Chapter 18

              (Yu Jin’s POV)

How can she do this? Saying it’s for my sake! Just wait, Cha Jang Mi, wait until I find you!

I knocked on her door but she did not answer, and I heard no noise coming from inside her room. I headed towards the reception employees to only get surprised upon hearing that she checked out earlier this morning.

I squeezed my grip tighter on the note that was already crumpled in my palm. I gritted my teeth and refused to believe the fact that she left me again,

I’m very sorry, Yu Jin you and I cannot be together yet.

Many people are already against our reunion and I beg of you to trust me.. I’m doing this only because I truly love you and want what’s best for you..

“If you love me then why are you doing this to me!?” I was screaming loudly in the lobby of the hotel, people were staring at me and I couldn’t care less.

..I’ll only comeback once I see it fit, so be patient and act wisely.

I tossed the note in the trashcan and left the hotel. I climbed into my car and then covered my face with my hands in trial to clear my mind and sort my thoughts before taking further steps that I might regret.

“If I want to get her back.. I need first to..”

..Make her see for herself that I don't need her to look after me.

"Yeah, it's high time you take action, Lee Yu Jin."

***

Entering the high end building, the employees were alarmed as soon as I took off my sunglasses and revealed my face. They bowed immediately at me:

“Tell the president that I came to see him.” I phrased after inhaling deeply.

I was pretty nervous to be honest. I didn’t know when was the last time I spoke to my father, let alone saw his face.

The employee made a call and then nodded at me:

“You might proceed, Mr. Lee.” She showed me the way, bowing deemly after leaving me in front of the door of his office that was situated in the highest floor.

I knocked then walked in.

“Mr. President.” I called after bowing slightly.

I watched the back of his spinning chair that faced the huge glass window. I could barely see the reflection of my father on the glass.

“It’s been almost 2 years if I’m not mistaking..”

I stiffened to his somehow distant tone.

He whirled his chair and now we were face to face.

“I am just curious to know..” he was speaking calmly. “What right do you have to show your disgraceful face in my office!?” his voice got louder and angrier with every word he emphasized, banging his fist against the desk.

It’s not that I expected him to welcome me with a big hug.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Did you come here just to witness my fall before your eyes?!”

He was up to his feet, an evident killer intent in his eye, it made me believe that he would’ve shot me dead with no hesitation if he were armed.

“To leave the company.. when we were about to sign a partnership contract with an equally huge foreign company.. with no care in the world! I was a fool for trusting that you were mature enough to deserve that position..” he covered his face, his voice shaking with rage.

“It could not be helped” I muttered. 

“200 billion…” he gripped a portfolio in his hand then started to snatch papers from it, “We invested 200 billion won and received merely nothing in return from them!” he tossed the papers in the air, "Of course, with the sudden drop in our stocks, as a certain someone has seen it fit to get himself involved in a stupid scandal! The project that I spent years planning.. collapsed in a matter of few minutes!" 

I clenched my fist.

“And what were you doing during that time? Huh?” his mocking laugh echoed in the room, “Weeping over some wench that humiliated our family, stained our name, brought harm to the company and did not even apologize!”

My eyes widened.

“You betrayed the company, betrayed your father and more importantly, allowed some mere lowlife to step over your pride as a man, as a Lee!”

“Ok listen!” I could no longer stay put, “It might be true that leaving the company was not my wisest decision, you can scold me all you want about it, but to insult the woman I love.. that is unforgivable!” I yelled.

“Humph, look at how pathetic you are.” He shrugged with a smirk. “The son I raised is dead.. this moron is a stranger  I do not know!”

“Jang Mi did nothing wrong! And you have no right to judge her!”

“Hahaha, how ironic.” he glared at me and gritted his teeth, "I don't have that much of free time to waste it on idle chatter, so if you came all the way here just to defend that woman, then leave!" 

“Fine, I won't then. I didn't come for that purpose either.." I retorted, retuning him an equal glare that caused him to jerk. "I have been a slave to this goddam company for more than ten years.. I dedicated my youth for its sake and I think it is high time I properly quit.”

“What are you blabbering about?”

“That’s right, my childhood and innocence were both stolen away from me since you, my dear father, regarded me as nothing but your heir, so for the sake of training me to become the business tycoon you pictured, you completely cut all bonds you had with me as your child."

He needed to learn of my ture feelings. 

"I grew up believing that you did not love me, and I convinced myself that I was the one lacking.. so I decided to overwork myself and fight hard to be acknowledged by you.. but you immediately hired me as a CEO.. handing me that position sooner than I anticipated, with no second thought, and it was surprising for me."

"Enough!" he averted his gaze from mine.

