A/N: HEY CHINGUS! DROPPING A SHORT UPDATE FOR ALL OF YOU!

I will finish this story with 5 more chapters left. 

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JESSICA’S POV

December, 2006

LOTTE Hotel Grand Ballroom

“The prestigious Businessman of the Year Award goes to... the Chairman of the Gong-JJL Holdings! Mister Liu Hangeng!” 

Deepening applause can be heard inside the vast hotel reception hall. Uncle Hangeng bowed to the crowd of businessmen around him before making his way on the stage to get his award. I took a glance at Dad beside me while clapping my hands and saw him taking a deep breath looking away. Another year, another award loss.

I don’t even know why he takes this kind of things seriously. He is one of the best businessman in Korea, one of the Top 5. There are other things to do than be obsessed with that award. Maybe Uncle Hangeng is right, its all about the bragging rights and privilege.

While the crowd are busy clapping their hands to the winner, Dad stood up from his seat. I followed his back and saw him going out of the hotel ballroom with his head up. Some guests greeting him that he answered with a nod. His secretary trailing behind him and two of his guards. I know where he will be heading…

He started to bring me in this kind of ceremonies two years ago. He said its for the other companies to know who will be the next leader of our empire and to make connections. I did made connections… plus Jackie is always present like tonight. She sent me a message earlier after Dad and I were already seated on our table telling me she’ll see me later at the bar by the lobby.

I mingled with the crowd taking their greetings and bows. Being a Jung gives me the entitlement of being respected not because I am a woman but because I am the future of our empire. An empire that for the first time will have its female leader when the time comes it will be handed on me by my Father and the Board. Its going to be hard, I know. Especially in this country and this field that sees women as the weakest specie. I’m here to prove them wrong.

But still, it won’t be handed to me that easily. That is why I am training on the company, learning everything I needed to know because once I finish my Business course the next step is a Masteral Degree. That will take me around 2 to 3 years to finish before claiming my seat in the company, I’ll probably start in the bottom I bet. Its okay though, every effective leader starts at the bottom of the food chain.

Bottom or middle, in the end I will still be on top.

That kind of sounded so… hmmm.

“Miss Jung! You look so lovely tonight!”

“A young intelligent and beautiful woman like you should never be alone in events like this! I have a son that is studying in Yale maybe you would like to meet him?” Oh God. A Father fishing for a wife to give his privilege Ivy League son. I smiled at the man whom I remember seeing on TV last month because of his cheating scandal involving a model. Big rounded belly and face, short like that Penguin nemesis of Batman. Poor model, she must have been crushed to death faking her below him.   

A waiter passed by holding a tray of Champagne glasses. Our eyes met and he wriggled his eyebrows at me his eyes making an impression that I must be bored with all the shenanigans these old businessmen do. I just gave him an eyesmile and took a glass of the bubbly drink from his tray. He looked down but I saw the tug at the side of his lips. Oh… dimples. Cute. Tall… Nice. Broad shoulders… hmm. He’s actually very attractive. Too attractive to be serving drinks in a hotel but of course, the hospitality industry hires guys like him for a good image.

I shook my head a little and took a sip of the Dom Perignon eyeing the crowd and not listening to the businessman narrating to me about his son. Is there any hot girls out there besides me and Jackie? Maybe at the bar later…

Ugh. I hate being a Panual. Why can’t I just focus on one specie?! Why do I have to be attracted to both?!

Because both species are precious for you.

“Please tell Chairman Jung that even if he didn’t get the award he still is the best for us!” I almost produce a sneer hearing it from those leeches. This middle-age Director looking man who shook Uncle Hangeng’s hand earlier with a very wide smile on his face. People like him makes the business world chaotic.

“Thank you Mister… Park.” I almost forgot who he is. I saw Jackie waving her bag at me by the door of the ballroom. I smiled sweetly at Mister Park and bowed “If you’ll excuse me, my Father is calling for me. Have a good evening…”

I made my way to Jackie and saw the cute waiter again serving Champagne. Our eyes met again and he gave me his bedimpled smile again that got me feel giddy. Oh well… no harm in flirting a little. I’m officially single, my ex won’t take me anyway.

“Girl! What was that?!”  I rolled my eyes in a playful manner as I reach Jackie and took her arm clinging on it like a kid to her Mom.

“Nothing~…” both of us giggled and made our way outside the ballroom.

We went straight to the hotel lounge and sat on the stool in front of the bartender ordering Margarita for Jackie and Martini for me. This will be a great night!  

“Uncle Hangeng won again!”

“I know… tsss… adding pressure on me.”

“At least its not the pressure of meeting potential husbands!”

“Uggh. That, I don’t like.” we made a toast laughing together. The life of being a daughter in this country and high society whose old learning still exist. I am not going to wonder if Dad also has a portfolio of chaebols that he deems as potential husband for me on top of his study desk. If Soojung has, like what she said she saw, then definitely I also have mine.

We were having a chat about school and stuffs, about her being an aual. Jackie and I go way back High School days so I know all about her and she knows all about me. We were not in the same class but we hang out together since both of us were Student Council members and members of all the Clubs you can name off.

