93
Their Kingdom Panorama
“Your mother, as you know, was rejected from the Bang family because your grandpa did not approve of marriage between her and your father,” he started off, “but we all know your poor father was infatuated with her and couldn’t leave her. When she had you in her womb she came to Seoul with the necklace begging the Bang family to take it back, that she didn’t want it as an inheritance for her daughter. But she was thrown out of the house, whatsoever.
“Bang In Tak, do you remember that name? Oh yes, he was so young back then. Probably just got a degree from university and was prepared to embark on his career. He was so kind hearted.”
Hearing him talk like that disgusted her, but Victoria couldn’t draw her ears away from the mention of her biological mother.
“He went after her and promised to hand over the necklace to the Bang family, but he never did it as his workload skyrocketed and he was promoted from position to position,” Myung Soo went on, “this necklace, do you know the importance of it? When the Bang generations started off, this necklace was said to have controlled the family’s destiny. Whether they’d gain fame with money or not.
“And it just so gave Bang In Tak that fame with money. When I, the poor secretary, heard about it, I wanted it. I was lucky, though, that your father was a generous man and offered me a position in the management department. If I get this necklace, it’ll bring me up to sky rocketing fame as well. This is why I don’t need you, So Rae, nor your father at my side. I alone am the greatest.”
Victoria clenched her teeth tighter from lashing out at him.
“Your mother toiled laboriously day and night to earn you an education, well off clothes, but how sad it was to hear that she’d died after being struck by an illness. And poor you were left behind with your poor grandmother only to reside in jail during the time she died away,” Myung Soo shook his head. “To live poorly and die is your fate. Now that you’ve heard my story, do stay a few more days before I figure out what to do with you.”
He glanced at her.
“Or maybe I could sell you off somewhere, money is so easy to get when you’re as rich as me,” he laughed before getting up to leave.
When the door closed shut Victoria still found herself clenching her fists. So, greedy Bang In Tak had been murdered for the necklace and now Myung Soo wanted this necklace out of a mere superstition? Her mother’s necklace, something that had branched off into the Bang family history, was not a mere item of superstition. It was her mother’s. A piece of jewelry that was priceless.
/\_____/\
“Victoria!” Donghae shouted knocking on the door. “Victoria!”
When no one answered he walked to the front of her grandmother’s house and tried to peek in through the windows, but it had become so old and dusty that it was almost hard to see through.
“Victoria!” he shouted. “Where are you?”
Giving up he sat down on the front lawn. Victoria wasn’t the kind of person who ran away, but he was also scared to think that she’d disappeared because of the other night. Had something terrible happened to her when she was alone?
He ran a hand through his hair flustered.
/\_____/\
“I can’t link anything personal to him,” Mi Sun explained. “Park Myung Soo is as clean as ever.”
“Well, I’m not surprised,” So Rae said from behind her desk.
“If Victoria has been missing for 3 days, shouldn’t you report to the police by now?”
“Father will do it,” So Rae dismissed the topic.
“If your father hasn’t taken the move to, you should,” Mi Sun insisted, “a person has been missing 3 days, this is pretty serious, So Rae. And this person isn’t just someone, she’s your younger sister.”
“Are you lecturing me?”
“Victoria is missing, So Rae,” Mi Sun repeated herself, “she could be in danger, someone may be out to hurt her. We should be worried. I’d report her, but I’m not a family member and the police won’t take it unless a family member steps up.”
“Enough!” So Rae shouted.
Mi Sun stared at her.
“If she doesn’t return home by tomorrow, I’ll do it. Good enough?”
/\_____/\
When Mi Sun stepped out of the office she found Donghae pacing back and forth restlessly.
“What are you doing?” Mi Sun questioned.
Donghae paused and turned to look at her.
“You’re worried?” Mi Sun asked.
“I have a bad feeling,” Donghae expressed, “I’m worried. I don’t think Victoria is doing well by herself.”
“She may be just out and about.”
“Victoria isn’t the type to be up and about like that,” Donghae insisted, “Victoria wouldn’t do that for no reason. She must have a good reason.” Donghae looked at the ground then back to her. “Why isn’t her father notifying the police? It’s been 3 days!”
“I know,” Mi Sun sympathized, “but we don’t even know who she met last. She was home before she left and she has no other friends.”
Donghae turned away from her. He couldn’t listen.
“You said something about Park Myung Soo…couldn’t there be something about him?” Donghae asked desperately.
“Not right now.”
“Why don’t we just go over to his house? What if…what if they’re keeping her locked up somewhere?”
“Lee Donghae,” Mi Sun solidly called, “get a hold of yourself. Park Myung Soo is President Bang’s right hand man. Why would he want to harm President Bang’s daughter? Does that make sense?”
“But you said it yourself that he owns a gang,” Donghae reminded, “those two men the other night could have been his!”
“What?” Mi Sun asked.
Donghae turned away with another shake of his head.
“Never mind, I’ll find out myself.”
Mi Sun watched as Donghae walked off.
So Rae opened the door with her bag in hand and looked around.
“Where’s Lee Donghae?”
Mi Sun turned to her, “He left.”
