XXI.

“WEEEEEENDYYYYYYY...”

Seulgi was looking, as for sure her fellow employees did, as Irene wailed—mourned really—sitting on Wendy’s desk, flapping her arms about on the surface of it, as if rubbing it will cause a sudden reappearance of a genie that will grant her a wish.

“WEEEEEENDYYYYYYY...”

Irene’s hair—straight strands of the shade of brunette—was loose, dangling on her shoulders, now a bundle of mess on the desk. Irene had always worn her hair in a bun but nowadays it had been let loose ever since she had gotten together with Wendy and much like her hair, her own sanity had done the same thing.

Seulgi could see the weird, bizarre looks shot by the employees upon their company CEO. Seulgi could guess what was on their mind: Crazy lady; She’s gone nuts; Quick, call a hospital! There would be new nicknames for Irene by the end of the day. What was this insanity parade for? Three years of coming into the office, blank-faced, eyes distant and tired, giving orders to her employees as if it was a dire routine of rehearsed words all culminating to this…this…folly. Oh, dear.

Seulgi shook her head, approached the bundle of crying hair, and slowly separated it from the damned desk. The desk that had been empty for three years, left vacant deliberately by Irene.

“There, there,” though Seulgi knew herself her words were not being heard.

“WEEEEEENDYYYYYY!!!!!!!!”

The murmurs could be heard.

“Looks like she’s had it.”

“Do you think Ms. Bae is drunk?”

“No, no,” Seulgi says in defense, in her best attempt to salvage any dignity, reputation, anything really, of Irene, “She’s not drunk. Fully sober. Just…” She looks at Irene now, still wailing, “…sad.”

“Is there something wrong, Ms. Kang? Didn’t she fire Wendy? Why is she asking for her?”

“Well, you see, it’s complicated. Now, everyone, the show’s over, go back to work. No one’s going to finish those projects,” Seulgi says and then to herself and Irene, in a whisper, she continues, “Not with this woman being like this.”

Seulgi sat the crying mess on the sofa of Irene’s office. The wailing had stopped and now Irene’s soul seemed to have dissipated along with her rationality.

“Irene, that’s not going to bring Wendy back, you know.”

“I know…” Irene croaked. “She doesn’t want me back. She doesn’t want to go back.”

“She has an obligation now. Maybe she just needs time.”

“Three years, Seulgi. It’s been three years. What am I supposed to do?”

“I don’t even know why you claimed to everyone here that you fired her when you’re just going to break down, three years later, calling out for Wendy. That doesn’t necessarily scream that you fired the woman.”

“I’ve… lost… it…. I’ve lost everything.”

Just then, a knock was heard on the door. A woman allowed herself entry, quite young, from what Seulgi could see, and very, very, very, beautiful. Gorgeous, if she might say. Now, that was strange. Was this perhaps some sort of admiration?

“Ms. Bae Irene,” the woman called out and Seulgi gulped as she watched the woman’s red, luscious lips move in a sense of sultriness. The woman’s eyes were piercing, fierce yet holding such allure in them, like glinting crystals. Black hair that shone, as if on its own, as if it had its own life, full of vivacity despite being still, its ends sitting on her shoulder. Seulgi hadn’t realised that as she observed the beauty that had entered Irene’s office, had been hanging open, gawking, admiring.

Admiring…?

Irene turned her head to the voice, her eyebrows raised, eyes questioning, but before she could speak, the woman walked towards her and extended her hand.

“Joy. Pleasure to meet you.”

“So?” Irene says bluntly, too blunt, in Seulgi’s opinion, that she rushed over and accepted the handshake in Irene’s stead.

“Joy! Joy. Yes, indeed, it is a joy to meet you too. Get it? Get it?” Seulgi beamed, her eyes turning into curves, shaking the woman’s hand too enthusiastically.

Joy showed no reaction. She released her hand from the handshake, pushed Seulgi aside, and proceeded with her business.

“I am your grandmother’s secretary. I’m here to relay important instructions from your grandmother.”

“My… grandmother’s secretary?” Irene looked closely now. This woman in front of her…perhaps… “Are you the young girl that used to live in my grandmother’s mansion?”

“That is correct.”

“So that means she’s younger than us? How young?” Seulgi turned to Joy. “You don’t look so young. Is it the make-up?”

“Seulgi.”

“Yeah?”

Irene shot her a glare and then pinched her side.

“Ouch! What did you do that for?”

“Ignore her.”

“Already had done so since the moment I had walked in. I have come here for you, Ms. Bae.”

“What does my grandmother want?”

“Your grandmother wishes for you to go to Korea and meet with Director Kim’s son. I am here to you there and ensure you arrive safely and proceed with the meeting.”

“Meet with his…son?”

“Is that another blind date? In Korea? I want to go to Korea too.”

“Ms. Kang cannot come. She cannot hinder this meeting. It is very important for you, Ms. Bae, that this meeting goes well. Your grandmother wishes for you to get married. For your future.”

“I’m not interested.”

“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice, Ms. Bae.”

Irene scoffed. “It’s always like this. I don’t have a choice? It’s my choice who I want to marry. Not my grandmother’s. It’s my life and because of her… because of my grandmother… Wendy… She’s left me. It’s my grandmother’s doing, isn’t it?”

Irene had never gotten the chance to ask her grandmother personally. It had always been a difficulty to speak to her. Her grandmother had been very busy, constantly refusing Irene to fly to New York, her calls always being left on hold.

Joy remained calm, being in the same composure she had been since she entered the room. “I am unaware whether your claims are of truth or not. Although, I am quite certain that your grandmother has not done anything but message Son Wendy.”

“Then what has happened to Wendy? Why… why did she disappear all of a sudden? Is it not because of that message?”

“Unfortunately, Ms. Bae, I am not allowed to say. My commands are only to you safely to your destination and ensure that you attend the meeting with Director Kim’s son.”

“So you know something?”

“I have knowledge of her whereabouts but I am forbidden to say.”

“Then I refuse to go.”

“It’s not a matter of choice. You are going to Korea, Ms. Bae. Or would you rather have Chairwoman Bae you there herself?”

Irene stared at Joy. A matter of contemplation. Joy was standing in front of her, lifeless, doll-like, another manufactured servant of her grandmother. What had her grandmother done to make an innocent, little girl, who was once lively and full of smiles, void of emotion? Was this how Irene was like before? Irene could remember the bitter memories. The strict lifestyle she had to endure to get here, only to realise that being here, at the top, meant nothing more but empty, lonely days of drought façade, of working mostly to herself, just to achieve Aeris’s target profit for the end of the month.

Love, understanding, compassion. You don’t need those petty things. Feelings are for the weak. You cannot be weak in this business, Irene, or you’ll fail. You mustn’t fail me. I’m the only f