The Boy Next Door (84 page)

The future indeed looks bleak.  I am an unskilled woman and at the age of twenty-nine. I am past my prime.  All I have left is to marry some man, some unspoken for outcast of society that might still tolerate me, or go to work. 

But to be honest…I don’t know why I’m even posting this ad.  I am an older and unskilled woman and communicating love and trust to a strange old gentleman seems as foreign to me as conquering the moon itself.   But at this point, I have nothing to lose.

Han looked over the ad and read it twice.  He shrugged and figured it was as good as any other. 

*

When Lilinda received a message from Han, though polite, she wasn’t exactly sure how the relationship was going to work.  She figured if the strange Asian man were truly indiscriminating regarding age and looks, it would at least be a way out of homelessness, but certainly not a love story for the ages.

She didn’t even have any idea how to begin to communicate with such a stranger, given the implications and the entire stigma of the transaction.  But try she did, because at this point the only thing lower than becoming someone’s bought and paid for bride would be to rob banks or prostitute herself. 

She wrote back to Han’s “poke” feature on social media, after viewing his profile, which was predictably nondescript with no headshot.  His profile didn’t reveal much about himself, not even his money, so Lilinda didn’t have much to go on when she wrote him the first message exchange.

Dear Han,

I would certainly be interested in hearing more about your goals in life, your personality and your values, that is, the memories closest to your heart.  I admit to being a bit of a babe as to the things of the world.  But I’d like to think I am a woman of heart.  I gave much of my life to taking care of my parents.  I don’t know if I’ve stored any treasures in heaven or if it was all for naught, but it’s what I have done.  In a perfect world, I suppose, we would all be placed in our ideal situation.  Alas, life doesn’t end the way it should, does it?

I look forward to hearing more from you, or if you’re thoroughly horrified at my writing skills, I do apologize for wasting your time.

Sincerely,

Lilinda

Within a day, a reply from Han spooked her and her heart pounded away at the idea of meeting this bachelor face to face.   This whole thing suddenly felt foreboding.  Was he a psychotic monster or was he just a con artist? 

For a moment she even thought, with a silly little smile, what if he instantly fell in love with her?  Perhaps her quirkiness and depth of character revealed so much and the man knew that he must marry such a larger-than-life character, straight out of romance books.

Of course, once she actually saw that the response message was a bit
less
than she anticipated, she understandably had mixed emotions.

I have purchased you.  I will send you 8000 Rand for a train ticket.  Don’t spend it all before you get here.

-
Han CW

His manner seemed quite abrupt, almost resentful.  He surely read all of her fawning and sophisticated introduction, did he not?  And yet his words were gruff and unconcerned.  He didn’t even seem concerned about their compatibility, or matching values and virtues.  What exactly was his motivation?  He didn’t bother inquiring for a description of her personality or character.  All he had to go on was her profile photo.  It started to seem downright sinister, like a ransom or murdering plot. 

She also began to doubt the professionalism of the website since she apparently didn’t even have the option to accept the man’s proposal.  Granted, no one was forcing her to go, but she just figured the online compatibility matcher would be a bit more…romantic.

A strange and yet uneasy sense of relief came over Lilinda.  At least now she had one option.  One which was preferable to vagrancy and death.  The option to sleep in a stranger’s bed and not on a dirt hill. 

Her heavy breathing suppressed the grief she felt, having to walk away from the city she knew and loved.  But she was all out of options and only one road welcomed her.

Tomorrow would be a new adventure and the life of one spinster would be over. And God only knew what mess she was getting herself into.

III

After finalizing the website paperwork, Lilinda was transported by Train to the Casablanca Train Station, then taken via cab to Han’s Morocco Estate. 

The estate he owned was indeed a site to behold.  It encompassed fifty-five acres and had horse stables with grand pastures of wealth.  She saw a four-storey home and a lush forest surrounding the estate. 

She wasn’t quite sure if this “Han” fellow was wealthy or perhaps even a millionaire.  She even scoffed at the idea that perhaps he was the one “kind millionaire” who would save her from a life of suffering and poverty, or some delusional fairy tale like that.  That sounded nice.  Better to invent a yarn of merriment and miracles than actually face the reality that a monster could be waiting for her.  Someone cruel, definitely ugly, and maybe even pure evil.

She did a double take as a man walked forward, exiting from a barn and walking over to the entrance. 

There Han stood, dressed casually, and staring straight into her face without much emotion.

Lilinda double flinched, realizing that this must be Han’s house servant or perhaps a ranch hand or a butler.  He seemed a bit too polite to be a man of any stature or great name.  But she figured it was appropriate to be polite to the wait staff, as they would eventually become her trusted friends.

“Hello!” she said happily.

“H’lo,” he replied with a frown.

“Oh not to worry, I can pick up my own bags,” she said with a smile as she lifted her bags proudly.

“Okay…” he said with a shrug.

“Or…is it procedure for you to carry my bags for me?”

“No, it is your obligation,” he said blankly.

“Oh…right.  Not in your job description, right?”

“Job description?” he said squinting his eyes and protecting them from the sun.  He did a slow up and down stare at the modern urban clothes Lilinda was wearing.  Definitely bright colored, in contrast to his sophisticated and conservative garb. 

“Well, shall we go to meet the great Mister Han, then?”

“His name is Mister Weisheng,” he said, looking down at the floor.

“What an odd name,” she said.  “I suppose you’ve worked with him a long time, haven’t you?”

