Chapter 14
April was right. Galahad Chu was indeed chaos, though his brand was not like the tumultuous and lawless monsoons of his motherland,
Hong Kong. Rather, cloaked in his posh affectations and spiritual gravitas, Galahad’s chaos was only obvious in its wake.
This chaos, as undetectable yet seemingly almighty as the dark energy that powers our universe, was achievable only because
of his remarkable abilities.
The holy man knew all, and therefore he could wield all . . . boundlessly.
As Galahad exited Roses Sun’s home office, the Sun Clan’s epic Lunar New Year party was in full swing, kicky Mandopop remixes
bumping over unseen speakers as hundreds of red revelers gathered together to celebrate the turning of the zodiac.
He descended the stairs, practically skipping toward a grand performance featuring two sets of lion dancers play-fighting over a massive red envelope the size of a small refrigerator, stuffed full of crisp one-hundred-dollar bills.
The gold-and-red lions, each containing a pair of performers, one mounted on the shoulders of the other to allow the dueling lions to reach great heights, batted the overflowing envelope back and forth like opulent kittens.
The result was a flurry of Benjamin Franklins fluttering in all directions, to be caught by delighted attendees by the fistful, bestowing upon them oodles of luck and abundance.
Sidestepping one of the lions as he reached the ground floor, Galahad merged with the crowd, blending in only because he stood
at least a head shorter than most of them. Though some who shared his stature might bemoan their vertical challenges, for
Galahad it was a crucial advantage. With an unforgettable face like his, if he stood too tall above a crowd, he would be instantly
conspicuous. And Galahad preferred for his marks not to see him coming. Indeed, as the crowded party progressed into the night,
Galahad’s stealthy size allowed him to overhear certain conversations completely unnoticed.
He was just a few feet behind a somewhat sullen Lola Sun at the Peking duck carving station in the dining tent when the infamous
Sunbern appeared out of nowhere to march up to her, a frozen smile plastered across his face that did little to disguise his
profound annoyance.
“I just remembered something from last night,” Sunbern said, “now that I’m less hungover.” Forgoing a shirt, he wore only
a scarlet dragon brocade vest that showed off his perfect shoulders, which flexed beautifully as he put his hands on hips,
leaning over his diminutive cousin.
Lola had on a vintage burgundy leather jacket with red lacquered chopsticks in her mass of black hair. Clearly wanting to
avoid Sunbern’s topic, she looked around. “Let’s get you a drink then!” She motioned for a server but Sunbern pushed her arm
back down.
“When we were looking for the puppy, Wayward said something weird,” Sunbern said. “Something about becoming a father. Why
did he say that, Lo?” He peered at her with suspicious eyes.
Lola shrugged in exasperation. “Who knows? We were tripping, big cuz! He was talking to his phone before that!”
“You think I don’t know when you’re lying to me,” Sunbern replied, “but I can tell something’s up.
You always hated Shannon along with the rest of our family, but suddenly you want me to get back with her.
You’re even encouraging us to have a baby.
And then Wayward randomly mentions becoming a father too?
Look at me again, Lo, and tell me the truth this time! ”
Relishing this enlightenment of the reputedly dim Sunbern, Galahad took a big bite of scalding-hot crispy duck skin, the rich
hoisin sauce dripping out of the side of his mouth. Sunbern may seek truth, but too much truth would surely be his undoing.
Lola was gnawing on her bottom lip, contemplating how to respond.
“Fine,” she finally said. “I recently found out that Auntie Roses is going after the Sunfang Trust. She’s helping Wayward
have a son.”
“What!” Sunbern looked bamboozled. “Everyone knows that my mom controls that money, and she’s not even willing to give ME
any of it. What chance do THEY have?”
“Big Boss Sun’s will was clear,” Lola replied. “Yes, your mom controls it . . . until one of us cousins has a baby boy.” She
pointed a determined finger in his face. “Do you want to keep pulling tricks, big cuz? Do you want to keep living in that
K-town dump? Why shouldn’t it be you, Sunbern? Why shouldn’t it be us to claim Sunfang Trust?”
As though in response, the loud laughter of two women rang out from across the dining tent. Lola and Sunbern (and Galahad)
turned to see Hyacinth Sun-Bernard, looking absolutely sloshed as she leaned against Shannon Shoo of all people, both of them
suppressing their giggles like naughty schoolgirls as they drained their umpteenth glasses of champagne.
“Well, looks as though my mom likes Shannon now,” Sunbern said, sounding mystified.
