I held his gaze for a long while, and that was enough to tell him I needed more explanation. But before he opened his mouth to speak, the door creaked open, revealing the waiter with a tray in his hand.
Mr. Mori gestured for him to come over, and he stepped inside, placing our food on the table.
“Let me do it,” Mr. Mori said, dismissing him with a hand wave. And the waiter hurried out, closing the door gently.
Mr. Mori placed a platter of dried beef tapa, poached eggs, and some fruits and veggies in front of me. Next, he carefully slid the cup of steaming coffee beside the plate.
“Let’s discuss over breakfast,” he said, handing me sachets of brown sugar. “I’m not sure if you like this, but I like caffe lattes.”
“No problem with me.” I took the sachets from his hand, tore a pack open, and mixed its contents in my steaming cup. The heart design of the latte art instantly dissolved into the creamy mixture as I stirred it slowly, using a plastic stirrer.
We both got silent for a moment as he took his cup into his mouth while I also picked a piece of tapa with my fork.
“You know what kind of business your dad had, but he’s always thinking about you and your future. So he was prepared when that day came. You see, he didn’t lose only his life, but also those businesses he had. The government seized them.”
A surge of pain flooded inside me, but I tried to push it away. “He knew they’re illegal, but why continue doing it?”
Not that I didn’t know about it, but because it was always my deepest wound. I had always longed for dad to be free, but he died a captive to his dark deeds instead.
“It’s no longer about him and his conscience, Ella. It’s about the people around him. There’s no need to elaborate it since you’re not going to be a part of our world. You’re dad made sure of that.”
Mentioning my dad made me want to sob. Though I was away all his life, he made sure I understood. He was always honest with me, even telling me he’s into illegal businesses that he could no longer get away with. It’s either jail or death for him.
I am the daughter of the only woman he truly loved, but couldn’t marry. Before he got engaged to the woman his family arranged for him, he sent us far away; far from his dark world, and far from the people who might dig into his past. My mother and I then lived normal lives, but not without the lavish financial support from dad. Unfortunately, she succumbed to breast cancer when I was still in college.
I looked at the man in front of me, wondering if he was someone I could trust. “Why are you implying that you also think your world is not that good?”
He laughed without mirth, looking at me in the eyes. “I’m still human, Ella. And I am now walking on a thin thread.”
I furrowed my brows, not getting what he meant. “Please make it clear.”
He looked down on his plate, then continued eating. When he didn’t look up, I picked up my spoon and fork and shoved food into my mouth. I stole glances at him, wondering what really was his intention. Perhaps he was kind-hearted as my dad, only that he had already dipped himself into the dark water. And like dad, he could no longer get away from there. I was not too innocent to know that getting away would mean death once you join a syndicate and know their secrets.
My lips curved into a thin smile when I realized how captivating he looked. He’s still young; maybe five years older than I am. And it’s too bad he wasted his youth in the underground world.
“Don’t look at me that way. I’m never a saint,” he laughed softly, making me smile as well.
“I’m just wondering why you involve yourself in illegal businesses. You’re young and-”
“Handsome. Is that it?”
It’s my turn to laugh. “Yes, I admit.”
“Please don’t imagine me in coats and ties. I never liked them.”
I gathered my brows, imagining how gorgeous he could be in a tux, but the wrinkled face he gave made me burst out laughing.
“Oh, please, don’t tell me you go in denim jeans during functions.”
“I didn’t say I never wear them, but every time I do, I make fun of myself.” He made another face that exaggerated his distaste for formal outfits. And I ended up laughing my heart out.
After a while, Mr. Mori shrugged and said, “Let’s go back to the main topic. I’m seeing you because I want you to run your father’s business from now on, including Jamella.”
My eyes flew wide as realization hit me. I looked around, taking in the elegance of my dad's token of his love for me.
“You mean you and dad own this five-star restaurant?”
“Yes, and there are five branches already. But what I want you to focus on is the new microelectronics company that I started to build last year.”
“Was dad a part of it also?”
“Yes, because I have invested some of Jamella’s revenue into this project.”
I nodded, then asked, “What if I can’t manage these businesses?”
“Your dad didn’t send you to Harvard for nothing. He told me you’ve taken your MBA there.”
I felt like crying again as this man brought up dad’s memories. He indeed convinced me to apply for MBA at Harvard, and I could still remember how happy I was when I learned I was one of the few applicants who passed. But a year after I graduated, dad was caught in a raid and was reported as one of the syndicate leaders who smuggled illegal products across the globe.
But dad couldn’t accept it. While transported to jail, he jumped on the guard, pulled out his gun, and shot himself in the heart. People wondered how he did it when he was cuffed and heavily guarded, but I thought I knew how it happened even if I wasn’t there to witness the incident. Being in the underground world for a long time, self-defense was one of the series of trainings they shouldn’t skip.
“Okay, why microelectronics?” I asked after a few seconds of contemplation. Running a food industry isn’t closely related to technology.
“Because I am competing with someone. He does technology, and I want to run a step higher than him. I want a close fight. For example, if he launches a new product this week, we should launch a similar but better version of that item the next week. Our progress should always be a step higher than his because this is not business for me, but a fatal game.”
I held my breath. A few seconds ago, this man was someone so nice to talk to. However, not a few minutes have passed, and he had already transformed into the bastard I thought he always was.
“Are you crazy? How can you particularly know the products you are competing with after a week?”
To my surprise, he burst out laughing. Shudders ran into me as I saw the glints of revenge in his eyes.
“The owner and CEO of Kim Yuan Microelectronics is a pure and honest businessman. He doesn’t know a single trick we do in the underworld.”