Nnadia stepped back a little as she threw Ekin's grasp off her. "We were kidnapped from China and forced to do everything our captors asked us to do. Later we were all adopted by a very powerful man and he raised us as the best con artistes money can buy. For the last 15 years we've been like slaves with no minds of our own. We obeyed him, fearing for our lives. We did everything he told us to because we didn't want to die. Not after everything we've been through." She explained briefly still trembling from his reaction.
Ekin was taken back. Just like Louis his mind was spinning. It was racing with itself as it tried to clear up and connect so many thoughts. "You're sisters are Ada the one Louis is dating, Joey the one Nic is dating and Kristy the one Louis met at Sapphire?" he asked with a puzzled expression still wondering how to put it all together.
Nnadia nodded. "We were supposed to lure you and your brothers into a trap so our adoptive father can kill you then take over all your power and wealth." she said.
"Why didn't you do it?" Ekin asked holding his head now realizing her main reason for being so close to him was to manipulate and deceive him.
"Isn't it obvious." she simply asked in response to his question. He looked up at her still holding his head. She smiled sorrowfully. "We fell into your trap instead." Nnadia replies softly as she comes closer to Ekin.
He flinches away from her unable to accept her yet. "Who is your adoptive father?" he asked turning away from her.
"Simon Yam." She replies without hesitation.
Ekin lets out a deep sigh and rubs his face. He sits down on his bed wondering how to take everything in. He looks at Nnadia; his beautiful, wonderful, and caring wife then wonders what she is really like. How could she be such a cold hearted person? How many men has she seduced? Was this another act?
Nnadia takes in a deep breath. "I'm sorry for deceiving you." She says softly. "I never felt guilty for deceiving any man but you were an exception, the only exception." She added.
Ekin can feel the sadness in her voice but he still doesn't know what to think of the situation. "Should I be happy about that?" he asked sarcastically.
Nnadia shakes her head. "No. I'm sorry." She replies.
"Did you ever love me or was that all an act?" Ekin questions.
Nnadia suddenly loses her cool. Now she's nervous not knowing how to answer the question but she says the first thing out of her mouth. "Why do you think I'm telling you all this? It's because I've fallen in love with you. I've fallen into YOUR trap." She said falling to his leg and holding it tightly.
She was afraid more than she's ever been in her life. If this failed, her life was more than over. She suddenly thought back to a day she would never forget, the man she loved so much. The man she was with right now. She needed to prove to Ekin that she loved him but how? She was flustered from head to toe.
Ekin picked her up, looked at her beautiful face, then walked away from her to the windows and stared out to the sky above. He wasn't sure how to take her answer. He wanted her to say she really loved him but now he wondered if it was because she still needed him to destroy Simon so she could be free of both of them. He chuckled lightly thinking he had done a background check on her. How could she have fooled him?
Nnadia noticed his reaction and was more confused than ever. She really had no idea what he was thinking at this point. She also didn't know what she was thinking. She had this all planned out. She wasn't supposed to fall in love with him. How can she? Her heart belonged to another and furthermore Ekin was a Wong!
"I'm sorry Ekin. I'll let you have some time to think." she said walking out of the room. "But before I leave let me tell you what Simon wants to do tomorrow so you'll be prepared."
Ekin listened to her explain. He felt the sincerity in her explanation. After she finished, she got up to leave. His heart at that moment took over his reasoning. He was madly in love with her. He couldn't deny his feelings for her. After everything she said he couldn't help but to forgive her.
Together they made up a plan and that was what happened today. They planned to have Ada and Nnadia use guns with fake bullets which when shot out will disperse a large amount of imitation blood. They could pretend to shoot each other and bring Simon down having their revenge on the attack on Jordan, Michael, Jerry and Sam not to mention Nnadia's revenge.
* : * : * END FLASHBACK * : * : *
Everyone was listening to Ekin explain except Nnadia and Ada. Nnadia noticed Ada looking into the emergency room where they were operating on Louis. She walked up to her sister and patted her back as she smoothed her hands onto Ada's arms. "I know he'll be ok." Nnadia says reassuring Ada.
