"But I don't want another woman in this house, Nana!" Tiffany cried out, stumping her feet on the floor. "I don't want mother's place to be taken! I don't want it! I won't accept it! What has gotten into father's mind?" 

"Missy, you are acting like a petulant child! What has gotten into you?" the old woman rebuked. "I can barely recognize you."

"Well, and this isn't exactly a usual situation, is it?" Tiffany retorted. 

The woman eyed her concernedly. "Tiffany, nobody's going to take Mrs. Hwang's place. Now, will you please stop making such a shameful scene and go back to your father? I'm sure he isn't done with the talk."

"No!" Tiffany protested. "I don't like this! I don't like it one bit! After all those years, why has he decided to get married now? I was happy and at ease knowing that he didn't even take interest in women anymore! He has never even brought one here! My peace of mind has for years been secured as I knew I wouldn't live to see another woman walking around this house, meddling in our business. If I can't have my mother, then, I don't certainly do not want a substitute! Do you even know the reputation stepmothers have? And given father's wealth, what kind of women do you think he could attract? Only nasty ones, I tell you! Those kind of so-called ladies that only truly care about exploring their man's money and ruining his children's lives! And you ask me to abide by that?" 

Tiffany made a pause to wipe the angry tears that had rolled down her cheeks, which allowed Mrs. Winters to respond, "Your father must have had his reasons, Tiffany. It is not for us to understand a man's mind. But of one thing, I am certain, and can assure you: he would never, ever replace your mother. You were too little, dear, when she passed, but I can vouch anytime that never had I seen a man so devoted and loving to a woman."

Amelia Winters was just a friendly neighbor when young Anthony Hwang and his wife arrived in town and bought a house beside hers, which he throughout the years transformed into the mansion they all lived in today. Her husband had widowed her not long before the young couple arrived and, childless, she soon found a purpose when gifted the chance to care for the two, and for their one-year-old baby. When Mrs. Hwang passed away, Tiffany's father decided to hire Mrs. Winters as his housekeeper, as well as Tiffany's personal caretakerㅡbut that task she executed out of sheer love for the child. She was there to help Tiffany take her first steps, she witnessed the girl say her first wordㅡand that was when she first called the woman "Nana"ㅡand she taught her right from wrong. To Tiffany, Mrs. Winters was family, the grandmother she never had nor even met. Mrs. Winters felt like Tiffany was the child to which she never gave birth, but always wished. And, albeit they still kept their relationship formal, she couldn't help but seeing another dear son in Mr. Hwang, a man she truly cared about and had no shame to be devoted to. He had, after all, provided her with a good life, and a purpose to fill it with.

Tiffany crossed her arms and shook her head in denial, frowning as rage shone in her eyes like the vexed tears that kept forming.  

"My little girl," the woman sighed and approached Tiffany with gentle steps before embracing the latter warmly. "You know it breaks my heart to see you like this. But you're not a child anymore and I can't simply sing you a lullaby and say everything will be all right, or keep your mind busy and away from what displeases you by giving you your favorite toy," she continued, combing Tiffany's hair with her fingers. "It is time you learned how to deal with the bad courses life takes by yourself, and how to face the real world. This world. And in the real world, life goes on, even when terrible things happen. What has been broken can be reconstructed. What has been lost can be regained. Life is ever-changing, but it doesn't stop. And I understand your feelings, but don't you think you might be overreacting, dear? Can't it have a bright side?"

"It is just impossible," Tiffany hissed. "It cannot have a bright side, because father's getting married means I'll have to share my home, my space, my life with a strange woman who will probably deem appropriate to tell me what to do and to rule this house as she pleases. And I won't even have my father to run to, because he is never here. What if she finds the things that belonged to mother and decides to throw them all away? It would be just characteristic. What if she impedes my reading or locks the library just for the sake of making me miserable? I bet she is going to be some kind of tyrant. They all are. I dare you present me one good stepmother. There isn't one! Stepmothers are women who were born to this position, Nana. Nasty snakes. They are all born with evil in their hearts, every single one of them."

