“Is that going to happen in my lifetime? Your mother and I are not getting any younger—I want to see my grandsons grow up while we are still healthy enough to enjoy them!”

Colette’s eyes narrowed as she stared at her father, seeing things in a whole new light. “So this is what it’s really all about…you are just dying for grandsons, aren’t you?”

“Of course! What grandparents wouldn’t want lots and lots of grandsons?” Mrs. Bing said.

“This is just too funny…it’s like I’m trapped in some time warp.” Colette laughed to herself. “And what if I only produce girls? What if I don’t want any children at all?”

“Don’t talk nonsense,” her mother snapped.

Colette was about to argue back when it hit her—her mother’s very name, Lai Di, meant “hoping for a son.” Her mother couldn’t escape her mind-set—it had literally been branded on her since the day she was born. Colette looked at her parents squarely and said, “The two of you might have grown up like peasants, but I am not a peasant, and you did not raise me to be one. It is 2013, and I am not going to get married and pump out babies just because you want a barrel full of grandsons.”

“Ungrateful child! After all we’ve given you in life!” Mrs. Bing blurted out.

“Yes, thank you, you’ve given me a great life, and I intend to live it!” Colette declared, storming out of the room.

Jack gave a sharp little laugh. “Let’s see how she intends to live her life once I put a freeze on her accounts.”

* Mandarin for “Oh my God!”

5

PULAU CLUB

SINGAPORE

Michael was huddled in his office preparing for a big presentation with his head venture partner and his chief technology adviser when his phone buzzed with a text message from Astrid:

WIFEY: Mum called—she’s having a meltdown about the magazine article.

MT: Big shocker.

WIFEY: My dad’s requested that you meet him at Pulau club at 10:30 a.m.

MT: Sorry, I’ll be in a meeting then.

WIFEY: You’re going to have to face him sooner or later.

MT: I know, but I’m busy right now. Some of us HAVE TO WORK FOR A LIVING.

WIFEY: I’m just passing along the message.

MT: Tell him I have a very important meeting with the Monetary Authority of Singapore this AM. My assistant will call his assistant to set up another time to meet.

WIFEY: Okay. Good luck at your meeting.

Several minutes later, Michael’s executive assistant, Krystal, buzzed on the intercom. “Michael, ah? I just receive call from your father-in-law’s seck-ree-teh-ry Miss Chua. He wants you to meet him at Pulau Club in half an hour.”

Michael rolled his eyes in frustration. “I already know about this, Krystal. It’s been dealt with. Now, no more interruptions, please. We only have an hour left before our big pitch.”

He turned back to his partners. “Sorry, guys. Now, where were we? Yes, we can reinforce that our new finance-data app is a quarter of a second faster than Bloomberg’s terminals—”