Chapter 48

Lisa was right. Jennie breathed out with relief as she and Jisoo went out of the building and headed straight to Jisoo's car.

There was still no sign of anything unusual on the street, except maybe for Bobby who ran outside the studio to have a better look at them both. He was probably wondering who went down from his boss' apartment on the second floor after he saw the unfamiliar shiny, big, black car parked outside. And when he saw that one of them was Jennie, he bowed politely and immediately went back inside.

"Who's that?" Jisoo asked as she pulled the door open.

"Bobby. Lisa's assistant," Jennie replied as she pulled her door, too, and settled herself on the passenger's seat. "Your car smells funny," she commented and wrinkled her nose.

"You're currently inhaling Doona's vomit from last night and her attempts to remove the odor this morning," Jisoo said as she started the engine and maneuvered away from Lisa's building. "She emptied a cannister of air freshener. Imagine that."

Jennie snorted. "Not surprising at all, really. I mean, she called you Jesus, by the way. Or Jisoos? I'm not sure which. But she said she's frightened of you," Jennie after as she buckled her seatbelt. Her eyes were fixed on the side mirror. She was staring at Lisa's building through it as it started to look smaller as the car gained speed, going farther and farther.

Jennie felt her heart grew heavy by the minute. She missed Lisa already. She was feeling empty now that Lisa wasn't on her side. She sighed and shook her head. Maybe Jisoo was right? It was a little weird to still be calling her Lili, Lisa, when she wasn't Lisa after all.

Pranpriya.

The sound of it spoke like a prayer even on her head, Jennie thought. She should've asked Lisa what her Thai name means when she had the chance. Then she wouldn't have been wondering about it by now. That, and the fact about Lisa being a real-life princess. Jennie had been curious about Lisa and the air of mystery that surrounded her because Lisa had always been vague with the details when she would talk about her life in Thailand and her family. Jennie thought it was probably because Lisa wasn't really the type of person who would talk about herself. And now that her being an important member of the Thai royal family had been finally revealed and Lisa confirming it to her, some things kind of made sense to Jennie finally. But not quite, though.

"Jendeuk?"

"Hmm?" Jennie muttered distractingly.

"You weren't listening," Jisoo said.

"I'm sorry, Chu. What were you saying?" Jennie said.

"Has it sink on you yet? Lisa being a princess?" Jisoo asked as they hit the main road.

"I don't know, Chu," Jennie said and managed a half-hearted chuckle. "The sound of it didn't feel overwhelming when I was with her a while ago."

"But?" Jisoo asked, sensing that there was a 'but' somewhere when Jennie paused and released a sigh.

"But now that I'm about to face my mom and everyone in the company later today, most definitely, I feel like it's such a huge thing to explain to them, Chu. I don't even know where to start. Or how to start, for that matter," Jennie replied.

"About her being a princess or about your relationship with her?" Jisoo inquired.

"Both, I suppose," Jennie resigned with a sigh.

The gravity of the whole situation was starting to weigh down on Jennie, now that Lisa wasn't with her. Because it definitely was a huge thing, this whole thing. Lisa being a member of a royal family and her finding out about it through a malicious article about them; her relationship with Lisa; their cultural differences; the homophobia that haunted both of their respective countries. But at least Lisa's home country was somewhat tolerant about it, as far as Jennie knew. South Korea, on the other hand, was another story. Especially to the likes of her. Because whether Jennie would like to admit it or not, she wasn't just another South Korean woman who fell in love with another woman; she was sure she wasn't just the only one experiencing this whole fascinating thing about falling in love, in general. No. She was a young CEO of a multi-billion company that mostly composed of uptight, cutthroat, misogynistic, conventional men who would never hesitate to take everything away from her the moment she would commit a mistake.

