Adair looks at the man before him. Undoubtedly, this face is neither strange nor familiar. He can count
the number of times he has seen Rex with one hand but feels particularly reliant on him. Children
cannot tell what this is but can feel it honestly.
If someone else came to pick him up from the house tonight, he wouldn't have complied. But knowing
that this man is his father, the child feels differently.
In the UK, when he saw other children holding hands with their fathers or even leaning onto their
shoulders at school, he more than once fantasized about how his father would look like. During a time
when he was very depressed, he thought he was different from other children; he had no father, no
guardian who was tall and revered. He could only try to pretend he did not care and made himself look
strong.
But he has never stopped the imagination which accumulates and becomes a grudge. Yes, he blames
his father for never appearing in 5 years, for not caring about him and his mother. Is it because they are
not good enough?
Adair has been cautious and sensitive about the word ‘father'. So, when his father appeared before him
realistically, even though he wished to pretend to not care, the passion inside is still difficult to remain
hidden.
He wants to stay with Rex. He wants to see what his father is like.
He does not know. All his pretense and cautiousness are disclosing in Rex's observation. Under his
view, the timidness and determination are so contradictory and hurtful.
Rex once again raises his hand and touches his head, "Trust me, okay?"
The child lowers his eyes, looking at the bed sheet underneath him. It is not the cartoon kind at home
but a pure white color kind. He thinks for a while, unfolds his pinky, and purposely contracts his good-
looking face, "Then we pinky swear."
Rex looks down at that short fair pinky finger. His heart softens. He reaches out his hand and locks his
pinky with his, "Okay."
The moment of skin-to-skin touching feels like flower blossoming in Rex's heart. This cute and smart
little child before his eyes is his son whose finger is so soft and chubby.
But unfortunately, Adair is not giving him anymore opportunity for contact, and retracts his hand soon,
very purposely.
His disguised timidness looks particularly cute in Rex' eyes. He was also like this when he was a child,
desiring very much physical contact with his family but refraining from expressing it.
He understands that it is this 4, 5 years that has distanced them. But he does not mind. He will fill this
gap and walk towards them step by step.
This is what he owes them. No matter how much time has passed, he will start again. What he fears is
not the effort but the lack of opportunity.
5 years of life and death separation has taught Rex a lesson, that nothing is more joyful than being
alive.
For anything else, He admits.
...
6 o'clock in the morning the next day, Lily gets up from the bed and walks in the bathroom. She looks at
her bloodshot eyes in the mirror. This sick-looking woman seems like a completely different person
from herself last night with a graceful body in a formal dress.
She was awake throughout the night, preoccupied with Adair and that shameless Rex, tired and
wronged.
She blinks and takes a deep breath, turns on the tap, and washes her face immediately with cold water.
She feels better after all. She wipes her face with a towel, gets changed to a causal outfit, and walks
out to the bedroom, without taking a shower in time.
She purposely borrows from Ryan a car, a black Volkswagen Phaeton, the most inconspicuous million-
dollar car.
Lily puts on the seatbelt and just realizes before she drives off, that she knows nothing about his
current company, not even the company name and not to mention the address.
There is only one way, driving to the Han Yu Law Firm.
Anxiously, she reaches the building. She takes the elevator to that familiar place. The staff at the front
desk has been replaced by a new person, whom she does not know. She asks very politely, "Hello,
Ma'am. May I ask who you are looking for?"
Lily looks calm, "I'm here to see your boss Rex."
President Rex?
The girl thinks for a second. There is only one President Rex in the company, who is the major
shareholder but has almost never been to the company and never participated in any operational work.
And now someone is looking for him?
"I'm sorry Ma'am. President Rex is not at office. You'll have to make an appointment if you want to see
him."
This answer is what Lily has expected. She shifts the target, "Well could you let your boss Orson know
that Miss Lily is here to see him."
Rex is not here, but Orson must be at office, right?
However, her hope is gone.
"I'm sorry Ma'am. President Orson went on the business trip yesterday morning. You can't see him if
you don't have an appointment."
Lily frowns, "None of them is here?"
"Yes."
Lily looks inside the office, unwillingly to give up, "Are you sure President Orson isn't here?"
The girl at the front desk feels a bit annoyed, seeing her staying put without appointment. Out of good
professional courtesy, she replies very politely, "Yes, I don't need to lie to you."
With things said, Lily sees no point in pushing and returns by the same way she came.
From the elevator to the underground parking lot, her mind is a mess, not knowing where to find him.
The only remaining place is the Imperial Villa, but if he did not let her in, she would still be stranded.
What could she do?
As she feels helpless, the phone in her bag rings suddenly.
Lily takes out the phone and looks – it is from Rex. She wastes no time and picks it up. Not waiting for
an opening from the other side, she asks with a burning impatience, "Where's the child?"
"Mom, it's me." A childish voice is heard surprisingly from the other end of the call.
Lily's heart pauses and beats again. Her emotions fluctuate in waves and tears well from her eyes,
"Adair, where are you right now? Have you eaten? Do you miss mommy?"
"I'm at uncle Rex's place. Uncle took me last night." The child articulates what happened to her, "I've
eaten. I miss you, Mom."
"Good, good. I miss you too, son." Lily exhales in relief and hides her crying tone from the child. She
instructs, "Listen to me Adair. Give the phone to uncle now. Let mommy talk with uncle."
Adair nods although Lily cannot see it on the other end of the call, and hands out the phone to the man
eavesdropping beside, "My mom wants to talk to you."
That tone, and stare, and bossy-ness, look almost the same with his.
Rex takes the phone with a good mood. But before he can utter, he is disrupted by the woman's
screeching –
"REX, WHERE HAVE YOU TAKEN MY CHILD!?"
"Mom, it's me." A childish voice is heard surprisingly from the other end of the call.
Lily's heart pauses and beats again. Her emotions fluctuate in waves and tears well from her eyes,
"Adair, where are you right now? Have you eaten? Do you miss mommy?"
"I'm at uncle Rex's place. Uncle took me last night." The child articulates what happened to her, "I've
eaten. | miss you, Mom."
"Good, good. | miss you too, son." Lily exhales in relief and hides her crying tone from the child. She
instructs, "Listen to me Adair. Give the phone to uncle now. Let mommy talk with uncle."
Adair nods although Lily cannot see it on the other end of the call, and hands out the phone to the man
eavesdropping beside, "My mom wants to talk to you."
That tone, and stare, and bossy-ness, look almost the same with his.
Rex takes the phone with a good mood. But before he can utter, he is disrupted by the woman's
screeching —
"REX, WHERE HAVE YOU TAKEN MY CHILD!?"
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