"Tiffany," Mrs. Winters chuckled, "all those fairy tale books you used to read seem to have taken a toll on you. And I think you don't know your father very well. He knows people, and marrying such a terrible woman as you described would be extremely unbecoming of him. I'm sure his bride must be a very kind-hearted lady. Besides, you don't even know if you are really going to spend that much time with her. Maybe she likes to go out a lot. Maybe he will take her on his business trips."

"Oh, yes, I am sure she would love to spend the whole day out and about at a shopping at the most expensive and sumptuous stores," Tiffany retorted sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "I am positive I am going to spend a lot of time looking at her face, unfortunately. You know how square father is, particularly with the women of this family. I'll be turning 19 this year, and yet he barely allows me to leave the mansion on my own! I live like a caged bird in here," she continued, crossing her arms and furrowing her eyebrows. "He'll probably ask her to stay home as well. Besides, women don't go with their husbands on business trips. Why would they?"

"Well, then it looks like this bird will have a fellow bird friend to flock with," Mrs. Winters said, pinching Tiffany's nose, making her smile briefly. "At least you'll have some company. And your father keeps a stern eye on you because he loves you," the woman assured, "and because he's afraid anything happens to you. Mr. Hwang couldn't stand losing you too."

Tiffany finally sighed in defeat and followed as Mrs. Winters's beckoned down the staircase that led to the giant and fancy salon in the middle of the mansion. She strutted her way down and maintained a straight face when her father looked up, noticing her presence. 

Anthony Hwang, like any other man or person, wasn't perfect. He was a battered man and had multiple flaws, but no one could ever say he didn't love his daughter. Of course, his demanding job consumed most of his time and kept him away from his home and small family with a much greater frequency than he would like it to, and it would be a lie to say the passing of his wife hadn't hardened his heart, but Tiffany remained the most important thing in his life. It was the only thing he still possessed from his late darling. If there was any reason for him to work, earn money, and be successful, that reason was encountered in his daughterㅡat least, that was what he always told Tiffany whenever she questioned him why he was away so often and for so long. Each and every present he brought from his multiple trips to Tiffany was a token of his urge to make up for his absence in her life, or so he hoped, as well as that of her late mother. He didn't know if his intentions were recognized or if his attempts were succesful, but Tiffany never complained about it, and always had a smile to welcome him home, so he simply continued to do that.

"When is she coming?" Tiffany asked coldly once she reached the end of the steps and moved around the room.

"In a week, at most."

Tiffany hummed indifferently, running her finger through a dusty shelf. 

"Tiffany," the man began, getting up from his seat and walking towards his daughter, "I know this isn't easy for you. But please, trust your father. I've considered you too when I made this decision."

"How can I trust you when I can't even understand you?" she looked at him. "Why this now, dad? Who is she? When did you two meet? Just... why?"

Mr. Hwang took her hand, squeezing it between his palms and beaming the girl a kind smile. "I'll explain everything when the right time comes. I couldn't tell you now, and you wouldn't understand. But until then, just try to go along with it, will you? Maybe... maybe you can find a mother in her. A companion. Someone to guide you."

Tiffany inhaled sharply in shock and withdrew her hands from the man's, and her countenance turned into a vexed frown once again. "I knew you were trying to replace mother..." she muttered. "Oh, father! I don't even have a memory of her! How can you do that?"

"Don't ever say that again!" he reprimanded, rather angrily. "Your mother was the love of my life, and could never be replaced! Not as woman, not as a mother, not as a wife. This house is hers as much as it is mine and yours, Tiffany, and with everything I've told you to this day, you should know that!" He made a brief pause before continuing, "As I said, when the right time comes, you'll understand."

Tiffany sighed annoyedly. "All right. It is a losing battle for me, isn't it? There is no use in inquiring any further, but don't you think I'll forget how strange this all is. Can I at least know my... stepmother's name, then? Or is it a forbidden topic as well?" she asked, eyeing her father again.

His lips curved into a relieved smile.

"Taeyeon. Taeyeon Kim."

