Chapter 208: A Chat With Her Ex-Husband!

Chapter 208: A Chat With Her Ex-Husband!

The evening left us all completely drained. Even Kim, who witnessed the bank incident eight years ago, seemed trapped in a daze alongside Mary, Linda, and Mercy.

My wives had not fully processed Mei's initial reaction to seeing my father alive. Mary and Hana knew the truth from the start, but they never realized my father was a mentor figure to Mei. The revelation that he was the puppet master behind her life hit her hard.

She rested heavily in my arms, looking up at me with tears in her eyes. "Rick, why did he not send me to you from the start?" Mei asked, her voice trembling as she clung to my chest. "Why did I have to go through all that pain just to end up where he wanted me?"

We were down in the garage while I worked on my armored BMW. Mei stood close by my side, handing me tools while we discussed the messy situation.

I sealed the oil plug and wiped the black grease from my hands with a rag. I looked into her worried eyes to offer my best guess. "He was likely hands-off during your training and your mission to Eurasia," I said, setting the wrench down on the tray. "If he had just handed you to me, you would have treated me like a job instead of falling for me."

I reached out and gently pulled her closer to the car. I wanted her to understand the cold reality of the spy world. "If he showed personal interest in a lower-level asset, others would get suspicious," I added, brushing a stray hair from her forehead. "He calculated that May Lee would never let you rot in China as a concubine, which is why the Shadows let you return."

I already knew she was heading back to Eurasia, so I had not worried. Lucy walked into the garage right then and nodded in agreement.

"Rick is completely right," Lucy said, leaning against the tool rack with her arms crossed. "I always thought it was far too easy to get you reassigned back here from China."

She stepped closer to us, her face tightening as she recalled her own training days. The realization of her brother's manipulation clearly frustrated her. "But how could I guess my brother was pulling the strings?" Lucy asked, throwing her hands up in the air. "He was my teacher, so I still cannot see through his actions."

She let out a heavy sigh and looked toward the garage door. The family dynamics were becoming a dangerous battlefield. "Honestly, I do not even know if my brother and father are enemies anymore," Lucy murmured, rubbing her temples.

Mei looked back and forth between us, her confusion growing deeper. She gripped the edge of my workbench tightly. "Why would you think of them as enemies?" Mei asked, her voice laced with innocence. "They are our people, right?"

Lucy stepped up right behind me and wrapped her arms tightly around my waist. She looked at Mei with absolute, unwavering devotion in her eyes. "Mei Xia, I care for absolutely no one above my Rick," Lucy stated, her voice turning ice-cold. "I can discard anyone who is not his family, friend, lover, or wife."

She squeezed me tighter, letting the heavy weight of her words sink into the room. She meant every single syllable. "To save my man, I would kill everyone in the world that Rick has no feelings for," Lucy continued, her eyes narrowing. "I would kill my own brother and father for him."

Mei took a step back, her breath catching at the raw intensity of Lucy's declaration. "This is exactly why those two never included me in their plans," Lucy added, resting her chin on my shoulder. "They know I would stop their nonsense, which means they might be my enemy."

"But all the shadows were ordered to assist Rick," Mei argued, her hands shaking slightly. "Does that not mean they are helping him?"

Lucy scoffed loudly at the younger girl's naivety. She pointed a finger toward the main house to emphasize her point. "Or it is a massive trap to get Rick executed for treason the moment he is discovered," Lucy countered sharply.

Mei shifted her weight uneasily, her face turning pale as she processed the warning. She was likely thinking about Ling Ling's sudden eagerness to assist me.

I turned around in Lucy's arms and captured her lips in a deep kiss. I needed to calm her heart before her paranoia drove her to kill Valentine over a bad feeling.

The kiss worked perfectly, and she broke away with a wide, satisfied smile. I turned back to finish cleaning my tools. "Do not worry, Mei," I said, tossing the dirty rag into the bin. "Those two bastards are not our enemies, but they are playing the role of the world's villains."

Both women locked their eyes on me, waiting for the explanation behind my intuition. "The Chinese Emperor is very young, and my father is acting as the majordomo," I explained, leaning back against the car hood. "The ruler had pride, but their glance always turned to my father for direction."

I remembered the specific look on the young ruler's face during the broadcast. It was a look I recognized all too well. "I fear my father is the true brains behind China's aggressive new restructuring," I said, crossing my arms. "They are using newer Eurasian tech that must have been stolen since I was five."

