The CEO’S Forsaken Daughter

Chapter Two: The Lee Family

AKIHIRO'S POINT OF VIEW

"Mr. Lee, the investors were pleased with our presentation. They'd like to move forward and sign the contract tomorrow. Additionally, they've invited you to join them for lunch after the contract signing."

"Please handle this for me. I won't be available tomorrow. Call Kenji and ask him to take the investors to lunch. He's capable of handling it. Also, remember to contact Selene's doctor for the paperwork and instruct them to send it to our family doctors in the Philippines."

"Thank you, Mr. Lee. I've arranged everything for your flight tomorrow, including the plane and immigration. I hope you enjoy your time with your family. I'll be taking my leave now."

I heard the door close behind me. I picked up the phone and dialed Hera's number.

Ring... Ring... Ring...

"Aki. Why did you call?" she answered the phone with a chilly tone. I can picture her smug expression right now, and it brought a slight grin to my face.

"Is that your new way of expressing 'I miss you'? I can sense your affection from up here," I quipped while lighting up a cigarette.

"I'm not joking around. Why did you call? How's Selene? Is she okay? Don't tell me you're going to delay your flight again?" There was a trace of concern in her voice.

"Selene's doing well. I just wanted to inquire about your well-being. Are you feeling better now? You mentioned yesterday that you weren't feeling well," I asked sincerely.

"I'm feeling better now. We had a significant client from France last week, which caused me a lot of stress because one of my secretaries was on maternity leave. Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and we secured a contract," I could hear her satisfaction over the phone. She's quite the workaholic. Managing a fashion business is no easy task, but she handles it admirably. What else would you expect from a renowned fashion icon?

"I'm delighted to hear you're feeling better now. I know you're capable of handling it. You're definitely the Hera Demetria Lee I know. I can't wait to see you. Selene is very excited. She's grown quite a bit. She's tall for a 14-year-old," I remarked.

"My daughter takes after me, of course. Take care during your flight. Please, Aki, look after my daughter Selene."

"Absolutely, she's my daughter too, you know. Um... how about Eris? How is she?" I hesitated to inquire. This subject is quite delicate. I understand it's tough for her, but Eris is also my child. I detected a sigh on the other end of the line.

"She's doing fine, I suppose. I'm not sure," Her response lacked enthusiasm, leaving me perplexed.

"What do you mean by 'I suppose, I'm not sure'? She's with you, right? How can you not be sure?" I inquired, my frustration becoming more apparent.

"Are you raising your voice at me? Oh my goodness, Aki. Are we going to argue about this again? Don't you understand where I'm coming from?" She also raised her voice. I empathize with her, but we're still discussing our child, so I couldn't accept her vague response.

"I understand your perspective, but Eris is our child. She's only fourteen, and as parents, I have some concerns," I replied gently. I rubbed my forehead, aware that her mind was firmly closed on this matter.

"I've already told you before that you should accept the reality early on: I have no affection for that child. She'll suffer if she's with me, so if I were you, I'd tell her the truth while it's still early. Because I can't bear to have her in the same house with me. Every time I see her, it reminds me of the unfortunate events in my life," she said softly but filled with bitterness. I could sense the anguish in every word she uttered. I never intended to hurt her, and no words could alleviate her pain, particularly when reminders of the past are ever-present.

"I apologize. Just give me a bit of time, and I'll resolve this. I'll gradually alleviate your pain and sorrow. I promise that. But for now, I want you to be resilient for Selene and for yourself," I reassured her. She didn't respond; all I could hear was her breathing.

"I'll end the call now. I'll see you tomorrow. I love you deeply, Hera. Goodbye for now." I hung up the phone, turned my chair around, and faced the person who had been listening to my conversation with Hera.

"What brings you here?" I inquired with a dash of coolness while casually lighting up my cigarette. Let me remind you, she's my younger sister.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Are you here to bring some Arctic chill for my dear niece Eris tomorrow?" She shook her head, sitting cross-legged on the sofa in front of me.

"You're still avoiding my question, Akira," I prodded, exhaling a plume of smoke.

