Chapter 3
Behind the Masquerade Amber didn’t expect Jehoon to visit her at her new office. She watched him work his flirtatious ways on her unsuspecting secretary, who sported a bright shade of pink by the time she returned with their coffee, but her beguiled glance as she was leaving had Amber’s pity since Jehoon was already over his little amusement.
“Is toying with other girl’s feelings a married man’s behaviour?” Amber questioned. She got a pompous smile in reply and her hand itched to swipe it off his face but chose to let it go. “Why are you here?”
“I thought I should see how you are coping. After all, it’s a new environment for you,” Jehoon said airily.
She scoffed, “Save the bull for yourself.” Amber turned her attention to the other person in the room. “Who’s he?”
The man looked as if he had a permanent frown etched on his face and he stood behind Jehoon with his arms stiff at his sides. Amber noticed the files pressed against his thigh and he moved them behind his back when he noticed her attention on them.
"Han Joontaek," Jehoon waved a lazy hand. "My personal assistant."
"Since you came by to check on me, I suppose you’ve selected a few files for my perusal?" His darkened expression told her that she wasn’t meant to know about them, and her smile widened. Gotcha.
“I must have mistaken your sincerity earlier,” she gushed. She knew she got him when his bottom lip twitched in displeasure. “Maybe you did come by with good intentions.”
“Those aren’t for you,” he replied curtly, “It must be a busy first day for you, so I shall take my leave." He kicked the chair back and left the office with a loaded glance in his assistant's direction. She guessed Joontaek wouldn’t get out of this scratch free.
"Gaeun." Her secretary scampered into view and her small face filled with worry at the strict tone of her new boss.
"Find out where Jehoon has been in this building and give me a report," Amber said then turned to the reports in front of her. "That is all."
"Uh."
Amber looked up to find her still standing in her office. "Is there something?"
"Is it in a hurry because it's.. uh.." Gaeun snuck a glance at her watch and it made Amber look at her own, only to find that it was almost the end of lunchtime.
Amber excused her and declined Gaeun's offer to get her lunch and just asked for more coffee as she decided to tackle the mountain high files sitting on her desk and she didn’t step out of her office other than to use to the restroom.
“Thanks, Gaeun," she muttered, reaching for her nth cup of coffee without looking away from her work, only to be surprised at cup’s damp, chilly surface.
“Working hard, I see,” Yeonseok commented, a nod at her messy desk. He settled into the chair and folded his hands over his lap.
Not even her favourite bubble tea can help with her exhaustion but it did bring up her mood. She chewed on the bubbles and noticed to find that they weren’t the only ones in the room.
“This is your interim assistant until you decided to get your own,” he answered her unspoken question.
The man's slim body reminded her of a boy’s and her eyes traced along his crease-free suit and pants accompanied by his sockless black shoes that showcased his thin ankles. The pair of black stud earrings that completed his attire didn't go unnoticed, but she was more interested to see his face since his eyes were trained on the ground.
“What’s your name?”
“It’s Kim Kibum, agashi.” He looked up briefly then fixed his eyes on his shoes again.
“Well, Kibum-shi, there’s something you should know,” Amber said. “Poor eye contact tells me that a person is distrustful.”
Kibum instantly lifted his head and squared his shoulders. His eyes were itching to shift away from her scrutinizing gaze but he steeled himself. After what seemed like an hour had flown by, the woman finally broke contact and he allowed himself to breathe.
“He’s one of my assistants. I’m loaning him to you until you find your own. Plus, I know how particular you are with trusting information with people that you’ve never met.”
Amber arched an eyebrow in Kibum’s direction. “I don’t recall ever meeting him before.”
“You don’t, but Kibum knows about you. He handled your problems and needs while you were in the US. You can talk to him freely.” Yeonseok straightened his jacket and took his leave. “Do a good job. I don’t want to hear anything bad about you from my sister.” He left a few comforting pats on Kibum’s shoulder and waved him away when the latter made a move to walk him out.
