“Child?” Yonghwa looks at her.  He was rooted to the spot. His mind goes back to that one and only time he was in bed with this woman.

“Yes child - a daughter.  She’s 6 years old now.”

“You waited until the child was 6 before telling me?”  Yonghwa calmly walks towards her. He knew her enough to know that she wouldn’t let something as important as monetary support pass her by.  Bora was just too materialistic.

“I didn't need your support then.” She tells him.

“And you need my support now? Why? Is it because as you said I married up?” His voice had no inflection.

Bora becomes nervous and tries not to let her facial expression change.  It always bothered her that Yonghwa always saw right through her. 

“Yes I do need your support.” She tells him honestly and lets her eyes travel from his head to his shoes. He was truly eye candy in the tuxedo he was wearing. She felt a pang of regret that she messed things up so badly with Jung Yonghwa.

They were still looking at each other when the double doors open.

“Cheonsa!”  Yonghwa was surprised. He and Joo were meeting up at the Presidential Charity Ball. His wife was changing in Pyeongchang-dong and checking up on their still feverish little one.

Bora eyes the woman who was standing with an imperious glare in her otherwise beautiful face. Her very stance radiated coldness.

Seo Joohyun was dressed magnificently in a shimmering silver and gray Alexander McQueen gown.  She chose her gown, hair and makeup with care as this would be the first time the public would be seeing the Ice Princess after giving birth. The gown clung to every curve of her body and she’d gotten into several arguments with her husband because she didn’t eat properly. Her jewelry shone like stars - it was part of her grandmother’s dowry and was heavily insured.

“Miss Yoon.”  The Ice Princess tone was frosty. “I’d ask you to sit down but my husband and I have somewhere to go to so I will make this brief ...Guard Park.”  One bare luminous arm moves and her hand opens.

A file folder was put in her hand and Joo walks up to Bora - silently putting the folder on the marble topped table. There was no expression on Joo’s face when she looks at the other woman. Joo stands next to Yonghwa.

“You were with 2 other men at about the same time as my husband.  Eight months and 3 weeks later you have a baby girl. Unfortunately the child has been sickly since birth. You and the child  arrived here in Korea a week ago and right now she is confined in the SNU Children’s Hospital. She needs a bone marrow transplant. Seeing as you’ve come to see my husband - am I correct in assuming that you would like him to be tested as a possible bone marrow donor?”

Joo’s face was devoid of expression even as Bora’s face turned ashen.  

“But Miss Yoon - shouldn’t a paternity test be done first? Have you contacted the other 2 men? Reading the folder on my way here - both are now married - one lives here in Seoul and the other in San Francisco.”

Bora’s hands fisted. “What is this?” She looks at the folder.

“A dossier on you. Of all the women that my husband had relations with you are the only one with a child who’s without a declared father.  The other women are still either single or in relationships or married with children.”

“How dare you have a file on me!” 

“Sorry to disappoint you but it’s my mother - the Chairwoman of the Seo Fortune who has a file on you.  Our security personnel just handed this to me on my way here. Neither my husband or I knew about this.”

While her tone was still cold , Joo hoped that the woman would realize her sincerity.

“Now - I want the truth.  Are you sure that my husband  is the father of your child?” Joo looks at pale woman. “Are you absolutely certain?”

Silence.

“You’re not.” Joo remarks calmly and holds her husband’s hand. 

“As I said - we have somewhere to go to. Contact my husband’s Chief of Staff when you’re ready to tell us the truth as to why you came to him then we'll talk. Good evening Miss Yoon. Oppa let’s go - we’re running late.”

Holding herself straight Joo walks out of the conference room with Yonghwa in tow.

“Secretary Song - see to it that Miss Yoon has your contact number.” Joo said in passing. “And if you and Guard Kang ever let something like this happen again to the COO without my knowledge and presence you will both be terminated on the spot.”

Naeun and Guard Park’s faces become pale. 

“Deh Agassi.” Both murmur softly and bow. 