And she did. Not the part about falling in love and being in a relationship with Lisa, though. Because that part was the only thing that felt right in her life right now. After the death of her father; after her efforts of trying to walk away from the responsibilities handed to her without consulting her if she wanted it in the first place; after her mom was setting her up for marriage with guys like Yi Eun and Kai, thinking that it would ease her burden somehow. After all of that and after she had kept herself in solitude for so long, Lisa had made things easier for her without even trying. Lisa made life so much bearable and lighter and Jennie was grateful for that. Just by looking at those soft brown orbs was enough to make her feel like she can do greater things. But kissing Lisa in public? That was a mistake. Not that she regretted one bit of it because she didn't; she loved every second of it, in fact. She loved kissing Lisa. She loved how those plump lips taste on her mouth. But she should have known better that it was a public place and no matter how seemingly safe and secluded that spot was from the prying eyes, anyone could still chanced upon them and anyone could take a snap of them kissing and make a big a deal out of it. And claiming Lisa in front of Irene last night was another mistake. Something that she had done out of unchecked emotions and--

"Oh my god, Chu! Irene!" Jennie suddenly yelled so loud that Jisoo had to quickly step on the brake so hard her tires screeched so loudly against the hard pavement and it earned her disapproving and worried looks from the pedestrians outside.

"What? Where?" Jisoo asked, looking around the semi-crowded street, expecting to see a familiar face. But all Jisoo could see were the faces of the onlookers looking and pointing at them like they did something horrible.

"I mean, do you think it was Irene?" Jennie asked, her cat-like eyes popping out like she had just uncovered a mystery.

"It was what Irene?" Jisoo asked, a hint of restrained annoyance was on her voice but mainly because the car behind them was honking so loud and persistently, it was catching everyone's attention. "Please don't do that again, Jendeuk. You're going to get us killed," she said with gritted teeth as she started the engine and resumed their pace, but not without throwing dirty looks on the rearview mirror.

"Sorry," Jennie muttered, although sounding less apologetic. Her mind was already preoccupied with the thoughts of Irene and her possible partaking of outing Lisa and her. "The 'reliable source' the article mentioned, Chu. Do you think it was Irene?" she asked.

Jisoo gave the notion a thought. She spent the next couple of minutes driving in silence. Jennie beside her was growing impatient. Jisoo didn't say anything until the next stoplight.

"Depends on how she and Lisa had gotten close last night and how drunk Lisa was. Which she wasn't, by the way," Jisoo said. "And I don't think Lisa had slipped about her being a princess to Irene, Jendeuk. She obviously had been keeping it from everyone, even from you, and it's impossible that she would just open it up to Irene just like that. Irene could be painfully charming when she wants something but I don't think Lisa fell for that. Although, Irene may have told everyone at the party that you were pretty intense last night."

"Yeah. That was a mistake on my part. I should've controlled myself," Jennie said, a little embarrassed.

"You can't control yourself with Lisa around, in case you don't know," Jisoo smirked.

"But I know, Chu," Jennie groaned. "I've been trying so hard to resist it, I swear. But she doesn't make it easier, to be honest. Those gaze..."

Those gaze weakened everything about her, Jennie thought desperately. Her resolve, her thoughts, the bones on her body, her soul. She could honestly feel her whole being melting into some weird gooey, mushy something whenever she was blessed with those soft brown orbs; it was ridiculous and fascinating at the same time. It might even be the death of her one day, based on how her heart would race to frantic beats whenever she was put under those soft brown gaze.

"Do you realize how big Lisa is?" Jisoo said. "Like, she's bigger than all of us combined, Jendeuk. It's scary and overwhelming, actually. The older Kims don't have a chance if they ever want to try to take her down. So, you have to brace yourself. They'll come after you."

Jisoo sounded and looked worried because she had all the reasons to be. She was scared for Jennie and the would-be fate of her father's position in the conglomerate. Her dad spent his life for the company and the conglomerate and now that everything around them seemed to be hanging on a thread, Jisoo was worried. But Jennie seemed to have something else in mind at the moment that she needed to settle with Jisoo.

"Is that why you were acting weird in front of her after finding out who she really is, Chu? Because if I haven't known you better, I'd probably have thought you were having a bad crush on Lisa back there," Jennie said with a funny look on her face.

"Is that your jealous face I'm looking at right now?" Jisoo teased.

"No," Jennie said with a straight face.

Jisoo snorted. "I don't have a crush on Lisa, alright? I felt intimidated. You know me, Jendeuk. I don't get easily intimidated by anyone. Well, except maybe your mom because let's admit it, she's scary and intimidating. But Lisa..." Jisoo paused as she turned another corner. "There's a commanding aura in her that I've only finally noticed today. It's like it's always been there but I wasn't really paying attention to it because she was so good at overlaying it with something else. And like you said, those gaze."

"Those gaze will be the death of me," Jennie commented with a huff. "I wonder what made her leave her home and change her name, though? I forgot to ask her a lot of things," she said.

