Mrs park, who used the emergency key to get into Hyeon's house, which they both agreed to meet in, was early, as always. Hyeon’s house, which she was beyond lucky to get, sat at a pleasant hill in a quiet residential neighborhood that was a nice walk away from her favorite open market. Her old neighborhood, which she had promised never to leave, was within walking distance. Although it doesn't look anything like the neighborhood she grew up in, she still enjoyed walking around the roads, zoning out the construction sounds, and reminiscing about the old town she has a hard time leaving. If she were in therapy, like Jessica has been saying she should, she would have recognized why she has a hard time meeting go.

The two-story house she and Jessica rented was seen as a “ miracle’ by all that visited it. Hyeon's endless connections had finally paid off as she got to take over a rent-controlled lease of a beautiful house that had a small backyard and a rooftop. The two-story house, which doesn't look that enticing from the street view, was a beautiful home last the front gate. The lovely Sundays that bless it early in the morning and evening, the beautifully kept backyard, and the fantastic rooftop it was rare find. Everybody who visited knew hymen deserved the small pocket of heaven hidden away in this town. Jessica had direct access to the kitchen and backyard and chose to be on one bottom floor while hyeon took the quiet top floor. With her aesthetic talent, she was the one tasked with decorating the kitchen. Living room, dining area on the bottom floor along with her bedroom. She was also tasked with decorating the top floor, which had hyeon’s bedroom and office. The only thing Jessica regrets about not having the top floor was the beautiful bathroom with the bathtub, but she was the only one using it as hyeon hadn't even tried once.

“ These girls,” Mrs park complained as she opened the door and walked into the dar living room. She had, millions of times, told them to make sure to open the window and let some sunlight and air in every time they leave, but no. They still hadn't learned to listen to her small advice as she was welcomed by a dark room that still smelled like the coffee they made when they rushed out in the morning. Her memory of the room guiding her slowly stepping legs, she walked to the window and started opening it. The beautiful sunlight that started coming in was golden, as the sun had an hour or two before she set. Her bag was placed on the ouch along with her coat; she headed to the kitchen. The meals she had prepared and delivered two days ago should be halfway done by now. With nothing to do, she had decided to cook a fresh dinner which she knew neither of them was going to do.

The tv to her favorite channel; Mrs park had picked up her apron and kitchen shoes that stayed in her cabinet to start her cooking. Considering how much she visits and cooks, it was only right to assign her space thought out the whole house to leave her stuff. She even has her pls and skin care left in the guest room, which she frequently uses. Although hyeon had called and left a message saying she wanted to see her, as usual, she knew they wouldn’t be home until late at night. It’s around 6 pm now, and Mrs park through she had a good two or so hours to prepare, but no

“ Are you cooking?” Hyeon's loud voice from the door startled Mrs park, who wasn’t expecting the girl to show up earlier than she thought

“ We already have enough food in the fridge. We don’t need” Taking her shoes off after dropping down the three bags she was carrying, hyeon went on complaining. She knew it was no use; cooking for other people is Mrs park's love language and something she enjoys, and there was no use in complaining after Mrs park is halfway done.

“ You are very early today. What happened?” Mrs park did not lift her attention from the knife and tomatoes she was chopping asked. The small sound hyeon was making as she took off her coat and started relaxing told her all she needed to know about the type of day she had. Why this girl always looks disheveled and tired is beyond Mrs park. The break everybody jas been telling her to take, she has heard for Jessica, that it has been being pushed for years. Her coat off her body and hanger on the rack, Mrs park's attention for a second went to Hyeon's slender figure, which was not flattered by the black can't suit and dress shirt she had on.

“ I told you, I wanted to meet you” Hyeon threw her phone across the dining table and headed to the fridge. She needs a cold drink.

“ what is going on with your hair” Mrs park started her observations and commentary from the top.

“ I had a stressful day” hyeon brushed her hair back as she pulled out the apple juice, defending her disoriented look.

“It's not just that. You need a haircut and new color," Mrs park repeated her comment from weeks ago. She has been egging hyeon to get a haircut to make it easier to manage daily and to try a new color for a change.

“ and look at your shirt” she pointed at the unmatched buttons with the sharp knife.

“it doesn’t matter. Can you put the knife down for a while” hyeon returning the apple juice back to the fridge after pouring a full cup, started walking to the bags she dropped by the door.

“ I have to finish the tomatoes.”

“ just put it down for a second. Also, how are you feeling?” hyeon bent down to pick up her bag asked. The photos she had printed out sitting in the leather document folder were her target.

“ what are you up to?” Mrs park didn’t even take anything hyeon was sayings seriously as she went on chopping.

“ How are you feeling physically?” hyeon, returning to the dining area, asked. The folder in her hands placed on the dinner table, she took a seat, and her eyes zoomed on ms park across the dining room, by the counter, chopping the tomatoes.