"I don't think a small wound would have done so much." Ada says trying to convince herself.
Kristy quickly apologized thinking it was her fault Louis took the bullet for her. "I'm sorry. If it wasn't for me none of this would have happened." she cried.
Ada shook her head and hugged Kristy. "No it's not your fault. Louis was willing to save you. He chose to do it. Don't blame yourself." She cried. "I'm glad he did it." she said trying to convince her sister that she was more important than any man.
Ekin held onto his wound which was a minor one on his chest that the nurses had bandaged already. "I don't know what to say to you guys. All I know is that this isn't any of your faults. It's Simon's fault." He said letting out a deep sigh.
Nic nodded. "You girls have been through so much." He said looking at everyone then at Joey who was standing besides Stephen. Joey looked away while Stephen looked firmly at Nic as if to tell him Joey still belonged to him. Nic looked aways feeling strange as if he was an intruder of some kind.
HOURS LATER.... The emergency room light goes off and the doctor comes out. Ada and Kristy rush up to the doctors. Ekin and Nic follow closely behind. "How's my brother?" Ekin asks earnestly.
"He's fine. He should make a quick recover and probably be dismissed in 1 or 2 days." the doctor replied.
"Thanks!" Ekin said full of relief. Nic, Ada, and Kristy nodded in relief also. Everyone was glad Louis was okay.
~ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ~
For the next few days they kept a guard up at the hospital just in case Simon, Francis or Alex tried anything. But it was unlikely that they would try anything at that moment since all situations for each clan was too tense. Many of them were badly injured or had men that were badly wounded.
Meanwhile, Louis has recovered and is okay. He doesn't blame Ada. He comes back to the Wong's mansion where everything is pretty tense. Ekin has sent many people out to look for Simon, Francis and Alex.
It's been three days since the incident and everyone has been living in the Wong Mansion because now that the girls betrayed Simon they didn't have anywhere to go. Ekin had forgiven Nnadia so he suggested that her sisters move in with them since Simon, Francis, and Alex were still out there.
Things were tense because now everyone was living under the same roof. Nic still didn't know what to do with Joey. He couldn't trust her and Joey was trying to ignore him. She's ashamed and cannot face him. Stephen realizes how much Joey has come to "love" Nic and is very jealous but doesn't take any action against Nic because he still thinks of Nic as a good friend and furthermore, they now need the help of the Wong brothers.
Ada and Kristy tries to avoid Louis but they're both worried for him and they both want to see him. Louis on the other hand really wants to see them but feels strange because he doesn't know how to cope with their deception. He also doesn't know how to face them because he knows that they both truly love him. Knowing they both had such pitiful backgrounds he cannot think clearly about which one he actually love. After saving Kristy again, he realized he wanted to protect her. Did that mean anything? His heart yearns for Ada while his mind leans towards Kristy.
Nnadia and Ekin were not as smooth as they were when they first got married. Ekin had forgiven her but he still needed to cope with her deception. He had so many questions for her and slowly after communicating more he slowly understood her life. For the last three days Nnadia tried to explain everything to Ekin, Louis, and Nic leaving out details she thought wasn't important or to their concern of course. The three brothers sympathized and slowly reopened their hearts to the sisters.
~ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ~
MEANWHILE...
Annie pushed Frankie out of her way. She wanted to find her father. It's been a week since the shooting between her father and the Wongs. He has disappeared and she wanted to know where he was but Frankie wanted to protect her from any danger especially since Annie wanted to go find the Wong brothers to question them about her father.
Annie slaps Frankie angrily across his face. "LET ME GO!! I want to find out where my father is!" she yells at him.
Frankie was stunned. "If you go ask the Wongs right now they will kill you!" he hollers pulling her back
"I don't care! I want to know how my father is doing. Kristy and them will tell me!"
"They've just betrayed your father what makes you think they want to see you?"
