Chapter 35
Chapter Thirty-Five
E ven the luxury of first class wasn’t enough to help me sleep on the flight, and I disembarked from the plane at Changi Airport exhausted. The arrival process passed in a blur. The next thing I knew, I was in the back of a cab next to Neil, leaving the airport behind. I gazed out the window, absorbing the unfamiliar sights, but my eyelids grew heavier with each passing moment, and soon I was struggling to stay awake. The gentle hum of the car’s engine and the warmth of Neil’s presence beside me lulled me into a drowsy haze, and I felt myself drifting off despite my best efforts to stay alert.
“Amelia,” Neil said.
His grip came down on my upper arm.
I jolted awake, and for a second I didn’t know where I was. My face was squished up against something warm, solid, and slightly rough. As soon as I inhaled my next breath, I recognised Neil’s scent. Someone’s pulse was thrumming. His or mine? Both?
I pulled away from Neil’s shoulder with a muttered apology. How long had I been like that? So embarrassing.
Neil’s face was pinched in a look of mild annoyance as he smoothed the wrinkles out of his suit from where I had unwittingly rested my head. “We’ll be at the hotel soon,” he said. “Then you’ll be able to have a good sleep.”
I tried to stay awake for the rest of the journey, keeping myself occupied with the cityscape unfolding outside the car window; modern high-rises mingled with lush tropical greenery, bathed in vibrant hues of artificial light under the starry sky.
Neil sat stiffly throughout the ride, his brow growing heavier and his forehead lines deepening by the minute. He was worried about something, but I didn’t know what. I followed his line of sight to the rearview mirror, where the driver’s reflection loomed. Neil’s eyes were shooting daggers. I got the sense that something was wrong. Very wrong.
As the car wound through busy streets, the tension in the air grew thicker until Neil snapped, “This isn’t the way to the hotel.”
The driver didn’t respond.
“What’s going on?” I asked Neil.
He lowered his voice. “This isn’t the transfer you booked. Daniel must have sent this driver to intercept. I suspect we’re on our way to meet him now.”
I was too tired to analyse what this meant. One answer was all I needed.
“Will we be okay?” I whispered.
“Don’t worry,” Neil whispered back.
The driver pulled up outside a towering building of metal, glass, and sharp angles.
“Could you at least take Amelia to the hotel?” Neil asked.
“I was instructed to bring you—both of you—here,” the driver said. He got out and opened the door for Neil, then for me. I stumbled out of the car into the warm and humid night, shaky on my feet, but alert now from a burst of adrenaline pumping through me.
“Zelthia headquarters?” I asked, staring up at the building.
“Yes,” Neil said. “We’re supposed to come here tomorrow, so why now? I wonder what Daniel’s playing at.”
“He must have his reasons.”
“You would think so.”
The driver handed us off to a pair of big men in suits, both of whom looked like they could snap someone in half with their bare hands if they so desired. Neil and I had no choice but to go with them.
“Stay close,” Neil said, voice low and steady. His calm demeanour was the only thing keeping my panic at bay.
The men escorted us through the revolving door into the building. The lobby was expansive, with high ceilings, a tiled floor, and lighting that resembled an art installation. The air was cool and sterile from what felt like industrial-strength air-conditioning. Despite the late hour, we passed a handful of lingering employees. Our escorts led us to a lift. They flanked us as we went up to the highest I’ve ever been up in a building. The winding corridors that followed only added to the disorienting effect. At last, we arrived in a luxurious office room, furnished with a large table surrounded by black leather armchairs. Floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of the city skyline lined the far wall. Daniel Ling sat at an imposing desk in front of them. He rose to his feet as we approached, and I heard the door close behind us with a snick. Daniel’s grin was unnaturally wide and his greasy hair was slicked back, revealing a sharp widow’s peak. His eyes bulged as he took in the sight of us. He oozed oily charm. “Neil, Amelia, so glad you made it.” He spoke as though he hadn’t just forced our presence.
“We were scheduled to visit tomorrow morning,” Neil said. “Tell me, what’s so urgent that you needed to see us now?”
“My, my. Lovely to see you too.”
“Pardon me. It’s been a long flight. Amelia is tired. She is not used to travelling.”
“But of course. Sit down. Relax. Would you like a beverage?”
“No, thank you.”
“And you, Amelia?”
I didn’t trust the man not to poison me, so I declined. “I’m all right, thank you.”
“Very well. Sit down. Make yourselves comfortable.”