***

"You what?!" Irene exclaimed, turning some heads as she walked out of the office's building beside Taeyeon.

"You heard it," the blonde responded nonchalantly. 

"But... but... when? How? Why? Most importantly, to whom?" 

"Mr. Hwang."

Irene stopped in her tracks, eyes and mouth wide open in shock.  "What?!" she cried out again, this time having covered by Taeyeon's hand.

"For crying out loud, Irene! Hush!" the older woman scolded. "I'll tell you everything. Just keep it cool, you're embarrassing me. Quit screaming!"

"Then start talking!" Irene freed herself from Taeyeon's touch. "I want to know! I need to know..." her voice trailed off. "Who's going to take care of me if you get married? I don't have anyone." The girl looked down, sadly. 

Irene had been an orphan all her life, and lived in an orphanage until she was 18 years old. She was one of those unfortunate children who never managed to find a loving home, though she couldn't say she had a rough life at the orphanage. Of course, nothing could ever equal to the love of a mother and a father, but she considered herself blessed to at least have had a warm bed to sleep in, food to eat, and friends to play with. The only truly sad part of her days was when she lied in bed to sleep, brought her palms together, and prayed that God would send her an angel to be her mommy. But that angel was never sent. At 18, she left the orphanage as an aspiring young model, but soon encountered the difficulties of fulfilling her dream. She sought agencies, multiple ones, but they would all say the same: she was too thin, to small, and too shy. And she could never forget one particular occasion, in which a repulsive old man, who was leering the other models as he photographed them, looked at her and, with a mocking laugh, said she "could never make it with such a tedious appearance and demeanor, even if she slept with someone."

But regardless of her disappointments, Irene decided not to give up on her dream career, and was convinced that, someday, her time would come, and she would get the chance to shine. Until then, she found comfort in working as a secretary in Mr. Hwang's office, where she met Taeyeon. The two became easily acquainted, and their relation matured and developed with a very natural flow into a deep and true friendship. Taeyeon had towards Irene a very protective and caring feeling, which was just accentuated after the girl told the woman her story. They quickly grew strongly attached, and had gotten to a point where they considered each other to be their familyㅡTaeyeon was, after all, just as alone in the world as Irene.

Upon seeing Irene's reaction, Taeyeon smiled apologetically and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, embracing her warmly and pulling her closer to walk with her by the cold street. "I'll explain everything accompanied by a warm cup of coffee and some cookies when we get to my apartment."

They reached Taeyeon's place after a fifteen-minute walk, during which Irene kept inquiring further and further about the matter Taeyeon promised to discuss in private. Once they were comfortably sat on the couches, one in each, Taeyeon began to speak about what happened earlier that day and, sooner than they thought she would be, Irene was thoroughly educated on her best friend's current situation.

"That's..." Irene began, but trailed off. She was still trying to fathom everything Taeyeon had told her into something sensible.

"The end of my life? Quite possibly," the blonde said, bringing the cup of coffee up to her lips and taking a small sip before placing it back down on the coffee table.

"No, don't put it like that," the younger woman uttered. She got up, crossed the particularly small living room, and sat down beside the blonde. She took Taeyeon's hand and gave it a light squeeze, saying, "It is not. It might turn out better than expected. Think positively."

Taeyeon sighed heavily and leaned back, shaking her head in disagreement.

"What do you know about him?"

"Just as much as you." Taeyeon pursed her lips together. "I only know what everyone else knows: he is a good, clever, refined man. I mean, he should be, to build and run an empire such as his. Clearly very thoughtful and nearly generous, I take, given his attitude towards me. I'm also aware he travels a lot... And I might have heard about a daughter."

"A daughter? His?"

The blonde nodded.

"Oh. That's funny, I--"

"Oh, Irene, I am no woman," Taeyeon burst out, interrupting Irene and placing her hands on her head. "I will never see Mr. Hwang as a man, you know that. I wasn't made for marriage. And I certainly don't know a thing about being good to children!" She exhaled in frustration. "Especially the rich and spoiled ones," she murmured, concluding.

