Rich People Problems-Kwan 2017 (WWT)

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CHAPTER NINE MATINLOC ISLAND, PALAWAN Charlie and Astrid stood on the beach of the lagoon, locked in an embrace. “I’m never going to let you go again!” Charlie sighed happily, as Astrid simply smiled up at him. They sat down on the sand, dipping their toes into the gently lapping waters, staring out at the incredible view of the towering rocks encircling this hidden place, holding hands and not saying anything. Astrid spoke first. “I didn’t mean to worry you. I hadn’t realized quite how concerned you would be until I heard about the fight at China’s from Diego. How’s your jaw? It looks a little purple.” “It’s fine,” Charlie said, rubbing his jaw absentmindedly. “I haven’t even thought about it once, to be honest. How could you not know I was worried? I mean, you’ve been missing for close to six weeks!” “I haven’t been missing. I’ve been on FaceTime with Cassian every other day and my family knows I’m fine. But I guess my mother never mentioned anything to you, did she?” “No, she didn’t! The last time I spoke to her over the phone, she said she hadn’t heard from you and she didn’t much care to. And then she banged down the phone,” Charlie huffed. “Figures.” Astrid smiled, shaking her head. “I’ve been fine, Charlie. More than fine, actually. I needed to take some time out for myself. You know, being here, I realized I haven’t ever done that. Any trip I’ve ever taken has involved family, or it’s been a work trip, wedding, or some other social obligation. I’ve never actually gone anywhere alone just for myself.” “I understand, I knew you needed the time alone. But I also was scared that your mind was spiraling out of control, not knowing all that’s been happening back home.” “I haven’t wanted to know, Charlie. And I’m not sure I even want to know now. That’s the whole point. I needed to get to someplace where I could really escape and unplug from everything just so I could make sense of what was going on in my own head.” Charlie gazed at the calm waters, bluing in intensity as the late-morning sun continued
to rise. “How did you ever find this place?” “I’ve owned a little island here for many years. Not this one, mind you, this is Matinloc, and it belongs to the state. But I have a little spit of land not too far away. Great-aunt Matilda Leong left it to me, but in secret. You know she was a bit of an eccentric…she was a conspiracy theorist and she really thought the world was going to be wiped out in a nuclear war one day. So she bought a little island in Palawan and built a house. ‘The ultimate safe haven,’ she called it, and she wanted me to have this as a refuge of last resort. I’d never actually visited until now, and I can’t believe I’ve waited this long.” “It’s paradise here. Any minute, I expect to see a naked Brooke Shields coming out of the water!” “You wish!” “Actually, I have an even better vision right in front of me,” Charlie said, admiring the hints of Astrid’s beautiful tan body showing through her gauzy white cover-up. As if reading his mind, Astrid stood up. “Have you ever swum naked in a hidden lagoon before?” she asked, as she removed the linen cover-up. “Um, won’t Marco be back soon?” Charlie asked, a little alarmed. “Marco’s not coming back for a couple of hours,” Astrid said as she slipped off her white string bikini and dove into the lagoon. Charlie reflexively looked around for a moment to make sure they were alone, took off his swimming trunks, and dove in after her. They glided through the crystal-clear water for a while, peering at all the colorful fish darting about the coral reef, the sea anemones waving their fingers Zen-like in the current, the giant clams embedded in the sand that would open for a split second to suck in water before shutting again forcefully. They floated on their backs in the middle of the lagoon, staring up at the passing clouds, and then Charlie took Astrid in his arms, lifted her out of the water, and made love to her on the smooth glistening sand, their moans of ecstasy echoing in the lagoon as they became one with nature, with the sea and sky. Afterward, Charlie lay on his back against the pillowy sand. He was beginning to doze off in the sun, slightly hypnotized by the palm fronds undulating in the breeze over him. Suddenly the sound of chattering voices began to fill the air. “What’s that?” Charlie asked lazily. “Tourists, probably,” Astrid replied. “Tourists? What?” Charlie bolted up and saw a gaggle of people in bright yellow T-shirts entering the lagoon through the cave, which was only partially submerged now that the tide had gone down. “Fuck! Where are my swim trunks?” Charlie scrambled around, trying to find them. “You didn’t tell me there could be tourists.” “Of course—this is one of the most popular attractions in Palawan!” Astrid giggled at the sight of Charlie rushing around naked on the beach, trying to find his trunks. “Oy, mate! You looking for these?” an Aussie surfer shouted from the other side of the lagoon, holding up Charlie’s blue-and-white trunks. “Yes, thanks!” Astrid shouted back. She turned to Charlie, who was hiding behind a
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ALSO BY KEVIN KWAN Crazy Rich Asian
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Contents Cover Also by Kevin Kwan T
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Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter
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Detail left
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PROBLEM NO. 1 Your regular table at
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interrupting his reverie. “So thi
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AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER: singapore t
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PART ONE The only thing I like abou
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Eddie glanced around the room at al
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Charlie let out a deep sigh. This w
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lah?” Daisy demanded, still chewi
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Mrs. Lee Yong Chien let out a gasp
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“I was at a concert when you call
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grandmother. They had once been ext
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ALT: Really? I’m never on FB. Loo
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“Of course. I buy everything in t
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would say that this dress, with all
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“Oui, madame.” As he headed bac
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wicker chairs cushioned in whimsica
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“I really don’t see what’s so
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CHAPTER SEVEN 19 WEST FOURTH STREET
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Rachel rolled her eyes. “Mom, we
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“Nick, please don’t hold on to
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“I didn’t know there were so ma
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can tell, but you’re in the Royal
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“Well, we want you to feel even b
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CHAPTER NINE TYERSALL PARK, SINGAPO
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having helped raise Su Yi’s young
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personal maids. Victoria was the on
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and Victoria hadn’t uttered “th
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CHAPTER TEN PORTO FINO ELITE ESTATE
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so much?” The therapist kneaded a
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CHAPTER ELEVEN HONG KONG Chloe had
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“Mmmm. I do love a good stopwatch
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Trying not to flinch, Nick asked,
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parents had been so tense for days
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“Calm down, calm down. No one is
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“Well, call him, or call whoever
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Eddie was annoyed to see that his p
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cousin on the back enthusiastically
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Eddie stared at her in disbelief. H
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“He’s on holiday with his famil
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CHAPTER FOURTEEN JODHPUR, INDIA Ast
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known as Jai Pol, the Gate of Victo
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and perched majestically on one of
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CHAPTER ONE LONDON, ENGLAND Wandi M
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6. Does this OAWS or their family h
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WMW: Can you believe it? TS: Hottie
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“She’s a spoiled little cunt!
