A Cinderella Crime Story

Chapter One

He ignored the first doorbell. The second ring vibrated through the metal rimmed sink. Aiden dove to the ground, crawling. He hid behind the wall beside the front door. His hands still dripped of soapy water, clutching a gun hidden away in the black ottoman. He held his breath.

His stepmother approached the door as the doorbell rang a third time.

His hands tightened. He braced his body. He refused to even blink.

She flung the door open.

“Hello, Mrs. Hui! Can we talk to you about our Lord and Savior today?”

A beat of silence reverberated through the house.

Aiden sighed, relaxing against the wall. He pulled his hands out of the ottoman and pushed it away.

“I’m not Mrs. Hui. We Chinese people do not change our last names when we marry. It’s Ms. Yin for you. Or Yin Mei. Remember—our surname goes first, not later,” his stepmother snapped.

Aiden pulled himself off the ground and shuffled into the kitchen. He sunk his hands back into the sink of soapy water, finishing the rest of the dishes. He, and the rest of the family, had forgotten about the random wanderings of religious folks in their neighborhood.

Unexpected visitors were never good news—especially when one’s family was part of the mafia.

“Can they even convert anyone this way?” He Bao groaned, sauntering into the kitchen.

Just as Aiden placed the last clean dish onto the rack, his stepbrother dropped a new dirty bowl into the sink.

He stared at the dried soy sauce caked against the white porcelain.

Swallowing his sigh down, he reached for the sponge and began scrubbing.

His stepmother slammed the front door shut and marched into the kitchen. “He Bao! Where’s Zhu Zhu?”

He Bao shrugged. “She’s still hiding.”

“Why?”

“I dunno.”

“That silly girl—I swear if she’s just hiding away so she can do her stupid drawings. He Bao, go get your sister. We have lessons tonight.”

“Zhu Zhu! Stop hiding! The weirdos are gone anyway!” He Bao stomped upstairs.

Aiden awkwardly finished washing the bowl He Bao threw in and left it on the drying rack. He kept his head low to sneak around his stepmother, but instead, she latched her hand onto his wrist. His heart sank.

“I am going to need you to reconsider your choices once more, Xiao Hui.”

“Ge said it’s fine.”

“Your brother doesn’t have time to think about you. You should not be selfish and help him. Take the time to think about what’s best for him and this family.”

She dragged him to the couch in the living room, pushing him down. With a sigh, she stroked his cheek. “Look at you. Pale as a ghost. Scared as a cat. Drop out of that silly little state college and enroll where our family has power. Your brother will thank you for it.”

It was at times like these that Aiden wished his brother still lived with them.

“You’re right. I’m weak.” He steeled his eyes to meet her, but he couldn’t hide his shaking hands in his lap. He gulped several times to force his voice to stop quivering. “That’s why I shouldn’t be part of the family business.”

His stepmother stared with brows furrowed. “Do you have no ambition to even help?”

“What if He Bao or Zhu Zhu doesn’t want to be involved?” The quivering returned.

“He Bao and Zhu Zhu are not like you.” She rose from the couch with shoulders squared. “They will be part of Infinite, just like me. Like your brother and your dad. They are younger than you, Xiao Hui, and they understand that what’s best for the family is what’s best for them.”

With her nose stuck in the air, she marched off toward the master bedroom. “At least vacuum the house while I take He Bao and Zhu Zhu out for lessons.”

“Okay,” Aiden mumbled, shoulders stiff. He finally breathed at ease when he heard the garage door open and the engine of the car zooming away.

He wished time to pass faster. In just one more month, he would pack his suitcase, get in a car, and move into a new apartment near his small campus with no stepmother to nag, no twin stepsiblings throwing him looks, and no danger lurking around the corner.

For now, however, he still needed to vacuum the house.

· · ·

Aiden wedged the vacuum cleaner back exactly where his stepmother designated the cleaning materials to be kept and climbed up the stairs to his room. That took longer than I would’ve liked, he thought.

His phone started to ring.

Breaths tightening, Aiden looked down at the caller ID only to see his brother’s name, Hui Ye. Sighing, he picked up with a smile. “Ge?”

“Hey, Lang, how are you doing?” His brother’s chipper and casual speak would fool any outsider that Hui Ye was happy, but Aiden knew better.