Mei tilted her head, listening intently as I connected the final pieces of the puzzle. "The Emperor has the exact same eyes that you have when looking at my father," I told her bluntly.

Lucy asked why I believed that, prompting me to explain further. I slammed the heavy BMW hood shut, completely unaware that my auto mechanics skill had just taken a massive leap forward.

"The Emperor should not have been sitting in that meeting," I said, wiping down the shiny metal exterior. "No one else noticed it, but I did." I paced around the front bumper, looking at the security monitors on the wall. "They wanted me to see the current ruler, which is highly significant," I added. "Their identities are always hidden from the outside world for protection."

Mei shrugged her shoulders, trying to downplay the weight of the situation. "That could have easily been a fake double," Mei suggested, waving her hand dismissively.

"No, an Emperor is far too proud to use a fake in a direct show of power," I replied, shaking my head. "Speaking to the world with a double would bring immense shame." I walked toward the garage door and gestured for them to follow me inside. The night air was getting chilly. "Even the Japanese Emperor would never do that," I sighed. "Let us just go inside, it is time to put the kids to bed."

Lucy stepped in front of me, blocking my path with a intense curiosity burning in her eyes. "Then what was the reason the Emperor sat there?" Lucy demanded. "What is your guess as a fellow ruler?"

I paused, remembering the exact moment my father threatened my safety on screen. "When my father spoke about harming me, the Emperor looked directly into the camera," I revealed, locking eyes with her. "It felt like he was watching me directly."

Mei and Lucy exchanged a sharp glance, instantly wanting to re-watch the video tape. Instead, we headed upstairs to clean up and tuck the children into bed.

The next morning, my eyelids fluttered open from a deep, heavy sleep. I immediately felt the intoxicating warmth of two women pressed against my body.

Victoria lay completely naked on my back, spooning me in her sleep. Her perfect, smooth skin clung tightly to my spine under the sheets.

In the front, Helen was grinding her hips rhythmically against my rigid morning erection. She had managed to slide me inside her wet heat while I was still unconscious. Her back was facing me as she moved in slow, deliberate strokes. She was clearly trying to enjoy herself without waking me up.

I kept perfectly still to avoid disturbing Vicky behind me. I slid my left hand down between us, finding Helen's swollen clit and rubbing it gently.

Realizing I was awake, Helen groaned softly and turned her flushed face toward mine. I immediately locked my lips over hers to muffle her gasps of pure pleasure.

I began to thrust in and out with gentle, deep strokes while my fingers kept up the steady rhythm on her clit. The double stimulation pushed her over the edge. Helen's fingernails dug sharply into my left butt-cheek, pulling my hips flush against her as she climaxed. The intense squeezing triggered my own release deep inside her.

We lay still as the tremors faded, and I chose to stay buried inside her warm walls. I gently brushed her sweaty blonde hair away from her damp forehead.

She looked back at me with soft, affectionate brown eyes and a satisfied grin. "I wanted to give you a proper morning welcome," Helen whispered against my chest. "Did I do a good job?"

"You did amazing," I whispered back, kissing her nose. "Now go back to sleep, my love. I need to get ready for the day, and I love you."

I prepared to slide out of her and slide out of bed, but Victoria's sleepy purple eyes fluttered open behind me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me down. She claimed a deep, lazy morning kiss before releasing my lips with a soft smile.

"We are staying home for a family play-day, so be careful when you go out," Victoria mumbled, her eyes already closing again. "Say hello to Gretta for me. Morning, Rick." She let out a soft yawn and instantly drifted back to sleep.

I carefully tucked the blankets around both of my wives. They had clearly put in the extra effort to distract me from my family drama. I kept my mouth shut and enjoyed the rare luxury of a double morning session. There was no need to tell them I was already perfectly fine.

After finishing my morning routine of bathing and eating a light breakfast, I said goodbye to the family members who were awake.

I walked out to the driveway and climbed into my car just as the morning sun hit the pavement. The main reason I left so early was to beat the aggressive media vans that would inevitably camp outside our gates.

I needed to pick up James before the circus arrived. I also had a highly tactical car-switching plan to enact. The spies tracking me from above and through city cameras would be completely thrown off. And I left an identical vehicle at one of my Fire Birds bases. A loyal operative was currently driving it, successfully sending my tails on a long, pointless afternoon joyride around Star City.