"It's those gaze. You forgot to ask her because of those g--Oh my god! They're here!" Jisoo muttered nervously when they turned at the next block and saw a group of people with cameras and recorders gathering in front of the black, iron-wrought high gate of the Kim mansion. Another group consisting of men in suits was trying to fend them off from getting closer to the gate. It wasn't a welcoming sight.

"Mom will kill me," Jennie groaned with a look of repulse on her face while looking at the press group.

"Should we turn around?" Jisoo asked, ready to do a reverse. "We can still turn around. They haven't seen us--,"

But it was too late. One of them had finally noticed their arrival.

"--yet." Jisoo gulped. Her words were drowned by the fact that they were about to be attacked and bombarded with a throng of hungry press people.

They recognized Jennie at the passenger's seat at once. The woman who first spotted them pulled the sleeve of a man holding a camera  beside her and they both started to brisk towards their direction. And another followed. And another, until all of them had finally noticed Jisoo's car. And like hungry hyenas ready to attack and lurch forward after smelling fresh meat, all of them left their huddle in front of the mansion's gate and started running forward to the car. It looked like a scene from a zombie movie.

Jisoo frooze on her seat. She just sat there with her eyes wide with fear and horror and held on to the steering wheel so tight as though her life was depending on it. She hadn't been in a situation before wherein she was about to be surrounded and possibly mobbed by a group of media people inside a car. Jennie, on the other hand, was already in a bad state. She was folding her hands on her lap, fingers interlocked tightly. She was nervous. She looked like she was ready to pass out. Her head was cast down, her now pale face was slightly obscured by the strands of hair falling on her face, shielding her from the incessantly blinding and flashing lights from the cameras even in broad daylight. She could feel herself involuntarily shaking and slowly suffocating.

Good thing that the Kim security were composed of well-trained men who knew how to handle such situations expertly. Their agility to move fast and swift made them run past the rabid group of press and secured Jisoo's car in a jiffy. The men in dark suits quickly stood around in a close formation, like a human cordon, and shielded Jisoo's car before the media could mob them or even aim the cameras at them anymore. One of the security aide gestured his hand to Jisoo, encouraging her to start the engine again and to drive with just enough speed, while the Kim security still shielding them and holding off the press, until she and Jennie could reach the gate. And when they did, the high iron-wrought gate swung open before them, revealing a manicured lawn and a glass mansion gleaming majestically under the sun.

Once inside the splendid landscape surrounding the vicinity of the Kim mansion, Jisoo drove on the concrete driveway, up until they had reached the front of the mansion, where another group of men in dark suit was waiting for them. All of them mechanically bent their bodies forward. They bowed at the sight of Jisoo and Jennie. Leading the group was Mr. Young, who immediately opened Jennie's door after taking a rather half-hearted and hasty bow. He looked anxious but still with authority. Another one pulled Jisoo's door open and gave another bow.

"Welcome home, Lady Kim and Miss Kim," Mr. Young said and offered both of them another more polite bow. "Madam Kim is waiting for you at the library, Lady K--," Mr. Young paused at the sight of Jennie as she was unbuckling her seatbelt in an obvious lackadaisical manner.

"She had a panic attack," Jisoo told the head of security. "I'll take Jendeukie upstairs and you stay here and deal with them. We can't have them disturbing the neighborhood all day, Mr. Young. They'll attract more attentions and surely Mrs. Kim doesn't want that." She was talking about the group of press who almost attacked them. She looked annoyed, Mr. Young could tell.

"They've been here since this morning, Miss Kim. We tried to drive them away but they're stubborn and persistent," Mr. Young told Jisoo without meeting her eyes.

"Do something about it or I'll call my brother and ask him to do your job instead," Jisoo threatened. Her nerves were still shaken from the experience she just had outside and it made her realize two things. That her father and brother were somehow right to insist that she should have a bodyguard with her anywhere she goes (something that she downright refused stubbornly) and she would never put herself in a situation like that ever again.

Jisoo could mostly be nice and friendly. She could be sarcastically funny too, on some occasions. She was bright and sharp. Her father's men respected her for that. But when her jaws were set like how they were set now and her eyes looking sharp and piercing through Mr. Young, the head of security knew well not to cross the other lady Kim.

"I'm sorry, Miss Kim," Mr. Young said with a bow as they left him beside the car.

