“While I second the motion to do a full audit, which I suspect has already been ordered by our Chairperson,” said Mr. Yi. “I find that to dismiss Richard for investing our funds, would be an improper move at this time, if these are truly corporate investments.”
“Very well. In that case, I would like to make several recommendations,” said Lauren. “First, I call for the termination of Mr. Lin, as Treasurer of our textile subsidiary, for his actions in diverting funds. I feel if Richard was involved, he acted without knowledge of Mr. Lin’s true intentions to pilfer funds. I do expect, however, that full restitution by Mr. Lin be made, otherwise I, on behalf of this corporation, will have to seek legal injunction against his assets. Is that acceptable, Mr. Lin?”
“Yes.” Mr. Lin crumbled in his seat, having lost the game, he had become Richard’s sacrificial pawn; a price he hadn’t counted on paying. His head hung low.
“I would like you, Mr. Yi, if you would accept, to take the position as Treasurer of the subsidiary until we can find a suitable candidate to fill the position. I would also like to ask you to confirm when Mr. Lin has complied with the restitution. Next, concerning you, Richard, while I cannot fault you for investing our funds, I have lost confidence in your ability to do so at the board's direction. Therefore, I am recommending that you be permanently removed, as a member of the board. Any objections?”
Lauren looked up and down the conference table and saw John sitting at the far end. He was over his head to be certain, but his smile was reassuring. The men who were with the Society agreed along with Mr. Yi. Mr. Kwok, she had tamed. Chen and Chong, her father’s allies, followed as expected.
“You cannot do this,” said Richard. “The board must- -”
“Mr. Cheng, the board clearly approves of Ms. Choi’s actions and on behalf of those present, I must ask you to honor your word, or need I remind you, yet again?” Mr. Yi stated boldly.
“I’ll keep my word.” Richard fumed. He couldn’t believe a woman had gotten the better of him.
“With that said let us return to the agenda but first; Rebecca please have Tang come in.”
“Yes, Ms. Choi,” said Rebecca.
“Mr. Lin, you’ll vacate your offices at once. Please provide Tang with a list detailing when restitution will begin and- -”
“Ms. Choi, you must reconsider,” said Mr. Lin. “You must understand I didn’t - - It wasn’t me. It was - -”
“It was who?” Mr. Yi saw Richard’s glare and made a note to question Lin in private later.
“Nothing.” Mr. Lin also caught the stare from Richard’s venomous eyes.
“Very well,” said Lauren. “Tang, Mr. Lin has resigned his position. Please have security escort him off the premises. Please see that his office and records are sealed pending a review by our auditors. Oh and Richard needs to return to the Choi complex. I believe my father is expecting him there shortly.”
“Yes, Ms. Choi.” Tang positioned himself behind Mr. Lin and Richard. The men stood up meekly. Richard looked to Yi, but Yi’s stare silenced any possible protest. They slinked out of the room and Tang followed. Instinctively, Lin knew Tang was escorting them elsewhere.
Richard emerged from the room, seething. His position had been reduced to nothing. His holdings would need to be dissolved to repay Choi. He knew if Tang gave him the chance, he would have to act quickly, but his hopes were crushed. Just outside the conference room, he found three men were waiting. His humiliation had re-awakened the fire burning within the pit of his stomach. From smoldering embers a full blaze had arisen and all because of a woman. He wanted revenge more than ever and was ready to kill, but the game for him was lost. They would guard him closely until Yi, or George was ready.
Richard knew he lost a major battle. He had but two options left, and if he could, he would have to play one, or both of them, and tonight. Catherine’s love, could he still use it? She was a bit cold at the hospital the other day, but that was surely an act for George. The only other thing would be to disappear from Hong Kong but for that, he would have to get to Eric. He needed a phone.
Chapter Forty-Two
Entering his father’s room in a surreptitious manner, John motioned to Lily to remain quiet. She was more than a bit curious to know why the wayward son had returned. All of Hong Kong heard the rumors concerning him and she was no exception. While she sat each day in her corner, she heard more than a fair share of the Choi family’s intimate happenings and was sure her silence was the reason she remained. She didn’t mind working for the Choi’s as they paid her triple salary, not to mention that she had begun to like George as a person and not just for the image of strength he presented.
“Hello, Lily.” John spoke softly, trying not to disturb his father.
“You’re John? Aren’t you?”
“Yes. I didn’t think he would still be sleeping at this hour. How is he?”
“You shouldn’t be here. Visiting hours aren’t until this afternoon.”
“I know, but I wanted to see him alone. How is he, Lily?” John asked.
“He’s fine, he’s doing much better now,” said Lily.
The two didn’t realize their whispering woke George, who was equally anxious to see John and so laid there trying to hear him out. He sensed courage, something new in John.
“I don’t know if I want you to remain. The last two times you caused Mr. Choi a lot of aggravation. I think you should leave and come back later during visiting hours.”
“Please, Lily,” pleaded John, almost desperately. “Look. I need to speak to him. It’s important and this might be the only chance to speak to him alone. If I come during regular hours, everyone else will be here too. Please, Lily.” John begged.