"Children? But who said she is a child?"

"Nobody. I'm just assuming it and preparing myself for the worst. It is easier and better than to expect a tranquil life and an easy road under these circumstances, don't you think? At least I shall not be disappointed."

"She might be older. Wait until you get to know her. Maybe you can even be friends," Irene encouraged, trying to light up the mood and give Taeyeon a little hope. 

"Well, that's true, but it doesn't make any difference. I'm positive she will hate me, either way."

"Why do you say that?"

"Mr. Hwang told me he is a widower. I can't think of a girl that thinks it is nice to watch her father get married to a different woman after her mother passed away. And I'm aware that I'm not exactly the friendliest lady out there..."

"You're friendly enough." Irene smiled simply. "Maybe she'll like you. Maybe she won't even see you as a stepmother or 'daddy's new wife'... Maybe she'll see you as a grandmother! What's friendlier than an old little granny, huh?" she finished, laughing out loud at her own joke. 

Taeyeon couldn't help giggling. "Wow. What a big tickle, Irene. If Broadway comes up with an original comedy musical, you should definitely audition to star in it. I'm sure your comedic nature will make up for your horrid singing."

The two laughed together for a short while as they kept bantering. Things grew quieter when the laughter died down and Irene comfortably lied her head on the older woman's shoulder.

"Taeyeon?"

"Hm?"

"We will keep seeing each other, won't we?" the young woman asked with a slightly shaky voice.

"Of course," Taeyeon promised, turning around to face Irene. "Of course we will. Not every day, but we will. And I'll make sure you're allowed to visit me any time."

"You're the only family I have... You're the only person who believes in me. You were the only one to put your faith in me and not laugh at my face when I told you I dreamed of being a model. You're like a sister to me. And you're the only person I can openly talk to, the only one who cares for me... I know how desperate this sounds, but it's true. It will be difficult enough not to see you every day, but if we can't see each other at all, I will be so lost and lonely," Irene said quietly, her eyes getting teary. 

"But we will. I'll always be there for you," Taeyeon cooed, smiling. "You know I would never abandon you. My parents might have deserted me, but I will never, ever leave my family," she finished, pointing at Irene's nose and poking it.

Irene smiled in relief, wiping away a few tears that had fallen. "So, when's the wedding?"

"Oh, there won't be any ceremony. We'll just sign the papers. I... I'll probably be moving into his place by the end of next week."

"I'll help you pack your stuff and I'll go there with you. Mr. Hwang won't mind, right? It'll be just to say goodbye and wish you good luck."

Taeyeon beamed a small smile. "I guess not."

***

"'At least you'll have some company...'" Tiffany sneered remembering the words Mrs. Winters had told her a few days ago and her father had repeated just earlier today. "You could've gotten me a dog instead, daddy dearest," she continued, muttering to herself as she looked out of the window, observing the people getting out of the car. First, she saw her father hop off; then, a young-looking girl with chocolate brown hair came out with the chauffeur's help. Tiffany frowned at the sight, deeming the girl was his new wife. She looks way too young for him! she thought, already feeling anger take over her again and, for a moment, she considered grabbing the nearest vase to throw at the woman from the windowㅡhopefully, it would hit her on the head, she thought. But she halted her rushing, enraged thoughts and impulses when another woman stepped out of the car, much to her surprise. This one looked a bit like the other, in Tiffany's perception, only she had blonde, flawlessly waved hair, a smaller build, and wore deep red lipstick that matched a crimson dress that was hid under a rosy fur coat, and a hat of the same color. She stood out among the snowy weather and patio, adding color to the white landscape.

The sight was enough to make Tiffany gasp weakly.

"Here," Taeyeon said, taking Irene's hand. "It's the key to my apartment. I want you to go live there now. It's bigger and more comfortable than yours, and you won't have to pay the rental anymore."

Irene smiled brightly and, grateful, threw her arms around Taeyeon for a quick, but sentiment-laden embrace. "I don't even know how to thank you for this. I'll take very good care of that place, I promise." 

