chapter 171: a conversation

[Shanghai, Hotel, Joey's Room]

Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) was surprised to find Joey (Bernice Liu) all made-up and ready to hit the streets when she opened the door to let him into her room. "Where are you off to so early?"

"I'm going to have breakfast."

"You're looking so great just to have breakfast?" He shakes his head and smiles at her, "You girls sure love to be made up."

"What? You're trying to say that I only look good when I'm made up?"

"Of course not. You'd look good even with just a T-shirt on. Let's go downstairs for breakfast."

Joey blushes. "Actually..."

"What? Is what I'm wearing not good enough to go downstairs and eat with you?"

"No, it is just that I have a date for breakfast."

Ah Nin is surprised to hear the word "date". "Oh... who's the guy?"

Joey shakes her head and quickly says, "You've got it wrong. I'm meeting Carrie for breakfast."

"Carrie from 'F&B'?"

"Yes, that's the one. She says she wants to talk to me about you. I think it has something to do with the case."

"Well, then I have to be there too. It's called 'talking behind someone's back' unless that person is there. I'll get changed and meet you in a bit, okay?"

"Um... okay." Joey bites her bottom lip. She wasn't sure if Carrie (Natalie Tong) was going to be okay with Ah Nin being there.

[Café]

Carrie waved and smiled when she saw Joey walk into the café, but the smile wore off when she saw Ah Nin walk in afterwards. She pushes her glasses up and lowers her head down, smiling awkwardly.

"Carrie, good morning." Joey smiles.

"Yes, good morning," Carrie returns the gesture.

"You don't mind that I join your conversation with Joey about me, right? I figured since I'm the 'star' of the conversation, I might as well be here." Ah Nin laughs.

"Yes... of course." Carrie avoids eye contact with Ah Nin.

Ah Nin and Joey sit down at the table and place their orders.

"So what did you want to talk to Joey about?" Ah Nin asks.

"Joey, would you mind going with me to the bathroom?" Carrie asks abruptly.

Joey looks at Ah Nin before looking at Carrie and saying, "Okay. Chris, we'll be right back."

"Sure, take your time."

[Bathroom]

"Carrie, what's the matter?" Joey asks. "Do you have a problem with Chris being there?"

"I wanted to tell you everything... but Chris being there makes everything awkward."

"Huh?" Joey blinks at her, curious.

"How can I tell him that I used to have a crush on him?"

Joey stares at Carrie, surprised.

Carrie blushes, pushing up her glasses. "He doesn't remember... and I don't want him to know now. It's embarrassing."

[Café]

Joey returned back from the bathroom alone.

"Where's Carrie?" Ah Nin inquires.

"This is awkward..." Joey begins.

"She wants me to leave?" He asks.

Joey nods her head slowly.

"I figured that. It's cool. I told the waiter to have my order to go when you two left to go to the bathroom. Ah, and here he comes with my food. I'll see you back at the hotel, all right?" Ah Nin smiles and walks off.

Joey sent Carrie a text message after Ah Nin left to come back out. When she emerged, she walked out with her head bowed down, embarrassed.

"Was he mad?" Carrie asks.

"Not the least bit," Joey smiles, "he was very understanding."

Carrie lets out a sigh. "That's a relief."

"So are you ready to talk now?"

She nods her head, "Yes, yes, of course."

Joey waits patiently.

"First of all, I wanted to say I am sorry."

"Sorry for what?"

"The last time you had a chat with me, I lied."

Joey blinks at her. "What?"

"At that time, I couldn't tell you the truth. Now, I can."

"I'm not following...?"

"Let me explain... I was the first person that Chris befriended at the company. I was his personal secretary, so you know, I did odd jobs for him. He was just a really cool guy. Without realizing it, I had developed feelings for him. But you know me... I'm shy... so I couldn't tell him. I wanted to, but I just couldn't. I didn't have a chance anyways. Why suffer the embarrassment? I didn't want things to be awkward between us... I was curious about him though. Last time I told you that he was very 'cold' to everyone and didn't let anyone know about his personal life. That was a lie. In fact, I slowly learned more about him. He needed a friend and felt comfortable sharing his feelings with me. He told me about you."

"Oh?"

Carrie laughs. "Yes, he let me know all of the details about the ups and downs you guys went through. I could tell that he loved you a lot and it was at that point that I knew that I could never replace you in his heart. There was not a chance. I don't think any girl could fill your place. I gave up on any hopes of becoming his girlfriend."

Joey smiles. "If only he could remember as well... but I still love him even if he doesn't."

Carrie just smiles before saying, "When Rose met him, I could tell that she fancied him right away. I played dumb and told her that he was very 'cold'. When she asked me if he had a girlfriend, I knew then that she had set her sights on him. I told her that he seemed disinterested - which was true - but I 'failed' to tell her that he already had someone in his heart. Rose was very eager to be with Chris since their first meeting. He actually talked with me about her."

"What did he say?"

"He thought she was a very pretty, clever, and nice girl. You know, Rose always appears so pleasant, doesn't she?"

Joey nods her head, "But it's all an act."

"I know. She's so pleasant to the point that you have to suspect that it's fake. It's sickening how she appears so 'perfect' all of the time with her 'exquisite' language. At first, I was fooled by her act, but the more time I spent with her, the more suspicious I got. She thought I was this flaky, idiot girl who didn't know anything, but I was watching her. Once, Chris told me that she confessed her feelings for him when he was driving her home. He made it clear to her that he only loved you. Most girls would give up after being rejected, but Rose..."

"She has thick skin." Joey laughs.

"More like thick make-up," Carrie jokes. "Speaking of Rose... she tried to get me to bail her out of jail yesterday."

"What?"

"Yeah. I was surprised myself." She snickers, "I bet she's still in jail."

"But I thought her family was really powerful? Doesn't she have many people?"

"They all left."

Joey looks at Carrie, confused.

"People can share wealth, but when it comes to suffering, no one wants a piece of it. There's no way Rose can get herself out of this. What's the use in helping her?"

"Doesn't she have a lot of money? Aren't people worried she might buy herself 'rich man's justice'?"

Abruptly, Carrie shrugs her shoulders and says, "I don't know, but word travels fast. Everyone knows about Rose and 'F&B' now."

"Oh..."

"Chris will be okay. Don't you worry," Carrie says with confidence.

"I like to think so myself, but how can you be so sure?"

"Because I was with him when he discovered the secret 'F&B' was hiding."

Joey gasps. Her eyes widen. "You were?" She felt happy and excited all at once.

Carrie nods her head as she adjusts her glasses. "I'll never forget that day. It was about time to leave for the day, but Chris wanted to make sure the shipments were okay. The client was a big one, so he didn't want anything to be overlooked. He told me to go home first if I had something to do, but thank god I didn't. I told him a few minutes wouldn't be a problem. Boy was I shocked when I accidentally ripped one of the dresses. I am so clumsy!" Carrie blushes. "But what was more shocking was-"

"Packets of drugs fell out, didn't they?" Joey interrupts.

Carrie blinks, surprised. "Yes, how did you know?"

"Chris' family found them that way too. Rose had some dresses sent to their home..."

"Boy, Chris and I were so shocked. Besides the fact that it was drugs in that dress, what were they doing there in the first place? We decided to rip open more and see if it was the same thing... Surely enough, every single dress we ripped contained packets of drugs. We were both stunned. I mean, there are rumors that Rose's family is a mafia, but who can really believe that when they run one of the most prominent fashion companies? It was at that point that we knew something very fishy was going on with the company."

"Why didn't you guys go to the police?"

"We were going to and we prepared a folder of pictures of the ripped clothing and packets of drugs, but Rose called Chris at that moment. She wanted to meet him at the park or something like that."

"So what happened?"

"He decided that he wanted to confront her about it first, since you know, the company belongs to her family and all. Then, he would go to the police and have them investigate 'F&B'."

"Chris got into an accident that day, didn't he?"

Carrie nods her head slowly. "Unfortunately... Everyone thought it was just a car accident, but I knew it wasn't so simple."

"You think Rose hired a hit man to kill Chris because he found out her family's secret?"

"Most definitely. Like that, Chris was in a coma and the folder of evidence was gone. I couldn't go to the police. I had no choice but to just ignore what I found out and just do my job... It was so disgusting."

"Why didn't you just quit?"

"It's hard to find a job, Joey. Besides, my pay was pretty good since I had been at the company for nearly four years at that time. As much as I didn't want to be there, I had to suck it up. Who knows? Maybe I could find evidence of their illegal doings."

"Did you tell anyone else about what you and Chris found?"

"Who could I tell?" Carrie sighs.

"Did Rose act funny after the accident?"

"I thought that she might be jumpy or feel guilty... but nope. She was very calm. She even visited Chris at the hospital every day - such alligator tears! When I heard that Chris woke up from his coma, I was so happy. Who could have imagined that he suffered from amnesia after waking up?"

Joey sighs. "I know. I was so crushed when he had no recollection of who I was the first time I saw him again."

"I bet..." Carrie continues, "I didn't see him again until a few months later when he returned to work. He 'knew' my name and 'who' I was, but I knew that he knew he didn't 'know' me. I suspect that Rose gave him the details on his colleagues... as well as telling him everything else that he 'knew'." Carrie sighs. "He was like Rose's puppet. It was like he couldn't leave her side." She shakes her head. "The biggest 'surprise' of all was when Chris and Rose announced their 'official' engagement." She rolls her eyes as she pushes her glasses up. "I felt so sorry for Chris."

"He was really hard on himself last night after he put the pieces of the puzzle together. He said he felt like the biggest idiot for believing everything that Rose told him."

"He didn't know any better."

"That's what I said!" Joey laughs.

Carrie just smiles before saying, "When you and his family came looking for him, I was very surprised. I finally met the 'Joey' he was talking about so many months ago but had since forgotten."

"I remember. I asked you to call him to tell him his 'Joey' was waiting for him."

"Too bad Rose picked up the phone... the message never got to him-"

"Even if it did, he wouldn't know who 'Joey' or his 'family' was anyways." Joey sighs. "So we came back the next day and he was there-"

"And boy, what a scene that was!"

Joey laughs. "Yes, it was a big scene."

"When Rose came back, she asked me what had happened and then told me to tell her if you guys came back."

"She really wanted to control Chris' life, didn't she?"

Carrie nods her head. "And she succeeded for awhile. Luckily, the heavens have eyes." She smiles. "Chris is going to be just fine. He didn't have anything to do with the illegal doings of 'F&B' - and I can testify that."

Joey's happiness showed in her big smile. "Thank you so much, Carrie."

"I can't help Chris remember, but I can help to prove his innocence."

Tears of happiness well up in Joey's eyes.

chapter 170: what's going on

[Shanghai, Hotel, Joey's Room]

The next morning, Joey (Bernice Liu) received a wake-up call from a number unknown to her. She groans. "Hello?" she answers the phone half-asleep.

"Hi, Joey, it's Carrie."

"Who?"

"It's Carrie, from 'F&B'."

The mention of the term "F&B" woke Joey up. She sits up in her bed. "Oh! Carrie. What's up?"

"I'm so sorry about calling you so early," Carrie (Natalie Tong) apologizes. "I wanted to call so badly yesterday, but I was afraid of bothering you and then it got really late. But it's morning now so I thought maybe I could call and it would be okay," she blurts out in an overtly fast manner.

"Whoa! Slow down." Joey laughs. "I just woke up. My brain can't process so much so fast in so little time."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. What's up?"

"I need to talk to you."

"What's the matter?"

"It's about Chris..."

Hearing Ah Nin's name, Joey needed to hear no more. She arranged to meet Carrie in an hour at a café for breakfast.

[Hong Kong, Kam Family Apartment]

The family was gathered around the dining table for breakfast.

The tears in Nim Chi's (Nancy Sit) eyes had finally dried. She had cried all of last night thinking about Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) and the sticky situation he was in. "I thought I had cried my heart out when I learned that everything with Rose (Kenix Kwok) was fake and how much she had hurt him, but I was wrong. Rose is ruining his life. Ah Nin could go to jail for a crime he never did..." The thought that Ah Nin might be locked up scared Nim Chi like no other.

"Why can't that vicious woman let big brother go?" Ah Yat (Joyce Chen) sighs.

"I knew it was a bad idea for Ah Nin to go and talk 'business' with that company..." Ying Gei (Yvonne Lam) comments.

"She brainwashed Ah Nin, could have killed Foon Foon and Hei Hei with her drugs, and now she has him being tried for running an illegal drug market. It's like our family owes her or something, isn't that right?" Gam (Louis Yuen) feels disgusted.

"I have to go to Shanghai," Nim Chi says simply. "Ah Nin needs the support."

"Ma Chi, you're going alone?"

"What choice do I have? You all have to go to work. I already packed. I'm leaving later today on the earliest flight."

["Ka Yan" Company]

Wong Sheung (Lau Dan) walked into his company seeing his employees gathered around in a group gossiping again. He coughs his throat, clearly angry at the sight. "What's going on here? Is there no work to be done?" he demands.

"Sorry, Mr. Wong!" Everyone says in unison as they break up into their respective places in the company.

Man Gwai Fei (Stephanie Che) steps out of her office with a triumphant smile. "They were gossiping about your daughter, Mr. Wong!"

"What? What were they saying about Joey?"

Gwai Fei slaps Gam on the back of his head. "Talk!"

"Mr. Wong, don't you see the physical abuse? I have a right mind to file a lawsuit for keeping such an abusive manager around here!" Gam says.

"What were you saying about my daughter?" Wong Sheung demands, ignoring Gam's complaint.

"Chris is being suspected of running an illegal drug market, so Joey has to stay in Shanghai to offer support," Gam explains.

Wong Sheung blinks, confused. "Illegal drug market? What are you talking about?"

"Rose's company is a farce. They are secretly hiding drugs within their clothes," Ah Yuet (Michael Tse) elaborates.

"What? That's ridiculous! I've known Peter (Michael Miu) for awhile. His company wouldn't do such a thing. There must be a misunderstanding. 'F&B' has been around for many years and has a very good reputation. I introduced Chris to Peter so he could work at 'F&B" when he left 'Ka Yan' in hopes of developing in Shanghai. It can't be." Wong Sheung shakes his head.

Ying Gei gasps, "So you're the one who introduced poor Ah Nin to his death trap!"

"What?"

"If it wasn't because of you, Ah Nin wouldn't be involved with 'F&B'. He wouldn't have met Rose. She wouldn't have hired someone to run him over and erase his memories. He wouldn't be innocently suspected as an operator of their illegal drug market!" Ying Gei says exasperatedly.

Gwai Fei rolls her eyes. "Che! It's the court's decision to decide whether or not he's 'innocent'."

"This can't be. Joey would have called me if something like this happened..." Wong Sheung is still puzzled.

"We're not lying. Ah Nin and Rose were arrested yesterday. It's a good thing they were because Rose was trying to kill Ah Nin and Joey-"

"What?" Wong Sheung is stunned.

"Rose tried to kill Joey for the third time."

"Third time? Huh?" Wong Sheung looks at everyone.

"You're her father and you don't know?" Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu) asks.

"She never told me... what three times?"

"The first time was when Rose committed murder at the wedding boutique. The second time was when she confronted Rose about everything and allowed big brother to see her true colors. The third and hopefully last time was yesterday when she and big brother were at 'F&B'..." Ah Yuet provides the recap.

Wong Sheung can't believe his ears. Joey hadn't told him about any of that. He knew about Rose being fake and he overheard bits and pieces about what she had done to Ah Nin, but he had no idea that she had tried to kill his daughter so many times. It began to make sense to him. The night Joey returned home really late, he could sense something was odd. He wanted to ask her about it, but she refused to tell him anything. Then, she had asked him to distract Rose for a while. "That silly girl... why didn't she tell me any of this?" he thinks to himself.

"I can't believe you didn't know. What kind of no good father are you?" Ying Gei asks.

Everyone gasps at her comment.

"Mr. Wong, we should fire such a disrespectful employee!" Gwai Fei urges.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Wong!" Ying Gei gets on the floor and begs.

"No. She's right. I am useless. So much happened to my own daughter... and I had no idea." Wong Sheung feels ashamed.

"Poor Joey."

"Poor Chris."

"It's all that evil Rose's fault!"

Everyone sighs.

"I have to go to Shanghai. I have to find Joey." Wong Sheung says as he runs out of the company.

[Airplane]

"Oh great, the middle seat..." Wong Sheung sighs. There was a plump woman sitting in the window seat. The other seat was still vacant. He sits down. There was something familiar to him about the woman. She turns around to look at him. He is surprised. "Auntie Chi!"

Nim Chi greets him with a smile. "Mr. Wong."

"Your family told me you were off to Shanghai."

"Yes."

"Me too."

Nim Chi laughs. "It's best that you're going to Shanghai because that's where the plane lands."

Wong Sheung laughs off his embarrassment. "Why, yes, of course."

Nim Chi just smiles.

He clears his throat.

"What is it?"

"This is awfully embarrassing... but would you mind telling me about everything that has been going on with Chris, Rose, and Joey? Joey hasn't told me anything..."

Nim Chi smiles. "Surely. It will make the flight seem shorter."

chapter 169: clicking

[Shanghai, Hotel]

Joey (Bernice Liu) and Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) checked themselves into a hotel after she paid the fee to bail him from detainment at the police station.

[Ah Nin's Room]

Ah Nin and Joey were seated face-to-face in his hotel room discussing that day's events.

"I don't know what's going on!" Ah Nin says frantically. "They say that 'F&B' is a cover-up for a drug market... and they said that I'm the director of this business, but I-"

"I know you're innocent," Joey says simply.

Ah Nin is touched by her simple answer. "Thank you."

"But it's not enough if I'm the only person who believes you. We have to find evidence to prove you're innocent, that you're not a part of this."

"I bet this is a trap. It's Rose (Kenix Kwok)! I know it. She's behind it." There's a bitter and furious look on Ah Nin's face.

"But she's also being tried for the crime..." Joey's voice trailed. "It doesn't make sense that she'll make a trap for herself."

"It also doesn't make sense to me that 'F&B' is an undercover drug trade. It's a fashion company!"

"Well, from what I've gathered, they're saying that the company is a farce. They hide drugs within the shipments of their clothes."

"But that can't be. I was at the company for about two years. The clients I met were all legitimate people in the industry."

"Yeah, but how much of those two years do you actually remember?"

"Ack!" Ah Nin slaps his head. "I forgot about my 'accident'." He rolls his eyes. "You have a point. After I recovered from my accident, I only remember working at 'F&B' again for about a month or two... until you and Ma Chi showed up to find me. Then I went to Hong Kong with you guys and worked for 'Ka Yan' again."

"So this means you only have memories of 'F&B' from the late summer and early fall of 2006?"

Ah Nin nods his head. "Yes, everything else is a blur. I can't remember."

Joey gasps suddenly.

"What is it?"

"Oh my god!" Joey recalls what Ah Mun (Nancy Wu) had told her the night she went to visit her in hopes of finding out what had happened during Ah Hoi's murder. "I think you did figure out about the drug trade! You don't remember because it was before your accident. The night of Ah Hoi's murder, Rose said something about how it's not just love between you and her. You know her family's secret - and I believe she was talking about the drug trade."

Ah Nin is astonished by what Joey just said. "This is all making sense now. She knew I found out her family's secret, so she paid Ah Hoi to kill me. However, I survived and lost all of my memories. She must have used this chance to manipulate me!" There's a look of clarity in Ah Nin's eyes. "I remember it now. When I woke up, she was there. I didn't know anything at all. I didn't know who I was, where I was, or what had happened. She filled in the gaps for me. She told me about 'us'. She visited me at the hospital every day and helped me on my road to recovery. I found out from her about our 'whirlwind relationship' and how we were actually engaged... Oh my god. I am so stupid for believing everything she told me."

"You didn't know."

"Exactly! I didn't know anything. I'm such an idiot." He continues, remembering everything that happened after he woke up from his coma, "After I was discharged from the hospital, Rose told me that the apartment building where I had lived had burned down. She 'suggested' that I move in with her because it wouldn't be a good idea for me to live on my own-"

"So that was why they told us you had moved from your apartment when we went to Shanghai to find you!" Joey interjects.

Ah Nin nods his head. "I was hoping that after I left the hospital I could remember more by seeing where I used to live... photos perhaps... but she told me everything was burned." Ah Nin gasps. "The journal I found!"

"What?"

"I found an old journal once while I was tying my tie. The entries were about my family... and you! I didn't know what it was doing under my bed, but I read them... and I could vaguely recall writing them... but it was definitely my handwriting."

"Did you read the whole thing?"

"I was going to, but I gave it to Rose because she wanted to see it."

"So I take it you never saw it again, right?"

Ah Nin shakes his head. "Nope. To be honest, I kind of forgot about it."

"Rose must have discarded it, just like she probably discarded everything from your apartment," Joey concludes.

Ah Nin clenches his fist. "That Rose is so evil. Not only did she cause me to lose my memories, but she destroyed everything in my past so I couldn't remember it. Then, she made it like she was trying so hard to help me and she also manipulated me into thinking she was my fiancé and this great person." He lets out a scream. "I am such a fool!"

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Joey insists.

"Oh god, this is such a mess!" Ah Nin groans. "Now, I'm involved in this whole drug ordeal. I'm not a criminal! I don't know anything about this."

"Don't you worry. Justice will prevail. You won't be convicted innocently. I'll do everything I can to help you."

"Thank you so much. I really don't know what I'd do without you." Ah Nin is extremely grateful to Joey.

Joey returns the gesture and says, "Nor would I."

Ah Nin smiles back at her.

[Joey's Room]

Joey waited until Ah Nin was asleep until she went back into her own room. It had been a long and extremely stressful day. Joey plops down on her bed. She looks at her cell phone. She presses her lips tightly together before mustering up the courage to call Ah Nin's family. She knew she had to call them and tell them about what had happened. The line was, however, busy.

She decides to give Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) a call directly on her cell phone. To her surprise, a man answered the phone.

"I'm sorry. I must have the wrong number."

Joey was about to hang up when the man said, "Joey, it's me, Kam Yuet."

"Marco?"

"Yeah. Are you looking for Ma Chi?"

"Yes, where is she?"

"She's on the phone with big brother."

"Chris?" Joey is surprised.

"He just called us a few minutes ago and told us what happened..."

At that moment, Joey gets up from her bed and runs to Ah Nin's room. She knocks on his door.

[Ah Nin's Room]

Ah Nin was still on the phone when he opened the door for Joey.

"I thought you were asleep!" Joey says in a hushed tone. She suddenly realizes she still had Ah Yuet (Michael Tse) on the phone. "Marco, I'm here with Chris now." She hangs up on him.

"Listen, Ma Chi, I'm going to call you back in a little bit okay? Please calm down. I'm innocent. Nothing will happen." Ah Nin hangs up his phone.

"What are you still doing up?" Joey asks.

"I have to ask you the same question."

"You're tired! Go to bed!"

"I can't sleep even if I wanted to." Ah Nin sighs. "Ma Chi is crying hysterically... I feel so awful."

"I was going to call your family and tell them, but you beat me to it."

"It's my family. It's best that I tell them myself."

"I didn't want to bring it up when we were talking because I didn't want to add to your stress..."

"It seems they discovered Rose's secret too."

Joey gasps. "What?"

"A shipment came from 'F&B' for my family. I think Rose promised them some couture dresses for her wedding. Foon Foon and Hei Hei found packets of cocaine in Ah Lo's (Bondy Chiu) dress. They accidentally inhaled some..."

"Oh my god. Are they okay?" Joey covers her mouth.

"Luckily, the amount was very minor. They're okay now. Then, Ah Lo found more drugs inside Ah Yat (Joyce Chen) and aunt-in-law's dresses."

"So that's how 'F&B' is doing their illegal drug trade - hiding the drugs within the actual clothing," Joey nods her head in understanding.

Ah Nin's phone rings, alerting him of a new message. He looks at his phone and sees that Ah Yuet had sent him some pictures.

"What is it?"

"I don't know. I'm opening the message now, but it looks like second brother sent me some pictures."

The pictures in the message were of torn fabrics and thin packets of drugs. Joey and Ah Nin look at the pictures, stunned.

"My god. All of this time, 'F&B' has been hiding such things within their designs. No wonder a lot of their clothes have so many layers." Joey feels a chill. "This is disgusting."

Looking at the pictures, something clicks in Ah Nin's head. "I've seen it before," he blurts out.

Joey looks at him. "What?"

"The drugs within the ripped clothes!"

chapter 168: illegal secret

[Shanghai, Police Station]

It turns out that the police had been investigating "F&B" company for some time now suspecting that the fashion company was a farce for an illegal drug trade. They finally had concrete evidence about the crime. Someone had tipped them on an outgoing shipment and where to find the hidden drugs.

Rose (Kenix Kwok) was stunned when her lawyer couldn't be reached and no one came to bail her out. She had tried to reach anyone she could think of, but no one, not even a maid or one of her father's men, could be reached, or rather, no one showed up. Alone and without anyone, Rose had no choice but to be detained at the police station's jail for 48 hours.

[Rose's Cell]

"Damn it! Damn it all to hell!" Rose was biting her nails. "Where has everyone died off to? Why isn't anyone here? Why am I still here?"

She shakes her fist in fury. Her blood boils. "Daddy pays good money to keep all of our dogs, where are they?"

Suddenly, Rose comes to a realization. She stumbles onto the bed in her cell. She is stunned. She gasps, finally putting together what had happened. "It was Daddy..." she mutters under her breath.

[Flashback]

"Rose, before you go off to Hong Kong to retrieve Chris, there's something I want to give you two," Mr. Suen (Michael Miu) says.

"What is it, Daddy?" Rose approaches her father's desk.

He hands her a folder and smiles. "It's an early wedding present."

Rose is surprised. She opens the folder and sees a thick legal contract. "What is it?"

"Rose, honey, you know that Daddy is getting old. It's time that I sign the company over to you and Chris."

"You are such a joker! You are still in your prime. But besides that, we're not even married yet. Don't you reckon it's too soon?"

He shakes his head. "No, the timing is just right. Sign these papers and let him sign it too. The company is going to be transferred under you two's names. You'll be in complete control. I trust you two."

Rose smiles and hugs her father. "Thank you, Daddy!"

"You deserve it. It's the best present Daddy can give you. You have everything else. I know you and Chris are very capable."

[End of Flashback]

Rose had taken those papers and had Ah Nin sign them when she came to Hong Kong. Afterwards, she sent the papers back to Shanghai for her father. She had quickly scanned the papers, but didn't read them thoroughly. "Damn it! He signed away responsibilities he had with the company. This is all coming down on Chris and I. Damn it! No wonder he's not in Shanghai. He must have known that the police were onto him and ran away." Rose was furious. Her father had betrayed her after she worked so hard to keep their family's secret.

"Damn you, Daddy! How can you let your own daughter take the blame for this?"

[Flashback]

It was the big day. Rose planned for Ah Hoi (Michael Tong) to attempt to run over Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) again that day. She had called Ah Nin to meet her in the park. She was going to engage in some pleasant conversation with Ah Nin and then Ah Hoi would suddenly come and run him over.

Rose smiles when she sees Ah Nin appear. He, however, wore a very furious expression on his face. He held a folder of some sort in his hand.

"Chris!" Rose waves her hand at Ah Nin.

He throws the folder down on the bench where Rose stood by.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm disgusted!"

"Chris, what happened?"

"You know very well what you did. I thought I was working for an honest company, but I was wrong." He shakes his head in anger.

"Chris, you're not making any sense."

He lifts up the folder and opens it for Rose to see. He shows her pictures of packets of drugs in-between fabrics.

"I don't get it." Rose is thoroughly confused. She looks at Ah Nin.

"I accidentally found these in-between the fabric of one of our out-going shipments," Ah Nin says frankly.

"Huh?"

"Don't act dumb."

Rose starts to cry. She pleads, "Chris! I really don't know what's going on. Please, tell me!"

"I know what you did! I'm going to tell!"

"Chris! Wait! Why won't you explain to me what happened?"

"I'm taking this to the police. They're going to investigate and expose whatever it is that your company is doing. I quit!" Ah Nin picks up his folder of evidence and then quickly runs off. Rose trails behind him, screaming his name. In this moment of fury, Ah Nin crosses the street, not seeing the fast-approaching car. It collides right into him. He rolls across the top of the car and lands on the road. Blood begins to leak out. Rose covers her mouth, horrified.

She sees Ah Hoi in the driver seat and quickly gives him the signal to drive off.

Reaching for her cell phone, she dials for an ambulance as she approaches the still Ah Nin. He still held the folder. She scans the scene while talking on the phone, quickly retrieving the folder and placing it in her purse. "Oh god, Chris... What have I done?" Her eyes are full of sorrow.

[End of Flashback]

Rose laughs. "It's so ironic that Chris discovered my family's secret before I did."

[Flashback]

Rose rushed home as soon as she could after attending Ah Nin to the hospital after the accident. She barged into her father's study. Mr. Suen was enjoying a cigar.

"Daughter, what happened?"

Rose takes out the folder and places it on her father's desk.

"What's this?" He asks.

"Chris told me he found drugs within the fabric of our clothes." Rose says.

"What?!" His eyes bulge out. "What did you say?"

"Chris found drugs in our clothes."

"Where is he now?"

"He's in the hospital. He got ran over."

Mr. Suen sighs a sigh of relief. "Thank god. Let's pray he doesn't make it."

"What?" Rose was astonished to hear the cold-blooded words coming out of her father.

"If he lives, we die."

Rose stares blankly at her father. "Huh?"

"Oh daughter, my innocent Rose." He smiles.

Rose finds herself trembling. "Daddy... what do you mean?"

He gets up from his leather chair. "Do you think our family would be so rich and powerful if we only ran a fashion company?"

"Daddy, I-I don't get what you mean."

He continues to smoke his cigar and smile.

"Daddy, please tell me." Rose's heart is pounding.

"Your ancestors were great, do you know that?"

"Yes, they went from having nothing to being one of the wealthiest."

"Ah, if only it was such a simple success story."

"Huh?"

"Our ancestors are some of the smartest people ever. They used their brains to get that rich."

Rose laughs nervously. "Well, of course... that should be the case."

"Oh Rose," he shakes his head and smiles.

"Daddy, you're not making any sense."

"Your ancestors conned."

"What?"

"They tried to make an honest living... but what good was it when they still came up short regardless? What's better than to take money that's already been earned?"

Rose's heart was pounding.

"Ah, what a sucker those Tsui's were for having such a stupid daughter. They lost everything and no one had any idea."

"Y-y-you mean to tell me that our fortune was all attained by conning?"

"At the beginning, yes, but now, it all rightfully belongs to us. We worked to maintain this."

Rose was stunned speechless.

"Oh, the 1930's... your grandfather told me so many stories about it. No one dared to disrespect a Suen. We were the most powerful mafia in Shanghai. We ran the city. Everyone had to answer to us..."

"But the drugs...?"

"The more illegal something is, the more profitable." Mr. Suen grins proudly. "Your grandfather and I thought up this ingenious plan to market drugs... who would ever think to find drugs hidden in-between fabrics of expensive clothing?"

Rose is shocked. Her jaw drops. Her eyes stare unblinkingly at her father. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "But we have such a good reputation in the fashion industry!"

Mr. Suen smiles. "Of course. If we didn't have such a good reputation, do you think our shipments could escape the eyes of the government? Who would suspect that 'F&B' is actually shipping more than expensive clothes?" He laughs.

Rose shakes her head. "This can't be true! Our clothes are fabulous. People love 'F&B' designs!"

"They do. That's why we have such a good reputation."

"But you said from the start you and Grandpa used the fashion company as a cover up!"

Mr. Suen laughs. "Your thinking is much too simple. Our family does the best of both worlds. 'F&B' is a legit fashion company. The drug market is a side thing we do to earn a little more."

"This is illegal!" Rose shouts.

"It isn't if no one knows about it." He puffs on his cigar some more.

Rose can't believe everything that she just heard. She had thought her family's company was a prominent fashion company with honest business and nothing to hide. It had turned out that it was hiding a very dirty and illegal secret. She falls to the floor and sobs silently. "Chris was right... It's all fake..."

Mr. Suen gets up from his chair and comforts the crying Rose. "Daughter, what's wrong?"

"It's wrong! We shouldn't be doing this. Our family has enough money. You told me we retired from the mafia world after grandfather died!"

"Fashion goes in and out of style. Drugs are always trendy. We can never lose."

"I'm here! We don't have to do this. My designs can earn enough money!" Rose pleads.

Mr. Suen shakes his head and smiles. "Oh, Rose, you have much to learn."

"What if we get caught? The consequences are dire!"

"We haven't gotten caught for so many years."

"But Chris found out!"

"I know, which is why we have to take care of him immediately." Mr. Suen says sternly.

"What?"

"If he dies, no one will know."

"Daddy, I love him!"

"If he wakes up and tells the cops, we're done for."

Rose frantically says, "He's at the hospital now. You can't do anything to him anyways."

Mr. Suen laughs. "There's nothing I can't do. We have people at the hospital."

Rose trembles. "No, Daddy, please don't!"

"Rose, there are other boys out there for you. Besides, if I'm not remembering incorrectly, you aren't even his girlfriend. Why do you care so much about him?"

"Daddy, I'm begging you. Let's wait until after he wakes up and go from there. Who knows? He may wake up and not remember any of it. Please."

Mr. Suen reluctantly agrees.

[End of Flashback]

"Chris, don't you know that I look out for you?" Rose's eyes start to water.

[Flashback]

Rose was at the hospital again. She looks at the comatose Ah Nin.

"Oh Chris, when are you going to wake up? You will wake up, won't you?" She sat down by his side and took his hand. She places it on her face. "Please wake up."

She sighs, remembering the secret he had discovered before his accident. Silently, she ponders, "Maybe it's better for you not to wake up."

Rose laughs to herself. "I'm so stupid. Why did I tell Ah Hoi to run you over? Life can't be played around like this. I just wanted you to forget everything and love me. Now, you're not even awake to tell me that you don't like me. Oh, Chris..."

She caresses his face with her hand. "I'm so sorry." She lays her head down on his chest and weeps. After a few moments, she gets up and wipes her face. While looking at Ah Nin, she notices something strange. She sees twitching in his right hand. Rose gasps.

"Chris?"

Rose bites the bottom of her lip. "Please wake up and forget it all. Forget that you don't love me. Forget that my family has such a dark secret. Forget it all. Please. It's the only way you'll survive..." she prays.

[End of Flashback]

"You go and screw me over for that Joey (Bernice Liu). Do you know how much I did for you? How much I cared for you? How much I love you? I did so much! You wouldn't be alive this long if it wasn't for me."

Rose shakes her fists in the air. She feels defeated. However, the thought of Ah Nin going down with her made her happy. "Joey won't have Chris. She will never have him! He'll die with me and be with me in death." She laughs.

chapter 167: who does drugs

[Kam Family Apartment, Ah Yuet & Ah Lo's Bedroom]

Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu) modeled happily with the dress that was sent from "F&B" that morning in front of her mirror. She felt great.

She noticed Foon Foon and Hei Hei walking into the room and smiles at them. "Foon Foon, Hei Hei, don't you two think your mommy looks beautiful?"

They clap their hands. The shiny material of the dress attracted them.

"I sacrificed so much for you guys!" Ah Lo sighs. She places her hand on her behind. "My perfect figure is gone."

"Honey! Dinner is ready!" Ah Yuet (Michael Tse) calls from the dining room.

"Coming!" She yells back. "Now, Foon Foon, Hei Hei, be good boys and go on out."

Ah Lo takes off the dress and hurriedly puts on her normal clothes. She lays the dress on her bed and then runs out towards the dining room. She was starving.

Foon Foon and Hei Hei waited until their mother had left the room and ran back inside. They raced to get to the dress that was lying defenselessly on the bed. The twins clapped their hands and each pulled on the dress, reaching for the sparkles that adorned the fabric.

"Mine!" Foon Foon cries.

"I first!" Hei Hei argues.

The two pulled hard on the dress, fighting fiercely to be the sole keeper of it.

"Foon Foon? Hei Hei? Where are you? It's time for dinner." Ah Lo beckons as she makes her way towards the bedroom.

The tug-of-war between the tiny twins finally reached an end as the dress is ripped in half. However, they were no longer attracted to the sparkly sequins. Instead, thin white packets fell out. The twins both reached for one and hid it in their pockets. They ran out of the room and greeted their mommy with a smile. "Mama!"

"You two are so naughty! Sometimes I wish you were babies again like Fu jai and Gwai mui so that we can just sit you somewhere and you won't wander off. No wait. I take that back. Then we'd have four crying babies around here and your daddy and I couldn't sleep. Oh! The woes of being a parent," Ah Lo says. "Come along now."

[Dining Room]

Ah Yuet prepared a small bowl of food for the twins and sat them down in their small children's table before going off to feed Fu jai and Gwai mui their bottles.

"Ah Yuet is such a good father!" Ying Gei (Yvonne Lam) gushes. "Oh, Gam Gam, I can't wait to see your fathering skills."

"Ha!" Ah Lo laughs. "Fathering skills? They're non-existent. Poor you, sister OK. You best keep the kids away from H5N1 otherwise they'll end up as useless citizens as their father is."

"Right, right, just like Ah Lo has no mothering skills. Ah Yuet does all of the work, isn't that right?" Gam (Louis Yuen) laughs.

"Hey! I carried them around for nine months and gave birth! My goodness. Both were such painful experiences. I really... The suffering, only someone who has gone through it knows. Besides, don't talk with your mouth full. It's disgusting enough when you talk with it empty," Ah Lo retorts.

"Really? You always talk with your mouth full... full of crap!"

"You!" Ah Lo glares at Gam.

"Second daughter-in-law, calm down!" Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) urges.

"I'm not going to waste any energy dealing with you two."

"Big big brother, how is Fiona doing?" Ah Yat (Joyce Chen) inquires.

Ah Sing (Hawick Lau) forces a smile. "Um, good."