“All my life I have worked with ‘him’,” he said suspiciously, in disbelief that she really didn’t know who he was. 

“What is he like, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“What is ‘he’ like, you ask me?”

Han smiled to himself, “Cruel.  Harsh.  Sometimes he yells random statements in Chinese…which can be scary to a classy woman such as yourself.”

“Oh, I hear you.  When they have money they always have an attitude, don’t they?  Say…does he have any money?”

“Not much,” he replied with a shrug and a clandestine smile.

“Well then, I shall put my best face forward.  And press on.”

“And carry your bags too.”

“Yes of course!” Lilinda said, grabbing her bags and walking bravely forward. 

They walked the ranch and finally reached the yellow plantation style home with two levels and a bright and sunny ambiance to it. 

“Here we are.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry!  I never asked your name.  I apologize for my clumsiness.  You go thirty five years without socializing outside of family and you forget all manners.”

“My name is Han Cheung Weisheng.  But you may call me Mr. Weisheng.”

“Mister…what?”

Lilinda flinched her panic away.  The whole time, the man who met her and looked surprisingly Asian and nondescript…was in fact the Han who purchased her.  What an embarrassment!  She shook her head in regret and eyed him in disbelief.  Was this a test?  Was he testing her?  Or was she just really failing terribly at making chemistry with her future husband to be? 

Just then she realized that this man, this quiet Asian man, as nondescript and unassuming as she had ever met, was her future husband.  Her “love”, her soul mate, or at least that’s what it would say on paper. 

She began to take note of Han’s characteristics, realizing that indeed this was it—this was her future.  She noticed his dark eyes and broad facial shape.  His skin was slightly tan and he looked strong; his hands seemed mighty enough to kill a bison just on a whim.  He was the type of man who worked from dawn till dusk and didn’t see much sense in relaxing.  His figure was lean and his black eyes seemed distant at best. 

She had expected a black man or a white man.  A Chinese man was indeed an unpredictable match.

“I’m…so sorry.  I didn’t realize it was you.  I don’t know why.  I guess I expected you to…wear…you know, something different.”

“Like what?” he said, always walking a line between resentful and bored with life.  “A kimono or a ninja outfit.”

“I’m very sorry.  I hoped to make a better introduction.  Can we start over?  I’m Lilinda.”

“Yeah, I know.  I bought you.”

“Oh.  Right.  I hope my letter didn’t seem too forward...did it?”

“I didn’t read all of it.  To tell you the truth, I do not see this marriage lasting long.  I only ordered you to make an appearance in front of one of my clients.  In the meantime, you play the part of my fiancée and you get to live in the house.  After the interview and the transaction, we can go our separate ways.”

“Oh.  All right.”  She breathed in deeply, a little less apprehensive.  Well at least that was kind, sort of.  Or was that merely his way of saying he wasn’t attracted to her?  She seemed a little perturbed that the man who “bought her” didn’t even seem interested in making love…she just figured that was part of the allure. 

“And are we…uh…sleeping in the same bed?” she asked timidly.

Han seemed provoked by the question. 

“No.  I am not looking for love.  This is all just for business.”

A strange wave of both grief and laughter hit Lilinda at that moment.  Dealing with a cranky old fool and getting hardly a kind word in return.  A cold, distant relationship that was one-sided and mostly involving Lilinda playing a role, pretending to be someone “special”, someone lovable.

Just as she feared, love was cruel – nonexistent and all for show.

IV

Lilinda sat still on the couch and listened in silence as Han bragged about his new fiancée to his business client over the phone.

“Of course she is here.  I have been keeping my treasure secret from the media for a reason,” he said with a fake smile.  You can come meet here anytime you like.  She is here for a few days so pop in as you like.  To you, my friend, my life is an open book.”

Lilinda listened and smiled as Han bid goodbye and hung up the phone.  “What a strange deal it is,” she said.  “That you’re willing to buy a mail order bride just so you can impress one client.  You should have just hired an escort.”

“What is an escort?”

“You know…” she said with a flinch.  “A woman who specializes in…making a show.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he said stoically.  After the deal is done, we will both go our separate ways.  And I will make sure you are well compensated.”

“Oh…that’s nice.”

“How much do you want?”

“Excuse me?”

“For helping me out.  How much do you want?”

“I…I don’t know.  Whatever you can afford, I guess.”

He smiled and nodded.

“Say…how much money do you have?”

“I wouldn’t worry about that.  Just list your price for a night’s worth of great acting.”

“My, my.  I’ve never thought of myself as an actress.  I didn’t even know that…you know, you had money.  Most guys on those mail order bride websites only have a few thousand in the bank.”

“A few thousand?” he said in amusement.  “And does your opinion of me change knowing that I am wealthy?”

She shrugged.  “Not really.  I was already figuring this would be a loveless marriage.  Little did I know it wasn’t a real marriage at all.  I suppose after this is all said and done I’ll be back to being poor again.”

“You won’t be poor, my lady,” he said.  “I will make sure of that.  For she who does a favor for me, earns her wealth.”

“But…”

“But?”

“You’re not really looking, are you?” Lilinda said.  “For a wife, I mean.  With all that money you have and you still don’t want to fall in love?”

“I am…”

“I’m sorry, I’m prying.  You may have your own
preferences
.”

“I am not a homosexual.”

“Oh I see.  Just enjoying your freedom?”

“No.  I am…I am not a man who dates mindlessly.”