The Dragon Within His Shadow

by Phyllis M. Rumore

  And so, John’s new life began. True, there were many challenges to be faced, but the more he talked to Tom, the more confident he felt.

  Chapter Eighty-Four

  George was sitting at his desk mulling over some papers he was scarcely reading. Rose would be waiting for him in about two hours and he wasn’t so sure, how things were going to play out. He didn’t intend to tell Catherine he was going to let Rose go, it just slipped out at the spur of the moment. In a way, that simple slip of the tongue revealed more to him about his true feelings. Walking back to his bedroom, he went to his dressing room and stopped short when he saw Catherine. She was sitting on the settee gasping, one hand clutched to her chest, the other holding the letter, while tears ran down her face. She looked up at him and he felt his heart sink.

  “How could you keep this a secret? From me?”

  “His life depends on the secret being kept. No one must know.”

  “Who? Why? I thought when Ng and the others were- - were- -”

  “No, they weren’t everyone. There is another but I guess you haven’t read the entire letter yet, have you.”

  “I haven’t. I cannot get past the first page, the first paragraph where he sa- -”

  “Don’t speak that out loud.” George went back, checked the hallway before shutting the bedroom door and the door to the dressing room. “Listen, Catherine, no one must ever find out. I knew I should have burned this letter after I read it, but - -”

  “His voice does mean something to you, doesn’t it?”

  “It always has Catherine, just as yours always meant something to me. I’ve had to fight too many battles in this never-ending war between my Society and the Gray’s. But the one I never thought I would have to fight was this one. The one the letter talks about.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Read the other two pages at the back, then read the full letter.” George watched Catherine as she went through John’s five pages. Then, there were two more pages not written by John but that he had found, referenced and included with his letter. Catherine looked up as he sat next to her on the settee. “Do you understand now, Catherine? Lauren must not know.”

  “I agree, George, no one must ever know. Will he be safe? What are you going to do?”

  “I’ll do what any man in my position must do to protect his family and empire. First, however, I must deal with Rose and James. But- - Uh, Catherine, how did you get into my safe?”

  “Oh, that? Oh, well, when you were in the hospital, I needed some cash and papers that I knew you kept in there for the insurance and um, things.” Catherine looked at George in a rather nonchalant manner.

  “And I thought I had forgotten how much was in there. Humph. And?”

  “And given the expertise on your staff, I simply had one of Tang’s men figure out the combination.” Catherine suddenly realized what she had said and what it meant.

  “I see. Hmmmm. Catherine.”

  “Yes, George?”

  “Do me a favor please.”

  “Yes, George?”

  “In the morning, please go out and buy a new safe. And please make sure it is one that hopefully Tang’s men cannot open.”

  “Yes, George.”

  George leaned into her. They shared a laugh as he kissed her forehead. He pointed to the letter. “Do you want to read this again?”

  “Must you burn it, George?” She looked up, understood his reasoning and read the letter again. She kissed the paper, closed her eyes and held the letter to her chest briefly. “Be safe,” she whispered. She watched George place the last two pages in his breast pocket, before he took John’s letter into the bathroom and held it over the candle. It burned quickly.

  Chapter Eighty-Five

  Rose and James walked into the lobby and were surprised to find Tang waiting for them. Rose felt confident in her best blue dress, which she had picked out because George loved blue. James felt silly wearing a suit, but wore it nevertheless, to keep his mother off his case.

  They exchanged pleasantries and for a while chatted about their trip to Kunming. Rose felt impatient, anxious to see George and if Tang was here to tell her it had been canceled, she was sure she would want to scream. Tang, however, needed to delay them for about fifteen minutes and kept James talking about his Shanghai business meetings.

  “Well, what is it, Tang? We’re supposed to be meeting George,” said Rose.

  “Actually, the car that will take you to George is ready and waiting outside. He wanted the meeting with you to be private. If James doesn’t mind, I thought I would show him one of Hong Kong’s newest clubs.”

  “Won’t your fiancée be upset?”

  Tang leaned in close toward Rose, “Mrs. Choi, let’s be clear, I don’t like you either. Now, if you want to see George, please go and get in the car. If not, then go back to the States.”

  Rose looked into Tang’s eyes, followed the line of his arm, which pointed towards the doorway, and left with a huff. “We’ll see what my husband has to say about this!”

  James looked at Tang. “Great Tang, now she’ll be pissed off for the rest of the week and I’ll have to deal with her.”

  “What’s the matter James; you can’t control your women?”

  “Watch it Tang that’s my mother.”

  “Let’s go.”

  Tang directed and James went out the hotel’s side door into an alleyway where they found Tang’s new black BMW waiting, along with two of his men. James didn’t like the feel of the situation or the fact that Tang was silent.