"That's wonderful."

"Yeah." He quickly glances down and shoves some rice into his mouth.

"Where's Ah Nin (Frankie Lam)?" Nim Chi asks.

"Oh, big brother went to Shanghai with Joey (Bernice Liu)," Ah Yuet replies.

"What? Shanghai? Isn't that where-"

"It is. They went to discuss business with 'F&B'."

"But that's-"

"Yes, that's Rose's (Kenix Kwok) company."

The room grows silent with only sounds of munching.

Foon Foon and Hei Hei take out the white packets they had found inside of Ah Lo's dress. The content was powdery, kind of like white powdered sugar. They are reminded of how sweet that is and clap their hands, hurriedly opening their bags. They take a sniff and start coughing.

"Foon Foon, Hei Hei, what's wrong?" Ah Yuet asks from the couch as he coos to Gwai mui.

"Oh my god!" Ying Gei screams.

"What's that in their hands?"

The family rush over to the small children's dining table.

Ah Hong (Johnny Tang) quickly snatches the bags away from them. To which, the twins cry in-between their coughs.

Gam peaks at the bag and gasps, "Oh my god! We need to get them to the hospital, now!"

[Hospital]

"Oh my god, oh my god, please let them be okay," Ah Lo prays as she paces.

"Wow, so you really do care about them," Ah Yat comments. "All of this time, I thought you just gave birth to them and then dumped them off to your husband."

"How can this be? Who would leave such things around?" Ah Yuet is flustered.

Ah Lo glares at Gam. "The person who identified immediately what it was - that's who!"

"I only knew what it was from watching TV!"

"It's more like personal experience."

"This is really bad!" Ah Hong bites his nails. "The effects of cocaine are deadly to adults, let alone three-year-olds."

"You should really be more watchful of your kids," Ah Yat shakes her head.

"I don't know how that got into our home!" Ah Lo cries. "It must be you! Everyone in the entertainment industry does drugs!" she glares at Ah Yat.

"What! Ah Hong and I are innocent. Don't uphold such a negative stereotype!"

"Then it must be H5N1. This explains why he's such a weirdo! He's stoned all of the time," Ah Lo points her finger at Gam.

"I'm innocent! Yes, I like to gamble and yes, I like to look at dirty things, but I'm not stupid enough to do drugs!" Gam defends himself.

Ying Gei grabs Gam's ear, "What? You read dirty magazines? You watch porn?!"

"Not anymore, honey! Why look at other women when I can look at you for free?" Gam asks.

"Oh, that's right." Ying Gei smiles.

"It's certainly not Ah Yuet or I..." Ah Lo gasps. "It's you!"

"What?" Ah Sing demands seeing all of the eyes on him.

"You're a young guy and you're depressed. These are vulnerable traits for drug use!" Ah Lo yells.

"You're nuts! I don't even live in the apartment, have you forgotten?" Ah Sing shakes his head.

"I can't believe it! How can you do this?" Ah Lo turns to Nim Chi.

Everyone gasps.

"What? How can it be me? I'm an ex-policewoman! This is against the law."

"You're not part of the force anymore. Oh my god! Mother-in-law, you are really..." Ah Lo sighs.

"Ah Lo! Cut it out," Ah Yuet urges.

"My babies are in there! Who knows what might happen to them! I am so scared. They are so little. They have a whole future ahead for them. Now, because someone brought drugs into our home, they could very well be damaged!" Ah Lo cries.

The doctor comes out. The family crowds around her. "Doctor, how are they?"

"Please tell me they're going to be fine!" Ah Lo pleads.

"Like any drug, cocaine has dire effects on the body. Luckily, your kids inhaled a very minor amount. There shouldn't be a problem."

Ah Lo sighs a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank god!"

A couple of policemen go up to the Kams. "We need to take everyone down to the station for questioning."

"What?!"

[Kam Family Apartment]

"That was really...!" Nim Chi is both embarrassed and frustrated. "How can they degrade a senior like me?"

"Auntie Chi, you're only a 'senior' because of your age. You're no longer regarded by the Hong Kong Police Force!" Gam says.

"Ugh, I really don't know how cocaine got into our home."

Ah Lo kisses Foon Foon and Hei Hei on their heads. "Thank god you two are safe. I love you guys very much, do you know that?"

"This is really weird though. How did those packets get into our home?" Ah Hong rubs his chin.

"They certainly don't have feet! They didn't just walk in here by themselves," Ah Yat says.

Ah Lo gasps. "I know who it is!"

"Oh please. You've accused everyone but yourself. Foon Foon and Hei Hei must have found it in your purse!" Gam yells.

"It must have been Rose! She's the only stranger in our house and she seems like the type!"

"Oh my god! Ah Lo has a point," Ying Gei shrieks.

"It must be in big brother's bedroom... the drugs..."

Nim Chi starts to shake. "I really hope Rose didn't influence Ah Nin into doing drugs."

"That's how she's so skinny!" Ah Yat snaps her fingers.

"Let's go into Ah Nin's bedroom and check it out," Ah Yuet says.

"Isn't it wrong to invade other people's privacy?" Ah Sing asks.

"Not when their 'privacy' harms other people! My babies could have died!" Ah Lo says. "Foon Foon, Hei Hei, let's get you to bed." She takes them to their bedroom. While passing by her own bedroom, she notices a chaotic sight. The pretty dress which she had so loved was in pieces on the floor. "Oh my god!" Ah Lo screams. She rushes into her bedroom.

Everyone runs into it as well to see what the matter was.

"My dress!" Ah Lo kneels down to pick up the pieces. To her surprise, shreds of fabric and loosened sequins weren't the only things that she found on the floor. More packets of cocaine also lay there. Ah Lo begins to shake. She picks up a packet and shows it to everyone. They gasp in surprise.

"They were inside the dress..." Ah Lo gasps. She gets up and rushes towards Ah Yat's bedroom. She barges in and opens up her closet.

"Second sister-in-law, what are you doing?!" Ah Yat demands.

Ah Lo grabs the baby blue dress which had also arrived that morning. She rips it into pieces. Just as she expected, inside the fabric were packets of drugs. This time, they were marijuana leaves. Ah Lo then proceeds into Ying Gei's bedroom and seizes the lavender dress that was hanging in the closet.

"Ah Lo, don't do it! The dress is too beautiful," Ying Gei pleads.

"There are drugs inside! These dresses are not wearable."

Ah Lo rips it apart and exposes more packets of drugs. "That damn Rose isn't running a fashion company. She's doing an undercover drug trade!"

chapter 166: the fun's just begun

[Shanghai, "F&B" Company]

Carrie (Natalie Tong) greeted Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) and Joey (Bernice Liu) as they entered "F&B" company.

"Carrie!" Ah Nin grins. "Long time no see. How are you?"

"I'm great. Chris, you're finally back; you too, Joey." Carrie smiles sweetly as she pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "It's a reunion."

"How are things with everyone?" Ah Nin asks.

"Same old, same old," Carrie says as she leads the two of them into the meeting room. The other "F&B" employees greet Ah Nin and make small chit-chat with him as they passed them.

[Meeting Room]

"How does it feel to be back here?" Joey asks.

"It's weird coming back as a client. I worked here for the past two years. Not much has changed... just like 'Ka Yan' is like how I left it. Although I don't remember why I left in the first place..." Ah Nin shrugs. He looks out of the window. "Shanghai sure is beautiful."

The sound of high-heels clanking against the floor could be heard coming from outside of the meeting room doors.

Carrie opened the door to reveal Rose (Kenix Kwok), who held her nose up high. Her make-up was harsh and dark. Gone were the soft, pastel colors that she used in the past to give herself a natural look. "Chris, Joey, what a pleasure." Rose grins. "Carrie, excuse us."

"Let me know if you need anything." Carrie closes the door behind her.

Rose sat down on the big chair at the head of the table. "Joey, aren't you usually so chatty? Chris, don't tell me you're feeling shy. Come on, we're discussing business here. I have to feel happy! Otherwise, why would I give my business to you?"

"Miss Suen," Ah Nin finally says as he clears his throat.

"So distant? Chris, we've slept together. Call me Rose."

"Miss Suen, please keep private matters out of this. Let's be professional. This is a business meeting room."

"Oh, Chris. Chris, Chris, Chris." Rose shakes her head and laughs.

Joey presses her lips tightly together as she looks in concern at Ah Nin.

"Joey, how are you, dear? Since I've been gone, have you slept with Chris yet? I know you were looking to get into his pants."

"Miss Suen! Please watch your words!" Ah Nin yells.

Rose gets up and walks towards Ah Nin. "Just look at your anger. It's a shame we aren't having sex." She runs her finger down his chest.

He pushes her away and stands up. "Miss Suen! This is the final warning. If you don't act like a professional, we're calling this meeting off."

"Oh please..." Rose laughs. "Do you think I hold you and your measly business deal in my eyes? I have more money and power than you'll ever have."

"Joey, let's go." Ah Nin grabs Joey's hand and tries to run out of the door.

"Ah, so we're that close already, huh?" Rose smirks.

Ah Nin tries frantically to open the door, but it is, however, locked. "Let us out!" he orders.

"Honey, you're a guest in my house. Until I say you can, don't you even dare to think you can leave." Rose cackles.

"What do you want?" Ah Nin asks.

"What do I want? What do you want? I gave you my virginity! You said you'd marry me. But what do I have now? Nothing. Now you dare to ask me what I want?" Rose slaps Joey. "You left me for this bitch."

Joey covers her face.

"Rose! What's gotten into you?" Ah Nin demands.

"You finally call me by my name, huh? I helped you get back up after your accident. I helped you earn so much money. Yet, you treat me like this..."

"If it wasn't because of you, there wouldn't have been an accident! I wouldn't have been in a coma! I wouldn't have lost my memories! I wouldn't have been deceived for so many months by you!" Ah Nin screams at the top of his lungs.

Rose claps her hands. "Very good! You've said all that you've wanted, haven't you? Deep down, I know you still love me."

"I don't love heartless bitches like you."

Rose laughs as she makes her way back to her chair. "We have unfinished business."

"We have nothing. It's over. There's no longer any relationship between you and I." Ah Nin pounds on the door. "Carrie! Anyone? Let us out."

"Oh, Chris. Have you forgotten where you are? You're a guest in my house. Do you think people would turn against me and open the door for you? You're much too silly. Have you not woken up from your coma yet?" Rose snickers. "I'll say what I said to Joey again. There's only one way out... and that's by your corpses being carried out."

Ah Nin grows tense. His throat feels dry. "What do you want?"

"Depending on how I feel, you can die with less pain... or..." she smiles, "more."

"You deserve to be locked up," Ah Nin scowls. He runs towards the window and bangs on it. "Help!"

"Oh, honey, did you forget that my family runs this town?" Rose approaches Ah Nin from behind and hugs him. "Why don't we have a go at it for one last time... for old time's sake?"

"Let me go!" Ah Nin orders and moves back towards Joey.

"I see... so you want to play it that way. Very well." Rose walks over to a table and opens a drawer. Out of it, she takes out a gun and a long knife. "What a pity. It seems like we'll have to rush into business..." She places the items on the long meeting table.

Joey and Ah Nin exchange scared looks.

"Rose, don't do anything you'll regret," Joey begs.

"Oh, dear... sweet little Joey is begging me again. To think of it, this will be the third time that I try to murder you. The last two, I failed... but don't you worry my dear, I will succeed this time."

"You're crazy. Let us out of here!" Ah Nin yells.

"If you kill us, there's no way you're getting away with murder again," Joey insists.

"Oh really? This is Shanghai. I can get away with whatever I want." Rose grins. "Now, who's first?"

"Rose, why are you doing this?" Ah Nin asks.

"Why?" Rose laughs. "You ask me why again? You broke my heart. You threw our engagement ring onto the ground like it was some worthless piece of junk. You totally disrespected me and disregarded our relationship. You shattered our memories. You broke us!" Rose yells.

"None of it was real from the start. You were dishonest since the beginning," Joey says.

Rose slaps Joey. "Was I talking to you?" She turns towards Ah Nin. "You'll pay for what you did to me."

"And what about what you did to me? You took away my memories! You might as well have killed me."

"Oh, Chris... I may have taken away your precious memories of Joey, but I've given you much more. Money, power, sex... you could have run Shanghai with me. Don't you think I'm an upgrade from this slut?"

"Don't you talk about Joey like that. She's way above your level. She has something you'll never have... her dignity."

Rose spits on Ah Nin's face. She grabs the gun off of the table and then points it at the two of them.

Joey holds on tightly to Ah Nin.

The sight of the two of them sickens and upsets Rose. "This is what you two want... isn't it, to die together? Well, ha! It isn't going to be like that. You're dying on my terms. First, I'm going to scratch up Joey's pretty little face. Then... I'll give her the treatment I gave Ah Hoi. Then, Chris... it will be your turn. I'll use you first and then chop it off once I'm done. Oh and then... I'll let you have a taste... of what it feels like to have my bullet penetrate your brain." Rose cackles evilly.

Ah Nin is both disgusted and terrified. He could no longer deny it. He had to now admit that the Rose he had spent the past year with was a fake. Before, he could lie to himself and think that perhaps she was not so bad, but with reality looking at him in the eyes, he could not deny it. "All this time... you were faking." Ah Nin says in a hushed tone. "When Joey told me you were this horrible person, I couldn't believe it. I didn't believe it until I saw you with that gun trying to kill Joey. Now, I can't believe that I believed you were sincere for all those months. I was truly blind." He turns to look at Joey. "I wish I knew the truth sooner."

"I also can't believe you are this wicked..." Joey comments.

Rose turns and grabs the knife off of the table with her other hand. She smiles. "Oh, you have no idea. It's just beginning..." She lashes towards Joey with the knife, but she and Ah Nin dodge around the room. "This room isn't big. I'll get you eventually." She cackles.

"I won't let you kill Joey," Ah Nin says.

"You won't let me?" Rose laughs. "Your life isn't exactly free from danger yourself."

Finally, Rose gets them into a corner of the room. "Oh, how fun this is..."

Abruptly, the door of the meeting room is kicked open.

"Kam Nin, Suen Seung Sum, the two of you are under arrest for charges of operating an underground market of illegal drugs. You have the right to remain silent."

A squad of police officers stood before the three of them.

chapter 165: be patient

["Ka Yan" Company]

A few days had passed since Rose (Kenix Kwok) left Hong Kong. Much to the disappointment of Joey (Bernice Liu), they didn't get together right away after he broke up with Rose. She tried to comfort him, but it seemed like Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) built a wall around himself. It was like he was afraid of being hurt again. He didn't want to let anyone else in.

"He can't forget Rose," Joey sighs to herself, glancing a peek at him through her small mirror.

[Daydream]

Joey sat in a field of golden yellow flowers. Her clone hopped towards her, wearing a sunflower-patterned spring dress. She held a bouquet of flowers.

"You're full of tricks, aren't you?" Joey shakes her head and laughs.

"Like I say, I try to spice it up to keep things interesting," Clone Joey smiles. She sits down next to Joey and starts weaving the flowers together.

"What are you doing?"

"It's a surprise." Clone Joey frowns. "You look down again. What's wrong with you now?"

"I don't know. I thought I'd be happier, but I-"

"But you're still not with Chris again yet." Clone Joey rolls her eyes.

"I don't get it. I thought that once Chris found out that Rose was so horrible and evil...he'd-"

"He'd end up right back into your arms and you two would live happily ever after." Clone Joey rolls her eyes again.

"Geez, aren't you sarcastic and mean? Sometimes I wonder whether or not you are Rose in disguise."

"Truth hurts, my dear. It doesn't sound as soothing to the ear as lies."

"You told me to work hard and expose Rose." Joey frowns. "I did that..."

"I know and I'm very proud of you for doing that. You came so close to blowing it. Thank god Rose wanted to kill you... otherwise you'd still be sobbing up to me about how you can't see Chris ever again. Boo-hoo." Clone Joey makes an annoyed face. "Joey, Chris is a person. He has feelings."

"I know that."

"If he just went into your arms after he found out Rose was an evil little bitch, what kind of man does this make him? Would you want to be with someone who goes from woman to woman like that? Like it or not, Chris loved, and I don't doubt that he still does, Rose. He is a man of deep feelings. You know that."

Joey nods her head, listening intently. "That's true..."

"You have to give him time. His wounds have to heal. He can't just accept another woman into his life like that. So what if Rose is gone? So what if you 'waited for him forever'? So what if you two are 'destined'? You can't push these things."

"I waited so long..." Joey moans. "He deserves real love. He's been hurt and manipulated far too much."

"I know." Clone Joey finishes weaving the flowers. She plants the wreath made of flowers onto Joey's head. "Just be patient, my dear. Stick it through with him in these rough times."

[End of Daydream]

Ah Nin stood before Joey, waving his hands back and forth. "Hello... is anyone home?"

Joey blinks and stares at him in surprise. His face stood but a very short distance from hers.

He smiles. "What are you so deep in thought about?"

Joey coughs. "I... was thinking about inspiration for a new design."

"Oh, really?" Ah Nin folds his arms and looks unconvinced.

"Yes! I was!" Joey blushes as she tries to defend herself.

He laughs. "You get worked up so easily."

"I don't want to be wrongly accused! I am a hard worker!"

He playfully hits Joey on the head. "Yeah, yeah. Mr. Wong just called us into his office. Let's go, Ms. Hard-Worker-Who-Daydreams."

Joey smiles happily.

[Wong Sheung's Office]

"Mr. Wong, you wanted to see us?" Ah Nin asks.

Wong Sheung (Lau Dan) played with his fingers underneath his desk, unsure of how to open his mouth.

"Daddy, is something wrong?" Joey is concerned.

"Um... I know with everything that's been going on lately, this is an awkward request to ask. Chris, I'm terribly sorry your wedding fell through. But uh..."

"It's okay. Mr. Wong, just tell us, what is it?" Ah Nin assures him.

"I just got a new business offer..." Wong Sheung's voice trails.

"That's great. Why do you sound so upset, daddy?" Joey questions.

"It's 'F&B'," Wong Sheung blurts out.

Joey is stunned to hear the name of Rose's company. She bites her bottom lip and steals a glance at Ah Nin, who looked calm.

"I know it's awkward. I know it's wrong of me to ask, but the offer is too good to pass up on..."

"Can't Michelle or Miss Man be in charge of the offer instead?" Joey frantically asks.

Wong Sheung shakes his head. "No. 'F&B' made it clear that they only wanted Chris and you to be in charge-"

"It's okay, Mr. Wong!" Ah Nin interrupts and smiles widely. "Business is business. I don't mind."

"Chris, don't push yourself," Joey urges.

Ah Nin smiles at her. "I'm fine! Don't worry about it, Mr. Wong. Joey and I will fly up to Shanghai and bring back good news. Excuse me." Ah Nin leaves the office.

Joey continues to sit in her chair, looking after Ah Nin walking away. "Chris puts on a brave face, but inside, I know he's feeling awkward about it."

"Maybe I should turn down the offer..." Wong Sheung offers.

"Don't. More than anything, Chris hates to have his pride hurt. If he says he can do it, we mustn't do anything to doubt him."

"You're brave too, daughter."

"Huh?"

"Rose is your love rival after all."

Joey shrugs. "Like Chris says, it's just business. So what if we have a history with Rose?"

"I really cannot believe Rose is really so scary." Wong Sheung frowns. "I'd never have suspected that of her from my encounters with her. She seemed like such a sweet, innocent girl."

"She had everyone fooled. She's very convincing. She should win 'Best Actress' at the TVB Anniversary."

Wong Sheung laughs.

chapter 164: love and hate

[Shanghai - Suen Family Mansion]

Rose (Kenix Kwok) managed to sneak back into Shanghai with the help of her people. "Daddy?" she calls as she enters through the main doors.

"Miss Suen?" a maid rushes to the door.

"Where's my daddy?"

"Oh, Mr. Suen (Michael Miu) went off on vacation."

"I see." Rose hands the maid her coat. She looks around at the mansion. She hadn't step foot inside it since she left to try and bring back Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) to Shanghai five months before. "This is strange. Why would daddy go on a vacation when the date of my wedding is so soon?" she asks herself. The thought of her now-canceled wedding reignited her burning hatred and bitterness.

She runs up the spiral stairway and enters her room.

[Rose's Bedroom]

The picture frame that held the very first picture that she and Ah Nin took together still stood on the night table beside her bed. She sits down on the king-sized mattress with its silk sheets and looks at the picture. She runs her hand across Ah Nin, remembering what the day was like when they took the picture.

[Flashback]

It was shortly after Ah Nin had finished physical rehabilitation and was functioning close to normal. They decided that a picnic would do Ah Nin's health some good. It was supposed to be a gorgeous, sunny day, but the weather played a trick on them. It started raining in the middle of it.

Rose was very upset because they were just going to take their very first pictures together as a couple. "This day was supposed to be perfect!" she pouts.

"It's just a little rain!" Ah Nin smiles.

"We're all wet! The pictures are going to look awful."

"It doesn't matter. Our inner beauty will shine through." He approaches a random stranger who was running by under an umbrella. "Sir, would you mind taking a picture for us?"

"Are you crazy? It's raining! Get out of here." He runs off.

Ah Nin frowns. "Some people are so rude."

Rose smiles at Ah Nin. His optimism touched her. She nods her head. "You're right." She rests her head on the nook of Ah Nin's neck and shoulder and with one hand on the camera each, they took their first "couple shot". "I love you, Chris."

"How can I not love the woman who stood by me in my worst... when I was going to the bathroom in a bag?" He laughs and then grins widely at her.

The two kiss passionately. The rain continued to pour down hard. They were soaked from head to toe, but Ah Nin and Rose didn't care.

[End of Flashback]

Suddenly, Rose picks up the picture frame and then throws it down on the ground, smashing it. She then continues and breaks every one of the picture frames that she had with Ah Nin. "Everything is broken now. No need for these anymore!" she screams.

After she was done, Rose looks down at the mess that she made. Although the pictures were now behind shattered glass, she could still see them clearly. It made her furious. She reaches for the pictures, cutting herself on some fragments of glass in the process, and tears them up. "It's over between us!"

She stops and takes a look at the torn pieces of incoherent pictures in her hands. She laughs. "It was doomed from the start, wasn't it?"

[Flashback #1]

Rose walked into "F&B" company after coming back from her cruise around the world. "I'm so over falling in love. This is the last time I let another man into my heart. I learned from Bobby (Sunny Chan) not to trust anyone but myself... There's no such thing as love in this world. Damn it!" She mumbles under her breath. She looks up and sees the back of a tall and nicely-built man walk into an office. Her curiosity erupts. She wanted to know who "he" was.

She makes her way to Carrie (Natalie Tong). Carrie gives Rose a big smile and greets her as she pushes up her glasses. "Rose! How was your trip?"

"Just exquisite!" Rose gushes. "I have some souvenirs for you. I'll bring them tomorrow. How has work been without me?"

"Crazy! I don't know why it's so busy these days."

Rose folds her arms. "Now, Carrie, are you trying to curse our business? It's good to be busy! Although I'm hurt that it was busy without me around with my fabulous designs."

Carrie blushes. "Oh no! I didn't mean it like that."

Feigning a cough, Rose asks, "So... any changes around here lately?"

"Why, yes! For starters, I got new glasses!" Carrie points to her glasses proudly. "We got some new plants for the office. Don't you reckon it looks livelier? We also gave the break-room a make-over! It's splendid. You really have to see it. Oh and-"

Rose fakes a laugh. "My, so much happened without me!" In her mind she thinks, "You idiot! Do you think I care about these irrelevant things?"

Carrie smiles, "Yep."

Abruptly, Ah Nin pops out of his office and tells Carrie, "Carrie, I'm going to need these papers copied. Thanks!"

Rose's eyes light up seeing Ah Nin's face. Her heart paces. The saliva built up in her mouth. It was love at first sight. He notices her and gives a small smile before retreating back into his office. Rose gulps. She lowers her head down to Carrie and whispers, "Is this another change you forgot to tell me about?"

Carrie laughs. "Silly me! Your father hired him while you were gone. He's been here all those months you were on a cruise... He blends right in with us. He's so hard-working, smart, and oh-so-good-looking!" She sighs. "He is really a great guy."

"What's his name?"

"Oh! Haha. It's Chris."

"Chris..." Rose smiles. "Chris and Rose... I like the sound of that," she thinks in her head.

"You're going to love him once you get to know him. You don't think someone so pretty can be so nice," Carrie gushes.

"I think I already have."

"What?"

Rose coughs. "I said, 'Aren't I pretty and nice'?"

"Oh, why! Of course you are, Rose. I meant with guys. You know, the handsome ones always turn out to be jerks."

Rose nods her head, "Very true." She pauses before asking, "So, does he have a girlfriend? Surely such a good guy must be taken... unless he's gay. Like they say, all the good ones are taken or gay."

Carrie laughs. "Oh no. He's totally single."

"Oh? That's surprising."

"Yes... but he's a bit cold. He's so cool! I like that mysterious element."

"Is he?"

"Girls line up outside of his office, but he won't even give them a second glance."

"Really?"

"Yes, even the models we have who appear to take pictures... they all have been keen on him, but he doesn't even look at them."

"Carrie, then he must be gay."

"I really doubt that."

"He can't possibly be asexual or celibate. It's impossible for men."

"I don't know... he's just very cold when it comes to relationships. He's a great colleague though. I really wonder why. Maybe he got his heart broken or has an unrequited love."

"Well, I will find out." Rose smiles. She had set her target on Ah Nin and was determined to get him.

[Ah Nin's Office]

Rose knocks on the door before letting herself in. Ah Nin looks up from his computer.

"Hi, I'm Rose, Mr. Suen's daughter." She extends her hand out for Ah Nin to shake.

"Oh! Miss Suen. How very rude of me just now not to introduce myself. I'm Chris."

"It's okay! It's okay. You didn't know. You can't fault people for not knowing."

"Ah, but ignorance is far from an excuse to commit a crime."

Rose smiles. She liked his wit.

"I can't believe Mr. Suen hid such a pretty daughter away from me for all of those months."

Rose blushes.

"So are you the type of 'Princess' who doesn't like to do any work? You just socialize and look pretty?"

"Do I look like that type?"

"I don't know... I just met you," he glances at his watch, "Thirty seconds ago."

"Let me make it clear that I'm not. Yes, I may be Miss Suen, but I want to be treated like a normal person. I don't want to be seen as a 'Princess'."

What Rose said reminded Ah Nin of Joey (Bernice Liu). Joey had pretended to have no relationship to Wong Sheung (Lau Dan) when she started work at "Ka Yan" when in fact she was his daughter. She didn't want her colleagues to be biased towards her and suck up to her. She wanted to work and show her own capabilities rather than have everyone think she relied on her daddy to get where she was. "Silly girl." Ah Nin shakes his head and smiles. He really missed Joey.

Rose overhears his "Silly girl" comment and blushes, mistaking it to be about her. "I'm actually a fashion designer."

Ah Nin blinks. "What was that? I'm sorry."

"I was just saying how I'm a fashion designer. I'll be working with you."

"Oh? But I already have a fashion designer."

"Are you turning down the boss's daughter?" Rose intended the double-meaning.

"No! I wouldn't dare." Ah Nin laughs. "Okay, we'll see what you've got. Let me just tell you this. I'm very demanding. Let's see if you can keep up with me."

"Oh, I bet I can." Rose winks. "Damn it. I'm falling for him already," she moans to herself, "So much for not letting love back in."

[Flashback #2]

It was a few months after their initial meeting. Ah Nin and Rose had spent more and more time together and worked seamlessly with each other. Rose's fondness for Ah Nin grew, but to her dismay, her flirtations and advances were met with cold, uncomfortable responses. She couldn't understand it. "I'm so attractive... why isn't my beauty doing anything for him?"

They were driving back from a dinner celebration that night.

"Congratulations again, Chris." Rose smiles.

"You deserve some credit too. Your designs are really innovative."

"My designs coupled with your skills... we're unbeatable."

He grins.

"Imagine what the product would be if our genes were combined."

It was a red light. Ah Nin breaks abruptly and looks at Rose.

"Chris, what's wrong?"

"Rose, I think we have to clear something up."

"Huh?" She looked at him with curiosity.

"I know you like me."

Rose blushes. "Chris! You should know better than to confront a girl about her feelings... especially when you're alone with her in a car. I'm shy!"

"We can never be," he answers simply. The light turned green. He pushes on the gas pedal.

"What? What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry, Rose. We're great as friends, so let's not ruin that."

"But why? Surely you've sensed our chemistry! We're so good together. Everyone says it."

"Good as friends. Please, Rose. Just stop."

"Are you gay?" Rose blurts out.

Ah Nin pulls the car to the side of the road and puts on the emergency blinkers. He looks at Rose and answers simply, "No."

"But if you're not, how come you're not the least bit attracted to me... or any girl from what I've seen? It doesn't make any sense. You don't have a girlfriend and you're not married. I don't get it."

"If you don't believe me, then fine, but don't slander my character."

"Chris, I think you owe me an explanation. This is the first time anyone has turned me down." Rose starts to cry.

Ah Nin hands her a tissue. "The truth is..." Ah Nin sighs.

"What is it?"

"I've lost that 'feeling'."

"What feeling?"

"You know, the one when you know you're in love... or at least you feel strongly about someone else."

"So are you asexual?"

He shakes his head. "No. There's only one girl who gives me that feeling."

"She must be really special."

"Oh, she is. You don't know how many times she slapped, misunderstood, and yelled at me."

Rose laughs. "And yet you love her so deeply?"

"She is such a sweet girl, really."

"Who is she?"

"Her name is Joey. She's the daughter of my ex-boss at 'Ka Yan'."

"Oh, well aren't you something? Going after the boss's daughter!"

"I didn't know. None of us knew. She hid her identity. She's really silly, that Joey."

"I don't get it. If you love her so much, why aren't you two together?"

"She doesn't remember me. She lost her memories in a car accident we got into the moment after we got together."

Rose covers her mouth. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry to hear that."

"Like that, everything we went through was wiped clean. She could only remember how much she hated me. I was devastated. Even more, one of my best friends manipulated her into believing that he was her true love. He used the memories I told him about us... I had to leave Hong Kong. I had to leave it all behind. I wanted a fresh start in Shanghai. I didn't know that feelings are so hard to erase. I can't forget Joey. It will take a car accident coupled with amnesia to do the trick." He laughs. "My heart can only hold her in it, no one else."

Rose sobs. "I'm so sorry Chris."

"Now do you understand? You're a great girl but I'm just unlucky in love."

"Completely."

"All right. Let's get you home."

Rose looked at Ah Nin as he drove. An idea formulated in her head. She gives a conniving smile.

[End of Flashbacks]

"I thought I could make you love me. I thought that we could be so happy together. I thought..." she laughs hysterically. "Oh, I thought so many things..."

Rose throws the pieces of photographs into the air. They fall down to the ground like pieces of confetti. "Kam Nin, there's no more love between us. I won't protect you anymore. I won't let Joey have you either. You'll have to bring our secret to the grave too." She laughs. "This is the price you have to pay for treating me like this. You could have been blessed, but no..."

chapter 163: the morning after

[Kam Family Apartment]

It was the morning after the "big night." Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) was still asleep. For the first time in years, Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) didn't have the spirit in her to go out for her morning exercise. After she returned home last night, the family told her everything. She was busy in the kitchen that morning, cooking all of Ah Nin's favorite breakfast food. She quietly sobbed as she poured the oil into the wok. Her tears hit the hot wok and exploded upon contact, splashing her face. "Ouch!"

She goes over to the sink and washes her face, dabbing it dry with a paper towel. "I can't be like this. I've cried all of last night. I have to be strong... for Ah Nin's sake."

It was around 7:30 AM when everyone was gathered around for breakfast. Ah Nin was still in bed.

"Do you want me to go wake up big brother?" Ah Yuet (Michael Tse) asks.

"No. Let him rest," Nim Chi shakes her head.

"We have work in less than two hours..." Ying Gei (Yvonne Lam) comments.

"Which is why you shouldn't drink during the weekday, isn't that right?" Gam (Louis Yuen) laughs.

Nim Chi gives him a stern look.

Gam coughs, "But of course, there are exceptions, such as finding out your fiancé is a murderer and brainwashed you into loving her."

Ah Yat (Joyce Chen) sighs. "I hope big brother can make it through this."

"He will," Nim Chi says confidently. She looks around and notices Ah Sing (Hawick Lau) is missing from the table. "Ah Sing hasn't come down yet?"

"No and big big brother didn't have dinner with us last night either," Ah Yat answers.

Ying Gei sighs, "The two eldest sons are both suffering from depression."

"They have bad taste in women," Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu) retorts. "One chose a nut and the other chose a psycho."

"Ah Lo!" Nim Chi hisses.

"You're so low-class, second sister-in-law. It's much too soon right now to be making jokes. The situation is still tender," Ah Yat says.

They heard a sound coming from the bedrooms. Ah Nin was awake. He scratches his head as he emerges from his bedroom. "Oh, is everyone up already?" he yawns as he peaks his head into the dining room.

"Ah Nin." Nim Chi smiles. Everyone else also greet him.

"Wow! I'm so popular?"

"Yep. Hurry up and take a shower and come have breakfast. Ma Chi made all of your favorites today," Ah Yat grins.

"All right." Ah Nin walks towards the bathroom and closes the door.

"I can't believe he's going to work today," Ah Lo whispers.

"Why?"

"Well, if I were him, I'd take at least a few days off! I mean, after such an event, you can't help but be mentally unstable and unfit for work!" Ah Lo answers.

"You're so lazy second sister-in-law," Ah Yat shakes her head.

"Ah Nin is hard-working," Gam retorts.

Suddenly, the doorbell rings.

"Oh geez. Who is here now at this hour?" Ah Lo asks.

"Don't tell me we're going to take forever to open the door again," Gam rolls his eyes.

"Yes, this is why you need to open it right now!" Ah Lo urges.

"I opened it last night!" Gam yells.

Nim Chi stands up in disgust. "How many times are we going to have this discussion? There are how many people in this house? Let this old woman open the door then!"

A "DHL" employee waited with a big package on the other side of the door. "I'm looking for Rose Suen Seung Sum," he says.

The apartment grows silent upon the mention of Rose's (Kenix Kwok) name.

"Is she here?"

Nim Chi nervously signs for the package and says "Thanks." She carries the box inside and puts it on the coffee table.

"Ma Chi, why did you sign for it?" Ah Yuet asks.

"I didn't know what to do. Maybe it's something important for Rose."

"You could have sent it back. We have no more relationship with her," Gam insists.

"Let's open it!" Ah Lo suggests.

"It's not ours! We shouldn't touch it," Nim Chi urges.

"She's never stepping foot back into this house again. Who cares?" Ah Lo gets up and starts opening up the box.

"Second sister-in-law, you continue to prove you are so low-class."

"Oh my god! They're dresses!" Ah Lo exclaims when she manages to open the box.

Upon the mention of beautiful dresses, Ying Gei and Ah Yat rush over.

"Ah! I remember." Ah Yat snaps her fingers. "Rose told us she had some couture dresses coming in the mail for us."

"Oh, that's right! They're fabulous!" Ying Gei puts a lavender dress up against her body and twirls around.

"That's mine!" Ah Yat pulls a baby blue dress from Ah Lo's hand. "Rose knows you're not busty enough for this dress. It's embarrassing if you have to stuff your dress just to wear it."

"I didn't like it anyways! It's too 'low-class' for me! It suits you, who have played nobody hookers in past series."

"Even if I was a hooker, I'd earn a lot more money than you. Who wants to sleep with a 'woman' with the body of a 12-year-old boy?" Ah Yat snickers.

"That's enough!" Nim Chi intervenes. "We should return these dresses. It's not right to keep them."

Ying Gei, Ah Lo, and Ah Yat hold on tightly to their dresses. "No way! We deserve some compensation for all of the trouble she has caused our family."

["Ka Yan" Company]

Lily (Rain Lau), Sugar (Yau Ching), and GiGi (Josephine Shum) crowd around Ah Yuet, Ah Lo, Gam, and Ying Gei as they gossiped about Rose.

Lily shudders, "This is why I say that beautiful women can't be trusted!"

"'Yan Soh Soh' was so right when she said the more beautiful the woman, the deadlier she is." Sugar sighs. "Good thing I'm beautiful, but slow!"

GiGi sighs, "I feel so sorry for Chris. I can't believe he came to work today."

"Maybe Joey (Bernice Liu) can be with Chris now!" Sugar says.

"He just had his heart broken! He needs time to heal first," Lily insists.

"But we all know that Joey and Chris loved each other so much. They'll get back together in time," Sugar urges.

GiGi shrugs. "Chris was brainwashed by Rose and he can't remember Joey."

"This is so much like a TVB drama," Ying Gei comments.

"If life was a TVB drama, then things won't be as complicated as they are right now. Fiona would return to normal, Ah Nin would get over Rose like that and be with Joey... life could be resolved and happy again within a few episodes, isn't that right?" Gam asks.

"I'm disappointed we can't go to Shanghai now that the wedding's off..." Lily sighs.

Man Gwai Fei (Stephanie Che) fakes a cough and taps her high-heels on the floor. "What the hell is going on here? Are we paying you people to crowd around and gossip? Look at Ah Sing! Now he's an example of what you should all be doing... working! Now get to work!" she screams. She notices the empty chair in front of her. "Where is Rose?"

Ah Lo replies, "She's not coming back."

"What?!" Gwai Fei shrieks. "I have a million orders to work on!"

"You wish." Gam rolls his eyes.

"What was that? Lily, type Lau Gam here a warning letter!"

"Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean it."

"Too late! So where the hell is Rose?" Gwai Fei asks again.

Ah Lo shrugs her shoulders. "Running away from the law perhaps? She did murder someone a couple of days ago and she attempted to kill someone else last night."

"Oh my god! Spill the beans!" Gwai Fei pulls up a chair as she walks next to Ah Lo.