“ You were in a hospital weeks ago, so I am just asking?” Looking at Mrs park is when it even registered to hyeon that what she's about to do might just trigger another emotional breakdown. What happens if Mrs park faints again? What happens if she is not ready to have this conversation? Why is hyeon even doing this? And all the questions hyeon had were silenced by Jessica's voice that rang in her ear. “ there is no way that is true” Jessica had shut it all down. “ There is no way she is his mother. Maybe she had a thing with the dad. He is a playboy” Jessica talked about all the women the dad had dated that circulated around the 10th and 11th floor. It wasn’t new for the dad to mess with women who worked for him; it was kind of a known fact. Jessica, even tho she deemed it impossible, gave it a 1 % chance that Mrs park could have been one of the Ceo's women but no chance in hell that she was Jae's mom.

“ I am good. I told you about it check io days ago, the doctor said am fine" she reminded hyeon of the nice conversation they had last Saturday morning on their usual trip to the open market.

" Actually, the whole house went to the park this morning. We had our exercise, and all” Mrs park had thought Hyeon's concern was about her day-to-day health and started going about how she takes care of her health.

“ can you put that down for a second and come sit “ Hyeon is still not even 10% sure she should ask.

“ This is important,” She added. Mrs park, finally putting the knife down and turning the heat low, started walking to the dining table.

“ What is it about?” she pulled the chair right in front of hyeon and sat down.

“ I am about to ask really personal questions, so I want to know how you are feeling and if you’re okay before I start?” Hyeon focusing on her orange juice, asked. There was no easy way she could start this conversation. No small talk to lead to a reveal she knows will shock .Mrs Park to her core. There is no sugar coating it. It was better to get straight to the point.

“ What is this about?” now a little bit worried, Mrs park asked. Hyeon’s nervous hands and honest eyes were warning her whatever the topic was; it was going to be a difficult one.

“ It’s about your past and what happened in the building when you fainted.”

“ you’re still on that. I seriously don’t remember what happened?”

“ I know. I know” her hands from the cup went to the leather folder.

“ I wanted to show

“ I wanted to show you,” her hands tightly holding to the folder hyeon started suturing. Maybe Jessica was right; this was ridiculous for her to be doing. If she was right, this was too emotional tasking to do as well.

“ I am not sure if this is the right thing to do” as she flipped the folder open, she started nervously talking.

“ But I wanted to ask.”

“ If you know this man?” she asked as she flipped the photo of the CEO from 20 years ago. Thankfully it was easy to find one from the endless press he had in his heyday. Her nervous hands folded, hyeon sat back as Mrs park pulled the photo to her side of the table.

All the nonsense she had received from Jessica about her hypothesis was eliminated in seconds as she saw the look on Mrs park's face change in seconds. The color and light in her face, Mrs park was known for, was drained out as she turned ghost white. Her scared eyes stuck on the smile of the CEO, Mrs park didn’t even look like she was breathing. Her body was frozen in time.

“ How did

“ How did

“ How did you find

“ where did you get this?” Mrs park's voice turned to a whisperer.

“ where did you get this?” she asked again, raising her fear and tear-filled eyes to hyeon

“ This is the ceo of Jk corporations,” Hyeon still trying to figure out what she is going to do if Mr park faints, responded. There was no denying that Mrs park definitely knows this man but the shock on her face as she heard his position, was enough for hyeon to know that Mrs park doesn’t have that much information about who this man was.

“OMG,” the first tears that started falling down Mrs park's eyes were welcomed by her shaking hands that covered her face.

“ sorry“ Hyeon still not sure to navigate the space, pulled her chair closer to Mrs park and started rubbing her back. The shaking body under her hand didn’t seem like it was ready to handle what was happening.

“ My GOD” Mrs park, quickly brushing her tears, whispered. Her body that shut down the first time she saw the man was able to handle the emotions erupting this time.

“ I just need . ..” her blurry eyes focused on the photo on the table as her visibly shaking hands started racing from the more recent photos of the Ceo.

“ a minute “ she added as she started taking deep breaths while her blurry eyes started scanning the man in the photo. No matter how old he looked, there was no way she would forget those dark eyes that were the cause of the darkest point of her life.

“ I will turn” hyeon left the table and headed to the kitchen. The stove that was was her target as she turned it all off. On her way, she got Mrs park a cup of coconut water she always enjoys.

“ He is

“ He is alive ” Mrs park who had pulled more photos from the folder commented at the most recent photo. Thirty years, 30 years of pain and anger, and here it was. The person she hated the most, even more than the devil itself, has finally been reviled as alive. Not just alive but a CEO. The shock her body process was quickly switched off to pain, which she thought she would feel across her body but there was little to none. It was just shock and total dismay that the man was alive.

“ is it him?” hyeon, who needed a clear answer that the man is Mrs park's horrifying stories were the same as the CEO asked, Her curious eyes stayed on Mrs park’s silent tears as the lady sat back, her socked and faking hands covering her face. She was still in shock.

“ My God,” Mrs park repeated as she started taking more deep breaths to calm her rapidly beating heart down. The doctor had suggested

“ Yes, that’s him” Mrs park’s shaking left index finger pointed at the photos spread across the left corner of the table. As she said it out loud, the reality hit right at its target. The many wishes she had asked for the universe to punish him for what he did were not answered. Neither was her wish to have him punished by death as he was breathing and walking. Not just breathing and still alive ut living Good and enjoying the most of what this world had to offer.