Twentyfourth

Old Blood New Money
Please Subscribe to read the full chapter

You know how when a bomb goes off, your hearing explodes and all you can hear is a high pitched scream?

You’re so disoriented, your visions white, your balance off, that you just stumble around until it fades away?

That was what this very moment felt like.

“I don’t understand.”

Her CEO sighed as he set his coffee mug down, “We’re letting you go. The investigation is inconclusive but we found enough to indicate you’ve been negligent.”

“No. This is rash. I can make the money back up. I’ll find new investors, you don’t need to resort to this.” Heiran begged. 

He shook his head, “I’m sorry. There’s no negotiating this. You’re lucky the only thing you’re getting is a nice severance package. Samsung wanted to sue but they agreed to back off if we let you go. We were hesitant at first but the investigation was enough to prove that we needed to do it.”

“What did the investigation prove exactly?” She asked.

“That you’ve ignored Samsung’s multiple requests to get in touch, that you’ve been out of the office, that you’ve threatened the other executives, that you offered no guidance when SmartLogic negotiated on their own, it’s a long list Heiran. I—I’m at a loss right now. All this time I thought you were someone with integrity and dedication, you used to be so hardworking and diligent. I wanted you to one day take over my position because I saw so much in you. I was priming you for that, but I’m so disappointed with you right now.” He said with a long sigh. "I feel let down. Fooled into thinking that you could handle yourself on your own."

Her hands begun shaking and the urge to cry and throw a fit was growing. “I’m sorry, please, please reconsider. I’ve done so much good for this company. So much growth just from my department alone. You can’t just forget all of that over this one mistake. Let me fix it. I know I can. I just need a second chance. I'm begging you.”

“Heiran, the Samsung deal is worth more than everything you brought in for us. You lost it all in one deal. We might have to lay people off and downsize your department now because of it. Are you going to take responsibility for all those careers and their families?” He barked. 

She shrank under his glare, unfamiliar with hearing that tone directed at her, “N-no.”

He massaged his temples, “I don’t know where you went wrong, Heiran. I don’t know if it’s something happening at home or if you’re just burnt out, but you used to be untouchable. People were scared to even look you in the eye. But now it’s like you’ve become small and weak and all the things you used to swear you’d never be. I feel as though I don't even recognize you.”

She winced at each of his words. Although they were true, they completely lacked the context of what her life had now become. Being overrun by her father and her ex who threatened everything that was precious to her, things weren’t easy. It wasn’t fair to be expected to stay strong through all of that. 

“Sir—“

“Pack your things up and go. You have two weeks, but I don’t want you here.” He muttered, turning his chair to face away from her.

She stayed seated for an entire minute before slowly pushing herself out of her seat and stumbling to her office. The bomb had gone off and as she packed her things in boxes that were already set up, she barely acknowledged Eun crying. There was just a high pitched ringing in her ears as her hands moved on auto-pilot as if her palms were prepared for clearing out her office. 

There was just too much debris, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to patch everything back up.

All she’d have were the broken pieces.

-----

With her entire career packed up in the back of her car, taking up an embarrassingly small amount of space despite the years she had spent building a legacy, Heiran left her office and drove straight to GOT7’s headquarters while her anger continued to overflow. 

She rammed her car over the gates, unbothered to how it smashed the front of her car before storming out and pounding her fists against the door.

“Open the door, you motherers!” She screamed, her fists flying, “I know you’re in there! Stop ignoring me and face me, cowards!”

Her fists were beginning to throb when the door finally opened. She stumbled forward, panting as she stared at a man she didn’t recognize. He blinked at her before his eyes widened a fraction, “You’re Heiran.”

She huffed, pushing past him before storming through the building. She had only been here once before but she knew exactly where to go to find her father’s office. She had put up with a lot ever since he showed up in front of her, throwing her life into a total catastrophe.

No matter how angry she was, she always tried to hold back, keeping her emotions inside, but not anymore. Not when he ruined everything about her life with complete disregard. She had enough, enough with compromise, enough with trying, enough with being the bigger and better person. 

She was angry.  

And she wanted him to know.

-----

“Good. I know it was hard but it had to be done. I’ll send a shipment your way by the end of the day. Thanks.”

Mark watched as his Boss hung up before speaking, “What was that?”

“Not important. How’s the marriage going?” He asked. 

Mark shrugged, avoiding eye contact, “Okay, I guess. They don’t really interact much so her life is pretty much unchan—“

“I’ll kill you!”

He stiffened at Heiran’s scream and turned to see her barge in. He frowned, eyeing her father before looking at her. He immediately saw her bloodshot eyes, flushed face, and utter rage burning through her. 

And he had no idea why. 

His Boss looked equally stunned at her outburst, “Pumpkin?”

