71 Disgusting

'Disgusting.' He hated overly strong artificial smells, that so many women wore, it seemed to emphasize their falseness. It was a part of the mask they wore for society, disguising who they really were. Part of what he loved about Chang was her smell, she didnt wear perfumes, just her own natural clean smell. He would have to have Madam Ye, his housekeeper, clean the house before he came home again.

'Next time I come back will be with Chang.' He smiled thinking of her, she had loved his house. she had thought it was way too big at first, and complained, until she saw the gardens in the back. Then she had filled every room in the house with the flowers from the garden, and complained there weren't enough rooms for all the flowers. Even though she wasn't very knowledgeable about flowers, she still enjoyed being among them. He remembered coming home about a week after he had married her, it still seemed like a dream that there was a woman in his place other than the housekeeper.

When Liang Jian Amal came in, he called out to her, announcing that he was home. No one had answered as if it was just him, he had slowly started looking around his house for the sweet spunky woman he had married, but couldn't find her. He had become more frantic and started calling her name in the house. When he didnt find her inside, he started tearing through the back gardens. He hadn't understood then why it had made him so anxious when she wasn't there. He had eventually found her weaving a flower crown, with a menagerie of flowers. Sitting on the edge of a wide basined fountain, wearing a white sundress, Chang sang to herself as she worked in the sunshine, exuding innocent charm. The sight had gripped his heart then, and he had known then he would never want another woman as long as he lived.

Chang saw him watching after she had completed her crown and jumped up to greet him with a kiss, her cheeks tinted pink. The flowers complemented her sparkling eyes and her free flowing curly hair that came midway down her back. My beloved, I'll be back by your side soon.

--

Hao Jin Ying was unable to find what had happened to Chang when she left the palace grounds, only that she had been found crying in the alleyway by a local citizen; who had then led her guard to her. The whole situation was bizarre and it left more questions than answers, who would dare touch someone under the palace's protection in this place?

Hakim Al-hassan had his suspicions, from what his hafid had told him regarding her initial disappearance, but nothing could be proved as of yet. He sat with Hao Jin Ying in the salon and sipped on some cooking cucumber melon juice. They waited there for awhile until Li Hua came in, sans Chang. Even though he knew the woman was on the eve of her life, he couldn't help but be attracted to her strong and graceful presence, she was a lot like his late wife. He rose and pulled out a seat for her, and poured her a glass of juice, before a servant could.

Li Hua gave him a light smile in thanks and took a sip of the sweet cooling liquid, the man had been graciously kind over the last few days. She put one of the photos she took from Chang on the table, looking into the eyes of the other two seated at the table.

Hao Jin Ying reached for it first and saw it was her boss dancing with Yan Xiao Dan at an evening gala.

'Tsk, I'm sure my boss was less than pleased to have Miss Yan as a partner. The woman had badgered his family for a long while, attempting to marry her boss for his looks and money.'

She places the photo back on the table dismissively. She knew her boss would never hold interest in such a woman.

Li Hua smiled seeing that and Hao Jin Ying's sour expression.

"That's what I thought as well, I just wanted to confirm it. Call it a mother's irrationality." She closed her eyes and took a sip of her drink. "This and more came from Jian's father."

The two seated across from their narrowed their eyes hearing this. Hakim Al-hassan was angered, his daughter had died because of that man, and now he would seek to harm his granddaughter?

He pounded a fist on the table surprising the two ladies next to him. He apologized and excused himself,he would need to have stricter security around the area, this was obviously just a warning.