"Thank me by taking good care of yourself. And stay away from men, or people in general. You're too good for them," Taeyeon said, chuckling.

They hugged once again after a fleeting silence fell upon them. "Will you shelter me if I decide to run away?" Taeyeon asked quietly, whispering into Irene's ear.

She felt Irene nod and pat her on the back a few times. "You kill the guy and I hide the body."

Taeyeon smiled, holding Irene tight before she let go. The latter handed her two small suitcases, for the rest of the baggage had already been carried inside by Mr. Hwang himself, who had left the two women alone to say goodbye.

"Good luck," Irene wished. 

Taeyeon nodded her head faintly and took the two suitcases in her hands, and with that, she turned around and headed reluctantly towards the mansion. 

Meanwhile, Tiffany paced back and forth by the window.

"Oh, Nana! This is terrible!" she called. "If dad doesn't love her yet, he's bound to, and very soon! And he can't love her!"

"Did you call?" Mrs. Winters asked, coming out of Tiffany's room, which she had just finished tidying. Usually, tidying the rooms was the maids' job, but Mrs. Winters was adamant that she shouldn't trust Tiffany's things and affairs to anyone but herself. "What are you rambling about, Tiffany?"

"Her! What was her name, again?" Tiffany paused. "Taeyeon!" she said, snapping her fingers.

The old woman rolled her eyes. "What is it, now, child? Hadn't we discussed about that before?"

"Father will fall in love and all that talk about mother not being replaced will go down the drain," Tiffany concluded, crossing her arms. "Consequently, my life will be ruined. I have a big problem."

"What? No, of course not." The woman shook her head. "Why do you say that?"

"I just saw her. She..." Tiffany interrupted herself, frowning, unenthusiastic to have to continue, "She really is beautiful. So beautiful it is nearly unreal. Any man could fall head over heels for her. This is bad. This is very bad."

"Well, but your father isn't any man, is he?"

"Nice try. But he still is a man," Tiffany argued back. "That's enough."

"Mrs. Winters!" they heard Anthony call from the first floor. Tiffany's eyes widened and her heart thumped anxiously. She didn't want to go down the stairs. She didn't want to see the woman. She didn't want anything to do with her. Actually, she wanted her to leaveㅡshe had wanted that even before the blonde had set foot in the house. But something about Taeyeon had sparked a strange curiosity and interest in Tiffany, although the latter would never admit it. Not for now, at least.

"Oh, they're here!" Mrs. Winters whispered excitedly and clasped her hands together, smiling. "Come, child, let's go greet them," she said, holding Tiffany by the arm, who unwillingly got dragged down the stairs, so forcefully that her arm was bright red from Mrs. Winters's grip after the woman let go of her. 

"Good evening, Mr. Hwang," the woman greeted as she stepped down the last step of the staircase, "and welcome, Mrs. Hwang," she completed, turning her attention to Taeyeon. Tiffany followed quietly behind, avoiding to be noticed, and flinched annoyedly at the way her companion called the stranger. 

"Ah... Just Taeyeon, please," the permanent guest stated shyly, reaching her hand out for the old woman to shake. The latter took it and nodded, smiling warmly. Tiffany lifted her gaze a bit upon hearing Taeyeon's soft voice, but did not land it on the blonde.

"Tiffany?" Mr. Hwang called, veering Tiffany's attention. "Won't you say hello, dear?"

Taeyeon followed the man's gaze and looked behind the woman in front of her, finally becoming aware of Tiffany's quiet, but observant presence. At first, she was surprised that the man's daughter wasn't, in fact, as young as she thought her to beㅡwheter it was a positive or negative surprise, however, Taeyeon had yet to determine. Her eyes met a pair of dark brown orbs piercing right through her soul, and soon after, her attention fell on the girl's appearance. Her milky white complexion and dark hair were accentuated by vibrant cherry red lips, and Tiffany's collarbones popped out under a pretty, but demure pearl necklace. Tiffany had a lady-like, striking poise, even though, Taeyeon could notice, she was slightly shorter than her. Her face was complex, for the hostile expression did not match the tender, soft curves of her cheeks, nose, eyes, and lips. For the blonde, that was the first time she had ever seen anyone so enchanting, or so she believed. 