Amber noticed his nervousness over the top of her file. “How old are you?”
“I just turned thirty-one.”
“You’re not that much older than I am. I’m only a year younger than you,” Amber stated, but she didn’t have to when Kibum had already memorized her details.
“Yes, I’m aware of that, agashi.”
“Then drop the formal speech. Just call me Amber.” She leaned back into her chair and cocked her head to the side. She noted his resistance to drop his guard. “Are you afraid of me?”
“No.”
“If don’t want anything bad getting back to my brother, I suggest that you do not ever lie to me.” Amber crossed her arms over her chest and switched to a gentler tone. “Are you afraid of me?”
Kibum looked up at the sudden change in her voice. “Not afraid.. just intimidated,” he muttered.
“Why?” Amber found it a tad amusing and allowed herself a wry smile, nodding for him to continue.
“A few years ago, in New York, there was a man who ended up in the ICU. Why did you stab him?” Kibum found the courage to ask her the question that he could never figure out when he handled that case years ago.
She chuckled at his question. “Since you followed my case, you would’ve known that I was helping to defend the woman from her husband.”
“That same woman went on to be your housekeeper. Is there a relationship between the two of you?” Kibum knew he was going too far when her smile grew faint but he couldn’t help his awakened curiosity.
“How did you know about that?” The smile had disappeared from her face and replaced with the frosty expression from his earlier encounter.
“Your brother assigned me to overlook your matters and to provide him with occasional updates of your stay in the US,” he reminded her.
“So how much do you know about this woman?” Amber watched him with pursed lips.
“The woman is Lau Sau-lin of Chinese-Korean parentage. She immigrated to the US with her family more than two decades ago. She separated from her husband before moving to New York with her son a few years later.” Kibum paused, trying to recall the information. “Her son’s name is Yoo Hyunseung and he has since returned to Korea. She continued to work for you until your recent departure.”
Kibum eyed her. “I’m Yeonseok hyungnim’s most trusted aide. If you wish to benefit from my services, please answer me truthfully.”
Amber almost let out a laugh and caved in. “I guess I was feeling generous at the time when she came to me for help and I extended a hand.”
“That’s it?” Kibum prodded. All he received was a wary smile in return.
“I’ve only met you for less than an hour. Even if there’s an answer to your question, I’m not obliged to satisfy your curiosity,” Amber said. “I like your attentiveness to details. You can leave if you can’t deal with the way I am, I won’t hold you back. If you decide to stay, we might just get along well with each other.”
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Jackson walked through a crowd and came to an opening where a little boy, maybe four or five, was playing with a toy robot in his hands. He tilted his head to one side, studying the little boy who didn’t have the slightest interest in the world as he barely looked up from his toy. He followed behind the boy and looked around for the boy’s mother amid the sea of people.
After a short period, the boy grew visibly upset and dragged his toy across the ground as his small head swivelled around for his mother. “Eomma!” he shrieked. No one heard him and people started to gather around Jackson when he tried to reach for the little boy. “Get out of the way!” Jackson shoved against the crowd but he was carried away by the wave of people as he could only watch helplessly at the boy who was crouched on the ground with his face in his hands.
“Hyung!”
Jackson jerked awake in cold sweat and glanced around anxiously, getting his fist up when someone touched his arm.
“Hyung, it’s me. Is it those nightmares again?” Hyunwoo watched him with concern in his eyes. “You should really get help. You don’t sleep at night because you’re afraid of it and would doze off during the day to catch up on rest.”
Jackson said nothing and pushed past him to get out of his chair. He stood in front of the mirror in his small office above the dancefloor and straightened his tie. “What did you find me for?” he asked, and fixed the hair jutting out in odd angles.
“Zhang Lichun is here.”
