Chapter 279 - 279

Nadius Prime took out an almost disintegrated paper bag wrapped object.  Inside was a red velvet box that was closed with a small silver clasp. It had a faded gold cartier logo on it which Henry brushed the dust off of as he opened it. Nestled in red velvet was a very old Rolex watch. It was exactly his taste, even though normally he didn't favor wearing a watch. 

Feeling as if he was seeing a ghost, Henry felt started as the item was familiar and yet completely foreign.  He took the watch out of the casing, it felt incredibly cool in his hands. He touched the watchface and upon closer inspection realized that inside the silver of the face was a scene pushed back in relief.  There was a little etching of a black haired woman who had beautiful eyebrows and hair that fell like a waterfall as it was so long. The woman was holding a little baby in her arms whom she was staring down at.  As he fliped over the watch he saw there was an engraving that was worn in as someone had obviously touched it often. The words were: To our family, I give you this with all my hope, Mingxia.

Henry dropped the watch back into the case as suddenly he remembered where he had seen the watch before.  He remembered back to a point when both of his parents would sit and have tea together while calming laughing and exchanging stories.  He remembered on the rooftop his mother would sit while handing him silk flowers to put into her braided updo. Together they would look at their reflections in the fountain and laugh.  He remembered too that she would sneak him out to Chinatown where they would get hot buns and eat them very quickly. It was a giddy secret they would keep from his father while he wondered where such food had come from.  He remember too the mess of brushes that was her vanity table where she would get ready, sometimes he would streak a mirror with an expensive lipstick and she would just laugh instead of properly chidding him.

How beautiful had his world been with her in it.  He could feel the moisture leak out of his eyes before he could put out a thought that it was inappropriate.  It was very good now that there was an end to all that misery. It had never been needed to hide such pain. To lose someone who loved him in a depth that rivaled the deepest ocean was a true loss.  True, she had made some poor decisions, but Henry knew most of them had been out of the pain of wanting a stable home for him.

Automatically, Nadius drew him in closer as the emotion racked through his body.  As his body started to complete the release, Nadius pushed aside one lonesome tear.  "Now it's all come out now. Do you believe me when I tell you there was no single person who loved you more?"

Henry bobbed his head slowly in agreement.  "It's always something I've avoided you know.  But, it doesn't bother me anymore. Let people heckle me til I'm bones.  I'm happy to know all this time I wasn't alone. About the past . . . I forgive everybody as I know even though I was uncomfortable or scared or unhappy . . . it wasn't for a bad reason."

"I'm a bit concerned as this is a lot of new information for you.  Would you like me to spend some time with you tonight? What was I doing today?  Oh yes, that new designer's presentation. You can come with us or I'm sure Sheng Mei would be happy to spend some time with you as well."

"Well I'm not sure . . . I do appreciate both of your company.  However, it's just I've got a lot of things I need sorting out. I may need to make several private phone calls." Henry bit his lip as he thought of the fees for a long distance call. "It's long overdue that I check in with some straightening out I need to do with a certain someone."

"My god, is this why you came home drunk out of your mind?  Is it a woman? Is it the woman you decided to quickly marriage to keep your company?  I do rather like her. Ellie? Very nice lady. I saw in the news she inherited a baronry recently which is one of the most hilarious things that you married a heiress who didn't know she was one.  How bad?"

"It's bad.  She's going to be extremely angry with me."

"Good, you need someone to keep you on your toes.  It's good that it's your wife as that's the pressure we all need to perform well.  You have Sheng Mei as an excellent example as to why I have such excellent profits.  It's all her meddling that I avoid bad deals." Nadius snorted to himself as he considered his recent losses.  "I would be nothing without her and I'm quite lucky she hasn't taken up other offers from better men. But that's what so golden about the Wong family is your loyalty.  Women like Ellie are once in a lifetime Henry, if you let her go, you're never going to find her again in all the beauties of New York."

"Beauties?" Henry scoffed.  "There's no one who can ever compare to one who truly understands you.  But even if I could be satisfied by a similar face, I've fallen too deep to want out.  But, enough about my own affairs. I've covered you in my disgusting emotional phlegm. You're going to need a good shower if you're going anywhere tonight."

"I don't mind in the least.  I'm thinking of joining a beautiful woman whose taking a rosewater spa bath in one of the floors downstairs.  I'm perfectly happy, Henry, I just hope this is enough for you to let go what you've held in for too long." Nadius opened the door to the apartment where a maid was standing shocked with a new bathrobe.  Nadius exchanged it quickly before shutting the door in her shocked face. He sighed as he put on the fresh robe over his bȧrė ċhėst. "Still . . . you're not going to do anything too crazy right. I'd feel the most comfortable if you weren't all by yourself."