Sparks fly between charity-shop owner Naomi Wu and grumpy app developer Leon Fink, as they travel to tropical Thailand in search of Leon's runaway bride and a priceless family heirloom.
* * *
Naomi Wu is a staunch believer in good karma.
Which is...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
UPON hearing a series of rapid knocks, Leon lifted his gaze from his computer monitor to the office door and found Mrs. Stern looking at him with a downturned mouth.
Despite the obvious implication of her surname, it was an unusual sight, because he'd known his personal assistant to be effervescently jovial at all times. Almost to the brink of vexing him, especially these past couple of months when the thought of smiling was comparable to sticking a sewing needle into his eye.
Her abnormal expression implored Leon to speak, when otherwise he wouldn't. "What's the matter, Mrs. Stern?"
Her scowl deepened. "There's a gentleman asking to see you, but he won't tell security his name."
Huh. Leon raised his brows. "And is there any reason why they're not throwing him out of the building?"
"He's saying..." Mrs. Stern clutched at the string of pearls around her neck, something she always did whenever she was troubled. The necklace was gifted to her by her husband on the twentieth anniversary of their marriage. A detail Leon knew because she never ceased to rub it in his face every single year.
That sudden thought of Mrs. Stern's happy marriage amplified the hollowness inside of him. Leon clicked his tongue frustratedly, causing the woman to straighten like an army cadet.
Sensing his frustration, Mrs. Stern finally blurted out, "He's telling them that he owes you money, and he's here to pay back the debt."
Among all the possible scenarios running through Leon's mind, that wasn't one of them. Leon mentally sorted through the faces of everybody he knew. No one owed him money, or if they did, they were the kind of people that wouldn't remind him of it. Unless...
Leon shot off his seat, startling his assistant.
"Send that bastard in," Leon commanded, loosening the knot of his tie with a rough tug.
Mrs. Stern lowered her eyes and nodded wordlessly, before rushing down the hallway. Leon turned to face the window, feeling anger flush through his veins. If his suspicions were correct, then that person coming here again after all this time was a death wish Leon would more than gladly fulfill.
A couple of minutes elapsed, during which his fury slowly simmered to a boiling point.
A knock at the door thundered in his ears.
"Thank you, Mrs. Stern," Leon said evenly, as he stared at her translucent reflection on the window.
"Call me if you need me," she said in a maternal fashion before making her exit. Leon's gaze slowly moved to the man standing still. He'd grown a full beard and his hair had grown longer. He also seemed softer around the edges, especially around the midsection.
But there was no mistaking it. It was Xavier Kennedy.
"I'm not interested in trading blows."
His unflinching delivery made Leon ball his fists.
