Bovian Image - 22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Cole couldn’t take the separation anymore. Two weeks of not seeing Savan was driving him insane and he’d had enough. The over-friendly receptionist at Bovian Image grinned like a Cheshire cat when he saw him. Rushing around his desk, Richie took his hand.

“What are you doing here? I thought you might have gone with Boss man. My goodness, you smell so good.”

“Wore it just for you,” Cole smiled at Richie’s enthusiasm and looked around the packed reception area. “Is Liang around? I need to talk to him.”

“Good timing, he’s in the office upstairs. If you can, please shake him out of the funk, it’s getting to be a bore.”

Cole thanked Richie and headed for the elevators. Liang was busy talking on the phone when Cole got to his office. Pausing at the entrance for a moment, he looked down the hall to the Salon Director’s office.

Savan’s office, he thought.

A pang of excitement danced through him when he noted that the door was open. Since Liang was still on the phone, Cole walked to the open door and peeped inside. His anticipation disappeared when he saw the short slightly round woman going through filed documents behind Savan’s desk.

She looked up when she saw him and gave him a warm smile.

“How can I help you?”

“Why are you in Savan’s office?” he demanded.

A frown creased her smooth forehead and she stood up slowly.

“I’m Xiao Wei. This is my office now. Master Savan has gone on a trip. He’s left my son and me in charge. Please tell me how I can help you.”

“Gone?”

What did she mean? How could Savan leave without telling him?

This had to be a mistake. Turning away from the intruding woman, Cole walked back to Liang’s office. The phone call was over, but Liang was frantically rifling through more papers.

“Where is Savan?”

Liang glanced up.

“Cole! I didn’t see you come in. Please sit. You look like you might pass out. Damn, this morning has been busy. I didn’t think I’d be so swamped.”

“Where is he, Liang? Why didn’t he tell me he was leaving?”

“You left first,” Liang reminded him. “He waited for you to come to the hospital and you didn't even call. Even two weeks after he was out, he still waited. You dropped the ball first.”

“That’s unfair.” Cole shook his head refusing to sit.

Instead, he paced the length of Liang’s elegant but clearly busy office. Papers and different hair product bottles piled on the large main desk. Along the walls were more cabinets, some were open showing off their contents. While neatly arranged, they spoke of Liang’s busy morning.

Giving the disarray an annoyed glance, Cole snapped.

“Get an assistant to help you with all this.”

“Didn’t need one before,” Liang said, straightening up behind his desk. “Cole, what did you think would happen? Since you knew the whole story, you not being at the hospital would have meant it was all too much. You know Savan. He gave you the space you needed.”

“He’s gone back to Hong Kong then.” Cole closed his eyes in frustration. Shaking his head, he sighed. “He’s the one who is not being fair. I—I needed him to call me, Liang.”

Liang sighed and pulled open a drawer on the left side of his desk. Reaching inside, he held out a small black phone seconds later.

“I figured you’d both end up like the idiots you are. I can’t watch it. Here, take this.”

Taking the phone, Cole stared at it in confusion.

“What is this for?”

“Savan left for Hong Kong last night. He is now officially part of his father’s business. There is also Jiro Nang’s case. I'm not even sure he can come back. There are too many things to take care of, however, he promised to call me on that phone when he can.”

Cole’s eyes widened in realization.

“So, who’s the woman in his office?”

“She’s my Mom.” Liang declared with a blinding smile. “Savan signed over Bovian Image to us. It’s the reason why I’m so swamped.”

“He’s not coming back?” Just the thought of it made Cole sick. Never seeing Savan again was not an option. “I’ll go see him then.”

“Relax, why don’t you two talk first?” Liang chuckled and sat back down, returning to his papers. “You really are over the hill. I would have thought the danger would put you off.”

“Hey,” Cole shoved the phone into his pocket. “Haven’t you ever heard of ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’?”

“Please leave now and let me drown in work. Savan will call that phone, believe me.”

“I didn’t give up.” Cole felt compelled to say. “I needed time to think, Liang.”

“I’m on your side, already, now go.”

Liang waved him off with a glare.

Cole smiled and left Liang’s office. He headed back to Savan’s office. Liang’s mom gave him a wary look when he walked in. Bowing his head slightly to show respect, Cole held out his hand.

“My name is Cole Lucianne. I’m sorry I was so rude before. I was in a bit of a panic.”

“You’re Cole?” Xiao Wei asked, with an instant smile.

She stood up and took his hand in hers.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from the least expected of places. I’m happy to finally meet you.”

“I wanted to apologize for my earlier behavior. I’m on my way out—

“Nonsense, come on, have a seat.” She walked around the desk and led him to a neat sitting area complete with a coffee table. “I’ll send for tea. I’ve known SarEr since he was a little boy.”

