Chapter 21

 

Upon arriving home that night, Jung-Hwa sent Sohyun to her room, warning her that those same men could come back anytime. It was for her daughter’s safety that she stays in her room.

 

Sohyun didn’t question Jung-Hwa. She wanted to be there for her mother and her father. She wanted to be strong and protect them but she didn’t want to get in her mother’s way either. She knew Jung-Hwa was frustrated and stressed out and did not want to add anymore on top of that.

 

Jung-Hwa poured another glass of wine with a shaky hand. She looked like a mess, maybe it was because she is a mess. She owed money and lot of it. Not only that but her husband is in the hospital and the bill was only piling up. Everything would’ve been fine if she hadn’t gamble all their money away.

 

A shriek left Jung-Hwa’s mouth as the door bell rang. She dropped the glass of wine in her hand and looked cautiously with wide eyes to the door. There was lump in . Her body remained in place, just staring at the door and she hoped that whoever it is behind that door would just leave.

 

Yet, her legs wandered over and carefully checked the peep hole to see that whoever it was had left. Her hand reached for the door knob slowly and she opened the door carefully looking out into the dark. Her eyes looked down and saw an envelope. She bent down quickly and picked it up before slamming the door and locking it.

 

She fingers tore at the envelope and opened up the letter that was folded inside. Written in black pen she read the letter silently in her head.

 

I want to help you. I can pay for my father’s hospital expenses. If you’re interested, meet me tomorrow at Namsam tower. We’ll meet at noon. Don’t be late.

 

Hyuna.

 

Just like that, Jung-Hwa sighed in relief. For the first time in the last two days she felt like she could get a good night’s rest.

 

Noon came sooner than expected but Jung-Hwa was anxious. Both her and Sohyun were waiting in the car and still there was so sign of Hyuna anywhere. Fifteen minutes passed and Sohyun could see the irritation growing on her mother’s face.

 

“She’ll be here,” Sohyun assured. “Hyuna wouldn’t drag us out here to lie to us.”

 

“She told us not to be late,” Jung-Hwa scoffed. She was about to say something else until she spotted a familiar face staring at her with a smirk.

 

Jung-Hwa was the first to get out of the car, followed by Sohyun who trailed behind slowly. Jung-Hwa stopped in front of Hyuna who only continued to smirk at her as her eyes pierced at both of them.

 

“Hyuna, you wanted to meet up to talk so don’t waste my time,” Jung-Hwa huffed. “Some of us are busy trying to save the people we love.”

 

“Hyuna, you asked us to come here because you said you can help dad get better?” Sohyun asked.

 

“Well, well, desperate guilty wife and innocent daughter, you’re both in a hurry?”

 

“Hyuna, you—”

 

“Shut up.” Jung-Hwa was taken back and Sohyun especially. She’s never seen or heard her sister speak in such a way. It scared her enough to keep quiet. “I am not Hyuna.” Confusion twisted in both mother and daughter’s faces. “Hi, I’m Kim Hyeona, second daughter of Kim Seungsung and twin of Kim Hyuna.”

 

Hyeona reached to her head and pulled off the long black wig she wore and from that her golden blonde locks fell and cascaded over her bare shoulders. Her infamous smirk curved once more on her red lips as she watched Sohyun and Jung-Hwa’s confused faces stare at her.

 

Both their eyes widened at the sudden and unexpected reveal. They couldn’t believe their eyes. But she was right there in front of them, they were both seeing her. Jung-Hwa and Sohyun circled Hyeona eyeing her from top to bottom. Hyeona, having enough of feeling like a caged animal, stepped forward and turned to face them both with a stern look.

 

“Surprised? Don’t be.”

 

“You’re identical twins,” Jung-Hwa said. “Everything about you two are exact except for your personalities.”

 

Hyeona scoffed, flipping her blonde locks over her shoulder. “Sorry, I wasn’t raised with riches like my sister. Or should I say sisters?” Her eyes glared at Sohyun, who shied away from Hyeona’s dark eyes.

 

“It’s nice to meet you, Hyeona,” Sohyun said cheerfully only to have her smile falter when Hyeona didn’t return the happiness.

 

“What do you want from us?” Jung-Hwa asked feeling her daughter’s uneasiness.

 

“Me?” Hyeona chuckled. “I want to help you. I thought about what you said. My father is in the hospital. He can’t die without meeting his daughter, right?”