Ah Lo told her about Rose's murder of Ah Hoi and how she tried to kill Joey last night. Gwai Fei laughs in satisfaction hearing the juicy gossip. "I knew it! I always hated that wench. She is a real slime. How conniving and evil! Ha, ha, ha!" She claps her hands. "And you people dare to say I'm evil? I am a saint!"

"Yes, of course, Miss Man!" the "Ka Yan" employees say in unison.

"Damn right! Get to work!" Gwai Fei laughs as she makes her way back into her office to munch on a chicken leg.

chapter 162: beautifully broken

[House]

Rose (Kenix Kwok) begins to shake. She felt her world come crashing down. Her body suddenly collapses and she falls off of the recliner. She lies sprawled on the floor, broken. For the first time in awhile, Rose cries from her heart. "It's all over... I've lost it all." She was furious at herself. "One mistake..."

Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) is stunned. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He had never seen this side of Rose. The image of her holding a gun so viciously pointed at Joey was imprinted in his mind; this scared him. "Where is the Rose that I love? This isn't her... She would never do this." He looks at Joey (Bernice Liu), who was still shaking, but looked relieved and satisfied. "Could it be that Joey was right all along? Were my family right as well in doubting her? She must really have killed Ah Hoi..." He edges slowly towards Rose.

Joey motions for Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) to put down his gun. He reluctantly agrees, but still keeps a close grip on it in case Rose tried anything funny.

Ah Nin gets down on his knees and asks Rose in a whisper-like voice, "Is this the real you?" His eyes are red. He doesn't want to hear the answer, but he knows what he's about to hear.

Rose looks up at Ah Nin. Her perfect make-up was smeared. She was flawed and vulnerable to the world. She shakes her head. "No! No... this isn't real. It's all a lie, a trap!" She desperately tries to grab onto Ah Nin. "Chris, don't you believe me?"

"How can I?" he asks in-between sobs. "You just tried to kill Joey. You had a gun in your hand. You killed Ah Hoi. You ran me over to erase my memories so you could manipulate me into loving you! Who knows what else you might have done? I don't know you anymore."

"Chris... I love you." Rose pleads.

"I know." He takes her hand off of him and gets up. He shakes his head as he walks backwards in disbelief. "But this scares the hell out of me."

"Don't do this. We love each other so much."

Ah Nin looks at the ring finger on his right hand, which wore his engagement ring. He slowly takes it off. Then, he holds it in between his thumb and index fingers, examining it. "It was all a lie..." He then throws it hard at the ground in front of Rose. "It's over between us. Get out!"

The gold ring circles in front of her face until it landed with a clang. Rose picks herself up and stares at Ah Nin. She was shaking. "You want to throw our whole relationship away because... because of her?" Rose points her finger at Joey. She shakes her head. "Please... don't do this. I looked after you all those months you were in a coma. I helped you get back on your feet. W-w-we're getting married so soon!" She runs towards Ah Nin. "Please. I love you."

He pushes her away. "You disgust me. Leave!"

Fighting back any more tears from coming out of her eyes, she holds her head up high and shouts, "All right. Mark my words, Kam Nin, you will regret this!" She runs out of the door.

Ah Biu was about to run after Rose when Joey stops him. "The heavens and the law will catch up to her eventually," she says.

Suddenly, Ah Nin also runs outside. Joey runs after him. "Chris! Wait."

[Taxi]

Rose was fuming with anger. "One mistake... and it's all gone. That vicious, evil little Joey! I should have known better. I let my impulses get the better of me. I'll make them both pay for humiliating me. Kam Nin, it's over between us." She fights back her urge to cry. "I'm not a weak little girl like Joey. I will stand back stronger than ever. I won't have this. No, they will pay."

The taxi driver looks into his rear-view mirror, concerned at the broken Rose. "Miss, is everything okay?"

Rose barks at him, "It's none of your business. Just shut up and drive."

"What a bitch," he mumbles under his breath.

Rose quickly opens her phone and makes a call. "This is Miss Suen. I need to go back to Shanghai. Now!"

[Park]

Joey is out of breath by the time she catches up with Ah Nin, who had made his way to the park and was sitting on a bench, solemn.

"Chris! There you are." Joey smiles, relieved. She sits down next to him, unsure of what to say.

Ah Nin sighs heavily. "You were right."

Joey just nods her head.

"You could have died tonight. Why were you so willing to take such a risk?"

"Like I said, I didn't want you to be deceived anymore. It's not fair to you. From the beginning, Rose has manipulated you. That's not love. I wanted you to know the truth."

Abruptly, Ah Nin lets out a laugh.

Joey is confused. "What's so funny?"

"The truth is out now... and yet everything is broken."

Joey takes a hold of Ah Nin's hands and smiles. "Broken, yes, but beautifully broken."

Ah Nin looks up at the stars. "Just last night, I was so happily in love with Rose. We were going to get married. We were going to have a family. Everything was great. I had the world and couldn't be happier. Now... I have nothing. Maybe it was better for me to live in a lie."

"Chris, how can you say that?"

"Because it's true. My life sucks now. I don't even know what to think anymore. I don't know what's real and what's fake."

Joey's heart softens at the confused and sad look on Ah Nin's face. "Your family's love for you is true and my love for you... is also genuine."

Ah Nin looks at Joey, surprised. "You really have feelings for me?"

"I know you don't remember 'us' and I know you feel like the world has crashed, but we will get through this together. We can rebuild your life... based on trust, love, and truth."

"The first moment I met you, you held onto me so tightly. You told me how you were so happy to have found me. Then, you kept saying how we had a relationship in the past... you said it was 'true love'. But I can't remember any of that. I don't have any memories of you aside from the ones I've built since the moment I met you in Shanghai."

"I know," Joey says quietly. "We can continue to build memories... together and form a new 'us'." She points to his watch. "Do you remember how I told you that I got you this watch and you told me how much you value it without really knowing why?"

He nods his head slowly.

She rolls her the sleeves of her blouse and shows him her watch. She places it side-by-side by his. "You got this watch for me. They're a set. It's 'fate'."

Ah Nin smiles at Joey. "Thank you."

Joey's cheeks blush.

"You know, you think you know someone so well, and then, you find out it was all a lie." He shakes his head and scoffs.

Although Rose was gone, in that moment, Joey knew that Rose still had a grip on Ah Nin. His heart was broken and it was going to take time to mend it. She strokes his right arm. "It's okay."

[Kam Family Apartment]

Everyone was gathered around the television to watch "Gai Dai Foon Siu" when the doorbell rang.

"Go to hell!" Gam (Louis Yuen) shouts. "We're watching 'Gai Dai Foon Siu' along with the rest of Hong Kong."

"Gam Gam, don't be so rude!" Ying Gei (Yvonne Lam) urges.

"Sister OK, why don't you go open the door then?" Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu) asks.

"No way! Tonight is a good episode."

"They're all good," Ah Yat (Joyce Chen) says.

The doorbell rang again.

"Is anyone going to open the door at all?" Ah Yuet (Michael Tse) asks.

"It's 'Gai Dai Foon Siu.' Of course we're not."

"If only Ma Chi was home..." Ah Yuet sighs.

"If only Foon Foon and Hei Hei were taller... they could open the door," Ah Lo sighs.

"Maybe they'll go away if we ignore them," Ah Yuet suggests.

The doorbell rang once more.

Gam grows frustrated and says, "Fine! I'll open it, but you guys better turn up the volume." He hops off of the couch and runs to open the door. "What do you want?" he asks. He's surprised to see Ah Nin and Joey standing behind the metal door. He quickly lets them in.

"All these people in the living room and yet it takes you guys an hour to open the door?" Joey asks exasperated. She was supporting Ah Nin, who was clearly drunk.

"Big brother, what's wrong?" Ah Yat asks.

"I told him to stop, but he wouldn't. He kept drinking," Joey says. She hands him off to Gam. "Take him to his room."

"B-b-b-b-but 'Gai Dai Foon Siu' is on!" Gam retorts.

"Gam Gam, just hurry and do it before you miss any more scenes," Ying Gei says.

Gam sighs, "Fine."

"I'm not drunk!" Ah Nin laughs. "I can drink more!" He pushes Gam away.

"Chris, come on, don't be like this," Joey says.

"I'm happy! Let me drink. Rose is gone." He laughs.

Ah Yuet asks, "Isn't Ma Chi supposed to be with you, big brother?"

Joey shakes her head. "Auntie Chi went off somewhere on her own. She'll be back later tonight."

"But on the phone, she said-" Ah Lo begins to say.

"It's all a lie!" Ah Nin cuts Ah Lo off and laughs. "My whole life is a lie. Isn't that great?"

Everyone in the room grows concerned.

Ah Yat asks, "Joey, what happened?"

"Chris is tired. He needs to rest."

After Ah Nin was put to bed, everyone gathered around in the living room. Joey sat on the massaging recliner.

"Where's Rose? How come big brother is so drunk? Where's Ma Chi?" Ah Yuet asks. "Rose told us she went to buy something at the convenience store, but we haven't seen her for hours."

Very calmly, Joey explains everything to them, from the truth about Rose to Ah Nin and Rose's break up.

The Kams are horrified by the revelations once Joey was finished.

Ah Lo smiles triumphantly, "I knew it! See, I told you Rose was evil!"

Gam shakes his head in disgust. "'High-quality heart' (seung sum)? More like 'low-quality heart' (ha sum)! That Rose is scum."

"Well, she was certainly 'careful' (seung sum) about everything," Ah Hong (Johnny Tang) observes.

"She is so 'calculating' (suen)," Ying Gei says.

"Suen Seung Sum, Suen Seung Sum... her parents weren't wrong in naming her that," Ah Yuet comments.

"We were all fooled," Ah Hong says.

"Yeah, her acting is much better than your wife's, isn't that right, Ah Yat?" Ah Lo snickers.

"Second sister-in-law, I'm disgusted with you. Such a thing happened and you're still in the mood to bicker?" Ah Yat asks.

"Of course."

"Well, I'm not."

"Where is Rose now?" Ying Gei asks.

"Who cares? The law will catch up to her. Just be glad we don't have a murderer in our home anymore," Ah Lo says.

"Poor big brother," Ah Yat sighs. "He must be so heart-broken."

"I can't imagine what it must be like to be him. To think, he was lying in bed with such an evil woman for all those months... Heck, they might have even gotten married and had kids," Ah Yuet shudders at the thought.

"Oh, second brother, who are we kidding? You've dated, married, slept with, and have four kids with the meanest, bitchiest woman ever," Ah Yat says.

"I thought you were stopping tonight?" Ah Lo rolls her eyes.

"I couldn't let such a good one pass."

Ah Lo makes a face at Ah Yat.

"At least the truth is out now and things can slowly be right again," Joey smiles.

"Thanks, Joey, for finding out the truth," Ah Hong says.

She grins.

"If only time can turn back to three years ago. Without that car accident, you and Ah Nin would be together right now. Who knows how many kids you two would have had already, isn't that right?" Gam laughs.

Joey blushes.

"It's true! He loved you so much. Now you two can be together again," Ah Yat nods her head.

"I hope so," Joey says. Her eyes gaze towards Ah Nin's bedroom.

chapter 161: bang

[Streets]

After Ah Yuet (Michael Tse) drove everyone back home, Rose (Kenix Kwok) got off and said she needed to go buy some personal items from the convenience store. "I won't be long," she waves at them and runs off.

"God, it took a lot of effort just now for me not to take out my gun and shoot all of those stupid Kams right then and there in the car. They are so annoying!" She smiles. "But no, these bullets are reserved for Joey (Bernice Liu). I even have her name carved on them." She can't help but let out a laugh.

Rose ends up on the main streets and waves her hand for a taxi. "Taxi!"

In her mind, Rose thinks, "Thank god Chris is off with that cow." Rose only had one thought and that was to get rid of Joey. "Bitch picked the wrong person to mess with."

A taxi finally comes. Rose gets in and is off on her way.

[House]

Joey eagerly lets Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) into the house once he arrived. "Quickly! We don't have much time," Joey urges him. As she closes the door behind him, she glances nervously around at the surrounding. She ushers him towards the living room closet. "I've cleaned everything out. There's nothing inside. Whatever you do, don't make any noise."

"Whoa, calm down!" Ah Nin says.

"Rose could be here any minute," Joey frantically says.

"It's okay."

"No, it's not. If she sees you, nothing will change. I will have lost my chance."

"All right, all right, I'm going in." Ah Nin lets himself into the closet and then closes the door.

Joey decides to test the sound and stands at a distant spot. "Can you hear me?"

"Yeah," a mumbled Ah Nin answers.

"Good. You just stay in there. No matter what, don't do a thing. Don't let yourself out. Don't make any noise."

[Closet]

Ah Nin decided to have a seat on the floor. It was dark and still rather crowded, despite Joey having cleared the space. He remembers his cell phone and quickly turns it off. He doesn't want it to ring and he certainly couldn't have Rose calling him. He bites his bottom lip. He felt nervous. He didn't know how the night was going to turn out. Had Joey been right about Rose or was he wrong for doubting Rose? He closes his eyes and prays.

[Living Room]

Joey sat anxiously on the couch. "Oh my god, oh my god," she kept repeating over and over again in her head. "I can't believe this is happening." She had never felt more fear in her life. Rose was a scary person. Joey still couldn't fathom what goes on in Rose's head to make her want to have someone run over Ah Nin and then to kill Ah Hoi.

"This night determines everything... If I lose, my happiness is gone and more importantly, it won't be fair to Chris to live a life that's a lie."

She closes her eyes and prays. Her eyes fill with tears.

[Upstairs]

Although Joey had told him not to, Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) couldn't follow her wishes. He had to be there to protect her if something should happen. He didn't trust Rose. She was a dangerous woman. He had his gun in hand, ready to take action should Joey scream for help. "Please, let this work out... for Joey's sake." He gets down on his knees, closes his eyes, and prays.

[Outside]

Rose slowly approaches the front door after getting out of the taxi. She looks around at the surrounding neighborhood. The entire street was eerily quiet. There were no lights on in the other homes. It was like a ghost town. "This is strange... isn't this a residential neighborhood?" she asks herself. Even though no lights were on, Rose spotted cars parked. "That Joey, what is she up to?"

She holds on tightly to her white leather purse as she climbs up the stairs. She rings the doorbell.

[Living Room]

Joey's heart stops upon hearing the doorbell. It was the moment of truth. She gulps hard before mustering up the courage to get up from the couch and open the door.

[Closet]

Ah Nin's attention is caught by the sound of the doorbell. Rose had arrived. His body feels tense. He opens his ears, anxiously waiting. He had absolutely no idea what he would hear.

[Living Room]

Joey opens the door to find a smiling Rose. Upon seeing Joey, Rose gasps and feigns surprise.

"Joey! What are you doing here?"

"Oh, cut the crap. It's just me and you. You don't have to act. You know why you're here."

Rose lets herself in, gripping her purse tightly to her side. "No, I'm serious. Why are you here?" She looks around at the place. "Wow. It's gorgeous here. Chris and I'd like to live in a place like this... but we already have a mansion waiting for us in Shanghai." She grins at Joey. "Chris told me you weren't feeling well. What are you doing running around?" She tries to feel her forehead.

Joey defensively pushes her hand away, knocking Rose to the ground. "Stop acting! You and I both know why you're here."

Rose begins to cry, still lying on the hardwood floor. "Joey! What's gotten into you?"

Joey bites her lips, nervous that Ah Nin might come out. "Please, Chris... don't do anything," she prays in her head.

Rose's tear-filled eyes look at Joey suspiciously. "Something's up..." She glances around the room.

Joey moves over to the couch and sits down. "Oh, Rose, don't you get tired of playing the 'victim'? Aren't you bored of acting?"

Rose picks herself up and sits down next to Joey. "Joey, I don't understand what this is about."

With glaring eyes, Joey says, "I know the truth about that night."

"What?"

"You murdered Ah Hoi."

"Joey!" Rose laughs. "Don't be silly. Michael admitted to the murder. Ah Hoi tried to rape me." She points to the bandage on her hand. "Look at this wound!"

"Oh, please. Michael works for you."

"Well, yes... Michael works for my daddy. I consider him as the good elder brother I never had. We are honest people. We don't lie."

Joey shakes her head. "You are so full of crap."

"Joey! What's gotten into you?"

"I also know what you did... to Chris. You hired someone to run him over so that his memories would be wiped clean. You plotted so that you could manipulate him to take you as his girlfriend."

Rose laughs. "Are you watching too many TVB dramas? That is the most ridiculous and contrived plot I've ever heard."

[Upstairs]

Ah Biu grows tense. The situation was not looking good. Rose was still putting up an act.

"God, Joey. Don't give up. You don't have another chance," he mumbles under his breath.

[Closet]

Ah Nin listens intently, but nothing that Rose was saying strayed from what she had told him. To him, it sounded like Joey was the one instigating everything.

"Perhaps Joey is wrongly accusing Rose..." he thinks to himself.

[Living Room]

Joey felt nervous. She couldn't believe it. Why wasn't Rose opening up like she wanted? Had Rose suspected something was up and wasn't going to budge? She tries to scan her eyes, but it was useless. Rose looked like an innocent child, totally oblivious to what Joey was saying.

"Joey, are you okay?" Rose has a concerned tone in her voice. "Something must be wrong. It's not normal of you to be making such preposterous statements against me. I mean, really! Tell me, what's wrong?"

Joey snaps and stands up, furious. At the top of her lungs, she screams, "You are the problem! You fake bitch! You killed Ah Hoi. You brainwashed Chris. You are a horrible, vicious person. You are going to rot in hell. You stole Chris from me! Chris and I were meant to be together. If you had won him fair and square, I'd gladly wish you two happiness... but you, you!" Hot tears stream down her face.

Rose looks shocked and hurt. She stands up slowly. Her voice cracks as she asks, "Joey, what have I done to you to make you say these things?" She cries.

[Closet]

Ah Nin wants to get up and rush out of the closet. He felt Rose's pain. He wanted to hug her and let her know it was all right. Her sobbing aches his heart. "This is getting to be too much. I knew Rose was innocent. Joey is such a liar." However, he couldn't budge. For some reason, he felt as if he was glued to the floor. All he could do was sit there and continue to listen.

[Upstairs]

Ah Biu frowns. "No, Joey... you gave in." He knew the situation was doomed now.

[Living Room]

"Joey, please... why are you doing this?" Rose asks while dabbing her eyes with a tissue to stop the tears.

Joey falls down to the floor and sobs. "I've lost. Rose is too smart. I can't win," she mumbles under her breath.

"Dear, I think we need to call the ambulance. I'm afraid you might have some mental issues that need professional help..." Rose says as she opens up her purse.

Joey gets up and stands tall, looking at Rose in anger but swimming in helplessness. "The only crazy psycho around here is you."

Rose frowns. She takes a hold of the gun. "Oh, Joey..." She smiles. "There, there, it's okay. The professionals can help you."

Joey shakes her head in disgust. "I may not be your match, but the heavens will surely get you."

"Joey, since you've become so attached to Ah Hoi... why don't you..." Rose says slowly and sweetly. "Say hello to him for me when you see him..." She takes out her gun and points it at Joey. "... in hell." She grins widely.

Joey's eyes bulge at the sight of the gun. She screams and tries to run away.

"Oh, Joey... sweet, sweet, dear Joey." Rose tries to pull the trigger, but realizes that she hadn't unlocked it yet. She laughs. "Silly me. You know... it's fun to watch you run around so scared. Pick a time you want to die. You know the only way you're going to leave this house tonight is by your corpse being carried away by the morgue. So tell me, Joey, what time would you like me to fire?" Rose sits herself down on the side of a reclining chair. "I'm nice like that."

Joey is horrified. She trembles and shakes. "Why are you doing this? Don't kill me!"

"You and I both know the answer to that question."

Joey runs towards the closet and opens the door. "Chris! See what type of person your fiancé is now?"

Ah Biu runs down the stairs, with his gun in hand and pointing straight at Rose. "I'd put that gun down if I were you," Ah Biu warns.

Ah Nin emerges out of the closet, stunned at the sight of Rose looking so heartless holding her gun. Upon seeing the sight of Ah Nin and Ah Biu, Rose realizes the grave mistake she had just made. Her jaw drops. The gun falls out of her hand. The room suddenly becomes motionless and quiet.

chapter 160: waiting

[House]

Joey (Bernice Liu) walked around, looking at the house that Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) had found for her. It was located in the outskirts of the city. She nods her head in satisfaction. "This place is great. How did you find it?"

"My family owns it."

"Wait. You live here?"

"Oh no. My family owns property all over Hong Kong. We're still looking to sell this one," Ah Biu clarifies.

"Wow. Your family must be well-off."

"We'd be better off if a certain someone were a part of it," Ah Biu winks.

"Ah Biu!"

"I kid," he laughs.

"Hey, can I use your phone?"

"Gee, great transition sentences you have, Joey." Ah Biu shakes his head as he hands her his cell phone. "You better not use up all of my minutes. I'm running low. I have too many girls calling me."

"You're such a playboy," Joey shakes her head as she accepts his phone.

"What can I say? The ladies love me!"

Joey moves over to the couch, where she sits down and begins writing a text message. It was going to be sent to Rose (Kenix Kwok). Ah Biu looks over her shoulder in curiosity. "What is it that you're doing?"

"I'm texting Rose."

"Ah, luring the lioness into the den I see."

Joey sends her message once it was complete and then turns to Ah Biu and says, "Well, everything's done now."

"That's great. I'm going to notify my colleagues about this, so don't you worry about being in any danger. We'll surround the place and stop Rose if she decides to do anything."

Joey gasps at Ah Biu's declaration. "No! You can't do that. That would ruin everything. Rose will notice and then she won't open up like I want her to. Please, Ah Biu, don't do anything. I appreciate all that you've done up until now, but please... that's enough. I can't let this plan fall through. It's my only chance."

Ah Biu frowns. "It's too dangerous otherwise... I don't want anything to happen to you!"

Joey smiles. "I know, but don't you worry. The heavens won't let anything happen to me. Please, trust me. Don't do that."

"Oh, all right," Ah Biu reluctantly agrees.

The tracks were all laid now. All Joey had to do now was wait until the train departed.

["Ka Yan" Company]

Rose was working on a sketch when her cell phone notifies her that she just received a new text message. She drops her pencil on the desk and reaches into her purse to fetch her cell phone. She wonders who it could be. "Perhaps it's Chris," she thinks to herself and smiles. She opens the text message and is stunned by its content.

"I know what you did. I'm bringing the secret Ah Hoi took to the grave back to life. I'm going to tell. Let's see if Chris will still marry you once he knows the truth. However, I'm not unreasonable. If the price is right, I'll keep my mouth shut. Meet me at 6:30 PM tonight at..." Rose reads off the screen of her cell phone. She slams it shut upon finishing, fuming with anger.

She gets up out of her chair and heads to the bathroom.

[Bathroom]

Rose splashes her face with cold water. "Damn that Joey," she mumbles under her breath as the water drips down off her face. "Damn it!"

"I should have taken care of her when I had the chance," she thinks to herself, remembering the night of Ah Hoi's (Michael Tong) murder. She stares at her reflection, furious. She takes more water and rubs her face, washing off all of her make-up. She felt stripped... and vulnerable. She did not like it one bit. She quickly dries her face with a paper towel and then reaches into her purse to pull out all of her make-up. As she carefully reapplies the make-up that served to keep her from being bare to the world, she remembers her conversation the other day with Carrie (Natalie Tong). Carrie had told her how Joey had been in Shanghai "investigating." It infuriated her.

Rose smiles at herself in the mirror when she was done. Her make-up was perfect once again. She looked flawless. Her imperfections and vulnerability to the world were sealed and it made her feel much better. Very slowly, she pulls out a gun that had never been used before out of her purse. She looks at it carefully, observing its every detail. She feels the trigger. Her hand holding the gun begins to shake. She quickly puts the other hand over it to stop the shaking. She closes her eyes and breathes in deeply before putting the gun back in her purse.

"I won't have this. No, no one will treat me like this! I won't stand for it. Joey will pay the ultimate price for daring to do this." She smirks as she zips up her purse. The sound of her high heels clicked loudly as she walked out of the bathroom.

[Ah Nin's Office]

Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) was perusing a new contract when he received a call from Joey. He found that he had difficulty concentrating ever since Joey "kidnapped" him and then brought him back to "Ka Yan."

"Hello?"

"Chris, it's Joey."

"I know."

"When work ends today, Auntie Chi is going to call you and tell you to drive her somewhere. You have to make sure everyone is aware of this."

"Ma Chi? What's she got to do with this?"

"I already talked with Auntie Chi just now. Rose will be suspicious if you go off on your own."

"But if Ma Chi is with me..."

"She won't be. The whole thing with you driving Auntie Chi somewhere is a lie. It's just an excuse so that you can get away from everyone without Rose being suspicious."

"Oh."

"Yeah. So anyways, meet me at..." Joey gave the address and directions to the house.

[Outside of Ah Nin's Office]

Five o'clock hit. Ah Nin's heart was pacing and his throat felt dry. He was closing the door to his office when somebody hit his head lightly. He turns around and jumps at the sight of Rose.

"Hi, honey!" she grins.

"You scared me!"

Rose looks at him suspiciously. "You've been acting strange all day. What's wrong?"

"N-n-nothing! You'd be scared too if someone tapped your head out of nowhere."

"I'm surprised."

"Surprised?"

"Yes. I didn't think my big, strong hero had it in him to be scared," she teases.

He laughs nervously and the two walk together towards the main interior of the company.

[Main Interior]

"Finally! The moment of the day everyone waits for is here!" Lau Gam (Louis Yuen) exclaims.

"Yep! We work to go home," Ah Yuet (Michael Tse) nods his head.

"I am so tired!" Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu) groans. "Ah Yuet, rub my shoulders!"

"You need a room for that. Wait until we're home!" Rose teases as she and Ah Nin emerge into the main interior.

The room grows silent and uncomfortable, making Ah Nin's ringtone especially loud when his phone rang a few seconds later. "Oh! I-It's Ma Chi," Ah Nin pretends to be surprised. "I wonder what she wants. I'll put her on speaker."

"Ah Nin?" Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) asks.

Everyone in the company greet her.

"Am I on speaker? This is so embarrassing! I hate being on speaker."

"As big brother, I mustn't be so selfish. This way, we all get to listen to your sweet voice," Ah Nin says.

Nim Chi laughs. "Listen, Ah Nin, I need you to help me go pick something up."

"What is it?"

"If I wasn't on speaker, I could tell you. It's a surprise... for your wedding."

"Oh, won't it spoil it for me then to take you? Why not let Ah Yuet take you?"

"No, it's a surprise for someone else." Nim Chi fakes a cough.

"Oh!" Ah Nin says. "Is it for...?"

"So I take it I can't come, huh?" Rose chimes in.

"Oh, hi, Rose!"

"Auntie Chi, are you planning to steal my man?!" Rose teases.

"Until your wedding day, Ah Nin is still my son first and foremost."

"Oh... all right. You can have him for tonight."

"Rose, you don't mind going home with Ah Yuet and them, right?" Ah Nin asks.

Rose shakes her head, "No, of course not. I can bond more with them, isn't that right?" She tried to copy Gam's signature phrase.

Ah Yuet and the others look at each other, horrified at the thought of spending a car ride home with Rose.

"Ma Chi, are you sure that Rose can't come along?" Ah Yuet asks.

"She certainly cannot come! It will ruin everything. So, Ah Nin, pick me up at..."

After finishing up his conversation with Nim Chi, Ah Nin turns towards Rose, "You okay about this?"

"Chris, don't act like I'm going to die without you. I'm patient. I'm willing to wait for a good 'surprise'." Rose smiles.

chapter 159: a similar situation

[Outside of "Ka Yan" Company]

After telling Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) what he had to do later on that day as part of Joey's (Bernice Liu) plan, she and Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) drove him back to "Ka Yan" company.

When Ah Nin noticed that Joey wasn't getting off, he asks, "Hey, aren't you coming?"

Joey shakes her head. "Just tell everyone that I wasn't feeling well, so you drove me home."

He looks at her skeptically and shrugs his shoulders, "Okay then." He was about to turn around and walk towards the company building, but he stops himself and asks in a quiet manner, "This 'thing' we're doing later... when are we going to do it?"

"After work," Joey answers simply. "Now, be a good employee for my daddy and go back up and work!"

Ah Nin waves at them as they drive away. He bites his bottom lip. He still felt guilty for agreeing to do "it."

["Ka Yan" Company]

Rose (Kenix Kwok) notices Ah Nin immediately when he walks through the company's front doors. She beams and gets up out of her chair to go and greet him.

"Chris! Where did you go?" Rose asks.

Ah Nin hated to lie. His throat feels dry and scratchy, so he swallows hard before he's able to say, "J-Joey wasn't feeling well. I had to take her home."

"Oh? She went home?"

He nods his head eagerly.

"That's strange. She seemed fine not long ago..."

Ah Nin shrugs his shoulders.

"Well, aren't you awfully nice to take her home? Aren't you afraid I'd get jealous?" Rose "playfully" glares at Ah Nin.

"I-I'm her superior. I have to look after her. Besides... I'm marrying you soon; you don't have to worry about me running astray." He laughs.

"You've got that right." Rose grabs his right ear playfully, "I've got you on a leash!"

[Car]

Ah Biu notices the tense look on Joey's face. "Hey, you all right?"

"I'm nervous, Ah Biu."

"I know."

"I am still shocked that Chris agreed to do this... I mean, I'm ecstatic over that fact, but his agreement just puts that much more pressure on me. I can't screw this up. This is my only shot." Joey frowns. "I'm so worried that Murphy's Law will be followed and everything will go wrong and become worse than they are now..." She pauses before quietly saying, "I might never be able to see him again."

Ah Biu doesn't know how to respond. It was a red light. The two sat in awkward silence.

"Ah Biu, am I crazy for doing this? Am I risking too much? Tell me the truth."

"I can't answer that..." Seeing the unsatisfied expression on her face, he continues, "Just relax, Joey. Things will be fine. I'm here for you."

She forces a smile, "I know... but I can't help but be afraid."

["Tung Mat Yuen" Café]

"Auntie Chi!" Joey grins widely as she enters "Tung Mat Yuen."

Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) is taken by surprise to see the bright and happy Joey enter. "Why, who is this stranger?" she teases as she goes up and gives Joey a warm hug.

Joey returns the gesture. "How have you been?"

"Great, just great. The New Year is a blessing for my family. Everything's on track again," Nim Chi grins widely. "How about you?"

"I've seen better days," Joey replies.

Nim Chi notices Ah Biu next to Joey. "Oh, and who is this young man?"

"Oh!" Joey slaps her forehead. "Silly me! I forgot. Auntie Chi, this is Sek Biu. He's a friend of mine. Ah Biu, this is Auntie Chi, Chris' mother."

Ah Biu extends his hand for Nim Chi to shake.

She looks at Ah Biu suspiciously, her eyes glancing back and forth between him and Joey, as she takes his hand to shake it. Her eyes light up when she notices his police badge. "Oh my! Are you a member of Hong Kong's Police Force?"

"Yes, Madam!" Ah Biu playfully salutes Nim Chi.

Nim Chi laughs gleefully. "I still get respect even though I haven't been in action for 30 years!"

"Huh?" Ah Biu looks questioningly at Joey.

"Auntie Chi used to be a police woman," Joey explains.

"Ah! Sorry, Sister."

Nim Chi smiles at Joey and whispers to her, "Good catch. Respectful, good-looking, charming, and best of all, a police officer!"

Joey's eyes bulge in surprise hearing Nim Chi's words. "Oh no! You've got it wrong. He is really only a friend."

Nim Chi winks. "I understand."

Ah Biu whispers to Joey, "I told you we look like a couple."

"So what brings you to 'Tung Mat Yuen?' Shouldn't you be working?" Nim Chi snaps her fingers. "Ah! I know. You came to have Ah Biu try 'Tung Mat Yuen''s infamous egg tarts and milk tea, right?"

Joey stops Nim Chi and says, "Oh no. I just came to see you."

"Me?" Nim Chi is surprised.

Joey leads Nim Chi over to a table and the two sit down. "I haven't had a chance to speak with you since so many months ago," Joey begins.

Nim Chi looks at Joey, concerned. "Is something wrong?"

"Do you remember when we met each other at the airport five months ago? Our paths had crossed because we were both going to Shanghai to find Chris."

Nim Chi's eyes light up as she recalls. "Yes, yes, I remember."

"We had so much hope of what we expected to find when we got there."

"We did... only to encounter so much heartbreak. Finding out my son didn't know who I was was the most painful thing ever."

"Yes, it's quite ironic. I went to find Chris because I regained my memories only to discover that he lost his... I was so heartbroken, as you were."

Nim Chi is silent. She remembers how much hope Joey had carried with her to Shanghai. She remembers telling her how happy she was that Joey had her memories again and how she anticipated the long-awaited reunion between Ah Nin and Joey. Looking back, it makes her feel terrible at how she basically abandoned Joey after seeing that Ah Nin was engaged to Rose. "Oh, Joey. I'm so sorry."

Joey shrugs her shoulders. "I guess we aren't meant to be."

Nim Chi lowers her voice, "You two were such a good couple. I would have felt very blessed to have you as a daughter-in-law."

"You have Rose instead, the 'perfect' daughter-in-law."

Nim Chi frowns. It was an awkward situation. Truth be told, although Nim Chi accepted Rose as a part of her family, she couldn't feel the same connection as she had with Joey. "Joey, I think you should move on... Consider Ah Biu. He's not bad."

"Auntie Chi, if you don't mind, may I ask a personal question?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Why is it that you never remarried?"

"Because I love my husband too much. Handing him over to my 'good' sister was so painful, but I had no choice. He slept with her... or so I was led to believe, so they had to marry. I thought that was it. Our destiny was over." Nim Chi pauses and smiles before continuing, "But I was wrong. I was pregnant with Ah Sing (Hawick Lau), but I never told him. I didn't want to break up their family as she was pregnant with Ah Nin at that time. Life works in funny ways. Who could have imagined that I would be able to be his wife eventually?"

"So you waited all those years... before his first wife passed way, for him, not knowing whether you were holding onto hopeless dreams of a reunion?"

Nim Chi nods her head. "I did. I couldn't bring myself to love anyone else."

"Then you understand how I feel," Joey concludes. "I know that Chris is marrying Rose. I know I don't have a chance, but I can't move on. I can't let go of him. I'm like you. I'll continue to wait for him, even if it's hopeless. I love him. Like you said, life is unpredictable. Who knows... maybe one day, I can be with him... just like you could finally be with your husband."

Nim Chi looks at Joey, stunned. The realization of how similar their situations were struck Nim Chi. "Oh, Joey..." her voice trails.

"If you can do it, I can too," Joey says in a determined voice.

Nim Chi takes a hold of Joey's hands, offering her sympathy.

"I had to watch Brother Wah get married with Sister Bing... just like you have to witness Ah Nin marrying Rose since you're her bridesmaid." Nim Chi feels her eyes watering up. Joey hands her a tissue, which she dabs her eyes with. "I'm sorry. Thinking about how your situation is so much like mine makes me remember how much pain I was in and how sad I was. I completely understand how you feel."

"You don't have to apologize." Joey forces a smile, "Maybe it's all part of destiny's plan. I have faith that I can end up as happy as you were when you could be with your husband after all those years."

"No one should have to go through what I went through," Nim Chi continues to sob.

"I have no choice. I can't let go."

"And neither could I. Oh Joey, we chose our own pain, didn't we? I had so many pursuers back then. You know, being such a popular policewoman. I tried to accept other men, but in the end, I realized I only loved him."

Joey starts to cry along with Nim Chi. They embrace each other, sobbing and making a big scene right there in "Tung Mat Yuen."

Joey takes a deep breath before letting go and saying, "There's something I would like you to do for me."

"Anything. You name it."

Joey whispers in Nim Chi's ear, "Could you please call Chris at 5:00 PM today and tell him that he has to take you somewhere to do something, but make sure to stress that only he can take you, and then disappear until tonight?"

Nim Chi blinks and looks at Joey with a perplexed expression. "What?"

"I know it's a strange request, but please, I really need you to do that."

"So you want me to call him and tell him to take me somewhere, but then go off on my own somewhere?"

Joey nods her head while wiping her eyes. "You can't let anyone see you. You need to act as if he has really taken you somewhere and that you've gone out."

"Won't he go looking to pick me up?"

"Auntie Chi, I know you're confused and don't understand what's going on, but please, just do as I ask," Joey begs.

Nim Chi grimaces, but finally says, "All right." She looks around the café and sees everyone's eyes on her.

"Wah! Big sister-in-law, you're as good as Nancy Sit from 'A Kindred Spirit!' Great crying there! Very touching scene between you and Joey," Sa Sa (Kingdom Yuen) teases from the cash register.

Nim Chi blushes.

Joey looks at Ah Biu, who was sitting at one of the booths. He gives her a thumbs up and smiles.

chapter 158: believe me, i know

["Ka Yan" Company, Elevator]

The New Year had come and gone and with all wishes and festivities done, it was time for things to return to normal for the "Ka Yan" employees.

Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu) groans, "Back to work again."

"Yes, back to our busy, busy lives," Ah Yuet (Michael Tse) agrees.

"I'll say the time we spent at the temple was quite wasted," Gam (Louis Yuen) says.

"Why is that, Gam Gam?" Ying Gei (Yvonne Lam) asks.

"Our wishes didn't come true! We're going back to work like slaves instead of living the good life, isn't that right?"

Rose (Kenix Kwok) abruptly chimes in, "But soon, everyone will have time off and we'll all go to Shanghai for my wedding."

The air in the elevator suddenly becomes eerily quiet.

The mention of Rose's wedding made everyone remember the murder at the wedding boutique case that still shrouded Rose like a bloody veil. Even though they promised they "believed" her, no one really knew what to do or say around her. They tried to avoid her and the whole situation, but there it was, looming in the air in the tight elevator. As if their prayers had been answered, the Kams reached their destination and quickly filed out of the elevator, mumbling, "Yeah! Can't wait."

