rest of the ride Cole was a chatterbox.
He made me laugh a few times.
Samuel was quiet the whole time.
When I got out of the car, Samuel suddenly
asked, “What’s your relationship with Ben
Harrison?”
<
I was surprised.
“I saw you talking outside the club.”
I wondered what he saw, and replied
carefully, “We met at a wedding.”
Samuel looked at me as if he could see
through me.
He saw everything.
I couldn’t look him in the eye.
“Ben Harrison is not simple. Stay away from
him.”
I watched Samuel’s car drive away, thinking.
If my cousin, the scary one, said that a man
<
wasn’t simple, then that meant he was
dangerous.
09
A private gala, with all sorts of high society
people.
Samuel met someone he knew and went off
to chat.
He told me to be careful, and stay in sight.
I nodded.
As soon as he was gone, I made a beeline for
a familiar face.
