"If fated to meet, no distance can keep you apart; if not, no matter how close, you will not see them." – Chinese Proverb
Hangzhou, China – October 9th, – 8:00 AM
After twenty exhausting hours on a cramped flight, Anna Westcott steps into the bustling arrivals hall of Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport. She scans the crowd, but her twin sister Hailee is nowhere to be found. Before she can spiral into imagining all the possible emergencies that could have befallen her sister, her phone rings.
"I'm sorry," Hailee's soft voice comes through the receiver. "There's road construction. Traffic's a nightmare."
"I guess traffic is a universal evil," Anna muses, forcing a light tone. "Don't worry, it gives me a chance to stretch my legs a bit."
Relieved there isn't a major issue, Anna ends the call. Her disappointment dissipates as the tantalizing aroma of fried food wafts through the air. If she can't feast her eyes on her sister, she might as well feast on something greasy.
Anna zooms past the noodle shops and Starbucks to the familiar red and white sign: KFC. It might have been morning in China, but her stomach is still on Eastern Standard Time, and she is too tired to experiment with the local flavors.
Other passengers seem to have had the same thought because six people rush to form a line ahead of her. Anna's mouth waters at the savory aroma; she can almost taste it.
After ten minutes, it is finally her turn to order, but before she can say, "Number 10 with a coke," a handsome man in a suit staggers out of a door marked VIP ONLY.
The man's high cheekbones and sharp jawline are made even more prominent by the lack of color in his face and the blue tinge to his lips. His tall figure collapses, and the crack of his skull hitting the hard floor reverberates through the hall.
People circle the body, shouting in various languages for help or holding up phones to video. Hunger is put on hold as Anna pushes her way through the crowd, repeating, "I'm a nurse."
A security guard beats her to the unconscious man and immediately starts chest compressions. Anna kneels at the victim's head. The officer shouts at Anna, words she can't understand, but she gets the hint he isn't happy she is there. Unfazed, she takes out her phone.
Another security officer grabs her arm. She drops her phone as he pulls her to her feet and tries to drag her out of the way. Anna digs in her heels and stares him dead in the eyes.
"I'm a nurse," she says. She rips her arm from his grip and rushes back to the man.
The security guard attempts to move her again but is blocked by a college-aged skater boy. The kid points to Anna and says something in rapid Mandarin. The officer relaxes and allows Anna to stay.
Anna picks up her phone. It has a cracked screen, but the flashlight still works. She tilts the man's chin up and uses the light to look down his throat. As expected, something is lodged in his esophagus.
While additional security personnel worked to remove unwanted spectators, Anna carefully reaches into his mouth, hooks her finger around the offending object, and gently extracts the chunk of what looks to be a bagel. The man's color rushes back with his airway clear again.
***
Ryan Anderson's body throbs with pain and indignation. He can't believe he almost met such an undignified demise, and hell smells like cheap takeout.
He forces his eyes open, and for the first time in his life, he believes in heaven. A red-haired angel, with a smattering of freckles across her cute, slightly upturned nose, is haloed in light above him. At that moment, all he feels is a sense of recognition, as if his soul is saying, "It's her."
Ryan sits up and is immediately brought down to earth when a pile of dust tumbles down his throat, sending him into a coughing fit.
His angel takes a water bottle from some skater boy and hands it to him. The cool liquid soothes his raw throat. After a moment, he regains his composure and manages to choke out a thanks.
"What is your pain level on a scale of one to five?" his dream girl asks him, her voice calm and professional.
Ryan glances at the security and bystanders. "Do you think we can do this somewhere else?" he grimaces.
The security officer offers Ryan a hand and pulls him to his feet. Ryan ignores the stab of pain that courses through his skull and forces the urge to vomit down.
The security personnel grab what must have been his savior's luggage and escort them back into the VIP room. With the show over, what is left of the crowd disperses.
Inside the VIP room, the ceiling is lined with chandeliers creating ambient lighting that gives a warm glow to the marble floors and the polished wood accents of the plush furnishings. Ryan relaxes and his confidence returns once he enters the elite domain.
