Chapter 6: The Pain of Recollecting

"Are you sure about this, Win? You know your career might take some blow if people hear about you representing Asher Yang's case." Mr. Zhou worriedly warns Win for the nth time to warn her about meeting up with Mr. Yang again.

Win has been trying to explain her side to him since that morning, she smiles at him and assures him one last time before she finally left, "I promise you I've thought about it thoroughly. And it would bother my conscience forever if I don't do this."

As she arrives in the Yang Industries' main office, she's welcomed by Mr. Yang's personal assistant, "Good morning, Atty. Chen. The director has been expecting you. Please follow me, we can have your car valeted in the VIP area."

Win followed the lady to the director's office; she was nervous the whole time. It has been long since she felt her heart race like that. It was maybe because she was skeptical about deciding to accept Asher Yang's case, failing to win it would cost her not only her name, but the Yang Industries and Asher's future.

"This way, please. The director is waiting for you inside."

She nods thank you to the lady who has showed her the way and carefully enters the room she was led to. The director's office was not how she imagined it would be, it looked more like a home than a working area. There were open glass windows everywhere overlooking the city, it felt cozy, it was almost like how she remembers the Yangs' residence from long ago.

"Do you like it?" She failed to notice that Mr. Yang was observing her.

Win awkwardly laughed, "I'm sorry I didn't see you there, Mr. Yang. But yes, I do like your place. It looks comfortable."

"It is, I stay here a lot so I made sure it felt like home."

"It definitely does look like your house." Win sheepishly responded which Mr. Yang didn't seem to hear, "I'm sorry, what was that?"

Win shook her head, "Nothing, I just said it looks really pretty. Anyway, I guess you must know the reason I came here today. Mr. Yang, I would be honored to represent your son in court during the whole of his trial. But I hope you'll allow me to personally look into the bottom of things. In that way, it would also attract a lot less media attention."

"Are you sure you personally want to investigate, Atty? We can have the legal team to help you with everything."

"Please, Mr. Yang, this would be my only condition in handling your son's case. I would want to work on it unaccompanied like I always do." She looks at him with reassuringly, "If you really believe in my skills as a lawyer, you would trust me with this."

"If that is what you really want, then so be it."

Win smiled in response, "Thank you."

After the agreement with Mr. Yang, she decided to walk around the nearest mall for a while, she was allowed to stay out of the office the whole day, Mr. Zhou thinking that the meeting with last her the whole morning and afternoon.

Walking around the shopping street gave her this sense of excitement she hasn't felt in a long time. When she was still starting out as a model ten years ago, she remembered using her first paycheck to buy all the things she wanted. Despite her rich family background, she always wanted to live independent of her family's money. Thus, she started accepting minor modelling gigs at the age of 16.

She met Asher through one of her modelling gigs, she was casted as an advertisement model for one of the Yang family's restaurant chains. They were both young and fearless at that time, wanting to venture out in the world self-reliantly. For that certain advertisement shoot, Asher worked as the photographer.

From around that age, he already exuded a cold vibe that would often scare away the people around him. But it was different for Win, during that shoot, she was continuously asking him how she did, and what she should do to look better for the camera. Besides the given fact that she was outstandingly beautiful, it was Win's eagerness to do well in her job that has caught Asher's attention.

Neither of them dared to start the conversation on their first encounter, that day flew by leaving both with regret that they didn't try to approach the other. However, it wasn't long before they both worked on the same project again. Asher, not missing the chance out anymore.

"Excuse me?" He carefully approached Win just as she was about to change into her casual outfit, "I'm sorry I must've startled you. My name is Asher Yang. I'm not sure you remember but I have worked with you previously but I haven't gotten the chance to introduce myself."

Win flashed a sweet smile, of course, she remembers him. He was the cute photographer guy who caught her attention in an advertisement shoot for a restaurant, "My name is Winona Chen. It's nice to meet you."

"Winona is quite long. Would it be okay if I called you Win?" The latter asked, trying to create a friendly atmosphere with the maiden he's finally got the chance to talk to.

"Win?" She paused shortly, seemingly thinking, "It's the first time I'm hearing it but it sounds great!"

He asked her out in a nearby café after they wrapped up the shoot, the two had amazing chemistry and they just couldn't stop talking. It was only then Win realized something that had pricked her curiosity, "What did you say your name was again?"

Asher frowned at her jokingly, "Really? After almost a whole afternoon of chatting, you've forgotten my name?"

Win laughed and decided to play along, "Well, to be fair your name isn't as easy to remember as Win." They both laugh, the atmosphere around them was so light, people would think they've known each other for years, she continued, "No, really. I think I remember something. You said you were Asher what?"

It was then that Asher realized what Win was getting to, he hesitated for a while but responded anyway, "Yang." He felt uncomfortable when people discovered who he was or who his family were.

Win fell quiet for a while and Asher felt his palms sweating, could she have figures out who he was and felt weird about it?

"I remember now!" Win suddenly blurted out of excitement, "The first time we worked together, it was an advertisement shoot for the Yang Industries, right?"

Asher was confused about why she got all excited, but she continued out of enthusiasm, "You're Mr. Yang's only son, Asher Yang! And yet, you're working as a photographer in different projects? You're born with a silver spoon in your mouth, why would you be working?"

"I want to make a name for myself. I want to be Asher Yang, not the only son of the owner of Yang Industries. That's why I want to be out in the world, in my own efforts." He sheepishly answered.

Win smiled to herself, it was the first time she met someone who thinks similarly to her. She is actually the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Chen who owns Royal Corporation, a company based in the States. They were both Chinese but migrated to the US after their marriage. But while Win was born there, she asked her parents to send her to China where her roots were. They were hesitant at first but eventually allowed her, wanting her to be able to stand on her own.

At present, Win was also smiling to herself while resting on a bench just outside her favorite café in Beijing. It was funny how she started recollecting all these memories all of a sudden, maybe because once again, she was getting involved with Asher Yang, the boy whom she once wanted to discover the world with.

Her smile suddenly faded. It's both bitter and sweet how they once shared the same perception in life, how they both thought that getting out in the world on their own would make them fulfilled. She's made it on her own now, she's a distinguished model and a famous lawyer but she didn't feel as content as how they once imagined it, "It's not as fun as we thought it would be, Asher." She whispered to herself as she felt hot liquid slowly trickling down her cheek.