84
Their Kingdom Panorama
/\_____/\
Victoria leaned back into the thick cushioned seat at the back of the car and allowed her eyes to drool all over the ceiling of the car. After attending meeting after meeting with Park Myung Soo she was starting to feel drained at the end of the day, however, she couldn’t rest just yet. She still needed to visit Kyuhyun’s parents and work hard to show that she could indeed become the daughter-in-law they’d been wanted for their only son. If she lost her image at the moment she’d lose her scope at the moment.
“It’s so pretty!” Kyuhyun’s mother commented holding out the pajama Victoria had bought her. “Thank you! You’re so thoughtful! Wait till I show Kyuhyun this!”
Victoria smiled, “Has the doctor seen you lately? It’s almost time for another appointment, right?”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. I don’t want to bother you to come watch me again,” the woman told, “I heard about your new position at work. How is it going? You’re not too busy, are you?”
“Ah…it’s ok,” Victoria answered, “it’s manageable.”
“I’m glad that you’re spending so much time coming over now,” his mother honestly said, “but it’s quite alright if you want to go out and be with friends as well. A girl shouldn’t always spend her time indoors. I’m sure that you have lots of friends you’d rather be with.”
Victoria’s smile partially disappeared. She thought about it, she really did. The Three Musketeers visibly appeared within her mentality and after they disappeared came a face she couldn’t visibly make out. Pushing the thought aside she smiled reassuringly.
“No, I like it here.” Victoria assured. “It’s not bothering my social life at all.”
When she finally left Cho Kyuhyun’s mother’s room, Victoria went downstairs and headed into the kitchen. Opening the drawer she took out some plates and placed them on the counter.
The ahjumma turned around at the noise, “What are you doing? No, no! This isn’t acceptable. Go sit down at the table, I’m almost done here.”
“I can help you with this much at least,” Victoria smiled. “I’m taking these out, then.”
The ahjumma tried to wrestle the ceramic plates from her hands, but in the end Victoria ran out of the kitchen. When she reached the dining hall she saw Kyuhyun and his father walking in.
“Ah…Victoria, you’re over?” Chairman Cho said. “Are you helping with the food?”
“I’m just helping a little,” Victoria replied, “you must be tired. The ahjumma’s almost finished.”
Chairman Cho laughed with a smile, “Take a seat. You must be tired yourself being the new Vice President. How is it? Are you getting used to it?”
Victoria sat down adjacent to Kyuhyun’s father. Through the corner of her eyes she could see Kyuhyun looking at her disapprovingly. She knew, that he didn’t want her there. She’d been there every night after she’d gotten into Myung Soo’s management department.
“It’s very manageable, Park Myung Soo looks after me really well,” Victoria replied.
“If you ever want advice or help you can ask you can ask my son,” Chairman Cho patted Kyuhyun’s shoulder, “he’s really got fine skills in the areas of business management. Say, after the wedding, why don’t you just come on over to our group?”
Victoria laughed along with him at his joke. The ahjumma came out with the food placing plate after plate onto the table.
“What’s this? Speaking about work at the table?” the ahjumma questioned playfully.
Chairman Cho laughed. “Wedding bells are going to be ringing soon, ahjumma.”
“Inside the house or inside the business?” the ahjumma asked jokingly.
“Ahjumma,” Kyuhyun said.
“I was just joking,” the ahjumma told then turned to Victoria, “why is our Kyuhyun so angry these days? He’s even moodier than a woman.”
Victoria just laughed at her remark.
“When is the wedding? Has a date been picked yet?” the ahjumma questioned.
Chairman Cho glanced at both Victoria and his son.
“I’m probably being too nosey,” the ahjumma commented, “I’ll be off now.”
When the ahjumma disappeared Chairman Cho spoke up, “We haven’t yet spoken about it, have we?”
“Dad, the wedding can wait. There’s no particular reason to rush it,” Kyuhyun finally spoke up.
“Then how long do you want to wait?” his father asked.
Kyuhyun almost hesitated before declaring, “Maybe half a year.”
Victoria glanced at him quietly.
“Half a year?” his father repeated. “What about Victoria’s opinion?”