***
Anna feels like she has stepped through a magic portal and into a different world from the utilitarian hustle and bustle. She doesn't take the time to appreciate her surroundings for long, instead, she focuses back on her patient.
She motions him to take a seat in one of the more secluded areas, away from the prying eyes of the few travelers able to afford to be there.
"Let me take a quick peek for cuts or swelling," Anna touches his head to tilt it, but he winces and jerks back.
Anna moves his hands out of the way and gently feels the lump forming on the back of his head. "What's your name?"
"Ryan Anderson. What's yours?" he says with a charming orthodontic-perfect smile.
"Anna Westcott," she replies automatically, holding up a finger. "Where do you live?"
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Ryan's eyes follow her finger as she moves it back and forth in front of his face. "I have a condo in the Seaport District in Boston, an apartment in Binjiang District when I'm in Hangzhou, and—"
"Any dizziness or nausea?"
Ryan shakes his head. "I'm fine."
Anna is skeptical, but he passes the basic exam. "If you start having any symptoms, go to the hospital for a scan. You could have a concussion."
She checks the time on her phone. It has been about twenty minutes since she talked to her sister; she will hopefully be there soon. She sends her a quick text asking for an ETA.
***
Ryan has the suspicion that for the first time in his life, a woman doesn't seem to be interested in him. His combination of looks and money has never failed to attract more than his fair share of attention. While the novelty is refreshing, he doesn't want to miss his opportunity with Anna.
"How can I thank you?" he asks, hoping to regain her attention. He wonders what she will ask for—a date, his number, or money.
His tactic works. She looks up from her phone, but the reply isn't what he is expecting.
"Chew your breakfast next time," she says with a joking smile.
Ryan's practiced smile slowly transforms into a genuine one. She is truly sweet and naïve, he thinks, and his protective instincts rush forward. He wants to be the man to protect her from the harsh world.
***
Anna's phone dings with a reply from Hailee: traffic is at a standstill. As her adrenaline wears off, her hunger kicks back in. If she was at the hospital, she would have had the excuse of moving on to the next patient, but she isn't sure how to walk away from this guy. He keeps looking at her expectantly.
"Well, bye," she says as she grabs her luggage and turns to go back out the way she had come.
"Wait!"
Anna pastes back on her Florence Nightingale smile. "Is there something else?"
Then Ryan says the magic words, "How about breakfast?"
He gestures toward the back of the room. Anna's eyes are drawn to the buffet table lined with silver chafing dishes, steam rising from them; stacked trays of pastries, piled in an artistic display; and a basket overflowing with assorted bread.
***
Ryan isn't sure how he feels about competing for a woman's attention with a plate of bacon and eggs—and losing. They had exchanged names and basic small talk, and his belief in fate had grown when he found out she was also from Boston. She answers his questions in between savoring each bite but doesn't ask much back until he asks why she chose to visit China.
Her eyes light up while she tells him all about her twin sister and their plans for her visit. The chandeliers reflect the sunshine from the windows into her ponytail, creating sparkles in the auburn wave. Ryan grapples to think of the next conversation topic when he notices her winding down.
"It's been a year, so I've missed her, but I kept busy with work."
"So you're a doctor?" he asks.
***
Anna has to give him props for going straight to the top of the food chain but proudly corrects him, "I'm a nurse."
Her stomach finally satisfied, Anna takes the time to study the man across from her. He has thick, wavy black hair, gorgeous almond eyes, and a Grecian nose. His features are evidence of his mixed heritage.
He tells her about spending the summers in China with his wàigōng, his grandfather on his mother's side, and his plans to merge both sides of his families' businesses into one international company. As she listens to him talk the thought crosses her mind that he would be a perfect match for her sister.
Hailee loves her job in China. She was only supposed to stay a year but she signed up for a second when she was offered the chance. Her sister has two dreams: traveling the world and falling in love. If Hailee dates Ryan, it would kill two birds with one stone.
"Are you seeing anyone?" Anna asks before she fully thinks it through.
"No, I've been busy with work, but I am willing to make time for the right woman," Ryan answers, staring into her eyes.
Anna realizes she might have given him the wrong idea, but she isn't sure how to backtrack it. The alarm on her phone goes off, it seems she like she hasn't used up all her luck in this lifetime yet she thinks.