My car pulled up in front of James' house just after breakfast. His sexy wife, Jen, walked him out to the curb and gave him a passionate goodbye kiss. The stupid, satisfied grin plastered across Jumbo's face when he turned around spoke volumes. It heavily alluded to him having an incredibly active, exhausting night just like mine.

He opened the passenger door and climbed inside the armored BMW. The very first thing he asked was laced with genuine concern. "Brother, how are you holding up?" James asked, buckling his seatbelt. "I never knew your father, so I was not sure what to think when I saw last night's news. Do you want to just skip the birthday party today?"

I firmly pressed my foot down on the accelerator, keeping my expression perfectly neutral. "Rayna and Tessa are really looking forward to me being there," I replied, steering the car out into the morning traffic. "If I let them down because of all this global nonsense, it would only break Gretta's heart to see her daughters sad on her oldest girl's birthday."

James chuckled, leaning back into the leather seat. He cut a sharp glance over at me. "Be completely honest with me, bro," James teased, raising an eyebrow. "Are you really going all this way for Ray, or is this actually for Gretta?"

Smack! I swatted his shoulder hard, forcing a sudden wince from him. "None of my lovers are younger than me, asshole," I scolded, keeping my eyes fixed on the road. "Do not ever imply I have that kind of a twisted fetish, you bastard. I just genuinely do not want to upset the girl."

I adjusted my grip on the steering wheel, my voice softening just a fraction. "But if I am being completely honest, I really do not want to make Gretta any sadder than she already is because of me," I admitted.

James just grinned widely at that. He had clearly only wanted to hear that exact last part. "So is that the real reason you completely rejected that younger journalist girl's confession?" James asked, crossing his arms. "I thought it was strange back then, but looking back, you definitely only like older women."

He shifted in his seat, looking out the side window as we navigated the streets. "So then why are you not showing big sister Gretta any real affection?" James pushed, his tone turning curious. "She has been divorced for over a year now. I always see her looking at you with that deep, longing expression."

I let out a heavy, exhausted sigh. The question had been weighing on me for months. "I just do not understand why he divorced her in the first place," I muttered, shaking my head. "She and I never did anything inappropriate together back then, and even now, we are just friends."

James put on a specific, mischievous smile that I hated with an absolute passion. His next words immediately confirmed my worst fears.

"Gretta's ex-husband will actually be there at his daughter's birthday party today," James revealed, his grin widening by the second. "So you can just ask him yourself, right?"

I am not sure if it was the sudden news about her ex or the fact that the reporters had finally been cleared from my path, but my face instantly cramped up. I glared at the grinning bastard sitting next to me. "Can I cancel my attendance right now?" I asked flatly.

"Nope, absolutely not," James laughed, tapping his smartphone screen. "I already texted sister Yang to let her know we are officially on our way, haha!"

"Remind me why exactly you are my best friend?" I groaned, rubbing the bridge of my nose.

"Because I am clearly the charming one," James shot back instantly, winking at me. "And besides, you are technically my uncle, right?"

I rolled my eyes hard at his logic. I spun the steering wheel, heading in the exact opposite direction of Gretta's home to reach our designated switching point.

We entered the Southern district a short while later. I finally pulled up to the heavily fortified gated community that the Yang Clan used exclusively for their family mansions.

I rolled down the window of the old, dented brown Jeep I was now driving. No one looking for Rick Tang would ever think to monitor this ancient vehicle. It was the ultimate low-key ride, looking so rough that only a commoner would normally be caught dead inside it. As I had correctly guessed, absolutely no one had followed us here. The vehicle belonged to a trusted Fire Birds member. He had happily loaned it to me just for today's visual gimmick.

I reached out and pressed the buzzer for Gretta's home. Her familiar, melodious voice instantly crackled through the electronic grid.

[Oh! Rick, what on earth are you driving?] Gretta laughed softly over the speaker network. [Oh, never mind that, just hurry inside, fufu~!]

I pulled into the pristine driveway and immediately saw Gretta waiting out front. She stood near the entrance of her massive, two-story luxury mansion. She was wearing a plain white dress that left her shoulders completely bare, tied elegantly behind her neck. She had pulled her hair up into a simple, casual bun.

It was obvious she was intentionally dressing down for a change. For me, this was a completely new sight. She was always dressed in glamorous, high-end fashion lines. Seeing this simple, natural version of Gretta as a dedicated mother was incredibly refreshing.

She walked quickly to the driver's door to open it for me. I swung my legs out, grabbing the wrapped presents and a bottle of expensive vintage wine.

