Skyscrapers and Starlight – The Dragon’s Daughter
By Lea von Löwenstein
Chapter 14: Mirrors and Smoke
Part 1: The Challenge
The Jade Conference Room basked in late afternoon light as Alexandra circled her father with predatory grace, her Louboutins clicking against marble like a countdown.
“Tell me, Father,” she said softly, each word precisely chosen. “What makes you so certain about these… accusations?”
Chen Wei-Ming’s expression carried the weight of absolute certainty. “I have spent three years gathering evidence. Every detail, every transaction, every indiscretion.”
“Three years?” Alexandra’s voice held a dangerous edge. “Since I refused to marry your chosen suitor. Since I left Hong Kong.”
“Since you began making decisions that would destroy everything we’ve built.” Her father’s tone hardened. “Your rebellion ends now, Alexandra.”
Behind her, Marcus remained perfectly still in his chair, though his jade cufflinks caught the dying sun like captured fire. Eleanor Drake’s fingers traced her dragon brooch, while Elizabeth watched the scene unfold with calculated interest.
“Rebellion?” Alexandra’s laugh was silk over steel. “Is that what you call my marriage? My choices?”
“I call it a mistake,” Chen Wei-Ming snapped. “One that ends today.”
“Because of your evidence?” She moved closer, her perfume carrying notes of jasmine and power. “Your absolute certainty about my husband’s… character?”
The Dragon of Hong Kong gestured sharply, and one of his aids rushed forward with a thick file. “Everything is here. Every detail that proves what kind of man you’ve married.”
Alexandra’s smile turned predatory. “Then by all means, Father. Show me exactly who you think sits in that chair.”
Part 2: The Dragon’s Fire
The Jade Conference Room’s atmosphere thickened as Chen Wei-Ming spread photographs across the polished table surface. Casino receipts from Macau. Grainy surveillance shots from Singapore. Bank statements with staggering numbers in red.
“Look,” he commanded, his voice tight with suppressed emotion. “Look at what your husband has done.”
Alexandra picked up a photo, her expression unreadable. “Interesting timing on these, Father. All from three years ago.”
“When it began.” Chen Wei-Ming’s eyes flashed. “When you first started seeing him.”
Marcus remained motionless in his chair, though his knuckles whitened slightly on the armrests. The jade cufflinks caught the dying sun, throwing green fire across the damning evidence.
“The gambling debts alone…” Lord Rothschild spoke for the first time, his aristocratic voice heavy with judgment. “Hundreds of millions, lost in a single night.”
“And the women,” Chen Wei-Ming continued, spreading more photos. “Paid for their silence with Chen family subsidiaries’ money. Our money, Alexandra.”
Elizabeth Drake’s sharp intake of breath was the only sound as more documents appeared – contracts, NDAs, wire transfers.
“Seven ruined businesses in Macau,” her father’s voice cracked with genuine pain. “Families destroyed. Lives shattered. All to cover his tracks.”
Alexandra lifted another photo, studying it with dangerous intensity. “And you’re absolutely certain about all of this?”
“Certain enough to demand you end this marriage immediately.” Chen Wei-Ming straightened to his full height. “Certain enough to disinherit you if you refuse.”
The Manhattan skyline burned crimson behind them as Alexandra finally looked up from the photo, her smile sharp enough to draw blood.
“Oh, Father,” she whispered. “You really should have done more thorough research.”
The crimson sunset painted the Jade Conference Room in shades of blood as Chen Wei-Ming gathered his evidence with trembling hands.
“Enough games, Alexandra,” he commanded, his voice carrying the weight of generations. “You will end this marriage today. Now. Before any more damage can be done to our family name.”
Lord Rothschild stepped forward, his aristocratic features grave. “My dear, your father speaks from wisdom. The scandal alone—”
“Scandal?” Alexandra’s voice was deadly quiet. “You dare speak to me of scandal?”
“This is not a request, daughter.” Chen Wei-Ming’s tone could have frozen flame. “This is your last chance to correct this… unfortunate mistake. To remember who you are.”
“Who I am?” She repeated softly.
“A Chen.” Her father’s words fell like hammer blows. “The heir to an empire. Not some lovesick girl throwing everything away on a man who—”
The laughter caught everyone off guard.
It started low, almost silent, Alexandra’s shoulders shaking as she tried to contain it. Then it broke free – rich, genuine, almost helpless mirth that filled the room like summer rain.
She laughed until tears sparkled in her eyes, until Eleanor Drake’s lips twitched in response, until even Marcus’s perfect composure cracked into a slight smile.