Jackson checked his watch. “What about hyungnim?” He walked to the windows and slipped a finger between the blinds, pulling it down to see the outside. Jackson scanned the VIP lounge by the bar and found Lichun in a booth, flanked by girls at his side while his men stood guard around the area.
“Hyungnim should be here soon.”
“Bring Lichun up. We don’t want any eyes on our guest,” Jackson ordered. He made a sweeping glance across the club that was packed with partygoers and anyone who was someone.
Haven was one of the most stylish and exclusive clubs in the town whose regular patrons include many wealthy socialites and celebrities, and unless you were dressed to the nines or someone of interest, you’d be denied at the entrance.
This was the exact reason why the doorman wrinkled his nose at Amber’s office attire that she didn’t bother changing since she only planned to drop by for an unannounced visit after work.
“You ain’t going in unless you find something more appropriate.”
“Let us through.” The doorman’s strict gaze dissipated the moment he recognized Kibum and let them in without another word.
“I see that Jehoon didn’t care to send out a note regarding the change of management,” she muttered.
“I’ll get to it promptly.” Kibum guided her through the dim passage that led to the inside of the club. “Haven brings in the highest revenue among the clubs owned by the company. It’s been growing every year ever since the current manager took over.”
Amber stopped him when she could no longer hear without him shouting into her ear. She sent him away and walked around the club, surveying the venue while several people gave her attire a curious glance.
❧
“Did you get Lichun on camera?” Henry spoke discreetly into the lapel of his leather jacket as his eyes scanned the packed club.
“Negative, Lichun was shielded by his men as he was escorted to a room above the DJ stand,” Junho reported.
“Gunwoo, turn up the volume. Junho, please repeat.” Henry fixed his attention on the room that had its blinds closed shut upon receiving the report from Junho.
“What about Jehoon?” Henry downed his drink and gestured to the bartender for a refill.
“No sight of Jehoon on the main street.” Doojoon's voice sounded louder in Henry’s earpiece after the volume increase.
“Not a single shadow in the back alley,” Taehyun reported.
Youngchul angled the mic in his direction and shifted within the cramped space of the van, parked within sight of the club. “Bring me photographed evidence of the two together. Reveal yourselves only when necessary,” he reminded his team and returned the mic to Gunwoo.
“Junho, is it possible for you to get closer?” Junho made his way closer to stairs leading to the room and looked over to the bar where he found Henry observing him. “I’ll watch out for you.”
“A black vehicle just entered the back alley—”
“—Jehoon has exited the vehicle, and is headed for the back exit.”
Doojoon and Taehyun’s voices cackled into their earpieces and Henry nodded for Junho to continue. “Be careful.”
❧
As she made her way to the bar, Amber’s path was blocked by a man and she gave him a once over. “Excuse me.” She took a step around him.
The man straightened his arm to stop her. “I’m sorry but your outfit doesn't adhere to the dress code. I’d have to ask you to leave.”
“And who are you to order me around?” Amber took in his features amid the random flashes of light that moved to the beat of the song.
“I’m the manager of this club.”
Amber took a moment to recall the name that Kibum had told her earlier. “Ah, Jackson Wang.”
“Yes.” He blinked, suddenly aware that he didn't introduce himself.
“You must’ve have heard that there’s a newly appointed CEO of BH Group’s entertainment subsidiary. I’m Amber, Lee Byungho’s daughter,” Amber said, and spread her arms wide around her. “So this place belongs to me, and I can dress however I want.”
Jackson’s watched her from the corner of his eyes as he turned away to answer his vibrating phone. “Jehoon hyungnim have just arrived. You should get back to the office.” He looked across the dancefloor and found Lee Jehoon making his way up the stairs leading to the office. “If you’re his daughter, I’m his son from another woman.”
It hits a nerve. “What did you say?”
“I’m telling you to get lost while I’m being nice.” Jackson buttoned his coat and showed her in the direction of the entrance. “Try a better lie next time.” He cast a glance at the office and his eyes shifted to the man loitering around the bottom of the stairs.