"You're quite the icicle, Aniki. You turn into a different person when you talk to my sister-in-law and Selene. It's like you're channeling Buddha's zen vibes. But when it's us, Mom, and Dad, you go back to your old grumpy self. I'm starting to take this personally, you know!" She playfully feigned a pout and added a few foot stomps for effect. Quite the thespian, isn't she?

"Enough with the theatrics, Akira. What's your real reason for gracing us with your presence? Planning to give me a headache? I suggest you jet back to Japan and manage your affairs there. I'm not in the mood for sibling bickering," I retorted, arching an eyebrow. But she seemed to be reveling in this little tête-à-tête, laughing merrily.

"Hahahahahhahahaha. You've really lost your charm, Aniki," she teased.

"Akira," I uttered her name, now with a more serious tone, and it snapped her out of her amusement as she straightened up.

"What brings you here?" I repeated, my gaze still fixed on her face, which was now engrossed in her phone. She briefly glanced at me before responding.

"I have some news for you. I've tracked down Nyx," she said with gravity. She got up and began pacing around my office, idly twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "You seem to have known this for a while, though, since you're not the least bit surprised," she added. I smirked at her and leaned back in my chair, propping my feet on the table.

"Is that all you came here for?" I asked, taking another drag of my cigarette.

"Nope. I have another reason. I'm taking Eris with me to Japan. So, please, don't spill the beans to her. I'll make sure she never darkens the doorstep of the Lee Mansion again," she said, her voice tinged with concern, and her face remained solemn. It hit me like a ton of bricks when I heard that. I can't quite explain the twinge in my heart.

"Do you really think Eris will agree to go to Japan? No matter what Hera's deal with her is, Eris's love for her mother always takes precedence," I remarked calmly. She returned to the sofa and sat down, absently toying with her phone, grinning, then continued speaking.

"That's precisely why I'm flying to the Philippines tomorrow. I'll do my darnedest to persuade Eris to accompany me to Japan. Since you all seem to have zero interest in her, she'll be better off without you. Sure, she might have a full-fledged family, but she's still as lonesome and wounded as an orphan. She's paying for the sins of the past, and that, my dear brother, is downright unfair. Mom and Dad are on board too. They miss Eris, you know. They said they want her back." She spoke gently yet resolutely. I didn't respond right away and pondered her words carefully. We both sat in silence, the only sound being the whir of the white noise machine in the background. After a few minutes, the telephone rang. Before picking it up, I had one more thing to say to Akira.

"I agree. Join us tomorrow and make it your mission to convince her to go to Japan. You have one year to work your magic. After that, I want Eris to vanish from this house and the Philippines entirely. Just as you said, we're not invested in her. She's the root of all our troubles. It's better off without her in our lives. That way, my family will find their bliss. I want Eris erased from our lives."

AKIRA'S POINT OF VIEW

"I agree. Join us tomorrow and make it your mission to convince her to go to Japan. You have one year to work your magic. After that, I want Eris to vanish from this house and the Philippines entirely. Just as you said, we're not invested in her. She's the root of all our troubles. It's better off without her in our lives. That way, my family will find their bliss. I want Eris erased from our lives."

Aniki gave a chilly response and answered the phone. It seemed to be a business call, so I didn't pay much attention and got up from the sofa. I signaled to him that I was leaving his office and walked towards the door. Before I could exit his office, I overheard him speaking. Aniki is my super handsome and intimidating older brother.

"Give me a moment, Mr. Williams," he said to his caller and then called my name.

"Akira, I want you to pick up Selene from her friend's house. We need to leave soon. I'm going to hold a stockholders' meeting for Lee Hotels in the Philippines as soon as possible. Take care of Selene and contact our security team in the Philippines."

"Your wish is my command, Your Highness," I teased, even bowing playfully. He gave me a glare and turned back to his call. I continued walking and left Aniki's office. I had almost forgotten about something, but I couldn't quite remember what it was.

I found myself in the lobby, and let me tell you, this place was fancier than a peacock in a tuxedo. There, right in the middle of the lobby, was an indoor garden that could make even Mother Nature jealous. I squinted my eyes, trying to figure out what this greenery was doing here. I mean, when did Aniki develop a green thumb? Did he wake up one day and decide, "You know what this building needs? A jungle!"