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“May I offer you a blessing?”
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eternity?” Su Yi could not think
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“Silly girl! Don’t you see I’
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“Who are they? Who gave you the o
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house. Please don’t take this per
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*1 Hokkien for “Bengali dog shit.
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first, many of the Burke’s Peerag
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While she waited for his response,
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“Yes, but it should never have ha
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Nicky gave up everything to be with
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appreciate them like he would,” E
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emerging Chinese artists. We though
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CHAPTER SIX PORTO FINO ELITE ESTATE
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Gone was Colette’s Zen-like Puli
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long to look at one Tang horse. Whi
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Kitty’s eyes lit up. *1 A derogat
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“She’s my wife—she tells me e
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CHAPTER EIGHT EMERALD HILL, SINGAPO
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“Well, I’m very famous now,”
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Astrid noticed the glint of sadness
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mother was always so poised and lad
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“Yes, and I’m all for it. Why s
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CHAPTER TEN TYERSALL PARK, SINGAPOR
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outside her bedroom for the past tw
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eath and thought, if I’m about to
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CHAPTER ELEVEN 28 CLUNY PARK ROAD,
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faut.” “Ollie, we’re going to
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Several hours later, Oliver, Nigel,
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First Lady of the Republic of Singa
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upon a small concrete hut under an
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curtains open. She’ll be pleased
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me. I want you to have your wedding
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CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHANGI AIRPORT, SI
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Oliver could hear the tears in her
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and she’s benefited from a sustai
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Nick unfastened the metal clasp on
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“Give who a heart attack?” Eddi
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CHAPTER FIFTEEN WU MANSIONS, SINGAP
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pieces and sequins, white capri pan
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Empire style intermingled with muse
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CHAPTER ONE TYERSALL PARK, SINGAPOR
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this was happening. After all this
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passed.” My goodness, the First L
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No matter how old you are, no matte
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CHAPTER TWO TYERSALL ROAD, SINGAPOR
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from Mary Queen of Scots or somethi
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Alfred Shang, who had observed the
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this life. Paper mansions, Ferraris
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*1 Hokkien slang for “busybody.
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“But that doesn’t necessarily m
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CHAPTER FOUR ST. ANDREW’S CATHEDR
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headphones off! Don’t you dare we
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eing doted on by his Leong grandpar
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husband, the Earl of Palliser, and
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CHAPTER FIVE ST. ANDREW’S CATHEDR
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Singapore. I am so terribly sorry f
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CHAPTER SIX EMERALD HILL, SINGAPORE
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A few seconds later, the download w
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Astrid laughed. “Oh Charlie, I lo
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of the bank of windows framing a pa
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Hispano-Suiza Type 68 J12 Cabriolet
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shares to her daughter Amanda LING.
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There, on the bottom of the page, w
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time Mummy had so little money!”
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many love-sick puppies get their he
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Victoria looked distressed. “Then
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CHAPTER TEN 28 CLUNY PARK ROAD, SIN
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Indonesia is the reason the Earl an
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mind! I really don’t think this g
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CHAPTER ELEVEN TYERSALL PARK, SINGA
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unique twelve-hole golf course desi
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define you,” Rachel remarked. “
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“My grandmother used to take me t
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“I’ve heard that it’s one of
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even the thought of having to come
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Kitty nodded diligently. “I under
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child, what do you like about my co
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was. You said Colette wasn’t a th
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CHAPTER FOURTEEN MACRITCHIE RESERVO
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Scheherazade couldn’t help but no
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tasting menu prepared by Marcus Sim
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“Get off me! This is my house!”
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Page 277 and 278: The Young sisters nodded politely,
Page 279 and 280: irritatedly. “Good grief, that wa
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Page 283 and 284: All the color drained from Astrid
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Page 295 and 296: CHAPTER THREE THE PENINSULA HOTEL,
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Page 303 and 304: CHAPTER FIVE CHIANG MAI, THAILAND A
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Page 309 and 310: CHAPTER SIX THE STAR TREK HOUSE, SI
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Page 313 and 314: Rachel was quietly aghast at the th
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Page 323: elieve some of the stories in my gr
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Page 335 and 336: EPILOGUE TYERSALL PARK, SINGAPORE O
Page 337 and 338: Peik Lin walked up to the middle of
Page 339 and 340: “Not at all. I’m absolutely in
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Page 343 and 344: Sandi Tan Jami Tarris Lynn Visudhar
Page 345: What’s next on your reading list?
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