Rose looks at them on the outside disheartened, but raging inside.

Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) gives her a light squeeze. "They don't mean anything by it."

"I know, but after what happened, I feel everyone has become so distant towards me... like they're afraid."

"That's just silly. How can anyone be afraid of you? You're as fragile as a porcelain doll." He kisses her on her head. "Let's go to work."

Rose returns what he said with a smile, but inside, she was cursing and couldn't wait to be rid of the Kams once and for all.

[Wong Sheung's Office]

Wong Sheung (Lau Dan) looks at his daughter quizzically.

Joey (Bernice Liu) stares at him in disbelief. "You still don't get it?!"

"Daughter, what is it that you want me to do? You dragged me here so early when you know I don't come until past noon and then you go on and on. I have no idea what the heck is happening."

Joey groans.

"Your vacation was supposed to relieve your stress. Why do I feel like you're tenser than ever?"

She longed to tell her father what was truly going on. She wanted to let him in on her plot against Rose. She wanted him to know. He had offered his ears. Yet, she couldn't open her mouth to tell him. She was afraid he'd stop her.

"Joey?" He grows anxious and worried at her silence.

Finally, Joey says, "You don't have to understand what's going on. All I want you to do is bring Rose into your office for a 'meeting.'"

"Huh?"

"I don't know! I need you to distract her for at least twenty minutes. Make up something to talk with her about."

"So you want me to call her into my office and keep her in here for twenty minutes?"

"Yes!"

"Why, that's the oddest thing you've ever asked me to do."

"I know, I know."

"What's really going on? I won't do it until you tell me. I'm worried about you... you know that."

Joey sighs. "I know. I want so badly to tell you what's going on... but I can't. Just trust me. Once everything is over, you will know every detail. I promise."

Wong Sheung frowns. "Whenever you're ready, I'm here."

"Unless you're on a hot date with one of your many girlfriends," Joey teases.

[Ah Nin's Office]

As expected, Rose was flirting with Ah Nin when Joey entered. Rose notices her entrance and stops. She turns around and gives Joey a big, bright smile, one that matched the morning sun that called all into awakening. "Good morning, Joey! How very lovely to see you."

"Shut up, you fake bitch!" Joey wanted to say, but she didn't. Two could play this game. She returns the warm greeting and says, "Yes, it is. It is a wonderful day. You look lovely."

"And so do you. I better get going now. Miss Man will be late again, but I should still be at my desk when she chooses to come in." Rose winks at Ah Nin and waves to Joey as she excuses herself from the office.

"So Joey, how are you?" Ah Nin asks. "Is everything okay? I haven't seen you for awhile."

"Well, yeah. I took a short vacation."

"Did you? That's nice. Where did you go?"

"Shanghai."

Ah Nin laughs, "Scooping out the place before we all head there later for my wedding?"

"You can say that."

From the outside, Joey could hear that her father had just called Rose into his office. She knew she had to work fast. She had to get Ah Nin out of "Ka Yan" and into a place where they could talk.

"Chris, are you hungry? Let's go get breakfast. I'm starving."

He holds up his coffee and breakfast sandwich, "Rose already got me some."

Joey bites her lips.

"I got a call... from Mr. Yeung of 'Y&S.' He wants to meet us, now!"

"Really? He never contacted me."

"Well, he contacted me, so let's go!" She grabs him and they rush out through the backdoor of "Ka Yan." Joey couldn't take the risk of any of the Kams seeing them leave and bombarding them with questions, which would cause noise and make Rose suspicious.

[Outside]

Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) was waiting in his car when Joey and Ah Nin came out of the doors.

"Joey, where are you taking me?" Ah Nin asks.

"Get in the car."

"What? Shouldn't we be taking my car? It's over there-"

Before Ah Nin could finish his sentence, Joey opened the door and pushed him in and then let herself in, closing the door after her.

[Car]

"Joey, what is going on?" Ah Nin demands.

"Step on it, Ah Biu," Joey says.

"Joey...? Who is he? Where are you taking me?"

"I'm sorry about doing this," Joey begins.

"Please don't tell me you're planning on kidnapping or killing me," Ah Nin says jokingly.

"I had to get us out of 'Ka Yan' company. I need to talk to you... just us."

"Why? What's up?"

"Well, you know how I was at the crime scene when Rose encountered her 'rapist,' who would then be killed by Michael (Kevin Cheng)?"

Ah Nin nods his head slowly. "Yes, that's why I was wondering if you were okay today since I haven't seen you since that happened."

"I'm sure Rose must have told you I was unconscious during the whole time."

"She did mention that."

"I was."

"What a relief. You didn't have to witness that horrific scene. Rose told me everything. Her descriptions were terrifying. I can't imagine what it must have been like actually there. I'm sorry, but any man who does any violence towards a woman, let alone rape, deserves to die. To think, he used to work for her."

Joey wants so badly to tell Ah Nin how wrong he was. However, she knows she has to be patient and play her cards right if she were to win this game. Calmly, she says, "Yes, you're right."

"It's good that you're okay." He smiles at her.

"Good thing Rose came out of it with only a superficial wound and that he didn't get to rape her," Joey comments.

"Yes, thank God Michael was there. I don't know what would have happened if he wasn't."

Joey finds herself growing increasingly frustrated listening to Ah Nin. Something overcomes her and she blurts out, "Rose killed Ah Hoi (Michael Tong)!"

Ah Nin looks at her. "What?"

Joey covers her mouth. She was so angry with herself. "Damn it! I was supposed to play it calm, patient... now it's all out in the open" she fumes to herself.

"What did you just say?" Ah Nin asks again.

Joey had reached a point of no return. She had no choice but to continue. "I said... Rose killed Ah Hoi."

Ah Nin laughs at her. "What kind of joke is that? Michael killed him. He admitted to it already."

"Don't you get it? He's lying for her."

"Rose did not kill anyone, okay?" Ah Nin says coldly in an irritated voice. "Is this what you wanted to talk to me about? If it is, you can stop right now and tell the driver to turn around. Honestly, what the heck is wrong with you?"

"I know you don't believe me," Joey starts. "Believe me, I know!" she exclaims in frustration. "I know what I'm proposing seems very presumptuous of me and very preposterous, but if you give me a chance to show you the evidence..." Tears wallow in her eyes. "Maybe... just maybe you might believe me."

Ah Nin watches Joey try to blink back her tears. He hated seeing women cry, so the sight of Joey on the verge of tears made him very uncomfortable.

Ah Biu feels his heart break looking at Joey tearing up in the rear-view mirror, but he can't say anything. He couldn't come between her conversation with Ah Nin.

"Why are you doing this?" Ah Nin asks finally.

"I don't want you to be deceived anymore..."

"Deceived? What are you talking about?"

"No matter what I say right now, you won't believe me. In fact, it makes me look bad towards you. You think I'm slandering Rose. So, I won't say anything."

"You're not making any sense. You bring me here, driving to who knows where, you start telling me my fiancé killed someone, and now you're not even telling me why. Seriously, what the hell?"

Joey is silent.

"This is crazy." Ah Nin throws his arms up in the air in exasperation.

"Ah Biu, turn back," Joey says in a hushed and defeated tone. She had lost the war without a single battle. She didn't even have the chance to execute the plan she worked so hard on constructing.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ah Nin demands.

"We're going back... like you wanted."

"Oh! No! You don't do all of this and say all that you just said and expect me to go back and pretend like nothing ever happened. You said you had a good reason for asking me to give you a chance to show 'evidence,' then fine, I will give you that chance."

Joey's face lights up. She looks at Ah Nin with her mouth agape.

"But, if I find that none of this is true, I don't want to ever see you again. Do you hear me? No one talks about anyone in my family like that," Ah Nin says sternly.

Joey can feel her heart thumping in her chest. Ah Nin's cold words hurt her. However, she knew it was her only chance. "All right."

Ah Nin sits back in the car. He feels guilty for having just agreed to Joey's request. "How can I go against Rose like this?" he asks himself. "She told me what happened. I believe her." However, seeing Joey cry and hearing what she said sparked strange curiosity in him. Somehow, he believed her. He didn't believe anything she was saying, but her sincerity made him give her a chance. Furthermore, the rest of his family was also very skeptical about Rose. They must have a reason too, but were afraid to tell him.

"God, I'm going to regret this," Ah Nin groans to himself.

chapter 157: art of plotting

[Wong Family House]

7th sister (Teresa Ha) was surprised to open the door and see that Joey (Bernice Liu) had returned. "Joey, what are you doing home already? I thought you said you were taking a vacation to get away from it all."

"A vacation isn't counted by number of days, but by satisfaction and I am pretty darn happy right now!" Joey beams. She was in very high spirits after discovering what Rose (Kenix Kwok) did to Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) that involved Ah Hoi (Michael Tong), which led to his murder.

7th sister sticks out her hand. Joey looks at her and blinks, confused.

"Where's my present?"

"What present? Your birthday is not for months! I don't think it's a holiday..." Joey scratches her head.

"Don't you know it's an unwritten rule that whenever you go on vacation, you have to bring back souvenirs for your family and friends? Unless... you don't consider this old woman as either." 7th sister jokingly teases Joey.

"Uh..." Joey bites her bottom lip.

"Joey, you didn't really go on 'vacation' did you?"

"I really can't put anything against you. Yes, I went to Shanghai, but it wasn't for a vacation," Joey confesses.

"What? You went all that way and no sight seeing or good eating? What did you do there then?"

To avoid further questioning, Joey says, "You'll know soon enough. I have jet lag... I need to go rest a bit." She kisses 7th sister on the cheek before going upstairs.

7th sister shakes her head. "Silly girl."

[Joey's Bedroom]

During the plane ride, Joey had begun formulating a plot. However, she had no one that she could talk to about her plans. She knew that the only person she could turn to was herself, so she closed her eyes as she lay on her bed. Sleep soon invaded her body.

[Dream]

Joey found herself looking at a full-length mirror. "Where are you?" She looks around, trying to find her clone.

"Back so soon?" her reflection in the mirror asks.

"What are you doing in there?"

"It's a change so you don't get bored," Clone Joey winks.

"You're really something."

"Hey, I'm just you."

"Yeah, well, thank you so much for clearing everything up today on the plane!"

Clone Joey beams. "Sometimes tough love is necessary."

"I'm so happy. I have a plan!"

"Let's hear it girl."

"I plan to expose Rose's true nature to Chris."

Clone Joey crosses her arms and looks unconvinced. "That's your brilliant plan?"

"I never said anything about its quality... I just said it's a plan. At least it's a start, right?"

"You're being unrealistic. What makes you think you can rip off her mask? No one else but you knows about the evil Rose. She is too careful and calculating for anyone to expose her. Heck, she has the Kams thinking she's a saint. No one will believe you if you tell them that she's evil or that she has done all of those horrible things."

"I don't need 'everyone' to believe me. I just need Chris to."

"Chris is even harder to convince. He's her fiancé. Who do you think he will believe?"

"If he's still Chris, he will believe in the truth."

"The problem is that he's not."

Joey frowns.

Clone Joey continues, "Don't you learn anything from TVB? Whenever there's a villain fighting with the main girl for the main guy, she will always pretend to be so 'kind' and 'innocent.' However, the main girl will discover her secret and try to expose it to the main guy. But the villain is not dumb. She will use the situation and turn it against the main girl, framing her and causing misunderstandings and leading the main guy to doubt and lose faith in the main girl. Do you really want to see that happen with you and Chris?"

"Definitely not. I am so sick of misunderstandings."

Clone Joey shrugs, "Misunderstandings make life go round... well, at least for the Kams anyways."

"This is so hard..."

"Uh, yeah. It's no walk in the park."

"But we can prove that she's guilty in murdering Ah Hoi. That has to put a dent in her character," Joey insists.

"Yes, but the wheels of justice are slow to turn."

"So what do you suggest that I do?"

"Joey, you have to decide for yourself. I'm just here to listen and help sort things out."

"Was my first idea really that bad?"

"It's bad only if it goes wrong. Knowing Rose, she will frame you and she will be able to manipulate and turn the situation around to her favor."

"What if I confront her about her actions?"

"That's dangerous. She's capable of cold-blooded murder. She can do anything. Do you want to risk being alone with her... let alone confronting her about her deep dark secrets?"

Joey sighs. "Rose is so tricky and smart..."

Abruptly, Clone Joey steps out of the mirror and gives Joey a hard slap on the face. "Stop thinking and saying those things! Do you want me to go hard-core on your behind again?"

"Ouch!" Joey grimaces.

"If you want to waste time, I will go away... but if you're serious, I will stay and listen."

"I have to find some way to get Rose to reveal herself and have Chris be there to witness that."

Clone Joey rolls her eyes, "We established that already. How do we get her to do that? How do we get him to witness it?"

"If only there was an invisible cream..." Joey gasps. "I know! What if I hide Chris somewhere? He can witness our confrontation and at the same time, he can save me if something happens..."

"Do you really think that will work? Why would he be willing to do that? Why would he go against his fiancé?"

"He won't. That's why I have to do some manipulating of my own... Then, I have to get Rose to maybe not necessarily confess, but to show that she is wicked..." Joey frowns. "Gosh. I feel so bad. I'm starting to think and be like Rose. I'm supposed to take the moral high ground... but here I am, plotting..."

"Don't fret. You're a woman. We manipulate. It's in our genes," Clone Joey smiles.

"But how, oh how?" Looking at her reflection in the mirror, a light clicks in her head and she gasps. "I've got it!" She snaps her fingers. "Chris has to see and hear what's happening, but Rose can't know that he's watching. She will never reveal her true nature unless I'm alone with her."

"What makes you so sure she will expose herself?"

"People do desperate things under desperation. Rose will definitely do something if she thinks it's just me and her... at the confrontation."

[End of Dream]

Waking up from her dream, Joey feels refreshed and energized. She reaches for her cell phone, which had been charging on her night table. She excitedly calls Ah Biu (Raymond Lam). "Hey, it's me, Joey."

"For what favor do I owe this call?" Ah Biu asks in a serious tone.

Joey blushes and feels a little uncomfortable.

However, he can't suppress his laughter and gives it away that he was just teasing her.

She exhales a sigh of relief. "Thank god! I was so embarrassed just now."

"So you do want something. It would be nice if one of these days, you could interact with me without wanting something."

"After all of this is over," Joey promises, "there'll be no more baggage."

Ah Biu sounds unconvinced. "I wouldn't be surprised if I don't see you ever again after this thing is over and you end up with your knight in shining armor riding a white horse." He pauses for a moment before saying, "So what's up?"

"I need your help."

"I figured that."

"I have a plan to make Rose expose herself."

"Interesting..."

"Do you have any invisible rooms that I can use?"

"Huh?"

"You know... those rooms that researchers use for observations. The person in the room doesn't know he or she is being watched, but the people next door can see everything that's going on."

"Uh, do you think I'm some sort of freak? Why would I have a room like that?"

"It didn't hurt to ask..."

"Your impression of me is still so poor. You think I'm some pervert who has an invisible room so I can peep on girls?"

Joey is silent.

"What is it that you're planning on doing?"

"I want to confront Rose about everything and have Chris witness it all... so he will know what she's really like."

"How about I wire you and you can record the confrontation?"

"That's no good. Rose is too smart to fall for that. Do you think it's as simple as me going up to her and asking, 'Hey Rose, did you kill Ah Hoi?' and then she answers, 'Why, Joey, you are quite a clever detective! I did.' No, she will never let such a flaw happen."

"How about I set up a hidden camera to record it all?"

"Rose is very aware and observant about her surrounding. She'll know and won't do anything."

"Have you ever thought for a second that you're over-estimating her?"

"I know her. She will not do anything unless she's thinks no one else is around and that there is so trace or evidence of what she did. The only reason I grew suspicious of her was because I accidentally overheard her in the bathroom one time. She was so angry that she didn't realize I was there... and so she let herself slip."

"This is hard..."

"I know. If it wasn't hard, I wouldn't ask you for help."

"A simple plan but a difficult execution," Ah Biu states.

"Exactly."

"You said she slipped when she didn't think anyone was in the room, right?"

"Yeah."

"What if Chris hid somewhere?"

"She'll notice."

"Not if it's behind a door."

"Hmm?"

"A closet! You can confront Rose in a living room somewhere and Chris can be hiding in the closet, hearing everything!" Ah Biu's voice has a proud and satisfied tone.

Joey gasps, "You're right. He'll be in the room, but it won't be obvious, so she won't know he's there." She ends her phone call with Ah Biu and starts constructing her plan. She didn't sleep that night. Her excitement was too high. Finally, at the brink of dawn, Joey's plan had completed construction.

chapter 156: it's all clear now

[Shanghai, Hotel, Ah Biu's Room]

"Did you find out anything?" Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) asks Joey (Bernice Liu) as he lets her into his room.

Joey smiles. "I did."

"Well?"

"What?"

"I take it you're not going to tell me what happened."

"You wouldn't understand anyways."

"I won't if you don't tell me."

Joey ignores what he says and declares, "We're leaving tomorrow."

"What?! We've only been here for two days."

"We're running on a ticking clock," Joey answers simply.

[Airplane]

"Ugh. Worst trip ever!" Ah Biu groans as he adjusts his seat belt.

Joey sat quietly in the seat next to his and looks out of the window. The pieces of the puzzle were coming together. She closes her eyes, envisioning the small clues fitting together to form the big picture in her mind, but for some reason, she couldn't do it. Nevertheless, she still couldn't believe how much she was able to learn and clear up from Ah Wan (Michael Tong) and Carrie (Natalie Tong) and felt really lucky that things had gone so well.

[Joey's Daydream]

"Told you the heavens are by your side!" Clone Joey smiles at Joey.

Joey returns the smile, "You were right."

"Of course. I knew it all along. Justice will prevail. You just needed to have confidence and faith."

"But I still need a lot more truth. It's elusive. I have to find more..."

"You made great progress."

Joey looks at her clone skeptically. "I have, but is it enough?"

"Oh boy, here we go again..." Clone Joey rolls her eyes. She snaps her fingers. A desk magically appears and seats Joey into it. She was bound to the desk by endless ribbons. A huge white board appears from behind Clone Joey and a pointer falls into her hand.

"What the heck?" Joey demands as she tries to break free.

Clone Joey points her pointer at Joey and says, "Shut up and listen."

"This is so absurd! This is my fantasy, why the hell are you controlling-" Before Joey could say another word, Clone Joey snapped her finger and Joey's voice disappeared.

"It's a shame you have no self-control," Clone Joey shakes her head. "Sorry I had to resort to that, but you talk too much." She turns to her board and points at the very top. "What we know about Rose (Kenix Kwok) and the case" appears on the board through sparkles and mist.

The board "writes" Clone Joey's main points as she talks.

She smiles and begins, "First, we know she's an evil little bitch. The goody-two-shoe act is up. Leave that to Linda Chung." She rolls her eyes. "So much for that sweet, can-do-no-wrong demeanor. The smiles, the pleasantness, the politeness, all fake! Ugh." She groans. "No one is that 'good'... unless you're living in TVB land and have 'perfect' people like Ping On from 'Peace and Freewill.' Come on now, she's rich, she's beautiful; she's got to be a bitch. I know what you want to say. Watch my language, right? Well, I need to make it clear to you that she's the enemy! Got it? She is not a nice girl, Joey.

"Moving on... we know that she brainwashed Chris (Frankie Lam). Yes, brainwashed! Good lord. So much for 'all is fair in love and war.' This is beyond cheating and so underhanded. And there you were, thinking for months-on-end that she won his love fair and square. Please! Look at you. You are gorgeous. You are pure. Who wouldn't want you? Ah Biu can't freaking leave you alone! Chris would not be with Rose if she hadn't done something like that. He loves you! The poor guy was crushed when you forgot him and he refused to let anyone else in. You heard it yourself from Carrie. That is love. You can't give up on that. I won't believe in true love and destiny until you two get back together! Oh wait," she stops herself and laughs, "Of course... because I am you! So you must win him back.

"How did Rose brainwash him? Get ready for this. This is the most ridiculous and crazy thing I have ever heard. She hired a former security guard of hers, in an attempt to recreate one of TVB's clichéd amnesia plots. Bitch is watching too many low-quality series. Come to think of it, it's similar to how you lost your memories too oh-so-many years ago. Hmm... But that's beside the point. Poor Ah Hoi (Michael Tong)! Everyone thinks he's such a bad guy. He's not. Okay, yes, he let money get the best of him and did help Rose do evil, but come on, you have to have some sympathy for the guy. He was on your boat, Team Joey! Rose ruined his life too. Wait - she didn't just ruin it. She took it as well!" She shakes her head.

"Ah Hoi finally accomplished Rose's plot by running over Chris in the streets. That's crazy! How can the girl say she loves the man when she ordered for him to be run over?! Chris then went into a coma for three months and awoke without," she does a drum-roll sound, "his memories! Bitch must have been so thrilled. You'd think she'd be happy if the poor guy just woke up. But no, she was happy her plot succeeded because she erased you and everyone Chris loved from his memories and invaded his mind. She made herself his fiancé. Chris didn't love her. He didn't know any better. The nurses told him she was there to visit him every single day he was in the coma... He thought she only had pure love for him. Who can blame him for buying her lies? He fell right into her palm. He grew to 'love' her...

"Now, back to the whole murder thing. Michael (Kevin Cheng) pleaded guilty on account of murdering Ah Hoi. What a load a bull! We both know clearly that Rose did it. I'm sure the 'forensic heroes' will be able to falter their testimonies. Evidences don't lie. She killed Ah Hoi because she knew damn well that if Chris ever found out what truly happened, he'd stop 'loving' her then and there. How can you say you love someone and 'win' their affections through manipulation? You have to seek justice, Joey! You have to get revenge. Make Rose pay for all the pain she caused for Chris and you." She snaps her fingers, breaking the mute spell she put on Joey.

"Finally!" Joey yells.

"The puzzle's pretty clear now that I've laid it out for you, isn't it?" Clone Joey beams. She points to her board with the highlighted points.

Before Joey could respond to her clone, she disappears. The ribbons that enchained her broke free. She got out of the desk and stood facing the board. Everything she knew about the whole situation was there, staring at her in words in black marker. There was no ambiguity. Everything was clear... just as her clone had said.

[End of Daydream]

Joey feels Ah Biu tapping her shoulder. She is called back into reality and turns to look at him.

"Thinking again?" he asks knowingly.

She smiles widely, "Nope. It's all clear now."

"Is that so?"

She nods her head eagerly.

"Care to clarify things for me then?"

"It's a personal matter."

Ah Biu looks at her suspiciously, "You're not taking the law into your own hands are you?"

"Don't worry. I know what I have to do," Joey says confidently.

chapter 155: heavenly net

[Shanghai, Hotel, Joey's Room]

Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) plops down on Joey's bed. "Man! That was crazy."

"What are you doing? Get off my bed!" Joey (Bernice Liu) yells as she urges him off.

"Do you know how many people have slept in these beds? It's not 'yours' you know. Who knows how many people have done what we should be doing now at a late hour like this." He winks at her as he draws closer to Joey.

Joey slaps him. "Pervert!"

"Jesus! I was talking about sleeping! We should be sleeping now! What did you think I meant? That really hurt, Joey. Man, I really can't joke around with your current mental state." Ah Biu rubs his right cheek.

"I overreacted. Sorry."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." He rolls his eyes.

"I'm so happy we have Ah Wan's testimony," Joey gushes.

Ah Biu stares at Joey in disbelief. "Miss, did you forget what just happened? You slapped me. It left a hand print!" He points at his cheek. "I'm in pain and you go and talk about a case which you really shouldn't even be involved with?!"

"You're a guy. Suck it up." Joey teases. She laughs. Then, in a concerned tone, she asks, "It doesn't really hurt... does it?"

"When a girl slaps a guy, the physical pain doesn't hurt as much as knowing it came from a girl he cares about."

Joey shakes her head. "How are you feeling?"

"Minutely better since you've shown a little care towards me. But you know what would make it all go away?" She looks at him suspiciously before he finally answers, "A sweet kiss."

"Ah Biu!"

"What? I'm serious. Affections ease in the healing process. What's a kiss on the cheek between friends?"

Joey says matter-of-factly, "A girl and a guy cannot share 'affections' as friends unless he's gay... are you implying that you're gay?"

"Man, your mind goes to scary places," Ah Biu shakes his head. "Do you think someone as good-looking, as masculine as me, a police officer, could possibly be gay?"

"Hmm... those are usually the kind that surprises everyone," Joey laughs. She changes her tone and says seriously, "Ah Biu, I know how you feel about me. I don't mind us being friends. I don't mind us joking around... but please stop pushing me. I love Chris. You know that."

"Okay, I'll stop," Ah Biu promises.

"Right. How many times have you promised this now?"

"You can't change my personality! Take me and love me the way I am."

"You're impossible!" Joey shakes her head. "Anyways... can we talk about the case now?"

"God, I am breaking so many ethics because of you. But, go ahead."

"We can use Ah Wan to testify against Rose (Kenix Kwok), right?"

"Most definitely. We have a witness and now Rose has a motive." Ah Biu stops himself. "But wait, what about the other guy that was at the crime scene? Michael? He gave a testimony saying that he murdered Ah Hoi."

"Ah Biu, how long have you been a police officer? It's obvious he's covering up for Rose."

"The testimonies that he and Rose gave separately matched up exactly..."

"Trust me. Rose killed him."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Ah Mun (Nancy Wu) told me." Joey bites her bottom lip realizing she had disclosed something that Ah Mun had told her to keep private between the two of them.

"What exactly did you two discuss?"

"I told you already. I can't tell you and we cannot use Ah Mun for a witness anyways. Besides, she already gave a testimony to you guys that she was unconscious and knew nothing the whole time."

"But who can attest that Rose murdered Ah Hoi when Michael is saying he did it?"

"The heavenly net is vast, but it won't overlook anyone," Joey says simply.

["F&B" Company - Exterior]

The next day, Joey decided that they visit Rose's company, "F&B," to investigate some more to dig into the past. It was a risky move indeed, especially since they would be surrounded by people who worked for Rose, but in order to catch the tiger, it's pertinent to enter its den. Joey feels nostalgic looking at the company building of "F&B." The building was daunting to her the first time she had seen it and now, it still was. So many months ago, it was there that her first encounter with Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) and Rose and her fears over what she saw were confirmed.

"You all right?" Ah Biu nudges Joey.

"This is the place that crushed my heart... I saw Chris by chance the previous day, but he didn't know who I was... then I saw Rose loop her arm into his and they walked away happily... So, I thought I might have mistaken someone else for him, but deep down, I knew I was trying to deceive myself. There's no way there could be someone else in this world that looks and sounds exactly like him. This place confirmed that... It was indeed Chris that I saw and he truly didn't know who I was," Joey confesses. She sniffles and blinks her eyes a few times before turning to Ah Biu and saying, "But that's the past. I'm working towards the future! Let's go up." She grabs his hand and they rush through the doors.

[Interior]

Everything was as Joey had remembered. She sees the couches where she sat with Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) as they waited all day to see Ah Nin, who eventually didn't show up that first day they came to find him. She catches sight of his used-to-be office. She was so nervous before entering it and so angry and heart-broken when she left it dragged out by security guards. She approaches the desk of Ah Nin's used-to-be secretary, Carrie (Natalie Tong). Joey remembers the girl the moment she sees her.

"May I help you?" Carrie asks as she pushes her glasses up. She was rather conservative and nerdy.

"Hi, you probably don't remember me, but I came here half-a-year ago," Joey says.

"Are you a client? Do you have an appointment?"

She shakes her head. "No, I'm here about Mr. Kam, Chris."

"Mr. Kam? He's on a leave of absence for the time being," Carrie answers. She scans Joey's face and suddenly recalls. She gasps, "I know you! You're the one-" She stops dead in her tracks. Rearranging her thoughts, she says, "You're the one who was dragged out by the security guards!" She nods her head, "Yes, yes! I remember. It was quite a scene..."

Joey blushes. She doesn't know whether she should be happy or embarrassed that Carrie remembered and that Ah Biu was there to witness it.

"So I see riding in the back of a police car was a natural following event after being escorted out of a building by security guards," Ah Biu teases.

"Shut up!" Joey playfully hits him. She turns back to Carrie, who was momentarily staring at Ah Biu. "I'm so glad you know who I am. It makes things so much easier."

"I know exactly who you are," Carrie answers. Rose had told her to report if Joey or any of her entourage came back to find Ah Nin.

"Are you free? I want to talk to you."

Carrie looks at her watch. "You're in luck. I'm just about to go on my lunch break. Let me just go and get my coat." She smiles at Joey.

Ah Biu whispers to Joey, "Who is she? Why do you want to talk to her?"

"She's Chris' secretary, Carrie. I met her when I came to find him here last time," Joey answers. "I think she may be able to fill in the details about the past for me."

"So sure? Aren't you afraid that she's working for Rose?"

"If you're going to use people, you can't suspect them."

Ah Biu shrugs his shoulders.

"Now, get going, I just want it to be between me and her. I can get more done," Joey instructs.

"Gee, you love getting rid of me and having these 'heart-to-heart' with your girlfriends. First Ah Mun, and now Carrie. I swear you know more than the police do on this case."

[Café]

Joey and Carrie made their way to a small and homey café that Carrie liked to eat lunch at.

"So what brings you back to Shanghai?" Carrie asks.

"It's a nice place to vacation, that's all."

"What happened to your boyfriend?"

Joey laughs, "That's exactly why I asked you out today. You're good!"

"What?" Carrie blinks at her.

Joey realizes that she was actually asking about Ah Biu. "Oh, erm. He's just a friend. You know how guys are. They hate to be around girls when we chat. It's just you and me."

"Oh... so he's available?"

"Not quite."

"'Not quite?'"

Joey doesn't know why she said that. It should have been easy for her to say that Ah Biu was open for the market, but subconsciously, she selfishly wanted to keep him as her "back up" in case the whole ordeal with Ah Nin just fell through. She felt guilty for thinking these thoughts, but she couldn't help it. "I think he has someone in his heart already."

"Who? You?" Carrie teases.

Joey blushes.

"So it is you! And you say he's not your boyfriend." Carrie waves her index finger accusingly.

"He's not because I love Chris!" Joey blurts out. Everyone in the café turns to look at Joey. She lowers her head sheepishly.

"Ah, Mr. Kam again. The same reason that brought you to Shanghai in the first place."

Joey nods her head.

"He's not here though. Why are you?"

Joey lowers her voice. "I need your help. I'm investigating a case. Chris is in trouble. I think Rose is a murderer."

"Miss Suen? Nonsense!"

"I know it sounds crazy. Believe me, I know, but I have evidence."

"Miss Suen would never do that. I've worked for 'F&B' for five years now. I know her. She has always been very nice and pleasant."

"I thought so too, but I think it's all an act."

"An act? What? You think she's pretending to be nice?"

Joey nods her head.

"Why, that's the silliest thing I've ever heard. I think you have a huge misunderstanding of her. I know Miss Suen. There's not a mean bone in her body."

"Maybe you just don't know the real 'her,'" Joey says matter-of-factly.

"And who are you to slander her? I've been around her for five years! Five years!"

Joey looks directly into Carrie's eyes and asks, "Can you honestly tell me that you believe all that you just said?"

Carrie pushes up her glasses and declares, "I most certainly do!"

"Are you scared of Rose? Did she ask you to lie?" Joey asks almost in a whisper-like voice.

"You're so preposterous! How dare you make such a claim? I will not sit here and have you insult the daughter of my boss, but more importantly, my friend!" Carrie begins to collect her things. "The only conniving person around here is you!"

"Please, no, don't leave!" Joey pleads.

"You obviously already have your mind made up. Whatever I say won't affect anything."

"Look, can we just sit down first?"

Carrie pauses, but when she notices all of the people at the café who were pretending as if they weren't paying attention to them, she reluctantly decides to sit back down.

Joey continues, "I'm not looking to turn you against Rose." Carrie was still unconvinced. "I just want to fill in the gaps."

"What gaps?"

"The past three years of Chris' life."

Carrie raises her eyebrows at Joey and pushes her glasses up. "Look, what do you think I know? I'm not Mr. Kam! I can't fill in the gaps of his life for you. You're crazy."

"If he could fill in the gaps of his life for himself, do you think I'd be sitting here talking with you?" Carrie looks at Joey quizzically. "He can't because he doesn't remember!"

"What?"

"He was in a coma and consequently developed amnesia."

"Amnesia? That's impossible. Miss Suen told us he was in a coma, but never-" Carrie stops herself.

"What is it?" Joey senses that Carrie recalled something.

"That does explain why Mr. Kam was acting a little strange when he came back to work... and why he was suddenly so attached to Miss Suen."

Joey grows very curious. "Why were you so surprised to see that they were an item?"

"Because Mr. Kam refused to have a girlfriend the whole two years before his accident. Women would practically line up outside of his office, but he just turned them all away. People joked that he must have been gay... I could sense that Miss Suen developed a crush on Mr. Kam early on. She was his fashion designer, so they had plenty of opportunities to interact. I thought they looked quite good together, but like I said, Mr. Kam was just very 'cold' to everyone. He really didn't talk or socialize much outside of work."

Joey can't help but feel happy hearing what Carrie said. Ah Nin truly couldn't forget about her nor let anyone else into his heart the whole time he was in Shanghai. "So Chris had no feelings for Rose at all?"

"He treated everyone like his friend, no better, no worse."

"But after the accident... you said, he changed?"

Carrie nods her head slowly. "It was like he was a different person. He wasn't 'cold' anymore. I often heard Mr. Kam and Miss Suen flirt and made their affections public. Not long after that, they announced that they had gotten engaged and news got around that Mr. Kam moved into Miss Suen's mansion... Everyone admired them so much and gushed that they knew they would eventually end up together since they were so 'perfect' for one another."

"So this accident he got into, what happened?"

"Miss Suen told us that some car drove by a crazy drunk had hit-and-run him on the sidewalk... They never caught the culprit, sadly, even though it's been so long."

Joey is suspicious at the statement. "The sidewalk? So where was Rose then?"

"I don't know, but she saw the whole accident with her very eyes."

"So why didn't she stop the driver or get his license plate?"

"I don't know... maybe she was in shock at what happened to Mr. Kam..."

Joey didn't believe Carrie's recount of Rose's rendition of the accident, but she pretended she did and says, "She's lucky she wasn't hit as well."

"I was surprised when you showed up looking for him, saying you were his family," Carrie confesses.

"Why?"

"Mr. Kam never talked to anyone about his personal life and after he came back from his accident, it was like all he knew was Miss Suen..." She turns to Joey and asks, "You were saying, in the beginning, about a murder?"

Joey explains the situation with the murder in the boutique for Carrie and tells her about her suspicions. Carrie nods her head in understanding and then excuses herself from the table to use the bathroom.

[Bathroom]

Carrie made sure no one else was in the bathroom before she reached into her purse to fetch her cell phone. She quickly dials a number.

"Miss Suen, you'll never believe who's in Shanghai..." Carrie begins with a smirk.

chapter 154: prison breakthrough

[Shanghai, Hotel]

"Do we really have to check into a hotel first?" Joey (Bernice Liu) asks.

"I know you're in a rush, but we need a place to put our bags and freshen up first," Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) explains.

"You mean your suitcase," Joey emphasizes the word "your."

"If you told me the purpose of our trip here in the first place, I wouldn't have packed so much."

"Guys shouldn't pack that much regardless," Joey retorts.

"Will it be one room or two?" the hotel receptionist asked behind the desk.

"It will be-" Ah Biu begins to say when Joey interrupts and hastily shouts, "Two! Two separate rooms! We are not together."

Ah Biu shakes his head at Joey and laughs silently to himself. She blushes.

[Lobby]

Ah Biu was shocked to find Joey pacing near the elevator when he got out of it.

"What took you so long? I've been down here for at least five minutes already!" Joey scans Ah Biu and notices that his face was oil-free and the gel in his hair had yet to dry. "You washed your face and did your hair? We don't have time for that!"

"I'm representing the Hong Kong police force! I have to look good! I don't want to leave a bad impression and disgrace Hong Kong," Ah Biu defends himself.

"Let's go!" Joey grabs Ah Biu and rushes him out of the hotel.

[Taxi]

"When we get to the police station, you have to pretend to be a police officer too," Ah Biu instructs Joey.

"Huh? Why?"

"If you want to come with me to investigate, you best do as I tell you. Do you think they'd disclose confidential information to a regular citizen like you? Remember, we're going there as part of an investigation team looking into the murder. Hopefully, they will help us out and tell us what jail this 'Heung Hoi' is in."

Joey nods her head eagerly.

[Police Station]

"Hello, I'm Sek Biu from the police force in Hong Kong," Ah Biu holds out his police badge, "and this is my partner, Joey Wong. She accidentally left her badge at the hotel, but trust me, she's a fellow colleague as well." He then goes on to explain their case, "We're currently investigating a murder that was committed in Hong Kong a few days ago. We believe that there's a key witness in Shanghai, but the only problem is that he's in jail and we need your help in finding him. We'd really appreciate it if you could help us out."

The police officer led them to the office of their police chief. He explains Ah Biu's request to the chief.

The chief nods his head in understanding and tells Joey and Ah Biu to sit.

"Thank you so much for helping us," Ah Biu says.

"This person you are looking for, who is it?"

"His name is 'Heung Hoi.' He was committed maybe three months ago - for what crime we're not clear on. However, we do know for certain that he is in jail somewhere in Shanghai."

The chief smiles when a match comes up in the database. He shares the information with Ah Biu and Joey and then offered to give them a ride to the jail, which they gladly took.

