10. My Father’s True Gift to Moni
Chapter ten
My Father’s True Gift to Moni
Lei
The helicopter lowered and the gentle vibrations of the engine could be felt through the floor and seats as it descended onto the pad.
I glanced over my shoulder and spotted the other helicopters landing further behind us on the pad. Soon Chen and everyone else would get off, head to the Mirage and get dressed for the beach.
Moni is right. We need this short break.
In my world, danger and uncertainty were my constant companions, but this time at the beach could ease my shattered mind.
Right now. . .my heart bore scars that no amount of time or distance could fully heal. But the tranquil setting and Moni next to me could help me, like quick gasps of air between deep dives into violent waters, kept swimmers afloat in the endless ocean.
And then there was Moni's family.
I thought about her sisters arriving at Lotus Blossom.
This heaviness pressed against my chest.
Some part of me knew that I would need their approval to truly keep this new connection with Moni steady.
But even more. . .now with my sister's absence, bringing Moni’s sisters into my life felt necessary. My mother and sister were dead. My father would be gone soon. While I loved my aunts, uncles, and cousins, a part of me was nervous about being alone in the future.
Stop thinking that way. You have her and you’ll never let her go.
I turned my gaze to Moni.
She still stared out the window, her eyes wide with disbelief at the sight of my massive estate that stretched along the beach.
I grinned and looked back at the towering structure, wondering what was going on in her mind.
Does it impress her?
The Mirage Estate was a three-level masterpiece of sky-blue architecture. Its walls had been crafted with a mirroring material for the purpose of reflecting the shimmering waves of the ocean.
The effect was mesmerizing.
When one stood in front of it, they could see the ocean behind them as if it were a massive mirror.
And when sunlight hit the surface, it refracted in such a way that the waves appeared to ripple across the estate's exterior, dancing and sparkling as if the building were breathing with the rhythm of the tide.
Of course the design choice had been intentional. My mother wanted the Mirage to symbolize harmony with nature.
I put my view back on Moni.
“This is just. . .wow.” She let out a long breath. “Just when I think your properties have outdone themselves you show me something that is even more spectacular.”
“You think it’s cooler than the Palace?”
“No disrespect to the palace because it’s massive and insanely elegant, but this is doper than the Palace.”
“And what about Lotus Blossom?”
“That’s my home so I have to rep for my team.”
I raised one eyebrow. “You still don’t understand?”
“Understand what, Lei?”
“You’re mine—the Mountain Mistress.” I lifted my hand and pointed at the Mirage. “That means this is your home too as well as the Palace.”
To my surprise, excitement nor pride hit those pretty brown eyes. Instead it was fear and perhaps. . .nervousness.
I didn’t like that reaction, but I wouldn’t say anything.
Everything had been happening so fast for her. Just last month she had been living in Glory and struggling. Now she was staring at what would be another addition to a list of properties that she owned.
Slowly, Moni turned to me.
I could see the awe, the fear, and a glint of something else that was more intense.
An unspoken question lingered between us.
Unable to help myself, I grabbed her hand. “What’s on your mind?”
“It’s just that. . .I still see all of this as only yours .”
“Then, starting seeing it as yours too.”
“Lei, it’s not that easy.”
“Why not?”
“We’re super new.”
“Yet, that still doesn’t change the fact that you are home when you come here and when you go the Palace as well as when you step into Lotus Blossom.”
She swallowed.
“Don't be overwhelmed, Moni.”
“Commanding me to not be overwhelmed doesn’t fix that.”
I smiled.
Near us, the others began departing from the helicopters and heading toward the Mirage. Although the tallest of Moni’s ladies-in-waiting stopped for a moment and turned to our helicopter as if unsure if she should come and get Moni.
My smile deepened.
That’s right. Your main focus should be her, but today. . .relax.
Duck appeared and grabbed her attention.
Soon the two were walking off together, side by side.
Hmmm.
It appeared that Duck finally had a new focus for his heart.
Moni spoke, “So. . .I should tell you something. . .”