“Agassi.” Guard Park hands the folder to Joo as she leaves Pyeongchang-dong. “The Chairwoman said you need to have this when you go see Doryeong-nim.”

When Guard Park asked to speak with her while she was checking on Jun-jun she didn’t expect something like this. Her Head Guard tells her that a woman named Yoon Bora was in Yonghwa’s office. Joo felt a migraine coming on. 

On the way to her husband’s office Joo reads the file. Her chest felt constricted and if she wasn’t afraid that she would ruin her makeup she would have been crying.  Of course she knew this woman but was very surprised that her mother kept an active dossier. It even had pictures of the little girl. She noticed that there were pages missing - as usual her mother  operated on a need to know basis only. Her chest hurt so badly as she got down from the Bentley and made her way up the COO’s private elevator. 

Naeun wanted to announce her but Joo declined.  Calling on her legendary calm and training Joo takes a deep breath before she opens the private conference room.

“Cheonsa…” Yonghwa holds her elbow when Joo sways a bit.

“We can talk later … right now...I can’t.” She barely got the words out.  She was angry at Naeun and Guard Kang for letting that woman in.

“I understand…”

“No you don’t.” Joo shakes her head.

“You’re angry at me…”

“I’m not Oppa.”  She whispers. “Remember? First 5 seconds…”

Yonghwa presses the elevator stop. “Then what is it?”

Joo looks at him with eyes clouded with tears. 

“ As a mother myself, I feel so bad for the hardship the child is going thru. But  what Yoon Bora did was the wrong approach. You can read the file electronically - I had Guard Choi send it to your personal email.  I wanted to go up to her and pull her hair out! Stupid! How can a sick child have a mother like that!”

“Joo!”  Yonghwa embraces her.  His wife was well and truly mad. “I’m sorry for this.”

“I’m not angry with Oppa - only that I am hurt that this happened.” Joo takes a shuddering breath. “What I am angry about is incompetence! I can’t tolerate incompetence! Not from your Chief of Staff or your Head Guard! You should have never seen that woman by yourself! I should have been there - with you!”

Yonghwa keeps silent as he didn’t want the Ice Princess to come out.  

“I know that look on your face! Jung Yonghwa - I’m not being the Ice Princess! I just - I just don’t want you to be vulnerable. You are the COO of the Seo Fortune - these are people hired to protect you - they just can’t let any person in to see you - “ Joo stops as tears of frustration overwhelm her. “They’re lucky I gave a warning - Omma would have terminated both of them on the spot - no 2nd chances.

“She would do that?” Yonghwa takes out his handkerchief and carefully blots the tears from Joo’s face. 

“Of course - ex-wives, ex-lovers, children, step-children, un-recognized natural children of her numerous husbands have all tried to approach her! There have been many Chief of Staff terminated before Hani took over the job. Guard Choi is her 4th Head Guard. No one can approach the Grand Aunts, my mother and our immediate family Oppa - that is the ironclad number one rule of my great grandfather that every hired confidential staff  has to follow to the letter - that applies even to relatives sometimes.”

“But I told Naeun….”

“I know - you told Naeun to let her in - “ Joo’s eyes flash at her husband. “This is the first and last time she’ll ever ask you - by now a memo will be to her inbox from the CEO’s office - she’ll need to meet with Hani about this incident. Guard Kang will be issued a disciplinary warning from the CEO’s office as well. All records of that woman’s visit to you will be expunged from the records.” 

Yonghwa just looks at his wife.  Joo was red from her face down to her neck - his wife was very agitated.

“Just let me compose myself first.” She tells him. Joo was shaken but she didn’t want Yonghwa to know that. 

Yonghwa’s hand rested on the small of her back. Joo could still feel her heart thumping on her chest. She willed for calmness - there were people waiting for them.

“Let’s go Oppa.” She looks at him. 

“Joo.”  Yonghwa embraces her and kisses one bare shoulder. “I’m sorry for this.”