   * 

  In the back of the limo, Rose checked her makeup and made sure there wasn’t a crease or wrinkle on her dress. On the way up to the Peak, she saw a few people walking about with lanterns and started to get excited. Surely, she thought, George must have remembered their first date which was at the Mid-Autumn festival. Her heart pounded with excitement as she anticipated seeing George. She felt slightly disappointed when they pulled up in front of the tram station and the car door was opened. When she was handed a picnic basket and blanket, and told to wait for the next tram that would be arriving shortly, she was even more nervous. She watched in a state of disbelief as the driver drove the car, to the car park a short bit down the road, got out and smoked a cigarette. Was she really expected to carry the basket? It was so heavy. She didn’t like the way the evening was beginning.

  She didn’t see George’s approach, for if she did she would have seen the hesitant look upon his face that he got when he had to do something unpleasant. Instead, she turned and looked startled when he called her name.

  “Rose? Hello, Rose, it has been a long time.” George watched as Rose turned around and smiled.

  “Oh, George, it’s so good to see you.” Rose tried to kiss George, but he would only allow her to kiss his cheek. Something is very wrong, she thought. Her heart was beating fast.

  “Why don’t we walk this way?” George led her up the road a bit and even bought her the lantern she liked from one of the vendors. They walked over to a small, grassy area that had a good size opening where they would be able to see the moon. A number of families had already settled in under the trees and had hung their lanterns when they picked their spot. George looked around, saw his men were discretely watching, but from a secure distance.

  For a long time they chatted, as they ate the simple picnic meal. For his part George tried to be cordial, but his appetite for both food and conversation were weak. If Rose did pick up his uneasiness, she passed it off in her mind that his mourning for John left him melancholy. It seemed to George that the moon took forever to reach the zenith over the trees.

  “What is it George? You haven’t been yourself all night. Aren’t you happy to see me? When will you come back to San Francisco so I can take care of you like I used to do?”

  “Rose. Rose- -” George closed his eyes before looking up at the moon and suddenly remembered when John was about three, or four, and he returned home from a trip to the states. Joh
n had pulled him out onto the terrace and pointing at the moon, shouted ‘moon, moon, it’s the moon’ happy because he had learned a new word. That was also the night long ago that caused a rift between himself and Catherine, who back then was upset that he wasn’t home to share with her, John, or Lauren’s upbringing. “There’s no delicate way of saying what I have to say.”

  Rose put down her wine glass and pushed aside her plate. She knew something was wrong when he didn’t take the picnic basket from her. “You’re saying good bye to me, aren’t you, George?”

  “Yes, I must.”

  “Why, George? Our son, your only son needs you now more than ever. Don’t pu- - Come back with me. Come home with us. We love and miss you very much, George.” Rose reached out and touched George’s arm.

  George gave Rose a look of vexation. “You say you love me, Rose.”

  “Yes, of course George, how can you think otherwise?”

  George stood up and pulled out the two pieces of paper he carried and dropped them in her lap. Rose picked them up and knew she was finished. George had her note to Ng discussing how an accident might convince George to return to the States and the other was a letter from Richard, thanking her for keeping George out of Hong Kong, and that although she wasn’t sure James was his son, to make sure George felt as if he was. “What are these, George? How did you get these?”

  “Someone sent them to me. These are copies. I left the original’s at home. Don’t play coy with me. You’ve set me up for the last time. It’s all over. Tonight, it’s over. I will no longer carry any guilt for the ancestors, or the past. I worked hard to have peace between our families and betrayal was the reward. Your family always reached beyond their means by any means and nothing seems to appease them or be good enough. Well, no more.”

  “George, I still love you. That was never a lie. James and I love you an- -”

  “I don’t believe you. It was a relationship that began with a lie. What kind of truth was there ever between us? And how should I take this last note to Ng? According to the date, that was written just after John arrived. How do you think that paper made me feel? You. You professed how much you cared about me, and about John. I trusted you, trusted you enough to send you my son. I trusted you to be protective. I trusted you to guide him and now where is he?”

  Rose stood up and faced him. “George, my love for you was never a lie. The rest of those things were Richard’s plots and before you say anything, what was I suppose to do? You gave me no guarantees, no assurances. Yes, it was my family. How should I feel when you eliminated any chance of my family’s success? Each time when you returned to Hong Kong, to Catherine, whose father nearly destroyed my uncles and family, you never wondered how that hurt me. Well, it did. But what is true is my love, our love. I have loved you from the day we met. That was never a lie.”

  “This letter doesn’t speak of love and trust. Your letter to Ng speaks lies and deceit. I had always thought you understood. But now I see it was another game ploy in the Cheung family. Your family will not touch my family ever again.” George pushed away Rose’s hand and signaled for his men to approach.

  “George? George what are you going to do? If you try to hurt me here I’ll scream.”

  “Do you love your son Rose, as much as I loved my son John?”

  “You wouldn’t dare hurt our son, your son. George!”

  “Is he really my son? This letter from Richard questions that fact. In any case, if you want to see James ever again, in San Francisco, you will go with these men.”

  “Where will they take me, George?”

  “They will take you back to the airport. Oh. And no need to worry, your bags have been packed and delivered to the airline.” George watched her seethe with anger. “There is one more thing. Since things have changed between us, I will no longer be sending you funds, or pay the bills. I understand you have stashed away some ten million US, so you should be fine.”