I decided to get a closer look at this mysterious indoor rainforest. It looked strangely familiar, like I'd seen it somewhere in my past life as a plant whisperer. Oh well, maybe Aniki just decided to go all Tarzan on us. Tss. I shrugged and moved on, determined to get outside and fetch Selene.

Speaking of Selene, it felt like I was forgetting something important. What was it again?

.....STUPID ANIKI CALLING....STUPID ANIKI CALLING......STUPID ANIKI CALLING..... STUPID ANIKI CALLING

And there it was, my ringtone, loud and proud. I couldn't help but answer it since everyone was now giving me the "Why do you have to be so extra?" look.

"Yow! What's poppin', bro? Long time no hear! Hahaha!" I greeted him, trying to keep the mood light. Seriously, he'd never called me directly before. It was always his trusty sidekick, Kenji, who did the phone grunt work.

"Tss. Do you even know the address you're heading to?"

"Oh no, man! My brain's on vacation. Where am I supposed to go again? Haha."

"Stupid. I'll text it to you."

"You're a walking GPS, aren't you? It's like we're not even siblings. Huhuhu," I pretended to sob dramatically.

"Annoying. Knock it off. You're a full-grown adult. Bye. Catch you later. And, by the way, change that ringtone or prepare your funeral." he warned before abruptly hanging up.

"Sure thing," I mumbled to myself. But then, I couldn't help but ponder his final words. "Change that ringtone or prepare your funeral." Wait, do we secretly have dog DNA in our family, and Aniki's just been hiding his supersonic hearing from us all along?

I walked out of the building and saw the valet, who had just gotten out of my car, approaching me. Yes, the Lee Empire has valet service. Super fancy, you'd think it's a hotel. Haha. He handed me the car keys and flashed a smile. I strolled over to my beloved Baby Freya. She's a 2016 Ferrari 488 Spider Convertible.

I hopped into my gorgeous ride and started driving towards the address Aniki had sent me. Boy, was I glad Baby Freya wasn't feeling rebellious today!

After what felt like an eternity, I finally reached my destination. I pulled out my phone and dialed Selene's number, but it seemed like she was playing hide-and-seek with her phone because it just kept ringing, and she wasn't in the mood to answer. I glanced around the area and noticed more cars parked outside her friend's house than at a luxury car dealership. Seriously, it was as if they were hosting a "Guess the Car Model" competition. I furrowed my brow, but then I heard music blasting from inside, and it was so loud that it could probably wake the dead.

With my phone held hostage by the eternal ringing, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I mean, what's the worst that could happen, right? I rolled my eyes, lowered my phone, and gracefully exited my car. Okay, maybe not so gracefully, but I got out nonetheless.

As I approached the gate, I hit the doorbell like it owed me money. After what felt like two eternities (yes, we're dealing with eternity here, not regular minutes), the gate swung open. The guy who answered it had a look of sheer surprise on his face, as if I was a unicorn that had just tap-danced onto his doorstep. He quickly regained his composure and gave me the once-over, or as I like to call it, the "full-body scan."

"Regardez qui est ici!" he exclaimed dramatically, which is French for "Look who's here!" I swear, he said it like he was auditioning for a role in a French soap opera. I couldn't help but smirk at his theatricality.m

"Je peux aller aux toilettes?" I deadpanned, pretending to be in desperate need of a bathroom break. He shot me a look of mild disgust, which I interpreted as his inner turmoil about whether or not I was a bathroom rebel. Seriously, though, this guy had the arrogance level of someone who thinks they're the world champion of French toast eating. Haha.

"Sûr," he replied, leading me into the house. As we made our way to the main door, the noise from inside grew louder. I couldn't help but wonder if they were auditioning for the world's loudest band, or if they were just trying to summon the ghost of party animals past.

He ushered me inside, and I was greeted by a group of young people dancing as if they were auditioning for a music video, while others engaged in playful banter. I scanned the scene and couldn't help but notice the distinct aroma of alcohol lingering in the air, not to mention the scattered empty bottles. It was pretty clear that this wasn't a tea party.