We took up seats around the table. I sat next to Neil, heeding his advice to stay close. Daniel sat opposite us. The two big men stood on either side of the door, like guards. I wondered if we were locked in. A troubling thought.
“I trust you had a pleasant flight?” Daniel asked.
“Yes, thank you. A bit bumpy, but nothing out of the ordinary,” Neil said.
“And both of you are well?”
“There is always a certain amount of stress involved in the work I do, but apart from that, I am well. Amelia has settled into her role too.”
I steeled my nerves and spoke up. “Yes, I have. It’s going great.”
“Good, good,” Daniel said. “Glad to hear it.”
“And you?” Neil asked. “How are you managing while the chairman has taken a back seat?”
“As you’re well aware, I was born to lead this company.”
“Then I trust all is well.”
“Of course.”
“And the chairman? How is his condition?”
Daniel’s smile faded into a solemn line, though it came across as fake. “He’s still got his wits about him—for now. His physical decline is more pronounced. He’s in the hands of the best healthcare professionals in the country. What more can be done?”
“I would like to visit him while I’m here.”
“So you should. He still considers you as a second son even now.”
“I will go so long as my schedule allows it.”
“I’m afraid you’re going to be quite busy. Your expertise has been sorely missed.”
Their back-and-forth continued in a similar vein for quite some time. Both of them had their guards up, and Daniel’s motive for the meeting was still unclear—unless it was just to mess with us.
I was beginning to zone out, my tiredness catching up with me, when Daniel shifted from his seat, half rising. “Anyway, enough chitchat,” he said. “Come. A group of my associates are waiting for us at Chang’s. Let’s have a drink with them.”
My heart sank at the thought of prolonging the evening, the promise of a comfortable hotel bed drifting further from my grasp.
“Very well,” Neil said. “But I ask that Amelia be excused from joining.”
I perked up, heartened by him coming to my defence.
Daniel’s expression soured. “Now, that’s no fun, is it?”
“I’m serious, Daniel. I wouldn’t have let Christine drink with your associates, so why would I let Amelia? She has no business with them, and they have no business with her. I won’t allow it.”
Daniel let out a condescending chuckle. “You’ve always been funny like that. How you treat your subordinates is very amusing to me.”
“Are we going or not?”
“Fine. Let’s go. Eric can drop Amelia off at the hotel on the way.”
Daniel rose fully from his seat. Neil and I followed suit and made our way across the room. I mouthed “thank you” to Neil when Daniel wasn’t looking.
Leaving the enclosure of the office brought me relief from the feeling of being trapped in and at Daniel’s mercy. The effect was fleeting, however, as Daniel ushered us into the confines of the same car we had arrived in, him and Neil in the back, me in the front next to the driver.
“Stop off at the Laurent Hotel, Eric,” Daniel told the driver. “It’s past the young lady’s bedtime.”
I was too tired to let his patronising comment get under my skin.
A few minutes later, we pulled up outside the hotel entrance.
“Rest well, Amelia. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow,” Neil said.
“I will. Want me to take your luggage in as well? I can leave it at reception.”
“Yes. Thank you. Let’s reconvene tomorrow morning.”
Daniel leered at me. “Nighty-night,” he said with a smirk.
I forced a polite reply through gritted teeth. “Good night, Mr. Ling.”
Eric opened the door for me, and I hopped out of the car. A porter was already at my side, ready to whisk me and the luggage through the revolving door and into the hotel lobby. I heard the car drive off as I crossed the threshold, and I spared a thought for Neil, whose night was far from over.
The hotel lobby had a stylish and sophisticated design with black, cream, and gold decor. Two attendants manned the reception desk. I checked in without any issues, then made my way up to my room. I unlocked the door and slipped inside. A comfortable-looking bed awaited me with the cover invitingly turned back. I wanted to dive straight in, but I made myself unpack first so I wouldn’t feel rushed in the morning. I set aside my outfit for the next day in a neatly folded pile, placed my books on the bedside table, my laptop on the desk, and my toiletries in the bathroom.
After a quick shower and a minimal skincare routine, I finally sank into the bed. The time on the digital clock said eleven PM, which was three o’clock in the morning in New Zealand time. No wonder I was so tired. Cocooned by the soft mattress, smooth sheets, and fluffy pillows, I quickly succumbed to a deep sleep, uninterrupted, at least for a while…
At an unknown hour, the door creaked open, jolting me awake.