Nevertheless, the fleeting thought, as it was supposed to be, was quickly replaced by reason. She couldn't eye Mr. Hwang's daughter that way. She couldn't let herself descry too attentively the full lips, or the curvaceous body that was enhanced by the pink, long-sleeved dress. She expected the girl to be a young teenager, but that couldn't be farther from the reality. At first flance, Taeyeon thought Tiffany to be about Irene's age. It eased her insecurities for a moment for, she mused, if she got along so well with Irene, she could manage to establish a good enough relationship with Tiffany Hwang.

Finally, the blonde reined back her wandering mind and, reaching her hand out towards the raven-haired girl, she offered her a polite smile. "Nice to meet you, Tiffany," she said, trying her best to sound friendly. T​he girl, however, didn't take her hand, nor respond. Instead, she frowned and turned around, swiftly making her way towards the library and closing its doors behind her with a loud bang. Taeyeon was left dumbfounded and startled by the sound, but not offended. She merely turned her kind smile into an embarrassed one and retracted her hand.

Mr. Hwang sighed. "Mrs. Winters, have you prepared Taeyeon's room as I asked?"

"Yes, sir," the woman nodded. "The maids have helped me and I personally inspected everything. Miss Taeyeon will be comfortable, I'm sure."

"Good. Take her to her quarters and help her accommodate. I'll grab a few things I need and then I'll be off to another trip. Don't forget to tell Tiffany about it, I'm afraid it'll take me little longer this time to come back. I've been aiming to branch out as a businessman and I'll need a while to negotiate and sort things out," he said, smiling politely and bowing his head before he excused himself.

Taeyeon watched as the man left the room and averted her eyes towards floor. So this is it? I'm going to be locked in here forever? she fretted. What would she do to spend her time if she were to spend all of her days in the mansion? Tiffany clearly didn't like her, so she wouldn't have company. The old housekeeper, Mrs. Winters, as she had introduced herself, probably wouldn't let her help her around so that she could occupy herself, nor did she seem to be the proper person to have the kind of lenghty, open conversations Taeyeon enjoyed with. There was no pet for her to play withㅡshe did like animals a lot. She didn't know the house and was too shy and a bit afraid to ask about it, although she was quite curious to explore it, given how large it was. She could write, she knew, as Mr. Hwang promised her she could continue to write for the paper, but she knew that she couldn't spend her entire day doing that; it would be extremely exhausting, and even stressful. So what was she supposed to do? Sit down for hours and watch the television, at best? They should have a television set somewhere, shouldn't they? It would be that or playing songs on the old gramophone in the salon, only Taeyeon didn't know where the records were kept.

"Come with me, Miss Taeyeon," Mrs. Winters's voice jolted her out of her thoughts. "I'll show you your bedroom. Mr. Hwang made sure to sort the 3rd biggest room in the house for you, and I personally helped organize it. I hope you like the result." 

Taeyeon nodded and followed the woman up the staircase. They both walked calmly and quietly, and Taeyeon discreetly took note of the details and decor of the mansion: a beautiful, big chandelier hanged from the ceiling, illuminating the curved stairs. The walls were colored in an elegant tone and decorated with frames of diverse portraits and some paintings. It was a beautiful house, Taeyeon surmised. A beautiful house, of very pleasant and subtly sumptuous aesthetics, but remarkably coldㅡand it wasn't because of the chilly winter weather.

Mrs. Winters stopped walking when they reached a door in the middle of the right side of the hallway. The woman opened the door and signaled Taeyeon to come inside first. As the latter stepped inside the room, her eyebrows were lifted in surprise. The bedroom was enormous, and beyond comfortable at first glance. There was a graciously made queen-sized bed, with a nightstand on each sides, each supporting a delicate lamp. A white and pretty dressing table with some drawers was set not far from the bed, only with a huge window with a breathtaking view to the mansion's garden separating the furniture, while a big and fancy wardrobe was attached to the wall, encrusting it entirely. The other walls were covered in a flowery wallpaper, the room wholly decorated in shades of baby blue, beige, and white. A small smile formed on Taeyeon's lips, and she, much to her surprise, felt a bit more at ease. 

