Huang Lihua

Emma stepped into the spacious office with a growing feeling of trepidation. The office was located at the corner of the building, giving it two walls with full length windows, that created a bright and airy atmosphere.

"Miss Emma Huang is here, CEO Huang," Assistant Xu announced, then excused himself, closing the door silently behind him.

Emma's eyes stayed fixed on the figure seated behind a wide modern desk, bent over a pile of documents.

The woman was a little taller than average, with a slender frame. She wore a sharply tailored bright red pant suit, which accentuated her tiny waist, and impossibly long legs. At the end of one leg, elegantly crossed over the other, a stiletto clad foot twitched up and down as the woman read. An slender hand with long perfectly manicured nails was wrapped around a fountain pen, tapping away a slow deliberate rhythm on the desk.

Emma stood patiently waiting. There was a time when they were younger, that her anger would have flared easily at being pointedly disrespected like this. However, she had long ago learnt to recognise her sister's petty mind games, and could therefore keep her irritation to a manageable simmer.

Furthermore, her sister was an unpredictable person, and there was best not to antagonise her unnecessarily. Especially considering Emma's reason for being here.

Finally, Huang Lihua looked up from her documents. The pen was tossed carelessly onto the desk, as she sat up straighter. Her short cut hair framed her face, as her phoenix eyes scrutinised Emma.

They looked at eachother for a few seconds, neither of them saying a word. Both wearing identical expressionless masks, each sizing up the other.

Thinking it was best to break the tense silence, Emma decided to speak first, careful to keep her voice neutral. "Hello Elder Sister Lihua. How have you been?"

Huang Lihua simply quirked her eyebrows in response, the corners of her scarlet lips turning up in a small triumphant smile. She obviously delighted in the fact that Emma was the first to give in.

Emma sighed inwardly.

This had always been the way between them. Lihua always felt the need to compete with Emma for everything, despite being doted on the most by their father. An old familiar feeling of envy rose to the surface, which she suppressed quickly. She had decided long ago to give up on those negative feelings of envy and resentment.

In the years since her break with her family, Emma had realised that those resentful feelings only kept her tied to the past. Furthermore, she could now view the her past memories with her family in a more detached manner, and hence she had come to realise that her sister had also, in her own way, been negatively impacted by the toxic environment of the Huang family.

Seeing how Lihua seemed disinclined to respond, Emma tried again. "You seem to have done very well for yourself," she commented, making an effort to keep her voice pleasant and polite.

Lihua let out a short harsh laugh. "You can stop with the pleasantries. Let's skip the small talk. Just sit down and tell me why you're here," she said coldly.

Huang Lihua's voice was low and smooth. Its seductive tone had made many a man fascinated by her, for while it was a stark contrast to her distinctly feminine appearance, it also made her even more attractive.

Used to her sister's straightforwardness, Emma simply sighed and sat down. Not sure, exactly where to start. She fiddled with the hem of her T-shirt for a few seconds, trying to gather her thoughts.

Seeing her sister's hesitation, Lihua rolled her eyes. "Just say it, I haven't got all day," she said with an hint of impatience.

Emma looked up at her, giving her a sharp look. Lihua simply raised her eyebrows at her challengingly.

"I need your help", Emma finally muttered, looking back down at her hands. "I-" She drew a deep breath. "I've gotten myself into a bit of trouble."

Emma found it incredibly difficult to admit that she was unable to deal with the situation on her own. But after much deliberation she had come to the conclusion that asking her sister for help was the only good option she had. Asking her father for help was certainly out of the question.

"In trouble? What, don't tell me you are pregnant?" Lihua scoffed.

"What?! No!" Emma gritted her teeth. Why did everybody immediately assume that she was pregnant?

"What then? You need money?" Lihua's said mockingly.

"Not exactly," Emma replied hesitantly.

Luckily her mother had come through on her promise and wired her a generous amount of money. She should have no problem living on that for a while.

"I need your help to hide from someone," she continued.

Lihua raised her eyebrows in surprise. Apparently, this was not what she had expected Emma to say. "Go on," she said, gesturing for Emma to elaborate.

"There's this... guy," Emma began. "He... Well, frankly he's become somewhat obsessed with me. He owns the nightclub were I used to work. And I suspect that he's a gangster too. I've made it clear repeatedly that I'm not interested, but he won't leave me alone. He even broke into my apartment, and was waiting for me there when I came home."

Emma shuddered as she remembered their confrontation, and how Mr. Long had forced his suffocating kiss on her. She disliked showing any vulnerability and weakness, but was unable to keep her hands from shaking at the memory.

"Then last night, he even sent two of his men to try and kidnap me," she continued. "I don't think he's going to leave me alone any time soon. And I'm not sure I can manage to hide from without help."

As she finished, Emma looked up, meeting her sister's gaze. Lihua looked at Emma for several seconds, her eyes unreadable and her brows knitted together in a perplexed expression. Finally she spoke.

"And why would I want to help you?"

Emma had expected this. With all the tension between them growing up, their relationship was far from that of loving sisters. And she had good reason to think that Lihua hated her.

However, when she looked into her sister's eyes now, she could not detect any trace of animosity. There was wariness to be sure, and scepticism, but not hatred.

She drew a deep breath, ready to reveal her best bargaining chip. One that she was sure would ensure her sister's cooperation.

"What if I let you have my shares in Huang Group?"