[Prison]

Prisons are not pretty places to visit, regardless of the time of day. It was well into the night by the time Ah Biu and Joey reached the jail in which 'Ah Hoi' was supposedly detained. They got out of the police car and thanked the officer who drove them there and proceeded to walk into the main doors of the prison. Afterwards, they met with the warden to explain their case. After hearing them out, he took them to the visiting room and instructed two of his subordinates to fetch 'Ah Hoi.' He then left them to wait for 'Ah Hoi.'

Joey smiled as she sat in her chair, earnestly looking forward to meeting Ah Hoi's brother and finding out what she hoped would be answers. Although they were in a prison and watched by stern-looking police officers while they waited, Joey didn't feel an ounce of nervousness or fear.

When 'Ah Hoi' entered the room, Joey and Ah Biu's jaws dropped. They couldn't believe it. There he was - Ah Hoi (Michael Tong)! Although he sported a beard, the same exact facial structures as those of Ah Hoi were still there.

"This is impossible! He died, how come he's here now?" Joey thinks to herself.

He looked at them quizzically. For a few moments, there was silence with Joey and Ah Biu not knowing how to react. Finally, they collected themselves and cleared their throats.

"Mr. Heung, we're here to ask you some questions. We're police officers from Hong Kong," Ah Biu starts out.

"What is your name?" Joey asks.

"Heung Hoi," he answers in a bored manner.

"Funny," Ah Biu says, "That's the same name as our murder victim. What's even odder is that he looks exactly like you."

Upon hearing Ah Biu's words, his eyes lighted up. He looked at them earnestly as he asked, "W-w-what did you say?"

"The murder victim whom we've come to ask you about looks identical to you," Ah Biu repeats.

The man's eyes seemed to fill with shock and great grief.

"You're not 'Heung Hoi,' are you?" Joey inquires - although she already knew the answer.

"Of course I am! Why would I be doing time for a crime for someone else? I'm not an idiot!"

"Oh, stop lying!" Joey exclaims. "Heung Hoi died a few days ago. You're his brother, aren't you?"

"Miss, haven't you heard of people with the same name?"

"We have, but the same faces?" Ah Biu asks.

He looks nervously at the police officers surveying the visiting room.

Joey blurts out, "We know about your wife's death and that you were wrongly jailed instead of your brother!"

The man is stunned upon hearing what Joey said. "Who are you two?" he asked finally.

"We want to help you," Ah Biu says. "We know you've been wronged."

"However, we can't help you unless you tell us the truth."

After thinking it over for a few minutes, the man agrees. He cautiously and nervously says, "Actually, I'm not Heung Hoi. My name is Heung Wan. I'm Ah Hoi's twin brother."

"So that explains it," Ah Biu nods his head.

"Ah Hoi, my brother... is he really dead?"

Joey could sense the slight hope he held in his eyes. She didn't have the heart to confirm Ah Hoi's death, but she knew she had to, "I'm sorry. He was killed a few days ago."

"How can this happen?" Ah Wan is stunned. He lowers his head, fighting back the rush of emotions that surged through his body.

"I'm sorry, man." Ah Biu offers.

"What happened? Who did it?"

"We're not exactly sure... we're still investigating," Ah Biu says.

"H-h-how did he die?"

"It was a brutal murder. He had multiple stabs that lead to his demise and many post-mortem wounds as well," Ah Biu reports.

"Who could be so cruel? He was already dead and yet they continue to-" He stops in the middle of his sentence as a light shines in his eyes. "It was Miss Suen, wasn't it?" he abruptly asks.

Joey is surprised to hear him bring up Rose's (Kenix Kwok) name. "Miss Suen?"

"Yes! That bitch Suen Seung Sum." Ah Wan clenches his fist. "She caused so much suffering for my family."

"What did she do?" Joey asks. Her heart started to beat excitedly. She was finally going to get much-awaited answers on Rose.

"I can never forget everything she's done to my family."

"Tell us, what happened?" Joey urges.

"Ah Hoi was employed by the Suens, as a bodyguard back in 2001. I was really happy for him because the job was not an easy one to come by. I mean, come on, how sick is it that he gets to be a bodyguard for one of the wealthiest families in Shanghai? Then, last year, he told me he was offered a really sweet deal. He said he couldn't tell me what it was, but that after he did it, he wouldn't have to work for awhile. He sounded so excited. He said he was going to earn a quarter of a million dollars! I warned him not to do anything illegal. He just told me not to worry... so I trusted he knew what he was doing."

"Did he tell you what it was?"

Ah Wan shakes his head. "He didn't. He started acting really strangely afterwards though. He was very jumpy and nervous - very quiet and odd. Just a few days after that, I remember that he came home covered in sweat. He fumbled into his room and started packing. I asked him what was wrong. He said he had to leave... that his 'job' was done and it was part of the deal that he had to 'disappear.' He told me not to worry about him and that he would keep in touch. My wife and I tried to ask him to stay, but he wouldn't hear of it. He said that our lives as well as his would be in danger if he didn't leave. I could tell by his eyes that he was serious. So, I let him go. We didn't know what was going on...

"Just months after that, it was discovered that my wife had a tumor. We prayed to God that it was benign... but it wasn't. That was the most painful moment of my life. She's so young, you know? When every couple makes that wedding vow, they pray and hope that they can really be together until their heads are white. I couldn't believe it. There was my wife, a mere thirty years old... When Ah Hoi called us, I had to give him the bad news. He came home right away. He told us not to worry about money for my wife's treatment. He had a plan, he said. Since that time he did 'something' for 'someone,' he started to act very outlandishly. He refused to talk about it and I didn't press him about it. He said he was going to be gone for a few days, but that when he came back, he would have more than enough money for all expenses and said that we were going to help my wife fight the cancer. Again, I didn't know what he was doing."

"When he left, was this some time in November?"

"Yes, how did you know?" Ah Wan looks surprised.

"It was the first time I met him," Joey reveals. "He came to my company looking for Rose in November. She was not happy at all to see him. They arranged to meet secretly later that night. He hinted at two 'jobs' that he did for her. She revealed that she had paid him off for it... but now he was back for more money. She gave in, I think..."

"She did. He returned and showed me a check for half-a-million dollars."

"Wow. It must have been some secret she was desperate to keep quiet," Ah Biu comments.

"There was a trap to the check, wasn't there?" Joey asks.

"Why do you say that?" Ah Biu asks her.

"Well, Ah Wan here wouldn't be in jail pretending to be Ah Hoi if something wasn't wrong, right?"

"What happened that day was so crazy and confusing. We went to cash the check. The next thing I knew, I was arrested and they explained to me that Miss Suen had reported that I had assaulted her for money. I knew something had happened. Ah Hoi tried to butt in, but I stopped him. I knew it was trouble. As his big brother, I had to protect him. It wasn't long until I realized that they took me for my brother. He wanted to correct things and tell them that they had made a mistake, but I wouldn't let him-"

"So you ended up in jail instead of Ah Hoi," Joey finishes for Ah Wan.

He nods his head.

"It all makes sense now..." Joey muses.

"Last week, when he came to visit me," Ah Wan begins, "Ah Hoi told me some very disturbing things. He finally revealed to me what he had done for Miss Suen..."

Joey grows anxious upon hearing those words.

[Flashback]

Ah Hoi has a solemn look on his face. His eyes were swollen from crying. "Everything has been done for sister-in-law," he says quietly.

Ah Wan nods his head silently as the tears flow.

"Big brother, don't be too sad. She understands. She doesn't blame you."

"I blame myself. I didn't even have the chance to see her body for the last time before she was buried."

The redness in Ah Hoi's face intensifies. He grows furious. "It's all that bitch's fault. Everything would be so good if it wasn't for her."

"Miss Suen?"

"Don't call her that. She doesn't deserve it. She's a bitch."

"Little brother, actually... I really don't understand. What did she do?"

Ah Hoi closes his eyes and exhales loudly before continuing. "Remember what happened a year ago? When I told you I would earn a quarter of a million dollars? I was acting really strange?"

Ah Wan nods his head.

"You always wondered and tried to ask me, but I refused to tell you. The truth is, I had a deal with Miss Suen. She hired me to be a hit man." Seeing the alarmed look on his brother's face, he quickly says, "Oh no! She didn't tell me to kill anyone." Ah Wan breathes a sigh of relief. "Actually... what she wanted was something much harder. If only it had been as simple as killing a man, but it wasn't. She wanted me to induce a head trauma on another man." He laughs. "It's so ridiculous now that I think about it. She wanted me to... by causing him to be in a car accident... to lose all of his memories. Yes, it's bizarre, I know. That bitch is crazy."

"That's the silliest thing I've ever heard. Let's not even consider whether he has amnesia as a result of the accident or not, but how does she know he will survive the trauma?"

"It always works in series..." Ah Hoi says sarcastically.

"I'm aware. But in real life, how can someone play between the lines of life and death like that?"

"Bitch is crazy, bro." Ah Hoi shakes his head. "She wanted to erase his memories so that she could become his girlfriend."

"Sick." Ah Wan shakes his head. "So what happened?"

"Well, she instructed me to crash into the rear of their car and then drive off. However, it didn't work out. He got out with just superficial wounds, but she," he laughs, "Bitch got what was coming to her and ended up having to get stitches. I was so scared after I came home from it... I didn't know if it had succeeded or not, but I got part of the money she promised, so I didn't care. I received a call shortly later from her... she said it had failed. She quickly plotted a second trial."

"She played with fire and still isn't afraid of getting burned."

"She won't stop until she gets what she wants."

"A few days later, she arranged for me to hit him while he was in the streets. I drove up as planned, but then someone suddenly rushed out. I heard him roll across the car. I heard her scream... I was so scared. Sweat literally covered my body. My heart felt like it wanted to beat out of my chest. The possibility that I had killed a man was very real. She saw me. I drove off. I hurriedly got home... so shaken. You saw me. I was a mess. I received a call from her. She told me to meet her outside of the hospital, where she'd give me the rest of the sum and told me to 'disappear' immediately afterwards otherwise the consequences would be beyond anything I could imagine."

Ah Wan frowns in sympathy at his troubled brother as he watched Ah Hoi tremble and sob. "Oh, little brother..."

[End of Flashback]

Joey was in shock hearing exactly what it was that Rose had hired Ah Hoi to do. She couldn't believe it. She knew that somehow Rose had plotted to erase Ah Nin's memories, but for it to have happened to such a horrific and daring measure... she couldn't believe it.

"He then told me how he was going to go to Hong Kong to seek revenge for us. I told him not to, but he wouldn't listen. He had lost faith in life. She broke him. The experience ruined any chance of a future he had. He thought nothing but of his grief and how everything had been destroyed because of what she told him to do. I can't believe... it ended up with his death." Ah Wan sobs. "He's so silly!" He recollects himself and pleads to Joey and Ah Biu, "Please help him get justice."

Joey smiles, "Don't worry. Thank you for your help. It was just what we needed."

chapter 153: enjoy the company

[Wong Family House]

Joey (Bernice Liu) had just finished packing her bags when Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) called her. She leaves the zipper half-way closed as she reaches for her phone on her table.

"What is it?" she asks.

Ah Biu laughs. "Joey, Joey, Joey. Every time I talk to you, you always ask me what my agenda is. I thought we're friends now?"

"We are..." Joey says hesitantly, "But I still need to know what you want when you call me."

"If I called you only when I needed something, then I wouldn't be such a good friend, now would I? In fact, I would be called a 'user.' You wouldn't want to be friends with someone like that, now would you? True friends call for no reason at all."

"You know how to talk your way out of everything, don't you? So, what's up?"

"I wanted to ask if you're ready."

"Yeah."

"Good. What time should I come to pick you up at your house?"

"What?" Joey freaks out. "You don't have to come here!"

"Whoa! Calm down. I take it you don't want me to meet my future in-laws. What's there to be afraid of? I'm sure I'll charm them."

"We'll meet up at the airport. I'll see you in a few hours." Joey quickly hangs up and turns her phone off. If Ah Biu showed up at her house, she knew that 7th sister (Teresa Ha) and her father (Lau Dan) would be all over her with questions. She didn't need that, no, not with Ah Biu involved. She herself didn't even know what their exact relationship was, so how was she to explain herself to her family?

[Airport]

"Are you here yet?" Joey asks Ah Biu once he answered his phone.

"That's cold, what you did."

Joey presses her lips together. "I know I was wrong. I know. I'm sorry."

"You didn't even say 'bye.' What was worse was that you didn't have to turn your phone off."

"You're so persistent. I was afraid that if I didn't end the call then, you would talk your way into coming somehow."

"And what's so wrong about that? I just wanted to save you the trouble of getting here. Besides, my car is so cool. You'd look good in it with me."

"If you drove us here, who would drive your car back?"

"That's not a problem. You just didn't want to be seen with me. I don't know why you want to go away with me."

"Are you here yet or not?" Joey asks again.

"I'm starting to think it was a bad idea to befriend you. You just deal with me when you need something. That's messed up. You're not a user, are you?"

"Stop playing around!"

Joey feels a tap on her shoulder. She turns around to find Ah Biu facing her.

"I'm here." He smiles and hangs up the phone.

Joey stares at him in disbelief. He had a suitcase with him and was looking like he was about to go on a long vacation.

He waves his hands in front of her eyes. "You taken aback by how attractive I am or something? It hasn't been that long since we last saw each other. I mean, I know I look good and all, but I've left an impression with you already, so why are you stunned by my appearance?"

"What do you think you're doing? What's with the luggage? I only have a small duffel bag!" Joey holds it up for him to see.

"Uh, you asked me to accompany you to Shanghai, so I packed."

"Yes, but I never said it was a holiday!"

Ah Biu is confused. "Isn't this our romantic getaway?"

"You've got it wrong! We're going to Shanghai on a business-related manner."

"Huh? Last time I checked, we're not colleagues. How is this business oriented?"

"You know about my 'situation!'"

"The one that's keeping you from loving me?"

Joey sighs. "I don't know how many times-"

Ah Biu laughs, "Okay, okay, I'll be serious. What is this little trip about exactly?"

"I want to see if we can find any new information about the murder," Joey half-admits.

"Hold up. Since when did you join the police force? It's not your concern-"

"Ah Biu, I explained to you how important this is to me. If I don't get to the truth of the matter-"

"Yes, yes, I know."

"Are you still willing to go?"

"Of course. I said it already, for you, I'd do anything. It's dangerous traveling alone - let alone investigating by yourself."

Joey smiles.

"Man, I am so bummed. And I was anticipating sight-seeing and exquisite Shanghai meals!" He pretends to groan. "But no, I'm going to be 'working!'"

[Airplane]

Joey felt her heart pace as the plane left the ground. She was actually going back to Shanghai - to the place where her heart had been broken nearly half-a-year ago when she discovered Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) had forgotten all about "them" and had first met Rose (Kenix Kwok). She wasn't sure exactly what she'd find or how she would find it, but she was certain that she'd find something - she had to. "The heavens are on my side," she says to herself.

"Do you have any specific plans once we arrive?" Ah Biu asks.

Joey blinks a few times before returning to reality. "I'm sorry. I was-"

"Deep in thought, I know. You're always thinking about something. Man, I can't wait for all of this to be over. I hate how you're always contemplating something."

"Oh, I want this to be over more than you do. I really do. Life isn't supposed to be this complicated!"

"Unfortunately, it is."

Joey sighs. "Actually, I don't know what we're going to do exactly."

"You're making me miss a couple days of pay for random nothingness?!" Ah Biu teases. "Come on, Joey, you must have a game plan."

Joey thinks for a few moments before answering him. "First, we're going to visit the jail."

"The jail?! Man, this trip is becoming worse and worse."

"I... I want to find someone."

"You have a family member in jail?"

Joey shakes her head. "No, not at all. In fact, I don't even know this person. I don't even know what he looks like. I just know his name."

"Oh, who is it?"

"Heung Hoi."

Ah Biu blinks in surprise. "Erm, Joey, he was killed a few days ago. You should know. You were at the crime scene, albeit unconscious." He laughs.

"Yes, the real 'Heung Hoi' is dead, but his brother is still serving time in his place in the jail."

"You lost me again."

"I'm not sure exactly what happened myself... I just know there's a Heung Hoi there and we have to find him."

"This is getting stranger by the minute."

"I'm sorry to have drawn you into this mess."

Ah Biu places his hand on top of Joey's. "It's okay. Don't worry. I'm here for you. You're not in this alone. We'll get to the bottom of this."

Joey returns his statement with a smile. She didn't withdraw her hand from his this time. In fact, she enjoyed the company.

chapter 152: unblessed

[Temple - Stairs]

Every year before the New Year came greeting the Kams, they would go to the temple to pray. In this particular year, Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) was more than eager to go. With all the recent events that had been happening to her family leading up to the New Year, she was very worried. It was bad luck to enter a new year with so many traumatic baggages.

However, they weren't the only family in Hong Kong who had such an agenda. The temple was very crowded with many other families wishing to do the same things as the Kams. The New Year period was always very busy and hectic. Usually, the Kams would be as cheerful and talkative as the other families, but with so many things bogging down on them, they found it hard to chat frivolously this year.

Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) could sense the tension and worry in Nim Chi's face as they were walking up the temple stairs. "Ma Chi, relax! The heavens are on our side."

Nim Chi is skeptical. "I don't know if we've done something really wrong, but recently-"

Ah Nin ushers her to stop. "Say no more. The New Year is coming. Why do you have to keep mentioning the bad news of last year? It's going to be a fresh start soon. Everything will be good again. You just wait and see."

Nim Chi smiles at Ah Nin. He always knew the right things to say to cheer her up. Out of all four children, Nim Chi felt a special fondness for Ah Nin. He had always been so wise beyond his years. In a way, Nim Chi felt that he was a bit too serious. However, without him, Nim Chi couldn't imagine how she could have gotten through all those years.

Her eldest son, Ah Sing (Hawick Lau), used to be very playful, but since Fiona's (Sherming Yiu) situation had come about, he had lost his joking ways. He was solemn and quiet. Nim Chi gives him a slight pinch. He is startled at first, but then gives her a smile. It was going to be tough, but she was sure he could make it through. She still felt uneasy about leaving Fiona at the mental institution, but she trusted her son's decision. Besides, dealing with Fiona that one day when she called her "fat maid" had been more than enough.

"Oh my god! Why are there so many stairs?" Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu) complains. She and Ah Yuet (Michael Tse) were carrying Fu jai and Gwai mui in their arms while Ah Hong (Johnny Tang) and Ah Yat (Joyce Chen) carried Foon Foon and Hei Hei on their backs.

"Heaven is up high. If a temple was down low, it won't be holy, isn't that right?" Gam (Louis Yuen) laughs.

"It is so tiring..." Ah Lo breathes heavily.

"Second sister-in-law, aren't you the one who always says you're so in shape? Don't tell me you're out of breath already!" Ah Yat says as she breathes rapidly.

"You're out of breath too!"

"Foon Foon is far heavier than Gwai mui."

"You two would have more energy if you shut your mouths!" Nim Chi scolds.

Ah Lo and Ah Yat make faces at each other.

After all those stairs, they finally make it to the temple grounds. They exhale a sigh of relief. Ah Lo looks back down at the stairs going down and groans. She didn't want to think about the flight down.

[Temple - Interior]

Nim Chi was down on bended knees in front of the golden Goddess of Mercy statue. Her hands are pressed tightly together as she prays to her. "Goddess of Mercy above, please have some pity on this old soul. My family has been through a lot recently. I will trade anything if happiness could return to our house." Tears wallow in Nim Chi's eyes.

Ah Nin's heart breaks watching his mother pray and sob silently. "Please grant my mother her wishes and bless my family," he prays.

Nim Chi bows her head three times to complete her prayers and then walks over to place the incense sticks in the huge golden incense collector. She dabs her eyes to stop any tears from dropping. It was supposed to be a happy event - no tears were allowed.

Rose (Kenix Kwok) didn't believe in the heavens, let alone prayers. She only believed in herself. However, she pretended to pray and thought to herself, "This is so ridiculous. Look at all these low class, pathetic people here praying like they think this will help them. Please!"

Ah Sing closes his eyes as he prays to the heavens above, "I'm begging you, please heal Fiona. My wife is innocent. She doesn't deserve to be treated like this. I will gladly trade places with her if need be. Please rescue her."

Ying Gei (Yvonne Lam) prays, "Please let this new year be fruitful for my family. Please grant me a child."

Gam says silently, "You want to keep enjoying the incense and offerings to keep you full right? Then, please give us a child. If we're childless, there will be one less person to bring offerings to you in the future, isn't that right? All we want is one..."

Ah Hong prays, "Heaven above, please allow only prosperity and happiness to enter our family."

"I hope everyone's wishes come true. Please let justice, wealth, health, and happiness flow through all of Hong Kong," Ah Yat says to the statue of Buddha.

"Ah Yuet! Hurry up," Ah Lo whines as she looks after all four of their kids. "How much do you have to pray for?"

Ah Yuet bows his head and then turns towards his wife. "With my wife involved, I have to pray for the whole world," he smiles. "It's your turn now."

"Finally!" Ah Lo quickly gets down onto her knees and prays, "May next year bring wealth to my family. I hope everyone is wealthy and may all wishes be granted. Please guide and aid my kids in their growth."

Everyone met up after they were done praying.

"Let's get our fortunes told now!" Ah Lo exclaims.

Ying Gei nods her head, "Yes! That's a good idea."

"Hopefully we will all get good fortunes," Ah Hong smiles.

Rose finds herself wanting to roll her eyes, but she has to suppress it. "Oh my god. This is so ridiculous. As if praying wasn't bad enough... now fortune telling? Give me a break! My future is held within my hand. I don't need a con-artist to tell me what my future holds."

[Half-a-Day God's Booth]

"Happy New Year!" Half-a-Day God (Robert Siu) greets the Kams when they approach his booth.

"Half-a-Day God," Nim Chi smiles at him as she sits down opposite of him.

"Auntie Chi, something's odd about you today," he says. She looks at him quizzically. "There are black clouds hovering over your head. Even though you smile, you're not happy inside."

Nim Chi bites her lips. "Well, yes..."

"Big things have happened to your family recently and changed everything, haven't they?"

She silently nods her head.

Half-a-Day God glances at the rest of the family. "Hmm... it seems like the black clouds are hovering over everyone." He notices Rose. "Oh, who is this? The clouds are especially thick with you."

"She's my future daughter-in-law," Nim Chi says. "Her name is Rose. She's going to marry Ah Nin."

"If I'm not mistaken, you were recently engaged in something that caused you to bleed?"

Nim Chi gasps. "Yes. She was a victim at a murder scene."

Rose laughs nervously at Half-a-Day God, "My bad streak ends here, right?"

Half-a-Day God shakes his head. "The black clouds are so heavy around and behind you. I sense a ring of injustice..."

Ah Lo whispers to Ah Yuet, "I told you she was guilty."

Nim Chi asks, "Isn't there any way we can help her?"

"These things are controlled by the heavens."

Rose bends down and says to Nim Chi, "Don't worry, I don't believe in these things."

"Will Ah Nin's marriage be smooth?" Nim Chi asks.

Half-a-Day God takes a look at Ah Nin's palm. He nods his head. "Yes, he will have a very fruitful and long marriage."

Rose grins and hugs Ah Nin, "Finally some good news."

Ah Lo rolls her eyes, "I thought you don't believe in 'these' things."

"No, but it doesn't hurt to listen when it's good," Rose retorts.

Half-a-Day God continues, "However..."

"What?"

"He will have a blood-shedding event in the near future and see the insides of two unpleasant places."

Nim Chi gasps, "Oh my god."

"But," Half-a-Day God continues, "After that, things will be very good."

"What places are they?" Ah Nin questions.

"I can't reveal heavenly truth."

"You will for money, though, isn't that right?" Gam laughs.

He turns to Gam and says, "Hmm... things aren't that good for you either, right?"

Ying Gei chimes in, "Oh my god, you're amazing. We are having trouble having a child."

Gam hushes Ying Gei, "The world doesn't need to know!"

Half-a-Day God snickers.

Gam is angry. "Just because we're facing a little difficulty doesn't mean we'll never have one. Unlike you, who can never have any."

"Gam Gam, calm down. He didn't mean anything by it. Half-a-Day God, we will have a child, right?"

He takes a look at both of their palms. Finally, he says, "The line for children for both of you is very faint-"

Ying Gei frowns.

"However, this isn't to say that it's hopeless." He pats her hand. "The heavens are good to those who deserve it."

"What about us?" Ah Lo jumps in.

He observes Ah Lo and Ah Yuet and then says, "Someone will appear and this person will cause everything to change."

"Huh?" Ah Yuet is confused.

"Don't tell me second sister-in-law is going to be pregnant again. God. She's like a pig that won't stop," Ah Yat rolls her eyes.

"Half-a-Day God, can you clarify that?" Ah Lo asks.

"Heavenly truth cannot be revealed," is his answer.

"Well, what's her fortune then?" Ah Lo points to Ah Yat.

"Ay, second sister-in-law, you are so small-minded. Just because you got a bad fortune, you think I will get one too? Half-a-Day God, what is my fortune?" Ah Yat asks.

"I see a lot of success in your future-"

"See?" Ah Yat smirks.

"But, whether there's happiness along with it is questionable."

"Huh?"

Ah Lo laughs. "Success without happiness? A pity."

"Well, it's better than having my life completely change." Ah Yat smiles.

"Ah Sing, don't you want your fortune told?" Nim Chi asks her sullen son.

He shakes his head. "No thanks."

Nim Chi notices Half-a-Day God looking at Ah Sing in a weird way. "Have you predicted something about Ah Sing?"

"He doesn't want to hear it."

"Is it good news or bad?"

"It depends."

Nim Chi frowns. "Half-a-Day God, do you have no happy news for us?"

"If you want to hear lies of false happiness, you can go see the other fortune tellers. I only speak the truth as told to me from the heavens."

She sighs. "I don't know what bad luck our family has run into."

"Auntie Chi, don't be so depressed and hopeless. Where there's a will, there's a way."

"Thank you, Half-a-Day God." She hands him a lucky money packet. "Happy New Year."

[Temple - Exterior]

"Ma Chi, don't be so down," Ah Nin urges. "We all know that fortune tellers aren't trust-worthy."

"That's right, that Half-a-Day God is a scum," Gam agrees.

"I know I shouldn't take his words too seriously, but he knew so much about our family and what happened recently. Besides, we've known him for so long... he's good. It's better to be safe than sorry, so I can't help but worry about what he said," Nim Chi explains.

"Auntie Chi, we control our own lives. I don't believe it's prewritten," Rose says.

"Yes, don't be upset, Ma Chi," Ah Yuet says.

"I suppose we'll just have to take things as they come," Nim Chi concludes.

Even if they refused to believe Half-a-Day God's words, the Kams couldn't help but be bothered by them and consumed into thoughts and speculations on what they meant and how true they would or could be.

chapter 151: insanity's contagious

[Ng Sau's Apartment]

Ah Sing (Hawick Lau) waited patiently outside of Ng Sau's (Albert Lo) apartment door. He couldn't stay with his family because there were no open rooms in the Kams' overcrowded 8A apartment. Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) had offered to share her room with him, but the idea of sharing a room with his mother long-term wasn't something that he wanted. Ah Sing had no other home to return to besides that of Sau's.

Sau opens the door after a few moments. "Ah Sing?"

"Uncle Sau!" he smiles widely. He quickly puts his arms across Sau's shoulders and lets himself into the apartment, closing the door behind them.

"What? What is this?"

He plops himself onto the couch and turns on the television.

"Ah Sing, what are you doing?"

"I live here. What's with the shock?"

Sau raises his eyebrow in suspicion. "Wasn't it you who stormed out of my house and said that I was no good?"

"I apologize for my rash behavior... but to be fair, you did kick me out. How did you expect me to react?"

"There was no need for you to get nasty." Sau folds his arms. "I'm upset now."

"Uncle Sau, don't be so small-minded! We go far back. If things had been good, we might even have become in-laws!"

"What?" Sau yells. "Me being an in-law with that fat woman? Please!"

Ah Sing coughs, "In any case, I'm back."

"What about..."

Ah Sing knew that Sau wanted to ask him about Fiona (Sherming Yiu), so he stops him before he has the chance to. "Don't worry. She won't bother you again. You can have as many ladies over as you want. It's just us two. It's like our own bachelor pad."

"Are you okay?" Sau becomes worried.

"I'm fine! Don't tell me you don't welcome this old friend anymore."

Sau shakes his head slowly. "It's just that... you seemed to have changed so fast. The last time I talked to you, you were so determined to keep Fiona around and help her get better. Now you're here acting so free-"

"Insanity isn't a disease that is transmitted from people to people!" Ah Sing laughs. "You can feel my head. I'm perfectly normal."

"Stop joking."

Ah Sing sighs. He quietly says, "Fiona is getting professional help."

"You put her away?"

He nods his head slowly. "That's what you wanted, isn't it?" He exhales loudly, jumps up, and then makes his way into his bedroom.

Sau follows him. "Ah Sing, you-"

"You don't have to say anything, Uncle Sau. You don't have to worry. I know what I'm doing. Fiona will get better. They can help her. I'm not competent enough to." He forces a tight smile. "In no time, she'll be back and things will be normal and then you'll complain about us being so noisy."

Sau just looks at Ah Sing with a reserved look, but eventually says, "I hope so too."

"Good night."

[Kam Family Apartment]

Ah Yuet (Michael Tse), Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu), Ah Yat (Joyce Chen), Ah Hong (Johnny Tang), Gam (Louis Yuen), and Ying Gei (Yvonne Lam) met up secretly around midnight in the living room. They were still startled over how quickly things had changed in the Kam household. Ah Sing and Rose (Kenix Kwok) had returned home like nothing ever happened.

"This is so strange," Ah Yat asserts.

"Thank you for the news flash," Ah Lo rolls her eyes.

"In other news, Lam Yuk Lo is still as bitchy as ever," Ah Yat smirks.

"Hey, hey! No bickering. You don't want to wake Ma Chi and them," Ah Yuet says.

"I just can't believe what's happening to our family," Ying Gei sighs. "First, Fiona goes crazy. Now it's like everyone has gone nuts with her! Auntie Chi, Ah Sing, and Rose are all acting like everything is still the same."

"Maybe insanity is a contagious disease after all!" Gam laughs.

"Things used to be so simple," Ying Gei continues.

"Yes, as simple as you Einstein." Gam teases.

"Where did things go wrong? Big brother and Rose were going to get married and live happily ever after, having beautiful children. Ah Sing and Fiona were so happy and good together. I don't understand why the heavens had to rip them apart," Ah Yat muses.

"Maybe things were never that perfect from the start," Ah Hong suggests.

"In the past week, our family has been through so much," Ah Yuet agrees.

"TVB could use the events of our lives for their scripts! Heaven knows this is far more interesting," Gam jokes.

"It's like Fiona never existed," Ah Hong says.

"Well, to be honest, she was never that open or close to any of us," Ah Lo says. "I can't say I miss her."

"That's so mean! How can you say that?" Ah Yat asks.

"Oh, don't you play saint with me. You don't even know what her last name is!" Ah Lo retorts.

"Do you?"

"Of course... not. That is why I don't miss her. How can I miss someone who I didn't know well?"

"Honey, stop talking like that," Ah Yuet whispers in her ear.

"What? It's the truth! No one in this family was close to her. She was distant to all of us."

"Fiona's life is really pitiful. She has lost her royalty, her family, and now her mind. I don't know how she will be able to live the rest of her life..." Ah Hong sighs.

"Yes, it is a sad situation," Ah Lo agrees, "but I am not too greatly effected."

"Second brother, I once again suggest you divorce this cold-blooded, heartless wretch," Ah Yat whispers to Ah Yuet.

"Rose's life is sad too," Ying Gei comments. "She just wanted to go try out wedding dresses and ended up being in a hostage situation."

"Sad? Please! She's had nothing to worry about her whole life. She has a silver spoon in her mouth. She gets whatever she wants," Ah Lo argues.

"Maybe everyone is suffering from post-traumatic disorder," Ah Yuet says.

"What's that?" Ying Gei asks.

"It's something that happens after someone experiences a traumatic event such as a natural disaster or accident. In Ah Sing's case, he's suffering from the lost of his wife mentally. Rose is suffering from a hostage situation and experiencing a murder. Ma Chi is suffering from the tragedies our family has had to face recently..."

Everyone gives a sigh after hearing what Ah Yuet had to say.

"Do you guys really believe Rose is innocent?" Ah Lo says abruptly.

"Second sister-in-law, we know you're against Rose, but is it really necessary for you to keep questioning her integrity over and over again?" Ah Yat asks.

"Besides, the law says that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, isn't that right?" Gam states.

"If people didn't question, the truth will never be out. Our justice system seeks the truth, so I'm not doing anything wrong," Ah Lo defends herself.

"But Rose says that that man attempted to rape and kill her... and Michael (Kevin Cheng) also confessed to the murder..." Ah Hong says.

"Ever heard of lying?" Ah Lo asks matter-of-factly.

"But why would you lie about something like that? Why would someone ever admit to murder when they didn't do it?" Ying Gei asks.

"Michael works for Rose. That's enough to question his confession." Ah Lo answers.

"That is true..." Ah Yuet nods his head slowly.

"Second brother! Whose side are you on?" Ah Yat asks.

Ah Lo glares at him. "Of course I am on my wife's side! But most importantly, I'm on the side for justice."

"But you two are saying that Rose is the real murderer..." Ah Hong rubs his chin.

Ying Gei shrieks. "That means we're living with a murderer and Ah Nin is going to marry a murderer! This is really bad."

"Hold up," Ah Yat holds her hand out. "Rose hasn't been convicted yet and there's no evidence to suggest she killed..."

"What the hell did that Rose feed you that makes you defend her so much?" Ah Lo asks. "There wasn't anyone else at the crime scene besides Rose and Michael. There's something fishy between them and the murderer is no other than one of the two... maybe both. Joey was unconscious and that sales girl was captive," she insists.

"We have to look at things from all different angles. Justice won't prevail if everyone is biased one way as opposed to the other."

"If Rose really killed... we can't let her get away with it," Ah Yuet says frankly.

Abruptly, they heard footsteps coming from the inside hallway leading from the bedrooms into the dining and living rooms. It was Rose. She was wiping her eyes and exclaimed, "What's going on here? A family meeting?" She had heard them when they walked out of their bedrooms and she had been listening secretly the whole time.

They are started to see her as they watch her make her way to the couch to join them.

"R-Rose," Ah Yuet greets.

She smiles at them. "What's everyone talking about?"

Ah Lo blurts out, "We're talking about you!"

Everyone stares at her in shock. How could she dare to anger a likely murderer?

Rose gives a surprised look and laughs girlishly. "Oh? What is it about?"

"We're upset that you went wedding dress shopping without us!" Ah Lo laughs sheepishly.

That was not the answer Rose had expected. She looks at everyone quizzically.

"That's right!" Ah Yat chimes in. "We are so upset. Don't you want us to look our best at your wedding?"

"Right, right! We want to have pretty dresses too!" Ying Gei adds.

Rose just giggles at them. "Oh, you guys are so silly."

Ah Yat laughs nervously, "What do you mean future big sister-in-law?"

"I'm having personally-made, absolutely gorgeous dresses made for you three. My company in Shanghai is sending them over and you'll receive them soon," Rose informs.

"Wah! Is that so?" Ying Gei asks.

"Yes. I won't treat my future sisters-in-laws and aunt-in-law poorly."

Ah Lo coughs, "It's late. Let's get to bed."

Everyone begins to huddle up to leave the living room when Rose asks, "You all believe I'm innocent right?"

They're startled by the question but look back and give her nervous smiles as they stuttered, "Y-y-es, o-of c-c-course we do."

The silent and dim light of night illuminates the tears that fall from her eyes. She smiles warmly. "Thank you."

"Good night!" They rush into their rooms to leave Rose sitting on the couch, staring out at the night sky. She wipes her cheeks and smirks, "Stupid Kams."

chapter 150: white doves

[Wong Family House]

It was midnight by the time Joey (Bernice Liu) returned home. She anticipated that the living room would be empty, but instead, her father was sitting on the couch and the television was on. However, "The Walk of Dispassion" still saw no viewers and had put Wong Sheung (Lau Dan) to sleep. Joey smiles looking at him sleep. She quietly tiptoes over to turn off the TV.

The moment the television was turned off, Wong Sheung jumps up. Joey is startled by the sudden jerk and jumps back. "Daddy! Are you okay?"

"What are you doing? I was watching that!" he scolds her.

"Please. No one watches 'The Walk of Dispassion' even though TVB put millions into it. That's why it's aired at midnight... it helps people to fall asleep," Joey teases. She sits herself down next to Wong Sheung and asks, "How come you're not in your bedroom?"

"I just got back from a hot date!" Wong Sheung answers.

Joey looks at him knowingly. "You're in your pajamas. What kind of date was it?" She playfully teases, "Don't tell me that my father has resorted to the 'sleeping' dates."

"All right, all right... I fold," he says. "I was waiting for you to come back."

"I'm a big girl. You don't have to worry about me."

Wong Sheung looks at his daughter seriously. "I know what happened."

Joey gives him a puzzled look. "Huh? What happened?"

"Are you okay?"

"Daddy... I'm fine."

He frowns at her. "The 'Ka Yan' employees talk. I know about the murder at 'White Dreams' last night."

"Oh." Joey frowns slightly. She had wanted to conceal the information about her being at "White Dreams" last night when Ah Hoi was murdered so that her father wouldn't worry, but leave it to the gossipy "Ka Yan" employees to let all of Hong Kong know.

"Come on, daughter, talk to me."

"It's okay, really!" Joey insists. Seeing that her father wasn't satisfied with her answer, she continues, "I'm sorry that you had to find out about it from other people. I didn't want you to worry, so I tried to keep it from you."

"I was so surprised when I heard the employees talking today. When your name came up, I couldn't believe it. Could such a thing happen to my own daughter and I didn't even know about it? It's so ridiculous."

"It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal? Daughter, it was a traumatic event! People can suffer mental disorders from such things."

"Your daughter isn't crazy!" Joey says.