"How do you like it?" Mrs. Winters asked, as she took the suitcases from Taeyeon's hands and placed them on the bed.

'It's wonderful," Taeyeon responded sheepishly, in a small voice. "It's very thoughtful of Mr. Hwang to give me this room and of you to arrange it. I really like it. Thank you." She smiled politely.

The old woman cocked an eyebrow, unable to hide how odd she thought of a husband and wife to refer to each other like that. She was taken aback when Mr. Hwang requested that she accommodate Taeyeon, his new wife, in a room separate from his own, but she thought his request was made due the fact that the man is hardly ever home and probably wanted his wife to have a larger, more comfortable space of her own while he was away, so she conceded, and even found it very thoughtful of him. But seeing the way the couple behaved towards and around each other had left her deeply puzzled. It was a completely unbecoming behavior of newlyweds. She had already found it strange enough that there wouldn't be any ceremony, but the unusual things surrounding the matter only kept aggravating. But Mrs. Winters wasn't the kind of woman who gave complex matters much thought, and so she just shook the thoughts away, willing to go on with whatever Mr. Hwang decided or requested. "Modern marriages," she would murmur to herself when the man wasn't listening. "Well then, I'm glad," she responded, nodding. "I will leave you to put away your things and accommodate yourself as you wish in a minute, but before that, just follow me again for a little while. There's another place I need to show you, also personally asked to be provided by Anthony himself."

Taeyeon bobbed her head and took off her hat and coat before following the woman out of the bedroom. They crossed the hallway, ending up on its right side. Mrs. Winters made her way inside a slightly smaller and doorless room that turned out to be a modest, but satisfying and cozy study. There was a relatively big desk and chair set in the middle of the room, and a couple of long couches placed a bit nearer the walls. Behind the desk there was a bookshelf, with two small lamps attached to it, filled with volumes on grammar, marketing, entertainment, and some old editions of the The Reporter, Mr. Hwang's newspaper. On the desk, there was another small and demure lamp, a seemingly brand new typewriter, and a short stack of white paper beside it. Moreover, there were pens and pencils in a black pen holder on the corner of the desk, and the room had been decorated simply, but with a sophisticated touch. 

Taeyeon was, once again, astonished.

"Mr. Hwang mentioned you are a writer and that you will continue working for the journal, so he asked us to organize the house's old and idle study and make it proper for you to work comfortably in it. He asked me to make sure you feel like this space, alongside with your bedroom, are your personal spots in the house. So do feel at ease to make use of it freely, Miss Taeyeon," Mrs. Winters chimed. "Not only for work purposes."

Although Taeyeon appreciated and acknowledge the man's nice gesture, it made her feel a tad uneasy. She couldn't repay that in any form. She was afraid that he might someday ask for something in return, and she wouldn't know what to give him. The thought of being a married woman now was already strange and frightening enough for the blonde, so to even consider that she might someday have to return a favor to Mr. Hwang only made matters, as well as her perennial fretting, worse.

"There's another section of the house I think you should and would like to visit, but I think that this one, particularly, would be better introduced by Ms. Hwang," the woman smiled at Taeyeon, who chuckled disheartenedly.

"I find that hard to happen, Mrs. Winters. She doesn't seem to like me."

"Ah, but she will, eventuallt," Mrs. Winters assured. "Tiffany is a good girl, she's just having a hard time adjusting to the events. I'm sure the both of you will get along just fine. Well, I shall get going now, I'll check on the servants in the kitchen. We'll start the preparations for dinner soon. Call me if you need anything, will you?" she said, touching Taeyeon's arm gently. The blonde nodded, and watched as the other woman made her way out of the study in rushed steps.