Chapter 643: Location

Ian and Mina worked through the night, wording, and rewording estate documents that his father would sign before going for surgery. The woman was just as invested as he was, pointing out several flaws and misinterpretations that could arise as if she were already part of the family. It was early the next morning when they were finally done, and for added safety, Ian called Luna over to give the documents a final review.

"Did you do this yourself?" Luna asked, shocked by the level of detail her brother had been able to put into the paperwork.

"Does something need to be changed?" Ian purposefully ignored his sister's question because as he had told Mina before he sent her to bed, he did not want her involved with his father's health.

"No, it's professionally written. The details are foolproof, I just don't remember you being so meticulous."

"I'll send it now. Every minute counts and I don't want to waste time."

"Ian," Luna said, scared because her brother possessed a calm that she found unnerving. "How did you know where to tell Doctor Juan to look?"

"Are you asking because you don't agree with what we are doing or because you don't trust me?" Luna stayed quiet because what she was going to say was just as bad. She trusted her brother, but not when Mina was involved and the language in the documentation reminded Luna of Mina's dress loan contract. "Luna, whatever it is you are holding onto, let it go; Lisa and I are finished."

----

Mina pulled President Lee into the backyard of his mansion. She had set out a blanket and snack foods for her and the man to munch on over conversation. Not about work, not about Ubi, but about him. She had been right about his father's condition, and while extremely invasive, the man's surgery was a success; all that was left was his recovery, which would take months.

To offset some of the pain the Senior Lee would be in, he was placed in a medically induced coma and that was what was bothering President Lee. Every day that passed was like waiting for news that his father was dead, and a family feud would begin. She could not imagine belonging to such a ruthless family that the second any of his relatives found out about Senior Lee, they would begin rallying for power.

Mina was no fool, she understood the documents she had prepared with and for President Lee, and although not specifically said, she also knew that if he lost power, her future would become even more uncertain. She had been the one to suggest looking for a foreign body and if the man died, she was almost certain fingers would be pointed at her, which is why President Lee had sent her away before his sister came to review the papers. It was the first time she felt like the man had her best interest in mind, and seeing him in a down and depressed mood since that day had begun to affect her emotions as well.

"What is all this?" Ian asked, he was not in the mood for game playing, not even with Mina. Losing his father at twenty-six was not written in his plans, and he was struggling to quickly reel in the remaining outliers who may be corrupted by some of his more power-hungry relatives.

"Just sit here with me for twenty minutes. We can talk or be quiet. You were there for me when my father was ill, so I know how much a small distraction can help." At that moment, Ian wished Mina were not as kind as she was. He did not want to sit outside with her while trapped in his own thoughts, and although she was unaware, Zane had already made him commit to going to a bar later in the evening.

As they sat, Mina scooted closer to Ian handing him several finger foods that he refused before she sighed deeply and forced a piece of fruit into his mouth. Shocked, Ian asked her if she was feeling okay and Mina started to laugh in a way that made him laugh as well. Feeling confident, he leaned forward and kissed Mina's lips making her turn red. It was only the second time he had kissed her since he offered her shares in his company, but their relationship had become much closer since then

The pair sat on the small blanket Mina had spread and the woman pulled out the book that she had been reading when they rode the bus together. She told him that she had stopped reading where they last left off, and Ian found himself smiling at the woman, who was no longer looking at him, but reading from the book she was holding. After just a few minutes of reading, Ian stopped her, saying that the story had become too depressing for him. Mina closed the book, and turned to face President Lee. She offered the man another piece of fruit and after taking it, he fed it to her instead.

"Mina, I don't want to be rude, but I really don't have much of an appetite. Please don't force me." Ian cupped Mina's cheek and leaned in for another kiss. The woman looked away, and Ian smiled when she handed him a cup of what he knew was broth. "You were prepared."

In silence, Ian sipped at the broth, wishing that his progress with Mina was not being marred by his father's health, but at the same time, grateful that his mood was affecting his drive. He genuinely believed that he was not pushing the woman harder because he had a lot to worry about. Still, he wished it were not a life-or-death situation. However, Ian's brief moment of calm was destroyed and he was consumed by anger instead. While he was drinking down the broth, which had originally been soothing, Mina told him that she was going to a party with Brayden, and in his mind, that meant they were going to be on a date.