Jackson squinted at the suspicious man and an unsettling feeling filled the pit of his stomach and he quickly scanned the surroundings of the dark club. The police work in pairs. Where is his partner?
“I’m not lying. You better apologize for what you just said.”
Jackson was jerked back to the present by a strong tug by the lapels of his jacket and he tore her hands away before shoving her aside. “Get lost,” he growled.
Jackson followed the man’s furtive glances across the dancefloor and found himself getting closer to the bar. He circled the bar, scanning the people around it until a particular face stood out, stopping him in his tracks. He hasn't seen this face for eight long years but his name came easily without a second thought.
“Henry Lau.” The name escaped his lips and he cursed under his breath as he reached for his phone.
“F.ck. They’re not suppose to be here.” Amber stopped behind him and was about to confront him again when she heard his next words. “I'm not even sure what Jehoon and Lichun are meeting for. I told him to wait. How could he risk this?”
Her eyebrows bumped together to form a scowl. What is her older brother doing here? Who’s risking what?
“What are you talking about?” Amber yanked him around, almost tripping him in the process and annoyance was written all over his face.
“Why are you still here?” Jackson shrugged out of her grasp and walked away from her while speaking urgently into his phone. “Hyunwoo, get them out of there! I just spotted the police in the club.” Jackson headed to the back and shoved away the couple making out by the switchbox. “Don’t let their faces be shown. I’ll distract them.”
“Why is Jehoon and police in the same sentence?” Amber muttered, struggling to find the manager when the club plunged into darkness followed by a shrill alarm as water began to rain down over Amber’s head. Panic swept across the party goers as they began to push against each other to get to the nearest exit.
❧
“There’s no fire! Someone must have deliberately activated the fire alarm.” Henry shouted above the noise and shoved against the people to make his way across the club to get to Junho.
“Where’s Lichun and Jehoon?”
Henry winced at Youngchul’s loudness in his ear.
“T-they’re not in the room!” Junho stuttered.
Henry cursed under his breath and squeezed out of the crushing crowd, almost tripping over the steps by the DJ table. “Taehyun?” He climbed the stairs two steps at a time and joined Junho in the disarrayed room.
“They must’ve known we were here,” Junho told him.
“They haven’t exited through the back,” Taehyun replied.
Doojoon’s voice followed soon after. "I don't see them on the main street either.”
Henry shone the flashlight around the room and found that the furniture had been moved away from the wall. He approached with the flashlight held high and observed the lines that extended down from the ceiling to the ground.
The lines were set two feet apart, making it just wide enough for a person to fit through.Henry knelt by the wall and held a hand just above the ground.
"Sunbae, what are you doing?"
"Do you have a key?" Henry got to his feet and started to dig his nails into the slit where the lines lie.
"What's happening?” Youngchul barked, puzzled at the sight of people pouring out of the club’s entrance.
“There’s a draft coming from this section of the wall in the room. I suspect that there’s a space behind it that could lead to somewhere.” Henry slammed his eyes shut, teeth gritting as the tip of his fingers throbbed with pain from clinging onto the slits.
“Here.”
Henry snatched the keys from Junho’s hand and began to pry the slit until one of the edges popped out. He gave the edges a strong tug and it swung open to reveal a narrow space leading to a stairwell.
“Sunbae’s right. There’s stairs leading up,” Junho breathed.
Henry crossed the limited passage in long strides and dashed to the top of the stairs. He stumbled onto the rooftop and his hair whipped around in a frenzy at the strong breeze as he watched through squinted eyes at the last man boarding the helicopter. Henry backed away, an arm shielding his face from the dust and debris that was sent spiralling into the air by helicopter’s downdraft as it lifted into the sky.
Inside the van, Gunwoo’s shifty eyes betrayed his calm demeanor and began to squirm in his seat. Youngchul hasn’t said a word since their last radio contact with Henry and Gunwoo screwed up his face at the thought of the repercussion of their botched operation.