“It’s not yet over Oppa but we need to go to the Presidential Ball - we’re late as it is and people will say that the Ice Princess is grandstanding again.”

“But we’ll talk about it yeh?” He squeezes her hand.

Joo nods her head. His past was something she had to meet head on - not as the Ice Princess but as his wife.

Yonghwa had to admire her composure as he escorts Joo on the red carpet.  Once again the press had a field day when they see Joo. The Ice Princess did not disappoint - her lovely smile and the graciousness she showed as they greeted everyone -  with her hand firmly holding on to him. She was exactly like this when he saw her in the news all those years that they were apart - one would never guess the heartbreak and loneliness inside.

“Joo…” He tugs at her hand as they walk to their table. 

“Oppa?” Beautiful eyes look up at him. Yes, the sadness was there but only he could see it and that made his heart ache.

“You look lovely - I’m a proud husband.” He kisses her hand then sees to it that she was seated comfortably before sitting down himself. 

There was a commotion at the entrance and they hear that the Chairwoman had arrived. The couple watch as Seo Young Ae walks up to the Presidential Table.  Clad in a blazing red Carolina Herrera gown with rubies and diamonds dripping down her ears,neck and wrists - the Chairwoman graciously receives the bows from the President of Korea and various assembly men. It would be a very busy night for her and Yonghwa - many politicians and ministers wanted a word with the Seo Fortune.

“She would probably want to see me about what happened.” Yonghwa remarks.

“Us - Oppa - she would want to meet with us.” Joo replies. “And if you’re going to apologize again  you’re seriously inviting a tantrum.”

“Alright - I’ll just be an attentive husband then.” He leans to whisper in her ear.

“Do that.” Joo replies. “I need that.”

For the rest of the night the couple were busy meeting many politicians and government officials - often times accompanied by a Seo relative.  Most of them wanted a private word with the COO of the Seo Fortune. Yonghwa diplomatically sidestepped a lot of them and was grateful that his Miss Joo never left his side.

The Chairwoman accepted Yonghwa’s invitation to dance.  

“Omonim..I apologize….” Yonghwa’s cheeks were pink as he looks at his mother in law.

“Let’s discuss this at home Son In Law.” The Chairwoman taps his arm. “Now tell me what the Energy Minister wanted to talk to you about….”

As they danced, Yonghwa listened as his mother in law gave him a run down of the government officials present in affair.

“I just knew they would approach you first.”  The Chairwoman tells him. “Be wary because I know all their tricks - now that the Seo Fortune has a Son In Law -  they all think the way to the Seo Fortune is thru the COO’s Office. But there are also government projects that are worth your time - you just need to examine everything with that analytical mind of yours and then we can discuss.”

“Deh Ommonim.”

“And don’t take the Seo relatives word for it arasso? There’s always a catch there. And don’t forget about what I said about meeting long lost Jung relatives.” Young Ae tells her son in law. “How is Joo taking it?”

“She said we can discuss it later - she’ll be Ice Princess first.” Yonghwa looks at his wife who was currently dancing with the President’s son in law. Joo was listening intently to what her dance partner was saying. 

“Ah - he’s trying to convince Joo to transfer her factory to his Jeolla province.” Chairwoman tells Yonghwa. “ He told me earlier that he would pitch it again to Joo. He was Kwanghee’s Sunbae in SNU.”

“Thank you for the dance Ommonim.” Yonghwa leads the Chairwoman back to the Presidential Table.

“Young Ae - Young Ae!” The ladies in the table exclaim. “Don’t make  your Son in Law leave just yet! Let’s have a look at him since not all of us were invited to the wedding reception.”

Joo looks on as her husband danced with 5 successive ministers wives.  He was smiling and attentive as he danced with each of them. While she on the other hand graciously declined 3 other men. Her heels were killing her and once again she scolds herself for not breaking in her shoes before the event. 

“Well, I’m a mother now.”  She sighs. 