“I guess she does . . .” Lola agreed, equally astonished. Yes, this newfound friendship was advantageous to their cause, but she hadn’t expected it to blossom so quickly. Once again, she wondered how much she had underestimated Shannon . . . and to what end?
A group of chattering women moved past them, and Galahad took the opportunity to tack onto them and move away. He hadn’t yet
met with Lola and Sunbern, but he had been well aware of the baby cousin’s plot to enter the sweet simpleton into the baby-boy
race. He was unfazed by this potential challenge to Roses’s plan. With that shifty Shannon Shoo in the mix, Galahad already
knew that they were in for some truly shocking surprises.
As he was idling in the main hall, a hush fell over the crowd. Everyone turned to look at April Sun descending the stairs,
draped in the beautiful YSL gown that glittered with the wet radiance of a freshly opened wound. April looked every bit as
glamorous as she had in her glory days, and all around were murmurs of approval for the Sunfang princess.
If April relinquished a small smile at this adoring attention, it only lasted a second. Quickly following her, his head bowed
low, was Cristiano Baccay, somehow even more dashing in an impeccably fitted auburn tuxedo. As he stood next to his wife,
resplendent in their collective beauty, they had the breathtaking air of a doomed royal couple.
If only they all knew, Galahad thought to himself smugly. He noted that when Cristiano reached out for April’s hand, she briskly
snatched it away.
Covertly, Galahad tracked the unhappy pair through the crowd as April beelined for the main bar with Cristiano in hot pursuit.
By the time Cristiano caught up to his wife, Galahad was already tucked behind a nearby column, listening.
“Get away from me, Cris,” April said through clenched teeth. She turned to the bartender. “What cocktail did my mom force
you to serve?”
Apologetically, the bartender held up a pitcher of warm, creamy sludge. “Eggnog.”
Trying not to gag, April waved it away. “Just whatever you have that’s the strongest.”
The bartender poured her a shot of 130-proof firewater imported from the Guizhou Province of China. She tipped the heady liquor
down her throat, instantly feeling its heat rush to her cheeks.
“Just let me explain, Ape.” Cristiano whispered as he reached for her again, but her face was so acidic that his hands fell
back down to his sides. “Ape, what you heard between me and your mom, that was just . . .!”
“Why did you choose me, Cristiano Baccay?” April’s hissing question sliced through the air like a poisoned dart. “You’ve been
friends with Wayward since we were all kids. You knew what my family was like. Yet you still wanted me. Why?”
Cristiano’s eyes were wide. “April, I love you. I’ve always loved you. You know that.”
April’s gossamer eyelashes glistened with tears as she shook her head angrily. “Do you know why I chose you, Cristiano? I
was supposed to end up with an oil baron or a shipping heir or a Thai prince, but I chose you. Do you know why?”
“Why?”
April let out a choked, enraged sob, motioning around them. “Because you weren’t like these people! You were supposed to protect
me from them!”
“I’m still protecting you, Ape,” Cristiano insisted, his voice growing louder as eyebrows in the crowded party around them
began to rise. “I always have. Appeasing your mom by helping her with Wayward is just so I can play both sides. One of us
has to be in good standing with Roses!”
“Listen to yourself,” April said with a sad laugh, unbothered about the spectacle they were becoming. “Well done, you truly
are a member of the Sun Clan now, Cris. I should have seen it coming. I was always confused about why you sold your company
to my mom, right after Lewis . . .”
“Lewis is dead!” Cristiano interrupted with a snarl, his handsome face twisting in anger.
“Our little boy is dead! And we might as well be too if you never accept that, April!” He grabbed her by the shoulders, jolting her and inciting gasps from those around them.
“How much longer are you going to mourn him? How much longer are you going to make us all suffer? You fucked up your career at Sunfang Global, and you won’t give us another son!
And now you’ve gotten us kicked out of this house.
We’re about to lose everything because of you and your failures! ”
Shocked, April stared up at Cristiano, unable to respond. Never had he been so cruel.
Her husband handed her a glass of champagne. “Drink up and look happy,” Cristiano ordered. “We’re just guests here, after
all.”
Glaring at him, April tipped the cold champagne down her throat in one bitter gulp. Then she tore away from Cristiano, pushing
past the disapproving bystanders, and ran out of the main hall, out of sight.
Behind the nearby column, Galahad smirked to himself. What a humiliating display of chaos. There was no chance that April
and Wayward would realign now.