“Tell me what?”
She gazed back at the Mirage. “I didn’t get to tell you that your father had a lawyer with him, when he gave me the. . .present.”
I tensed. “And why was the lawyer there?”
Sighing, she put her view back on me. “Leo gave me Yan’s properties.”
I blinked.
Are you serious, Father? What move are you making now?
I tried to figure out what strategy he could have had with this. It made more sense for him to give everything to Aunt Min. She already had tons of property in Shanghai and investments tied to the Four Aces that she monitored.
To give my sister’s properties to Moni meant something deeper and it was clearly strategic.
Just when I think you are done plotting, Father, you surprise me again. It must be exhausting being you.
The pilot left the helicopter and made his way to our door.
Moni studied me, surely wanting my response.
I cleared my throat. “So. . .Cloud Sea Tower is yours as well as Yan’s other places in Shanghai?”
“Yes. I signed the documents, but. . .” She shook her head. “This was your sister’s stuff. If you feel like Chen, Duck, your aunts, or anyone else should have it—”
“No one is taking property from you that my father expressly gave to you. Even when he’s dead, they wouldn’t take it. And the few that would, Song would visit them and as you know. . .that would not be a good visit. It would end with blood. Lots of blood.”
“Then, we can tell them that Leo didn’t give it to me—”
“That tower is too important to the Four Aces. No one would believe that my father simply forgot to assign it to a new person before his death.”
“The tower is important?”
“Very important.”
“Lei, I have never left the States and I damn sure don’t know when I will go to Shanghai—”
“Soon.”
“Soon?”
I nodded. “Perhaps, after I bury my father.”
All of those emotions that had been in her gaze, shifted to concern. “We could wait longer than that. You’ll need time to mourn—”
“We can’t. You would need to introduce yourself to your new men in Shanghai.”
Now it was her turn to blink. “My new what?”
“Your new men. Thousands of them.”
She widened her eyes.
What were you thinking, Father? Are you trying to give her some form of protection from me? Or just additional security? She doesn’t need any. I’m protecting her.
My mother only had ladies-in-waiting and a security team.
Meanwhile, my father had given Moni a fucking army of killers.
But why?
The pilot slid open our door.
I held my hand up to let him know that we wouldn’t be leaving just yet.
Then, I took a deep breath and steadied my gaze on her. “This. . .property is not like Lotus Blossom. That is a home. Cloud Sea Tower is the center of the Four Aces' operations. It’s where we launder millions of dollars every month.”
“The center of operations?”
“The heart of our empire. It’s how we maintain power and influence in Shanghai as well as in Paradise City.”
Disbelief spread across her face. “I don't know anything about running something like that and I’m not prepared—”
“There are people in place to manage the day-to-day operations. Your role is more of oversight and ensuring loyalty, but they will need to know who they report to now.”
“And when they report to me, what am I supposed to do?”
“Make tough decisions.”
“Like what?”
“Like. . .who should die due to whatever problem has come.”
She stared at me like I was bullshitting her. “You’re not serious.”
“I’m being very serious.”
“I’m not. . .about this life, Lei. He knows that.”
“He does.”
“Then, why did Leo give it to me?”
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out myself.”
“You take the tower.”
“I’m not taking it.”
“Why not?”
“By now everyone in Shanghai knows you own it.”
“What the fuck?”
“If I take it from you now, I’m telling Shanghai and the East that you don’t deserve it, that you’re not smart enough. You’re not capable.”
“Listen.” She held up one hand. “I’m fine with that. Let everyone think what they want. I’m not going over to Shanghai to cosplay like I’m some gangster when I’m really not about that life.”
For some reason, I chuckled.
It was so odd for me to find the humor in this intense situation.
Perhaps, I was losing my mind.
However, Moni didn’t laugh with me. “Why would he give that to me? Is this another test or something?”
“I don’t think so. His giving you Cloud Sea Tower is saying that he trusts you with this responsibility, but more important. . .he must want the East and the Four Aces to understand that you’re not just a bystander or my romantic partner. He wants them to know that you’re part of this family now.”
