Wu Lina and Yang Xinyu were stunned. They didn't know what to speak. Wu Lina had had so many apprehensions and questions that she was going to spit venom on the slightest provocation, but the tables turned. She was now speechless. She looked at the doc.u.ments and again looked at Vladimir baffled.
"Don't be so surprised Wu Lina. I am sorry for what I did to you in Bulgaria. I became so selfish that I jeopardized my daughter and son-in-law's life. I don't think you will ever forgive me for that. But this is the least I could do. I truly want to be with you and my grandchildren. And to be honest I have spread my business in China only to be with them…" Vladimir said becoming very emotional.
Vladimir's confession was so genuine that Wu Lina and Yang Xinyu melted. But the mayor was still weary. He picked up the papers and called his people inside.
"Check the authenticity of these papers," he ordered them. They took the papers and went out.
The room fell into silence again. Once again Wu Lina became anxious. She was hoping that the papers were genuine. She so wanted to reconcile with someone who was blood related to her. Her mother was leaving the town and a few days back she had been very upset. Perhaps it was time to hold that warm and cozy teddy bear.
They returned after five minutes and declared that the papers were authentic.
Wu Lina couldn't hold her tears back. She lowered her head and didn't speak a word. Yang Xinyu was speechless. He looked at his father-in-law – his emotions were mixed.
That man had given them so much trouble in the past and yet he was there, begging for forgiveness. If he wanted he would have forever kept that twenty percent. It was a lot of money, but he decided to gift them to his unborn grandchildren.
Vladimir was looking from Yang Xinyu to Wu Lina. Then he choked up a little and said, "Wu Lina, please give me one more chance to be with my grandchildren. I will leave the country after I have seen their faces."
Wu Lina nodded. "Yes, father…" Slowly she got up from her place and walked towards Vladimir who stood up when he saw her walking to him. She went near him and held his hand. "Thank you father for instilling that confidence in me all over again."
Vladimir smiled through his tears and replied, "Wu Lina, I had got my daughter back. Instead of thanking God and praying for her safety, I became so self-centered and egotistical that I couldn't think of anything else. Please forgive me and let me see my grandkids."
"Of course father," said Wu Lina wiping his tears.
Yang Xinyu came behind her and said, "Thank you Vladimir for your efforts in not letting the company go in wrong hands."
Yang Xinyu put his hands on Wu Lina's shoulders and added, "Please do not go until Wu Lina has given birth…"
Vladimir was so happy that he had no words to speak. He was accepted finally. He embraced Wu Lina gently and said, "Can I have some milkshake?"
The mayor, who was a silent spectator, was watching the scene with his face resting on his hand and knitted brows. Someone was beginning to get jealous. The attention was dividing so fast that he didn't even had time to do anything.
They were his grandkids, and that's it! He had been buying so many gifts for them and this guy comes and gifts them a huge thing in one go making all this efforts look tiny? No he wouldn't accept that.
When the tea came, the mayor announced, "I will be taking leave from tomorrow to stay with you Wu Lina."
"But father you were about to take leave after the kids were born!" said Yang Xinyu.
This stupid son of his – when will he understand his father. He felt like slapping him.
"No, there must have been some misunderstanding. I was taking leave from tomorrow," he lied so smoothly.
Yang Xinyu looked at Wu Lina who just shrugged and continued having tea.
Vladimir looked at that old man with narrowed eyes. There was no way he would let him win, but there was no way he could ask Wu Lina to stay in the house. His overactive mind started thinking in advance of all the plots he could hatch to stay there.
However, in the end he just took leave and went back to the resort he was staying at. He was staying at Rosa's resort and spa. It was such a great feeling to talk to someone in Bulgarian. He had shifted there from his friend Zhaoyang's house a few days back after the board meeting. Rosa's son, Ivan had started looking so cute that he would keep playing with him whenever he got the chance. He couldn't wait to meet his grandkids. He wondered if even one of them would look like him…