At a Villa in a Suburban area.
"Tell me"
The tall man looking out the glass walls swirled his glass of wine and asked the man in a grey suit.
"As ordered,We followed Miss Yu to the hospital but we could not get too close to her due to her personal bodyguards.But Later we found out that a young boy named Liu Liu is admitted there and Miss Yu goes to visit him daily."
"Liu Liu" Ren Hao Pan said distractedly as he tried to recall just where he had heard the name.
"who is this Liu Liu?" Ren asked again.
"We are not sure but he seems to be a relative of mr Li's" The bodyguard responded respectfully.
"hmm.Continue to watch over her.Protect her if and when she needs it" Ren focused on the brown liquid in his glass.
"Yes boss" The man move towards the exit but was stopped.
" Have you received news from Henry?" Ren asked a subtle anger in his tone.
"No sir, Ever since You asked to find him, he is not responding to our contacts. The main house thought he had moved to China with you.."
"Alright. Let me know as soon as you find him." Ren dismissed the man.
Ren Hao Pan had a sad expression as he looked over at the vast city with its bright lights.
He could find no happiness as he continued to breathe.
"Henry knows he did wrong,that is why he is hiding.You don't have to blame the man to this extend" A calm man spoke from behind Ren Hao Pan.
"He went against my order in the name of loyalty. He needs to explain why he did this to me!" Ren spat in anger. Even his handsome face had turned horrendous in his rage.
"That's why he tried to correct his wrong and sent his assasin squat to Mr Li Jun's office.You can't completely fault him." Miguel smiled at his friend and said again. " You have to understand that Henry will never do anything that is a disadvantage to you."
Ren Hao Pan scoffed. " And just what did that achieve in the end and what was even the point of it all? He only managed to proof his idiocy."
"Naturally if Li Jun dies, Yu Yan will be yours..." Miguel uselessly continued to speak for Henry.
Ren was far from being impressed.
"And if she found out that her husband was attacked by my butler? then what?!. Do you think she can love me again? Henry has done too many wrong things over the years ,I cannot overlook this." Ren Sat down on his couch with a twisted expression.
Henry had given him false information all these years, intercepted his messages for Yu Yan, and her messages to him, overlooked her well being even though he had ordered him to send money every month to her adoptive family. .. Yu Yan had thought that he had abandoned her , while he had thought that she would be in danger if he met her before he solved the inheritance problems of his family. He only got snippet of news and pictures of her and a bunch-loads of excuses from Henry for so long.
He wasn't wrong about keeping the distance for her protection but he did not suspect at all that the one who would betray him at the end would be his most trusted friend and his butler- Henry.
Miguel also sat down opposite him and sighed.
"Henry told me that Yu Yan was a weakness during those years.He knew that if your family knew about her ,they would use her to make you lose your seat as the rightful heir. He also told me that he will not see you before he can right his wrongs again..." This conversation was getting old. No matter how much he explained, Ren could not or would not understand.
"How and when did he contact you?" Ren immediately interrogated his friend. He was also apprehensive about Henry and Miguel being so close.
"It's useless to ask me Ren, He used burner phones each time and I wouldnt help you catch him either." Miguel also agreed with Henry since he knew about the struggles Ren had to go through to get to where he was.Ren was a great guy and a better friend, he did not want bad things for him.
Ren squinted sharply but swallowed whatever he wanted to say, instead he told Miguel to give Henry a message for him- " Stop trying to harm Mr Li, its beyond your measly caliber and also, when he catches him, he is as good as dead"
Miguel smiled and nodded agreeing to give Henry the message next time.
"So,What will you do now?" The younger man asked Ren.
"What else can I do? Haven't you confirmed it for me that she is very happy in her marriage with that demon Li Jun?" Ren poured another glass hoping to drown his pain.
"Yes she is happy, exceedingly so. I suggest you forget about her and move on.You are not too young now Ren."
Ren Hao Pan Smiled a devastatingly beautiful smile as he emptied his glass again.
"My young friend!" Ren Hao Pan said as he poured another one.
" My head understands but my heart.. this stupid heart refuses to do so. My eyes continues to look for her even when I know she wouldnt be there ." Ren's voice turned gloomy.
'No one can understand what she means to me'
Miguel looked at his good friend with pity.
"I get it too ,my older friend.A habit of decades cannot be undone in just a few days" Miguel tried to comfort him with a smile. " But you can not let it chain you down either".
"hmmm" Ren Hao Pan responded sadly as he walked towards the glass walls and looked out over the city again.
"If only you came back a little earlier. She was waiting for you" Miguel said without much thoughts.
At that instant Ren recalled the video recording of a drunk Yu Yan admitting that she had indeed waited for the young boy of her past,yet, now it was a little too late.
"I beat myself up every second with this thoughts; if only, I had gotten control over the Pan family earlier.If only, I had been more ruthless, If only I wasn't too afraid of the Pan family knowing my weakness, if only I had contacted her directly without sending that bastard Henry... If only.." Ren hit the glass wall in his despair and the tough glass cracked a little.
"Thats enough Ren! Stop thinking and also drinking.You continue to protect her from afar.You at least deserve that. You take your time until you can let her go.I am always here for you" Miguel said annoyed and also with obvious concern for his friend.
Ren looked down to his bruised fist.
"Thank you...Miguel" He quietly thanked.
"This is what friends are for" And Miguel meant it.