Irene felt a surge of nervousness, one that she has not felt in a long time, as she stood before her grandfather, with Wendy by her side. It felt as though they were students standing before the headmaster while they were waiting to be reprimanded.

“So, you have finally abandoned your post and returned,” Grandfather said in an even tone, not a hint of reproach in his voice.

Irene was trying to keep herself composed but her voice had betrayed her. “Y-Yes, I decided to come back.”

No words came from her grandfather as he only regarded her with eyes that was assessing her before moving on to look at Wendy. Irene swallowed the lump that had formed in . She must take control of this situation and not Wendy be the one answering for anything, she had promised to protect Wendy.

“Grandfather, I came back to-”

Before Irene could complete her sentence, her grandfather had held up his palm as a signal for Irene to halt her speech and Irene did so instinctively. Irene regretted in an instant for she was showing cowardice and losing grip of this situation.

“Ms Son.”

Grandfather began to address Wendy and Irene could not help herself but interrupt.

“Grandfather, please don’t make things difficult for Wendy. I was the one who-”

Grandfather raised his hand again, with his palm facing outwards and Irene had fallen silent immediately once more.

“Granddaughter, you should know that I am a reasonable man. Why do you presume that I would make things difficult for your… lover?”

Irene flinched at her grandfather’s use of the term. It had been so casually said that it made Irene even more fearful.

“Are you prepared to witness your own career get destroyed?”

As those words left grandfather’s lips, Irene could not help as she interrupted once more.

“Grandfather, what kind of question are you posing? Threats would not work on us, I would not let you destroy Wendy’s career, I will-”

“I am fully prepared.”

Beside her, Wendy replied curtly, and Irene turned to gape at her. Words had failed Irene entirely and she could only continue to stare at Wendy as her heart fractured to pieces. The resolution in Wendy’s eyes was unmatched and Irene felt ashamed because she should have been the one to appear strong before her grandfather, not Wendy. Wendy who has been enduring all the unfair criticisms from the world all these while, Wendy who accepted her apology and forgave her immediately, Wendy who taught her what love was.

“And you are able to tolerate the world pointing fingers at you? At my granddaughter as well?” Grandfather added, there was no hint of empathy in his voice.

Wendy took a deep breath before answering, “yes. I would do my best to protect Irene as much as she has always been trying to protect me.”

The urge to whisk Wendy away was so strong and Irene had never hated her grandfather with so much intensity. She stared at her grandfather, eyes full of resent for making Wendy say those words. Irene should have been touched that Wendy felt so fiercely protective of her but the thought of Wendy having to shove down all her fears and put on a mask of bravery as such made her heart ache all the more.

“Grandfather, this is enough. I never thought you would threaten us in this manner. If I had known earlier I would not have come to-”

“My granddaughter, don’t you think you are too hasty to jump to conclusions? Has managing the family’s business not aided you in attaining patience? Perhaps, just perhaps you might still require years of refining to lead our business empire.”

Irene clenched her teeth, “whatever it is I do not care. Our business empire would not concern us anymore, I am willing to relinquish my role as the CEO and I will be with Wendy no matter what it takes.”

“No matter what it takes,” her grandfather echoed after her, nodding his head slowly. Silence stretched between them and Irene clenched her fist, so tightly that her nails dug into her flesh.

“I will give both of you my blessings and I hope whatever we have discussed will not happen to the both of you.”

Irene was en route to prepare another bout of retorts but her mind froze when she processed that sentence. Looking over to Wendy who had worn the same expression of confusion, Irene felt her heart racing as she asked for clarification.

“Pardon?”

“I am not threatening Ms Son nor am I renouncing your position as CEO.”

Irene’s mouth went slack for a few moments before she recomposed herself.

“I am old and have long past those times where I have experienced… romantic impulses… but do not presume that I do not understand. Irene, my granddaughter, I have had my fair share of romantic escapades when I was in my youth as well. A little thrill is always hard to pass up when you are of that age, isn’t it?”

A small, reminiscent smile crept into her grandfather’s wrinkled face and she waited patiently for her grandfather to continue speaking. Her grandfather had instead turned to focus his attention on Wendy.

“And here I was wondering how long my granddaughter could tolerate this separation. Who could offer her any advice on a same-gender relationship? Would it become extinguished over time? And when I have received news about my granddaughter’s continuous success at the company and no signs of her demands to return to her lover, many thoughts crossed my mind. Perhaps… it was just as I have guessed, that the relationship you shared with my granddaughter was a mere thrill, an unconventional yet short-lived infatuation, something that did not exist in those bygone ages where I have lived through, just a little curiosity.”

“Grandfather, my love for Wendy is definitely not simply curiosity, it is infinitely more than that,” there was a quiver to Irene’s voice as she spoke and she hated it, she hated to show her weakness before her grandfather.

“I know, I knew the moment I received news that you have cancelled the meeting with Yamamoto-san and had flown back,” her grandfather said.

Irene bit her lips and cast her eyes downwards, shame filled her once more. Yamamoto-san, she had not forgotten how she had not even hesitated to miss the meeting with him. Their long-time busines