Chapter 2:

 

Choi Kang-ju’s P.O.V

 

                I just came back from a meeting with our international clients in London and U.S. As I walked up towards the arrival area, the usual thing happens, reporters swarmed the vicinity waiting for my arrival and some people are gawking just to gossip. I pasted a smile on my face, flashes of cameras started lighting like a movie star or an international celebrity arrived.

 

                It was just only me. The person they called, ‘cold heir of the Choi family’. I didn’t care what they call me anyway and it was not worth my time to pry on the gossips about other people that they are asking me about.

 

                At the end of it, my so called fiancée was waiting for me with a smile on her face while holding a bouquet of pink flowers. How she was even qualified to be my fiancée, even I didn’t know? She didn’t even know how to run a company; I doubt she knows any business terms. I would have opposed of this engagement but they decided it while I’m out of the country.

 

                She gave me the flowers and hugged me. “Welcome back, Kang-ju ssi,” she greeted.

 

                I didn’t greet her back and started walking. “Ji-hoo, what’s with the commotion of me being back?” I looked back to my secretary but continued walking towards the exit.

 

                “I’m sorry, Kang-ju. We didn’t anticipate that they will know that you are going back.” He reasons out.

 

                “It’s alright. Did you get the thing I ask you to have?”

 

                “Yes, I bought it on the auction.” He replied positively.

 

                I nodded in approval and stepped inside my car. My so called fiancé entered the car and sat beside me. What was her name again? Yoon…what? Ji-hoo turned around gave me a velvet box. I handed it over to my so called fiancé and said, “Wear this.”

 

                She opened the box and looked please to what she saw. “You shouldn’t have bothered,” she said but even without looking I know that she was mesmerized by the stones. Those earrings cost a fortune since they were made by a renowned jewelry artist in France.

 

                We were dining in fancy restaurant. She was happy while we are dining here. I smirked in my mind on how naïve this girl really was. I saw my target. I wiped my mouth lightly and stood up. “Monsieur Bourgeois,” I greeted.

 

                “Ah, if it isn’t Mr. Choi, I just saw in France and now you are here. What are you doing here?” He said delighted.

 

                “Je dîne avec ma fiancée (I’m dining with my fiancée).” I pointed on the girl seating with her hair pulled behind her ear to show the beauty of the earrings. She bowed to greet him.

 

                He saw it and smiled pleased. He looked back at me. “Des larmes d'amour (Tears of love),” he mutters lovingly. The earrings were called the tears of love in English and he made them for his first love. “Il convient à votre fiancée. Ma femme sera heureux de savoir que la boucle d'oreille qu'elle aime est acheté par un autre amant (It suits your fiancee. My wife will be happy to know that the earring she loves is bought by another lover).” He spats my shoulder and smiled. “We’ll talk about business in another time. You enjoy your time with your lovely fiancée.”

 

                I bowed and thanked him for the opportunity. When he was gone, I looked back to the girl who I just used to gain another client. Mr. Bourgeois was going to hold an auction here in Korea and he was planning to do it in a hotel. I needed that contract for Palace Hotel.

 

                “Ji-hoo,” I called.

 

                “Yes, Mr. Choi,” he showed up to my side, “I need you to tell the marketing department to make a plan for the auction for Mr. Bourgeois then give me a copy for my approval. Prepare the car; we’ll go to the hotel.” I commanded and he nodded in response.

 

                I went back to the table. “I have to go already. You won’t mind taking a taxi home, right?”

 

                Her eyes looked at me scornfully. “What if I mind? I’m not your maid that you can just tell to go back home when you don’t need her anymore.” She spat at me.

 

                “As a matter of fact, you are not a maid but you can call yourself my puppet. Do take care of those earrings, they cost a fortune.” I replied smiling remorseless and left her there with a scornful expression for me.

 

Cha Hae-jee’s P.O.V

 

                The cold boss was now entering the lobby of the hotel together with his servants, his secretary Park Ji-hoo and his adviser or public image/lawyer Lee Eun-hye, his childhood friend and she was a girl. On the other side walking towards him was our Vice-president, Han Jae-hyuk, his other childhood friend. Those three worked in the same company what I great friendship they have.

 

                They were talking business matters again but VP Han laughed out loud garnering stares from our guests. Then they started walking towards our way, the front desk. Was he really going to check each department today?

 

               “Ah, Hae-jee ah,” VP Han called informally. CEO Choi then looked at me then to his friend. “She is a lively employee. We do get a lot of good feedbacks for her and she’s my friend.” He explained. Friend? Yah! Did he want me to get fired even before I can speak for myself? Aisht! Stupid vice president.

 

                Wait! Did he just say that Choi Kan-ju left Chae-won in the restaurant? Ah! That was great news for me. Yoon Chae-won got dump in the restaurant to take a taxi home. Now, I’m loving this Choi Kang-ju in front of me.

 

“Good afternoon, CEO Choi and Vice President Han,” I greeted warmly and bowed at the same time. Stupid mind, you should focus or else you might lose your job in an instant.

 

                “Hae-jee ah, do you know that our CEO left his fiancée in a restaurant and ask her to ride a taxi home? He is really cruel. Don’t you think?” He declared not even fazed that the person was in front of us. Such a carefree attitude we have for the VP.

 

                I just smiled in return. “Eonnie (elder sister), we went to the store you suggested us. It really has great clothes. Can you suggest a great restaurant?” One of the guests butted in.