“Wait, don’t tell me you didn’t feel anything ual that time when Kevin of the Baseball team took his shirt off in front of you, in the field, in a middle of a game, just to show his 6 pack abs!?”

“Jess, it was blank. I tried to, he’s so cute and all… but no ual attraction whatsoever. I’m like a tree bark not having an expression that time. I hate it.”

“My God! Some even had nosebleeds! While you just stared at that glorious body and yelled ‘Pneumonia is a disease that will take you down if you continue that!’ I cackled!” hahaha! It was really hilarious that time. This Kevin guy, tall, blue eyes, tousled brown hair, with abs and arms to die for tried to get Jackie’s attention. Jackie just flat out straight yelled him that line hahaha!

She took a sip of her fourth Margarita for tonight and snorted at me. “If I know, you like him too~..”

“Hahaha! No way! Remember? I was with Yuri then? Yoona was the one attracted to him but that friend of ours is too shy.” mentioning Yuri somehow made the atmosphere quiet. I swirled the martini glass looking on the piece of olive inside.

It has been months since we last saw each other. When I call her it always goes to her voice mail. Yoona said Yuri was busy with school and family matters. Her Grandma who lives in California passed away a month ago leaving a huge family fortune that their family will divide. Yuri’s Father was the only child left so its him who has the sole right to inherit it all. According to Yoona there was a special order from Yuri’s Grandma, she left her with a property and money that she can use for the rest of her life. That is the reason why she and her Father are having a stand off until now, her Father wants it but of course knowing Yuri she will not give it up. Her Father is a businessman too, not in my Father’s level though. But he is a known womanizer and gambler. Yuri was 5 when her Mom died and was left in the care of her Grandma in Cali, then moved here to Korea when she was 10. His Dad remarried when she was 15 but her Step Mother was not treating her good, even tried to seduce her! I was controlling not to burst in anger when she was telling the story before.

Even though her family is like that, her Grandmother always tells her to be humble and kind. Not let the problem of their family affect her in what she wants to achieve in life. Her goals in life are simple but hard enough for me to achieve.

“What’s with Yuri and you now?” she ask.

“Blurry… blurry like water with mud. The last time we met it ended up again in a quarrel telling me I don’t really love her. She said all these years she’s still my dirty little secret.” I hate it because its true.

“NO reconciliation?”

“We only reconciliate when both of us are insane and intoxicated, the morning after it goes down the drain.”

“Aren’t you tired with all of that Jess? Why don’t you find someone new?”

Someone new… i took the toothpick with an olive from my empty Martini glass bringing it to my mouth, tasting the saltiness spreading on my tongue. My new friend Taeyeon’s face playing on my mind.

But Taeyeon is too kind… I don’t want her to be entangled in this spiderweb life of mine. Its better to keep her as a close confidante… someone I can talk to when no one wants to hear my bulls. Someone simple.

I don’t want to hurt her. Because I don’t want to enter a relationship that my Father will not approve, plus the fact that whatever happens… Yuri is still the person my heart wants.

I sighed and just answered Jackie with a wistful smile. She understood what it meant and held her glass for a toast.

We continued our chat and drinking spree, the momentary dark cloud that loomed over me gone when I had my sixth glass of Martini. Jackie was talking about seeing Soojung and Amber kissing at their garden while lazying on the hammock under the rain. Tsss… those two romantics…

“It was just a drizzle but those two made it look like they are under a beautiful love rain. So I took the garden hose and placed it in a shower mode then Mom switch On the water and it became a water fest. Hahaha!!! Amber was so surprised she fell down from the hammock! My stupid sister was glaring at me! While Soojung was laughing non-stop and even enjoyed the water.” Typical Soojung who likes stuffs like that. Even a snowfall makes her happy.

I’m happy and at the same time envy Soojung. She can do what she wants and love who she wants even though our Father does not approve of the person. Even though she and Dad are not talking for months since she and Amber became official. I wonder what else would she give up just for this crazy young love she and Amber have?

I was laughing and shaking my head when at the corner of my eye I saw my Father and Uncle Hangeng going inside the elevator. Just the two of them no assistants or guards around. Hmmm… where are they going?

“Jack, I saw Dad and your Dad entering the elevator.”

“Really?” she turned her head around and saw the elevator door closing. “Oh… yeah they did. I wonder what’s cooking…”

“Maybe they will talk about business?” I shrugged as an answer. Can’t it wait until tomorrow?

“Whatever they will talk about tonight, I hope its not monkey business.”

I nodded at her and took one last glance at the elevator having a slightly bad feeling with what I saw.

I hope its business… not some foolish thing like breaking up the two.

"Congratulations Chairman Liu. You won..." The head of the Jung empire said while pouring whiskey on his glass. Mister Liu stood by the glass window of the Suite they 'borrowed' for a while looking at the bright lights of the city.

When he ask Chairman Jung for a private chat earlier, all he wanted to tell him is to stop the non-sense agreement they have. His conscience cannot take it, the pressure his wife always gives him everyday.

And he can’t also take the heavy feeling inside him whenever he will see his youngest daughter looking so happy with the younger Jung. Thinking that one day, if he lose in their foolish agreement, his daughter will despise him for being the person who took her happiness. He simply can’t take it… he can’t.

He loves Amber so much, his youngest daug