Wife's Bitter Revenge Against Neglectful CEO Husband-Chapter 42: Min

So much for a clean getaway. So much for using the contract to our advantage, too.

Min sat like a statue beside me. Dressed in a Men in Black suit complete with dark sunglasses, he rested his hands on his knees. His back was ramrod straight. He turned his head to stare at me.

"Teela is fine. What now?"

I wasn’t about to spill my guts just because he caught me, but man, oh man, was I furious at myself.

Min was no stranger. I should have been able to spot him following me, but I didn’t have a clue. This was why Jake was so valuable to the team. Or maybe not, Min had caught Jake too.

Hacking was so much safer.

"Now, we go to Crazy Code and wait."

"For what?"

"Jake."

Jake hadn’t returned from his shopping trip. We had no idea where to find him, but Stiff assured us it could take a few days to secure the equipment Jake might need to rescue the boys.

"Where is Jake? Is he okay?"

"Yes. He will join us."

"Will King be there?"

"No."

A man of few words. No wonder King liked him. Terrific. This would be a long bus ride. At least it was a win that King wouldn’t be there.

My phone buzzed. I checked my messages. Stiff was in contact with CK, who was ready to meet up.

Talk about poor timing. There was no way we could deal with Min and meet up with CK without showing our hand, and King couldn’t know about CK or our suspicions—not yet, not until we knew if he was involved.

The bus stopped down the block from Crazy Code. I didn’t know whether to dread arriving at the destination or eager to reunite with Jake.

"Can you give a clue what I’m walking into?"

"A building," Min said as he held the door open for me.

I hated him just a little at that moment, but mostly, I found it fascinating to discover Mr. Tall-Dark-and-Spooky had a dry sense of humor.

Bea was waiting for me. "What is he doing here?"

"Where’s Jake?"

"He’s upstairs."

I turned to Min. "Can I check on Jake before taking you to him?"

The elevator opened. Jake stepped out, keeping a hand on the door so it wouldn’t close. "No need. Bring him up."

The conference room now looked more like a command center for battlefield operations than a place to hold a business meeting. Computer banks were situated along two walls. A long table held several devices, including at least two handguns and a rifle.

Wow. My heart rate ratcheted a notch. Guns. Why hadn’t I considered a rescue might include bloodshed?

I wobbled my feet. A stranger the size of a small country took me by the elbow and led me to an empty chair between two more strangers.

Jake said, "Hey, guys, go back to the base. Father DiMarco needs help setting up cots. Hey, and don’t let him cook, or we’ll all end up on the crapper all night."

The strangers filed out.

"Does anyone want to explain what’s going on here?" I asked.

Jake said, "Those guys are from my old squad. They’re here to help."

I nodded. "Okay. I can buy that, but why is Min here?"

"Same reason."

"What? You expect me to believe King’s right-hand man is helping us?"

"Listen to his story, Teela."

"No, I want to know how I gave myself away as Night Shadows. I want to know what King knows."

Min shrugged. "The clothes and makeup don’t hide the person inside. I’d know you anywhere."

"So, it wasn’t the way I walked or my voice?"

Min shook his head. "I’m good with details."

"Why are you here?"

"Jake told me about his boys. I want to help."

"And what happens if rescuing the boys puts you in direct opposition with King or the Heavenlys?"

"My allegiance is to King, not the Heavenly family. I’d stake my life in the fact that he is not involved."

His sentiment mirrored my own. I didn’t think King was directly involved, either. But because of my own experience with the Heavenly family, I wouldn’t be surprised if King turned a blind eye to the actions of his fellow family members.

Jake urged me. "Hear his story, Teela. I’ll respect whatever decision you make, but listen first."

He handed me a water bottle and sat beside me.

"Alright. I’ll listen."

"I grew up in a poor Korean American family. My mom worked at a laundry. My dad made noodles at a restaurant. We lived over the restaurant in what was once a storage room, but Mom made it a comfortable home as best as she could.

"I was a latch key kid, but dad was nearby, so I wasn’t totally unsupervised, plus I spent as much time as possible playing with the boys who lived in the apartment building next door.

"King was the brother closest to my age, and I liked him best. Joshua was okay. Quiet but he was alright. The baby was too young for me to pay attention to.

"Daniel, the oldest, was different. This boy liked to torture me. Nothing serious. Kid stuff, and I let him because his brothers did.

"I’d go home with bruises where he’d punch or pinch me. He had dozens of ways to trip me from sticking out a foot to swinging a baseball bat at my shins. At least twice, I ended up in the hospital.

"My parents caught on pretty quickly to what was happening. They tried talking to the boys’ mom, but you’ve met Lettie. She didn’t react well to someone accusing her eldest of abusive behavior.

"The next thing we knew, Mom lost her job and a woman from Child and Welfare Services visited our house. She was horrified with the number of bruises on my body and combined with the past hospital visits, even I could understand why she would think I was being abused. She started procedures to have me removed from the home, but before that could happen, something worse happened.

"On the eve of my eleventh birthday, I awoke to a room full of smoke. I couldn’t even see the door. It was so thick. I remember thinking I was going to die alone in my room. At the time, it didn’t occur to me my parents were in danger, too.

"The orange glow of fire outlined my bedroom door, so I scooted as far away from the door as I could. Mind you, my room might have been the size of a small walk-in closet. I stayed on the floor close to the one and only window, thinking if anyone did come to rescue me, they would have to use the window. As is common with many fire victims, I passed out from the smoke inhalation before the fire ever reached me.

"Imagine my surprise when I survived and my parents didn’t. They had died trying to get to my room long before fire and rescue took me out the window.

"Once I was an adult, I investigated the fire. The official reports state the fire was caused by a faulty burner in the restaurant, but there were also reports of a teenage boy seen running from the building carrying what looked like a fire lighter, you know, one of those wands that you click to create a flame. People use them to light grills and fireplaces and the like.

"I’d seen Daniel playing with one many times, so I wondered why I’d never heard his name pulled into the investigation. I still wonder sometimes."

I asked, "What happened to you after the fire?"

"After I was released from the hospital, I was put into a group home for a while, but it wasn’t long. Lettie showed up one day and applied to take me home. She played the whole concerned neighbor routine looking to do a good deed and provide a home for her boys’ childhood friend.

"I’ve got to tell you, after losing my parents and getting thrown into a facility with a bunch of strangers who had new rules and expectations, not to mention trying to fit into an ever-changing power dynamic with the kids, living with Lettie sounded like paradise. At least there, I would have King. So when the lady at the home told me to pack my bag, I was eager to pack up and leave."

"Then you were raised with King?" Funny, I’d not heard a word about it over the years, nor was Min ever treated like family.

"No. Nothing is ever that simple with Lettie. No, Lettie led me from the building to her car. She buckled me in the backseat like any caring adult would, but we didn’t travel very long at all. Maybe ten minutes when she pulled into an alley and told me to get out.

"Lettie gave me a choice. She pulled out a loaded syringe. I could get into the car trunk of my own accord, or she would knock me out with the shot. She warned me she wasn’t exactly sure how much medication to give a kid my size, so I risked death if I chose the syringe.

"I chose—"