Dividing her time between taking care of Jun-jun and Bella Cuoio was proving to be a tightrope walk.  She wanted to be with her baby most of the time and had to really concentrate on coming up with designs that her team were waiting for.  But Joo wanted to spend as much time with her baby as she could - often times taking her little one to work much to the displeasure of the nannies.

--- - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - - -- 

“Agassi - the little one is having a hard time taking a nap.  He’s over stimulated.” Kang Yoo Moh tells Joo as she takes the finished bottle.  She sees the momentary look of regret in Joo’s eyes - despite all the tonics she drank their Agassi could no longer feed the little one.

Jun-jun had a playpen in Joo’s office and the staff always found ways to come and play with him. They gave him toys and played with him on his play mat -  as long as they didn’t neglect their work Joo didn’t mind it one bit. The baby cried at first, refusing to go to anyone except Joo and his nanny but Kwanghee was patient and gradually won the little one over - nowadays Jun-jun’s chubby little arms would always reach out every time he saw Joo’s Chief of Staff.

Joo looks at the woman who was her own nanny for 4 years. “Yoo-moh  our Jun-jun is not over stimulated - let me be the one to put him to sleep. Please go outside and tell Krystal I’ll be a bit late for the design meeting.”

When she was holding her son in her arms, Joo kisses his forehead. “Don’t mind your Yoo-moh, Jun-jun - she insisted on naps when I was a little girl too. Now close your eyes - hmm - Omma will sing you a lullaby.”

-- - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - -

“Cheonsa.” Yonghwa sits next to Joo. “Is anything wrong?”

“My feet are killing me.” She replies. “Did you have a nice time dancing with the ladies in Omma’s table.”

Yonghwa chuckles. “They all wanted to know if my brother was single and if he looked like me.”

“Ah - did you tell them Ajubeonim is a lot handsomer.” Joo tilts her head and a small smile played on her lips. Her brother in law looked more like her father in law while her husband was a mix of her in-laws features.

“I did - I told them he was darker than I was and more muscular.” Yonghwa replies. “He’s a catch if any woman manages to land him - he’s a wanderer. Plus - since I am his financial adviser - Hyung has a lot of money.”

Joo’s laughter rings out. She could always count on her husband’s honest evaluation on everything including his own features. But while she had to concede that her brother in law was handsomer - Yonghwa had charm and charisma that drew a lot of people to him - most notably females.

“I told you to eat more.” Yonghwa tells Joo as they headed home by midnight. “Here let me hold you.”

Joo was tipsy from the 3 glasses of vodka tonic that she drank. She wanted to walk barefoot to the car because her feet hurt and was pouting when Yonghwa insisted that she put her shoes on. 

“Bring the Ice Princess back - there’s still media outside.” Yonghwa tells her as he helps her with her shoes.

That was enough to wake her up, gripping her husband’s arm they made their way out of the hall - once again the Ice Princess graciously bows and says goodnight to many people.

“Ah so painful!” Joo removes her shoes as soon as the Bentley drives off. “Guard Park - dispose of these shoes! And tell Kwanghee to remove the designer’s name on my shopping list - I’m never buying shoes from that brand again!”

When they get to Pyeongchang-dong the staff bow and a pair of soft slippers were placed in front of Joo. 

“Thank you Housekeeper Lee.” Joo replies. 

“Agassi - there is tea in your room.” The housekeeper replies. “Chamomile.”

The couple enter their suite and see their little one asleep in his crib.

“How was Jun-jun?” Yonghwa asks. “Still feverish.”

“Deh Doryeong-nim. He took a long time to settle down - his injection must still hurt.” Choi Yoo Moh told them. “He just had milk so he’ll most probably wake up at around 5 AM.”

“That’s alright - we will take care of him.”  Yonghwa smiles at his son’s nanny. “You may rest now.’

“Oppa! Help me with this. I think the zipper is stuck.”

“”Alright - don’t move. I really don’t know how you can breathe in these tight things!”

“Mind ove