A little boy, Cole mused.

The urge to leave disappeared and he sat willingly. Savan had spent all his free time talking to Mika and looking at pictures of when Cole was a kid during his visit at his mother’s house. He wasn’t about to pass on an opportunity to know more about Savan’s childhood. Xiao Wei took his hand as she sat down, giving it a squeeze.

***

“SarEr, are you sure you want to do this?” Choi Yang clamped a hand on his shoulder and stopped him from going into the room. “You don’t have to do it, this is completely unnecessary.”

“I need to see him, Dad. I have to.” Meeting his father’s gaze, Savan tried to express the urge to face Jiro, because words were obviously failing him. “Please let me do this.”

Choi Yang’s hand fell off his shoulder, and he nodded.

“Fine, but I’m sending Han in with you.”

“Dad—”

“No arguments.” Choi Yang nodded for Han to follow and he sighed.

It had taken a massive argument just to do this much.

Savan gave Han a hard glance, warning him not to interfere when they got into the interview room. He’d been thinking about what he was going to tell Jiro Nang throughout his flight to Hong Kong. His thoughts ranging from raving anger, to stabbing words that would make him feel vindicated for the loss of five years.

When Savan opened the door and saw Jiro Nang seated in a hard metal chair, his hands cuffed, he realized he just wanted to know why.

Walking to the chair placed directly across Jiro Nang, Savan took his time studying the bastard.

Five years ago, Jiro had been a punk with spiky hair and hateful eyes. Now, he faced a man, his head bald thanks to the booking process. He was in navy blue overalls, prison issued, a black eye shone on his right eye, Savan noted with satisfaction. He was sad that it hadn’t been him to do it. Jiro was bulkier than he remembered, even a bit taller.

When Jiro looked up, his dark eyes were blank, nothing to read in there.

Savan cursed under his breath.

“Have you come to gloat, Prince?” Jiro asked, using his old nickname.

It didn’t annoy him like it had then. Not now, not after all he’d been through.

“Why?”

“Why what,” Jiro asked.

“Why did you do it?”

“I hate you,” Jiro answered with a shrug. “You were over privileged, spoiled and still managed to make friends with paupers so that you looked saintly. It was irritating.”

“I want the truth, Jiro.” Savan leaned forward on the desk and glared into the dead dark eyes. “You are family. Why didn’t you talk to me? Why didn’t you seek my father’s help since you ended up so close to him?”

“Family,” Jiro scoffed. “How can you still be this naïve? I don’t care what we are to each other. Revenge was all that mattered.”

“Don’t lie to yourself. Your father didn’t give a damn about you. He was a murdering, selfish bastard who died as he should have.” Savan spat out. “Why would you follow such a man?”

“He was my father,” Jiro replied simply. “The same reason you left, when I threatened you, is the same reason I followed my father.”

“How noble of you, Jiro. It’s very surprising. You are not the type to spew such nonsense. I’ve hated you for so long, it’s exhausting.”

Jiro smiled: an ugly cruel smile that contorted his face.

At another time, Savan would have been shaking at the sight of that smile. He had run away because of the intent behind that smile five years ago. Now, it seemed comical for Jiro to be smiling like that while cuffed to a chair, his life now bound to a murder conviction. That smile didn’t sicken Savan anymore instead, it made him pity Jiro.

“My father was right.” Savan stood up abruptly. “I didn’t need to come here. You don’t matter anymore.”

“Now you’re the one lying to yourself. You needed to see me sitting here to feel safe, didn’t you, SarEr? I took you away from your home, got you scared and running all over the world. Living like a shadow, skulking and scavenging, it was pitiful really. I thought my people had gotten you in New Caledonia. They should have. Those gunshots should have hit your friend but when you took them, I prayed you’d die. I was very disappointed when you lived. Look at you now. You left your lover, didn’t you? Does he know? Did he walk away from you once he found out the truth? That you’re a coward who can’t stand up to bullies.”

Pushing the table away, Savan grabbed Jiro by the neck, fingers digging into thick tendons. His palm pressing against Jiro’s larynx making him choke. He pushed harder until those dark eyes widened in panic.

“Do you feel that? Your chest will start burning soon. If I push harder, you’ll suffocate to death. Don’t ever think you know anything about me. You took me to a place where I had to throw away many things. I learned hard lessons that took away the puny little boy you bullied. I don’t need you to tell me I’m safe, you idiot. Count yourself lucky that I didn’t get to you before the police did. You’d have followed your father’s fate.”

Letting go of Jiro, Savan wiped his hand on Jiro’s navy blue overalls, and stepped back.

“We’re even, Jiro Nang.”

