Kidnapped by a Dragon Billionaire

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"Darren…I am so touched but I can't be with you," Zi Mei told him. She has to be brutally honest. She can't lead him on and give him hope. She only hoped they can remain as friends after this.

"But why? Are you in love with Thorin? He's a married man!" he exclaimed just as there was a lull in the cafe. A few people turned to stare at them. Zi Mei could feel her face reddening from all that attention.

"It's complicated…it's hard to explain," she replied, lowering her voice.

"What's so complicated about it? He is married. You are single. You are only 21, you have a whole life ahead of you, why waste your youth on an older married man," he tried to reason with her.

"Look, you don't have to be with me, we can remain as friends, but I just don't think he is right for you," he added.

She doesn't know how to explain her situation to Darren. Telling him that she signed a contract to have babies for Thorin was just too scandalous. Besides, the contract specifically said she is not allowed to tell any human about it.

"I'm in love with him Darren," she finally said. It felt true. It is probably the truth. She can't deny it anymore. She is thoroughly and absolutely in love with Thorin but the dragon is obviously only using her as a baby making machine. A tear slid down her cheek.

"What am I gonna do Darren? I don't think he loves me," she muttered sadly.

Darren sighed. His expression was a mix of anger, concern and worry.

"Why him Mei? What is it about him that makes you fall in love with him?"

She shrugged. How do you know that you love someone? What makes one so sure of their love for someone?

"I miss him so much now that I am no longer staying at his place and I yearn for him, it's as if I have a huge chasm in my heart that only he could fill, you know?"

"But why? You just met him a few months ago! How could you fall in love with someone so easily?" Darren sounded exasperated.

Zi Mei can almost hear the unspoken words in between the lines. How could she fall in love with a total stranger within months and yet, she's known Darren for years but she doesn't feel the same for him. Who's to say how one's heart works? It is a mystery to her.

"It's the way he sometimes poses like a model, it was both annoying and yet so adorable…or the way he can be so caring about how I feel and how I am coping…with some things…or how our first date was such a disaster and yet, I still find him endearing," she said. She realised she said too much when she saw Darren's hurt expression.

"Darren…I think of you as my best friend, like a brother I never had…I..I am so sorry I can't reciprocate your feelings," she said.

He looked down at the table for a long moment. Then he took a deep breath.

"It's not your fault that I feel this way about you…for a moment, before Thorin came into your life, I had thought we had something," he said.

Before Thorin. That was like a lifetime ago. Zi Mei can't even remember the days from before she was kidnapped by the vain dragon. She has to admit that there was a budding romance between Darren and her. She was beginning to feel something for him. Maybe a crush. Maybe something more. She will never know now. She doesn't feel the same about Darren anymore.

"I will not force you to like me and I will not make you choose between him or me…if you want to remain as friends, I will continue to be here for you as your friend," he said.

She teared up at that. She is so grateful and touched. Darren is indeed a good friend. Things would have been less complicated if she had fallen for him instead of for the old dragon. Of course, then, she would still have to contend with the loansharks. And struggle to make ends meet. She is now a millionaire and yet, she felt empty. Maybe being rich isn't all that great anyway. Money is nothing if she doesn't have the love of the person, or dragon, whom she loves.

"As a friend, I seriously advise you to leave him and forget about him, no matter what he says, he is still a married man," Darren said.

"If only it was that simple…I can't Darren, I wish I can but I can't," she replied mysteriously.

"Why? Is he holding something against you? Did he have compromising photos of you? Is he blackmailing you?"

"No! No! Don't! Thorin is as honourable as they go….it's just that….I don't think I can live without him in my life," she said.

It was the truth. She now knows that she is hopelessly in love with Thorin. What will become of her once she gave him children and he no longer has any need for her anymore? It was under condition number 10 of the contract. "She will have to leave, without taking any of the heirs, if Thorin Loong no longer needs her services." It meant that she only has at most five years with Thorin. She has been with him for only a few months and she is already pining for him like some lovesick puppy. Staying with him for another five years, having children with him, it could destroy her.

She is suddenly afraid. Afraid of Thorin breaking her heart. It will be much worse than losing their first child. It will be like losing a part of her forever. Maybe she should talk to him about breaking the contract. She knows condition number 18 stated that she can't cancel the contract once they've mated. Maybe, just maybe, Thorin could release her from the contract.

"Mei?" Darren was looking at her in consternation. She was so deep in thoughts, she didn't even hear him talking to her.

"I am sorry…I was a bit distracted, what did you say?"

"I am saying, maybe you should try to take in one day at a time, away from him and slowly break up with him, that's the only way," Darren said.

Slowly break up with Thorin? The very thought of not seeing him again pains her. It was like having her heart being ripped out of her chest and sliced slowly. But Darren has a point, Maybe it is time she slowly get rid of her dependence on Thorin.

"By the way, what are we going to do about the intruders in my house?" she suddenly remembered the reason why she is sitting in this crowded cafe with Darren.

"I'll go over to check it, give me your keys and you wait here, I'll call you when it's all clear," Darren offered.

"But, it's dangerous, I don't think you should go…they might be armed and they could hurt you!" she said. She couldn't put Darren at risk.

"Maybe we just call the police and let them check?" she suggested.

"That's what I said earlier! Let's go, we'll call the police and wait for them to arrive across the street from your house," he said.

It sounds like a workable plan. They stood up together.

"Thanks Darren, you've truly been a great friend," she said.

They left the cafe and made their way to her house.

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