All of a sudden, Wong Sheung gives Joey a tight hug. "I could never forgive myself if something ever happened to you. After your mother left, you were the only thing that kept me focused in life. I can't lose you. I know I'm not a very good father. I'm so wrapped up in my own life that I don't care for you. I'm sorry."

"That's nonsense! You're the best father to me. Heck, you could replace Paul Chun and star in 'Family Man!'" Joey smiles. She continues, "Besides, nothing happened to me last night. I was unconscious during the whole murder. I don't know what happened..." Her father had learned about her presence at the crime scene, but Joey didn't feel it was necessary to tell him about the gory details that Ah Mun (Nancy Wu) had made clear to her that night.

Wong Sheung looks at his daughter unconvinced, but nevertheless he says, "It's so good that nothing happened."

Joey grins widely. "Of course nothing will happen to me! Mommy is up in heaven looking after me. She won't let anything happen."

Upon the mention of Joey's mom, there's a look of unpleasantness on Wong Sheung's face. He seems irritated almost.

"Daddy? What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing... Yes, I'm sure your mommy is looking after you." Almost as if he was eager to not talk about her mother, Wong Sheung changes the subject and says, "7th sister told me that you went out on a date tonight."

"Um..."

"There's no denying it. Look at you all dressed up!"

"All right, I confess. I did have a dinner at 'La-Go-Go' tonight, but it's not what you think."

"Was it with a boy?"

Joey nods her head slowly.

"Then it was a date." Wong Sheung says simply.

"Daddy! Your thinking is so old-fashioned. Can't a guy and girl just have dinner and be only friends?"

"If so, you wouldn't have gotten dressed up."

"It's a fancy place!" Joey defends herself. "You don't want your daughter to embarrass you at such a place, right?"

"Who is he?"

"It's nothing serious, daddy. If it were, I would tell you, but it's not."

"Since when was my daughter such a player?"

Joey laughs. "Since I inherited your genes."

Wong Sheung smiles. "It's okay. You've been through a lot with Chris. It's good that you're moving on finally."

She grows silent upon the mention of Ah Nin (Frankie Lam). "Y-yes."

"All right, I won't pry into your business anymore. Why don't we head up for bed?"

"Wait! Daddy, I have something to ask."

"Again? You asked for a favor this morning. Now you want one again tonight? You greedy girl!"

"I am your princess!" Joey smiles. "I need the next few days off."

"What? What's wrong?"

She shakes her head. "Nothing's the matter. I want to go on a trip for a while to get away from Hong Kong."

Wong Sheung frowns. "You're not planning on leaving me again are you? The last time you said that, you were gone for years 'vacationing' in England. You've been back for less than a year. You can't leave so soon."

"No. It's nothing like that. I want to go to Shanghai for a short trip."

He's surprised. "Shanghai? Why would you want to go there again?" He remembers Joey's plead to go to Shanghai five months ago to find Ah Nin.

"You've said it yourself! I just experienced a traumatic event! I need to get away and relax," Joey fibs.

Wong Sheung sighs. He could tell that his daughter was keeping a lot of things from him, but he can do nothing but grant her request. "Okay. But Joey, when and if you ever want to talk, I'm here."

Joey hugs her father. "I know."

[Joey's Bedroom]

That night, Joey had a dream. It was one she had whenever she thought about her situation with Ah Nin.

[Dream]

Joey and her clone sat together on a white park bench.

Clone Joey smiles brightly and declares, "Finally! We can take down Rose (Kenix Kwok)."

Joey nods her head slowly.

"What's the matter with you? You waited all these months and now you have proof against her. Why aren't you happier? You said that you knew there was something fishy going on. The slip up in the bathroom, the strange encounter with Ah Hoi, and yesterday's murder... What more do you need?"

"I know, I know!" Joey barks.

"God. What is wrong with you?"

"I know that I've waited all these months. I know that..."

"So why aren't you celebrating?"

"Because I'm scared!"

"Oh my god. Scared of what?"

"I don't know what to do next..."

"You're going to rip off her fake botoxed face and show Chris who she really is."

"But how?" Joey covers her face and runs her hands through her hair. "I don't know what to do. I waited and prayed... Now that heaven has finally answered and given me the evidence I need to move forward, I find myself not knowing how to move onwards. I don't... I... I can't."

Clone Joey slaps her. "You need to snap out of this. You were indecisive when you didn't know the truth and now that you do know it, you still don't know what to do! I can't believe I'm you. You are such an embarrassment. All you do is wallow around in self-pity."

"It's hard and complicated. You don't know anything!"

Clone Joey grunts. "What do you want?"

"You make it sound so easy. What? I just go and expose Rose and then Chris will believe me and I'll be in his arms again? She's conniving and clever. She won't slip up so easily. It took me five months to get to this point. Do you think she will really expose herself that easily? What if she uses the situation and turns him against me? What if she says I'm framing her? What if this causes Chris to misunderstand me and we grow even further apart?"

"You love contemplating the word 'if,' don't you? That's all you ever do."

"That's how you make a decision. You really don't know anything."

"I am you."

Joey ignores her clone and looks up at the clear blue skies. "If only my world was this clear. I feel so helpless. I don't know what to do."

"You're going to Shanghai, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Then you already have a plan. Stop saying you don't."

"I don't know what to do when I'm there!"

"You do. I know you do. Joey, you need to stop being like this. I told you a million times before. You're not this vulnerable and you're not this weak. You're strong and smart. You can fight. You can overcome the evilness that is Rose."

"How can you just define and label her as evil?"

"She brainwashed Chris. She killed Ah Hoi. Is she still a saint? Those are pretty damning sins to me."

"But we don't know the whole truth."

"You know enough to know she's not good."

"I know. I have to find out what exactly happened. I can't lose Chris for such an unclear reason. I have to know... for my sake and his."

Clone Joey beams. "Yes! This is the fire that you need to keep."

As Joey stands up to stretch, she inhales the fresh air and sees white doves flying over her head through the blues skies.

[End of Dream]

chapter 149: stand by it

[Sze Family Mansion]

Ah San (Steven Ma) and Ah Lam (Linda Chung) were situated in their splendid king-sized bed of their master suite. Although they shared a bed, they were separated once again, this time by Ah Gan (Ron Ng).

He was laughing hysterically at "Gai Dai Foon Siu" while she tried to drown her worries by reading a magazine. No matter how hard she tried though, Ah Lam couldn't concentrate on her reading. Perhaps it was because of "Gai Dai Foon Siu" and its always-loud volume of hysteria, but in any case, she snapped. She grabs the remote from the night dresser and turns off the TV.

Ah San was wiping a tear that came out from laughing so hard. It takes him a nanosecond to realize that the TV had shut down. "What! What's going on?" he screams as he jumps out of bed and examines the TV. "Is there a power outage?"

"Ivan, how can you do that?!" Ah Lam yells from the bed.

"What?" Ah San turns around to see a stern expression on her face. He notices the remote in her hand.

"Ah! So you're the culprit. Michelle, what'd you do that for? It was such a good episode! Stop playing and turn the TV back on. I don't want to miss any more scenes," Ah San says as he jumps back into bed.

"No!"

Ah San knew that Ah Lam was upset and he had a feeling it was related to Ah Gan, but he still asked, "Why are you throwing a tantrum?"

"You know that guy is no good. Why did you accept him like that?"

He sighs before answering, "Michelle, you heard what he said. His life is so pitiful. How can I just turn him away like that? I believe I can rescue him and turn his life anew. The Sze's owe it to him. Yes, uncle is wrong and he's a creep, but our family isn't."

"But you don't even know for sure if he's really your uncle's son as he claims."

"My heart tells me that it's already the truth."

"Your feeling? Ivan, what day and age do you think we're living in? We need proof, concrete evidence. We can't go by feelings or intuition."

"But don't women rely strongly on their 'women's intuition?'" Ah San teases.

"Ivan!" Ah Lam scorns.

"Don't think I'm so naive. I'll wait for the DNA results before doing anything else." He gives Ah Lam a tight smile and caresses her cheeks. "I know you worry for me, but you don't have to. I know what I'm getting into. 'Sze Gee San' is no longer the immature, indecisive, and foolish man you met two years ago."

Ah Lam places her hand on top of Ah San's. She still had her reservations against Ah Gan, but for the sake of Ah San, she was willing to accept the situation. "A wife must support her husband, no matter if she thinks he's right or wrong. I won't object anymore. I'll work with you to make this situation with him right." She leans back and rests her head softly on Ah San's chest.

He looks down at her and smiles warmly.

She lifts her head up and he lowers his. A kiss connects them once more as they join intricately.

[Ah Mun's Apartment]

After a few minutes, Ah Mun (Nancy Wu) finally calmed down. "Thank you."

"What matters is that you're okay now," Joey (Bernice Liu) beams.

"I wasn't going to help you because I didn't want to increase the risk of being caught, but seeing you cry and hearing the tone of your voice, I knew that this meant a lot to you. Even if I'm selfish, I can't live with the thought that I could have saved you, but let you die instead," Ah Mun admits.

"Thank you for agreeing to do this."

Ah Mun breathes in deeply before beginning her story telling. "When you walked into the store last night, I could sense that something was odd. That girl, she was so happy, but you... you looked so down. That was why I was extra friendly towards you. Being a bride and even a bridesmaid should be a happy experience, but you... There was pain in your eyes as you watched her pick out a dress and you had little enthusiasm in finding your own dress."

Joey nods her head in agreement, "How can I be cheery when I'm being a bridesmaid for the man I love?"

Realization enters Ah Mun's eyes as she exclaims, "So that girl stole your true love!"

"I'm not positive, but I suspect that their relationship isn't so pure or loving."

Ah Mun muses, "So that's why you were telling me that your happiness would be lost if I didn't tell you what I knew or heard from last night."

"Yes. You're the only person that can help me."

"Very well, I know for sure now I haven't made a wrong decision in agreeing to help you."

Joey smiles.

"Shortly after you two were settled and were inside trying out dresses, the man who was murdered came in. He threatened me with his knife and made me lock the doors. Then, he tied me up and stuck me in a corner. He even blindfolded me! I was so petrified that I couldn't do anything. I just sat there, in the place where he put me, praying that I would make it. It's funny... when you're 'blind' it seems like your other senses become sharper. I could hear everything so clearly... everything that was happening in the other room.

"That man was going on and on about how evil and vicious that girl was. She had tricked him... something about money and caused his brother to go to jail because of something she did. I think he said that she was trying to get him into jail, but his brother took the bullet for him by mistake. Then, she was trying to bribe him, saying something about how his brother could be released from jail and that the two of them could be happy again... But he wasn't going to let that happen. There was a third voice in the room... another man. He tried to shoot him, I think... but then there was a fight.

"I could hear that girl scream. I heard pounding, slaps... Then, grunting, like a wrestling match... For a few minutes, this went on. All of a sudden, there was a very loud scream of pain... it sounded like it hurt a lot... I think this was when he got stabbed. I could hear him saying something about how heaven will repay her evil acts... that Mr. Kam or someone would find out the truth... that everything was a lie... She ordered for him to be quiet... I heard crying as well. I could hear stabbing... then, silence. It was dead and scary silence.

"At this point, I was stunned. I knew what had happened. She killed that man. The other man was in shock at her actions. She, too, was in shock. I could sense her desperation, her grief, but she felt no remorse. Then, I think she remembered you were still in the room, so she was planning on killing you!"

Joey gasps at the revelation.

Ah Mun continues, "She was saying how she killed already and that another death won't matter... she needed your silence. You had heard too much and something about some guy named Chris wouldn't be with her if he knew the truth. She was going to blame your murder on the man she had killed. She also said something about how it's not just about love between them. He knows her family's secret... something about how she has to protect herself and her family... Then, the police came, so she couldn't kill you... At that moment, I was so relieved. Never had I heard more terrifying words come out of the mouth of a girl who looked as good as she. I couldn't believe how she was going to kill you after killing that man... so heartless... I was bewildered..."

"Oh my god," Joey could only mouth the words. She couldn't bring herself to say them aloud.

Ah Mun finds that she is starting to shake again, reliving the memories of the words that had been evoked by her retelling. "I'm still in shock... and I only heard what happened. I don't know how horrified I'd be if I saw the scene..."

Joey cannot believe the truth of last night. She always suspected that Rose (Kenix Kwok) was a bad girl, but she didn't believe that she was so vicious to that extent. To be so cold-blooded to kill not once, but willing to do it twice? She begins to cry due to the shock. The miracle that she wanted had come.

Noticing Joey's silent tears, Ah Mun comforts her, "Joey, are you okay?"

"When I met Rose, I wanted to hate her, to find fault with her... because I believed that Chris (Frankie Lam) was rightfully only mine. But, she... she was always full of smiles, always so pleasant, thoughtful, and kind. I couldn't bring myself to hate her because I didn't have any reason to. I believed that she had won Chris' heart fair and square because she told us how she was there for him when he went into a coma... because of a car accident.

"I told myself I shouldn't be so selfish and that Chris isn't an item that I can claim for myself. But then, I noticed that she was acting very weird. She praised herself for another good performance, in the bathroom, when she thought no one was in there... Then, when Ah Hoi appeared in the company to find Rose, my suspicions elevated. They arranged to meet in secret, so I followed them. He was threatening her with a secret that involved Chris. She was furious because she had paid him a lot of money for doing 'something' last time. He wanted money from her, otherwise he would tell... She was cursing too...

"But, when I didn't see Ah Hoi again, the Rose I had seen that night was gone. Ever-pleasant Rose was the only one that I saw... Then, Ah Hoi came back last night and when I heard him elaborate more on the secret, I was stunned. He said their relationship was based on deceit, lies... Now, you've told me more... you've 'seen' the true side of Rose. I cannot believe it." Joey sobs.

Ah Mun lightly hugs Joey. "But now that you know, you can fight her and win him back."

Joey wipes her face with a tissue and nods her head. "Thank you... for risking it and telling me."

"I wish you the best of luck." Ah Mun smiles at Joey.

[Streets]

Joey met up with Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) down on the streets.

"Is everything okay?" Ah Biu asks. "I was getting worried because you two were up there for a long time."

"No, but things will be."

"Hmm?" Ah Biu is curious. "What happened up there?"

"I can't tell you. It's a secret between Ah Mun and me."

"Wow, just half-an-hour and you two are so close?"

"So it was only half-an-hour! You made it sound like I was there for an hour."

"Every second that I don't see you is like a minute, so you've been gone for like hours!"

Joey shakes her head. "That was cheesy and corny."

"But seriously, did you get the information that you wanted?"

"Yes... I did."

"Any contradictions to the case information that we have?"

Joey shrugs her shoulders. "I'm not a police officer. I wouldn't know. Case confidentiality, remember?" She laughs.

"Joey! Come on, tell me."

She shakes her head. "I won't and don't you dare go bother Ah Mun... otherwise I won't see you again."

"Geez, we've only been together for a few hours and now you're already threatening me!"

"That's what girls do," Joey smiles proudly.

Ah Biu was dying of curiosity to find out what had gone on between Ah Mun and Joey, but the thought of losing Joey wasn't worth it.

Out of nowhere, Joey asks, "Ah Biu, can you take the next few days off? I want you to go somewhere with me..."

Surprised, Ah Biu questions, "Where?"

"To Shanghai," Joey replies.

"You naughty girl! You already want to go on a getaway with me!" Ah Biu teases.

"Can you?"

He takes her hand. "For you, I'd do anything." To this, Joey blushes and quickly withdraws her hand.

chapter 148: convinced

[Streets]

Seeing how it was late by the time their date ended, Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) insisted on going with Joey (Bernice Liu) to find Ah Mun (Nancy Wu), the salesgirl who worked at "White Dreams" the night of Ah Hoi's murder and was the only other person there besides Joey, Rose (Kenix Kwok), and Michael (Kevin Cheng).

[Apartment Building]

"Thank you for coming with me," Joey smiles at Ah Biu.

He rings the doorbell for her. The two of them wait patiently for someone to answer the door. Joey prays that Ah Mun was at home. She didn't want to wait another day. She had to get answers.

"Coming!" They hear a female voice from inside the apartment say. Though muffled, Joey recognized that it was Ah Mun's voice.

"Who are you?" Ah Mun asks when she opens the door.

"Do you remember me? I was at 'White Dreams' last night, you serviced me!" Joey says.

Ah Mun immediately replies, "No, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't remember anything. I never worked for 'White Dreams.'" She tries to close the door, but Ah Biu puts his foot between the door and the doorway. He grimaces. "Oh! I'm so sorry," Ah Mun apologizes.

"Please, you remember me." Joey begs.

"No, I don't know you. Please leave me alone." Ah Mun pleads.

"Why are you doing this? It's obvious you are who we think you are," Ah Biu states.

"Please, just go..."

"You are my only hope. If you don't help me, no one can." Joey begins to cry.

"Miss! Please, don't cry."

"Then help her!" Ah Biu says.

"I can't." Ah Mun shakes her head vigorously. "Please, just go... leave me alone. I already said yesterday that I don't know anything. I was unconscious the whole time. Really, I was! I don't know who killed whom or what happened. I didn't hear anything nor did I see anything. Please..."

"You were so scared that you peed on yourself! When we found you, I saw the look in your eyes. You must know something," Joey frowns.

"It's a natural reaction! Everyone feels scared if they've been threatened with a knife and tied up to a corner! How could I not be shaking and scared to death?"

Ah Biu pulls out his police badge, "You're disrupting the legal system. If you're not truthful and tell us all that you know, we can press charges later."

"I don't know anything. Please, please... leave me alone."

Wiping her tears, Joey sighs. "I was wrong. I thought you were so sweet and helpful... I suppose I'll just have to lose my happiness then. Thank you anyways and sorry for bothering you." She turns around. "Ah Biu, let's go."

"Are we going to leave like that?" he questions as he follows behind her.

They were about to step into the elevator when Ah Mun opens the door and calls out, "Wait!"

[Ah Mun's Apartment]

Joey and Ah Biu were seated on Ah Mun's couch.

"Do you want tea?" she asks.

"No, we're good."

Ah Mun sits down on a chair near the couch. "The reason I invited you in... was because of what you said..." She pauses, unsure of how to continue. "You seem very sweet, you do, and I want to help you, but who will help me?"

"What do you mean?" Ah Biu questions.

"If I help you, you'll want me to make it an official statement for the police, isn't that right?"

"Well yes, that's how it works," Ah Biu says.

Ah Mun frowns and grows silent.

Joey's eyes travel from Ah Mun to Ah Biu. She clears her throat and says, "Ah Biu, I'm really hungry. Can you go buy me some snacks?"

"What?"

She lowers her voice and whispers to him, "She won't talk if you're here. Just go."

"Oh..." Ah Biu stretches and declares, "All right. I'll take my time choosing the right snacks for you." He winks at her before leaving.

"Is it because of him... that you wouldn't talk?" Joey asks. "He's not really that intimidating, is he?"

"Oh no, your boyfriend's nice but..."

"My boyfriend? Oh no! You've got it wrong... he's just a friend."

"I'm sorry." Ah Mun blushes. "I'm not afraid of him. I'm afraid of what he represents."

"You're afraid of men? Did you get harassed or something?"

"No. It's not him or his gender... it's his job."

"Being a police cadet?" Joey asks with surprise.

Ah Mun nods her head slowly.

"But why? They protect us!"

"You mean they protect you."

"They'll protect you too if you're in danger."

"They won't..." Ah Mun lowers her head.

"How can you say that? You're a tax-paying and law-abiding citizen. Your protection by Hong Kong's police force is guaranteed!"

"I'm not..." Seeing Joey's confused look, Ah Mun continues, "I'm not a legal citizen of Hong Kong..."

"What? Are you an illegal immigrant?" she blurts out.

Ah Mun rushes over to cover her mouth. "Keep down your tone! I don't want anyone to find out."

Joey nods her head. "It makes sense now... why you didn't want to have anything to deal with the case and why you were so afraid to talk with Ah Biu here…"

"Yes..."

"It doesn't matter if you're not a legal citizen! You're still a good person."

"That doesn't matter. If they catch me, they'll send me back... So please, never tell anyone." Ah Mun has a begging look in her eyes.

Joey frowns. "Why don't you become legalized then?"

"My family needs money, so I have no choice but to risk it and work illegally in Hong Kong..."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Ah Mun blushes. "I'm so sorry! You didn't come to listen to my story. Why am I making this about me? It's about you..."

"It's okay. I understand."

"You were saying, before you left, something about losing your happiness if I don't help you?"

Joey nods her head. "The only man I love is getting married to another woman."

"I'm sorry to hear that..."

"So I need to find out what exactly happened last night, because it could help me to win him again. The girl I went with, I suspect that she did something very bad."

Ah Mun trembles upon hearing Joey mention Rose.

"Ah Mun, what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry... It's just that when you mention her... I get so scared... I can't believe someone like her is capable of something so..."

"What are you saying?"

"I tremble thinking about her words and hearing what happened..." Ah Mun begins to shake. She huddles up into a ball.

Joey comforts Ah Mun and says, "It's all right, calm down. Let me make you some tea." She brings her a cup of herbal tea, which Ah Mun gladly takes and devours. Seeing Ah Mun's great reaction to her memories of last night, Joey became ever the more suspicious. Whatever it was that had happened, she was now sure more than ever that Rose was definitely guilty of something.

chapter 147: a new beginning

["La-Go-Go" Restaurant - Exterior]

Joey (Bernice Liu) anxiously waits outside of the restaurant for Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) to appear. She paces back and forth, scanning the entire scene for his face. Her cell phone rings in the midst of her search. It was Ah Biu calling.

"What is it? Where are you at?" Joey questions.

Ah Biu laughs, "Is that your standard greeting on the phone, Joey?"

Joey feels flustered. "Look, I'm waiting outside of 'La-Go-Go' for you. Where are you?"

"I'm sorry. I can't make it."

"What?!" Joey screams. "What do you mean?"

"I have to work late today."

"I waited all day for this!"

"So this date is really important to you?"

"Yes!"

"But I thought you could care less about me?"

"Look, I'm doing this for your sake. You wanted this, not me."

"Oh, so you're saying I'm 'forcing' you to go on this date? If so, I won't show then."

Joey panics. "Ah Biu! You can't do that!"

"And why not?"

"Because you would be standing me up! What kind of man, especially one who's a member of the police force of Hong Kong, would stand up a girl like me?"

"You're really something. Plenty of guys stand up girls and plenty of girls stand up guys."

"Ah Biu, please don't stand me up. It will be the first time such a thing happened to me." Joey couldn't afford for him not to show up. She needed to get information on the salesgirl who was present during the crime scene.

"If I stand you up tonight, I'll be the first, correct?"

"Yes, so you mustn't-"

"Then I definitely should do it."

"What?! Why?"

"Because then you'll remember me always. I may not be the first to hold your hands, to kiss your lips, to whisper sweet things in your ears, to call you every night, or any of that... but, I'll be the first to stand you up and for that, you'll remember me."

Joey feels her heart skip a beat hearing Ah Biu say that. She doesn't know how to respond.

"So," Ah Biu continues, "That's why I'm not going to show up."

Recollecting her thoughts again, Joey shouts, "Sek Biu! You would be really cheap if you did that!"

"Don't I already have a negative image in your mind? What's a little cheapness added to it going to do?"

"Because you've started to develop a positive image!" she blurts out.

"What? Miss Wong, don't pull my leg!"

"Yes, I didn't like you at first because you were too forward and yes, I may not be interested in you at this time, but I can't 'guarantee' that I won't fall for you in the future. But if you don't show up, then our 'could-have-been' will never be." Joey bites her tongue.

"Is that so?"

"Yes! So please come."

"You really want me to be there tonight, to have the date with you in the restaurant?"

"Yes, yes, yes."

"You're willing to accept me?"

"Y-," Joey pauses when the question finally registers into her head. In truth, she never considered the question before. In her heart and mind, she only had Ah Nin (Frankie Lam). She hadn't dated anyone or thought of another man since being with him. Now, to have someone who was so eager for her to accept him was something new to her. She didn't know how she should answer because her future seemed so uncertain. She was hopeful that fate would allow her to be with Ah Nin, but what if she lost? What if Rose (Kenix Kwok) really married Ah Nin? What would she do then? Would she grow old alone?

[Daydream]

Everyone that Joey knew was gathered at the church. It was a big and festive wedding. Joey was dressed in a long and elegantly flowing white dress. Her veil covered her face, but her bright smile could still be seen behind the thin sheath. Wong Sheung (Lau Dan) was proudly walking his daughter down the aisle.

Joey saw the back of her groom as she made her way up the aisle.

Finally, they reach the front. Wong Sheung breaks his grip of his daughter's arm and warns her groom, "You best treat her well otherwise you'll hear from me!"

Joey blushes with happiness. She looks to her side to catch a view of her groom before he would become her husband. He loops his arm into hers. The minister performs the oath. "You may now kiss the bride," he announces.

Joey feels her veil being uplifted. She closes her eyes, waiting for her now-husband to kiss her. She feels something cold and hard pressed against her lips. She opens her eyes, shocked to see that she was kissing a mirror! Even more, the reflection that she saw was not her young self, but an old woman!

"What? What's going on?" Joey demands. She throws the round mirror down to the ground. It smashes into pieces.

"Daughter, what's wrong?" Wong Sheung asks.

"Why? Where's my husband?" She feels her face. The smoothness in her skin was gone. "My face... why am I so old? What's going on?"

"The years have passed by too fast... you turned down everyone who wanted to pursue you. You said you already had someone in your heart. So, now you've grown old and married yourself! It's the ending you wanted, isn't it?"

Joey falls to the floor and looks at her reflection through the broken mirror fragments. Her sad and wrinkled self still stares back at her. She cries, "It's not suppose to be this way!"

[End of Dream]

"Joey? Joey?" Ah Biu calling her name brought Joey back into reality.

"Huh? Oh, yes."

"Are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine." She was still shaken from the daydream that she had had.

"Are you going to answer my question?"

"Yes, I..."

"Well?"

"Ah Biu, I really don't know and I can't say anything for sure. If you don't show, then I won't ever know."

She hears silence from the other line. Looking at her phone, she realizes that he had hung up. The moment she takes her eyes off of the phone, she sees a bouquet of crocus flowers in front of her face. Joey is taken by surprise and gasps. She steps backwards, bumping into someone.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" Joey quickly apologizes.

When she turns around she realizes that it was Ah Biu who was standing behind her holding the flowers in front of her face! He smiled very warmly at her. She blushes. "I came," he announces and steps in front of Joey. "These flowers represent a new beginning." He hands her the bouquet, waiting for her to take it. His pleading eyes scan Joey's face.

Joey looks at the beautiful flowers and then at Ah Biu. The sweetness and sincerity of the gesture made Joey's heart pound. She accepts his offer and gives him a gentle smile. He grins back at her.

["La-Go-Go" Restaurant - Interior]

Ah Biu and Joey were seated at a table for two with a romantic window view.

There was an awkward silence and uncomfortable aura between the two of them after they sat down and put their orders in. The two kept looking elsewhere, but when their faces met, they smiled sheepishly at one another.

Finally, Ah Biu says, "Thank you."

Joey is surprised at the start of some conversation.

"For this, thank you."

"It's... nothing."

"I know, you really don't accept me, but thank you... for this night. It has made me really happy."

"Ah Biu, don't say that."

"You don't have to be the bad person. I understand. You just don't have those kind of feelings for me."

Joey shakes her head. "Don't get it wrong. It's not you."

Ah Biu laughs. "You girls always say that. I understand."

"I'm serious."

"That's the oldest trick in the break up book. 'Oh, it's not you, it's me.'" Ah Biu rolls his eyes. "Joey, don't you think I deserve a more sincere answer?"

Joey bites her bottom lip and confesses, "There's already someone in my heart."

Ah Biu looks surprised. "Is there?"

"Yes. His name is Chris."

"I can't believe you're such a player. If you have a boyfriend already, then why did you agree to go on a date with me?"

"Because I'm not with him." Seeing the astonished look on Ah Biu's face, Joey elaborates, "He's about to get married to another woman. She's the one you saw at the wedding boutique... The one involved with the murder..."

"Why were you there with her? Are you involved in the wedding?"

Nodding her head slowly, Joey says, "I agreed to be her bridesmaid."

"What? Why would you do that? Doesn't he have anything to say about this?"

"He doesn't know..."

"You're losing me, Joey."

"The story's really long and complicated," Joey begins. "I don't want to bore you with the details."

"No. You go ahead and tell it to me. I want to know why that guy is treating a pretty girl like you like this."

Joey tells her sad story to yet another soul, remembering the good times and all of the heartache that she had gone through with Ah Nin. Ah Biu finds that he is falling deeper for Joey watching her longing face tell her story.

"Now you know why I can't say for sure if I can accept you. You're a great person and in a different circumstance, I would agree without hesitation. But, as it is, I don't know about my future or what will happen... I hope you understand."

Ah Biu smiles sincerely at her. "I understand completely. So that's why you're so interested in the case..."

"I suspect foul play," Joey admits.

Ah Biu pulls out a piece of paper. "I managed to copy down the information that you wanted from me today." He hands it to Joey.

She opens it up and is delighted to see the name of the salesgirl from "White Dreams" along with her address. "Thank you so much!"

"I hope it will do you some good. The testimony that she gave us... was none."

"What?"

"She said she was knocked unconscious, so she doesn't know anything. She only awoke a few minutes to when we arrived."

"You're kidding me!" Joey frowns.

Ah Biu shrugs his shoulders. He urges her, "You go along and find her. I'll just have dinner alone."

Joey shakes her head. "I won't be so heartless to stand you up after you've given me what I wanted."

Ah Biu smiles at her. "Cheers." He raises a glass of wine.

The two wine glasses clink.

chapter 146: the world's changed

[Car]

"Keep going straight," Ah Gan (Ron Ng) instructs from the back seat. He grunts, lies back on his seat, and then rolls his eyes. "It would be so much easier if you had just agreed to let me drive. Seriously, man, you drive like a girl!"

"That's exactly why I didn't allow you to drive," Ah San (Steven Ma) answers. "I can't take the risk that you'll cost Michelle and I our lives."

Ah Gan pulls out his license from his wallet and shoves it to the front for Ah San to see. "I have a driver's license! If I'm not qualified to drive, why would they give it to me?"

"Having a driver's license doesn't mean you're a good driver. Just like having an education doesn't mean you're 'wise,'" Ah Lam (Linda Chung) retorts.

"Right, just like how those people who appear 'good' doesn't automatically mean they're good people. Maybe it's those who look bad that are actually the ones who are good," Ah Gan sneers.

Ah San shakes his head.

"Ivan! Watch the road!" Ah Lam shouts.

Luckily, Ah San managed to press the breaks in time before he ran the red light. He exhales an air of relief.

"Some great driver you are, cousin!" Ah Gan smirks.

[Graveyard]

"We're here," Ah Gan announces. "You can park right there."

"What kind of sick joke is this?" Ah San demands as he angrily turns around to face Ah Gan. "We're at a freaking cemetery!"

"Yo! Chill, dude. You didn't drive wrongly. With me leading, there's no way you could end up lost." He smiles and opens his door to let himself out, taking a big bouquet of flowers that he had bought at the flower shop before they headed off. He stretches his arm and breathes in the air.

Ah Lam turns towards Ah San and asks, "What now?"

Ah San shrugs his shoulders. "We're already here. Let's get out and see what he wants."

Ah San and Ah Lam join Ah Gan, who was smiling proudly.

"What do you want?" Ah Lam demands.

Ah Gan hushes her. "You should be respectful! These people are so pitiful to have died. Why do you want to shout so loudly and wake them up?"

"You told us that you wanted us to meet your mom. Why did you bring us here?" Ah San asks.

"Well, if we didn't come here, how else are we going to meet her? Let's not keep her waiting. Come." Ah Gan starts walking.

Ah San looks at Ah Lam. The two exchange puzzled looks and follow behind Ah Gan.

They find themselves in front of a grave with a tombstone that reads "Chan Wai San." Ah Gan kneels down and places the bouquet of flowers in front of the tombstone. He bows his head a few times. Speaking to the grave, Ah Gan has a slight smile on his face. "Mom."

Ah Lam and Ah San exchange surprised looks after they hear what Ah Gan said.

Ah Gan continues, "I'm sorry for not visiting you in such a long time. Damn weeds and dust have collected. But don't you worry," he starts to clean up around her tombstone, "I won't let you rest this way. You may have noticed that I have visitors with me today. Who are they, you ask?" Ah Gan gets up and looks into their faces. "A coward and his wife." He gets back down. "Mom, you remember my dad, don't you? You told me to go find him before you died because you wanted a better future for me, but I was too late. That man behind me, he took away my future. He drove dad crazy and took over the entire estate."

Ah San listens to Ah Gan's words closely. Ah Lam wraps her arm around Ah San's.

He sighs. "It's okay, though. I don't need them. Don't worry, I'll make it." He smiles. "You just continue to rest at ease, Mom."

"Why did you choose to show up at this time?" Ah Lam asks.

"It's been fifteen years."

"Fifteen years?" Ah San questions.

"Fifteen years since my mom died."

"I'm sorry," Ah San says.

"Her dying wish was for me to find my dad so that he could provide for me. But I didn't do it. I thought that with my two hands, I could do anything. I didn't need to find a dad who never gave my mom a title. She was a good woman. She could have easily aborted me, but she didn't. She quit her high-paying job for my sake. However, because of her 'reputation,' no one dared to hire her for good jobs. She had to take the lowest positions... Poor woman worked herself to death to care for me."

"But if you resented Sze Mo so much, why did you show up at our doors trying to find him now?"

"I wanted to get revenge for my mom. I wanted to demand what she, no, what we deserved from him. I thought it all out one day. He knocked my mom up, ruining her life. Why should he have riches when we're so dirt poor? It was because of him that she died so painfully and suffered so much. I wanted to find him and settle the debt that he owes us."

Ah San's heart softens hearing Ah Gan's story.

"I went to 'Sze Corporations' to find him... I was told that he had gone crazy and that his nephew was the culprit. They told me that 'Sze Gee San' was now the boss of the company and the sole owner of the Sze estate. I couldn't believe it." He laughs. "The minute I seek him, he's loony."

"So why did you come find me at my home?" Ah San questions.

"I figured... that maybe, just maybe, he was at home... That maybe that nephew of his had more heart than to drive him off to the mental institution." He snickers, "Of course, I was wrong." Ah Gan finishes picking out the weeds and bows to his mom once more before getting up and turning around to look at Ah San and Ah Lam.

"Why are you so intent on proving that you're Ivan's cousin?" Ah Lam presses.

"It's the truth."

"If the DNA results prove that you are in fact Sze Mo's child, what do you want from Ivan?"

"You ask too many damn questions," Ah Gan barks at Ah Lam.

Ah San stops Ah Lam from responding. He says in a soft tone, "Leave him alone, Michelle." He then says to Ah Gan, "If you're indeed my cousin, don't you worry, I'll take care of you. You won't have any more tough days."

Ah Gan pushes Ah San away. "Man, who do you think I am? I don't need your pity, your 'protection,' or your 'care.' Save it for your beautiful wife. I've thought it through. I've made it all these years without the Sze's money. I won't die." He starts to walk away.

Seeing Ah Gan leave, Ah San calls, "Ah Gan! Stop!"

He turns around. "Why? It's obvious you two aren't sincere in accepting me. Admit it, you hate my guts. I saw your annoyed looks. You hope the DNA results will be negative so you can be rid of me. But I won't let you two have the last laugh. Nope. This Sze Gan will not be treated that way. Good riddance to you suckers."

Ah San runs after Ah Gan, breaking apart from Ah Lam. "Stop. Don't go. I'm sorry. I was wrong."

"Do you think a 'sorry' can make up for how you two have treated me?"

"Don't be like this. We didn't know."

Ah Lam catches up with the two and urges Ah San, "Ivan, if he wants to leave, we can't stop him."

"See?" Ah Gan shakes his head.

"I was wrong about you! You're not that bad. I believe you, cousin. Don't let it end like this. I want to correct the wrongs. The Sze's owe you." Ah San has a pleading look on his face.

Ah Gan scans his face for a few seconds. Finally, he says, "All right. I won't leave."

A grin forms on Ah San's face hearing Ah Gan's answer.

"Dude, you've got to stop looking and talking to me like this! You're giving me goose bumps. Besides, we don't want your wife to get jealous, now would we?" He smirks at Ah Lam, who looks displeased at how things have turned out.

[Kam Family Apartment]

Work had finally concluded at "Ka Yan" for the day and Ah Yuet (Michael Tse) and the others could go home. Very tired, they fumble to open the gate and door that prevented them from relaxing.

"Ah Yuet! Hurry up, my body's aching!" Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu) whines.

"A door is enough blockade, why do we have to have a gate too? It's such a waste of time!" Gam (Louis Yuen) groans.

Ah Yuet finally gets the gate unlocked, but before he could go to unlock the door, it opens! Rose (Kenix Kwok) greets them with a big smile and says, "If we didn't have a gate and a door, how would we be safe?"

Everyone is surprised to see Rose.

Ying Gei (Yvonne Lam) blurts out, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the hospital or at the police station?"

Rose replies, "I'm well enough to be discharged! It's only a few stitches. I'm totally innocent, why should I be at the police station? You're really something, sister OK!" She giggles. "Come on in, everyone."

"Rose! You should be resting," Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) scolds as he makes his way behind her and places his hands on her shoulders.

"We're almost getting married! I can't be a 'bed-ridden' bride," Rose teases.

"You're not serious... you're still going through with the wedding?" Ah Lo asks.

"Of course! Why wouldn't we? Chris and I have wanted to get married for so long and we've made so many preparations already!" She smiles at Ah Nin.

"But your wedding dress is blood-stained and ripped!" Ah Lo retorts.

"That may be so, but I'll find another one easily. With this body, there's no dress that won't look beautiful on it. Don't you worry about that." Rose winks at Ah Lo.