Turning, Savan met Han’s gaze for a moment. Pride reflected in Han’s eyes and he smiled slightly as Han opened the door for him. Without looking back at Jiro, Savan led the way out of the interview room.

***

Carrying a bunch of chrysanthemums, Savan walked with his father to Ariel Nan’s grave. They stopped before her head stone and Savan felt relief flood him. He had spent five years wishing for this moment. Reading the headstone, he bowed in respect.

Bending, he placed the flowers on the base of his mother’s headstone. Choi Yang lit the incense and they both stepped back watching the scent drift into the open air.

“Dad, I remember the day she died,” he confessed. “When Dao Ming had me, I kept having the same dream over and over, it was horrible and I wanted to escape it, but it was a memory.”

“I had hoped you wouldn’t remember.”

Choi Yang turned to look at him, sympathy in his eyes.

Savan closed his eyes, his thoughts filling with that moment.

There had been an argument right at the door of his bedroom. His mother had come in to wake him and help him get dressed.

‘As long as I’m alive, you won’t manage it. My son’s destiny is his own. I won’t let you take it from him.’

Ariel had suddenly been lying over him in his bed, her breath harsh as she wrapped him in her arms tightly.

‘Happy Birthday my darling,’ she said. ‘I’m so proud of you. Be anything you want but don’t leave your Papa alone.’

The hug she gave him then was the last. When his father had walked into see what was taking them so long, he’d broken down in hysteria.

“I found her lying over you, two bullets in her back.” Choi Yang reached out to take Savan’s hand. “Your mother protected you, SarEr. I knew it the moment I saw her body covering yours. She was beautiful and brave, and she loved you so much. I’m sorry for the way you had to grow up when she left us.”

“There will be no more apologies.” Savan squeezed his father’s hand. “I think we should do the best we can to live now.”

“In that case, tell me, are you going to give up on that nice young boy named Cole?” Choi Yang asked.

They turned away from the grave and started the long walk back to the main house. The weather was bright, flowers were blooming in the gardens, the grass a perfect green. As they walked along the cobbled path to the house, Savan couldn’t help the smile.

“Cole is hardly a boy, Dad.”

“He was very worried for you when we were looking for you. He has mettle, very strong too.”

“Strong mettle,” Savan laughed. “Gosh, I’ve missed your philosophy. Cole is just Cole, Dad. He doesn’t give up on people even when he should.”

“Meaning you tried to give up on him and he wouldn’t let you.”

“Several times,” Savan confirmed.

“I like him, bring him to visit me often,” Choi Yang said, his hands clasped behind his back.

When Savan stopped in surprise, Choi Yang turned to look at him with a raised brow.

“What?”

“You don’t want me to stay here?” Savan frowned. “I mean—I’m working for you now, and the Ashika Consortium. Staying in Japan would be impossible, right?”

Choi Yang walked back to him and shook his head.

“You have a life there. The secrets are secondary, judging from the pictures Ahmon gave me. You care about Cole. I couldn’t ask you to give that up.”

“Dad, what are you saying?”

“You can work for me from anywhere, son. The only thing I ask is for you not to neglect me.”

Happiness bloomed inside of him so bright, Savan couldn’t help hugging his father. Grinning wide, he stepped back meeting amused dark eyes.

“Thank you, Dad. I promise to bring Cole to meet you often.”

***

Cole was getting ready to leave his office two days after his visit to Bovian Image, when the phone Liang had given him buzzed on the desk. He’d been staring at it for more hours than he dared admit these past two days. As the hours passed and it remained silent, he’d started to think that it might never ring.

Grabbing it, he sunk into his chair, staring at the international number on the caller ID. Feeling like a fledgling, he hit the answer button and brought it to his ear.

“Hello.”

Savan launched into rapid Chinese on the other end. The sound of his voice sent a thrill through Cole. He hadn’t heard Savan’s voice in weeks.

“Liang?”

“It’s not Liang,” he said. “It’s Cole.”

“Cole?” There was a short pause before Savan continued in Japanese. “Is Liang alright? Did something happen to him?”

“No, he’s fine. He gave me the phone, told me you’d call. You left without saying goodbye. I was worried.”

“I’m sorry about that.” Savan stopped and cleared his throat on the other side. “I’m back in Tokyo. Where are you right now?”

“You’re back!” Cole jumped to his feet in excitement. “I mean—Uhm…I’m in my office. Where are you right now?”

“At the airport, almost anyway, the plane hasn’t landed. I was going to call Liang to tell him—”

“I’ll pick you up.” Cole reached for his car keys and glanced at his watch. “I’ll make it to the airport in forty minutes. Wait for me, alright.”

When silence met him, he repeated.

“Wait for me, Savan.”

***