The Neos are a Chinese Indonesian Christian family living on the island of Ternate in Indonesia. At the head of the household is John Neo, a successful businessman who wants the best for his family. In the book Two Worlds, One Love & A Serial Killer, the Neo family members play pivotal roles in the unfolding story.
Annie is Eve's elder sister. Though her younger siblings find her bossy, Annie wants the best for them and is very protective. She hates tardiness and is highly organized, sometimes driving everyone crazy. She is pragmatic, practical, and doesn't tolerate nonsense. Eve and James enjoy pranking her since she takes everything too seriously.
“All I’m saying is that Jeffrey is better for you. At least he doesn’t have a dark past,” Annie shrugged. “Has Stanley said a word to you about his life before he came here?”
“No,” Eve had to admit Stanley was tight-lipped about his past.
“I’d say he killed someone and ran away to hide from the authorities,” Annie lowered her voice in a conspiratorial whisper.
“No, he did not! Stanley is not like that!” Eve glared at her crazy big sister.
“How do you know?” Annie persisted. “Everyone knows that Serial killers are charming. That’s how they catch their victims off guard.”
Slap!
“How dare you!” Annie’s face had a hand-shaped pink mark.
Eve Neo is a bubbly and feisty girl who is Stanley's soulmate. She is protective of those she cares about but can be impulsive and jump to conclusions, often with ridiculous results. Eve loves to climb trees and has a tendency to do things she is told not to. She is the protagonist's love interest, Stanley Tan.
The old angsana tree brushed against her window. Opening it wide, she scampered onto the huge branch like a squirrel. Her skirt caught in a branch, tearing as she scampered down, then ran for freedom.
Stanley spoke much about his love for freedom. He compared his past to the life of a canary in a gilded cage. That was exactly how she felt.
He had told her where he lived after he’d recovered from the snake bite.
Heart thumping, lungs bursting, she ran towards the run-down inn. Yes, he’s a poor man but she’d rather live on sunshine and fresh air with the love of her life, than in luxury with Jeffrey whom she felt nothing for.
As she approached the inn, a strong arm wrapped around her waist.
James is Eve's favorite brother, and they share a deep bond, often pranking others together. Fun-loving and adventurous, James enjoys running and is very protective of Eve. The same age as Eve, they are very close and are treated as twins.
James pulled Eve into a bear hug, comforting her as he always did since they were kids. “It’s him.”
“No,” she sobbed into his shirt.
John Neo is Eve's father and the head of the Neo family. A loving but strict father, John has a strong personality and is stubborn and opinionated. He expects obedience from his family and wants his daughters to marry well. As a businessman, his main goal is to provide for his family and expand his business beyond Ternate.
Daddy walked into the room. Concern etched his face.
“I hate to break the news to you, but your boyfriend is a fugitive,” Daddy’s face was solemn. He wasn’t joking.
“No, he’s not. You shouldn’t believe those gossips,” Eve rolled her eyes. “He’s got a job supervising rubber tappers in the plantation.”
“Inspector Ali himself informed me that Stanley has a bounty on his head,” Daddy took Eve’s hands, grounding her to the harsh reality.
Pixie is the Neo family's pet dog. She was a stray that James found on the streets and took in. She takes her duties as the family's protector seriously and is particularly fond of Eve. Eve's friends are Pixie's friends and therefore under her protection too.
“The doctor says you’ll be fine. You need to eat to regain your strength,” she picked up a steaming bowl of porridge.
Excited barks. Pixie jumped on him licking his face.
“Down, boy,” Eve chided the bouncy mongrel.
She cooled a spoonful of porridge with her breath. “Pixie saved your life,” she lifted the spoon to Stanley’s mouth.