"Is that why you called me out here? To tell me that you were going to spend time with another man?" Mina blanched. The man who had just gently placed a kiss on her lips was gone, and in his place was the President Lee she thought had disappeared. He looked at her with a confused expression that she felt compelled to wipe away.

"No, no. It's not that; please don't be angry. I just… Well, I made the commitment before this." Mina allowed her finger to press against President Lee's, but the man slid his hand away.

"I have work to do," he said, standing to leave. "I'm going out with Zane, so I won't see you off." Mina felt rejected, but she could understand that President Lee had a lot on his shoulders and had misunderstood. So, she let him leave, opting to give him time before she spoke to him about why she was going.

----

Mina arrived at the venue location and was put off at once. President Lee had truly misread the evening, so after the driver, who was not a guard, dropped her off, the man left to wait for her call. Not wanting to assume, Mina stepped into the restaurant, and was greeted by a single person, who led her to a private table where Brayden was waiting for her.

"I thought you said this was a sendoff?" She questioned, hesitating to take a seat, but the man had already pulled out a chair and pushed it into her knees making her sit.

"I knew that if I invited you to dinner, you wouldn't have come." Mina felt regret engulf her, and she texted her location to President Lee, telling him that she wanted him to pick her up. "You look tense."

"I feel caught off guard." Mina looked up at Brayden, realizing that was exactly what Brayden was trying to show her. Her immediate reaction was not to think logically, but her mind had gone to the worst. "I understand the point you're trying to make." The man tilted his head, but whatever conclusion Mina had drawn was fine with him.

Brayden made a gesture and a server brought two meals to the table, complete with drinks, Mina denied the wine, sticking with her lemon water, and barely touching the meal that had been sent to her. She checked her phone, but President Lee had not replied, and she was beginning to feel uncomfortable. The man who was sitting across from her shifted his seat, and Mina felt a rolling sensation in her belly. She had never realized how much Brayden and President Lee favored one another until that moment, and her mind was travelling to places it had not gone with any other man.

"I feel weird," Mina said, and the man leaned forward and kissed her cheek, making Mina stand up abruptly. The sensation was pleasurable, but she did not want it to be.

"What's wrong?" Brayden asked in a husky whisper that sent shivers down Mina's spine. She moved away, and the man stood with her, pressing her against a wall in a way that Mina did not entirely hate, but did not want. He kissed her neck, making her pant, but Mina was too weak to push him back.

"Should I be gentle?" he asked, and Mina found herself answering even though she did not want to.

"Brayden, I think there was something in my water. Please take me to a hospital." The man pulled away from Mina, looking at her in mock concern. He knew his father had put something in the woman's meal the minute he saw lemon floating in the water, and while it was not his preferred method, his opinion of Mina had changed again; he now wanted to be with her physically and romantically."

"What?" he asked. "Okay, let's go." Brayden told the server his worry and helped Mina balance as he guided her out of the restaurant.

----

Ian was sitting at a bar with Zane, he had not told the man about his budding romance with Mina because she had specifically asked to keep things between them private. She did not want to make anything public when they were still assessing where they stood in each other's lives, and while at first bothered by her request, Ian could not fault her. Their relationship was a gamble at best and its success was not guaranteed, especially when his sister still had hopes of the impossible. His phone chimed and he looked at it with an attitude.

"Who was that?" Zane asked, he had seen Mina's name pop up, but he wanted his friend to talk to him.

"Mina just asked me to pick her up from her date." Ian spoke the words with such anger that Zane knew the man was jealous. He knew that Ian was borderline obsessed with Mina, and he wrongly assumed that her going out on a date was what was furthering his friend's angry silence.

"And you aren't going?"

"She has a driver with her." Ian quipped. "I will not settle for being her chauffeur."

"Is that what you got from her message? I thought you said you two had become more friendly. What if she is texting because she needs help? I see it as her reaching out to someone she can depend on." Zane stood, downing his drink before picking up his friend's phone.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to get her. She must have texted you for a reason." Ian considered his friend's words and realized Zane was right. Mina didn't need to text him, she chose to." He rushed out of the bar; suddenly happy he was not in the mood to drink because it meant he could drive himself. He arrived just in time to see Mina being pushed into Brayden's car.