This was a face he hadn’t seen in years... a face he had convinced himself no longer mattered.
Zu Li watched him closely, noticing that his grip on the tablet tightened.
"...You recognize her."
West didn’t respond imdiately, he just stared at the picture, na and other info displayed across the screen.
"...My mother."
Zu Li simply watched him for a brief mont, noticing the way his expression had changed. It was subtle, but the calm, calculating composure that West carried like a second skin had cracked just enough for soone as perceptive as her to notice.
She slowly let out a sigh. "...I had my suspicions."
West didn’t look up from the tablet while Zu Li continued.
"According to the information gathered on all the personnel involved in that project... I noticed sothing."
She stepped slightly closer.
"There was a record. Marriage history... a woman... previously married to a man nad Mark."
West’s fingers tightened just a little.
"I wondered if it was just a coincidence."
Her gaze hardened slightly.
"But I kept digging," she paused briefly before adding; "And it wasn’t."
West remained silent.
"It was your father."
The words settled heavily into the air between them as Zu Li folded her arms with a more serious expression.
"I put two and two together."
Her voice lowered slightly.
"And I realized exactly what that ant."
West finally lifted his head and the expression he had already changed to sothing colder.
Zu Li watched him closely before continuing. "I was ready to act."
Her tone sharpened slightly as she continued. "I had already planned to send people after everyone involved in that project."
"They’re responsible for what happened down there... the loss of one of our own... They don’t get to walk away from that."
She paused briefly before speaking again; "But then I saw her na... and I put a pause on everything."
Zu Li’s gaze softened just slightly.
"...Because of you."
After a few monts passed, West finally spoke. "...It doesn’t matter."
Zu Li blinked slightly. "...What?"
West placed the tablet down slowly on a rack by the side. "Do what you need to do."
Zu Li’s brows furrowed. "But she’s your mother—"
"I don’t know who that woman is," West interrupted instantly causing Zu Li to go quiet.
West stood there with his back now partially turned toward her.
"The only mother I knew..."
His voice dropped slightly. "...existed a long ti ago."
"This person?" He shook his head faintly. "...She’s soone else."
There was no anger or bitterness in his voice... only coldness and absolute distance remained.
"And regardless of blood..." he continued. "She was involved in that research."
His eyes darkened slightly as he went on.
"That thing we fought... that wasn’t just so accident."
"That was sothing they created."
"So no..."
He exhaled lightly. "I don’t think she deserves any special treatnt."
A heavy and uncomfortable silence followed as West fully turned now to face her.
"...We’ll do the training another ti," he started walking toward the exit. "I’ve gotta go."
But before he could take another step, a hand landed on his shoulder.
"I don’t know what happened in your family," Zu Li voiced with a softer tone. "And it’s not my place to ask... but..."
She hesitated slightly. "...I’ll give it so ti."
"I won’t take action yet."
West’s eyes flickered slightly as she added; "Sleep on it."
Her grip tightened just a fraction. "If you wake up tomorrow...and you still feel the sa way..."
"I’ll respect your decision."
A faint smile appeared on West’s face.
"...Alright."
He nodded once before leaving.
...
...
~ Hours later ~
West sat at the edge of a 130-storey building, crouched low with one knee resting against the concrete and his gaze fixed on the horizon.
The wind rushed past him, tousling lightly at his clothes but he didn’t feel it.
The city stretched endlessly beneath him, putting its liveliness, lights, noise and movents on display.
But West didn’t seem to be paying attention to the enthralling view right now because his mind was sowhere else...
Old unwanted mories, resurfaced in his mind...
His childhood... a small ho... warm laughter... his mother’s gentle voice... calling his na... cooking... smiling... tucking him in.
His fingers clenched slightly. "...Tch."
mories continued to play out in his head, slowly tilting towards the decline... the tension between his parents... the argunts... the silence... the distance...
And finally, the day she changed completely becoming cold, detached and distant.
And just like that, she left without any explanation or goodbye... never returning for years.
She never called, never ssaged... never tried to reach out...
West tried countless tis to reach out to her while growing up. On his birthdays, holidays or random days when he just wanted to hear her voice, unfortunately, there was never a single response.
She never sent gifts, letters or any signs that she even rembered he existed.
"...And now..."
His eyes darkened. "Now I’m supposed to care?"
The question hung in his mind unanswered.
Why should he?
Why should he stop Dragon Fang from going after her?
Why should he intervene?
She had done wrong...
As a scientist... as a human... and as a mother...
So why... why should he protect her?
He grinded his teeth together in frustration. "...I shouldn’t."
That was the logical answer... the correct answer... the answer that made sense and yet, that strange ssage from earlier surfaced in his mind again.
~ Son, please help ~
His eyes narrowed slightly. "...Could that have been..."
He shook his head, discarding the notion.
Zu Li had already said she paused everything. No one should have gone after her yet so it couldn’t be related.
"...Must be so prankster ssing with ."
West exhaled slowly. "...Maybe I should tell dad."
His hand moved toward his phone but before he could, grab it, the phone rang.
He blinked slightly before looking at the screen in suspicion.
~ i ~
"...Right," he proceeded to answer. "Hello?"
Her voice ca through imdiately.
"Are you looking at the ti, Mr Handso?"
West frowned slightly. "...Ti?"
He pulled the phone away and checked.
His eyes widened slightly upon noticing that it was already 5:40 PM. "...Oh."
Dinner with Renzhi’s family was at 6 PM.
"...Ah."
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