 

Jung-Hwa looked down. As soon as the words “I want to help” came out of Hyeona’s mouth, she was willing to play whatever game Hyeona planned. Jung-Hwa looked back up to see the devious smirk growing on Hyeona’s face. She found it really hard now to believe it was Hyuna. This wasn’t her first encounter with Hyeona. Now she can definitely see and tell the difference.

 

“How can you help?”

 

“I can help pay for my father’s hospital expenses but on one condition.” Jung-Hwa’s ears perked up. She grew anxious waiting for Hyeona’s next words. She saw that Hyeona was no longer looking at her but at Sohyun. “Why don’t you leave the matter to adults, sweetie?” Hyeona waved for Sohyun to leave.

 

Sohyun hesitated and tried grabbing onto her mother’s hand but Jung-Hwa pushed her away. The movement caused a look of confusion that didn’t go by unnoticed by Hyeona.

 

“Let me discuss some matters with Seungsung’s daughter alone, Sohyun. Leave now.”

 

“But mom—”

 

“Wait in the car, Sohyun.” Her voice was demanding and it shook Sohyun to the core.

 

Sohyun obeyed, hurrying to the car before she angered her mother even more. She climbed in but watched through the window. Lips were moving but she didn’t know what they were saying. Hyeona looked satisfied from what Sohyun could tell. The conversation lasted about five minutes before Hyeona handed Jung-Hwa an envelope and walked away.

 

Jung-Hwa hurriedly stuffed the envelop into her purse and ran back to the car. Sohyun didn’t want to ask and she wasn’t going to but she couldn’t help but wonder what the words exchanged were. Her mother looked happy but why is there a heavy feeling in her heart that something good won’t come out of this.

 

***

 

Since the incident yesterday, Hyuna hasn’t been able to go back and see her father. She woke up early in the morning to try and see him before Jung-Hwa but Jiyong insisted that she wait for him and they’d both go together.

 

Jiyong was working from home. He stayed inside his office since this morning taking calls and going over important documents.

 

Hyuna spent the hours of sitting on their shared bed hugging her knees close to her chest and walking back and forth from Jiyong’s office only to stop at the door and hear his faint voice in the middle of a call. She promised to wait but she didn’t have much time and neither did her father.

 

Walking back to their shared bedroom, Hyuna could hear her phone ringing from the nightstand. Seeing the name on the caller I.D, Hyuna answered immediately.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Hyuna, your father is awake!” Jung-Hwa said excitedly. “I just got the call from the hospital. We should all go see him. He’d want to see his family there with him.”

 

“I’ll be there,” Hyuna said. “Thank you.”

 

Guilt washed over Hyuna but she needed to see her father and for Jiyong she could no longer wait. She left a note on the bed before having Teddy drive her to the hospital.

 

Hyuna hurried to the hospital room her father was in but when she got there, she was confused.

 

“Father?” Hyuna said. Her body moved closer to the bed where she reached for his cold hand. “Father, it’s me. It’s Hyuna.” Something didn’t seem right. Hyuna held her father’s hand tightly and forced a small smile while holding back her tears.

 

There was a nurse that was just entering and Hyuna quickly turned to her.

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Did he just fall asleep again?”

 

The nurse’s face showed confusion. She shook her head and made her way over. “Kim Seungsung,” she read the name on the clipboard. “He still hasn’t woken up yet. He’s only been in this state since he’s arrived.”

 

“Thank you,” Hyuna said looking back at her unconscious father. Why would Jung-Hwa lie to her? Her father didn’t wake up. Perhaps it was a mistake. Maybe Jung-Hwa heard wrong.

 

The door opened again and this time Jung-Hwa entered. Hyuna quickly stood up ready to question Jung-Hwa.

 

“My father never woke up,” Hyuna said. “I was just informed that all this time he still hasn’t waken.”

 

“It was their mistake,” Jung-Hwa said. “I’m just as surprised as you. Apparently, there’s another Kim Seungsung in this hospital that woke up and they contacted the wrong person about it. Me. I thought it was your father but I’m just as upset as you are right now.”

 

Jung-Hwa took Hyuna’s hands and gently held them. “He will be fine.”

 

Hyuna nodded, fighting the tears that were about to slip from her eyes. Jung-Hwa held onto one hand as she moved closer to look at Seungung and caress his face with her free hand. She kissed his forehead before smiling softly to Hyuna.

 

Then suddenly Hyuna felt a sting on her cheek and her head moving to the side with such force. She was taken back by Jung-Hwa’s slap. Her face contorted with confusion as she held onto her stinging cheek.