“Shhhussshh. No, you cause too much trouble. He needs rest, not your aggravation!” Lily gently began maneuvering John, toward the door.
“Sorry, Lily, I’ve got to talk to him without anyone else- -” John blocked her arm with a simple movement.
“Lily? Lily? Who’s there?” George decided he wanted to speak to John.
“Now see what you’ve done? You woke him up.” Lily went to George’s side immediately. “It’s okay, Mr. Choi. It’s your nephew, John. I’m trying to tell him he should come back later.”
“It’s okay, Lily. I want to speak to him.”
“Mr. Choi, you need your rest and - -”
“It’s okay. John came to see me. I’ll see him. Please, take a break.”
“I don’t think I should leave you. The last time you got too excited.”
“I promise and John too, we won’t get excited. Go. I assure you its okay.”
“I promise Lily, I won’t say anything to get him upset and won’t be long. Okay?”
“I’ll be back in ten minutes and you had better be on your best behavior,” Lily scolded.
“She’s very protective Uncle George. I’m glad you’re feeling better,” said John.
“She’s a good girl, John.”
“Yes,” said John.
They both stared at the other, neither knowing how to begin. John, apprehensive, paced about while his father watched quietly. “Lily said you’re getting better.”
“Yes. I’ll be able to leave tomorrow.” George didn’t know how to break the barrier between them.
“That’s good. Aunt Catherine will be happy to have you home again. I’m sure.”
“Yes, she will.”
Again, they fell silent in their awkwardness with each other. “I spoke to Catherine after you left the last time. Did she tell you what we spoke about?”
“No. Aunt Catherine didn’t mention anything to me.”
Again, there was silence in the room. “Why did you come today, John?”
“Because I’m going back to San Francisco. James needs me. Since I left, a lot of moves have been made and he said he needs my help. He thinks this guy, Kai, is trying to take over.”
“James knows his business.”
“Yeah. So does your daughter, Lauren.
It must run in the family,” he said, sarcastically.
“John. John, perhaps we have said too many harsh words in the past.”
“That’s okay, Uncle George. A lot of what you’ve said was true. You don’t have to worry about me. I learn very fast. I’ve learned all too fast the facts of life.”
“You’re still bitter.” George saw a new maturity in John.
“Do you blame me?” John saw his father as the wounded dragon.
“No, I don’t. If anyone is to blame, it’s me. If I had taken the time with you as I did with James, perhaps things between us would have been different. I can’t blame you, I can only blame myself.”
“Wait. What is this? George Choi is accepting responsibility?”
“That’s enough, John!” George said sternly.
John silenced himself. He saw the warning look and given he was reaching out; the last thing he wanted was to put up a brick wall of anger. “Excuse me, Uncle George.”
“Hmmm. It has always been difficult for us to talk. You always needed more attention than I could give. Come here and help me.” George moved over and sat in the side chair with John’s assistance. “This is better. Sit down, John,” he indicated the other chair.
“Uncle George, why is it you couldn’t find time for me? Why? I was your - - I was - -”
“I see you are keeping your word. I’m impressed. Catherine has been telling me of your changed behavior. Do you know you shocked her? Yes, you did and it’s not easy to shock her. She almost didn’t recognize you, but loves the manners and respect you’ve been showing. I hope you know she is proud of you. Tell me, what’s going on with James?”
John gave a sideways glance at his father that conveyed his displeasure with having to discuss James. “When I last spoke to your son James, he was having some problems with Charlie, his second in command, who just got released from jail. Strange things were going down. Drugs and stuff were missing. James is concerned, because he thinks Kai’s using Charlie.” John was actually revealing his own concern.
“Who is Kai?”
“One of the dai-low.”
“Where is he from? Who is his family?”
“I don’t know. No one seems to know much about him. He just showed up, began hanging out on the street one year and then joined. From what I hear, he worked his way up.”
“James suspects him?” George knew James didn’t suspect him as he never mentioned it during any of their conversations. James had said he was confused and didn’t know whom to suspect. No suspicions regarding Charlie, or Kai whatsoever were ever mentioned by him.
“Yeah, but of what, I’m not sure.” John’s face showed his concern.
“You’re worried about James?”
“No. Well, yes, but I’m not sure why. It's very strange,” John became annoyed talking about his brother as he wanted to work on his relationship with his father. “James is good with the guys, they like him and he’s good at following the rules.”
“What is it that you don’t like, John?”
“What’s there not to like? He does whatever you say, how ever you told him to do it.”
“You don’t approve?”
“No, I don’t. I think his very actions make him weak.”
“How so?”
“Because, he’s so tied to you, he can’t seem to think, or act on his own.”
“I think you underestimate James.”
“No, I don’t think so. I think if anyone underestimates anyone, it’s you. You, Uncle George, underestimated me. You don’t give me credit for noticing the way things go on, but I do. I’ve been noticing plenty, since you’ve sent me to the Gum Shaw.”
“What have you noticed John? Tell me.”
