Kai remained silent, thinking about the irony of what his lawyer was suggesting. Having to play nice, let her go, and put her back on that damn app with her team so that he stood a chance of taking his daughter from her. It was absurd. It brought up a rising dislike from the pits of his belly.
“You get your fucking job back.” He snorted at no one, picturing Meilei in his mind’s eyes, and then smacked the wheel in temper that this was all going to shit. He had never failed at anything in his life except seeing through her fake pretend love and the loyalty of his so-called friend, and now this shit. He would rather drive head-first into a wall than ever be nice to her.
His cell beeped, and a text alert appeared on the screen. Pulling his gaze as traffic finally began moving, he pressed the screen.
He hit call and waited while it rang, although it was picked up almost immediately.
“Kai?”
“Where you at?” he didn’t beat around the bush. Kai had long enough to go dark, and he was now calling him back. Tian had a time limit on his patience, and half a day was enough to be sat worrying and wondering.
“Sounds like a plan to me. Have Qian come to get his car with you. He’s probably sulking that I stole his keys from him. You know he loves this thing more than life.” It was a sporty little number, and his cousin hadn’t looked overly thrilled to be summoned downstairs only to hand them over. Kai preferred to be driven around in a company four by four and hadn’t yet bought one of his own. Moving around so much meant it was a waste of effort. Qian was staying put in this city with Tian and had finally made a permanent purchase.
“If Qian comes for his keys, you know he’ll stay to get drunk. The boy has no shame.”
Meilei cowered behind her in reluctance, so not brave today after everything that happened yesterday, and closed her eyes to do a little mental prayer.
‘Please don’t let this get worse.’ She had never believed in god, but she begged for help right now.
“Come in.” A familiar man’s voice beckoned them, and Meilei glanced past her friend at Kai’s office door with confusion, wondering who it was as it was definitely not Kai’s.
Ling shoved the door with force and marched ahead, leaving her standing back like an utter frozen fool, and Meilei had to drum up all the courage she could muster to put one step in front of the other and follow. She caught up just as the door swung back on her and slid into the large spacious space, squinting at the duller light due to drawn blinds after a sunny foyer.
“Miss Huo.” Tian was perched on the edge of Kai’s desk, half facing them, seemingly in the middle of a conversation, and was the first to greet them. Kai was sat behind in his normal chair, ran his eyes from Ling to Meilei, and seemed to exhale heavily. Neither woman was expected here.
Ling didn’t hesitate about being faced with two instead of one. She came for war, and she planned on leaving no survivors. She knew they had a close relationship from what she had heard and seen and didn’t care if she spilled Kai’s dirty laundry in front of his right-hand man. If he didn’t know, then he was about to.
“Meilei, shut the door unless our CEOs plan on having the whole floor hear what I have to say.” Ling was in fierce mode, and Meilei stumbled to turn and properly latch it closed, pausing to blow out air against its surface to pull herself together. She was feeble and wished she hadn’t been coaxed outside this morning. She had wanted to keep Yue home and stay in bed the entire day, holed up like a turtle where no one could touch them, but Ling wouldn’t allow it.
Kai shrugged. He knew he would have to face Meilei at some point. He knew it would be like pulling teeth with his decision to return her to the tech department, and he was still waiting on Chang’s call. He had no brain space for this.
“This has what to do with you?” Kai seemed unaffected by her loud, accusatory reprimand. Tian tensed behind her, feeling this might escalate, and wanted Kai to stay quiet.