“Mei Hua, you know I care about you a great deal. I’ve always kept you in a special place in my heart. But you know things aren’t always so black and white. I can’t just lavish love and riches onto anyone I please. I have…responsibilities. I didn’t want to hurt you that time, but it was business. I had to protect the List.”

“You didn’t have to do anything,” Xiaokai snapped. “No one can make you do anything you don’t want to do. Liu Baiyan was your subordinate. Don’t pretend you had to listen to him.”

Bai Xue started laughing. “Yes, you’re right. He was my subordinate. How long have you known?”

“It doesn’t matter. And stop with that name. Mei Hua this, Mei Hua that. My name is Liu Xiaokai.”

“Mn…well, you should know that I’ve been looking to retire for some time now. I have enough money to support myself for the next five lifetimes, but I was waiting until I had someone who could take my place.” He reached forward, took Xiaokai’s hand in his, held on even as Xiaokai tried to pull away. “I originally wanted Sun Yue, but, after I saw you, Mei Hua…I changed my mind in a heartbeat.”

Xiaokai’s hand was uncomfortably warm.

“You’re my true heir, Xiaokai. You always have been. I can take you away from all of this, I can give you everything I have. We’ll change your name to Mei Hua. No one in this life—no one who hurt you—will be able to find you.”

“No one who hurt me?” Xiaokai stared at him in disbelief.

“You’re my heir, Mei Hua. No one can ever hurt you again.”

“I know I’m your heir. What I want to know is why you think spending the rest of my life with you is in any way appealing to me.”

“You…” Bai Xue’s grip loosened and Xiaokai yanked his hand away. “You knew that too?”

“Yes. I knew.”

“Then why wouldn’t you want to come with me? You’ll have the power you always wanted.”

“I never wanted power. I wanted recognition.”

“And I can give that to you.”

“I don’t need or want it from you. I already got the acknowledgement I needed from Sun Yue. Now let me go.”

A million emotions flitted across Bai Xue’s face. “You—”