The young woman stood motionless, eyes glued to the couple inside the room. She was on the outside looking in; her body hidden behind the tree. Her heart was breaking one piece at a time as she watches the couple hold and tease each other. She saw her man lifted another girl into his arms, and hugged her with all his being…as if he could not bear to part from her. He held her face lovingly in his hands, his eyes glistening with love. Eyes that used to look at me that way, she thought sadly. She felt her hands shaking, she was cold…so cold. She couldn’t stop shivering; she couldn’t stop the pain in her heart from spreading. She knew then and there…whatever they had three years ago…they no longer have. It disappears into thin air the day she left him. She had wanted to make herself more worthy of him; she had wanted to rise from being just his poor girlfriend to someone that equal to him in society. Yet, despite her sacrifices, she had not calculated the possibility that he could fall in love with someone else. Her hands were wet, why are they wet? She glanced at her hands and realized she was crying, tears were dripping onto her hands. Tears…she’d stopped crying a long time ago. She lifted her hands and touched her cheeks, her wet tear filled cheeks. Ambition,…she without realizing had buried her emotions and filled it with hunger for wealth, ambition and the need for acceptance. It was all for him, for Jiyong …she lost her sense of self, her identity, the day she decided to model herself into the woman she thought would fits him the most. The harsh reality is…she’d driven him further away.

Taeyeon leaned against the tree and closed her eyes. She was a smart woman; she knows when to raise her white flag and surrender. The way Jiyong kissed that girl, the way he held her and looked at her…his body screamed out loud “I love you” whether he realizes it or not. It would be a losing battle on her side if she even attempt to fight for him. But the pain was so unbearable she felt like dying. She was tired of being strong, so tired of pretending.

“Taeyeon…”
 

Taeyeon turned toward the sound and saw Jaejoong. Jaejoong, her best friend since childhood… how did he know she was here? He seems to always just appear whenever she needed comforting.

“Let me take you home Taeyeon.” He said softly.

“How do you know I need you?” She asked curious. He smile sadly at her, and said

“Do you know Taeyeon…just as you are always looking after Jiyong …I’m always looking after you.”

The brief sentence was filled with heart felt sincerity and meanings. Taeyeon took his hands in hers and squeezed it gently. Maybe…one day, friend.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Choi lawyer hesitantly opened Mrs. Choi’s bedroom door. The older woman stood in front of the mirror staring at her reflection without blinking. Every once in a while she would apply a touch of powder on her face as if she was trying to covered up her true identity.

“Lina, your husband is not coming. He said whatever you have decided to do tonight has nothing to do with him. I think you should really reconsider.” Her lawyer advised. She pointed to the door and said,

“Out. It was my money that made Choi Company what it is today. No way in hell will I stop until I get my revenge!”

The lawyer shifted uncomfortably and said,

“Choi Seunghyun and Park Song Yi already gave up. Tonight’s banquet is a truce; Kim Jaejoong is already selected by the board members. I think you should…”

Lina growled in displeasure. Seunghyun and that Song Yi made it too easy. Why did they give up so easily? She wanted to hurt them, she wanted to torture them...yet they gave up without a fight. Seunghyun pulled out and gave the heir position to Jeajoong. Song Yi dropped charges against the Choi Company, and even organized the banquet tonight for a truce. Are there ulterior motives? If so what is it? She did not like being out of control...just like twenty one years ago, when she found out her husband impregnated Song Yi. When she found out he gave her a son... while she...while she was barren.

She had her revenge then by taking away the ’s real child, but now they found each other, mother and son whole at last. The happiness on Song Yi’s face was poison to