Bed Partners

Severed

Tape 12, Side B

Deny me? Is he...

I swallowed, "Can you eleborate on that? I don't want another misunder-standing."

Remember the envelop with money? He said I misunderstood. That I opened the wrong cabinet. Well, let's see if I understood his last statement. Because I have a bad feeling about it.

Qing stared steadily at me, "It's what it is. Your position in my life is ideal for our set up. If anyone noticed our closeness, I can say it's because we are brothers. If nasty rumors started..."

"Like why are you getting too cozy with your gay stepbrother," I cannot held back the bitterness in my tone. "You can, and let's use your term, deny me. You can claim that I am only your stepbrother, not privy with my life and just being kind. Wow..." I chuckled hollowly.

Qing stared at me as I try to control my emotions. I glance at him. On his expressionless face.

He is really something else. Wang Qing. Ruthless and ambitious. He, would use anyone. And throw anyone for his ambition.

"Like how you can deny you mother?" I said softly.

Qing blinked, "My mother? Mrs.Ho? It's not a question of denying her, it's more of not wanting to be associated with her. But she gave birth to me..."

"What did she did that people should not find out about? Taking that money from your father when they got separated..."

"No," Qing shook his head. "It's stealing my inheritance to finance her husband's political career." He said.

I stopped, "She stole what?"

"My inheritance, from my grand parents on her side of the family. They left me around 2million dollars in cash and property when they died. My mother took it and used it to finance Rep.Ho's campaign for the Parliament."

"She did that?" I cannot believe it. That Qing got 2million dollars worth of inheritance. And that her mother stole it.

"She doesn't want to risk her own money so she used mine. She tried covering it up but my aunt, Mrs.Ho's sister, found out and notified me. We stopped her but she got at least two thirds of my inheritance already by the time we figured it out. My Auntie was devastated because my grandparents wanted that money to come to me. But it's gone so..."

"And did you sued her? Mrs.Ho?"

"No, why? I don't care about that money. I got the properties though. Small parcels of land but those are enough for me. And besides, I already tripled that amount of money she stole. I put back my grandparents money she got from my account and secured it so she won't touch them again. I want to honor my grandparents wishes so I made the money whole again and keep them."

Yeah, his grandparents must be proud. His mother though...

"So you don't want to be associated with her. What about me?" I asked Qing.

"I can be linked to you but not romantically." He simply replied.

Yes. Not in that way. Because that can ruin him. Him and his dream of getting that highest position on this country.

I bit my lower lip and nodded. I stood up too. "I think I need to go..." but before I can walk away, he caught my wrist.

"Why do you look like that?" He asked while maintaining that blank look on his eyes. "Did you, perhaps, expect more from me?"