Tiffany was merely staring into blank space after Jessica had left her house. She's in a deep perception of her bestfriend's words. Words that she never thought would come from the girl's own mouth. It was just very peculiar of Jessica Jung to say those kinds of things.

No. Never from Jung Sooyeon.

But it did happen. Jessica said it herself, word by word.

Her phone suddenly vibrated when she was about to recall Jessica's mind-blowing confession of her true feelings. Yet in the process, the girl hadn't realised she actually did confess in front of Tiffany.

Jessi's just so dense sometimes, Fany thought.

 "A message from Dad?" she mused. It was so unusual of her father to send text messages.

<_Daddy_>

—Go to my office now. We'll discuss something.


She groaned. She would not surely like where the talk will go.

 

***

 

Her Dad was staring intently at her and she doesn't like one bit of it.

 "I've heard from the helpers that you were not staying at your house at all, Stephanie," Mr. Hwang firmly stated.

 "I'm staying at my condo. Isn't that MY house?" she returned sarcastically. She can't help it.

 "I don't need that sarcasm of yours right now. You know I'm fully against of you staying in that unit when you have your own house to stay at," he added, brows pulled together.

 "That's never my house, Dad. Why would I stay there? I've been living in my condo since college and I won't choose a grand villa over it," she remarked stoically.

 "Oh and why are you suddenly acting like this? Almost all of your valuables are already there. So please, stop being stubborn, Stephanie."

She held back a glare. He's still her father after all.

 "You of all people know I've never been stubborn in my life."

 "Precisely. So why suddenly like this? It's just a house, Steph," he mused, wearisome clearly seen in his still handsome face.

 "Yeah. Just a house," she smiled bitterly. "Just a house, Dad. Never a home. Can't you get it?"
 

 "Stephanie..."

 "Daddy—" he beat her to it.

 "Alright, point taken. But..." he paused, unsure of what he'll say next. "You could always make it a home if you'll just want to."

She laughed mirthlessly.

 "Do you know what you're saying, Dad? That goddam thing will never happen."

 "You're just saying that because you're being irrational now. Why don't you try opening your mind? Or perhaps... your heart?"

She balled her fist. She should've not come there in the first place.

 "Please, Dad. Stop all of this," she asked earnestly. "Were you not satisfied with what I did?" she added with some difficulty.

 "My daughter, it's all for you," he mused in agony. "All I ever wanted is your happiness, you should know that."
 

She felt a sting in the corner of her eyes but willed herself not to cry.
 

 "A-Am I happy now? Do you still see me smiling like how I used to?" she asked faintly.
 

 "Steph, please." He put a hand on his temple. "Everything will turn out fine in the end."
 

 "How the hell could you say that?!" she finally snapped, looking away a second later when she realised she just raised her voice at her father.

Mr. Hwang tried to hold her hands but she hastily jerked them away.

He then put up a stoic facade. He has no choice.

 "I'm sorry, Stephanie. But I've already made up my mind. And I know it's for the best."

 "What are you saying?" she asked sharply.

 "Throw your condo keys. That unit is not yours anymore."

She gasped. "What the?!" She breathed forth a huge amount of air before speaking as calm as she could muster.
 

 "Sir, I think you're not supposed to meddle with my personal properties without my consent. Was messing with my own life not enough for you?" she remarked in a business tone. She does that when she's on the verge of losing her temper.
 

 "We're over that talk, Miss Hwang," he countered. "You can do nothing about it. I'd given orders to move all your things to your house. And I've made sure for them to change the strongbox."
 

 "How could you? I didn't ask you to give me that even if you insisted. I've bought that unit with my own money," she said cynically.

 "I'm still the owner of that building. I can do whatever I want. And you're not welcome there anymore, Stephanie," he responded cruelly. But deep inside of him, his heart ached at the sight of his daughter's pained expression.
 

Tiffany smiled once again yet it hadn't reached her eyes.

 "How can you say you wanted my happiness when you're doing this? I couldn't believe a father can do something like this to his very own child," she muttered scornfully for the last time, dropping her condo keys onto the floor as she turned away with hateful tears starting to fall from her eyes...

***
 

 "M-Miss Tiffany?"

She glared at the poor housemaid who opened the huge brass door for her.

 "Why are you so shocked to see me? Am I not welcome here, too?!" she snapped, though she didn't intend to. She was just still annoyed... and hurt.

 "I-It's not t-that, M-Ma'am." The maid was obviously frightened and she felt sorry for it. "U-Uhm. Y-Your t-things were moved earlier by your d-daddy's men. T-They're on your room."

She shook her head, fully disgusted. "I know. He just talked to me and now, I'm thrown here. Sorry for shouting at you," she stated sincerely though her face remained expressionless.

The girl tried to smile. "It's okay, Miss Tiffany. I-It has been quite a while since you last stayed here," then added awkwardly.
 

 "I just don't feel like staying here," she said bluntly as she made her way to the staircase.

 "A-Ah. Do you need anything, Ma'am?" the girl asked, going after her.

 "Just bring iced strawberry juice to my room," she demanded, massaging her temple.

 "Y-Yes Ma'am. E-Ehrm..."

 "You have anything to say?" she stopped on her tracks when the girl seemed to want to say something.

How she wished she didn't ask at all. 

 "A-Ahm... M-Master S—" She cut the girl off by turning towards her harshly.

 "I didn't ask, did I?" she questioned sharply.

The maid hung her head so low. "N-No, Ma'am. I'm so s-sorry."

She just turned her back and went up the stairs before she could say anything inappropriate. She halted her steps when something too noticeable caught her attention.
  

A scowl on her face.
  

 "I hate you so," she murmured in a wrathful of voice.
 

***

 

Now that she's