  “George, what have you done with James? Where’s James?”

  “For the moment, your son is in the hospital undergoing tests. He’ll remain a guest of Tang’s until we can sort things out. If he is indeed my son, and if he chooses to stay associated with you, he may return to San Francisco next week. If he isn’t, then just pray Rose, he doesn’t give me an excuse to treat him the way you treated my son. Rose, you must hurry if you’re to make your flight. Good bye, Rose,” he said as he handed her, her ticket and passport.

  George watched his men escort her to the car and put her inside. She protested furiously, but she was leaving. He couldn’t explain it, but he felt as if a gigantic weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He looked up at the moon and only hoped that somewhere, John was looking up too and safe. He reached into the basket and pick up one of the moon cakes, which he ate as he walked back to the tram. A little girl approached him and said not to forget his pretty basket. He smiled and told the child she could have the basket, so what if it contained fine crystal and sterling flatware. Tonight, he felt generous. He called over Ho.

  “Ho, I want you to call up every hotel and florist shop. Buy up all the dead, dried up roses you can find.”

  “Dead roses, sir?” Ho looked at him, quizzically.

  “Yes, make sure they are dead or dying roses. At least two – three dozen.”

  “Yes, sir and where should I send them?”

  “To Mrs. Choi.”

  “Uh? Which one sir?” Ho was wondering where he was going to find a florist open at this hour.

  “There is only one, Mrs. Choi. Send them to, Catherine, and then find a florist who has freesia and send her the stores entire supply of freesia, in all the colors. At least twenty or thirty dozen. Go, run and get it done quickly.” George felt absolutely giddy as he got back on the tram.

  His ride was short and the walk from the tram back to the apartment complex was too long, so he hailed a cab. He didn’t want to think about James just yet. He was going to have to give some serious thought about the boy and his future, but not tonight. Tang will take care of him for the time being. Despite his hints toward Rose, he still had high regard for James and wasn’t about to kill him, although the slight threat was useful in getting Rose back on the plane. The only problem was the boy would probably want to side with his mother. The other problem was how much was he a part of her plans. There will be time enough for that later. Poor Tang, he thought. The man is constantly being saddled with taking care of his family. He must really love Lauren and decided he would have to give Tang something very substantial.

  Chapter Eighty-Six

  James looked up at the apartment complex tower and then over at Tang. The last two weeks had gone by so quickly and in that time, he felt like his world had been turned upside down. He was slightly terrified to be going into his father’s residence, even more so to meet Catherine and Lauren. Between Tang’s interrogation, his mother’s sudden departure from Hong Kong, and all those tests at the hospital, he felt confused. At first, Tang refused to explain anything and kept him busy by making him popular on the nightclub scene. True, he had a great time and being around his father’s men full time was an experience. They were well connected with the hottest clubs and wondered if it was because they used to take John there or because they really enjoyed going.

  It was at least a week, before he realized he hadn’t talked to his mother since the night of the Mid-Autumn festival. When he did speak to her, she sounded overly frantic and concerned. Strange he didn’t miss her nagging, he had thought. Getting to know Tang was so much more fascinating and Tang was very good at distracting his attention. He couldn’t’ remember the last time he felt so free. Perhaps for the first time he understood a little bit more of John, now that he had lived a similar life style for a while.

  The evening began with a certain amount of tension, but by the time the second course was served, it seemed to have eased away. He found it easy to talk to Catherine, surprisingly. And given John had told him about the trouble he used to get into because o
f Lauren, there were some happy memories and a good deal of laughter shared. James felt like he was a part of the family.

  It was the meeting after dinner with his father that really shook James to the core. They had gone into George’s office, sat on the sofa and while drinking their after dinner brandies, started discussing things the way they used to do, when he was a kid. It felt like old times again. They spent hours talking at a depth they had never talked before. It was man to man, not father to son. He went through all his fears and told his father of his dreams to have a business, but without tong, or society involvement. He just wanted to be a normal guy, find a woman and start a family somewhere, where people didn’t know him. He said he loved his father but he didn’t have it in him, to be like George. When his father showed him the letter from his mother to Ng and then the one from Richard, he was shocked and fell into the sofa dumbfounded.

  “That’s why Tang dragged me to all those doctors, for all the tests last week,” James looked at George who just nodded in agreement. “What did they say?”

  “That you are indeed, my son.”

  “But these letters mean my mother betrayed you.”

  “Yes, they do.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I’ve divorced your mother earlier this week.”

  “How is that possible? I thought it took a lot of time.”

  “Not in Hong Kong and not if you have enough money,” George sat back evaluating James. “You needn’t worry about her finances. She has about ten million, so she will be set unless she gets foolish.”

  “I see. I thought you killed traitors.”

  “Yes that is true. Traitors should be killed, but at one point in the past, I did love your mother. Not for nothing, she did give me you and for many years, you ran my business well in San Francisco.”