“ you.” She barked. “You ruined everything! You took away my life. My safety. Almost my child. And now my job. Everything I worked for. Everything I sacrificed for. Everything important to me.”

Mark felt his heart sink, “Your job? Did you get fired?”

She ignored Mark and just glared at her father, “It was all because of you. If it wasn’t for your fake company, I wouldn’t have had to ruin the merger, I wouldn’t have had to cost my company millions and I would’ve have had to been fired!”

She growled and ran at her father, arms outstretched for his neck, but Mark was quick to intervene, stepping in front of her while holding her wrists, “Don’t do this, Heiran. Just talk to us.”

Heiran ripped her hands out of his hold and stepped back, panting. Her father finally recovered from her abrupt entrance and quickly walked around his desk to her, “I’m so sorry, pumpkin, I didn’t think they’d ever fire you, but I’m sure someone as distinguished and qualified as you can find an even better job in seconds.”

“Not if they blacklist me. Everyone’s going to know that I’m the person that blew up one of the biggest deals of the year. No one will want such a huge liability in their company and it’s not like my  old boss is going to give me a glowing recommendation now.” She spat, furious tears leaking down the sides of her face.

He gulped, scrambling for something, “I’m sure you have enough money saved for you and Lucy until you find another job.”

“What if they sue me?” She asked, trembling, “Samsung is a huge corporation and they lost millions because of me. They said they wouldn’t sue me but who knows? I could lose everything. Every penny I worked for, Lucy’s tuition, money for her wedding, her first house, first car, all of it.”

He hung his head, at a loss, “I never meant for any of this to happen.”

She scoffed, “Yeah but you’re all fine, aren’t you? I lost my job, I’m a single parent and I don’t have any income. I could lose everything but you haven’t lost a single thing. You spent years making money off of my back, lining your pockets and now that I’ve become disposable, you tell me you're sorry but your bank accounts are still fine. You still have money coming in.”

She turned to gaze to land on Mark, “All of you.”

His eyes widened, his parting at her implication. “Duch—“

“You get paid off of the money that my company helped you clean. Your fancy apartment is partly paid for because of me and now I’ve lost my job because of it.” Her words came out as a whisper but the pain and hatred was still heavy, wiping the room into a pregnant pause. 

She stepped away from Mark, “I thought…I thought I could be okay with all of this. That maybe I could make peace with the you’ve done, but this…losing everything, having it all taken away from me. It’s not worth it. It’s not worth anything you could ever offer me.”

He knew that although it sounded like she was talking about GOT7 as a whole and her father, that she was really talking about him. His throat dried and his stomach plummeted at what she was saying. That she was trying to be okay with his life and his crimes, that she wanted to accept him and for a moment, she considered that any conflict she might have with his job was worth whatever relationship they could share. 

Loving him would’ve been worth all the other . 

Would’ve.

Not anymore. 

Now, he was nothing but someone who benefitted off of her father lying and using her. Someone who put her in the precarious position to start with. 

And now, she wanted nothing to do with him or her father. 

Knowing that she could've been in a place where she was willing to feel something for him, , it made him take back all the doubts and denials of that being possible. He wanted that now. He wanted all of that, but this was just proof that everything that used to scare him was true. 

He could only hurt people.

“Heiran…” It came out more like a beg crossed with an apology. 

She shook her head and looked at her father, “I hate you, I hate you all so much. This job wasn’t just a paycheque, it was my dream. I could’ve been the ing CEO one day. I slaved away to get to where I am and now I have nothing and it’s all because of something I didn’t even do. It's all because of you. I beat all the odds to get where I am but my worthless deadbeat father took that away from me."

“Pumpkin, please, I can fix this, I can make it up to you.” He pleaded. 

She took another step back, her anger, as quickly as it took over her, had drained out of her system and was now replaced with sadness and fatigue. 

“I don’t want anything to do with you. You got what you wanted. SmartLogic is no longer working with us, Samsung isn’t going to be sniffing around, all your dirty money is safe. So leave me alone.” She muttered, turning on her heel. 

Mark grabbed her arm gently, pulling her back, “Wait, let me drive you home.”

“No.” She hissed, ripping her arm back, “When I said that I’m done, I meant with all of you. I don’t need your protection or your attention. Leave me the alone.” 

Mark staggered back like he had been slapped and watched her stalk out of the room. When her father made no move to chase after her, he did.

-----

“Stop. Please stop.” Mark wheezed out as he caught up with Heiran who was standing by her car. 

She shot him a glare, “I made myself clear.”

“I know.” He panted out, “And you’re right to be mad at me, everything you said was true. Your father may have orchestrated this all, but we all benefitted from it. But you can’t just cut me out of your life.”