John looked at his father long and hard before deciding to come clean with a few things that had been on his mind. “He’s a bad leader, in that he doesn’t hear what the guys are saying. He doesn’t know their concerns, or fears. They resent him because they think he moved up because of you. They seem to think he’s only concerned with business and not them. He uses the men to run the business, but doesn’t care about what’s going on or important to them.”
“You think it's important to care about the staff?” George liked this change in John.
“Yeah, I do,” said John with attitude. “Another thing, he places his trust blindly. He figures if a guy does the job than he’s to be trusted. He never considers the guy’s objectives.”
“What makes you say that?”
“Kai makes me say that. James sees him, but doesn’t know him. Kai is after James’ position. I feel it and know in my gut he’s using Charlie, but I haven’t figured out how yet. Kai wants the power, the respect of the elders’ and is the type that’ll do whatever to get what he wants. James doesn’t see this.”
“James doesn’t suspect Kai, you do. Relax John, I know you better than you think.”
“If you knew me, I wouldn’t be in San Francisco.”
“And if you knew me, you would understand why I sent you.”
“I don’t know about that. I don’t belong there and the other guys know it.”
“Do they?’
“Yes.” John took a long pause before continuing. “Look Uncle George, you may have sent me because I was reckless and perhaps it was good, because the shock woke me up. But let me tell you something, you’re still asleep. You’re blind to James. You’ve got this image of the perfect son and he’s perfect as long as you guide him. Without you, he’s nothing.”
“I see.” George was intrigued by John’s display of brutal honesty.
“No. You don’t see and because you don’t see, you hurt people.”
“I hurt people?”
“Yes, you do. When I came here to see you the first time, all you could do was accuse me of disobeying you. You didn’t wait to ask first, why I had come. You never once thought I might have been ordered to return, or that maybe I was concerned and wanted to see my fa - - excuse me, uncle. The only thing on your mind was ‘John disobeyed.’ There was no sign of affection, or appreciation for me. Never, not once! Here’s more proof, we’re talking about James.”
“There was affection, John, but- -”
“But what? I’ll tell you what. If I did everything, exactly as you wanted, there was acceptance. If I showed any sign of being me, then nothing. I wanted to be appreciated and accepted for being me, not for being a duplicate of you. That’s why you always favored James. He is a younger version of you! But he is not you, because without you he cannot make a move, and now he’s in danger.”
“I never expected you to be me, John.” George looked away with regret for as much as he didn’t want to admit it; there was truth in John’s words. The fact that he didn’t explode shocked John, who looked at his father with compassion, and for once, no anger.
“You’ve failed your son, he’s the one hurt. As your nephew, I don’t care.”
“How was your Aunt Rose when you last saw her?”
“She’s fine. Concerned and upset you were injured, but fine. She wanted to be by your side, but understood that Aunt Catherine would be here.”
“What do you think about your Aunt?”
“Which one?” George pursed his lips and John instinctively knew he meant Rose. “Aunt Rose is a nice lady; looks good and can definitely, cook.”
“Yes, her cooking is good. What else, John?” George sensed an underlying issue.
“Nothing much. She’s kind, nice.”
“I see more in your face, John. I see concern. What else?”
“Fine, Uncle George. She’s worried about James and what he’ll inherit. She’s insecure with whatever you’ve set up and worries that James will be left out.”
“How do you know this?”
“I heard Aunt Rose and James arguing. James always says not to worry, but she worries. She doesn’t like Aunt Catherine and blames her for a lot. Is she related to Richard?”
“What makes you ask?”
“I thought I saw him in
San Francisco. Well, if it wasn’t him, then someone who looks like him, had lunch one day with Aunt Rose in a restaurant on the pier.”
“Sit down John, and relax a minute.”
“Is that an order?”
“No, it’s a request.”
John sat down feeling grateful his father was listening to his opinion. He was getting attention along with a dash of kindness and this touched him.
“John, I’ve been meaning to talk to you and- -” George stopped as Lily had entered.
“Well, this is a good sight. You are both sitting, quietly,” said a perky Lily.
“Lily, please take another break,” said George.
“Please,” said John.
“Sure,” Lily saw their need for privacy and left quickly.
“John, I’ve been thinking. I’ve time to do nothing else since I’ve been in here and- -” but he was interrupted by a ringing phone.
“I’ll get it.” John answered. It was Mr. Yi who was calling to report his findings. He saw his father indicate he didn’t want to take the call and took a message. George watched John with renewed interest. He didn’t like what John had to say concerning James, but had to admit it was the painful truth and something he had heard only hours earlier from Tang.
“A lot has happened between us John, and I must say I am impressed with your development. You have become a man and I haven’t been much of a father to you. John, how much do you know about Richard?”
“Do you mean if I have heard the rumors concerning the word of honor that keeps him bound to you and the society? I know that much about Richard, Aunt Catherine told the story.”
“Did you ever feel Richard tried to control you?”
John gave some consideration to his father’s question. “I never thought he tried to control me, but he has tried to persuade me.”
“Persuade. The art of persuasion is the art of influence, and the strongest kind of power. He’s a powerful man with vengeance. Don’t trust him; he’s not a friend to this family.”
The Dragon Within His Shadow Page 26