Henry exited the room above the DJ stand with Junho and found Jackson waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs. Henry brushed past him without a second look.
“Even Yoon Doojoon had better manners than you,” Jackson commented. “Is it because I didn’t turn out like you did, therefore don’t deserve any respect?”
Henry stopped.
“Yoon Doojoon is his own person as I am my own.” Henry turned around to meet Jackson in the eye. “You’re your own. Your fate is none of my business.” He edged closer to the latter.
“What respect? You lost the right the moment you dropped out of the academy for this.” Henry threw his hands up the air, gesturing at the empty venue. “You had a chance to change your life, to gain recognition and riches for your hard work as you climb the ranks but you threw it out of the window.”
“What do you know about hard work?” Jackson grabbed Henry by his jacket lapels, so close that they could almost feel their breaths on their faces. “All you do is stay behind your desk in an office all day without any worries. I’m doing far greater things than you’d ever imagine while risking my life for it. Do you think being a detective is all that?”
Henry let out a low chuckle and he peeled Jackson’s hands away from him and straightened his shirt with a gentle tug. “No, I have greater ambitions than being just an detective.”
Henry’s dark eyes flashed with mirth and the side of his lips quirked up into a taunting smile. “What great things have you done besides being a dog and satisfying every single need of your keeper?”
“Cut it out.”
Jackson swore he would have pummeled Henry to the ground and punched him senseless if Youngchul hadn’t intervened and gave the two men a hard shove on the chest. Without another word, Henry turned to leave with Youngchul completing the rear and the latter looked over his shoulder for a last glance at Jackson.
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“Nuna, I’m bored." She heard Chanyeol's whine from the living room the moment she stepped into the apartment, and he followed her into her bedroom, throwing himself on her bed.
“Do you mind?” Amber took off her jacket and he got the cue and flipped onto his stomach, burying his face in the pillow.
“I’m alone the whole time,” his voice muffled.
“I’ve already told you that I’m not back in Korea for fun.” Amber kicked off her pants and gathered her office clothes into the hamper before heading into the bathroom. “You can look now.”
Chanyeol rolled over and slipped an arm under his head, staring blankly at the ceiling. “I know but it’s really not fun to go around alone.”
“I thought you have relatives in Seoul?” she called out from the bathroom.
“I don’t quite like them,” Chanyeol made a face, though he was sure that she wouldn’t hear him in the shower. He moved his arms back and forth as if he was making a snow angel, enjoying the feeling the cool sheets under his touch. He glanced at her bedside table and reached for the lone photo frame sitting on it.
It was a candid moment of them taken at Amber’s college graduation and Chanyeol remembered the day perfectly well. They were arguing about the poses that they should do when he attacked with his long arms wrapped around her and smacked his lips on her cheek amid his parents’ amusement from the side.
“It’s my favourite.” Amber appeared next to him.
He gave her plush beige robe a gentle tug. “Aren’t you a little too comfortable to be wearing this in the presence of a man?” Chanyeol chided, coupled with a disapproving gaze.
“Like you’ll ever do anything to me.” She rolled her eyes and hid the growing smile behind her hair, touched by his protectiveness.
“Just because I’m family doesn’t mean anything,” he mumbled.
“I get it, I get it," Amber sighed and ruffled his hair before draping her arm over his shoulder as they watched the city lights outside her window in silence.
Amber focused her gaze on their reflection in the window and all she could see was their younger selves, their feet barely touching the floor as they stared back at her.
“We’re here.”
Yeonseok gave her an encouraging smile when he opened her door and disappeared to get her bags from the back. Amber slide off her seat and observed the upscale suburban neighbourhood around her. Large old trees lined the street of the homes, each having at least three cars in the driveway, and there wasn’t a single leave lying on the well manicured lawns surrounding the homes.
