Chapter 7

(A month later)

“I don’t know what was wrong with that girl… but somehow… I feel that something about her has changed.”  Said Mrs. Cha as she kept staring at the two dresses held out by the clerk.

She was together with her two daughters in the shopping center, shopping for clothes.

“Yeah mom… These days I somehow get scared by her overly-cold and nonchalant behavior, and even her eyes and look give me the shivers” Yoon Yi closed her eyes and shivered slightly.

“Humph, no, I want the white shoes, these just won’t look good with the purse” Yoon Song on the other hand was too focused on shopping that she didn’t even pay attention to their talk.

“I understand why you decided to bring her along with us and not leave her alone as you always do” added the youngest.

“Yes, I just can’t stop having this bad feeling about the sudden change in her attitude” she then smiled at the clerk “No, after thinking bring me back the black one again”

“I wonder if she’ll be fine left alone in front of the store” Yoon Yi tried to take a look at the windows but then got pulled by her mother so that she would try on the black dress she chose for her.

***

Jang Mi was standing in front of the store, staring at the clothes and accessories worn by the mannequins. She kept trying to imagine herself in one of the elegant dresses and fur coats but just couldn’t.

Well, at least the music is still nice!

Loud pop music was playing throughout the place and she found herself moving unconsciously along the beat and then snap back to her rigid pose as soon as someone passes by.

She sighed.

If only they could have left me at home so that I could do some investigating on my own because definitely Mrs. Cha is hiding something from me.

(Meanwhile and around the same area)

“This way president Lee” the employees were bowing as soon as they came across the small crowd of men that were in suites lead by no other than Yu Jin.

He was at the same time checking a portfolio as he walked, Secretary Kim to his left and another man to his right:

“How is the clothes’ department doing for the meantime?” he held his jaw as he questioned.

“Very well sir! Ever since we signed the contract with the new women clothing line, more female customers are visiting our stores and the executives are so happy and satisfied with the sales’ numbers so far” an employee explained.

“Great, so compared to before, things have changed for the better I believe. So we should extend our contracts to other similarly famous clothing brands.” he raised his face and started to point at several areas around, explaining the concepts he had in mind and everyone were listening and taking notes.

He suddenly caught glimpse of..

No way… is it really.. that maid?

The employees were so busy chatting and paying attention when he stared with an arched brow at Jang Mi,

“It’s really her” he muttered.

The employees eyed him, but he cleared his throat and said:

“Well all of you, I’ll be checking the stores personally in this floor, you go to all the other ones and I need you to hand me your detailed reports later, understand?” Just what kind of idea is that? He thought as he noticed the way they looked at each other but kept his perfect smile so the employees bowed and left.

He heaved a sigh.

I can’t believe I’m making my employees hate me just so I can go and talk to..

He turned towards her earlier location but saw no trace of her, he was surprised and shortly started to stride forth, seeing if he could possibly spot her.

“Darn, I just asked everyone to leave just so I could-“ he held his forehead but someone peeped at him from behind, making him jump slightly and it turned out to be Era. “So it was really you” she steadied her standing posture and leapt to face him with a wide grin.

“Oh..” his mouth hang open. He wanted to check her wounds and scars but she was wearing an over-sized blue manly jacket and her hair was tucked in its collar area. He was amazed at himself for being able to recognize her though.

“Are you ok?” he unconsciously grabbed her shoulders and peered into her eyes with concern, and that made her slightly confused. But after a very short silence, she put her hands on his arms and broke free from their grip eyeing him suspiciously and saying: “Why are you acting this way? And what’s with that look?”

Seeing her fairly-good mood, he broke into a small smile.

“Why are you smiling? Are you possibly making fun of my outfit just because you’re all dressed up?” she pointed with an irritated voice causing him to blink. “You even had all these people around you earlier, did you possibly do something?” and now her tone shifted to becoming accusing.

“Huh?!” he loudly blurted. She looked at him in a way showing obviously that she waited for sound answers.

“Hey, I did nothing wrong!”

“Then why were all these people surrounding you?!” she retorted.

“It’s because I’m their-“ just then he realized that he wasn’t CEO Lee Yu Jin when he was with her, so he closed his mouth and put his hand on the back of his neck, averting his gaze away. “Yeah, um.. we came here as we were ordered by CEO Lee to check the stores”

“That doesn’t make sense, you’re a servant, why the heck would you be doing errands for the company?” she questioned, arching her brows.

Wow, so she really gets what company work is…

He gulped, for underestimating her.

Wait, why am I scared of her? Lee Yu Jin, you’re the owner of this building, you should have more pride and stop that girl from stepping on it shamelessly!

“Well whatever, I don’t care.. I’ll stop questioning you so relax” she was standing in front of one the displaying windows, leaning down and gripping her knees as she looked at the shoes and dresses.