She levelled her gaze at him, the same look she’d give the pathetic snivelling men who tried to drag her down, “Yes I can. I’m the person who made Jaebum agree to let you stay around me in the first place. Not because I wanted you to protect me but because I wanted you around because you made me feel safe. But I don’t feel safe anymore. I feel used. I hate you for that."

He flinched before reaching to touch her cheek but she just turned her face, her lip quivering, “There’s nothing for you to protect me from anymore and if there is, I’m married now, thanks to your Boss, I guess I’ll just go to my husband for help.”

That burned. 

He stepped closer so that he was in her space without a single inch of himself touching her except for his heat, “Don’t.” He whispered, “Don’t go to him. Please. Don’t push me away.”

“Why?” She muttered, “You want to sleep with me again? An extra perk of the job?”

“ you.” He said with no venom, “You know it was never like that. I like you, I made that clear. Even if you hate me, I need to know you’re safe. And as someone who would do anything for you, the thought of you going to Jaebum is killing me.”

She laughed dryly, she was basically pinned against her car even though he wasn’t caging her in, “The only reason he’s back in my life is because of GOT7, it’s not my fault that it kills you. How the hell do you think I feel?”

“How do you feel?” He asked.

She smiled wryly, “I feel like an idiot for not seeing the bigger picture despite knowing since day one that I should've stayed away from you. I'm a moron for falling for you, for letting you into mine and Lucy’s life, all of it. I feel angry that I felt safest around you and now I’m jobless with a husband I barely know. I feel a lot of things, Mark.”

His breathing was heavy as he stared into her eyes, wishing she could read everything he was too much of a coward to say out loud. Honestly, even if he was able to say any of it, it wouldn’t change her mind. 

“You matter to me.” He breathed out, “So much it doesn’t make sense. So much that it puts me on edge. I don’t know, I can’t think straight around you. It’s terrifying but what’s worse is knowing that every ing day my job, my gang, ruins your life. I’m so sorry for that.”

Tears finally fell down her face before she turned her head up to the sky, “That’s not fair. You don’t get to say this now.”

“I know.” He said softly, finally touching her to wipe the tears off her face, “I know, I’m sorry. I’m just saying that I’ll give you what you want. I’ll give you space, I’ll stay away, but please don’t think it’s because I f

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter
Like this story? Give it an Upvote!
Thank you!
loviet
extra early update coming in 5.5hrs!

Comments

You must be logged in to comment
tonnettie
#1
Chapter 38: Going over the story, it’s just so twisted, I mean you don’t expect a story to twist and turn is so many ways. One moment you would feel that you have it figured out. But lo and behold, you’ll just get blow off your seat cause there’s another bomb. This is such a masterpiece
mizzinformation #2
Chapter 38: I enjoyed each and every chapter. I rarely read got7 fics… this is really good. Thanks for sharing this!
lovekji #3
Chapter 38: I dont know what to say but this storyline is soooo good. You are amazing author-nim
stars0514 #4
Chapter 38: Finished this story in 2 days because I was so hooked. The plot was well made, the twists were woven in well. Am very impressed. One of my favorite stories ever. Thank you!
neutron97
#5
Chapter 24: Dammmniittt.. I hate her father sooo much. Such a useless person
cityofgalaxy
#6
Chapter 14: god, mark is such a softie and lucy is such a sweetheart
moonlight12
#7
Chapter 38: It's been a while since I've been so hooked in a story in AFF. I just found this story on friday night and finished reading it in 2 days! I've read some of your stories, and each of them has a different feeling, but this one just went straight to the heart, there were a lot of lines in this story that got to me. So saying "this is amazing" it's not enough. I should say, I was kind of used to reading fics where Jackson and Mark are best friends and looking out for each other, but I liked the change about that fact in here, Jinyoung's character just won me.
Just how you portray everything, how you describe everything...I am so sure that I would be rereading this story and still feel the same way I felt for the first time. Ok, I know that was cheesy but it is so true! I JUST LOVED THIS! Thanks for this incredible story
natsumi4ever
#8
Chapter 19: Finally got around to rereading and finish reading this story. I already had a feeling DS would be her ex and I pondered if it was another got7 member. I have to say, this still got me cause lmao heiran sure does have a type? Or more accurately she has a habit of pulling dangerous men to her. Like dang girl…
hellroses
#9
Chapter 38: ahhhhhh!!!! i swear, it’s been years since i properly read on this platform in a while BUT YOU, YOU ARE AMAZING!!! where do i even start, the mark characterisation, giving him tattoos and the whole baobei name aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh! it’s like, you leveled up so much since ROD. you’re a freaking masterpiece i cannot, reading your fics give me so much joy GOD BLESS U now excuse me i’ll go scream at u on ur twit too
atasiwi #10
Chapter 38: I love heiran character