I had barely taken a step further when a guy approached me and Mr. French toast enthusiast I'd encountered earlier, whose name turned out to be Theo. It seemed like he was already a bit tipsy, probably from dancing to the music, which was cranked up to eardrum-shattering levels. Of course, in this sonic chaos, everyone needed to shout to have a conversation.

"Theo! Is that your new girl? She looks gorgeous!" he yelled with excitement, pointing in my direction. I couldn't help but cringe a little at the term "new girl." Seriously, was I a limited edition action figure?

"She's not my girlfriend. Not yet, at least. She wants to use the bathroom," Mr. French Toast replied, much to my annoyance. I mean, he could've just said I needed to pee without making it sound like a potential romantic milestone. This guy was starting to get on my nerves.

I was about to make a quick escape from my peculiar surroundings when I overheard Selene's voice coming from the living room.

"I'm going to miss you so much. I'll be going back to the Philippines tomorrow, and I am so pissed. I don't have a chance to rip Jana's hair anymore."

I listened intently as another voice chimed in, attempting to comfort Selene, "She's not worth it. You are more beautiful than her. She's just a nerd. An ugly nerd. She's not fun to hang out with anyway."

Well, it seemed like I had stumbled upon the aftermath of a juicy teenage drama. Time to put on my detective hat and find out who Jana was, why hair-ripping was even a thing, and what made this party suddenly so much more interesting.

I strolled into the living room, completely ignoring the two teenage pests calling my name. My attention landed on Selene, who was seated on the sofa. She had her back to me, but there was no mistaking her. With my arms crossed, I observed her from head to...well, chest. Frankly, I wasn't thrilled about her attire – those outrageously short shorts and a bra with a see-through crop top. Not a problem if she were of the right age. Everyone in the room had taken notice of my entrance, and they were all staring. The music had conveniently stopped, leaving only hushed whispers in its wake.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Selena's number. It rang, and I couldn't help but notice her glance at her phone, then promptly power it off. She sensed the sudden hush and decided to face me, her eyes wide as saucers. She'd even dropped the plastic cup she'd been clutching, spilling its contents. I picked it up and gave it a curious sniff. Well, well, alcohol. I raised an eyebrow at her and let out a sigh before picking up my gorgeous phone and dialed a number.

"Ima sugu anata no tasuke ga hitsuyōdesu. Watashi wa adoresu o okurimashita," I theatrically declared into the phone before hanging up. Then, I grabbed her arm, and she started squirming.

"Oh my God! Let go of me! You're hurting me!" she squealed, still struggling.

"Trust me, you'll actually get hurt if you keep up the acrobatics!" I hollered back at her.

"I'm going to tell Daddy!" she threatened, tears welling up.

"You silly girl! Your handsome and terror Daddy sent my gorgeous ass to fetch you here. I was calling you, and you had the audacity to turn off your phone? I was frantic!"

"My friends threw a farewell bash for me because I'm leaving tomorrow! I just wanted to have some fun! Is that too much to ask?"

"Yes, it is! Especially when you're underage, and your friends look like a bunch of miscreants! Got a speck of common sense in that noggin?"

"You're such a meanie, Aunt Akira! I hate you—!" She didn't get to finish her sentence, as a fleet of police cars pulled up out front. They gave me a nod and entered the house. I could hear the commotion from inside, but I didn't pay it any mind.

"Oh my God! What did you do? You called the cops? My friends are going to be in trouble!"

"Of course, I called the police! Did you think I'd let your buddies swim in hot water without you? Look, here comes the cavalry." I pointed dramatically at a BMW that had pulled up next to Baby Freya. I yanked Selene toward the back seat and slammed the door shut. Then, I rapped on the driver's window, and it slid down.

"Akira."

"Kenji, you're in charge of this troublemaker . I'm fried! Look at me; I've got wrinkles!" I gestured toward my face and gave my best attempt at looking adorable.

"Hahaha. It's all good. You should be proud of what you've accomplished," he teased.

"Psh! Who knows." I spun around in my seat and pedaled away in Baby Freya. Before speeding off, I glanced at Kenji's car and delivered the ultimate insult: the middle finger salute. "I hate you too!"

To be continued…