Hush, My Sweet Darling

Chapter 40: Magic

"I noticed your backyard is facing north. It must have a beautiful view of the city. Would you mind showing it to me?" Kai asked Violet, smiling. They had finished their dinner and were gathering back in the sitting room to enjoy their after-meal tea.   

Marion had been paying attention to her quiet daughter for the duration of the dinner. Her unusually silent behavior had initially worried her. She'd suspected Violet wasn't feeling well. 

But after witnessing her daughter sneaking a glance at the charming young man beside her every so often and how her cheeks would turn a pink shade every time he'd caught her gaze, Marion's uneasiness dwindled away.

Call it a mother's instinct, but she could guess what was going on. She decided to provide Kai with a bit of help.

"That's right. Our garden does have a wonderful view. The sky seems to be clear as well, so you'll be able to see all the way to Victoria Harbor."

She gave her daughter a little nudge. "Go and show it to Kai, sweetheart. Didn't you also say you wanted to know more about that case? You can ask him all about it."

"Yes, yes, young people should converse with each other, while we, oldies, should stick together," Aunt Yue chimed in, her voice full of jest. 

"What case?" Kai asked, his eyes glinted.

"Ah, we were talking about the Po Toi case," Leo said, chuckling. "Didn't expect the young lady to be interested in it as well when I said you were handling the case."

Kai lifted his brows in amusement and pinned Violet with his stare.

"If you'll show me around the garden, I'll answer anything that you'd like to know. Anything at all," he bargained in his deep voice. Marion heard the subtle emphasis as the young man uttered that last sentence and wondered what it was all about. 

Just as she was going to prod further, she saw her daughter bite her lower lip, already nodding in agreement.

***

It was an evening of demure stars and a munificent moon. The moon dazzled, showering the world underneath with its crystalline glow.

Kai stood on a fenced platform, a vantage point in the Lees' family residence's garden, overlooking the city. It was as Marion said—the gleaming Victoria Harbor could be seen with naked eyes in the distance.

"This might be the best view of the city," Kai said.

"Uhuh..." Violet muttered next to him. Her head was hung low as she fiddled her foot with the pebbles on the ground.

Kai turned to face her. Leaning against the railing with his hands inside his pockets and his legs crossed, he stared at her.

"Are you still upset?" he asked in a calm voice.

Violet continued playing with the pebbles for a little longer before shifting her gaze to Kai, giving him her full attention. Eyes as clear as fountain water, lips pursed, forehead puckered, she looked as though she was deliberating the best way to assert herself.

"I don't understand why you hid your identity from me," she finally said. "You knew who I was. You obviously knew about this dinner and the reason we were being introduced. We talked on the phone last Sunday. You also called me yesterday. There were plenty of chances for you to tell me. So, why didn't you?" she demanded.

Kai didn't answer. He had the feeling that the young lady wasn't done, so he kept quiet to let her deliver her tirade.

And he was right.