151 Lao Tie (1/2)

Anton avoided the dining like a plague. He had footsteps and knew it was Kira, he took a step forward and stopped. He heard the sound of glassware and suspected she's started eating. ”Go out there you coward!” his inner voice said to him.

Kira sighed as she noticed Anton's absence in the dining. He must hate her. After all she did to him back in China, she can't blame him for hating her. Her shoulders fell as she helped herself to the food and started eating.

”Hi” clearing his throat, Anton said to get her attention. He saw the way she froze, before she looked up at him and smiled.

”Hi Lao Tie. aren't you going to eat?”

Anton smiled as he remembered what she used to call him. He remembered all those times he use to visit her in China and she'd ask him to leave ....calling his name like a total stranger. He'd have given anything then to have her call him ”Lao Tie”.

”Yeah I'm eating, I was just clearing the kitchen” He walked forward, pulled out a chair and sat down to eat, just opposite her.

”Ok” She said as she continued eating.

Neither of them said anything as each ate quietly. Kira couldn't bear the awkwardness anymore ...so she said ” How have you been?”

”I”m fine Kira and you? how have you been? ”

Anton couldn't pretend anymore and dropped his fork and went straight to the point.

” You should have told me you were coming Kira. I don't know how my boss was able to bring you here but I'd like it if you tell me. Because she won't tell me everything.”

”I know you weren't happy as a stripper, and I don't despise you. You didn't have a choice Kira, you were forced into it. I understand.”

Anton noticed as her hand tightened around the napkin as he said the word ”Stripper”.

”You should hate me Lao Tie. Cause I hate myself. I had a choice, he gave me two options. Either I worked for him for ten years orrun away right then. knowing the other option meant death, I took the other one. Knowing fully well it could be any kind of job.”

”Kira. You were a child, and any one will choose to leave than to be shot while running away. Mr Xiao Tong didn't give us a choice then”

He paused as he remembered their childhood. ” I'm sorry Kira. I'm sorry I left you like that. I had no choice, he almost killed me if not for Mr Jayden. I....” Anton looked down as he remembered that day.

”Hey it's ok, I understand. Ms Sky told me everything, including how you've been trying to free me. Yeah I was mad at you for a very long time. But as I grew up, I understood and didn't blame you much. Until Ms Sky explained the whole thing to me.”

”I know you think I'm unclean now cause of my job...but I didn't sleep with...”

Anton cut her short. ”Kira please. I don't want to talk about it, It must be difficult for you to discuss. It's in the past now. let's talk about how you got out.”

”No Anton, I must tell you. I remember the way you looked at me, the last time you visited the club and I was on duty. You are right to call me a whore. But I didn't have sex with all my clients except the ones brought to me by the boss. And they were very few. We had a no touching policy in the club and when they tried to move me to the VIP, I broke a client's jaw and the boss punished me for weeks and I begged him not to move me there.”

”Kira....” Anton said looking away.

”I know you don't want to hear it but I just wantedyou to know. There are things in life that can't be controlled Lao Tie. So please don't blame yourself. It's all thanks to you I'm here today.”