Love Began with the First Meeting

Yesterday, Shirley had taken Mark to the hotel for dinner. That was the first time he had seen Richie. He had almost thought it was Brian who was standing in front of him. He could hardly tell the two people apart except for the age difference. He had wondered who that was, but he didn't ask Shirley. Then after Shirley had told him Richie's name, he connected all the dots. He also recalled how Shirley had introduced herself when they first met so Mark figured out who Richie was from there.

Shirley was very happy that Mark finally knew who she was. She had been thinking about how to introduce herself and Richie to Mark these days. Unexpectedly, her smart grandson had worked out the puzzle by himself.

It should have been a happy family reunion, but too many things had happened that day.

***

In QY Island, Brian was having a meeting while Molly was reading a magazine in the lounge. But not one single page had been turned after a long while. She raised her head every now and then, looking towards another room through the glass window.

The meeting had been ongoing for more than three hours now. They had even skipped the meal. The secretary had brought her takeout food instead but she barely touched it. Her brows were furrowed in worry.

All over the news was the bombing at the amusement park - things were definitely serious. She put the magazine down and walked to the glass window. The expression on Brian's face was cold as usual. He listened and wrote every once in a while.

Molly lowered her eyes, turned around, and sat back on the sofa. She watched Brian. Her heart tightened. Somehow, she found it difficult to breathe. She pressed her lips together and called Eric.

"Hello, hello, look who's missing me," Eric joked.

Molly frowned and scolded, "How can you be in the mood to joke right now?"

Eric raised his brows and asked, "Little Molly, are you worried about me?"

"..." Molly was silent.

"Don't be embarrassed. Just tell me. If this thing led you to call and worry about me, then it was worth it even if I lost the Empire," Eric continued teasingly.

"Eric Long!" Molly roared.

sounds better," Eric

was wordless. She rolled her

men worry about these things. Brian will take care of the things on QY Island. I am not worried. And things here are in control too. I won't

felt much relieved, "Eric, is everything

Eric answered earnestly. "Don't you believe in Brian and

I mean. I'm just..." Molly looked down and then continued, "I

yourself so we won't

talked for a few more minutes before

looked again towards the meeting room. The air

ticked away extremely slowly. The sun was starting to set. When the night fell, QY Island was lit by various kinds of lights. The meeting that had lasted almost all day

If things go wrong again this time, don't bother going back to

The people in the room looked at each other

reported when Brian walked out of the meeting room. "He's trained and well-prepared. But

"Take him to Aaron and tell Aaron I'm coming over later,"

Tony

Mark and the other was for Molly. Once they controlled them, they controlled Brian. He remembered how worried he had been when he had gone back to the villa and Molly wasn't there. He had called her immediately. When

enemy's people must have been lurking around the villa and that they just hadn't found the right time to attack yet. When he made his way to the lake, he kept thinking about what his enemy could possibly want. But Brian had been admittedly careless too as he underestimated his enemy whoever

distraction from the

rear-view mirror from the sunshine and the glass in the building. As the head

in a zigzag line, which would make it difficult for the sniper to aim. Snipers wouldn't pull the

this, but it was gone quickly. He opened the door of the lounge and stopped at the doorway when

magazine still in her hand. His heart ached. He walked over

moaned with a frown.

her eyes and looked at Brian. After a while, she