"Are you okay?" Jisoo asked in a milder tone when she and Jennie started to climb the marbled staircase in front of the mansion that would lead them to the front door.

Jennie shook her head. "All these years of dealing with that kind of harassment, Chu, and I still feel ridiculous every time," she said.

"It's not your fault. Come on," Jisoo said gently. She held Jennie by the arm, while her other arm was carefully wrapped around Jennie's waist.

Jisoo led them towards the front door, where a group of a quartet was hovering over, waiting for them to reach the landing. And when they did, the quartet in dark suit bowed in a synchronized and mechanical manner and one of them pulled the door open after.

"Good afternoon, Miss Kim and Lady Kim," the guy in army-cut hair greeted and pulled the door open, admitting them inside the threshold of the Kim mansion.

The mansion with its immaculately gleaming marbled floor and elegant interior, as usual, felt empty despite the many security aides and household staff mocing around. Jennie hated that feeling. She hated how everytime she would walk past the front door, she felt like walking away from life, itself. She couldn't even remember the last time she had heard someone laugh inside its walls that it made her think that perhaps something had suck the life out it. No wonder she fell for the sunshiny aura that Lisa emits. She badly needed that kind of radiance at the moment, she thought.

"There are too many of them today, did you notice?" Jisoo commented when they were already out of earshot. She took a look back at the door, where the quartet were talking among themselves and looking stern and alert.

"The last time I've seen men these many hovering all over the house was when my dad died," Jennie said. "They're on full alert, Chu. They're making a big deal out of it."

The 'it' Jennie was talking about was of course the article released this morning about her and Lisa and about Lisa's real identity. And she was sure that everyone in the mansion, including the household staff, had already saw the article based on how they would steal quick glances at Jennie (after they would bow at the sight of her and Jisoo) and would then avert their eyes somewhere else as though they were afraid of being caught.

"Are you coming?" Jennie asked as they stood outside the library. Although, it didn't actually sound like a question. It was more like a plea, but masked with her futile attempt to look  and sound as casual as she could.

"Of course," Jisoo said before Jennie pushed the door of the library open.

The Kim library was a cavernous room filled with books and ledgers and some other important stuff lining up the walls; a crystal chandelier was hanging above. Some days it was brightly-lit and filled with enough amount of sunlight courtesy of the huge mullioned window on the eastern wall, facing the perfectly manicured backyard of the mansion. Today, the huge curtains draping on the mullioned window were drawn close that it gave off a forlorn and depressing light. It gave off an impression that someone may have died and Jennie was yet to hear the news about it. Although, Jennie knew that it only was to prevent any outsiders from seeing anything that's happening inside. Security and privacy were the main concerns why the library was built and designed the way it was.

Many important decisions for the company and the conglomerate had mostly been made inside the library. Jennie had lost count the number of times she had witnessed too many significant meetings and discussions that took place inside the privacy of the it. She had seen the Kim men parading in and out of the room, with their lips sealed and a stern look on their faces, bringing with them documents and whatnot. Her late father specifically asked a highly-expensive engineer from Europe to install sound-proof walls around it, so as to prevent any eavesdroppers from listening from the outside, considering the gravity of every discussions and decisions being made every time. It was also in the library that she had first discussed with her mother about Lisa and it already felt like a long time ago. Today wouldn't be any different, Jennie thought, except that things had escalated since that day she told her mom to leave Lisa alone.

Jisoo offered Mrs. Kim a courteous bow. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Kim," she said.

Mrs. Kim was sitting behind the table,with her back leaned on her seat and the mullioned window serving as a backdrop behind her. She acknowledged Jisoo with a slight nod but didn't take her eyes off Jennie. She had been notified, obviously, of their arrival. But contrary to what Jennie had expected, her mother looked relatively calm at the moment and it made her uneasy.

"Why didn't you send Mr. Young to pick me as soon as you saw the article?" Jennie asked as she heard the door clicked and as soon as their eyes met.

Jennie had been curious about it because she knew her mother. Any situation wherein or anything that would possibly jeopardize her safety and her position in the company, her mother would automatically send Mr. Young to pick her up, wherever she was.

"I'm sure you didn't want that," Mrs. Kim replied coolly.

Jennie frowned. "Yes, I don't. But I know you do, Mom. What's going on?" she asked suspiciously.