"Sorry," Anna says. "Where is the restroom?"
Ryan points to a tastefully inconspicuous set of doors.
Anna takes her purse and a glass of water with her to the ladies' room. Inside, the sinks are equipped with the latest automation, and everything a woman might need is provided in baskets lined with silk and decorated with ribbons.
She puts the glass on the counter and digs through her purse for a prescription bottle. She dumps a handful of pills in assorted sizes and colors into her hand.
***
Ryan's world is back on an even keel; she is going to be his. He waits for his interest to wane, but instead, as the minutes tick by, his sense of anticipation grows. His phone rings, interrupting his self-analysis.
"What is it?" Ryan answers.
"You were right; he's been embezzling funds and merchandise," a smooth voice replies in Mandarin.
Ryan grins in anticipation. "That makes it easier. Wàigōng won't be able to complain about his termination."
"Do you want me to take care of it?"
Ryan thinks for a moment. "No," he decides. "I need to send a message to all my shirt-tail relatives that I am not someone they can take advantage of."
"I've canceled your flight, and the car will be there in ten minutes."
Ryan hangs up the phone and signals the VIP room manager.
"Have my luggage sent to this address." He tells him, handing him a card.
Ryan checks the time on his phone and looks over to the women's restroom.
***
Anna arranges the assortment of pills on a paper towel, their multiple colors and sizes making an interesting mosaic. She takes the largest in her hand and shoots it down with a sip of water in one practiced movement.
The door marked "Employees Only" creaks open. A young woman with a pretty face and a crisp uniform pushes a cleaning cart. Her doe eyes widen when they land on Anna.
"Excuse me," she says in heavily accented English.
Anna waves her in. "Do whatever you need to do."
The young woman hesitates and looks over her shoulder before pushing the cart fully inside. She glances at the rainbow assortment of medications on the counter, then back to Anna, curiosity mixing with unease.
Anna can see the young woman in the mirror peeking at her as she continues to take pill after pill. Anna can guess what the girl is thinking. She takes the last pill, tosses the towel into the trash, and stores the bottle back in her purse.
Anna enters one of the stalls that has yet to be cleaned. The young woman and Anna both finish their business without a word. Just as Anna is about to open her stall, a door slams open with a bang.
The cleaning girl gasps and speaks in hesitant Mandarin.
"Sorry, wrong door," a cocky male voice says in English, but instead of backing out, he steps in further.
Another deeper male voice joins him. "Do you know how to get to departures?"
"I...I don't speak good English," the young woman stammers.
Anna opens the stall door two college-aged men are in the women's room. The first has brown hair and a preppy, jock-like vibe, he is holding onto the girl while his companion, a lanky guy with shaggy blonde hair and a skater-boy style, holds a hypodermic needle.
Before Anna can react, the needle plunges into the girl's neck. The young woman collapses and her eyes roll back into her head.
"Hey!" Anna shouts, swinging her purse at the jock. It hits him in the head, and he stumbles back with a curse. She ducks back into the stall before he can retaliate and fumbles for her phone.
"You better leave; I'm calling 911!"
The phone is ripped out of her hand from above. An automated voice mocks, "This call cannot be completed as dialed."
"It's 110, stupid," Skater Boy taunts, then he tosses the phone into the toilet and jumps down into the stall.
Anna bursts through the door and into the jock's arms, which lock around her in a bear hug. Anna twists and hammers her fists with all her might. She lands a lucky blow to his groin, and the jock falls to his knees. Anna goes down with him, her head hits the edge of the granite counter, and darkness swallows her.
***
Ryan signals for the manager, irritation sharpening his tone.
"Send someone to check on my guest."
"Yes, sir," the manager hurries to carry out his orders.
Ryan's phone buzzes again. "The driver can wait," he answers curtly.
"Customs is refusing to let the ship dock." the cool voice on the other end replies. "To meet the client's deadline, the cargo needs to be loaded and shipped tonight."
Ryan freezes. "I'll be there soon."
Ryan scribbles on a napkin and hands it to the waiter. "Give this to the pretty redhead when she returns," he says before striding out of the airport.