/\_____/\
Victoria lie on the ground on her side staring into the approaching darkness. She missed life. Being outside and moving around. Was anybody looking for her? Was anybody thinking about her?
Lightly closing her eyes she pictured Donghae lying alongside her. He’d reach over, fix her hair, and give her a peck just as he’d done the other night. When she opened her eyes again the scene disappeared as well as the imaginary Donghae.
Maybe she should have been nicer to him when she still had the chance.
/\_____/\
Donghae sped along the streets, turning from corner to corner, and finally stopped his car when he approached the large house. If he hadn’t been careful enough in the company he wouldn’t have been able to steal a look at the addresses in the book.
He found himself gazing up at the enormous house. If he went in, what’d he say? How would he react when he saw Park Myung Soo? What would he do in there? He almost drove off out of hesitation.
Forcing himself out of the car he headed for the front door.
“Who is it?”
“Lee Donghae, I’m here to see Park Myung Soo.”
“Come in.”
He was led down the large corridor and as his eyes gazed over the elegant palace he spotted a staircase leading to the second level at the end of the hallway. After a knock on the door the man opened it and Donghae stepped in to see Myung Soo calmly sitting behind his large grand desk.
“Lee Donghae?” Myung Soo greeted.
Donghae nodded at him as he approached the desk.
“What can I do for you tonight?”
/\_____/\
Victoria dragged herself over to the door after she thought she’d heard the others talking about a sudden visitor outside of her door. Pressing her ear against the doorway she tried to hear more information.
“It’s a male.”
“What did he say his name was?”
“Why would he come here?”
“Lee something…”
“Lee what?”
“Donghae, Lee Donghae.”
/\_____/\
“Victoria,” Donghae started, “where is she?”
Myung Soo laughed amused, “You came here to look for Victoria? I can tell you you’ve got the wrong place, Lee Donghae. I don’t keep people trapped in my house.”
“I don’t mean it that way,” Donghae fixed himself, “you probably know where she is since she’s your VP. Is she working somewhere out of the city?”
“Why would you ask me that?”
“I’m just wondering.”
/\_____/\
“Donghae!” Victoria started screaming and pounding on the door at the same time. “Donghae! I’m up here! Donghae! Can you hear me?”
The door flew open and Victoria backed up to make way for it. The men towered over her before she could get a peek down the hallway.
/\_____/\
Thump. Something seemed to crash upstairs.
Donghae tilted his head up toward the ceiling. Myung Soo seemed flustered in his seat.
“Is this all? If so you may leave now,” Myung Soo told.
“But…” Donghae started when one of the men took his arm.
“I’m very worried about Victoria too. No one has been in the office and papers are piling up on our desks,” Myung Soo lied, “if you here anything from her, please do tell her to come in.”
Donghae stared at him and glanced toward the ceiling when he heard several more thumps. The man opened the door for him and once he stepped out he stopped to stare back toward the stairs.
It sort of sounded like someone was screaming. Or maybe he was hearing wrong.
/\_____/\
Victoria bit the hand over and when it moved she screamed at the top of her lungs, “Don’t go! Don’t go! Donghae, don’t go!”
The four men dragged her up to her feet and shoved her back into the room. Victoria dropped against the hard wooden floor with a thud before she felt her muscles go weak.
“Ah…” she moaned from the unbearable pain.
It felt like there were bruises all over her body.
“Don’t go…Donghae…”
/\_____/\
So Rae walked out of the police station that morning after they promised to return her a call of anything came up. No matter what, she still felt like it was helpless. By now she was already beginning to think that Victoria had really ran off by herself.
“Do you feel more at peace now?” So Rae asked Mi Sun.
“We can only hope that something comes up,” Mi Sun said, “I contacted Kyuhyun about Victoria this morning.”
“You what?”
“Kyuhyun would be worried too,” Mi Sun pointed out, “he’ll want to know and he’s bound to find out sooner or later.”
So Rae snorted, “Victoria’s just asking for pity. She’s only run away to ask us to look for her like all those other people who purposely disappear to get attention.”
“How can you say that?”
“It’s true! Victoria must be well off right now,” So Rae assumed. “I can just see it.”
“I thought you were worried for a moment,” Mi Sun said, “I guess I assumed wrong.”
So Rae turned to look at her.
“Even though you hate to hear it, I’m going to say it,” Mi Sun told, “the only person who cared about you is now gone. Victoria was always protecting you and now that she’s gone, you only have a father who won’t give you his attention.”
Mi Sun started to walk toward the car first, but So Rae pulled her back.
“Say that again! Say it so I can hear it! Victoria what?! Who are you telling me that protected me? I don’t understand!” So Rae bellowed.
“I feel sorry for siding with you,” Mi Sun confessed, “you were pitiful in my eyes, I felt really bad for you, so I pushed Victoria away to Kyuhyun. Victoria always withstood it without having to complain. I can see why Lee Donghae and Kyuhyun would fall head over heels for her.”
So Rae felt her eyes grow stiff.
“Victoria is missing, So Rae,” Mi Sun repeated for the 100th time, “she could be almost dying right now and you’re taking it as a joke right now. Are you going to wait till a month passes by before you understand the severity of this situation?”
Mi Sun walked off after a second leaving speechless So Rae to stand alone.
Comments