"I didn't want to make a ruckus about this whole thing in public. Sending our men to get you at her place will only give those people outside more reasons to stick their noses on your affair. You don't want that now, do you?" Mrs. Kim said.

"No," Jennie replied.

"So, is it true?" Mrs. Kim asked.

"About me being in a relationship with Lisa or about her being a Thai princess?" Jennie replied.

Mrs. Kim raised her brows. "I'm not that stupid to still not realize that you're having an affair with her, Ruby Jane. You wouldn't have asked me to lay my finger off her, you wouldn't have asked me to stop setting you up to Yi Eun and Jongin and you wouldn't have spent the night at her place after you rushed to Irene's party last night if she's not special to you, would you?" she said.

"What do you want to know, Mom?" Jennie asked, this time sounding a little exasperated. "Because if you'd ask me if I'm aware about Lisa's identity, then no, I don't. I am as shocked as everyone else. But we already talked about it and it didn't change anything between us," she said confidently.

Mrs. Kim huffed. "Between the two of you, maybe. But between you and the board? Yes, it certainly does, Ruby Jane. I have been receiving calls from all of them since the article was released. They're not pleased. They demand an emergency meeting. They might as well demand your resignation if they're shameless enough," she said and raised herself slowly from the cushioned chair. She looked mad now. But not mad enough that Jennie was still standing on her ground, with her nose in the air and stubbornly meeting her mother's glare.

"What were you thinking?" Mrs. Kim hissed, emphasizing each word with displeasure. "Kissing another woman in public when you know you're still tiptoeing your place around the company? I allowed you to date that woman. I stopped meddling with your personal affair. And all I asked from you was to not display your--,"

"My what, Mom? Say it!" Jennie demanded a little too loudly that it made Jisoo flinched beside her.

Jennie was shaking involuntarily, but not because of the panic attack she had felt earlier. She had never had a row with her mother before. Sure, she got mad and angry and disappointed with her mom more times than she could count. But she would always choose to walk away, every time. She loved and respected her mom, despite the many misunderstandings.

"And is that a crime now? Loving someone?" Jennie said angrily, now wiping away the unwanted beads of tears on cheeks.

"No! But you must understand that there are consequences. You know that! This isn't New York where you can do whatever you please and people around you don't give a damn. This is your life now. This is Seoul! And Seoul is unforgiving to people like us; to people like you. You know that. Jisoo knows that. Don't you, Chu?" Mrs. Kim suddenly directed her eyes on Jisoo, catching the latter off-guard.

Jisoo gulped and nodded. "Yes, Mrs. Kim," she said nervously. She now regretted why she was there and being caught in the crossfire between Jennie and Mrs. Kim. She had been regretting a lot of her decisions for the past twelve hours or so, it was starting to get ridiculous.

"Or have you joined my daughter's little adventure, Chu? I was told you've gotten pretty close with a redhead?"

Jisoo literally felt her heart dropped with a thud on the floor. She looked at Mrs. Kim with horror; the colors on her face drained out. The air in the library was suddenly hot but then she felt cold and clammy inside. She felt a lump on her throat. Words that she wanted to speak to defend herself but were stuck somewhere between her esophagus. Did her dad find out about Chaeyoung, too? Had he and Mrs Kim discussed about it also?

"Leave Chu out of this, Mom! This isn't about her!" Jennie stepped in. She sheilded Jisoo from her mother.

"Exactly!" Mrs. Kim spat. "This isn't about her. This isn't about me, either. This is about you, Ruby Jane!" She pointed Jennie. "You should've realized that before you go sneaking around and kissing some woman in that park!"

"Lisa isn't just some woman, Mom! I love her! And it was dark when we were there," Jennie argued.

"And yet somebody was able to take a photo and gave it to whoever is behind that stupid article. Think, Ruby Jane! I want you think. Did you see anyone that night? Anyone suspicious?"

Jennie glare, her eyes were still pooling with tears out of anger, but did as she was told despite her silent protest. She tried to recall what happened that night. But all she could ever think about was the rainbow bridge and Lisa's lips on hers. And the wind. It was a chilly night. She would never forget how cold she felt when they got out of the car because she could never forget how it all went away when Lisa was holding her closer and started kissing her. It was...pure bliss. One that definitely had released her from herself because Lisa just knew how to switch everything off inside her and knew exactly how to push that one button to make her forget everything else. Her fears, her doubts and the list of never-ending worries that she had been dealing with since time immemorial. They would all go away once she's inside Lisa's embrace. Tye thought of it somehow calmed her down at the moment.

