Crimson Contract

Brush past each other

Years hence.

City A, the airport.

A cherubic boy, adorned as though carved from jade, stands within the grand hall. His alabaster skin and delicate features exude an infantile charm, yet his tender visage bears an elegant smile—a diminutive gentleman in every respect. His perfection, nigh unbelievable, effortlessly captivates the throng of travelers.

“Aurora…”

“Mummy, I’m here!” Aurora Sinclair waves a small hand, beaming as he greets his most beloved mother.

Annie’s silken tresses cascade freely, framed by dark sunglasses. She dons a rose-red blouse, cinched at the waist with a broad black belt studded with glittering rhinestones, paired with cropped denim trousers and crimson heels—a vision of fashion and purity.

At last, she has returned!

After seven years of longing for her homeland, even the air feels fresher than London’s.

“My darling, how does the homeland feel?” Annie steadies her suitcase, bending to plant a fervent kiss upon Aurora Sinclair’s cheek, her love for him boundless.

“The weather surpasses London’s.”

Annie removes her sunglasses, revealing a countenance of utmost purity wreathed in a sweet smile, belying her cunning intent. “Come, let’s extort Lila. Remember, when we see her, shower her with kisses—then we’ll feast like kings, mother and son.”

“As you command, Mummy!” Aurora blinks solemnly, the conspiratorial pair making for the exit.

Her son is truly a prodigy.

“Master, what captivates your gaze?” In the airport’s hall, the Blackthorne Family’s butler inquires with curiosity.

Alaric Blackthorne’s piercing eyes fix upon the retreating figures of mother and child, lost in contemplation.

“Did you see that boy just now?” Alaric Blackthorne’s voice carries a faint chill. The butler follows his line of sight, glimpsing only Aurora’s youthful silhouette.

“What of him?” the butler queries, perplexed.

That child bears an uncanny resemblance to Lucian—though but a fleeting glance…

Yet that face, tender as it is, mirrors him so closely, as though Alaric beholds the first time he laid eyes upon that boy years ago.

Alaric Blackthorne’s expression darkens, and he shakes his head. “Nothing, perhaps I erred. Let us depart.”

“Very well!”

Lila Sterling, Annie’s steadfast companion from her days abroad, shares a bond profound and true. She returned to the homeland three days prior to mother and son.

Upon their arrival, Aurora envelops Lila in ceaseless embraces—no scheming required—and she promptly arranges a feast to welcome them.

They dine at a renowned Hunan restaurant, its dishes steeped in local flavor, famed far and wide.

Annie alights from the car to visit the restroom, while Lila Sterling bids Aurora disembark and wait as she parks. Aurora steps out, and Lila, emerging from another exit, beckons, “Darling, over here.”

Aurora dashes toward her with a laugh, heedless as he collides with a man, nearly tumbling and treading upon his foot.

“My apologies!” Aurora bows his head in contrition, raised in England as a refined young gentleman.

Assured of the man’s forgiveness, he proceeds slowly. Lila Sterling, seeing him unharmed, sighs in relief and ushers him into the eatery.

“Lucian, what’s amiss?” A delicate woman clings fondly to his arm, her smile saccharine as she queries.

Why does he fixate upon that child?

Lucian shakes his head, his frigid gaze narrowing faintly. For reasons unknown, the boy’s collision stirs the tenderest depths of his heart, a subtle tremor rippling through him. Regret gnaws at Lucian—why didn’t he discern the child’s features?

“Nothing, let’s go.” Arm in arm, they enter an adjacent Western restaurant.

Father and son, passing as strangers.

Two weeks since Annie’s return to the homeland, and all proceeds smoothly.

Lila Sterling has secured a residence for mother and son near the school—a mere ten-minute stroll. The area boasts convenient transport, ample amenities, and a tranquil community ambiance, perfectly suited to their needs.

Annie takes Aurora to visit Father Cheng.

Father Cheng and Gao Mei still dwell in the slums. Seven years prior, Drusilla, ensnared by usurious debts, was seized by the underground market, vanishing without a trace. Such ruthless foes were beyond the reach of humble folk like Father Cheng and Drusilla’s mother.

Their impoverished existence has soured Gao Mei’s temper further, while Father Cheng, ever gentle, bears her outbursts. Their modest life is steeped in hardship.

Over these years, Annie, consumed by studies, raising Aurora, and toiling at odd jobs, has been too harried to return. Yet she faithfully phones Father Cheng each week to share mundane tidings.

Seven years on, beholding his whitening temples, an inexpressible pang grips Annie’s heart.

“Annie? Is this Annie?” Gao Mei’s eyes gleam at Annie’s chic attire. “Annie, take us away from here—I’ve had enough! Your father’s a spineless fool, laboring a lifetime without a penny saved. Thank heavens you’re a good daughter. Hasten us out—I’m your legal mother, and you’re obliged to support me!”

“I have but one mother; you are merely my stepmother,” Annie replies with a dulcet smile.

Curse it—leopards never change their spots. Duty to support you? Were it not for Father’s sake, I’d dismantle and reforge you. Had it not been for you and your avaricious daughter, he’d not have suffered so these years.

“What did you say? Such insolence! Oh, my wretched fate—Annie, I demand you spirit me away!” Gao Mei wails, collapsing to the floor in a tantrum, while Father Cheng stands helplessly by.

Aurora tugs Annie’s sleeve, his tender voice brimming with innocence. “Mummy, you taught me what ‘imbecile’ means—I grasp it now.”

Gao Mei’s cries halt abruptly. Annie’s laugh rings pure and radiant. “My darling is truly clever!”

“You dare insult me, you little b*st*rd—ah!”

Slap!

A piercing shriek cuts short as Annie’s hand strikes without mercy. “Say that again if you dare!”

Beneath Annie’s pristine countenance and ever-present, guileless smile lies a master of subtle malice, known only to those intimate with her. She could carve you asunder in her mind while her face beams serenely.

Now, that sweet mask shatters, her eyes ablaze with fury. Were their home not so barren, she’d snap a stick and thrash her.

Touch her treasure, and she’ll strike down one or a pair without hesitation.

Gao Mei recoils in terror, pounding the ground and howling, “A daughter strikes her mother! Judge this, oh heavens—strike her down!”

Good grief!

Why not take up acting? You’d sweep the awards with ease.

“Have you not had your fill of this farce?” Father Cheng, at his limit, ushers Annie and Aurora away. How had he been so blind as to wed her, ruining his life?

“Father, come live with me. Let me tend to you. I worked a year in England, took jobs while studying—I’ve savings enough to care for you and Aurora without strain.”

Father Cheng sighs, patting his grandson’s head. “Annie, spare yourself the trouble. You know Gao Mei’s nature. If I join you, she’ll follow. She’s a gambler—penniless, she’s restrained; with your money, she’d squander freely. I’ll not burden you. My daughter has risen at last—don’t let me drag you down. Besides, you must think of Aurora.”

“Father… must I watch you suffer so?”

“I’m accustomed to it. Your happiness is my contentment.”

“Then, Father, I’ll bring Aurora to visit when I can. Come stay with us a day or two when you’re free—Aurora would delight in it.”

“Yes, Grandpa! I’d love to hear your stories.”

“Such a good lad. Grandpa understands.”