"But what about the situation with the murder?" Ah Yuet asks. "Surely, you will have to go to court because of your involvement?"

"I was there," Rose says simply, "He tried to murder and rape me. Michael protected me and killed him. It's that simple. What else do I have to worry about?" Playfully, she looks at the four of them and questions, "You don't think I murdered him, do you?!"

Ah Yuet, Ah Lo, Gam, and Ying Gei quickly shake their heads and say in unison, "Of course not!"

With a big grin, Rose answers, "Then let's move on with life!"

Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) walks out of the kitchen with Ah Sing (Hawick Lau). "Stop pestering Rose!" Nim Chi hisses.

Ah Yuet, Ah Lo, Gam, and Ying Gei step back and gasp at the sight of Ah Sing. "What are you doing here?!"

Ah Sing laughs, "I'm part of this family, why can't I be here?"

"That's right, what's wrong with you all today?" Nim Chi asks.

"Ma Chi, either we've worked too hard today, so we're hallucinating that everything's normal again or Rose and Ah Sing are really home?!"

"No, I'm really here. You can pinch me, I'll scream!" Ah Sing walks up to the four of them and sticks out his arm.

Gam takes it and gives it a pinch. Ah Sing lets out a little yell. "Oh! He screams. It must have hurt."

"Believe me now?" Ah Sing grimaces through his teeth.

Ying Gei was trying to pinch Rose when Ah Nin steps in front of her and gives her a stern look. She smiles sheepishly and says, "One verification is enough!"

"But, but..." Gam stutters, "This morning, everything was a big mess?!"

"This is really unbelievable. We go to work for eight hours, come home, and it's like the whole world has changed!" Ah Yuet scratches his head.

"That's right. This morning, Ah Sing was still missing and Rose was in the hospital. And now, they're home like nothing happened?" Ah Lo comments.

Nim Chi scolds them, "Do you four want things to be a big mess? It doesn't matter what happened and how it came to be resolved. All that matters is that Ah Sing is home again and Rose is safe and sound and will be my big daughter-in-law soon. 'Everyone is happy' again." She smiles at Ah Sing and Rose.

chapter 145: in this together

[Restaurant]

Ah San (Steven Ma) and Ah Gan (Ron Ng) were experiencing a very awkward silent moment as each ate their lunches, both avoiding eye contact, when Ah Lam (Linda Chung) finally made her way to the restaurant.

"Ivan! The traffic was terrible. I'm so sorry I'm late."

Ah San was so relieved to see Ah Lam. The tension that he felt sitting there alone with Ah Gan was lifted away. "Michelle!" He jumped up and pulled out a chair for her to sit down on. "I'm so glad you're here."

Ah Gan looks up from eating his spaghetti at the sight of Ah Lam. It was like everything slowed down while he watched her. Her eyes sparkled. Her white skirt revealed her slender and defined legs. Her delicate lips formed sweet smiles. Without realizing it, the bolus that he had formed dropped out of his mouth and fell onto his plate.

Ah Lam grins at Ah San and settles in her seat. She glances across the table and sees Ah Gan. To be polite, she nods at him with a smile.

Ah Gan responds with flirtatious tone, "Who's this hot mama?"

Ah San clears his throat. "Michelle, this is the 'cousin' I was telling you about... Sze Gan."

"I know. I've seen him already."

Ah Gan extends his hand towards Ah Lam. "Cousin-in-law, nice to meet you."

Ah Lam shakes it cautiously and quickly retreats her hand.

"Man! I wish I wasn't your cousin, Ivan. Then I wouldn't have to call Michelle 'cousin-in-law.'" He winks at her.

Ah Lam feels disgusted at Ah Gan's passes and turns her head away, refusing to look at him. She takes the DNA sample out of her purse and hands it to Ah San. "Ivan, here's the thing you wanted me to pick up." She looks at her watch and makes a face like she's running late for an appointment. "Oh no! I have to get going now. I have a dentist appointment." She gets up to leave when Ah San stops her.

He gives her a pleading look, which she recognizes as saying to her that he wants her to stay with him. "Ivan, I left something out in the car. Can you come with me to get it?" She motions her head towards the door.

"Ah! Sure thing. Ah Gan, we'll be right back." Ah San gets up and prepares to leave with Ah Lam.

"Sure you will," Ah Gan mutters under his breath.

[Outside]

"Ivan, I really can't stand being in there. I don't like him." Ah Lam folds her arm.

"Michelle, you can't leave me in there."

"I warned you before. I told you not to get involved. Didn't I say he would be nothing but trouble? But, no, of course you didn't listen to me. You wanted this, now you deal with it." Ah Lam was getting very frustrated. Ah Sing (Hawick Lau) hadn't listen to her and now she was feeling the repercussions of her husband's failure to take her advice.

"I know, I know. But I can't just leave him. He's a troubled kid. I think we could help him. We could get him back on the right path and redeem his father's wrongs."

"'We?'" Ah Lam shakes her head. "No! You are. I'm out of here. I'm so tired of this. I tell you what to do and you won't listen. Then you go and whine to me and want me to help you."

Ah San stared at Ah Lam, stunned.

She looks at his shocked expression and apologizes. "Ivan, I'm just not feeling well today."

"Michelle, what's wrong?" He was concerned. His wife never acted like this before.

"God. I'm so horrible for having said that. I didn't mean it. Ivan, forget I said anything. I'll go back in there with you. We'll fight this together." She prepared to walk back in when Ah San stopped her.

"No. We're not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong. What's on your mind? What's upsetting you?"

Ah Lam looks at the ground. "I don't want to talk about it."

Ah San puts his hands on her shoulder and tries to look her in the eyes. "We're married. We share happiness and woes. Let me know. If you want to deal with him with me, then let me share what's troubling you."

After a few moments of pause, Ah Lam confesses, "Ivan, I try so hard to do what's right for everyone. When I thought I was going to die at twenty-eight, I worked day and night to make sure my uncle wouldn't have to worry about his future. I cut off all intimate relationships that I had so that no one would be hurt when I died. Everything I've done, I did it to protect everyone. No matter how painful, I did what was right. I..."

"I'm listening."

"Everyone comes to me with their problems and expects me to help them. What upsets me is that no one's happy with my reply. You didn't listen to me when I told you to ditch him from the start, to pretend that he didn't appear in our lives. I told you we didn't need to worry about him, that it doesn't matter. You've done more than enough for your uncle. And now, Ah Sing. You saw how hard I talked to him last night. It took me hours to convince him to send Fiona to the mental institution, as it was the best way. Then, he, like you, blamed me and said I was heartless and wrong for telling him to do that." Her eyes start to water. "I don't know what you people want from me!"

Ah San pulls Ah Lam close to his body. She wraps her arms around him and cries into his shirt.

"I'm so tired of this," she says between sobs.

He strokes her hair as she continues to cry.

Ah San looks down at her and admits, "I've been really selfish lately. I've thought nothing of you. Before, it was always the company, and now, it's Sze Gan. I'm sorry for being so inconsiderate. I never considered your feelings and I was too stubborn to listen to what you had to say. But now, it's too late. I have to face the consequences. I won't make you go in there with me, though. I know you don't like him. You just go on home and rest. I know you're tired."

Ah Lam wipes her tears and looks up at Ah San. "Could I leave you at a moment like this? Like you said, we are married. We share everything. We're in this together." She smiles. "It feels so good to cry sometimes."

"Are you okay now?"

She nods her head.

He hugs her once more before they head back in.

[Restaurant]

Ah Gan smirks at the two of them. "I'm really amazed. You two actually came back! I thought you two were going to screw me by leaving me with the bill." He claps his hands. "I'm really impressed. I was here for ten minutes thinking that I got screwed, but here you are again."

"Stop talking to us like that!" Ah San warns. "We may or may not be family, but I will not have this anymore."

"Oh, you're so brave and strong now that your wife's here, huh?" Ah Gan taunts.

Ah San feels the heat rising in his face, but he simply tightens his fists under the table.

"Let's get down to business. I have my uncle's DNA sample. We're going to head down there now and test to see if you really are his son," Ah San says.

Ah Gan shrugs his shoulders, "Fine by me. I already know the results. You and me have a long way to go."

"Waiter! Check, please!" Ah Lam calls. She reaches for Ah San's hand and covers it, letting him know that she was there for him. She knew that he was ready to blow like she was. Ah Gan was just the most irritating person she has ever had to deal with.

[DNA Testing Clinic]

Ah San and Ah Lam drove Ah Gan to the DNA testing clinic. He sat in the back, making all kind of rude remarks about girls and random people in the streets. The more he talked, the louder they turned up the volume of the music in the car. At long last, they reached the clinic.

After filling out the paper work, Ah San gave one of the technicians the sample of Sze Mo's DNA. Ah Gan's DNA was taken by another technician in another room. After everything was done, they told them that the results would be ready in a few days.

Ah San and Ah Lam held hands as the walked out of the clinic together. They wanted to leave Ah Gan and the situation behind, praying that the results would be negative. However, he ran and caught up with them.

"You two love birds! What are you doing leaving your cousin like that?" He was now in front of their faces, walking backwards.

"Mr. Sze, please don't refer to yourself as my cousin until the results are out," Ah San says. "Excuse us."

"Hey, man! How are you going to treat me like this?" Ah Gan shakes his head. "You don't have to wait for the results. You and I are clear what they are."

Ah San shakes his head. "You're impossible."

"I know. You told me that. But that's what you love about me, don't you?" He smiles. "Anyways, I want you guys to meet someone."

"We're not interested," Ah San answers.

"It's my mom, you know, the 'professional lady.' Who knows, cousin, maybe you'd be interested."

"You're disgusting." Ah San shakes his head.

"No, I'm serious. You have to meet her."

Ah Lam looks at Ah San pleadingly. "Ivan, let's just go and give him what he wants. Then we can go home."

"Now that's a smart lady." Ah Gan winks at Ah Lam, who quickly turns her flustered head in the other direction.

chapter 144: sugar it up

[Car]

Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) and Rose (Kenix Kwok) drove to the police station and parked in the parking lot. She saw that he was planning on going in with her, so she places her hand on his arm to stop him.

"Chris, you don't have to come with me."

"What if something happens?"

"I'll be okay. I'm just at the police station, not the jail. I'll be just a few minutes. You just wait in the car, okay?"

"All right, but call me if you need anything."

[Police Station]

Michael (Kevin Cheng) was kept in the police station's jail. He had signed the document verifying his plea of being guilty for Ah Hoi's (Michael Tong) murder. Now, the investigators were working on the evidences that would or would not solidify his guiltiness. He prayed to God that they wouldn't find anything suspicious, anything that would throw them off the trail he had made. If Rose could be safe, then he wouldn't care about his doomed fate.

"There's someone here to see you." Michael turned around and saw the police cadet talking to him behind the bars of his cell. He got up and followed the cadet, who held him in restraint, afraid that he would try to break free, out of his cell. He was led to the visiting room. It was a small room with white walls and a table and two chairs.

Rose was sitting patiently, waiting for Michael to appear. She smiled when she heard the door opening, revealing the cadet leading Michael into the room.

Michael was surprised to see Rose sitting there.

The cadet announces, "You two have fifteen minutes."

Michael anxiously sits down and faces Rose from the other side of the square table.

"Rose, what are you doing here?"

She begins hastily, "We haven't much time. I've called our lawyer. He's going to come soon. I'll fight for you. I won't let it end this way."

"Rose, relax!"

"Things would have been so much simpler if our plans weren't changed. Why didn't you keep your promise to me?"

"My promise?"

"Our plans... we had so many of them. Why did you do it this way?"

Michael remembered the "meeting" they had had when they were in the ambulance riding to the hospital. Through facial expressions, limited and soft whisperings, and secret hand movements, the two of them had concocted the story they would tell the police. Rose was originally going to admit to the murder, out of the self-defense because of rape and attempted manslaughter by Ah Hoi.

He smiles. "Rose, do you remember how it was before I met you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Let's forget all of this now. I want to talk to you."

"Michael! This is serious."

"I'm serious too."

"Before you took me in, I had no one. I was an unwanted orphan begging in the streets. It was you and your kind heart that took me in. Your family gave me food and shelter. When I grew up, your father gave me a job. Do you know what that job is?"

"Of course I do! Your-"

He places his hands over her lips and shakes his head. "My job is to protect you. Rose, I wouldn't let anything happen to you. You know that, right?" He takes his hand off her mouth and strokes her cheek tenderly.

"Michael... but I don't, I can't bear to see anything happen to you." Her eyes begin to water. "It's not supposed to be this way."

"If it could have been helped, none of this would have happened."

"It could have been different. If you just had-"

"Don't say another word of it. It's better this way, believe me."

"But why did you do it?"

"I care for you, Rose."

She looks at him, stunned.

Slowly, Michael gets up from his chair. He leans across the table and kisses Rose. It was a soft, but passionate kiss, conveying the feelings he had built-up in his heart. The two break apart and Michael looks at her with eyes so gentle and sincere. Rose's tears had begun to flow. She was shocked. For the first time, she felt paralyzed. She couldn't move. She didn't know what to say or do.

He sits back down and smiles, "You don't have to say anything. I understand. Your heart only has him and my heart only has you. It's okay. Just let me do this, for you. Maybe... in the next lifetime, there can be 'us.'" Michael calls to the police cadet, "You can take me back now."

Rose watched the cadet escort Michael out of the room, but she couldn't do anything but watch. The action of his kiss and the declaration of his feelings overpowered her. She just sat and cried. Finally, she could touch her lips, feeling and remembering their kiss.

[Restaurant]

Ah San (Steven Ma) was waiting outside of a restaurant for Sze Gan (Ron Ng) when his cell phone rang. He thought it was Ah Gan calling, but it was Ah Lam (Linda Chung) instead. He had been there for over half-an-hour, but Ah Gan still hadn't shown up.

"Michelle, what is it?"

"Ivan, I've got your uncle's sample. I'm on my way to the restaurant now. I'll be there soon, okay?"

"Okay, I'll see you in a bit."

Ah San looks at his watch again.

"Cousin! Don't be so stressed! There's plenty of time in the world."

He looks behind and finds Ah Gan jeering at him.

"We made an appointment for noon! It's almost one o'clock now!" Ah San scolds.

"Man, it's more like 12:30! Stop exaggerating."

"Still, it's bad to be late."

"Come on, let's just go in and eat. I'm starving!"

The two were seated at the table that Ah San had reserved. Ah Gan looks around the room. He had an amazed look on his face, like a little kid in a candy land. "Hmm... so this is what it's like to dine with the rich people."

"Ah Gan, don't say that. People are listening."

"What? Are you embarrassed of me?" He raises his voice.

Ah San shakes his head. "Anyways, I wanted to find out more about you. So let's talk, okay?"

"Dude, you just want me to get tested to see if I'm lying or not!" He rolls his eyes. "Stop being so indirect. Let's have a man-to-man conversation."

"Fine, yes. But first, I really do want to learn more about who you are."

Ah Gan shrugs his shoulders. "I'm poor, grew up in a bad neighborhood, you drove my father crazy and now he's in the nuthouse, oh, and my mom's a hooker. Happy?"

"Be serious now!"

"Man, that is my life story. What do you want me to do? Sugar it up? What? Okay, fine. My mom's a professional lady, I'm part of the lower class, my life growing up was tough, and my father is being treated at the mental institution."

Ah San sighs. "You're impossible."

"Facts are facts, man. I don't have a life like yours, born with a silver spoon in my life. Nope."

"So how did my uncle meet your mom?"

"Same as every other man she was ever with. You know, she's very attractive. Even now, she's like a 'Desperate Housewife.' But back then, oh yeah; she mesmerized all the guys. She was the highest selling lady. Story is, your uncle had money, my mom had a killer rack, so, you put the pieces together. Boy gave girl money, girl took it, and here I am today." He smirks at Ah San, who has a horrified look of disgust.

"How can you talk about your parents like that?"

"I see. You want me to sugar coat it again, huh? All right-"

Ah San raises his hands. "That's enough."

"And you said you wanted to know me. You can't handle me."

"How did you know my uncle was your father? I mean, your mother surely..."

"You're trying to say that my mom must have slept with a lot of men, so how am I so sure that your uncle is my father? My mom may be 'professional,' but she is still a lady. Not many men can afford her. If you know what I mean." He gives a wink.

Ah San found it nerve-wracking and excruciatingly difficult to deal with Ah Gan. He tried to talk to him, but Ah Gan kept putting up a wall between them. He glanced down at his watch, waiting desperately for Ah Lam to come. He hoped the DNA testing would prove that Ah Gan wasn't related to his uncle. He didn't know what he'd do if he really had to accept such a guy as a cousin.

"Maybe I should just listen to Michelle and forget about the whole thing..." he thought in his head.

[Car]

Rose walked back to Ah Nin's car feeling dazed. She could think of nothing but Michael's words and the indescribable feelings that surged through her body when she saw his sweet eyes and felt his soft lips. "Rose! Get a hold of yourself!" she was trying to tell herself, but her body wouldn't listen. She had lost control.

Lifelessly, she opened the door and sat down beside Ah Nin.

He had been looking at the car's clock, wondering why it was taking Rose so long. He was startled when the door opened and Rose came in. "Oh! There you are," he proclaims when he sees Rose.

She looks at him and smiles weakly.

"So, what happened? How come you took so long?"

"I... I had a lot to say."

"Is he okay?"

"He's... making it."

"Rose, what's wrong?"

She closes her eyes and swallows hard. She had to get those feelings and thoughts out of her. She grabs Ah Nin and kisses him, taking him in. The car's windows steamed up.

chapter 143: lucky person

[Hospital]

Rose (Kenix Kwok) worried about the situation. She wasn't going to let herself be held captive in the hospital. She had to get out. She had to go and see how things were and to save the situation before it was too late. She couldn't let things break down like this.

Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) returned from the hospital's gift shop with a magazine. "Thought you'd want to read something so you don't get bored."

"As long as I'm with you, I'll never be bored," Rose smiles.

Ah Nin returns the gesture and holds her hands.

"But, I really cannot stand the hospital aura. The sickness, the death, the cries, the pain... it's all too much for me, Chris."

"Rose, you can't just leave."

"Yes, I can. My injury is not too serious. I'll heal better if I'm at home with you and the rest of our family." She smiles sweetly. "Trust me."

"The food at home is certainly better than here..." Ah Nin muses.

Rose thinks to herself, "Your mother's cooking is worse than the hospital's." However, she feigns another smile.

"All right, I'll go and request a discharge for you."

"Thank you."

Rose couldn't wait to get out.

[Ah Sing's Car]

Ah Sing (Hawick Lau) saw that the mental institution was in sight. He kept thinking about Fiona (Sherming Yiu) and how much he missed the times they shared. From the times they were stranded on the island to the days of the palace, they used to be so happy. Then, he remembers what Ah Lam (Linda Chung) said. Her voice kept repeating, "You can't keep doing this," in his head.

He pulls over to the side of the road and puts on his emergency lights.

Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) looks at him. "Ah Sing, how come we've stopped here?"

He places his head on the steering wheel and hugs it. "I can't go on."

"Are we out of gas?"

"No."

"Then why are we stopping here? Fiona is waiting for us!"

"She doesn't even know who we are."

"That's why we have to love her and let her know."

"It's useless."

"Ah Sing!" Nim Chi hisses.

Ah Sing looks up and faces his mother. "Ah Lam is right. This is the best choice. We're not qualified to help her. We have our own lives. Fiona needs professional help from psychiatrists and medication. We can't provide her that."

Nim Chi is shocked. "So you want to just give up on her like that?"

He shakes his head. "Ma Chi, not everything can be overcome through love and support. Even if we took Fiona home, so what? Who would have the time to look after her? Sure, we can give her medication, but that is all. If she stays at the clinic, she will have psychiatrists monitoring and helping her condition, which is so much more than anything we can do."

"But she's your wife!"

"I know that."

"Then why are you treating her like this?"

"Because it's best for her. I want her to get better. Then, we can take her home. I'll visit her everyday, continuing my duties as her husband. Ma Chi, you believe me. This hurts me more than it hurts you. We cannot bring her back, at least, not yet."

"Ah Sing..."

He turns off the emergency lights and turns around, going back home. The mental institution became smaller and smaller in the rear-view mirror, until it was invisible.

[Ah Nin's Car]

"We'll get you straight home and off to bed," Ah Nin grins as he closes the door for Rose.

"Actually," Rose starts, "I don't want to go home yet."

"What?"

"Chris, I have to go to the police station."

"What for?"

"I want to check up on Michael, to see if he's okay."

"But Rose..."

"Chris, I'm fine. He saved my life! How ungrateful would I be if I didn't go and see how he was doing?"

"You're right, we really have to thank him."

"Surely."

"I don't like the idea of you running around though, but I'll drive you there so you can see him."

Rose smiles wide.

[Temple]

Gwai Fei (Stephanie Che) and Gwai Yan (Celine Ma) walked past Half-a-Day God's (Robert Siu) booth at the temple.

"Miss!" He calls at them.

Gwai Yan's heart stops. "Fei Fei! I think someone is calling me!"

"Then turn around and look to see who it is!" Gwai Fei rolls her eyes.

Gwai Yan turns around slowly, anxious to see the face of the man who called her. Yet, she saw no eligible bachelors. There were only families and old women behind them. Disappointed, she turns and faces Gwai Fei again. "It's no one." Suddenly, she heard the voice again. Her ears perk up.

She decides to walk back, shouting, "Sir?"

"Miss!"

Gwai Yan finds herself face-to-face with Half-a-Day God. She scans him from head to toe. "You're the one calling me?" She gives a disgusted look. "Uncle, I'm a young girl! You have to pursue someone your age." She points at a random granny in the crowd.

He stares at her. "What are you talking about? I was calling Miss Man!"

"I am Miss Man!"

He strokes his chin. "You're Miss Man too?"

"That's right! What do you want?"

"I want her!" He points at Gwai Fei.

"My cousin is not interested in you!"

"Miss, who do you think I am? This Half-a-Day God is a respected and wise son of heaven!"

"More like a con-artist! Stop cheating foolish women with your stories and lies!" She walks off. When she reaches Gwai Fei, she vents, "I'm so angry!"

"Who was it?"

"The fortune teller! What nerve he has to pursue me."

"Yan Yan, they're celibate!"

"Says who? Those priests and nuns are said to be celibate too! But look at all of the stories that are coming out about them!"

Gwai Fei rolls her eyes, "What did he want?"

"He tried to make it seem like he wanted to talk to you instead."

"Me? What?" Gwai Fei raises her eyebrow.

Gwai Yan shrugs her shoulder. "I told him you weren't interested. Anyways, I'm going to go and pray to the gods now."

Gwai Fei glares at Half-a-Day God and marches over to him. She stomps her hand on his table. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Miss Man!"

"Yes, I may not have any pursuers and yes, I am desperate! But I will not waste my forty-two inch legs on you! Got it?"

"For heaven's sake! Will you two ever let me talk?"

Gwai Fei crosses her arms. "You talk then!"

"When you walked by, I felt this force-"

"Force? What nonsense are you talking about?"

"It was a force from heaven telling me that I just had to talk to you!"

Gwai Fei makes a fist and swings it near Half-a-Day God's face. "Cut the crap! I know you're trying to hit on me!"

He shudders at the sight of her fist and extends his hands, surrendering. "Miss Man! I'm trying to be serious with you! I have top secret news from heaven to tell you!"

"Psh!" Gwai Fei makes a face. "You fortune tellers are full of nothing but crap!"

"Let me ask you this, haven't you gained another member in your house of one?"

"Yes, so what?"

"So this proves I'm right!"

"You just saw my cousin! Of course you're right!"

"Miss Man, you've gained a 'lucky person' (gwai yan)."

"Her name is Man Gwai Yan! Of course I've gained an incredibly annoying Gwai Yan!"

He shakes his head, "No! A 'lucky person' (gwai yan) has entered your life! She will bring you luck."

"Luck?! Ha! She's more a like an 'evil spirit' (yiu gwai)! She's so 'weird' (gwai)!"

"Nope. She is 'valuable' (gwai) to you. Miss Man, may I read your palm?"

"You want to take the opportunity to molest my smooth hand?! You will not!"

"Miss Man, I believe this year you will get married, but let me read your palm to make sure."

"Aiya! You fortunetellers are really something! But I suppose you won't leave me alone until I let you... so okay!" Gwai Fei spreads out her right palm and waits impatiently. He takes her palm and reads it, closing his eyes and mumbling something.

He nods his head in satisfaction. "Just like I've predicted by looking at your face and feeling the force that is emitting from your body. Not only have you gained a 'lucky person' (gwai yan) who will help to fulfill your dreams and assist you in everything you should do, this year you will get married! Not only that, your husband will be very rich. Also, you will have a child! No, not just one, but two! I'm getting the sense that your future will deal heavily with gold, royalty."

Hearing Half-a-Day God talk, Gwai Fei got very excited. A big smile appeared on her face. "Really?" she blurts out without realizing it.

"Yes. Just remember, 'yellow' (wong) and your 'lucky person' (gwai yan) will lead to a bright future. Everything you want will be yours."

Gwai Fei couldn't suppress her happiness, so she started laughing like a maniac.

"That will be eighty-eight dollars, please," Half-a-Day God smiled and spread out his hands to collect the money.

"What? You think I'm going to give you money for telling me lies? Psh!"

"Miss Man, you don't want to disobey heaven! I've predicted your future, now you must reward heaven."

Gwai Fei rolls her eyes. "It's the New Year. I'm feeling generous. Here's a hundred."

She walks off smiling the widest smile she ever smiled. "I'm going to get married! I'm going to have a husband and children! I can't believe it." She looks at Gwai Yan, who was praying and remarks, "So it turns out that Yan Yan is my 'lucky person' (gwai yan). I won't let her out of my sight then."

She grins, "Things are finally looking up."

Just when she said that, a coiled up incense rod fell on top of her head from the ceiling!

chapter 142: give in

["Ka Yan" Company]

Wong Sheung (Lau Dan) was horrified when he walked through the doors of "Ka Yan" at noon. The employees were all chatting and doing nonsense.

His eyes bulge out as he shouted, "What in the world is going on?"

The "Ka Yan" workers gasped and quickly got up and lined in a straight row. "Mr. Wong!"

"Where do you people think you are? At home? We're not paying you to sit around and do... this!"

"We're sorry!" The employees say in unison.

Wong Sheung looks at Ying Gei (Yvonne Lam), "Where are the managers?"

She reports, "Michelle and Miss Man both called out sick today and Chris took a personal day off."

"What?! All of them? This is ridiculous! What kind of company do you people think I'm running? The managers calling out, the workers not working, this is all too ludicrous! I won't have this anymore. Absolutely no work is being done today and I'm still paying all of you guys!"

"Mr. Wong, it's almost the New Year! You shouldn't be so angry and doing this now. It's bad luck," Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu) cautions.

He scoffs, "It's my bad luck to have hired and been stuck with all of you!"

Gam (Louis Yuen) asks him, "Speaking of absences, where is your daughter, Mr. Wong?"

"That's right!" Lily (Rain Lau) chimes in. "I haven't seen her today."

"She didn't call out sick," Ying Gei confirms.

"She's sick today. I gave her the day off," Wong Sheung answers.

"Is she really? You know, Mr. Wong, if the head of the company is not so rigid, you can't expect the rest of the company to be strict, isn't that right?" Gam asks.

"Also! Who's the one always coming in at noon?" Ying Gei asks.

Wong Sheung is flustered. "This is ridiculous! If you people don't shut up right now, I'll have you all fired! Get to work!" he screams.

Like that, the carefree day for the "Ka Yan" employees concluded and they all began to work like workers ants... well almost.

[Streets]

Joey (Bernice Liu) bit her lip as she held onto the note that Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) had slipped her in one hand and her cell phone in the other. As much as she didn't want to, she dialed his number and then crumbled up the paper. She waited patiently, listening to each ring until Ah Biu finally answered.

"Hello?"

"That was a very dirty trick!" Joey yells at him.

"What? Who's this?"

"Joey!"

"Oh." He laughs.

"You're so pathetic if you have to pick girls up this way. Besides, I already told you that I'm not interested."

"Miss, what kind of person do you think I am?"

"A lousy busybody."

"Joey, Joey, Joey. You really don't know me."

"I know you well enough to know that I don't like you."

"Do you think I memorize our witnesses and suspects' addresses and phone numbers? Do you know how many cases we have each week? How do you expect me to remember all of the information and give it to you? You're really something."

Joey is silent. "Well, it was just last night! You should remember."

"Oh, really? You met me last night and you couldn't remember my name today."

"I remembered eventually!"

"Because I leave a lasting impression, so of course you remembered me eventually."

Joey is flustered. "Stop playing around with me. I need to find the witness!"

"I told you already. It's none of your business. Leave this to us. We're not very 'close,' so why should I help you? I would get in trouble if anyone found out I talked about the case outside of the police station."

"Ah Biu, please. This is very important to me."

"Why?"

"Meet me tonight at 'La-Go-Go.'"

"Miss Wong, are you asking me out?"

"It's what you want, isn't it? Don't be late." Joey hangs up the phone. She sighs. She figured that she'd sacrifice one date if it would allow her to meet the salesgirl from the wedding boutique and find more information from her.

[Car]

"Fei Fei! I'm so touched that you're taking me out today," Gwai Yan (Celine Ma) coos.

"Yan Yan, how many times do I have to tell you? Get off of me when I'm driving! Do you know how dangerous that is?" Gwai Fei (Stephanie Che) says impatiently.

Gwai Yan scoffs, "You're driving at a hundred miles an hour! Talk about safety." She rolls her eyes.

"If you don't stop it, I'll make you sit in the back," Gwai Fei threatens.

Gwai Yan quiets - for a second. She starts up again, "Where are we going, huh, huh?"

"You'll know when we get there. Now, leave me alone!"

"You're no fun, Fei Fei!"

Gwai Fei sighs. She knew Gwai Yan wouldn't leave her alone until she told her. "Fine. We're going to the temple."

"The temple? What for?"

"It's almost New Year. It's tradition and it's good luck."

Gwai Yan winks, "I get it! You're praying the New Year will bring you a husband."

Gwai Fei rolls her eyes.

["Tung Mat Yuen" Café]

"Sa Sa, I'm going to the bank," Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) announces as she gets up from her chair at the register. She had stopped crying, but happiness wouldn't return to her until Ah Sing (Hawick Lau) was back, Fiona (Sherming Yiu) was sane again, Rose (Kenix Kwok) was discharged, and Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) was finally married with the one he loved. "Am I just a bad mother? How could things end up like this?" She sighs.

Nim Chi is walking through the door when she bumps into someone.

"Ma Chi! Are you all right?"

Nim Chi looks up. To her delight, it was Ah Sing! Ah Lam (Linda Chung) was behind him.

"Ah Sing?" Her lips form a wide smile, revealing her white teeth. She starts to cry again - but happy tears this time.

Ah Sing takes his mother in a warm hug. "I'm so sorry. I was wrong in yelling at you, at everyone. I now know that you guys were looking out for me, that you really did want to help Fiona, but I was blind. I'm sorry for making everyone worry."

Sa Sa (Kingdom Yuen) smiles and says, "Aiya! Stop with the big dramatic apologies. You're acting like you're in one of those melodramatic TVB series."

He laughs and looks down at Nim Chi. "Ma Chi, stop crying! Your make-up is starting to run. You won't look pretty anymore."

"Ah Sing, I'm so happy that you've come back," Nim Chi says finally and wipes her tears.

"Everything's okay now," he assures her.

"Auntie Chi," Ah Lam greets.

"I'm so embarrassing!" Nim Chi blushes, "For making a scene like this in public."

"Do you consider me an outsider now? I'll have to tell your godson," Ah Lam teases.

Nim Chi notices that the air was very still and that something was missing. It was Fiona! "Where's Fiona? How come she's not here with you?"

Ah Sing looks away. Ah Lam notices and answers for him. "We had to do what was best for her and everyone else."

"Best for her?" Nim Chi looks at them confused.

"We had to send her away."

"Away? Where? What have you done with her?"

Ah Lam closes her eyes and swallows hard. She knew that Nim Chi wasn't going to take it well. "We entered her into a mental institution."

"You..." Nim Chi steps backwards in shock. "You left her all by herself, lost and confused as she is, to a bunch of strangers in... in a mental hospital? How could you do such a nasty thing? Institutionalizing someone is the worst thing that you can do. Y-you're treating her like an animal! Poor Fiona." Nim Chi starts to cry again.

Ah Sing sniffs and fights back his own tears upon hearing Nim Chi's words. He then looks at Ah Lam and screams, "I told you it was horrible!"

"Ah Sing! We've been through this over and over again. I thought we made it clear just an hour ago! What's wrong with you?" She shakes her head in disgust. "I'm through helping you. I thought we made a breakthrough, but we didn't. You're still the same childish and indecisive person you always were. I'm leaving. Don't ask me for help again." She runs away from "Tung Mat Yuen."

Ah Sing turns to Nim Chi. "Come, let's go take Fiona home."

Nim Chi nods her head in agreement, "Yes, that's what a family should be like. We don't abandon someone just because they're not 'normal.'"

"I won't give up on her." Ah Sing looks determined.

chapter 141: letting go

[Mental Hospital Parking Lot]

Ah Sing (Hawick Lau), Ah Lam (Linda Chung), and Fiona (Sherming Yiu) arrived at the mental hospital. Ah Lam parked the car in the parking lot and then glanced at Ah Sing from a side mirror. He had been looking out of the window during the whole ride, refusing to talk and not daring to look at Fiona.

Ah Lam pretends to clear her throat. "We've arrived."

Monotonously, Ah Sing answers, "I know."

There are several moments of dead air. Ah Sing gasps when the silence registers in his head. He hadn't heard Fiona's humming or movement in a long time! He turns around and is relieved to find that she had been sleeping all along.

"Ah Sing, take it easy. We're not sending her to her death."

Ah Sing glares at Ah Lam. "You're so unfeeling, you know that?"

"Unfeeling? Who's the one who took you in last night? Who's the one taking the day off work to drive you here and help you? Who talked to you for hours last night to convince you that this was the only way to help your wife? If I'm so unfeeling, then I would have slammed the door on your faces last night." Ah Lam folds her arm and pouts, turning her head away from Ah Sing.

He places his head down on the headboard. "I'm sorry."

There's silence again - until Ah Lam notices faint cries. Her heart softens and she looks at Ah Sing in pity. However, she knew she had to be strong in order to make him continue. "Ah Sing, are you going to keep crying every time we make a little progress? I'm getting very tired of seeing you cry and then whine about how you don't want to abandon Fiona or how you feel guilty. What are you? A woman? If you're a man, you need to make a decision and stick with it. Here I am trying to help you and you-"

Ah Sing interrupts her. He flies upright from his position and looks at her, his eyes red. "Shut up! You have no idea how hard my situation is. Imagine if Ivan (Steven Ma) went nuts! What would you do? Would your first move be to lock him up in a mental institution where he'll have no personal contact? Oh wait. I'm talking to Michelle Hung. Of course that's what you'll do."

Ah Lam had had enough. "I'm sick of this! I'm sick of you and I'm sick of trying to help when all you ever do is cry, whine, and make everything my fault. Get out. I'm leaving," she screams. She looks at her watch and says, "I can still make it to 'Ka Yan' and work." Her heart was pounding and she wanted to cry, but she couldn't. Besides, she had acted cold and heartless for so many years, a few more scenes wouldn't hurt.

Ah Sing is stunned. "So you're abandoning me now too..."

Ah Lam slaps him. "Wake up, Lau Ka Sing! You're not a kid. You can't keep wallowing in indecisiveness. What is it going to be? If you want to keep crying and being like this, I'll leave. But, if you want to do what's right, I'll stay and be there every step of the way." She presses her lips together, hoping that he'll say what she wanted him to.

"I have no say in this." He says finally and wipes his face. He opens his door and then proceeds to the back to open Fiona's. He picks her up and carries her in his arms. He whispers, "Fiona, we've arrived," and kisses her once more. A final tear falls from his eyes and rolls down her cheek.

Ah Lam sits in the car watching him carry Fiona towards the entrance. She cries for a few moments on her steering wheel before getting out to join Ah Sing. It broke her heart to have done what she did, but she had no choice.

[Mental Hospital]

Ah Sing sat on a chair with Fiona while Ah Lam settled the paperwork.

"We're here? This is the winter palace?" Fiona surveys the building.

"Yes," Ah Sing forces a smile. "You'll be spending a lot of time here."

Fiona claps her hands. "That's great."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"You better not expect to stay in my quarters, but you must arrive when I call you."

"I'll be there whenever you need me, Your Highness. I promised you. I'll never leave you."

Fiona smiles. "Great. Siu Yuen, you know..."

"Yes?"

"Actually, I didn't like you when my father first sent you to me. But, after so many days, I've come to like you. You're not so bad. Of course, I still think you did a poor job with arranging that fat maid and skinny bones for me that one day! I expect you to do a much better job here."

"Yes, of course, Your Highness."

"Very well." She giggles.

Ah Sing's heart continued to ache.

[Fiona's Room]

Ah Sing carried Fiona on his back while Ah Lam followed behind with personnel from the clinic. "Your Highness, we're almost there. You will be in your winter palace shortly."

Fiona grins widely, like a little kid who has just been given candy.

When the door to her room was in sight, Ah Sing slowed down his pace. He wanted to keep her for another second more. Ah Lam noticed, but said nothing. When they were face-to-face with the dreaded door, he sighs. "Your Highness, we're here."

She starts jumping on his back. "Well, hurry! Open it up! I want to see my room."

"I'll let you down so you can explore on your own, okay?"

Fiona claps her hands and cheers.

Slowly, Ah Sing kneels down. Fiona jumps off. One of the mental hospital's personnel opens the door and lets Fiona in. The moment Fiona was inside, Ah Sing runs down the hall. He could not bear to look at her in her cell. Ah Lam thanks them and they assure her that Fiona will be well taken care of.

