Evelyn disliked that they had posted the video without speaking to her about it. Mostly it was because of the shock of seeing the video. If she had known what the video contained, she wouldn't have watched it.
She wasn't entirely happy that there was more information that they had but didn't want to tell her. But she chose to trust Zain. If he thought it was bad enough that she shouldn't know then she wouldn't push the issue, at least not for now. She had enough to worry about.
She still didn't entirely trust Jinhai but she believed he wouldn't intentionally try to hurt her. She found herself having to remind herself to be cautious. This past week she could almost forget that they haven't spoken in five years. But then she'll look at him and he'll look different. Or she would catch him looking at her in a way that he never looked at her before. At least that she had not noticed before.
Her cell phone rang and vibrated against the wood on the table. She picked it up and saw Uncle Wai's name appear on the screen. She mumbled her excuses before she answered the call.
"Uncle Wai," she greeted when she picked up the phone.
"Evelyn, how are you?" her uncle asked.
"I'm okay, how are you?" she returned the question. She had silenced her phone today after the video came out. She knew her family members and everyone else would reach out to her with "sympathy." However, they didn't honestly care about her, they just hoped to get on her good side. She wasn't disappointed when she saw the amount of missed calls and text messages that day.
"I'm fine, I actually had an idea for your case," he said. Evelyn raised an eyebrow and gave her reply. "What is it?" she asked. She ignored the brothers' stare.
"I'm having dinner with your father and you should come. I can tell you both then," he said.
"Uncle Wai, I'd really rather know what this idea of yours is before my father does," she countered.
"Xiaoli, he's your father and he's worried," her uncle replied.
"Well I'm not very happy with him at the moment," she said. Uncle Wai paused. He never wanted to get between disagreements between Evelyn and Deming.
"I'm sure whatever he did, he did it with your best interests at heart," Uncle Wai said softly.
"What makes you so sure," Evelyn snapped. She was aware that her uncle didn't deserve it but her temper got the better of her. After all it's been a really trying day.
"As a father, he can't stand to see you hurt. Neither can I. And let's face it, I'm like your father too," he said. She smiled at that. He was like a father to her.
"That's sweet, I still want to hear what this idea is," she said. Her uncle laughed.
"I want to file a counter suit. To do so I need you to sign a few things. To do that as soon as possible, I need you to come to dinner," Uncle Wai said, not giving up any real information.
"That doesn't tell me anything," she said. He laughed at that. She could hear her uncle saying "You're too a stubborn for your own good," the way he often did.
"Fine. I'll come to dinner," she sighed. After expressing his delight her uncle hung up. She shook her head.
"What is it?" Jinhai asked her. She gave them the short version.
"Do you think it has something to do with the video?" Zain asked her. She nodded.
"He said counter suit. The best thing to counter with, is his infidelity. The video supplied solid proof of that," she responded.
She sighed then dialed her fathers extension.
"Evelyn," her father picked up.
"When are you meeting Uncle Wai for dinner?" She asked.
"I'm leaving in about fifteen minutes. Why?" He asked.
"He just invited me to dinner," she said.
"I see. Alright well then I'll come to your office in fifteen minutes and we can head out together," he said. She agreed then hung up. She turned back to the brothers.
"Are you okay?" Jinhai asked. She closed her eyes and leaned back against her chair.
"I'm fine, it's just been a day," she answered. Because her eyes were closed she didn't see the look that the brothers gave each other.
'Say something!' Zain seemed to say with this eyes.
'Like what?' Jinhai motioned back. Zain shrugged but gave a pointed look in Evelyn's direction before looking back at Jinhai.
"Evelyn, I'm sorry," Jinhai said. She waved off the apology.
"You said that already. Besides, you might have done me a favor. You managed to get proof he was cheating. With how explicit the video is, he can't deny anything," she said opening her eyes again. They chatted for a while before her father knocked on the door.
"What are you boys doing here?" He asked by way of greeting them.
"Hello, Uncle Wei," they greeted him. Deming looked confused.
"They came to pay me a visit," Evelyn said. Deming raised his eyebrow. He didn't comment on Jinhai's presence which intrigued Evelyn.
She knew her father was aware of his disappearance from her life. He wasn't too happy about it at first. But then one day he stopped mentioning it altogether.
She looked between her father and Jinhai for answers. She was disappointed that there was nothing obvious in their expression.
"I see," Deming said. He turned back to Evelyn. "Are you ready?" he asked her.
"Just about, let me just go freshen up first," Evelyn said and raced for the bathroom. When she was out of earshot Deming turned a hard expression on Jinhai.
"Don't fuck up this time," Deming said to Jinhai. Jinhai didn't blink at the older man's tone.
"I'm not going to fuck up," Jinhai replied. Deming's lips curled into a millimeter of a smile. He was aware of the situation between Jinhai and his daughter.
He was surprised when Driver Chung told him about Jinhai's reappearance in her life. He was mad at first but it dissipated when he was told how Jinhai took care of Evelyn last Tuesday night when she was drunk.
They stared at each other neither of them blinking.
"CGC's stocks are dropping," Zain said effectively breaking the silence. Jinhai and Deming gave him a look.
