6. A Cruel Test
Chapter six
A Cruel Test
Monique
Lei and I left the elegantly decorated tea ceremony while news reporters’ murmurs and whispers faded into the background.
My hand trembled in Lei’s hold. Thank God he didn't say anything. Instead, he just tightened his grip on my hand slightly and guided us away.
How do I tell Lei his sister is dead? Do I say it now or after the tea ceremony?
In another city, those questions would have been ridiculous. Of course someone would tell the person of their sibling’s death.
But during my short time in the East, I was learning that everything was important—colors, traditions, symbols, etc.
This is crazy. What should I do?
Leo had put me in an impossible position by gifting me with his daughter’s head right before the damn ceremony.
What the hell, man?
However, I also had to remember that Leo was notorious for his constant mind games and tests. Every interaction with him was like navigating a minefield, where one misstep could lead to disastrous consequences.
Fuck. Seriously. . .what am I going to do?
Silent, Lei continued to guide me away.
The house seemed to stretch on endlessly. The lavish decor and extravagant furniture blurred as we moved and my mind was too preoccupied to take in the details.
All around us, the staff engaged in a flurry of activity wearing crisp blue uniforms and carrying trays stacked with delicacies.
Others rushed by with mops and dusters in hand.
Still, Lei led me with a purposeful stride, his expression unreadable.
I followed, my heart pounding in my chest, the weight of the impending revelation pressing down on me.
Alright. Think.
My mind returned to the decision.
If I tell him, he is going to be in so much pain, and he’ll want to kill Leo immediately.
Instead of a tea ceremony, it would be a blood bath.
But. . .didn’t Leo know that would happen?
If Leo remained steps of ahead, then he had to guess that his giving me the head would trigger chaos.
Alright. So, if he figured that would happen, then why give me the head in that moment?
Leo wanted me to be a top Mountain Mistress—a position that held great power and respect in the East. The tea ceremony served as one of my unofficial first steps in this role.
Wasn’t I supposed to be focused on doing my best for that?
But. . .if that was true, then why did Leo hand me such a grotesque and traumatizing gift?
Think. What am I missing?
On one side, the severed head of his daughter, neatly placed in a box, was Leo’s way of showing me how serious he was about protecting Lei and me. It was a macabre demonstration of his commitment and a reminder of the brutal lengths he would go to ensure our and the East’s safety.
But there’s more to the gift. . .right? Could it have also been a horrific warning? Or was it worse than that? Was it a twisted test of my resolve or my ability to think under pressure?
Leo was a serial killer—a psychopath who thrived on death, control, and manipulation. Yet, he always was a goddamn genius who consistently made chess moves.
One would be crazy to think there wasn’t double or even triple meanings behind his gifting me the head. I damn sure had been paying attention and my intuition wouldn’t let me ignore the deeper possibilities of his grotesque action.
Yeah. . .this is some sick challenge. I bet. Lei said that nothing Leo does is just one thing.
So. . .if the severed head was truly a test, then. . .the thought of failing was not an option, not with a man like Leo. His twisted sense of loyalty meant that failure could be fatal.
And I really liked my head being on my neck.
Jesus Christ. . .maybe Leo does need to die.
I didn’t want to mourn Leo but I also didn’t want to fear for my life every day either, worrying about failing this test or that.
Poor Lei. This is a crazy ass father to have.
I blinked and began to piece together the true purpose of Leo’s possible cruel test for me today.
This test has to be bigger than about the tea ceremony.
I tried to enter Leo’s psychopathic head hoping I could understand his motivations and the reasoning behind the horrific gift.
Leo valued strength and cunning above all else.
Therefore. . .perhaps. . .he wanted to see if I could handle the pressure if I could make the hard decisions without flinching. Maybe that gift was a test to see if I was capable of playing his game and emerging victorious.
I don’t know if it is just that.
In the kitchen, my biggest question had been whether I should still perform the tea ceremony as planned or to tell Lei about his sister’s death immediately potentially ruining the day.
Of course, I decided not to do that.
The tea ceremony was a significant tradition, a symbol of respect and unity. Disrupting it would not only dishonor the customs of the East but could also undermine my future position.
On the other hand, keeping the truth from Lei even for a short while, felt like a complete betrayal. Lei deserved to know about his sister’s death and withholding such devastating news felt wrong on a fundamental level.