She chases after Ah Sing.

[Outside Mental Hospital]

Ah Lam finally caught up to Ah Sing outside of the clinic. He was huddled down on the ground.

She slows her footsteps as she nears him. Ah Lam kneels down beside him and says softly, "I'm here."

"I couldn't face it... the sight of seeing Fiona being in her room... Because... I promised her, when we started... that I would never, ever leave her. She was so worried about people abandoning her and now, here I am... breaking my promise to her, not just once, but now twice... I..."

"I know, I know."

He looks up at her, "Ah Lam, is she going to be okay?"

She forces a smile. "Yes. She won't hurt herself in there and there are doctors and psychiatrists who can treat her. If she continued to live outside with the rest of us, yes, she would be free and yes, you would feel better, but would you be happy? You would be stressed worrying about her every action. You can't do that."

"I suppose you're right, but I still feel so... so bad."

"I know, I understand."

"I want to scream. Just one, loud, enormous scream to let out all of the feelings that I'm feeling now."

"Well, don't do it here. They'll lock you up too!" Ah Lam jokes.

Ah Sing laughs. He wipes his eyes and nose. "Thank you... for everything."

Ah Lam pulls Ah Sing close to her and hugs him. "It'll be okay."

Ah Sing blushes upon the close contact with Ah Lam.

"You're okay now?"

Ah Sing nods and jumps up.

Ah Lam smiles. "Good. That's the Lau Ka Sing that I know. He's not the whiny and indecisive crybaby that I've had to dealt with for the past two days."

The two grin at each other. Abruptly, Ah Lam's cell phone rings. It was Ah San.

"Ivan? Yes, I'm there now. Everything's fine, yes, yes. I'll let him know. What? Oh!" Ah Lam realizes that she had forgotten to obtain Sze Mo's DNA sample from the nurses in the clinic. "I forgot. I'll go get it now and run it to you as soon as I can. Love you."

She turns to Ah Sing. "Go back to the car first. I have to run a quick errand. I'll drive you back to your home in a bit, okay? Just wait outside of the car."

Ah Sing teases, "You better not abandon me!"

Ah Lam shakes her head and smiles as she walks back into the clinic.

[Mental Hospital]

Ah Lam obtained the sample of Sze Mo's DNA from one of the nurses. "Thank you so much."

On her way out of the door, Ah Lam sees a familiar face turn the corner and walk out of the door. She couldn't pinpoint who it was, but as she watched the man's back walking away from the clinic, she thought the man looked strangely like Sze Gan (Ron Ng). Ah Lam shrugs her shoulders as she places the vial in her handbag. "It's not him. There's just too much on my mind. I'm thinking too much."

Indeed, Ah Lam had two worries - Ah San and Ah Sing.

chapter 140: no use reverting

[Sze Family Mansion, Guest Suite]

Ah Sing (Hawick Lau) didn't sleep last night. He had pulled a chair up next to Fiona's (Sherming Yiu) bed and watched her sleep. It was possible that yesterday could have been the last night that he would ever spend with Fiona again. If she was to never get better, then the two of them could never be together again. Forever separated, part of two different worlds.

He had hoped that she would wake up the next morning and be herself again. He wanted everything to have been a dream. But, he knew that his wishes wouldn't come true. The reality was, Fiona was long gone. He was relieved that she hadn't woken up in the middle of the night and thrown another one of her tantrums.

Fiona stirred. Faintly, he could hear her mumble the word "swing."

He gasps. "Fiona?"

She opened her eyes, wide.

Ah Sing smiles. "Could it be...?" he thinks excitedly in his head.

Alas, it wasn't. She forms a scornful expression on her face and slaps him. "How dare you be so close to the royal princess?! You low-grade eunuch!" she barks.

Disappointed once again, Ah Sing steps back and bows his head to her. It was time to act again. "Your Highness, my apologies."

"You better be sorry! Where are we? Have you teamed with someone to hurt me? Am I kidnapped?!" Fiona panics and pulls the covers close to her.

"No, no." Ah Sing shakes his head. "We've made a stop... Remember I told you that we're going to the winter palace?"

"Uh-huh! Are we still not there?"

"We'll be there shortly."

"Siu Yuen, is it beautiful there?"

"Yes. I think you will like it there."

Fiona claps her hands. "I can't wait! Let's get going again."

"Your Highness, we must get you ready first. This way, please." Ah Sing leads Fiona to the guest suite's private bathroom.

[Dining Room]

Ah San (Steven Ma) was reading the newspaper in-between bites of his breakfast. Ah Lam (Linda Chung) sat opposite of him, silently eating her own breakfast. The two of them weren't going to work that day. Ah San was to meet with Sze Gan (Ron Ng), who claimed to be his cousin, the illegitimate son of his insane uncle, Sze Mo. Ah Lam was going to take Ah Sing and Fiona to the mental institution, where Fiona would be checked in.

"Ivan, you shouldn't go," Ah Lam finally says.

He puts down his paper to reveal his face, "What?"

"I said... you shouldn't go to meet him. Leave this behind you. You don't have to do this."

"Michelle, you told me this a thousand times already and I've told you this, I'm going to go. I have to know the truth."

"But it doesn't concern you! This is your uncle's business. Remember? He hurt you! He hurt me. You must remember. Don't burden yourself with this. So what if he does turn out to be a member of the Sze family? What are you going to do? Bring him in to live with us? He's a grown man! He's not a little kid. He can take care of himself."

"Michelle, I know you worry about me and you don't want to see me hurt."

"Then why are you doing this?"

"Because there's a possibility that he could be my cousin. Even if his father's rotten, this doesn't mean that he is as well. I don't want to live with the thought of maybe I could have molded him into an honorable man to redeem his father's terrible acts."

"I just hope your good intentions will not be wasted."

"With my wife's wishes, I'm sure everything will be fine," Ah San smiles.

Ah Lam forces a smile at Ah San. She was worried that her worst fears were going to come true. Footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. "Ah Sing and Fiona are coming down," Ah Lam states.

"You're going to take her to be checked into uncle's mental institution, right?" Ah San asks.

"Yes."

"Well, I planning on meeting him for lunch first, to get to know him a little better, to see if he's really telling the truth, before we go to get the DNA test. Since you're heading down to the hospital, do you mind picking up uncle's sample from one of the nurses at the reception desk and then run it over to me later?"

"Okay, sure."

They could hear Ah Sing and Fiona's voices from the living room. "Aren't they joining us for breakfast?"

"Ivan, I told you yesterday, he has to give her special treatment, otherwise she'll throw one of her episodes..."

"Oh! Right. I keep mistaking what you say about them with a plot on 'Gai Dai Foon Siu.'"

"Well, both are quite absurd," Ah Lam laughs.

"I hope things work out for them. You know, it takes a lot of time and effort to treat insanity... who knows how long. Uncle has been down there for over two years."

"That's because he has no one fighting for him. She has Ah Sing."

Ah San nods his head, "You're right."

Ah Sing appears in the dining room. "Morning!"

"Good morning," Ah San answers back.

"Did you sleep well?" Ah Lam asks.

"I didn't sleep at all."

"Wow. You don't look the bit tired," Ah San comments.

"Ah Sing is good at faking it," Ah Lam says.

"Not as good as Ah Lam with her whole money-hungry act," Ah Sing teases.

Ah San laughs, "That's true, that's true."

Ah Lam's cheeks flush red.

"I'm just going to get something for Fiona to eat before we head out," Ah Sing says.

[Car]

Ah Lam and Ah San parted ways. Fiona sat in the back of Ah Lam's car while Ah Sing and Ah Lam sat in the front. He had convinced Fiona that they were on their way to the winter palace and this was the "palanquin" that would get them there.

"Thank you so much for doing this!" Ah Sing whispers.

"You better thank me. This is the first time that I've missed work! Think of the all the money I'm losing because of you today," Ah Lam jokes. "But, I suppose if I didn't help you do this, I would never get my fashion designer back to work."

There's an awkward silence between the two after Ah Lam said that. Fiona was singing in the back. Finally, Ah Sing confesses, "I just feel so guilty."

"Don't tell me we're going back to that," she sighs.

"Ah Lam, I just feel like I'm abandoning her."

"I thought we made it clear last night that this is the only way you can help her?"

"I know, I know. But when you said that I could go back to work, I was just reminded of how I'm letting her go and returning to my life."

Ah Lam sighs. "I'm out of good words. If you want to live your life watching and following her around twenty-four seven, then be my guest. I don't have to take you there if you don't want my help. I could easily drop you off here and then go to 'Ka Yan' for half-a-day of work. What is it going to be?"

"Just keep driving," Ah Sing says simply. "No use turning back now." He looks at Fiona through the rear-view mirror.

chapter 139: getting closer

[Gwai Fei's Apartment]

It was like any other morning for Man Gwai Fei (Stephanie Che). She woke up, rolled over to her side, and saw no one beside her. Gwai Fei had spent another night alone, falling asleep thanks to some sleeping pills. The New Year was approaching and Gwai Fei feared going into it again still unmarried and unwanted.

"How can these beautiful forty-two inch legs not have any takers?!" she grunts under her breath.

She faintly whispers, "I want to wake up next to someone, to feel what it feels to be loved... to have."

Yet, it was still another typical morning. Alone and desperate, Gwai Fei dragged herself to the bathroom to wash up and be made for the new day. Only, it wasn't like another morning. Man Gwai Yan (Celine Man) had been fired from "Ka Yan" yesterday.

Gwai Fei gasps, "This means that she'll be here all alone! Unsupervised!" She sobs silently and remembers the mess Gwai Yan caused the last time she was left alone. That was the reason why Gwai Fei fought to get Gwai Yan a job at "Ka Yan," but things had backfired. "What am I going to do with her now?" She needed time to think. She couldn't afford to go to work that day. Gwai Yan's termination had already cost her this and next month's paychecks and she wasn't going to suffer any more costs.

"Yan Yan!" Gwai Fei called. "We're going out today."

["Ka Yan" Company]

Usually, "Ka Yan" company was over-crowded, especially with the addition of the third branch last fall when Joey (Bernice Liu) and Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) returned. That day, however, there was so much room in the company that it felt like a ghost town. Ah Nin, Joey, Rose (Kenix Kwok), Ah Sing (Hawick Lau), Ah Lam (Linda Chung), and even Man Gwai Fei had taken the day off. The company's three managers all weren't present and Wong Sheung (Lau Dan) still hadn't shown up and it was possible that he wasn't going to show up that day at all.

"Ka Yan" was a snake without its four heads. It was a day that lazy employees like those at "Ka Yan" dreamed of. No boss or supervisors hanging over their heads. They could easily get paid without doing anything. Surprisingly, there wasn't a celebration that day. Because most of the employees were members of the Kam family, they all carried their depression with them to work and spread it to Lily (Rain Lau), Sugar (Yau Ching), and GiGi (Josephine Shum).

"This is so much like a TVB series!" GiGi sobs. "How sad."

"Poor Ah Sing! He is too handsome to be dealing with such pain," Sugar sighs.

"I cannot believe that such a thing would happen to Rose. I do hope she is all right," Lily says as she stuffs a tissue box into her purse.

Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu) yawns at their comments.

"Honey, can you pretend like you care, please?" Ah Yuet (Michael Tse) had been pissed by his wife's attitude since last night when she forced them to leave the hospital early.

Ah Lo's jaw drops. "What?"

"Everyone in the family is worried and there you are - acting like nothing happened."

"It doesn't concern me! Do you want me to put on a big show and sob like there's no tomorrow? I'm sorry but I will not be pretentious like some people are."

"Yet you aren't pretentious enough to not wear fake jewelry and clothing," Gam (Louis Yuen) says dryly.

Ah Lo's anger accelerates, but she chooses to say nothing and leaves the room to go to the bathroom.

Ah Yuet rubs his face with his hands. "I'm so embarrassed. How can Ah Lo act like that?"

"Well, she was never that nice in the first place," Ying Gei (Yvonne Lam) asserts.

"Your mother must be so worried," Sugar says.

"Auntie Chi is a wreck," Gam says solemnly.

"Ma Chi was so happy when big brother and big big brother returned... Who would have thought that it wasn't 'happy ever after' from then on for her," Ah Yuet sighs. "I just hope that Ah Sing comes to his sense and returns home. We can work together to help with Fiona's situation. I hope that nothing becomes of Rose and that she and big brother can marry."

"Living with an insane person isn't easy," Lily says. "Who knows what they're thinking. Oh wait. That's why they're crazy in the first place..."

There's a moment of silence that's broken by Ying Gei asking, "I wonder why Michelle and Miss Man aren't here today?" She glances at their offices.

"Aiya! Einstein, who cares about them at this moment?"

"I find it so strange. Michelle never misses work. You know how she's so serious about it. And Miss Man, well we know she's here for the money."

GiGi shrugs her shoulders as she's polishing her nails, "After the embarrassing event of yesterday with Man Gwai Yan, if I were Miss Man, I wouldn't dare to show my face again at 'Ka Yan.'"

"I'm so relieved that she's gone," Sugar smiles. "Now we can get a real accountant to share the work with me. I miss Ah Mei (Cutie Mui) though. She was a great accountant and I could depend on her to help with my workload when I needed it..."

"Those were the days," Lily nods her head.

"Big brother in that office and him always being around to help and support us," Ah Yuet points ahead of him, "Joey sitting there and Ah Hong (Johnny Tang) beside me."

"The good old days," Ying Gei sighs.

Things were no longer the same. Everything had moved forward. For better or worse, things may never return to the way they were for "Ka Yan" way back when.

["White Dreams" Wedding Boutique Exterior]

Joey earnestly approached "White Dreams." As expected, there were police banners encircling the perimeter of the store. Joey was disappointed. This meant that she couldn't cross. "I can't possibly wait another day for answers. Last night was more than I could take."

She walks around the barrier, looking into the store to see if anyone was there. The big glass windows of the store reveal a woman looking very distressed as she talked with some police officers. Joey guessed that the lady must be the storeowner.

"How terrible it must be to come back in the morning to find your store such a mess," Joey comments.

She gasps and a small smile creeps onto her face when she sees Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) walk out of the store's door. She frowns when she blanks out on his name. Instead of guessing, she calls out, "Sir!" instead and waves her arms.

Ah Biu glances up from writing notes on his report and grins when he recognizes Joey. He runs over to her.

"It's you?" Ah Biu is surprised.

Joey nods.

He folds his arm and asks, "I thought you said you wanted nothing else to do with your 'bad girl' experience yesterday?"

"True, I don't."

"Then why are you here?" He leans close to her. "You miss me?"

Joey blushes and steps back instantly. She collects herself and says, "I wanted to see if there were any developments to the case."

"Oh, and you think you'd find it here?" Ah Biu makes a quizzical expression.

"No, but I-"

"Unless you're holding out on us, there's no reason why you should be here wanting to know more about the case."

Joey shakes her head. "No! Of course I didn't hold out any information!"

Ah Biu continues to stare at her. Joey knew that he wouldn't leave her alone until she gave a satisfactory answer, so she finally confesses, "I came here to find the salesgirl that we discovered yesterday, tied to the corner. I was hoping that she'd be able to tell me what she knew."

"Miss Wong, you're not a police cadet nor are you involved in this case. We have things under control. Besides, we already interviewed her yesterday."

"What did she say?"

"Go on a date with me and I'll tell you."

Joey looks at Ah Biu in disbelief, "Is that your way of getting dates with girls? That's the oldest trick in the book and it is a very cheap way too."

"Yes or no? I know you want to go out with me." Ah Biu gazes into Joey's eyes. She looks away. He laughs. "I'm just kidding! Case confidentiality! I can't and won't tell you what her testimony was." He pauses before continuing, "Besides, when I do get a date with you, it will be from your own freewill. I'm not the kind of guy that forces girls to go on dates with me."

"Good! I was going to report you if you did disclose the information to me!" Joey says.

Ah Biu shakes his head and smiles at her.

"The store owner seems pretty mad," Joey comments.

"She is. Who wouldn't be? She lost quite a bit of money because of yesterday's incident and she's got to do repairs too..." He turns away from Joey to look into the store.

Joey wants to call his attention, but still hasn't remembered his name, so she says, "Sir, you."

Ah Biu turns around. "Hmm?"

"Can you at least tell me the salesgirl's name or where I can find her?"

He shakes his head. "Classified information."

"Please."

"I really can't, Joey."

Joey pleads again.

"I'm sorry."

"I beg you."

"You know, I haven't heard you mention my name at all during this conversation."

"So?"

"I remembered yours. Don't tell me you don't remember mine."

Joey blushes.

"Geez. If you're going to ask someone a favor, you should at least know his name."

She looks down at the pavement. She gasps, suddenly reminded of his name. "It's Rocky!" she snaps her finger and smiles.

"Very good. What's my Chinese name?"

"You don't know mine."

"Wong Yee."

"Oh..."

"If I'm not all that important to you, then I won't risk my career and disclose information to you."

Joey tries to recall the scene last night in the back of his police car. He had flirted with her and they had exchanged names, but Joey was blanking out on his Chinese name. She knew his surname was "Sek" but couldn't remember his first name. Last night, she was too preoccupied with the incident to have much of an impression of his name. "Come on, think, think," she urges herself.

Abruptly, Ah Biu's walkie talkie goes off and Joey hears, "Ah Biu, where are you?"

Ah Biu speaks into it and says, "I'll be over in a second."

Joey smiles and declares, "Sek Biu!"

"Not fair! You cheated."

"Heaven was on my side. Come on, you promised."

"I didn't promise anything."

"I remembered your name. This means you're important to me. Now, why don't you do a small favor for someone who cares about you?"

Ah Biu scribbles something onto a piece of paper and hands it to Joey balled up. "Everything you need to know is on there."

"Thank you."

"I'll see you later then." Ah Biu winks and waves as he runs back into the wedding store.

Joey turns away from the wedding store and starts walking down the street. She unfolds the paper and reads it. Instead of finding the name and address of the salesgirl, she discovers Ah Biu's cell phone number instead with a "call me" written underneath it. Disappointed, Joey realized that the only way she was going to get near the truth was to get closer to Ah Biu.

chapter 138: depressed bunch

["Tung Mat Yuen" Café]

Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) sat lifeless on the stool behind the cash register, even when a customer was standing opposite of her, waiting to pay for his meal!

Sa Sa (Kingdom Yuen) stares at Nim Chi in shock. She yells, "Big sister-in-law, are you okay?"

Nim Chi jumps. Startled, she scolds Sa Sa, "Lower your voice!" She gets up and joins her children at one of the tables.

The customer looks pissed, "I'm in a rush. Does this mean I don't have to pay since no one wants to ring me up?"

Sa Sa appologizes quickly, "I'm so sorry!" She takes his money and gives him his change. Sa Sa looks over at the tables where Nim Chi, Ah Yuet (Michael Tse), Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu), Ah Yat (Joyce Chen), Ah Hong (Johnny Tang), Gam (Louis Yuen), Ying Gei (Yvonne Lam), and the four babies sat. Everyone, besides Ah Lo, looked tired and lifeless. Their faces drooped and they sighed. Their plates of food remained untouched and cold.

"Aiya! What do you guys think you're doing? What kind of advertisement are you setting for 'Tung Mat Yuen' when you let the food get cold and untouched? You're making people who walk by think that our food is so bad and it's not even worth eating!" Sa Sa yells.

"That's right, are you trying to tell me my cooking is so bad that you don't want to touch it?!" Sek Dai Chuen (Johnny Ngan) accuses.

"I labored so hard to let the plates and utensils sparkle and you people don't even use them?!" Chan Kiu (Helen Ma) chimes in. She grabs a fork, "See how it gleams?"

Sa Sa rolls her eyes and points at a residue stuck on the back of the fork. "You did such a great job!"

"If it was too clean, it wouldn't look like people used it before! Then people would think that no one has eaten here! I'm doing you a favor by not cleaning that much and you dare to blame me?!"

"Your job is to clean!" Sa Sa yells.

11th brother (Lee Kwok Lun) walks into "Tung Mat Yuen" with Ling-ling (Jenny Shing), who had her book bag on and was ready to go to school.

"You! Your wife is yelling at me and I'm her big sister-in-law! You need to put her in her place! I'm generous enough to let your family stay in my house and this is how I'm repaid?" Kiu vents.

"Your house? Half of it belongs to brother Kei!" Sa Sa argues.

"Big sister-in-law, don't get too upset!" 11th brother says. He turns to Sa Sa, "You know how she is. Just let her talk." He looks at Dai Chuen and says, "Big brother, Ling-ling will have breakfast A while I'll have my usual." He leads their daughter to a booth on the side.

Sa Sa shakes her head at Kiu. In the past, she could have scolded her without worry, but since marrying 11th brother, Kiu became her big sister-in-law. Things were different now and she had to mind what she said. She sighs and returns her focus to Nim Chi and the others.

They all breathe a sigh, shifting their drooped heads to the other side.

"What is going on?!" Sa Sa demands.

Ah Hong nudges Ah Yat, "You tell her." She shakes her head and nudges Ah Yuet.

Ah Yuet was about to nudge the person next to him when he sees Ah Lo's facial expression and chooses to cough instead, mumbling, "Uncle, this is your duty."

"Einstein, you know what a wife's duty is!" Gam says in monotone and lightly nudges her.

Ying Gei gets up and clears her throat. In a very defined and dignified manner, she states matter-of-factly, "The whole family is depressed because of the recent plague of events in 8A. First, Ah Sing (Hawick Lau) and Fiona (Sherming Yiu) have run away and we have no idea where they are. Second, Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) has been with Rose (Kenix Kwok) all night at the hospital. Third, Rose was involved in a murder." She clears her throat again and then sits down to continue in her depressed manner along with everyone else.

Hearing her report, the family all sigh again.

Sa Sa is shocked. Her mouth drops like she has an orange in it. 11th brother, Kiu, and Dai Chuen couldn't help but overhear. Their curiosity sparked and they proceeded to stand by Sa Sa to watch the sad crowd.

"You mean to tell us that Rose killed someone?" 11th brother asks.

Ah Lo nods her head, "You better believe it."

"That's impossible!" Sa Sa interjects. "She's too sweet."

"Beautiful women kill. It's the oldest story," Kiu shakes her head. "Poor Ah Nin."

"She is beautiful..." Dai Chuen muses.

Kiu grabs his ear. "What was that? So you want to die, do you?!"

"Of course not! I have my own," he coughs, "beauty for a wife."

Nim Chi hisses at Ah Lo, "Rose did not kill! Someone else confessed to the murder." She elaborates, "The police were going to take a testimony from Rose when this man, who Ah Nin told us later is called Michael (Kevin Cheng), declared that he is the murderer. We don't know the full story yet, but Rose is definitely not the killer."

"Mother-in-law, like you say, you don't know the full story yet! It could very well be that Rose is the murderer but Michael is just covering for her," Ah Lo insists.

Ah Yat shakes her head, "Second sister-in-law, what do you have against Rose? I know she's prettier, younger, and has a better figure than you, but this doesn't give you a right to accuse her of being a murderer. Besides, she's a rich daughter. She's so fragile! It's impossible to think that she could do such a thing."

"Oh yeah? Remember 'The Charm Beneath?' No one expected that Wan Sheung was the villain behind everything, but alas, she was! She killed, she plotted; she was not weak at all. She's the widow that killed - a testimony that the capabilities of women shouldn't be underestimated," Ah Lo replies.

Ah Yat whispers to Ah Yuet, "Second brother, I think you should be even more careful of her now that she has said that!"

"Can't you two be quiet for just one minute? Our family is under a lot of stress and problems! We don't need more nonsense!" Nim Chi scolds. She sighs and massages her temples with her fingers.

Sa Sa kneels beside Nim Chi and says, "It will be all right."

"I just don't understand it!" Nim Chi cries. "Half-a-year ago, I was so worried that something happened to Ah Nin and Ah Sing. Now that they've both returned, I'm even more worried. How can Ah Sing be so irrational to leave his family like that?"

"Fiona is crazy..." Ying Gei says quietly.

"Things were supposed to be so happy. Ah Nin and Rose were going to marry and I was going to have grandchildren soon. Fiona was finally accepting her new reality. But then..." Nim Chi starts to cry. "And just before the New Year, too!" She looks up at the skies, "Why, oh why?"

"Ma Chi, don't cry." Ah Yuet and Ah Yat walk over and hug her.

Sa Sa frowns as she hands Nim Chi some tissues. The situation worried her, but she was hurt that she wasn't clued in about the events about the family until the last minute. She felt like an outsider.

[Wong Family House]

Joey (Bernice Liu) walks downstairs with her pajamas still on.

Wong Sheung (Lau Dan) looks at the clock. "Joey! It's nearly time to leave for work. Why aren't you dressed yet?"

"Oh, father, you normally don't come in until noon anyways," Joey teases.

"I get up early just to drive you to work!"

"Daddy," Joey says in a sweet voice as she approaches him and starts to rub his shoulders. "Actually, I have a special request today. I know it's of late notice, but I just have to have the day off. I cannot make it to work."

"Oh? And why not?" Wong Sheung turns around to face his daughter.

Joey flattens her lips while thinking of a plausible answer. She couldn't tell him that she planned to go to 'White Dreams' in hopes of meeting the salesgirl and finding more information about what happened last night. She didn't want him to worry because he still didn't know about what had happened. Finally, she decides on, "I'm not feeling well."

"Oh?" He places a hand on her forehead to feel her temperature. "You feel fine."

"Physically, I may be. But, daddy, I think I'm on the verge of psychological depression! If I don't have the day off, the daughter that you know and love will be gone forever. I'll be replaced by a sullen and depressed Joey!"

"Aiya!" Wong Sheung shakes his head. "How can I say 'no' if you tell me I'm going to lose my daughter?"

Joey hugs her father and says, "Thanks, daddy!"

"You best not be depressed!" he yells after her as she runs up the stairs.

Wong Sheung knew that Joey secretly felt unhappy these days, especially with Ah Nin about to marry Rose, but she was a brave girl, and tried to act like none of it bothered her. It stunned him that she would agree to be Rose's bridesmaid, but, he knew that it was better to leave the situations of the younger generation for them to solve. "Joey, please be all right."

charmaine sheh joining "seeking happiness"

Warning: The following is a satirical news article for my fictional Seeking Happiness fanfic. It is not a real TVB series or real news!

Charmaine Sheh was seen yesterday taking promotional shots for her new series. It turns out that Charmaine is the newest cast member to the long-running series Seeking Happiness. Her "image" for the series was quite different. With two pigtails tied at the ends with blue ribbons, Charmaine looked like a young country girl, quite "embarrassing." However, Charmaine was all smiles and seemed to like her image.

When asked about why she looked the way she did, Charmaine replied, "You like it? It's my look for the series! (Isn't Seeking Happiness a modern series?) It is. (Then why are you dressed like that? Don't you find it embarrassing to have this look in contemporary times?) No! I think it's quite 'cute!' It's because my role is a country girl from the mainland! (What role do you have?) My name is 'Lam Yuk Fan.' (Oh, you're a member of the Lam family?) Yes! But don't tell my 'mother' Mannor Chan! (Come to think of it, how are you a Lam anyways?) I can't tell you. My role is a 'big secret.' (Not even a little?) Fine. I'll tell you this - I'm Bondy Chiu's 'little sister.' I won't say how. (Who are you pairing with?) I'm going to be involved with Raymond Lam and a bit with Bosco Wong. Basically, Raymond, Bosco, Leila Tong, and I will be in one big love square that will carry the series later on... (Wait. Didn't your role belong to Michelle Ye? We reported news of new cast members awhile ago.) Well, yes. (Did you "steal" the role from her?) No! I actually did a guest appearance for a few episodes. The producer was so impressed with me that he asked me if I wanted to take on a bigger role. (Won't this project keep you from working on bigger things?) Yes, but I'll get to be on TV every night! (Won't your appearance as a new, bigger character conflict with your past guest star?) Luckily, the series got 're-released' so my cameo was re-filmed by Michelle Ye. I don't appear at all. (How do you feel about working mostly with the "younger" generation for this series?) It doesn't matter! A lot of the cast members have a lot of experience, so it balances it out. (When do you start filming?) Not for awhile. (So we won't see you soon?) No, the time for my character to appear is far from coming, but I'm excited to start working. I think it will be a fun and different experience. The quality of the scripts is superb and I'm working with great people!"

We visited Michelle Ye on the set of Central Affairs II, where she was getting ready to film yet another bed scene. Her reaction to the press was a surprised and delighted expression. "Oh my gosh! Hi!" she waved as she held another six-inch knife in her hand - this time, without her blood on it. (Be careful with that! We don't want another accident.) To this, she blushes, "No, of course not. So yeah, I'm just here filming for my series. It's really different and is a must-watch. It's hard work and I'm sacrificing a lot, even a stab to my thigh. Haha! So you guys better watch." (Yes, we will.) "So you're here to find out the scoop on the series right?" (Actually, we were wondering something... weren't you going to appear in Seeking Happiness as a new cast member?) Her face changes at the mention of Seeking Happiness. "Oh." Quickly, she smiles again, "Yes, I was." (Are you still going to appear?) "No. I'm not. I decided to turn it down because it would interfere too much with my schedule. I have movies, big series, advertisements, functions, and many more to do! I can't be tied down like that. And you know me, I want to try new things!" (So Charmaine Sheh didn't "steal" the role from you?) "No! Of course not..." (Is it true that you filmed guest spots for the series though?) "Yes, I did." (What role did you have?) "I played the owner of a sweet soup shop." (Did you know that that role originally was Charmaine's?) "No, I had no idea. The producer called and asked me to film those scenes quickly and I was free, so I just did it." (You didn't find it strange they gave you such a role instead of a leading one?) "I filmed it after my role was given away... Anyways, I was happy to film the guest spots! It was enough. However, the producer has promised me another guest appearance and even scenes with Raymond, so I'm content with that. I miss working with him because I do love him!" (Wow, is that a confession?) "No! I've always loved him." (You said Ron Ng was one of your best friends, but he ignored you the other day.) "Well, he was busy filming and I had to get back to filming too!" (Are you upset that you got your big role taken away?) "No! I said it already. I'm very busy. It's better this way." She smiles. Before we could ask any more questions, she started to go on and on about things we didn't care to report.

Next, we went to visit the producer of Seeking Happiness himself. (We understand there was a casting change?) "Yes, there was." (What was changed?) "Originally, 'Lam Yuk Fan' was going to be acted by Michelle Ye, but we've casted Charmaine Sheh for that role instead now." (What's the deal with the switch?) "There was timing and contract conflicts with Michelle. Charmaine was more accessible and we were very pleased with working with her. However, we wanted Michelle to still appear in the series, so we had her film the guest spots that Charmaine did awhile ago. We are also planning to give Michelle her own guest spot in the same role." (Didn't the fans vote for Michelle to take the role?) "Yes, but it seems things have changed over the year since we've been on the air. Plus, we weren't happy with Michelle's recent image and feel that she is no longer suitable for the role." (Oh, I see.) "The change is for the better! There's been a surprising rise in Charmaine and Raymond Lam pairing fans lately, so we want to give the audience what they want." (What's the role like?) "'Ah Fan' is a very naiive and cute girl. I think Charmaine will have fun playing her and the audience will grow to love 'Ah Fan' as they do the other characters. She's very sweet and funny in her own way." (The role sounds a bit "young." Don't you think Charmaine is a miscast?) "I think Charmaine can pull it off. Yes, the role is quite young, but Charmaine is not that old!" (So you don't think Charmaine is out of place?) "Not at all. Charmaine is one of the most popular 'fa dan' at TVB these days. Having her on the series is an honor." (Okay. So when will she appear?) "Right now, we have a lot on our hands. However, we're hoping by season three to have her appear, but when she does, she'll have a very meaty storyline - both comedic and dramatic."

introducing "the fanfic"

TVB Musings is home to fresh and insightful features, witty satirical pieces, and a whole lot of opinions. Now, it will get even bigger with another facet to entertain you guys - all the readers. What's the new feature? Hours upon hours of amusing fiction.

Sadly, the life of Winglin seems to be doomed, so the successful, long-running Seeking Happiness (Virtues of Harmony III) fanfic has packed its bags and is making its move to its new home right here at TVB Musings. I'm proud to introduce my story and work of over a year (and continuing) to all of you.

While the fanfic may have started as a continuation to Virtues, it has evolved to be so much more. Virtues fans have loved the fanfic for capturing the magic that was the series, but non-Virtues fans need not fear alienation. Even if you've never seen Virtues or don't particularily like it, you can still give the fanfic a try and might even grow to like it. With a star-studded cast, numerous guest appearances, and countless stories of humor, drama, mystery, suspense, and romance, Seeking Happiness is a fanfic for everyone. (Of course, my signature writing composes the fanfic so those of you who enjoy reading my blog should definitely give my fanfic a try!)

Storyline Overview

Happiness doesn't come easily. During the Ming dynasty, the Kams made a wish to stay together forever. Having been reincarnated in modern times, they are finding it increasily difficult to fulfill their wish.

Kam Nin (Frankie Lam) had a romance with Joey (Bernice Liu) in the past, but because of situations, the two couldn't be together. Years later, Joey finally regains her memories and wants to be with Ah Nin. She goes to Shanghai to find him. To her dismay, his memories are wiped clean and he has no recollection of her, his family, or the past. Even more, he is engaged with Rose (Kenix Kwok). As the family try to help Ah Nin regain his memories, they uncover a dark secret...

Fiona (Sherming Yiu) is Lau Ka Sing's (Hawick Lau) princess of a wife. They thought that they were going to live happily ever after in her castle, but fairytales don't come true in reality. Fiona's father grows ill in health and she is the heir to the throne. Because of this, she becomes entangled in a case of accusations, rumors, and corruption. A power struggle results and she and Ah Sing flee for their lives. Thus, the couple are forced to live in Hong Kong in the overcrowded apartment of the Kams. Just when Fiona adjusts, she receives a mysterious letter. Clues lead everyone back to the Islands and Fiona struggles to win back everything that's rightfully hers...

Hung Bak Lam (Linda Chung) and Sze Gee San (Steven Ma) undergo marriage problems. The past between Ah Lam and Ah Sing is discovered. Ah Lam becomes pregnant and Ah San encourages her to settle down and be a housewive, but she refuses. At these times, she finds the console of Ah Sing. Ah Sing is also driven to Ah Lam due to his problems with Fiona. This leads to a love rectangle...

Finally married, Lau Gam (Louis Yuen) and Wan Ying Gei (Yvonne Lam) have problems with getting pregnant. Meanwhile, Kam Yat (Joyce Chen), through the help of her husband Ko Yi Hong (Johnny Tang) comes to terms with her genuine dreams. Kam Yuet (Michael Tse) and Lam Yuk Lo (Bondy Chiu) feel the strain of having twins after twins.

Kam Sa Sa (Kingdom Yuen) is happily married with Sek Dai Kei (Lee Kwok Lun), but she constantly finds herself missing life with the Kams. It's even harder for her as she's constantly at throats with her husband's brother and sister-in-law...

Man Gwai Fei (Stephanie Che) is unable to find a husband even with her 42-inch legs. When Ah Nin returns to "Ka Yan" company, she develops a liking towards her nemesis. Just as Joey and Ah Nin are starting a romance, Gwai Fei discovers this. She is bitter that he rejects her and vows to become his boss. Through her schemes with cousin Man Gwai Yan (Celine Ma), she successfully becomes "Ka Yan"'s owner and inflicts much pain on Ah Nin. As he struggles along without a job and a bad reputation, Joey is there to support him. Jealousy continues to erupt in Gwai Fei and she makes it increasily difficult for the two and everyone else with her evil plots....

In the past, Chan Kiu (Helen Ma) had a pair of twins. Not only did she give birth to Sek Mei (Cutie Mui), but she also had a son, Sek Biu (Raymond Lam). Because of gambling debts, Kiu was forced to plead her younger sister, Chan Hung (Sheren Tang), for help. Because Hung and her husband cannot have kids, they take Ah Biu as part of the deal. Now grown up, Ah Biu wants to know who his real parents are. As a police cadet, he is disappointed when he discovers that his parents are selfish and greedy....

Wong Lai (Maggie Siu) left Wong Sheung (Lau Dan) after Joey was just a few months old. Because of this, he is very bitter and doesn't acknowledge that she is still alive. However, he doesn't know the truth of the matter. It is because of her that he is able to be the millionare that he is today. Further, she was pregnant at the time she left. She returns to Hong Kong because of her son's, Wong Lok (Bosco Wong), wishes....

Chung Ka Ting (Leila Tong) abruptly arrives at the Kams' house in Hong Kong. She is an immigrant from the mainland. She is a sweet girl blessed with charm and beauty. Her mom was Nim Chi's good sister, but she died in a fire. After that time, Nim Chi vowed to take care of her. Ah Ting knows what poverty is and swears to rise to the top. Because of this, she has a love for money and a problem of stealing. Seeing that the Kams are rich, she plots to break up their family and steal their fortune....

Through a set of coincidences, misunderstandings, and workings of fate, the family start to drift apart. Yau Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) saddens under the situation for she has worked all her life to have a big, happy family. Now, everything is falling apart.... Can the Kam family find true happiness and live together? Through a set of dramatic and comedic storylines, "Virtues of Harmony III" depicts what happens to the future of the lovable Kams and friends that everyone has gotten to know over the years.

Kenix Kwok, Ron Ng, Raymond Lam, Sheren Tang, Tavia Yeung, Maggie Siu, Bosco Wong, Charmaine Sheh, and Leila Tong join the Virtues family to bring more happiness and interesting twists to the lives of the Kams.

137 chapters have already been written and published - ready for your reading pleasure. Starting in two weeks, the fanfic will continue at this blog with chapters 138 and onwards. Two weeks should be enough time for those who have never read the fanfic to have a chance to read and catch up. Fans who are eagerly awaiting the fanfic's continuation - please be patient. The story shall continue in two week's time...

Read chapters 1-137