The Billionaire's Secret

Chapter 08

Grace Li had booked her flight in advance and took an early morning flight back home the next day. With the waiting time and the commute to and from the airport, the trip went pretty smoothly. Her home was located on the border between Los Angeles and San Diego, under the jurisdiction of San Diego. Compared to the bustling city life of Los Angeles, San Diego had a more laid-back, peaceful vibe, and her house was even further out in a small rural town near the outskirts of San Diego.

Her mom ran a small grocery store in town, and her dad worked at a local factory—just a regular, down-to-earth family. She had a younger brother who had just graduated and was interning in San Francisco.

It was rare for the whole family to be together, so on Thanksgiving, after finishing dinner, Grace Li decided to hang out with her parents and watch a family drama together in the living room.

Her mom, Huiyun Liang, saw an opportunity and asked, "Hey, did you hear that Emily had her second baby a few days ago?" Emily was Grace Li's cousin, and they often kept in touch on social media. Grace Li knew about it, so she responded, "Yeah, I heard. She's just one year younger than me, and now she has two kids. Meanwhile, I'm not even married yet."

Her mom had been bringing up her marriage for a while now. Now that they were face to face, she wasn't letting go of this "teaching moment" and changed her approach: "You see how everyone around us gets married and supports each other. Their lives are stable. I'm worried that when you get older, no one will be there to take care of you." Grace Li had already prepared herself for this. "Mom, her having a second kid is her choice, not my problem," she replied.

"You just don't get it, do you? You're still single, and you're the only one in the family like that. You need to talk to that guy you mentioned before and get some clarity. If he's serious about you, he needs to show it. If you just wait around like this, you're basically the only one in the relationship," her mom continued, pressing the issue.

This had been a big source of stress for Grace Li. She and Daniel Chou were college classmates, and she had secretly liked him back then. But with so many girls chasing him, Grace Li never had the courage to confess. Afterward, Daniel went to Europe as an exchange student. After finishing his studies, he joined a well-known investment firm in Europe, and their paths diverged.

They reconnected four years ago when Daniel was sent to the U.S. office of the same company for an important project. Grace Li, now working as an investment manager at Nova Capital, was involved in the same project, and they started working closely together again. After the project was completed, Grace Li took the plunge and confessed to him on social media. That night, Daniel showed up at her doorstep.

Daniel said, "Grace Li, I need to tell you something." Grace Li still remembered that moment clearly, her heart racing like crazy.

He continued, "Our headquarters is planning to transfer me back to Europe to handle a more crucial part of the business. It's a huge opportunity, and if I agree to be with you now, it wouldn't be fair to you. I don't want to hold you back. How about this—if you still feel the same in three years, we can be together."

At that time, Grace Li was 26 and filled with romantic notions. Without hesitation, she agreed. During the early days of his move back to Europe, Daniel would frequently message her, sharing pictures of fun and interesting things. Grace Li was swept up in the sweetness of it all.

But over time, their communication began to fade. What started as daily chats turned into messages three times a week, then once a week, and lately, she hadn't heard from him in weeks. Grace Li could clearly feel the distance growing between them. She often thought about just cutting him off, but she could never bring herself to do it. Daniel Chou had been her crush since college, and finding someone who matched her in so many ways was hard. Waiting for three years didn't seem impossible. Her emotions kept her torn between giving up and holding on.

After talking to her mom, Grace Li lay in bed, staring at Daniel's profile picture on social media. The last time they had chatted was three weeks ago. She wondered if she should wish him a happy Thanksgiving, since it was the holiday there too.

Never mind, he hasn't reached out, so why should I make the first move? Grace Li put her phone down, turned off the light, and pulled the blanket over herself, ready to sleep. But after a few minutes of silence, she reached out from under the covers, grabbed her phone from the bedside table, opened the chat window, and hesitated for a while. Finally, she sent the message.

Grace Li: Happy Thanksgiving.

Daniel Chou: Happy Thanksgiving! Have you had turkey yet?

Grace Li: Yeah, I did.

Daniel Chou: [photo] I had some too.

He sent a picture of a turkey.

Grace Li: Did you buy it at the supermarket?

Daniel Chou: A colleague gave it to me.

Grace Li: Oh, nice.

After a few brief exchanges, the conversation came to a halt. But those few words gave Grace Li a warm feeling. She waited for another ten minutes, but when Daniel didn't reply, she placed her phone back on the bedside table and finally drifted off to sleep.