Had it been one of my sisters killed. . .I would not have given two shits about a tea ceremony.
But that was me.
And this was some insane test that could trigger my own death.
Would revealing the truth to Lei now show weakness?
Would it demonstrate to Leo that I was unable to compartmentalize, to prioritize the greater good over personal emotions?
Was that the test?
Even more, did Leo want to see me struggle, to wrestle with this impossible decision?
If anything I knew he was watching, waiting to see how I would handle the pressure. His chilling gaze had remained on me the entire time of the ceremony.
Or is this all just in my mind?
The East had me completely fucked up in the head right now.
I don’t know what Leo would want or Lei so. . .I’ll just. . .go with my heart. . .
Initially, I had figured that the smart thing to do was complete the tea ceremony with the grace and composure expected of a Mountain Mistress. It would show Leo that I could maintain control, that I could honor traditions even under extreme duress.
Then after the ceremony, I planned to take Lei aside and tell him the truth in a more private, respectful manner.
But the thought of sitting through the ceremony, pretending everything was normal while knowing the horrifying truth, made my stomach churn.
I walked into that ceremony thinking that Leo’s test was cruel but that I had to rise above it.
I had to be smarter.
Stronger.
But. . .Lei knew something was wrong as soon as he saw me.
My heart warmed at that.
Despite the chaos in my mind, I couldn't help but love that Lei was really learning my nonverbal cues. He picked up on the slightest changes in my demeanor and I didn’t know what it was but he caught it.
Was it my unsteady breath?
Or the tremor in my hands?
It didn’t matter.
His noticing showed how attuned he was to me.
How deeply he cared.
God, I love him.
But his being attuned with my subtle differences also terrified me.
How can I get him to believe that everything is okay so we can go back into the tea ceremony?
I needed him to think that I was calm, collected, and ready to perform my duties without lying to him.
Shit.
Meanwhile, Lei remained silent as he led us to the door and opened it, guiding us out of the suffocating atmosphere of the house.
The cool, crisp air enveloped me and a sense of relief washed over my senses.
Whew. I needed this.
Descending the stairs, he took us straight toward the garden.
Lush flowers and plants greeted me. The scent of earth and blooming buds filled my senses rejuvenating my spirit even more. It was like stepping into a peaceful, manicured paradise.
But Lei didn't stop us at the edge to talk to me; he continued walking, guiding me deeper into the garden's heart.
The more we walked among this natural beauty, the better I felt.
Did he know that would happen?
I cleared my mind of all thoughts of Leo and glanced at him.
His expression remained stern and his gaze stayed forward.
We moved past the perfectly trimmed hedges and blooming roses, the scent of jasmine and lavender filling the air.
Sunlight sparkled on petals.
The further we went, the more secluded it felt too. The noises of the house, ceremony, staff, and reporters faded into a distant hum.
Finally, Lei stopped at our cherry blossom tree. Its delicate pink petals fluttered gently in the breeze.
My heart warmed.
It was the same tree where we had made love the previous night.
Damn, Lei. You’re good, baby.
Last night, everything had been so simple. Under the canopy of cherry blossoms, with Lei's arms around me, the world had melted away.
But now, standing in the same spot, the weight of reality crashed down on me.
The simplicity of last night seemed like a distant dream replaced by the harsh truth I had to deliver.
Don’t say anything but don’t lie either. Just. . .get us back in the tea ceremony.
Lei turned to me, let go of my hand and his gaze turned so intense that I felt utterly naked in his view.
Shit.
Then, he spoke. “You did an amazing job.”
I swallowed. “Thank you.”
“You were beautiful and perfectly graceful. The tea was delicious, even now as I stand out here with you. . .I want another cup. In fact. . .when we go back in, I will politely demand another cup.”
I gave him a weak smile.
“I am proud of what you did, Moni and I’m fucking grateful that you took the time and dedication to do it for me.”
Guilt slipped into my heart.
“But. . .”
I parted my lips.
“You were nervous and not just normal nervous. I think it was more because. . .I also think that. . .I’m learning you, really getting you and the perfect nuances of your movements. . . your emotions. . .the way you walk. . .the way you hold things with your hands. . .the different ways your face expresses itself. . .when you’re stressed. . .angry. . .when you’re happy. . .when you’re cumming.”
I blinked.