"Good," Deming said.
"Did you have something to do with it?" Zain asked.
"I'm pretty sure that was from your video," Deming countered. Jinhai smirked but didnt admit it.
"I'm sure you pulling your funding helped," Jinhai said. Deming rolled his eyes.
"That bastard deserves everything coming to him," Deming said. Jinhai and Zain agreed.
"If you hurt her," Deming started to say but Jinhai cut him off. They stared at each other.
"I won't," Jinhai said. He wasn't embarressed with this conversation or that Zain was witness to it. Deming nodded seeming satisfied. He understood and sympathized with Jinhai over the years.
Evelyn came back to grab her purse but left her brief case. She didn't feel like doing any late night work today.
"Okay guys, eveyone out," she said. Everyone filed out after her office. She paused only to close her door and lock it.
They walked to the elevator and rode it down.
"Are you riding with me?" Deming asked his daughter when they got to the parked cars She shook her head.
"No I'm going head home after dinner, I don't want to have to come back to the office," she said. Deming gave her the name of the Japanese restaurant before he ducked into his car. He waved at the Li brothers as he drove off.
"Thank you," she said again to them as they stopped by her car.
"You're welcome," they said. Jinhai reached a hand out behind her to open her door. She stepped aside as he pulled it open. She gave him a smile as she got into her car. She started it and he shut the door behind her. She rolled the windows down.
"What are your plans for the evening?" She asked them. They shrugged.
"Not sure yet," Zain said. "But don't worry about us. Go, you have a dinner date," he said. She rolled her eyes.
"Alright, I'll see you guys later. Bye," she said as she strapped herself in then drove off. The brothers stood side by side watching her as she drove off.
Zain turned to his brother when her car was out of sight.
"So, how are things going with Evelyn?" Zain asked. Jinhai smirked but didn't answer.
"You're smirking, I've rarely even seen you smile in the past five years," Zain said his eyes widening.
"You know, you're lucky Uncle Wei likes you," Zain said. Jinhai looked over at him.
"Yeah," Jinhai said absentmindedly. He recalled the conversation they had years ago. When Deming realized Jinhai was ignoring his daughter, he marched right into Jinhai's office. Jinhai respected the man but it was only because he was Evelyn's father that he didn't throw him out that day.
Deming had demanded to know why he was avoiding Evelyn. Jinhai never gave him a direct answer. But there must have been something in his expression because Deming's next words pinpointed his feelings spot on.
"You're in love with her," Deming had said. Jinhai sat there his eyes staring at his desk. His broken heart clear for the older man to see. His hair disheveled from the number of times he ran his hand through it.
"Did you ever tell her?" Deming questioned him. Jinhai didn't respond at first then slowly shook his head.
"I never had the chance," Jinhai said when he finally found his voice. Deming looked at Jinhai with sympathy.
"Son," he said. Jinhai lifted his eyes to look at him. His eyes expressed his sadness. Deming's eyes softened.
"You should have," Deming said. Jinhai scoffed.
"When was a good time to do that," he snapped. He wanted to give her time to grow as person. He never would have thought she would have gone and met someone else.
"When you first realized would have been most ideal," Deming answered. Jinhai closed his eyes. She was sixteen when he first realized his feelings for her. Despite what Deming said, that would not have been a good time.
"I sincerely doubt that," Jinhai said. Deming pressed his lips together.
"Then anytime before her wedding would have been good," Deming said.
"She was happy! Was I supposed to get in the way of that?" Jinhai didn't mean to snap this much but he did. He was having a difficult time controlling his emotion.
"Well now, you're here, while she's with Shawn," Deming replied back. Jinhai glared at the man sitting in front of him. Deming sympathized but didn't appreciate being talked to this way.
"I'm well aware of that. I'm well aware that she's in love with someone else, I am painstakingly aware that I lost her," Jinhai said through his teeth. His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
"I understand," Deming said. He didn't know what else to say to comfort Jinhai.
"But you plan on staying away from her for how long?" Deming asked.
"I don't know, I can't face her right now," Jinhai replied. Deming sighed.
"She misses you," Deming said. It made Jinhai's heart twist. She missed him?
"You are one of her closest friends," Deming continued. 'Friend' of course Jinhai thought bitterly. She didn't have romantic feelings for him.
"So what are you going to do now?" Zain asked Jinhai when Jinhai didn't say anything. It brought Jinhai out of his flashback.
"I have an idea," Jinhai said then headed toward their car.
"Wait up! Where are we going?" Zain doubled his speed to catch up with his brother.
- - - - -
JAPANESE RESTAURANT
Evelyn made it to the restaurant without any incidents. She drove up to the front of the restaurant where a valet dressed in black slacks and a black t-shirt immediately opened her door.
She stepped out of the car and the valet gave her a ticket with her number for her car. Evelyn thanked him then went inside. Her father and Uncle Wai were already there. They were waiting for her by the bar. Uncle Wai handed her a glass with what she assumed was Long Island Iced Tea when she got close to the table.
She took it from him and gave him a one armed hug and kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks uncle, she said. She took a sip of her drink before her Uncle and her father stood up. She followed them to the private room that they reserved.