“Oh, Father,” she managed between peals of laughter, “you magnificent, misguided fool.”
Chen Wei-Ming’s face darkened like a thundercloud. “Alexandra—”
“No.” She wiped tears from her eyes, her laughter settling into something dangerous. “Now it’s my turn to show you some evidence.”
Part 3: Love and Legacy
The Jade Conference Room’s atmosphere shifted like quicksilver as Alexandra’s laughter softened into something more tender. Lord Rothschild, ever the diplomat, stepped forward with careful grace.
“Perhaps,” he offered, his aristocratic voice gentle, “we should all take a moment to—”
“No need, my lord,” Alexandra interrupted, her tone transformed from mirth to an almost heartbreaking warmth. She moved toward her father, each step deliberate. “You know, Father, this is exactly why I loved our Sunday morning dim sum when I was little.”
Chen Wei-Ming blinked, clearly thrown by this sudden change. “What?”
“Your passion.” She reached for his hand, the same way she had as a child. “Your absolute conviction in protecting what you love. Even when you’re magnificently wrong, you do it with such… dedication.”
“Alexandra…” Her father’s voice held confusion now, the dragon’s fire dimming in the face of his daughter’s unexpected tenderness.
“You flew across the world,” she continued softly, “prepared to wage war with the entire Drake family, just to protect me.” Her free hand touched his cheek. “My fierce, wonderful, completely misguided Bàba.”
The childhood endearment made him flinch slightly.
“But darling,” Lord Rothschild tried again, “the evidence—”
“Shows exactly how far a father will go to protect his daughter,” she finished, her eyes never leaving her father’s face. “Even if he’s fighting the wrong battle.”
Chen Wei-Ming stood frozen, the mighty Dragon of Hong Kong suddenly unsure in the face of his daughter’s unconditional love.
“Xiǎo Lóng,” he whispered, using her childhood name, “I don’t understand.”
Alexandra’s smile was pure sunlight. “I know, Bàba. That’s what makes this next part so perfect.”
The dying sun painted father and daughter in shades of gold as Alexandra held Chen Wei-Ming’s gaze, her eyes bright with unshed tears of tenderness.
“Thank you, Bàba,” she whispered in Mandarin, the language of their hearts. “Thank you for loving me enough to cross oceans. For gathering evidence for three years. For being willing to wage war with empires to protect me.”
Her father’s legendary composure wavered. “Then you understand why—”
“I understand everything,” she smiled, squeezing his hand. “But you’re a few days too late, Father.”
“Too late?”
“I already broke things off with the man you’re thinking of.” Her voice carried nothing but warmth. “Quite spectacularly, actually. Right before I found something I never expected.”
She glanced over her shoulder at Marcus, and for the first time since entering the room, Chen Wei-Ming saw what was written plainly on his daughter’s face – pure, unguarded love.
“I found someone who saw me,” she continued softly, “not the Chen empire, not the power plays, just… me. Who married me when he thought I was nobody.” Her smile trembled slightly. “And that’s worth more than all the jade in the Imperial City.”
The mighty Dragon of Hong Kong stood silent, watching his daughter’s eyes shine with something he hadn’t seen since she was a little girl chasing butterflies in their garden.
Real, unconditional love. “I love you Marcus. With all my heart and soul.”
The Jade Conference Room held its breath as Chen Wei-Ming stared at his daughter, seeing for the first time not the heir to his empire, but the woman she’d become. The sunset painted her in the same golden hues that had filled their Hong Kong garden when she was small.
“You…” His voice, usually so commanding, wavered. “You broke things off?”
“Yes, Bàba.” Her smile was gentle. “The man in your files, the one who caused so much destruction – he’s gone from my life.”
Chen Wei-Ming’s gaze shifted to Marcus, still seated with quiet dignity, then back to his daughter’s radiant face. Something shifted in his expression – confusion, realization, and beneath it all, a father’s desperate hope.
“But then…” He gestured weakly at the damning evidence spread across the table. “All of this…”
“Is about someone else entirely.” Alexandra’s laugh was soft, loving. “Someone who isn’t sitting in that chair.”
The mighty Dragon of Hong Kong swayed slightly. Lord Rothschild stepped forward to steady him, but Chen Wei-Ming waved him off, his eyes fixed on his daughter.
“Three years,” he whispered. “I spent three years…”
“Protecting me,” she finished, squeezing his hand. “Just like you always have. Just like when you used to check my closet for actual dragons.”
A sound escaped him – something between a laugh and a sob.