"I brought some gifts for your daughters," I told her, flashing a small grin. "But the wine is strictly for the adults, okay?" The dumb joke instantly put a wide, radiant smile across her beautiful face. She reached out and took the heavy gift bags from my hands.

She clearly understood the reason behind the rugged ride, having already heard the details from James. Her expression softened with concern. "Rick, you must have so much heavy stuff going on right now," Gretta said, her voice dropping to a gentle whisper. "Did I make things incredibly tough for you by inviting you? I am so sorry..."

"No, not at all," I replied, shaking my head reassuringly. "Actually, this is completely perfect to keep my mind off serious things. Plus, I always make sure to keep my promises to you."

James came walking around the hood of the Jeep, carrying his own stack of gifts. Gretta reached out and gently took hold of my elbow, gesturing toward the front doors.

"You are officially the very first of my daughter's guests to arrive," Gretta murmured, her hand tightening slightly on my arm. "But... Mathew Jia, my ex-husband, is already inside..." An intense look of deep unease flashed across her face, as if she expected me to turn around and leave right then. It was the exact look of a woman who felt like she had been caught cheating.

The irony was that we were not even in a romantic relationship. But the realization suddenly hit me that maybe this exact innocent closeness was what her ex-husband had misread during their marriage.

Gretta clearly cared deeply about what I thought of her. I patted her hand gently.

"It is a good thing that he came, right?" I said, looking toward the entrance. "I would never miss my own kid's birthday unless the entire world was collapsing. Let us go inside."

The tense, white-knuckled grip on my elbow instantly relaxed. She was visibly relieved to hear that I was not upset by his presence. In reality, I would have deeply despised the guy if he had skipped his own daughter's milestone birthday. I was completely fine with him being here.

We walked through the grand entryway. The interior was incredibly spacious, featuring the warm, comfortable decorations of a well-lived-in mansion. Colorful party decorations were strung across the high ceilings. A few professional maids were running back and forth, ensuring everything was perfect for the upcoming rush.

Gretta smelled absolutely incredible as she pulled me along by the arm, leading us straight into the main living room. Three notable people were currently sitting together.

Mathew Jia, Rayna Yang, and Tessa Yang were seated on the expensive couches.

Rayna, the birthday girl, was sitting directly next to her sister. The moment the three of us entered, she stood up and waved excitedly.

"Thank you so much for coming today, Mr. Rick!" Rayna called out with a bright smile. "The other guests will start arriving in about an hour, so please take a seat."

The two large couches were positioned opposite each other, with the sisters occupying one side and their father sitting on the other. There were several single armchairs available. I chose to man up and walked directly over to the opposite couch, sitting right down next to the ex-husband. James immediately took the spot right next to me.

I turned slightly toward the man, offering a polite nod. "It is very nice to see you again, Mr. Jia," I said, extending my hand across the gap. "It has been a long time since we last spoke."

He firmly shook my hand, showing absolutely no signs of hidden aggression or hostility. He just warmly greeted me back with a calm nod.

My trained acting skills worked perfectly to hide my inherently awkward expression. Poor Gretta was sitting across from us with her girls, looking incredibly nervous. She knew her ex-husband was fully aware of her intense feelings for me. But from what I could see, the guy seemed completely chill about the situation.

"I am glad you showed up to help Ray out with her friends," Mathew said, leaning back comfortably. "With all that global madness on the news, I was worried you would be unable to make it, but my worries were for nothing."

James, Mathew, and I engaged in a friendly, normal guy-talk dynamic as the early guests slowly started trickling through the front gates.

The three women eventually stood up to go greet the newcomers at the door, leaving just the three of us alone in the living room.

James suddenly shifted uncomfortably, looking like his bladder was completely full. Neither Mathew nor I noticed the slight, knowing grin on his face as he looked around. "I will be right back, guys," James announced, rubbing his stomach. "Those morning coffees I drank are finally hitting me hard!"

We watched James map out the nearest restroom and walk away at a brisk pace. The moment he disappeared down the hall, Mathew turned to face me. He wore a kind, genuine smile on his face. He asked a direct question that I completely did not expect to hear from an ex-partner.

"It has been a full year since the divorce," Mathew said, looking directly into my eyes. "Why exactly have you not started dating Gretta yet?"

This was absolutely not how an ex-husband was supposed to ask a question like this, especially with a friendly, supportive smile.