"Think harder," Jennie heard her mom saying impatiently after a moment, urging her like it was imperative that she should.

Think harder, Jennie repeated the words inside her head.

There was actually quite a number of people she saw around the Banpo Hangang Park that night. There were those who were on their sweat suits, doing some laps around the park; some just briskly walking. There were also those who were riding around in bicycles. There were children, too; accompanied by adults, of course. And there were those who were just there and just simply hanging out, like them. There wasn't anything or anyone suspicious that night, as far as Jennie could remember. She didn't notice anything unusual at all, even after she and Lisa had decided to get back to the car because they didn't want to miss Chaeyoung and her band's set.

Jennie remembered how Lisa leaned in for a quick kiss before starting the engine. And how she, Jennie, smiled after that and leaned back to her seat, happy and contented as she took one last look at the majestic rainbow bridge behind them on the side mirror. And then it hit her. Finally.

"There was a car," Jennie blurted out. "Two cars, actually. They were behind us when we left the park."

"Did they tail you the whole time?" Jisoo asked. She was curious and it was hard for her not to butt in, despite her apprehension with Mrs. Kim.

"No." Jennie shook her head. "I mean, no, I can't remember. I wasn't really paying attention. We headed straight to the Orange after Lisa and I went to that park, Chu. That was the same night when Chaeng did something stupid, remember?"

Of course, Jisoo remembered. How could she forget about it? It was the same night when she warned Chaeng about the potential scenarios after the redhead had put on a show in front of everyone at the Orange that night. It was also the same night that she felt like she could trust Chaeyoung Park, weird as it sound. Although, the redhead didn't have to know that.

Jisoo nodded but with reluctance because she could feel Mrs. Kim's eyes boring on her and she didn't want Jennie's mom to realize that Chaeng and the redhead whom Mrs. Kim had just associated her with were the same person. Jisoo didn't want to involve Chaeyoung in this mess, as much as possible and realized that perhaps this was how Jennie felt about Lisa when Mrs. Kim had started asking about the Thai.

Mrs. Kim never spoke a word, though, even when she was regarding both Jennie and Jisoo with her swooping gaze. She was just there, sitting at the edge of the polished table and her arms folded across her chest. She was listening; brows furrowed and her lips were tightly shut. And just when Jennie decided to look at her mom, Mrs. Kim was already pushing a button on the telephone.

"Come up here immediately," Mrs. Kim told the person on the other line.

Jennie knew that there was only one person inside the mansion whom her mother would speak to like that. There was a knock on door few seconds after and Mrs. Kim said "Come in!" in an impatient tone. The door swung open and there standing in the doorway was Mr. Young, who immediately bent his body forward at the sight of them.

"There was a car," Mrs. Kim said without even waiting for the head of security to step inside the library. "Ruby Jane said she saw two cars behind them that night and I'm assuming that one of them was you and your men."

"Wait! You were there?" Jennie asked Mr. Young in disbelief.

"He and his men were there the whole time because I specifically told them to never take their eyes off you. I didn't want you wandering around on your own after I learned that you took a domestic flight to Tongyeon alone sometime in February," Mrs. Kim said and added," Yes, girls. I know about the little adventure you both had. Chu in her father's computer and you, my daughter, in Tongyeon," after she saw Jisoo and Jennie exchanged terrified looks. Her eyes lingered on Jennie.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Kim," Jisoo said apologetically with a bow.

"Your father thinks that you deserve a spot in his company, Chu, with that mind and talent of yours. So, why don't you use that and find that car for me?" Mrs. Kim directed her order to Jisoo and added, "All these men I'm paying for to ensure my daughter's privacy are proving to be inept, anyway."

Mr. Young understood that the last remark was for him. He took yet another bow, lower than his usual, and muttered his apologies. He knew he failed to do his job, especially that night. One wrong decision from him had led all of them to this mess, especially the Lady Kim.

"I don't want your sorry, Mr. Young. I want you to do your job. I want those people off the perimeter by an hour," Mrs. Kim said as she returned to the seat behind the polished table; she meant the reporters outside the gates of the mansion. "All of them."

"Yes, Madam Kim," Mr. Young said and quickly retreated his steps and rushed out of the door. He meant to make up for his mistakes.

