to run.”
A home that will be every much as formal and pristine as his condo, she felt sure. Huge and cold.
“But even if Shan doesn’t look into buying a house in the near future, Meilin, you could make it a family home without sacrificing style. But this can’t be the whole issue. A house is just a place to live. What’s important is the relationship.”
“I don’t love him, Mother.”
At this, she scoffed and waved her hand again. “Love will follow.”
“I’m not attracted to him, not the way a woman should be attracted to the man she marries.”
“Why are you bringing this up now? It didn’t seem to matter last week. Besides, that will change. Love grows and passion follows. Even then, passion may very well cool, but love will remain. Have your children and when passion in the bedroom changes, put your passion into your children.”
“And my work.”
“Your work.” Her mother practically snorted. “Your work will fit in or it won’t, and there are many designers out there ready to fill your shoes. No one can replace you in your marriage or with your children. A career just fills time until you take the next step Destiny has provided.”
A burst of anger, barely leashed, filled Meilin’s chest with fire. “How dare you discount my career? It’s kept me from sponging off you for the last twelve years. I’m good at what I do; I’m sought after, my reputation impeccable. My career has brought no shame to our family.”
“Easy, daughter, easy. Your career has brought you much respect, and the family by association. But it also brings questions. Why are you not married? It brings doubts. Is there something wrong with you that you aren’t married? Shan’s suit has ended those questions. It has brought you a new level of approval.”
The anger simmered. Was she a dog to do as she was told, to seek a pat on the head for following her master’s plan instead of her own? Getting out on her own had been hard, but she’d stuck to it, worked up the ranks to achieve success on her own terms. Of course she still had to work within the basic rules of her field, but she knew when to bend the rules, when to toe the line. And she’d paved a way for other young Asian designers. Women who fought not only gender bias, but racial prejudices as well. Although the landscape had changed over the decades, there were still pockets of people who couldn’t forget the division of Asian from white, white from black, or anyone else. People who paid her commissions but still believed themselves to be her betters, all because of their white skin.
“I don’t need society’s approval, Mother.”
“Stop growling at me. Of course you need society’s approval. Without it you’d have no business. We’re all scraping for approval from somebody, be it husbands, children, parents, colleagues, or clients. It’s how the world works. Step too far out of line and the backlash is considerable. Depending on the line.” The shrug she offered was fatalistic and reminded Meilin of her grandmother.
Swallowing a pang, she had to acknowledge her mother’s point. “True.”
“But none of this explains what happened last night to change your mind about this next step in your life.”
No. She was right about that. Meeting Drew had changed everything. The attraction she felt couldn’t have been all on her side. The way he’d held her, gazed at her, kissed her… It all spoke of a man who felt every bit of the electricity zipping between them. Something she’d never once felt in the presence of Shan or any other man. And it was the one thing she could never tell her mother.
Luckily, the technician finished by easing the disposable foam flip-flops onto Meilin’s feet as the hair stylist came for her. For now, she escaped, but not without the feel of her mother’s eyes glaring into her back.
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