He folded his arms and walked toward her. Saw her eyes were glittering as she gazed at all the items, and for a second he remembered the way she was treated in that house. He found himself asking:

“Say..” his voice changed to a deep one. She hummed in question without taking her eyes off the items “How did they react to the vase you broke?” 

At that point, he pretty much knew beforehand what her answer could have been but still wanted to hear it. Since Yu Jin actually offered Mrs. Cha as a symbol of the two families’ friendship, a similar vase but that was slightly more expensive, so he figured out that he helped her someway.

The smile that was on her face faded at once.

“Well… they…” she crouched down. “They got over it!” she laughed.

More like, Mrs. Cha deprived her from food for 2 days, and locked her in her room because she ended up admitting to her mistake. So in reality, Jang Mi had no idea that her stepmother ended up receiving even a better present thanks to her mistake and instead of showing mercy at least this latter only treated her with more viciousness and cruelty than before.

“Got over it?” he demanded. She nodded. “Yes! Mrs. Cha brought a new vase that looked more beautiful than the first one and she kept bragging about the fact that its patterns’ details were made by pure gold”

His eyes widened to what he heard.

“They bought… a new one?” he bluntly repeated.

“Uh huh so there’s nothing to worry about anymore” she walked over to a different shop. As for him, he dropped his sight to the floor and let out a laugh of pure mockery and disgust.

For that reason, they ended up lying to her so that she could feel guilty for it. It appeared that the more he came to learn about Mrs. Cha, the more sickened and repulsed he became.

I really am curious to see whether that woman had a heart or a stone in her chest..

“Hey,” he yanked Era by the arm and said to her “Do you want to try on some clothes?”

She jolted.

“W-What are you going all about now? Are you crazy?” she was rather focusing on the hand that gripped hers as she tried to prevent him from seeing her blushing face.

“You really can you know?” he stopped her from struggling as she tried to release herself from his grip. “Today this center had an offer that gives customers the possibility to try on clothes and accessories for free even if they originally can’t afford them”

She eyed him doubtfully, but he nodded with confidence and said: “If you don’t believe it, let me show you!”

Without waiting for her protest guessing already that it surely had to do with her stepmother and sisters, so he forced her to get in one of the shops –the one that displayed the dresses she kept gawking at.

He halted before he preceded further in, and snatched away the scarf that she was wrapping around her neck earning a glare from her and which he ignored.

I need to somehow distract her so that I could talk to the employees or things will be ruined if she finds out!

He grabbed her shoulders and spun her around, “Go and decide what you will be trying on” and he didn’t wait for her answer of course. The clerk bowed at him, thought he was a customer at first and he asked her politely to help Era. She just blinked as she started to realize who he really was because his presence stood out even if he tried to hide his face.

He put his finger on his lips as if to hush her. As for Era, she remained open-mouthed at the glamourous sight before her, and she didn’t even dare to reach her filthy hands and touch any of the clothes.

Yu Jin hurried to the other clerks and told them to treat his friend well and to wrap up anything that she seemed to like for her. He knew that if he was to buy them for her directly, she would never accept it, but if the shop gave them to her as presents, he was certain that she had no reason to refuse them.

The idea drew a smile on his face as he handed his credit card to the cashier and explained things to him. Then innocently went to carry on teasing Jang Mi as if nothing happened.

“So, did you like anything?” he asked even though he already predicted the answer. “Y-Yes.. I’ve never seen such clothes from up close before!” she was entwining her fingers, her hands on her chest as she stared at the accessories. He sighed because she didn’t even touch anything so he randomly picked up a collar and asked: “How about this collar?” 

But her reaction was not even readable as she shook her hands swiftly in the air, “No, no! I can’t possibly try on a necklace made of diamonds!” he looked at her in disbelief as he placed the box back in its place. “You’re a weird one” he mouthed.

“Well, sorry but I can’t wear anything on my neck beside my-“ pendant she was about to say, but she couldn’t finish her sentence because he picked her hand in his and made her wear a ring. Her eyes went wide since he completely took her by surprise:

“Then try on something like this” he placed the ring in her middle finger but then clicked his tongue, thinking that it didn’t fit, so he pulled it and instead put it in her third finger, and it fitted perfectly.

People passing by couldn’t help but stare since that definitely looked like…

Her face shot up red, so red matching the color of the red ruby that decorated the ring. Yu Jin lifted his face and smiled:

“So, how is it?” she snatched her hand away from his and immediately started to pull the ring out. Yu Jin turned to the clerk who was smiling at the two of them as she watched them, and he asked:

“Please tell me how much does this ring cost.”  And the clerk smiled brightly “30 million won sir” and just hearing the number, Jang Mi jumped in utter shock, “3-3-30…” she choked on the air and she glanced at Yu Jin “B-But… this doesn’t want to… come off!”

********