And he wants you to have equal power with me.
I gritted my teeth.
This had been something that he had never allowed my mother.
There were so many times that had I witnessed my mother’s voice being silenced when it came to Four Aces’ business. It was why she couldn’t stop my initiation at such a young age.
No one would listen to her.
But, with Moni having a hold on Cloud Sea Tower—the very bank of the Four Aces—many would not only listen. . .they would lean her way when it came to voting on many issues.
Sometimes they would outvote me if it came to it.
They knew I could kill them, but Moni could make them and their families starve. My men didn’t fear death but they damn sure were terrified of poverty.
Is that why you did it, Father? Did you want her to have a voice because you regret what you did to Mom? Or. . .did you want her to be able to block me when I disagreed?
I almost wanted to call him up and ask, but I still could not stomach his voice after what he did to Yan.
Moni exhaled. “This is too much, too soon.”
She was right.
And it would have been so damn easy to simply take the property away from her and with that. . .her power. For now Moni still truly had no idea what lay in her hands, so she would happily give the tower to me.
So fucking easy.
But I wouldn’t.
There was a reason my father gave it to her. Even if the man was a psychotic murderer and absolutely intolerable at the best of times, he had his own motives and methods that. . .tended to lean toward the good of the East.
Plus, he had not only created the Four Aces, but he managed us with a steady hand for years.
I respected that, at least.
Besides, he was right.
The East needed to understand that Moni wasn’t just some bystander or my romantic partner—someone who was only there to take my cock.
She was family now and family deserved respect.
This is just a whole lot of respect, Father.
It wasn’t just the tower she had to deal with now. Yan held other properties too—hotels, restaurants, casinos, factories—all over Shanghai.
Moni would need help.
Sighing, she pressed her fingers to her temples as if trying to fend off a headache. “This is insane. Your father is insane.”
“That’s one way to put it.”
Violence sparked in my core as I thought of Moni’s new army protecting her from not only others. . .but me.
I will kill them if they ever get between my path to her. I hope they understand. Regardless of her power, she is all mine.
The pilot patiently waited by the open door.
She gazed out of it as if terrified to leave the helicopter like. . .to exit would be to say yes to everything. “I can’t take this tower, Lei.”
“You can and you will.” I squeezed her hand. “You’re stronger than you think and remember, you’re not alone. I’m here and so is the rest of the family. We’ll guide you through every step.”
She looked back at me and her gaze softened. “I’m not ordering people to kill anybody.”
“You will, but you’ll get used to it.” Slowly, I rose from my seat and guided her up.
She stood. “I won’t get used to it.”
“You will.” I gently traced my thumb over her knuckles. “Because when it comes to making those tough decisions, I'll be helping you navigate it all behind the scenes.”
“I don’t want you behind the scenes. I want you right in front and at my side—”
“I can’t do that.” I offered a smile, trying to reassure her but the fear in her eyes did not lessen. “They will need to see you stand on your own.”
I hated even saying that, but it was true. If I were always by Moni’s side when she talked to her new men, they wouldn’t give her any respect. They would just continue to look at me for guidance.
I didn’t want that for her.
You knew that, Father. Didn’t you? Knew I would let her spread those powerful wings that you gave her.
More anger sparked at my core at the thought of my beautiful lover standing in front of thousands of other men and radiating so much power.
Many would want her in their bed.
They’d lust after Moni and imagine her naked at night.
How could they not?
The line of my jaw twitched.
She looked at me. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
I’ll have to figure out a solution to this without stepping on her power.
Now I truly knew what my father meant when he said I would have to share her. While I figured he was talking about just the East, he’d meant everyone in the empire too—from Paradise City to Shanghai.
No, Father. I still disagree. Everyone can’t have her. I won’t let them.
Moni nudged me with her elbow. “Lei, seriously. . .what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I swallowed down as much annoyance as I could and guided her away. “Let me show you the Mirage.”