T W O

Mrs. Oh smiled as she calmly observed the young woman fussing around the kitchen. Ayla was still busy preparing the final touches on the menu she had prepared for her son's birthday dinner party that was to happen soon. Ayla was always helpful whenever there was an event. They all knew that her dream was to be an international event planner.

Instead of mingling with the other young adults chatting away in their banquet hall, Ayla was busy helping out with the final touches of the kitchen. She ensured all the food prepared for the formal dinner was perfect.

"Ayla," Mrs. Oh gently called out to the frantic young woman.

The slender girl stopped in her track and turned to face Mrs. Oh, standing at the chef's kitchen entrance. Ayla let out a sheepish smile as the older woman laughed. Mrs. Oh strides forward towards her. Carefully, the older woman took away the tray full of champagne glasses in Ayla's hold before giving it to another waiter who was supposed to be on duty for the event.

"Today is Sehun's birthday. You should be out there enjoying yourself like the others, dear." Mrs. Oh's voice was gentle, "Plus, weren't you supposed to be preparing a surprise for him?" she winked teasingly at Ayla, who blushed crimson red.

How will I go through the day if everyone keeps teasing me? What if Sehun decided to reject me? Oh, is this even the right thing to do? Ayla panicked inwardly.

Looking at the contemplating girl, Mrs. Oh shook her head gently. She told Ayla that it was okay if Sehun said no as long as she was brave enough to tell him how she felt instead of holding back. Ayla nodded her head – understanding what the older woman was saying.

"But it is okay, Aunty! I still have a few more things to check here before dinner, so I will join the others later." Ayla replied sweetly.

Mrs. Oh gave her a disapproving look. Whatever Ayla wanted, she would cave in. Ayla was a daughter that she never had; in her motherly eyes, the young woman was the perfect girl for Sehun to marry. Beautiful inside and outside – what else would a man search for in a woman?

However, it was still ironic for her that her son never appreciated the girl more than a little sister. Deep in her heart, she always hoped that Ayla and Sehun would be together as they always looked good to each other.

"You still have to meet some of the shareholders of our company," Mrs. Oh gently coaxed Ayla, "Go and have a little fun, missy!" She nudged Ayla out of the massive kitchen.

Ayla sighed. She tried to avoid seeing Sehun if she could before her actual plan took place. She wanted to confess to Sehun before the start of the dinner privately so that if he decided to reject her, she would not be a wreck in front of the guests. Ayla was not brave enough to face rejection in front of others.

I should touch up my makeup first and change out of this sweatshirt. Ayla mentally thought as she looked down at the old grey sweatshirt she was wearing to help the chefs on the menu they had been working on since two weeks ago.

She quietly hummed her favorite song while walking towards the guest room on the left wing of the mansion where she had stayed over the previous night. Ayla reached her guest room in time to see Kai leaning against the wall next to the double door. She raised her brow curiously at the appearance of the said man.

"What are you doing here?" Ayla spoke up as Kai looked up lazily from his phone.

The grey-haired man smiled sheepishly before telling her he had something significant to inform her. Ayla rolled her eyes before letting the man step inside her temporary room. She went toward the attached ensuite bathroom at the end of the room to shower and put on her makeup. Ayla quietly took a shower. Her ears perked as she listened to Kai. He was talking about his big revelation story on how he finally realized that he was in love with another childhood friend – Kim Taeyeon.

Ayla listened attentively as she shimmered into the evening dress she had bought the previous week. Her choice of clothing was a long silky emerald green dress with a slit in front while there was a short trail behind. After putting on her dress, she walked out of the bathroom, and Kai gasped.

"You know," the man gave a fake sweet smile.

"If I did not have my realization that I am actually in love with Taeyeon noona, I would have fallen in love with you today." He smoothly winked while praising Ayla.

The young girl rolled her eyes at his smooth words.

"I love you too…" she purposefully dragged the words as she busied herself, putting on her Jimmy Choo's Romy pumps.

Kai was not wrong. Ayla looked beautiful in her outfit, especially when she had put her hair into a low bun. She looked mature and sophisticated.

She spun for Kai to look at her outfit as the older man gave her a thumbs up. It was 30 minutes before the dinner started, so they quickly left the guest room and headed toward the other end of the mansion where the Oh family had built a banquet hall. Before that, they had to walk across the garden that Mrs. Oh had painstakingly designed.

"Tell me again why we need to dress up so much for Sehun's birthday?" Kai was struggling with his tie as they walked towards the banquet hall.

Ayla chuckled. "It is because today he would be introduced as the next CEO of OHK Architecture & Co," she explained as if speaking to a 5-year-old boy.

Kai rolled his eyes internally. It was their fate that when they completed their studies, these heiresses and heirs would have to take over the family businesses whether they liked it or not. For Ayla and Riann, they were lucky as their family business had merged with the Ohs, which meant they were not required to take over their father's position as Sehun would be doing.

Mr. Kim held 49% of the company's shares, while Mr. Oh held 51% of the company's shares. Still, since Mr. Kim and Mr. Oh wanted to retire early, they decided to leave the company in Sehun's hands as the CEO.

Her nervous self was not registering anything that Kai was grumbling about. She was busy looking for the one person she had wanted to see earlier.

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