Victoria turned to look at him with a smile, “Uncle, I think there really is no need to rush. On the other hand, why don’t we have a banquet to announce the wedding date? It doesn’t matter if Cho Kyuhyun and I get married next week or in a few months. The wait is quite alright too. Weddings are expensive and it’ll take a lot of preparation ahead of time, why don’t we take advantage of the time we have on our hands to make this wedding the best?”
“Ah…Victoria’s so wise,” his father complimented.
“We could also finish the rest of the engagement ceremony at the banquet,” Victoria suggested then grasped onto the ring around her neck, “besides, Cho Kyuhyun never put the ring he intended to give me on my finger. I’d like to be given it at the banquet.”
Victoria shot a glance at Kyuhyun.
“Sounds great! Why don’t we celebrate over the weekend then?” his father asked. “It’s not too late to start preparing.”
“And we don’t have to invite so many guests, just a few close acquaintances would be fine, uncle,” Victoria said.
“Sounds good, I have just the people in mind. There are still some family members you haven’t met yet, I’ll invite them!” his father agreed enthusiastically.
After the meal Victoria headed toward the front door with Kyuhyun directly beside her. He was quiet, utterly quiet, but it didn’t bother her. The situation had been completely controlled by her and it felt good to be in control for once. Was this how it felt when you had power?
“You didn’t have to suggest such a thing,” Kyuhyun told. “We don’t have to finish up the rest of the engagement ceremony.”
“Why?” Victoria questioned. “What if I want to? You can’t do that for me?”
Kyuhyun turned to look at her.
“That’s right, you have nothing to say, right?” Victoria challenged. “Are you angry that I proposed it?”
“Victoria, what about Lee Donghae?”
“Ah…” Victoria nodded, “I forgot about him. As So Rae’s boyfriend he must come as well. I’ll be the first to let my family know about this news, so don’t plan on letting them know before I do.”
“Victoria.” he tried again.
Victoria darted her gaze at him after a moment of silence, “I’ve let you know that I don’t care anymore. If you don’t want me to come over, I’ll come over some more to bug you. And in the end, you’re going to be the one forfeiting to me, Cho Kyuhyun. There’s no speaking of a third party right now because there is none, and I’m not going to let anyone step in between us.”
Victoria glanced toward the house and turned back to him.
“This house will be yours and mine someday,” Victoria started, “just wait till that day comes.”
With nothing more to say, not even a farewell, she walked out of the gates and toward the car that was waiting for her.
The next morning at the breakfast table Victoria glanced as So Rae picked at her food tastelessly.
“I have an announcement to make,” Victoria said loudly, “Chairman Cho is going to be holding a banquet this weekend. Dad, don’t be busy that day because this banquet is for both Kyuhyun and I.”
“A banquet? Why don’t I know about this?” her father replied.
“We talked it over during dinner last night,” Victoria explained, “we’re going to use the banquet to announce the wedding date and finish up the rest of the engagement ceremony I messed up. It’s a neat idea, isn’t it, father?”
Her father smiled, “I’m so glad that you’re not feeling burdened by all of this. Do whatever you feel is right, your father will support you along the way.”
Victoria smiled triumphantly. Of course, as her father’s daughter, she wasn’t going to disappoint him just yet. On the other hand she was sure that So Rae was wondering why she seemed so optimistic about it. Now all that was left before So Rae left the table was to mention Donghae.
“And do bring Lee Donghae along,” Victoria turned to So Rae, “we’d like him to be present as well. I mean, since he is going to be my brother-in-law in the future he should be there to celebrate for his sister-in-law.”
So Rae refused to look at her.
“Don’t forget to let him know, because if he doesn’t appear there then father might really take it as if you two weren’t really seeing each other,” Victoria smirked.
So Rae set down her chopsticks sending a smile full of anguish toward her and walked out.
“Dad, I’ll be leaving to work too,” Victoria got up, “I have quite a few things to prepare this morning.”
/\_____/\
So Rae still felt pissed off about the fact that Victoria now held a more powerful position over her in the company. The fact that things were flowing along even more smoothly for her made her angrier. That smile on Victoria’s face was full of too much pleasure. So Rae had to think of something to knock her over.
Donghae was waiting for her in the car by the gates as usual.
