Chapter 5 Now two weeks into her summer vacation and Victoria has nothing but her mandatory summer lessons to look forward too. She begins to hear a rumble from the bottom of her stomach. She quickly arises from her desk and away from her computer. She darts down the stairs and toward the kitchen. She enters but there is no one in site and quickly heads to the fridge and begins pulling out lunch meat, cheese, pickles, mayo, mustard, and jalapeno slices. She quickly assembles a foot long sandwich and heads back to her room as she approaches the stairs the front door swings as Tae Woong arrives. “Hello Tori, how was your day?” She hides the sandwich behind her and just nods at him since she has a mouth full from the bite she took just before the door swung open. He can’t help and be curious as to her silent treatment since he complimented her. “Okay then well, see you at dinner.” He heads toward her father’s study as she rushes up the stairs to prevent him from seeing her enormous sandwich. She gets to her room a bit winded. “Ugh, how can I be so awkward when he talks to me?” “I should really stop eating like a pig and be more social with him.” She looks herself in the mirror and begins to throw her sandwich in the garbage, but before she does. “Just a couple of more bites and then it is serious business.” A few minutes later she notices those few bites devoured the sandwich. She then becomes depressed and angry with herself. “My God, why must I have no self-control?” “Am I an animal that only inhales food and lives to feed?” She heads into her restroom and closes the door. She pulls a razor blade from inside her drawer and begins to cut her forearm she cringes from the pain only a bit. Blanca enters her room looking for her and knocks at the bathroom door. “Mija, I just came by to see if you were done with your lessons?” “Also did you want me to get you a snack before dinner?” Tori is a bit startled by Blanca’s close proximity that she quickly cleans up her self-infliction and places a large band aid with pink hearts and heads out before Blanca becomes suspicious of her actions. “No I’m fine Blanca, I was just checking my face for zits.” “Que zits, my darling you are such a baby face beauty that no zit dares arise.” “Okay MOM!” “Well I was just checking on you since you ask me for a snack right about this time.” “You know what Blanca I think I am going to stop snacking and eating dinner.” “Why mi Niña?” “I am getting tired of being called a lard at school, so I decided to lose some weight.” “Wait, who is calling my darling angel like that?” “Just wait when your father hears about this.” “No Blanca you can’t let my dad know that I am teased for being fat, just let me handle it.” “But mija I can’t help…” “No Blanca I said I will handle it.” She grabs a book from her night stand and lays in bed with her back toward Blanca. Blanca quickly realizes that Tori would like to be left alone so she exits the room, before exiting she remarks. “I just hate seeing you hurt like this, I love you so much that I want to spare you this kind of pain.” “Enjoy your book and don’t hesitate to call me if you need me.” Meanwhile these words are heard by Tori she can’t help and get emotional that she begin to tear up. As Blanca closes the door Tori jumps up from her bed and runs out of her room, just in time before Blanca heads downstairs and she clings to her nanny by giving her a back hug. “I’m sorry if my tone was too harsh just now.” “I know that you are my biggest support aside from daddy, I just want to begin changing and I lashed out instead of asking for help.” Blanca then turns around to face Tori and begins drying up her tears. “Sweetheart I will always be your support in anything you do, and never hesitate to ask me for help.” At that moment Tae Woong exits from his room and Victoria quickly runs to her room without a word. Blanca just smiles at Tori’s subtlety and begins to head downstairs. Tae Woong catches up to her gets a little ahead of her. Blanca again smiles and remarks her earlier observation. “Listening with a cracked door to other’s conversation is a bad habit.” She is startled when Tae Woong stops before the last step and kind of looks back toward his shoulder, she quickly expresses fear of being discovered. He only fixes his ear bud that was bothering him and heads on out for his evening jog. She quickly composes herself and scurries to the kitchen mumbling. “Aye Dios mio, I though he heard my crazy outburst.” Tae Woong stands just outside the front door and begins listening to his music and chuckles shyly. During his jog he can’t stop recalling the tender moment he witnessed upstairs. He also recalls the horrible bullying Victoria was subjected to his first night in their home and the way she was scolded by her mother during their incident at dinner a few weeks back.  He begins to feel a bit concerned and begins to ponder on how to help her. He is so lost in his thoughts that he misses a couple calls. By the time he approaches the Westmore Estate he notices his phone is ringing and quickly stops and leans next to a fence and answers. “Good morning Eomma, how have you been?” “I have been doing well I am enjoying the learning experience the internship Mr. Westmore has offered me.” “I really find New York very welcoming, yes I am taking care of my health by eating right and exercising; I promise I won’t return to you a chubby boy.” He chuckles when he hears his mother’s laughter on the other side of the line. “I am glad to hear that you are healthy but please try to stay healthy, I do worry about you and miss you very much.” “Really? Eun Mi has been over often, that really is nice of her.” “Well I will have to marry her if she is taking such great care of you.” He laughs a bit hesitantly because of his comment and even more when his mother becomes a bit serious about the issue. “Now that you mention it Tae Woong I think Eun Mia would make a wonderful wife, I hope you have the same intentions when you return from America.” “That child awaits your return so eagerly that it is a bit heartbreaking.” “Eomma, I see nothing here that will change my intentions toward Eun Mi and these four years will fly by that you will be planning a spring wedding sooner than you think.” “Son I hope these words you said will not be different when you step into your home again in four years.” “A lot can change in that span of time, I just encourage yo