Make Me Yours

She had propositioned one between Li and Park. Xen had hated the idea. Li Group was a stallion, he had said; it stood proud and rode alone. But his mother had countered. Li Group was a lion, she had said. With the strength of a lion laid in its pack. Its pride. Park Industries was a member of that pride and it was better to stand together, than go down, alone.

So, he had thought long and hard, and had finally agreed. Only, his agreement had come with a high cost to pay. Marriage to Rachel Park. Mr Park had made it clear that marriage was the only ground on which he would accept a merger.

Of course, Xen had seen it for what it was. For years now, his mother had been trying to get him and Rachel together. It did not help that Rachel’s blatant interest in him simply encouraged his mother further.

Li Group had been at stake. So, he had weighed the pros and cons, and he had made the sacrifice that was his to make; himself, his happiness, for the future of Li Group and everyone who depended on the company to make a living. Now, they were on their feet and doing just fine.

He was grateful for the help, but it would be a while before he forgave his mother and the Parks. Because they had not needed to steal his happiness before making the merger happen, but they had done just that, anyway.

He had not even been allowed to call Zoey, to explain things to her. Cutting off every form of communication had been one of the conditions. He had had to open, for the company’s sake.

Now, here he was, the company thriving, while he died slowly. Daily.

Heaving a deep sigh, he shook his head and left his thoughts. What was done was done, and that was that.

He had just settled into his chair when his door burst open and Yun came running in like a mad man.

“Xen! Xen! Have you seen this? Have you?”

“Easy, Yun. You look like a mad dog chased you down here. What is it?”

“You haven’t seen it, have you? If you have, you wouldn’t be so calm. Here, have a look.”

Yun had a magazine in his hands and Xen took it.

“Since when did you begin to read magazines?”

“Not me; my wife. She was reading it when she stumbled upon page 23. Just take a look at it and tell me what you see.”

Wary, Xen obliged his friend and started to flip the pages. He passed page 23 and had to go back. At first, his brain didn’t pass the information across. But slowly, it seeped in.

“Zoey?”

“Yes.”

“She’s pregnant?”

“According to the interview and those pictures, yes.”

“Impossible. She posted a picture only a week ago on her Instagram. She was very unpregnant.”

“Apparently, they are old pictures. Guess how long gone she is.”

“I can’t. Just tell me.”

“You know, read the article.”

So, he did.

As he read it, his eyes expanded until they could not get any wider. The article was an interview with Zoey, who had just been signed as an ambassador for a wears company. Apparently, one of her clients had noticed the bump she had been trying to hide and commented on how she made a beautiful pregnant woman. Then, she had promised that if Zoey agreed to model her new maternity line, she would make Zoey the official manager of all of the company’s land properties. Of course, Zoey had accepted, and this article was simply an interview asking her how she felt about being the face of the new maternity line for the company.

It also went on to explain how she had managed to hide the pregnancy for this long by posting old photos of her, and wearing inconspicuous clothes. Six months. She was six months gone. Every word shocked him, but there were some in particular which got his attention.

When asked who the father was, Zoey simply replied, “Someone I loved like never before.”

“That’s my baby. Yun, she’s carrying my baby!”

Yun chuckled in relief.

“Thank goodness. I was hoping you’d realize that. I’m guessing you didn’t know she was pregnant?”

“She must have found out after I left; she was on the pill. She must have gotten pregnant before getting on it, and didn’t even know. Is that healthy?”

“I don’t know, Xen. I’m a lawyer, not a doctor, but she does look healthy to me.”

He looked at the pictures of her in the magazine. Her belly was so round and beautiful and she glowed. All of it filled him with awe.

“Yes. She does.”

“So, what are you going to do?”

The decision was easy. Obvious.

“What I should have done all this while. Go to her.”

The smile that spread across Yun’s face told him that he had given the right answer.

He didn’t know which raced more as he left his office; his heart or his legs.

*****

“You shall go nowhere. Goodness! Can you hear yourself? Do you not know the gravity of you leaving? You are a married man, Xen. And a public figure for that matter! You cannot just up and chase after some woman because you found out that she’s pregnant with a child that may or may not be yours.”

He stopped what he was doing so he could look at his mother. His eyes were as hard as his voice as he said, “The child is mine, Mother! Say what you may, but you would not insult Zoey’s person. She was faithful to me. That is the kind of woman she is: a woman of integrity. If Zoey is six months gone then there is no doubt in the world that that’s my child inside of her.”

He went back to packing. He needed enough for he didn’t know how long he would be gone. Nothing else mattered anymore. Not his marriage, his reputation, or the company. All that mattered now was Zoey.

“What kind of a woman keeps quiet about a thing like this, anyway? If the child was yours, I am certain that she would have told you about this. If you walk out that door, Xen, this marriage is over.” That was his wife; as tall and plastic as his mother.

Once, he had been good friends with Rachel. Once. But they had grown apart when she had let his mother plant seeds of love and a marriage between them in her head; especially after the divorce with Lin. She had come on too strongly and Xen had had no other option than to push her away.

Their friendship had suffered a blow that it should have never recovered from.

“Then let it be!” He snapped, unable to contain his anger anymore. He finished packing then, and zipped his luggage.