China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan Page B

was it she was feeling? Anxiety? Dread? She wasn’t quite sure.
    Entering the kitchen, Nick said, “You know, I think that’s the first time in my life my dad’s
ever
left me a voice mail. I’m always the one who calls him. My mum must be giving him hell.”
    “Looks like the cat’s out of the bag.” Rachel forced a smile, trying to mask her nerves.
    Nick grimaced. “Astrid sent a text warning me while we were at your uncle’s, but I didn’t want to mention anything while we were all celebrating New Year’s. Things were tense enough with all the talk about your father. I should have known this was coming.”
    “What do you think you’ll do?”
    “Absolutely nothing.”
    “You’re really going to ignore her calls?”
    “Of course. I’m not going to play her game.”
    Rachel felt relieved at first, but then a little conflicted about whether this was the right way for Nick to handle things. Ignoring his mother had gotten them into all that trouble the first time around. Was he making a big mistake again? “Are you sure you don’t want to at least speak to your father…maybe try to clear the air before the wedding?”
    Nick thought about it for a moment. “You know, there’s really nothingto clear. My dad already gave us his blessing when I spoke to him last month.
He’s
happy for us, at least.”
    “But what if the messages have nothing to do with our wedding?”
    “Listen, if there was anything truly important my parents needed to tell me, they would have just told me on the voice mail. Or Astrid would have told me. This is just some new scheme my mother has cooked up in her last-ditch effort to prevent us from marrying. I gotta hand it to her—she’s like a rabid dog that just won’t let go of your leg,” Nick said, fuming.
    Rachel walked into the living room and sank down onto the sofa. Here she was, a girl who had grown up never knowing her father. As much as she detested Eleanor Young, she couldn’t help but feel sad that Nick had become so estranged from his mother. She knew it wasn’t her fault, but she hated that she was part of why it happened. She gathered her thoughts for a few minutes before finally speaking. “I wish things didn’t have to be this way. I never thought I’d ever put you in a position like this.”
    “You didn’t put me in any position. This was my mother’s own doing. She only has herself to blame.”
    “I just never imagined I’d be at a place where my future husband’s parents weren’t invited to our wedding, and most of his family won’t be there…”
    Nick took a seat beside Rachel. “We talked about this already. It’s going to be fine. Astrid and Alistair will be there, and they are my closest cousins. You know I’ve always hated those traditional Chinese weddings where everyone and their cat is invited. We’re going to have an intimate ceremony surrounded by your family and our closest friends. Just you, me, and our chosen family. No one else matters.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “I’m more than sure,” Nick said as he began to kiss the tender spot at the nape of her neck.
    Sighing softly, Rachel closed her eyes and hoped he really meant what he said.
    • • •
    A couple of weeks later, the students enrolled at New York University in the course Britain Between the Wars: The Lost Generation Rediscovered, Deconstructed, and Restored were treated to the most curiousspectacle. In the middle of Professor Young’s lecture, two extremely tan, extremely blond women of Amazonian proportions entered the classroom. Dressed in identical outfits of figure-hugging navy-blue cashmere sweaters, immaculately pressed white linen slacks, and white nautical caps with gold piping on the brims, the pair sauntered up to the front of the classroom and addressed the professor.
    “Mr. Young? The favor of your presence has been requested. If you would please come with us,” one of the blondes said in a thick Norwegian accent.
    Not sure what to make of this, Nick