Annie realizes there was some truth in what Frankie just said but she really wanted to see her father and she believed Kristy, Ada, Joey, and Nnadia wouldn't harm her. They grew up together and she never mistreated them but after what Frankie said she wondered if her feelings were valid.
"I don't care!" she yelled. "Now get out of my way!" she said pushing him away.
This time Frankie let her go. "If you want to go let me go with you." He said softly.
Annie turned back to look at him and nodded excitedly. She was happy he wanted to go with her. She didn't want to argue with Frankie like this but her father was important to her. Frankie leads her to his car and drove her to the Wong mansion.
~ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ~
Nnadia accompanied Ekin to the hospital to visit Jerry who was still unconscious. Ekin had many of his men scattered around the hospital protecting Jerry.
Ekin sat at Jerry's bedside. "It's been weeks and he hasn't recovered yet." Ekin spoke sadly. Jerry was one of his best friends. He didn't want to see him go after Jordan and Michael already passed away.
"He'll be alright." Nnadia said reassuringly with her hands on his shoulders since she stood behind him
"Jordan, Michael, Jerry and I have been friends for such a long time. If it wasn't for me they wouldn't have joined the Triads. I caused their deaths." He said blaming himself.
"I'm sorry." Nnadia said wrapping her arms around him from behind to comfort him. "If it wasn't for me none of this would happen." She said softly blaming herself also.
Ekin held her arms shaking his head. "No Simon, Francis, and Alex are to blame. Frankie told me they were involved. It's not your fault." He said holding her arms tighter to let her know he forgave her. Nnadia put her head close to his.
~ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ~
HOURS LATER...
Frankie and Annie arrive just as Ekin and Nnadia arrive home. Nnadia feels her stomach turn as she sees Annie. Annie has always been nice to her and they've been able to get along perfectly fine but after betraying Simon there must be something different. She wondered what Annie wanted.
Ekin noticed and held her hands as they walked to the front of the mansion where Frankie and Annie were just stepping in. The butler knew Frankie and opened the door for him. Annie saw Nnadia and ran to her.
"Nnadia how is my daddy?" Annie immediately asked.
Nnadia looked away. "I don't know. He ran away with Ching-Yau. We're all still looking for him." She said looking straight at Annie's eyes.
"How could you just let him go like that! What if Ching-Yau betrays daddy too!" she yells upset and frustrated.
Ekin looks at Annie. He motions his men to capture Annie as a hostage to lure Simon out. He never really thought about it before since he didn't think of Annie but now that she was in front of him it was perfect. His men grabbed Annie by the shoulders.
"Let me go!" She screamed kicking them in the shin. "Let me go!" she hollered pulling herself from them.
Frankie immediately protested. "If we're buddies let her go." he said firmly.
"I promise you I won't hurt her. I just need her to lure her father out." Ekin said reassured but of course Frankie wasn't convinced.
"I promise you she won't go anywhere!" Frankie says.
"Shut up!" she yells at Frankie and Ekin. "You can't use me to get to my father. What kind of scandalous act is that!" she hollers at them.
"Not like your father did anything in an honorable way." Nnadia said icily as she glared at Annie.
Annie give Nnadia an icy stare. "If he didn't save you from those wretched child molesters you would be dead or something worse by now. I can't believe this is how you repay him!"
By now the commotion is loud and spreading through the mansion by servants that Kristy, Ada, Joey, Nic and Louis come out to see what's going on. Ada, Kristy, and Joey are shocked to see Annie.
"What are you doing here?" Kristy questions coming out closer to her.
Annie glares at them also. "You sisters are all ruthless bitches without hearts. How could you treat my father this way? He never raped you like those men who captured you. He never made you live in poverty and dirt. He never did anything but ask you to help him."
Nnadia slapped Annie across the face. "Your father might have saved us from those men but he sent us on missions with even more vicious men." She said clenching her teeth.
Kristy and Joey went to check if Annie was okay. They've always been close to her more than Ada and Nnadia. Ada went to Nnadia's side trying to calm her down.