A couple stood by the front steps to welcome them and Amber slipped behind her brother as the adults exchanged greetings, and dug her heels into the ground when his hand reached behind to bring her to the front. “Don’t be shy. Do you remember the little boy that I was telling you about?”
She kept her head down the entire time but the boy standing next to the woman didn’t go by her notice.
“He’s my cousin, Chanyeol.” The boy stepped forward, dipping his head to see her face and smiled with a front tooth missing. “Your birthday is in November right?" The boy nodded at Yeonseok. "So this is Amber nuna,” her brother told him.
“Hello, Amber nuna.” His toothy grin appeared again and it grew wider when she finally returned his greeting with a smile.
“Do you remember the times you helped cover for me whenever I snuck off to Chinatown?” Amber asked, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder.
“In case you forgot, I was threatened into helping you,” Chanyeol corrected, and gave his shoulder with her head on it a rough shrug. “You said you wouldn’t help me with asking that one girl to the movies,” he mumbled, “and you wouldn’t get egg tarts for me.”
“I fulfilled both promises, didn’t I?” Amber nudged him in the waist.
“I can’t believe I lied to Mom. If I could turn back time, I would’ve ignored your threats. I mean, who in their right mind would allow a twelve year old to go wandering off on their own.”
She nudged him again. “I came back in one piece, didn't I?"
“You could’ve been kidnapped, assaulted or something.” Chanyeol shuddered at the thought. “Mom and Dad would’ve killed me if anything had happened. I won’t forgive myself either.”
“If you hadn’t helped me, you probably wouldn’t have gotten your first girlfriend and the egg tarts that you were obsessed with,” Amber chuckled, trying to make light of the situation.
“Now that I think about it, I’ve never seen you date another guy after you ended things with that doucebag. I told you he wasn’t good news, thank goodness you dumped him,” he said.
“Maybe I was too good at keeping them from you,” she teased.
“Them?!” Chanyeol choked, eyes widened in disbelief. “How many boys did you date?”
“I’m just kidding. There’s no ‘them’.” She hooked her arm around his and lay back on the bed, pulling him down with her.
“Now that I’m no longer there, make sure to take care of Mom and Dad,” Amber said, those words rolling off her tongue naturally. “And yourself too.”
“Don’t talk as if you’re never coming back,” he mumbled. “You can visit us during Thanksgiving or Christmas,” holding her arm closer to his side, “or I’ll come to Korea and drag you back.”
“Just mind yourself. It’s your final year of residency, that’s where your attention should be.” Amber raised her hand over his head and he squirmed from the hard flick.
“Hey! It hurts!”
She laughed, shaking her head at his childish whine and her laughter slowly drifted into a heavy sigh. The words that she wanted to say to him was so clear in her mind but her lips just wouldn’t convey the message that her brain wanted to, and Chanyeol beat her to it.
“I’ll miss you, nuna,” he whispered
See? Those three words aren’t that hard to say. A voice scolded her in her head, and she turned to him, observing his always smiling face in adoration. “I’ll—” She gulped and looked away for a moment then continued. “I’ll miss you too.” Amber turned back to him and playfully pulled his nose between her fingers. “Now, get out. I have to change.”
After changing into her pyjamas, she crawled into bed and picked up the photo frame lying on the covers. Chanyeol and his parents were among the few people whom she truly cared about. They were the key people who stood by side her and replaced the gap left behind by her father’s absence during her formative years.
Even though Chanyeol’s family treated her as their own and showered her with love and affection, on the inside, she still harboured bitter feelings towards her biological parent. Her father hardly tried to be part of her life and the yearly six-figure deposit into her bank account was the only reminder that she has a father.
Her bitterness grew into hatred when she thought back of her early childhood and it was filled with humiliating and derogatory memories involving Madam Lee. It did nothing but hurt her self-esteem, and she drown herself in the negative side of things. The scars never went away but she learned to embrace it.
“The time is now,” Amber muttered, and set the photo frame back on her table. “I will take what is rightfully mine.”
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