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nThere was just too much out of place for him to even consider the room clean. He shook his head a little before shutting the doors of the closet.

nAfter he was done, he went into the bathroom. He expected that Tai would allow him his privacy and wouldn’t put any cameras in the bathroom, but Edward was sure that there were microphones.

nTheir signals could easily be disrupted if he just turned on the water to its highest pressure, but he wasn’t even going to bother with that. If Tai Pin wanted to hear him shower, then he sure as hell would make it entertaining.

nHe began to strip.

n”Sleep well, boys, you’re going to need it,” Edward whispered before he stepped into the bath singing his own off-key version of a famous Chinese song.

n***

nThe next morning, well before Edward had risen, the doorbell to his room rang twice before the package was dropped.

nIt remained as it was left by the hotel staff until an unexpected guest came around and roused him from sleep.

nEdward groaned as the doorbell sounded for the third time. He cursed out loud, momentarily forgetting the microphone before standing up from the bed. He did a little stretch before going to door and unlocking it.

n”Hey there, Eddie Woman.”

nA blast from the past and it was all Edward Wu could do not to keep from shouting.

n”Su Ya Pin, what a pleasant surprise.” Edward laughed before pulling his childhood friend into a hug.

nHe didn’t care if mater that night they might be pointing guns at each other’s face (he couldn’t rule out the possibility of Tai’s girls being in on the entire plan), he was just so happy to see her again.

n”When I heard you had arrived, I just had to come take a sneak peek before the party.”

nEdward shook his head, “Of course.”

n”Plus, we bet money on it.”

nWhy wasn’t he surprised?

n”How much and for what?”

n”Five hundred each, for the first person to contact you.”

n”Five hundred huh? When did you guys become so rich?”

nIt was a joke and Su Ya laughed out loud, just like she used to all those years ago.

n”I wasn’t going to stay long, but now that I’ve seen this generous breakfast father sent you, I can’t just leave.”

n”No?”

n”You need help eating it.”

nEdward laughed. “Fine, but you’re string the table.”

n”Aye, aye, Woman.”

nHe shook his head. Eddie Woman was the nickname the girls had given him when they were children. It had started when everyone noticed how clingy Edward had become to Song.

nThey used to tease him for always being around her and then one day out of nowhere someone, and Edward suspected it was Su Ya herself, had shouted Wu for Woman. Since then, he’d stopped being Edward Wu.

n”So, tell me Woman, how have you been?”

nImmediately she rolled the food cart into the room, Su started a conversation. She set the cart beside the small table that had been provided in the room for eating purposes.

n”Great, actually. But I should be asking you.”

nSu smiled.

n”When did you guys get back in the country?” he was curious to know.

n”We never left,” Su answered without looking at him, she was still setting the table.

nThe shock was evident on his face. Su Ya looked up at him when he didn’t reply and smiled.

n”We stayed hidden in small towns on the outskirts, but we never left, at least not as a family.”

nEdward watched her pick up the bottle of wine

n”Champagne for breakfast? Father wants to get you drunk before the party’s even begun.”

nIt was such an innocent, off-hand remark, but Edward couldn’t help but find truth in it.

n”Anyway,” she continued returning the bottle to the cart, “Where was I again?”

nThis was Su Ya, always distracted by the slightest things. Edward could swear she had the shortest memory span in the world, but nonetheless, she was his favourite.

n”You were saying you never left as a family?”

n”Yeah, Mai and I schooled abroad. Chapa naturally wanted to stay close to my parents so she took online courses.”

nEdward listened intently. Su telling him this much could only mean one of two things: she didn’t know what her father was up to or this was deliberate. Edward would put his money on the latter.

n”So you returned after school?” Didn’t sound like the Su Ya he knew.

n”Never, I returned a year ago,” she stopped and turned, “With a baby bump.”

nEdward’s brows went up. He looked at Su’s fingers to check if he’d missed anything from his initial assessment of her.

n”A baby bump and no father,” Su said clearing the air.

n”Oh. Well, that’s something. You must have gotten the old man upset.”

n”Understatement of the year. Dad nearly blew off our roof with his curses.”

nEdward laughed loudly. Su finally set the last tray on the table and motioned for him to take a seat which he did.

n”What did you have?”

nShe scrunched her brows together, “A baby.”

nEdward rolled his eyes, “Gender, Su.”

n”Oh,” she chuckled, “A beautiful baby girl. She looks like me.”

n”Then I can imagine how beautiful she is.”

nSu Ya blushed but quickly covered it by stuffing a shrimp inside her mouth. Edward laughed behind pursed lips then dug into the tray as well.

n”So, from what I hear, you’re not married either.”

nEdward looked up. He shook his head and left it at that. He wasn’t married, yet.

n”Why? Can’t imagine a man like you not having his way with the ladies.”

n”Priorities, Su, I’m a busy man.”

nSu Ya tsked. It was her turn to roll her eyes, “Not to busy to take them to bed though.”

nEdward raised his brows.

n”I heard your scores, Chapa has ears in the national grapevine and your name’s a regular.”

n”Well, a man has to loosen up somehow.”

n”You’re a pig,” Su Ya joked.

n