An underlying roughness accompanied the forced sunny attitude.

Breathlessness gasped between the stops of his words.

“You’ve started packing, right? Don’t pack too much. ”

“Were you doing something, Ge?” Aiden asked against his better judgment.

“I’m always doing something.”

“You’re safe?”

“Of course. I’m on my turf. I was just dealing with some nuisances.”

He was interrogating. Aiden’s blood ran cold.

When his brother still lived with the family, Aiden witnessed his business dealings only one time.

He arrived home from school, and in the middle of the living room, Hui Ye slammed a man’s head down onto the ground with his shoe.

The man’s face was already swollen purple, and blood trickled from his eyes and nose.

His brother’s lackeys twisted the man’s arm, and in turn, twisted Aiden’s entire stomach.

The scene seared like a curse into his memories, and every day on his way home, Aiden kept his ears perked.

He listened for voices. His stepmother’s voice had excessive sugar sprinkled in her tone.

He Bao’s was always loud, and Zhu Zhu was silent.

If he heard his brother talking to anyone that didn’t belong to his stepfamily, Aiden stared at the ground.

He tiptoed in, flew up the stairs, and gently closed the door to his room.

He threw himself into homework and refused to leave until his brother came looking for him.

The curse lifted when Hui Ye announced he would move out of the house and to Hong Kong for business reasons.

His stepmother, however, never found such business dealings in the home of her children problematic.

Aiden eavesdropped outside of his room while his brother and stepmother argued day and night.

“You are still young. The other families will take advantage of your absence.”

“If they do, I’ll just return the favor.”

“You are too confident. By the time you react, it will be too late. Xiao Hui will be dead, and so will my children.”

“No one’s going to attack.”

“You cannot say such things carelessly. I am worried about my children! Do not forget what happened to your—”

“Yin Mei, do not forget I can throw you and your children out. My father left nothing to you. Do not push my generosity.”

Aiden shivered by his bedroom. He heard nothing more of the last argument, though he was certain it kept going.

His heart pounded louder against his chest. His ears rung.

He squeezed his eyes shut and rocked his body, but goosebumps burst from his skin at the chill gripping around his hands.

Don’t think about it. He hugged himself tighter. Just don’t think about it.

The panic passed, and his brother left. Aiden walked into his home with a smile on his face, but nobody greeted him.

He Bao walked past him like he was air. Zhu Zhu never looked him in the eye.

His stepmother wagged her finger at him, barking, “Things are so hectic these days. Do some chores, why don’t you?

Hui Ye really spoiled you, hasn’t he? Look at the countertops, they’re dirty!

” The three ate dinner together at the big table, and Aiden grabbed his dish to eat alone in the kitchen.

Too late did Aiden decide he would rather face the danger than have his brother leave. Without Hui Ye, he lived a world where no one loved him.

“One last question before I go—how’s she treating you?”

Aiden blinked. “She?”

“Yin Mei.”

“Oh—she’s treating me fine.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

“She’s not forcing you to do anything?”

“Your last threat was effective.” Aiden continued folding clothes.

“I’m shocked. That is unlike her.”

He paused. “She’s still not happy with my decision, but she’s not going to stop me. I’ve already decided on what I want to do.”

“Good. Do what you want. I’ll take care of everything else.”

I should at least ask him what that means. He asked no questions.

His stepmother’s accusation of selfishness echoed in his ears.

He twisted a shirt between his hands. “Do you think she’ll ever accept it?”

“Who cares if she does or doesn’t? She doesn’t matter.” A skip entered Hui Ye’s voice. “What matters is that you’ll be here with me in two days.”

“Technically one since I’m a full day behind you.”

“Ha ha, very funny. We’ll enjoy the food, go sightseeing or do whatever else you want. I promise I’ll have my schedule completely open for you. Just the two of us.”

Aiden smiled. He moved faster, packing his clothes away. “Have you already taken care of everything for when the semester starts? Like where I stay and my furniture?”

“I’ve taken care of everything. Just promise me you’ll stop thinking about Yin Mei and whatever snooty opinions she has.”

“I promise.”

“Good. I miss you. Can’t wait to see you in Hong Kong.”

Aiden beamed at his phone. “It’ll be fun.”

“It’ll be fun.”

· · ·