"It made me realize that, the fact that you never treated me like your son never had anything to do with competence or hardwork! With every minute passing by, I started to give up and stop expecting anything from you.. so I buried that child deep in me. I never complained or went against your will.. and I saw people envy me for the life I led, or they belived I led, But what the is there to envy me for? Working day and night and spending the few spare hours I have left planning and evaluating my performance instead of resting!?” my eyes became red and moist as I glared at him, “The life I lived the past 25 years, is it even worth calling a life to begin with? ”

“Y-Yu Jin..” 

“Hah,” I snickered, as a tear escaped my eye but I quickly wiped it away, “It’s too late to go back and say no.. right before all of this began.. I could’ve rebelled but to my worst luck, I was too good and obedient to let down my father whom I looked up to.”

“Yu.. J-Jin..” his brows were knitted in concern.

“But as luck would have it, you never came or talked to me.. you..” my tears fell down my cheeks. “Never noticed..”

“Yu Jin!” he pushed his chair and stood up, coming my way.

“No, father, ” I smiled bitterly, “It's too late.”  I turned my back on him. “I decided to leave this place.. and pave my own path to success without relying on your influence..”

“What do you mean?”

“I didn’t come here to seek you forgiveness either, because I’ve done nothing wrong for the company… I’ve only been doing what’s best for it.. even when I left.. It wasn’t in fact because of Jang Mi or you..” I slipped my hand in my pocket and took out a USB flash drive. “I left… to prevent the unavoidable crisis from occurring.”

“What crisis?”

I handed him the drive.

“And if you ask my opinion, you should be thanking Jang Mi instead of insulting her..  if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to confirm my doubts.”

“What in the world are you talking about?!” he eyed the device in disbelief.

“And one last thing.. Whether I remained as head to the project or not, losing the 200 billion was inevitable..”

I started to walk toward the door.

“Good luck, Mr. President, you’ll really need it.” I waved my hand at him.

“Wait! Yu Jin!”

But I was already in the elevator, wiping the last tear that escaped my eye.

Thank you for everything father.. I hope you come to understand my reasons.

Truth is, I left for the best.

I did  not allow them to stain my pride and humiliate me in my position as a CEO.

Since the board directors turned out to never have supported me from the beginning… I had to leave to prevent them from going any further than making sure to sabotage any venture or decision of mine … And thankfully, it didn’t take me long to figure it out while I was away, or so I made them think.

They were secretely meeting with other directors from rival companies and they were planning against me, they wanted to push me from a cliff but I was a step ahead of them.

Now it’s time for you father to know about it as well.. I handed you the evidence to their dirty deeds and you’re free to do what you please with it.

All I know is, that I can't tolerate working with such hypocrites anymore.

******

(Jang Mi’s POV)

“It’s been a while huh,”

I raised my face and looked at the big black gate spread before my eyes then I closed my eyes and inhaled with my arms spread to my sides.

I can’t deny that I missed the smell of the roses that this place had..

I walked closer to the gate and called:

“Mr. Song!”

The middle-aged man came out of the cabin and rubbed his eyes upon coming to stand before me on the opposite side of the gate. I smiled cheerfully at him and waved my palms:

“Mr. Song! How have you been?”

“This voice now… E-Era?” he yelled in disbelief. “I-Is that really you?!”

I chuckled.

“Why? Am I too dressed up for a girl who once wore the same clothes for days?” I asked playfully.

“N-Not at all!” he opened the gate slowly for me. “But, aigoo.. You became so pretty that you’re making your uncle blush.” 

“Oh please, don’t say that, hehe!” I was feeling so warm and cozy, talking to Mr. Song felt so nostalgic.

“Haha, I heard that you are the new owner of this mansion.”

We were crossing the beautiful garden that spread on both sides of the paved way.

“Well.. I guess.” I laughed and scratched the back of my head in embarrassment.

“Oh my, even after becoming the Mistress, you still act all careless.” He shook his head, the smile never leaving his lips.

“Old habits are hard to get rid of I guess.”

“So.. are you here to kick the witches out?” he sounded so excited.

****

“Ok then! See you later, ma’am!” he winked at me but I lightly hit his shoulder.

“Oh please! Call me Jang Mi.. I would never allow you to call me Ma’am!”

He nodded with his thumbs up and left me in front of the door.

“Huuh.” I sighed.

I guess it’s time for me to come back huh.

The image of Mr. Ko insisting to come with me just to make sure that I don’t waver or get humiliated suddenly crossed my mind and the smile on my face got replaced with a thin line that formed as I bit my lower lip. I hesitantly knocked on the door.

No longer after then, the door budged open and revealed the shocked faces of the two sisters.

***To Be Continued****