“We cannot be together anymore”. Her eyes unwavering, she looked determined but if you looked closely, you could see the corners of her eyes glistening. The slight shaking of her hands was almost undetectable.

“Your father is right. I can never give you what your father can. And his displeasure over your choice of a life partner is not completely misplaced”. She tried to convince me. But I could hear the faint quiver in her voice.

On that hot summer day on 21^st May 1995, Amber was not wrong.

I was the daughter of Bae Yong-Joon. The Bae estates were legendary. My father was the 5^th generation chairman of Bae group of companies, which was into multiple lines of businesses like steel, textiles and education.

For the Bae’s, life was pretty simple and pre-defined…

We always went to big Ivy League schools.

We were always sophisticatedly dressed.

We always did the “right” thing.

… And most importantly, WE ALWAYS MARRIED RICH

Marriage in our family was not just the union of two souls; it was the amalgamation and strengthening the business community through familial ties. My mother, Mrs. Bae Soo-Jin was the daughter of Park Sang-Won, the biggest producer of wines in the country. The Park’s wines and vineyards were famous beyond national boundaries.

So when I went to Stanford Law School in 1993, my vision was clear – Get a law degree and join the family business. Eventually marry an alliance of my father’s choice and join the lineage of other women in my family who remained home makers, enjoyed their lavish lifestyle; threw extravagant parties with their husbands and probably, eventually work a charitable institution by giving out generous donations. Little did I know what I had in store the day I started school in August 1993.

—

Amber and I had nothing in common, except that we both studied at Stanford. She was a final year Engineering student. We met in MIS (Management Information Systems) class. I can still remember the first day when a tall, lanky boyish girl wearing faded jeans and a hoodie entered the class. She looked lost. She looked nothing like the people I knew. But even then, I could see a twinkle in her eyes.

She didn’t dress “right” by the Bae’s  standards. She laughed aloud if she was amused. She didn’t mind if I laughed too much. She didn’t blink an eyelid if I swore. And when I secretly wore a tank top and hot pants, completely forbidden in our house, the only thing she commented was “I looked hot”.

When I was with her, I discovered the side of my personality I didn’t know existed in me. Nothing I did or said was weird for Amber; and it was just a matter of time before I fell madly in love with her.

—

That Christmas, when I took Amber to meet my father, she looked visibly nervous. She had worn a formal suit for the first time. In that Chicago winter, I could see drops of sweat on her forehead. But she held her head high and tried to look comfortable.

“It’s going to be ok. Daddy is really nice”, I tried assuring her and gave her a hug. Her hands felt cold on my back. I knew the meeting would be far from pleasant.

“Sit down Ms. Liu”. We turned to see my father standing at the door. He was accompanied by my older sister, Irene. “Princess, please help your mother with her Christmas cake”, he said in a low voice.

“But daddy…” I started

“Now”, He said in a firm voice. He didn’t look at me as he sat in his leather recliner.

I gave a reassuring look to Amber as I walked out and closed the doors behind me. But I stood there, trying to listen to the conversation.

“So Ms. Liu, what do you do for a living?” my father had started the interrogation.

“I am a final year Computer engineering student Sir. I plan to…”

“I don’t care for your plans Ms. Liu”, my father interrupted. “What do your parents do?”

“My parents are divorced, Sir. My father is a mechanic at Sears”

“And your mom?”

“She’s a nanny”

“Hmmm…” Daddy took a long pause. From behind the doors, I could sense a tension in the room, in that eerie silence that followed.

“So Ms. Liu, how do you like our house? Irene, did you arrange for Ms. Liu  to have a tour of our estate?”

“No Father, but I’ll have it arranged”, Irene was polite albeit cold.

“You have a lovely house Mr. Bae”, Amber was getting uncomfortable. She always knew her lack lustre family would be a topic of discussion. But now, she was slowly getting suffocated. She could feel the cold disapproval of the Baes for our relationship and she couldn’t wait to leave.

The dinner table was not too warm either.

“Amber dear, try our turkey. I am sure it’s nothing like you’ve tasted before”, my mother chirped politely.

“It’s wonderful Mrs. Bae”. Every bite was an effort for Amber, but she bore a brave front, for me.

As we walked out to the door, we didn’t speak. But we knew that the coming days would not be easy.

—

The unpleasant conversations and confrontations continued over the next few months. Amber graduated and got a job with a top IT company. Father was far from impressed. ‘She didn’t belong to a good family. How can a child of divorced parents show any kind of marital responsibility? She’d run away at the first site of a clash’. He had many arguments. But I was firm.

And I was firm on that morning in May 1995, as Amber tried to convince me to break up. Our relationship was stronger than the bonds of heritage and money. Finally, we decided to get married against the wishes of my family. The day I left my parents’ house, I left my father a letter.

Dear Daddy,

I know my decision to leave our house for my love will make you extremely unhappy and probably even disappointed in me. But believe me, I am not making a mistake. Amber and I love each other and being together is the only thing that will make me happy.

And I promise you, with time, Amber will be everything you expected from an in-law. She will definitely give me all the luxuries that you have always given me. And when that day comes, I will come home again. And I also know, for the wonderful person that you are, you will welcome us with open arms. I love you and mum and unnie

And I did something which 5 generations of Bae women had not done…

I took up a job!!!

Daddy was angry beyond words to find me working in a local law firm as an assistant. But as always, his anger was expressed by a haunted silence. But I know my defiance had hurt him beyond words. I was his pet, his youngest daughter, the child he felt closest to. And I had disappointed him. Mother was different. She called me often… She cried often at my misfortune… She could never comprehend how I could choose someone so beneath “our standards”.

The first few years of our marriage were a struggle… financial and physical. But we were happy. Amber started her own company to manufacture mobile devices. People laughed at us. But I believed in her dreams. Weeks grew into months and months into years. Our efforts bore fruits. The mark of the new century brought us the good luck we deserved. Amber’s hard work paid off and her affordable and attractive devices grew to be more popular than the industry leaders. And slowly and steadily, we started becoming rich!

And today, as I am seated in this conference with the members of the ministry and industry, in a chair next to the Chief Guest, Mrs Amber Liu, I reflect over the last 2 decades, from where we started and what we have achieved. When I look at the woman speaking so elegantly on the podium, I still feel the same stir in my heart. In her sharp cut suit and greying hair, she still looked as charming. The twinkle in her eyes is still there. And each time I look at her, I fall in love all over again. I'm Bae Suzy, the first woman in my family to fight for the freedom of marrying the one I truly love and not just because of wealth.

The End

Guys!!! I made an update for all of you. Sorry it's a bit short. Thank you for my new subscribers. Take care all of you~~~

-IcePrinceJiel