 

“I can’t believe you,” Jung-Hwa scoffed. She roughly brought her palm to Hyuna’s cheek again, this time the opposite side. The sound of the slap echoed in the small room.

 

“Wh—why?”

 

“You married Jiyong for money,” Jung-Hwa said. “You and your father are so greedy. The rich only want to stay rich. He just couldn’t stop his gambling addiction and needed his deceptive daughter to marry a CEO. Look at him now. Look what he’s done to this family because of his actions.”

 

Hyuna shook her head. “Stop speaking poorly about my father. He would never gamble.”

 

“Oh, protect him like the good daughter that you are Why don’t you tell Jiyong about the money you stole from the Kwon’s to pay for your father’s hospital bill. Just tell Jiyong the truth, you’re nothing but a sleeping around for money behind his back. That’s all you’re after.”

 

“I don’t understand why you’re acting like this or saying all these cruel things,” Hyuna said. “But none of these are true. You know I never wanted to marry Jiyong. I rejected the marriage proposal.”

 

Jung-Hwa snickered, “You only rejected because it was too much fun for you to have him chase after you. He was no match for all those other men you slept with. But he had money. That’s what your father needed. And Kim Hyuna does what her father says.”

 

The sound of a door slamming captured Hyuna’s attention. From the glass, she caught a glimpse of a blonde male storming away. Tears poured from her eyes and she ran out after her husband.

 

Jung-Hwa smirked but little did she know her husband’s open eyes were crying silent tears and he heard everything.

 

“Jiyong!” Hyuna cried. Her husband didn’t turn back once. His steps didn’t pick up but he continued walking away from her. “Jiyong, please listen to me! It’s not true!” Jiyong wouldn’t stop to listen. He didn’t want hear any of it. Hyuna caught up to him and grabbed his arm, clinging onto him desperately but he pulled away harshly. “Jiyong, please listen to me!”

 

Hyuna ran in front of Jiiyong and fell to her knees, bowing. She sobbed on the ground at his feet. She wasn’t ashamed or humiliated to be see like this as long as she was able to explain. She wanted to prove her innocence. She wanted Jiyong to believe her.

 

“You…” the anger in his voice sent shivers down Hyuna’s spine.

 

“It’s not true!” Hyuna sobbed. “Please, Jiyong. I didn’t marry you for money. I am not seeing anyone else nor did I steal money from you.”

 

Jiyong bent down to Hyuna’s level and gripped onto her chin roughly. He forced her to look up at him with her teary eyes meeting his dark, angry eyes.

 

“It makes perfect sense to me,” he spat out. “You changed your mind so suddenly, I remember. You rejected me but later agreed to our marriage. If it wasn’t for money, what was it for?! I know you don’t ing love me! If you want money, just ask! Don’t sleep around for it! It ruins my family’s reputation to know that Kwon Enterprise’s CEO is married to a .”

 

Jiyong stood up and pulled out his wallet from his pocket. He opened it up and threw out every won in his wallet. The bills flew over head of Hyuna and she cried watching them as they fell and scattered all over the floor.

 

“Is this enough for what happened in Paris?”

 

Hyuna slowly stood up. She couldn’t look Jiyong in the eyes anymore. How? How could he not believe her? Hyuna wiped her tears away with the back of her hand and started to walk away.

 

Jiyong quickly pulled her back. His hands cupped her face and he looked into her eyes. “Is this not enough? How much do you want so you don’t have to go back to any of those guys? Don’t tarnish the Kwon name.”

 

Hyuna’s hands slowly tore Jiyong’s hands from her face. She gritted her teeth, hating herself for what she was about to say. “If it’s my body, those men don’t even have to pay me. But you, you can pay me with your life. I won’t tarnish your family’s name because you already tarnished it yourself.”

 

Hyuna turned back and ran off.

 

Jiyong watched as his wife left him standing alone. He counted every step Hyuna took as she ran from him. He bit the inside of his cheek and balled his fist up. His body was shaking with anger but most of all he was hurt. The tears fell from his eyes and he found himself sobbing on the hospital floor.

 

Hyeona watched from behind the pillar. She saw everything. She heard everything. A smile curved on her red lips.

 

“I love you, Jiyong. We will be together again. I promise.”

 

 

 

A/N: Not edited. I know I said I was gonna take a break but life has to go on. I am still heartbroken but time will heal even if it takes forever. School will start again soon and I don’t know how often I’ll update.