 

                “Do excuse me,” I said to the owners of the hotel and turn my attention to the teen guests that we have. “What restaurant do you want to eat then? The concierge can tell you the great restaurants near the hotel.” I told them.

 

                “Eonnie, we only trust your taste,” they said proudly.

 

                I laughed softly and nodded in understanding. “Do you want authentic Korean or a Mediterranean or maybe western?” I asked them politely because the stupid VP, the cold CEO, the stoic Lawyer and the funny secretary was still standing within hearing range.

 

                “We like Korean with a twist of Mediterranean,” the girl replied.

 

                I told them the location and name of the restaurant and even suggested what dish to try. I ate there with Seunghyun oppa and Jiyong oppa when we are bored in our day off. It really was great even our managers who stalked us loved the food there.

 

                “You might want to take the car service of the hotel if you are going only the two of you. It is safer to know that a driver is there with you.” I suggested. I was worried of their safety because they are just teenagers who like to roam around the city.

 

                “Arasso, we will ask for that when we are going to dine there.” They said and waved goodbye.

 

                “Is it really great there?” I turned my attention to the familiar guest. She was a regular guest of the hotel because her home is in the country side.

 

                “Of course, Ms. Song,” I replied enthusiastically.

 

                “I shall try there one of these days,” she muttered, “but I’m not a Song anymore. My surname is now Han. Didn’t you know I’m already married?” She raised her left hand and showed me the ring.

 

                “Congratulations,” I greeted and bowed to her.

 

                “I had my wedding here but unfortunately they said you file for a month leave when it happened. I really wanted to invite you on my wedding but we can’t contact you.” She said upset.

 

                “I’m sorry,” I replied sadly and bowed.

 

                She waved her hand, “It is fine. But because you told me that this hotel will make my dream wedding come true, I had my wedding here and you are right. I had the most beautiful wedding and they pampered me and my husband quite well,” she said merrily like it only happened days ago.

 

                “That’s good to hear, Mrs. Han.” I expressed my gratitude for believing to what I have proposed to them even if I’m not there in her wedding. “Here’s your room key, it’s a king size bed. Did I get that right?” She nodded in response. “Here’s your parking ticket until your check out date. Enjoy your stay. Call the front office if you will like anything else, Mrs. Han.”

 

                “Efficient as ever, even if we are talking you are typing here and there but still listening to me. Besides, I will surely call you,” she said then walked towards the elevator.

 

                “Is that your last guests?” Jin-hee asked.

 

                I nodded in response. “See you tomorrow. It is such a shame you are having a double shift. I thought we can hangout. It had been a while since we went just the two of us.” I mumbled.

 

                “I know right, but don’t worry, we will get that hang out,” she affirmed then went back to work.

 

                “I’ll go first guys,” I whispered to them. They waved their hands lightly and I went off.

 

Kang-ju’s P.O.V

 

                “So you are saying that she is good in suggestive selling?” I asked my best friend Jae-hyuk, who was sitting quite comfortably in my office couch.

 

                “Yes, we had book a big wedding with the heiress of a shopping mall, Song Eun-jae. She is a regular guest and she likes it when Hae-jee is the one checking her in. And she said that Hae-jee suggested that we can make her dream wedding here. And so we did, she didn’t give us a tight budget as long as we can make her wedding grand as she likes.” He explained.

 

                I remembered that. It was published in the newspapers and even in the news on television and web that the heiress love how wonderful her wedding was in Palace Hotel. The name of the hotel was once again in the news and it was great news. It also made a big profit to us.

 

                “They like her because she’s very attentive to every minute detail in her guests’ stays that is why all of our big clients want her. But, she doesn’t like getting rewards or awards for it. That’s why I’m telling you this to give her a reward,” he said.

 

                 There was light knock on the door and Ji-hoo entered, “Ms. Cha is already here.”

 

                 “Invite her in,” I ordered.

 

                 She entered the office and had this confuse look. She might be wondering what she did wrong or why was she called in my office? “Good afternoon,” she greeted and bowed.

 

                 “Please take a seat,” I offered. She obliged and sat in the unoccupied chair opposite mine. She did not sit beside Jae-hyuk? I thought she would sit there.

 

                 “Sorry for being rude but can I ask why am I called in your office, CEO Choi?” She asked not really polite but not rude also. The way she sat and the way her posture was sitting, it was like she was used to being regal and confident.

 

                 “Hae-jee ah, why didn’t you sit beside me?” Jae-hyuk whined like a little boy while tapping the couch.

 

                 “Sorry for being rude again, VP Han, please refrain from acting like that. People might think that there is something wrong with you.” She said again.

 

                 “Yah! I’m your best friend here and you’re talking to me like that,” he grumbled like a child. Why was he acting like this? Did he like her? No, it didn’t look like it. It looked like a budding friendship to me.

 

                  “Anyway, I just want to ask you, if you like anything as a reward for booking one of our most beautiful weddings,” I said making Jae-hyuk stop in his action. She looked at me surprise then look at Jae-hyuk not happy about it. “Please refrain from acting like that with the VP of the hotel,” I warned.

 

                 She raised a brow but retracted it after. She had a fiery temper then. “I think I got my…”

 

                 “Kang-ju!” It was Chae-won entering the office like a beast.

 

                  “Ms. Yoon,” Ji-hoo stopped the rampaging girl.

 

                  Cha Hae-jee bowed her head low as if she was cowering in fear. “Is this girl your girlfriend?”

 

                  “Ji-hoo Ms. Cha out of the office,” I said.