BLOODLINES, BLOOD MONEY & BLOODSHED (Episode 1: A Family Apart)

Chapter 9

Most of Hong Kong could be seen from the peak the one hundred year old white bricked mansion sat atop of. Amidst its four acres of crystal lakes, pristine gardens, guest houses, plush lawns, tennis courts and more, the seven million dollar silver Mercedes Eurocopter descended from the sky and landed on the helipad. Several Chinese men in suits quickly approached it with their heads ducked low as its overhead blades slowed but sliced sharply through the light breeze. Seconds later, by her hand, Gwan Yin was escorted from the luxurious interior of the helicopter like royalty. In a one-piece cheongsam long sleeved dress and a pair of Valentino Garavani sandals, she was taken to the mansion surrounded by men ready to kill for her. Moments later, she was taken to a beautiful garden that overlooked Hong Kong. Waiting there for her was one of the most powerful men in Asia.

Seventy five year old Qwin Li, although small in stature, his health ailing, was the leader of the biggest criminal Triad in the world; The Sun Yee On. He, along with the Sun Yee On ran most of not only China's and Hong Kong's criminal underworld, but of most the American Chinatowns' underworld also. They engaged in human trafficking, drug trafficking, gun trafficking, black market, extortion, money laundering, and more crimes; all on the highest levels.

As head of the Sun Yee On for the past thirty years, Qwin Li had ordered thousands of murders. He had played a significant part in countless important international elections. He'd made billions of dollars.

When he spoke, even the most powerful men listened.

Sitting at a table in the freshly manicured garden, he sat with a stoned expression on his face, a cane leaning beside him. Sitting next to him was his only son, Gwan Yin's twin brother Han. Both men were dressed in suits.

"Father," Gwan Yin greeted her father while bowing.

With nothing short of a dead serious tone laced with a heavy Chinese accent, Qwin Li asked his daughter, "What is this situation between you and Drayton?"

So that's why she'd been summoned, Gwan Yin realized. "It was nothing," she said shrugging it off.

"Nothing, huh?" Han said sarcastically, a smirk on his face.

Gwan Yin narrowed her eyes at him. Although twins, neither he nor her could get along with each other or stand each other. It had been that way between them ever since childhood.

"You bet ten million dollars on the underdog in one of the biggest fights in American history?" Qwin Li asked. "Ten million dollars on an underdog in a fight that even a man of my failing eyesight could clearly see was thrown?"

Gwan Yin didn't answer.

Father eyed his daughter.

Han continued to smirk.

Finally, Gwan Yin said, "I just saw it as an investment."

"An investment?" Han asked while looking at her like she was crazy. "Call it what it is...nitpicking."

"Exactly," Qwin agreed. "It was childish."

If there was one thing in the world Gwan Yin didn't tolerate, it was chastisement. But at the moment, she had no choice but to accept it. Her father was a beast. She could only seethe underneath her dress.

"If The Boxing Association decides to investigate, and they discover the fight was fixed, it will lead back to you," he said. "And that, in turn, will lead back to Drayton. He'll lose his license. That means hundreds of millions of dollars lost, possible prison time, lawsuits."

"Father, I-

"When you decided to marry Drayton, a black man, I forbade it," he interrupted her. "You went against my wishes and did it anyway. Then you bore his children while also exposing him to family business. Those were decisions you made. Then, in an end I knew would come, the two of you divorced."

Gwan Yin didn't need to be reminded but she stayed silent.

"You never got over the fact that I saw him more qualified to run the corporate side of the business that stemmed from that marriage."

Gwan Yin seethed. The truth hurt.

"Acts like this latest one have been your way of showing your jealousy. Then you wonder why I didn't see you as being fit to operate the business I gave him, the business that launders the Chinatown money, let alone being fit to one day run the Sun Yee On."

Gwan Yin trembled in anger.

"Instead of moving on intelligence, you move on anger and spite."

Han continued to smirk. He loved every moment of Gwan Yin's chastisement.

"That stops now," Qwin said sternly. "If you wish to stay leader of American Chinatown operations, I suggest you bury this jealousy you have for Drayton and remain professional. Otherwise, daughter or no daughter, you will be relieved of your duties."

The words stung.

Looking directly into Gwan Yin's eyes, he said, "I have spoken all I will. Don't make me speak again."

With that said, he stood from his chair with Han's assistance. Grabbing his cane, he made his way out of the garden with Gwan Yin bowing to him. She was still pissed off. And when he was no longer in sight, she let it show on her face as she stared out over Hong Kong.

The sound of hands clapping together appeared behind her.

Gwan Yin turned.

Smiling, Han said, "Congratulations on being torn a brand new asshole."

"Fuck you," she told him.

Shaking his head, he said, "That attitude is why you will never run the Sun Yee On."

Unable to contain herself, Gwan Yin walked quickly across the distance between her and her brother. When she reached him, she raised her hand to slap him. As her hand nearly collided with his cheek, he caught her arm by the wrist. He then forcefully snatched her towards him so close the two of them could smell each other's breath. Still smirking, he said through almost gritted teeth, "You may run things in America but here in Hong Kong, you're just another once a month bleeding bitch."

With that said, he spat in her face and shoved her to the grass. Seconds later, he turned and walked away.

Sitting on the grown, Gwan Yin was furious. Her breasts heaved back and forth under the fabric of her clothing. She hated the circumstances and dynamics that were ultimately preventing her from being leader of the Sun Yee On. It was against tradition for a woman to run the triad. That meant when Qwin finally passed away, Han would take over since he was Qwin's only son. Neither Keiser nor Parrish was eligible either because their blood wasn't one hundred percent Chinese. And knowing the bad blood between Han and Gwan Yin, there was no doubt that once under his power, he would either get rid of her or make her life under his reign a living Hell. Either way, Gwan Yin wasn't going for it.

With a rage inside her, Gwan Yin placed her fingertips to the spit running down her face and then looked at it. The thick slimy liquid didn't sicken her at all as she began to rub it between her thumb and fingertips. A moment later, she placed her fingertips in her mouth and sucked the spit off them, savoring the taste for a moment. Then staring off into the distance, she said to her brother, although he was obviously nowhere in earshot, "I will run The Sun Yee On. Trust and believe it."