“And. . .in the ceremony. . .you did a decent job of hiding your terror to everyone else, but. . .I still believe I saw something that suggested to me. . .that you were bothered.” Violence flickered in his gaze. “I would never want you bothered by anyone .”
Tension gathered in my shoulders.
“What’s wrong, Moni?”
I gulped down fear and did my best to keep my voice steady. “Thank you for telling me I did well.”
He watched me.
“I’m glad that you are learning me. It makes my heart flutter.”
He wasn’t having any small talk. “Who was bothering you?”
“Lei. . .”
“My father or someone else? Was it a phone call?”
“I think that the situation. . .should be solved after the tea ceremony so I can—”
“So there is a problem?”
I blinked. “Yes.”
“What is it?”
“I want to tell you after the ceremony.”
“Why?”
“I’ll tell you that afterwards too.”
He studied me for several quiet seconds and I felt like he was peeling back the layers of my very being.
I don’t think there will be any more tea ceremony. . .
I could tell he was taking great care to not glare or raise his voice at me. Lei had spent most of his life being in a place of authority. This meant that when he asked a question, he got the answer exactly the way he fucking wanted it.
He ran his fingers through his hair then lowered his hands. “Tell me this.”
“O-kay.”
“You don’t want to tell me about the situation because whatever the problem is. . .it deals with my father and if I knew I would go in there right now and kill him?”
Fuck. He is his father’s son.
A cold shiver ran down my spine.
I pursed my lips, deciding that saying nothing was better than lying or spouting out some bullshit.
His sister is dead. I have to tell him. Right? But. . .the stupid test. . .
Lei crossed his arms over his chest, letting me know that he had no intention of going back into that ceremony without knowing what was going on. “Tell me what’s wrong, Moni.”
It’s going to break your heart. You don’t want to know right now. You’ve already lost so much.
“Moni.”
My eyes filled with tears but thank God none spilled out. “Lei. . .”
“Yes?”
“I fucked up yesterday. . .and at least today, I am trying to. . .do the right thing by you and. . .the East. . .and. . .”
“I don’t give a fuck about the East right now.” He frowned. “Do you know why?”
“Why?”
“Because you look like you’re about to cry.” He unfolded his arms and took a step closer to me. “That’s my only concern right now. What’s wrong?”
“Like I said. . .I fucked up yesterday and I forgot to tell you something. It was so much happening.”
“What did you forget?”
“I told your father about. . .the feast up on Mount Utopia. . .”
“When my sister showed up?”
“Y-yes.”
“You didn’t fuck up.”
“He didn’t know what she said at the table. He was completely surprised.”
“Then, that tells me that Hu, Duck, and Chen are definitely not going back to my father about anything. They’re not his spies. That’s helpful.”
“Okay but I shouldn’t have told Leo what Yan said—”
“It wasn’t a secret. Everyone knows that Yan wanted to take over the East. It would make sense for her to come after me, once my father died.” But there was a notable different in Lei’s expression. Before concern had covered his face, now I noticed etches of fear. “Moni. . .what happened?”
Dear God. I don’t want to break his heart.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I had to say and then I looked up to gather more strength.
Do it. Just fucking do it.
The cherry blossoms above us swayed gently.
On the branches, two black crows perched and watched us and for a few seconds I wished I was them, just chilling in the sun with not a care in the world.
Sighing, I lowered my view and looked into his eyes. The love and concern in his gaze gave me the strength that I needed. “Lei, There's something you need to know and it’s. . .so sad. Heartbreaking. I don’t want you to. . .hurt or. . .”
“Whatever it is, Moni. It’ll be fine as long as. . .” Lei's expression softened as he took my hand and his grip was firm yet gentle. “As long as you’re with me, I’ll be fine.”
Fuck Leo’s cruel test. Lei’s heart is more important. I have to tell him. It’s his sister.
More tears—hot and unwelcome—pooled in my eyes and then spilled over.
I lowered my gaze, opened my mouth to answer but all that escaped was a choked. “I'm sorry.”
Those two words were inadequate—a weak apology for his loss.
Lei raised his hands, cupped my face, gently lifted my chin to make eye contact and used his thumbs to gently wipe away the tears on my cheeks. “Tell me.”
My vision blurred as more tears fell. “Your father brought me a present today. It was a box and. . .”
“A box?”
“Y-yes.”
“And. . .what was in the box, Moni?”
“Yan’s head. . .was in the box.”