Annie was furious of Nnadia's slap. She's never been hit by anyone all her life except for Frankie that one time. "You liar. You were willing to go to those men. Daddy told me you wanted to go because..." Annie was cut off by another slap from Nnadia.
"Shut-up! If it wasn't because he used my sisters' life against me I wouldn't have to put myself through all that." She yelled.
Annie shook her head. "He paid for you to go to UNLV, he made sure you all had nice clothes, he made sure you were fed only the finest foods!. Of all the people who took you all in, my father treated you all the best. He never raped you! Why can't you let him go?" she questions even though she knew her father was wrong.
"Sorry." Kristy spoke softly holding onto Annie. "We cannot forget that he's one of the people whose made our lives this way."
Joey pats Annie to reassure her. "We cannot go on with the life that we have. Can you? if you were forced to lead our lives?" Joey asked. Annie gulped. She knew they were right but Simon was her father!
"We don't know what else to tell you." Nnadia said with a sigh. She can't promise not to kill Simon since she hates him so much but she can't tell Annie she wants to kill him either because Annie loves him so much.
Stephen holds onto Joey to comfort her knowing exactly how she's feeling. She leans into his chest holding him close to her. Nic stares at them uncomfortably. He wanted to be the one to hold her and comfort her.
Annie looks at them and snickers. "You two shouldn't talk about how despicable my father is. If it wasn't for him how would you have ever won your prize possession?" she questions Stephen as he holds Joey.
Stephen gives her a confusing look. Annie continues her interrogation of Stephen. "You wanted to fuck Joey so you joined my father. You wanted her to belong to you so you were willing to do everything and anything to get my father's trust then he gave Joey as a sex toy." She yelled at Stephen then looked at Joey. She didn't want to be this mean but she was angry. Her father was important to her. She loved him more than anything because they had a very good relationship.
Joey looked at Stephen. Stephen shook his head. "I wanted to run away with Joey. He promised me that as long as I did certain things for him he'd let me take her away. But when the time came he used her as a weapon to make me do more things I didn't want to." He said trying to explain to Joey.
Joey nodded her head and put her finger to his mouth. "I understand." She said.
Frankie pulled on Annie. "Why are you causing so much mayhem!" he questioned her trying to drag her out of the Wong mansion. They were still outside the front of the mansion doors. Annie refused to go. Frankie pulled her again. "Just forget about him. He's not worth it!" he advises.
Annie takes her hand away from him and screams. "He's my father what do you mean by that? Won't you be concerned for your father?" she yells then breaks down into tears.
"Okay how about we all calm down and go into the house." Nnadia suggests.
Ekin nods approving her idea. Louis is the first to step in the house followed by Nic then Kristy and Ada. Frankie helps Annie up as they enter the house followed by Joey and Stephen. Finally Ekin and Nnadia enter the house.
Unexpectedly borages of bullets are shot towards them. Louis quickly jumps to Kristy and Ada holding them down. This is the first time the three have had any contact since they've been in the mansion. They look at each other strangely then at Louis.
Nic ducks while Stephen pulls Joey down and covers her with his body. Nic looks around to make sure Joey is safe and sees this. He had to admit he was feeling very jealous and rethinking his emotions for Joey.
Frankie of course protected Annie. He made sure she was okay and then grabbed his gun. Ekin was open to the bullets and Nnadia pushed him down to save him. He tried to grab Nnadia but he was too late. She was shot by many of the 30 bullets coming their way.
Blood was coming out of her body in so many different spots. She was feeling very faint not able to stand any longer. Her sisters all looked up in shock. Ekin tried to pull her back in but the shooting was too intense. Finally the shooting stopped. Nnadia fell to the ground of the doorway.
Ekin crawled to her and lifted her to see massive blood all over her. He gasped in fear and pain. Ada, Kristy, and Joey rushed to her side. The scene before them left all of them in an eruption of tears, fear, and confusion.
Copyright © Nov. 2, 2003
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