The Gold Challenge
1353 Words
Mr. Lim and Christopher are at the latter's study. Christopher is obviously troubled as he keeps breathing deeply.
Finally Mr. Lim break the silence.
"What is it that troubles the master?" Mr. Lim asked.
"Everything!" Christopher replied.
" I am now at the moment of my life wherein the clock is ticking, you know what I mean Tony." Christopher said as he stares at the window. "Apparently I need to be getting married this year. Huh! Be married to whom?" Christopher smirked at that thought.
"You have to be very careful with your decision, master. This not only involves you. It would be best if you allow your mother to help you this time. Don't just send her away. Eventually you will be meeting your match if you open up." Mr. Lim advised Christopher.
"Open up like how should I open up?" Christopher asked.
"Don't confine yourself to what your eyes can only see. Widen your horizon then you will see." Mr. Lim said.
"Go straight to your point Tony. You talking in riddles don't help at this moment."
"Christopher, that Isabel.."
"What about her?" Christopher snapped.
"Are you serious when you said she's your girlfriend?" Mr. Lim asked.
"It's complicated." Christopher answered.
"That is not a good idea."
"And what would be a good idea? Marry these elite gold diggers?"
"No one is gold digging you. That's why I said widen what your eyes see."
"Riddles again." Christopher said.
"Don't think everyone is after your money."
"Except Isabel. And I'm not even sure if she likes me or not. Like who would not like to date me? Isabel Ofcourse." Christopher knows that's arrogant of him to say but he knows it's the truth.
"I'm a man too Christopher. Men like the challenge but once we win we would lose our interest. You're only being challenged by her indifference to you."
"You can't say that."
"Ofcourse you can find out for yourself. But think about it carefully. This will not end good. This ends this way, a woman with a broken heart and a bad publicity for you."
"I don't know you are switching careers now Tony. Tony, the Psychic?"
Mr. Lim ignored Christopher's sarcasm. When the master was younger, he already knows Christopher is very stubborn. And if he want something, he is going to have it by hook or by crook. There's no way Isabel will be spared of Christopher Kon's aggression. The only way for Isabel to be out of the unforeseen chaos that is on it's way is if Isabel would leave the house and fly out of HongKong right away.
"It's not too late to change your mind Christopher.Think about it."
"It's not too late to change your perception Mr. Lim." Christopher corrected his butler who's also his adviser and assistant and the one who would take the blame on his master's mistakes. Mr. Lim is the handy man in Christopher's life.
"I have no more words to say but good luck in choosing your partner or future wife."
"Thankyou Mr. Lim. Looks like the bachelor days of Christopher Kon will end this year. Maybe it's not so bad to be having children after all I'm getting older."
"Absolutely! I'm looking forward to see a young boy in this mansion again. Time moves fast. It would be my honor to be serving three generations of the Kons."
"Three generations?"
"Your father, you, and your father's grandson."
"You mean my son?"
"Ofcourse."
Christopher thought for a while before talking again.
"What if I won't sire a son to my wife?"
"You should sire a son. Your father is very traditional and I'm sure he left that in his will."
"How do you know?" Christopher wonder what else do this man know. He seems to know everything about the Kons already.
"You do know your mother is not the first wife of your father."
"Yes, I know that."
"And why do you think your father married for the second time when he still loves the first?"
Christopher did not expect to hear that. He never thought about that. What happened to his father's first wife never crossed his mind. What he do know is this family he have is dysfunctional. There seems to be little love but he grown up used to it.
"Tell me exactly why did my father left the first wife?" Christopher asked.
"Because you are meant to be born, that's why."
Christopher was stunned but nothing new here. Mr. Lim knows it all. He is a wise man and that's why he would always come to Lim for advice but he would still do whatever the hell he wants. Only for the old man to be covering up for him. It happened in the past many times already.
Christopher tapped Mr. Lim's shoulder. "For me, you are family. You are the uncle I never had. Thankyou for always being there. I grow up with you by my side, I can't imagine what my life would have been without you guiding me." Christopher said while staring at Mr. Lim.
Christopher remembered what Isabel said about Mr. Lim showing no signs of emotions on his face. How could he never notice that? How long has it been like that? Decades? Christopher can't explain how he felt at that moment. He cared for this man. He hopes Mr. Lim knows that even though he never told him in words, just like the latter cared for him too but never told him in words. He should blame the dominant genes of men that blocks men to express emotions.
"Have you seen my father's first wife?" Christopher asked.
"Yes." Mr. Lim replied. This time he seems to have seen emotions in Lim's face. Emotions he can't understand but it seems sadness. Christopher closed his eyes like a computer that he need to reboot to restart and unsee things. But he would only be fooling himself if he try to undo events that happened. But what if he did not see anything and his eyes are fooling him? He knows that feeding someone information would make them question facts and would possibly instill an idea into reality. That could be possible after that talk with Isabel.
"Do you have any idea where she is now?" Christopher asked about the first wife's where about.
"I don't have any idea." Mr. Lim replied. As usual he looks poker face.
Christopher sighed while staring at a gold statue in his room. "Mr. Lim, I would take your advice about my horizon situation. You are right as I am confined in this routine. Aside from work, I don't know anything else if it's not work related. I don't even remember the last time I have seen all the corners of this house. Probably when I was young playing hide and seek with you. Damn it, I don't even know what my entire house looks like from the outside!"
"Your house looks beautiful from the outside, master."
"I'm sure about that." Christopher replied.
"So back to the riddle of opening my eyes and widening my horizon, I'm game. I will soon find the answer to that riddle. For the meantime, Isabel is like this gold, more precious than the others. The rest are cheap metals.
Mr. Lim did not comment on what the master said. He remained quiet. One thing about this wise man, in his years of experience, he practices what he preach. As the wise man Tony Lim always say, if what he say will harm his relationship with anyone especially business associates, he should count one to ten and repeat again until he have something good to say. He is not sure though if Mr. Lim is counting one to ten now or just thinking of a wise thing to say but he is done hearing his wise advice for now. It would be best to take one step at a time.
"That's all for today Mr. Lim. I appreciate your advise as always." Christopher said adjourning that meeting with Mr. Lim.
"I'm glad I could help." Mr. Lim replied before leaving the room.
- Writer