When she got in she started, “We’re going out this Saturday. Your girlfriend is having a so-called banquet with her in-laws and you’re invited.”
He started the engine without a reply.
“Did you hear me?” So Rae asked accentuating a heavy note to her voice.
“I’m not going,” he stated.
“What?” So Rae questioned.
“They don’t need me there. Furthermore, you don’t need me there and there’s no reason why I should accompany you,” Donghae told her off, “I want to rest Saturday.”
So Rae snorted at his attitude.
“Just wait and see then,” she silently thought.
/\_____/\
Victoria looked up when her office door opened. It didn’t really surprise her to see that So Rae was standing there.
Setting aside a thin binder she asked without looking up, “What do you want?”
“Nothing much,” So Rae crossed her arm as she gazed through the room mentally comparing the size of it to her office. “Just to report to you that your Donghae refuses to go to the banquet this Saturday. If you’re so intent on getting him to go, why don’t you ask him yourself?”
She looked at So Rae quietly.
“Or are you afraid that you’ll start quivering once you start talking to him?” So Rae teased.
Victoria’s lips curved into a smile, “Why don’t you send him in, then? And we’ll see how hard I shake when he appears before me.”
So Rae glared at her calmly before turning around to walk away. Hee Young’s daughter must be so annoyed with her cool act. Did she really expect her to cry and bawl over the one man she had taken away from her? Never would Victoria fall for such tricks again. From the beginning, she should have known that Donghae had never been on her side. All the insults, assumptions he’d made toward her…she should have seen it, but no. She’d been too infatuated with him to see outside of the box.
The knock on the door made her dart her eyes toward it.
Leaning back into her chair she loudly called, “Come in.”
It slowly opened at first before he cautiously made his way in. His eyes that looked at her were full of expectations and many other feelings she wanted to disregard. If she remained in her seat, he wouldn’t be able to feel the anger and hatred seething through her. She had to show him her determination in getting him to attend the banquet.
Getting up from her chair and walking around her desk she crossed her arms standing in front of it.
“Do you want to take a seat?” she started. “But I guess we’re fine standing like this.”
She didn’t wait for him to start talking.
“So, I heard from your lovely girlfriend that you refuse to attend the banquet this weekend,” Victoria started, “why? Is it because it’s a last minute thing that came up? Or are you going to be busy running around with the friends you’d forgotten about?”
“I just don’t want to go,” he replied sturdily.
“Why? Because Cho Kyuhyun will be there? Because you’ll meet your soon-to-be relatives? You do know that So Rae’s family is a large one with many, many aunts and uncles to greet,” Victoria told. “But isn’t that good? A person who was abandoned will soon have relatives who he can call family?”
His gaze on her didn’t move.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Then why don’t you attend the banquet with So Rae?”
“I don’t want to.”
“Why?”
“Is it that important? Do you really want to see me with So Rae?”
“I’d like for my brother-in-law to be there,” Victoria stated, “for someone who will soon be considered family, isn’t it more comfortable to start getting to know everyone in the family before actually joining us?”
“I’m not marrying anyone,” Donghae replied. “I’m not interested in spending the rest of my life with anyone if it’s not you.”
Victoria smiled, “Well, what if I’m not interested? Because, for your information, I’m determined to get married to Cho Kyuhyun. My resolution is to get into the Cho family.”
Stepping forward with arms still crossed she stopped before him.
“As the only person I did consider a friend, shouldn’t you come give me your blessings?” Victoria questioned. “But anyway, I guess it doesn’t matter if you do come or not. Who is Lee Donghae anyway?”
She stared into his eyes for a long time before turning around to sit down in her chair.
“Leave, I have things to do.” she opened the binder she’d set aside.
Donghae remained in his spot. Was it that hard for him to move? Victoria felt annoyed and angry.
“Should I call security?” Victoria asked looking up.
“I don’t know why you’ve changed this much,” he said, “I know you’re hurt and you must be tired, but I won’t turn away from you. You can decide to hate me forever, but just don’t be like this. I want the Victoria who I first met to come back.”
***Ugh...Victoria is just so awful toward everyone, isn't she? :D But I honestly like it! Look at all they did to her, and now she's finally turned her back. Yes!
***This is random, but I wonder if I'll be able to reach 100 chapters xDDD
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