Crashing into an Old Flame
Chapter 294: Slip up

Chapter 294: Slip up

Inside a private room of the restaurant.

’’It is almost half an hour since we have sitting here. I thought you sincerely wanted us to just spend some time together with Diana and have a conversation with her.’’

’’She is not a child,’’ Alice twirled the ring on her finger, ’’We don’t need things like family dinners or bonding time. What I am doing right now is the best for her and our family. You have become short-sighted.’’

Helian Chen could feel a vein throbbing on his forehead, ’’Short-sighted? Both our daughters have almost cut off all their relations with us. Will you be satisfied only after we lose them forever?"

’’Don’t project your insecurities on me,’’ Alice glanced at her husband in disappointment, ’’Daisy is the unruly one between them and she has been influencing Diana negatively all this while. But now that Diana is back, I know how to handle this.’’

’’I have considered everything before I arranged this blind date. That young man is the right match for our daughter. His family background suits ours just well.’’

’’Did you even ask Diana about it?" the man frowned.

’’Do I have to? I have arranged for the paparazzi to be around them. Diana would know what to do...’’

Helian Chen’s jaws ticked, ’’You...’’

Their blooming argument was interrupted by a series of urgent knocks on the door of the private room.

’’Come in,’’ Helian Chen inhaled a deep breath and turned towards the door.

The door opened and a muscular man stepped inside.

It was none other than Alice’s bodyguard, the very same person who had gone to Los Angeles to bring Diana back.

’’What happened?" Alice’s brows furrowed when she spotted the flustered expression on her bodyguard’s face.

’’Master, Madam... That... Young Miss...’’

Helian Chen pushed himself to his feet, ’’How is Diana?"

’’She.... She...’’

Helian Chen stepped towards him, closing the distance between them in huge strides, ’’How. is. Diana?" His voice dropped.

’’Young Miss... she left.’’

’’What do you mean she left?" Alice looked at her bodyguard in confusion.

With all those paparazzi around, Diana would consider her family’s reputation. She would not leave even if she was held at gunpoint.

’’Madam, Young Miss left with a man who appeared out of nowhere."

Silence descended in the private room.

"He carried her all the way out of this place. I had people follow them but they lost their tracks. A few people blocked our path in the downtown area.’’

’’Who?" Helian Chen asked after a moment of contemplation.

’’They were people from Harper Security. Ryle Harper is involved in this.’’

’’Harper Security? He used to work with us at some point,’’ Alice laughed in frustration, ’’How dare they lay their filthy hands on my daughter and kidnap her from a public place? Did they think we would sit still and do nothing just because that man has got his reach in the underworld?"

Helian Chen frowned. Despite the turmoil in his heart, he composed himself, ’’Dispatch our people and...’’

’’Master, Madam... there is a misunderstanding here,’’ the bodyguard interrupted in a meek voice.

’’What are you trying to say?" Alice quirked a brow.

’’Young Miss was not kidnapped. She left willingly with that man.’’

’’That’s impossible,’’ Alice frowned in displeasure.

’’That man had just approached her but Young Miss h-hugged him. Later, that man claimed to be her future husband before they left. There is no doubt that they are familiar with each other.’’

The room sank in another bout of silence.

Los Angeles.

’’Logan has already departed for Beijing. I was in touch with the pilot,’’ Qin Zehan took a seat on the chair next to the desk and glanced at the man sitting on the other side, ’’Logan assured me that he did not need any sort of protection but I had made sure to send a few guards in the chopper. With elder brother around, it would be better to take some precautions. If some situation is there, then Logan will be able to handle it wisely without having to worry about his father.

Yize will take over once they land there. The medical team you arranged for brother is also with them.’’

Old Master Qin nodded, ’’You did well.’’

Qin Zehan was silent for a moment before he opened his mouth to speak, ’’Alex is busy at the hospital. I will be leaving later tonight after meeting him.’’

’’Alright.’’

’’Father, are you still angry about me keeping you in the dark?" Qin Zehan asked, noticing the man’s crisp replies.

Old Master Qin tilted his head from his laptop.

He closed his laptop and looked at his son thoughtfully. After a long moment, he inhaled a deep breath and spoke up, ’’It has been hard on you all these years, Ah Ze,’’ the old man’s voice had a tinge of sadness, ’’Even if I want to be angry, I have no right to be angry. You have suffered. Raising someone’s child as your own and not even knowing that your own...’’

Qin Zehan stiffened in his chair, ’’What... were you trying to say, father?"

Old Master Qin averted his gaze quickly, ’’Nothing. I have some work. Leave me alone.’’

’’Father...’’

’’Zehan, both of us know what I was talking about. You are well aware of the special circumstances under which Alex ended up becoming your son...’’ Old Master Qin changed his tone as he tried to cover his slip-up.

Qin Zehan glanced towards the closed door of the study before looking back at his father, ’’You don’t have to say it again. Alex is my son. Nothing will change that.’’

The moment he finished speaking, he got up and left.

Old Master Qin glanced at his retreating back. Once Qin Zehan was out of his sight, he pushed himself to his feet.

He closed the door and locked it properly before walking towards one of the bookshelves in the study.

Old Master Qin pulled a specific book from one shelf and a small gap opened right behind it, opening the door to a safe that was just enough for him to push his hand inside. The edge of white pages peeked from the safe.

Old Master Qin grabbed the papers and flipped through them, a nostalgic look appeared in his eyes.

One did not know how long he looked at those papers before he placed them back inside and kept the book back in its place.

All this while, the old man did not notice a shadow near the window where the curtains swayed slowly.