"So," Mrs. Kim then said when it was just the three of them again, "can you do it, Chu?"

"You don't have to do anything, Chu," Jennie told Jisoo and roundes to face her mother. "She doesn't work in the company, Mom. Besides, even if Chu can find ou--,"

"I'll do it," Jisoo interjected, accepting the challenge. "I'll do it, Mrs. Kim. I'll hand in the report before dinnertime. It's okay, Jendeuk. I want to personally find it out myself. For my peace of mind," she added when she saw the look on Jennie's face. There was something she wanted to do once she's at it, anyway.

"Good. I'll call your dad and tell him to give you full access to his computer," Mrs. Kim said.

"Thank you," said Jisoo. "See you later, Jendeuk," she whispered to Jennie after she took a casual bow and left the two women in the library.

Jennie, still seething inside, walked over towarss the glass shelf at the farthest end of the book shelves. She picked up the bottle of Roederer and poured its contents in a glass. She could feel her mother's eyes on her, piercing on her skin, but she refused to lookat her. She was still upset.

"I'm honestly surprised you're still wearing your clothes from yesterday, considering that you spent the night with her," Mrs. Kim spoke, breaking the defeaning silence between them. She didn't sound sarcastic or mocking, though. If anything, she sounded like she was just striking up a conversation. But even so, it still annoyed Jennie for some reason.

"What now, Mom?" Jennie asked after she downed the champagne she poured in one go.

"Don't make this hard for the both of us, Ruby Jane," Mrs. Kim said.

"For the both of us?" Jennie repeated the words bitterly. "You're making this hard for me, Mom. I took the position against my will because I wanted to be my own person."

"And you did, didn't you?" Mrs. Kim replied.

"Putting men to follow me wherever I go isn't exactly giving me the freedom to be my own person, Mom. Asking my bestfriend to do a job because your men failed you isn't helping either, actually," Jennie said hotly.

"I allowed you to date Lisa. I let you go sneaking around just to see her, even if it's against my will. This wouldn't have happened if you listened to me i the first place. And now you're acting like I made this happen just because I'm making decisions here for your sake?" Mrs. Kim said, throwing the printed copy of Lisa and Jennie kissing from the article. It landed on the carpet.

"No, Mom. This wouldn't have been a big deal if you'd just allowed me to be who I am, despite me being a Kim and despite me being your daughter. Why did you think I left for Auckland and New York when I could just stay here and be the good and submissive daughter that you expect me to be? Because I wanted to grow and get away, Mom. I can't live my life knowing that I am not living it for me, for my happiness." Jennie's cheeks were now damped with tears. Her voice was cracking.

"So, you wanted to be a stowaway like the Thai? You wanted to walk away from who you are by rebelling against the people who only want what's best for you?" Mrs. Kim said, her face was now flushed.

"No. I wanted you to allow me to be happy, by letting me be," Jennie replied. "And please don't talk about Lisa as if you know everything, Mom. She has her reasons for leaving her home."

"Of course. I'm sure she does. But how sure are you that this thing, that...that feeling...the things that you feel for her is love? How sure are you that it's not just something temporary? You're willing to risk everything you have and everything that your dad and I built for you for something that probably won't pan out in the long run?" Mrs. Kim argued.

"I love her. I love Lisa. Or Pranpriya, whatever her name is. And yes, Mom. I'm willing to risk everything for her," Jennie said with her head help up high.

"Love isn't everything, Ruby Jane. Your father and I weren't in live when we got married. But we respected each other and so we decided to be together. For your sake, for the company's sake. Love will fade in the long run," replied Mrs. Kim.

"Dad used to tell me to be brave and firm especially when making decisions. He often told me to choose my happiness above everything else. And that is exactly what I'm going to do, Mom. I know you love me, I honestly do. I cannot ask you to risk everything for me, too. But I hope you'll be there, standing beside me when I fight back; when I fight for this. I know that love isn't always about rainbows and whatever. But I know what I want. And I want to be with Lisa while I continue to do my job as the president."

"You do realize that they're coming for you, don't you? They couldn't touch Lisa because, let's admit it, she's got her whole country behind her, despite her running away from her responsibilities for the kingdom and her people amd we don't want to jeopardize the relationship between her country and ours. But you, honey..." Mrs. Kim paused to compose herself from breaking down. "They'll come for you. You have no idea how ecstatic Yi Eun's father must be feeling right now, now that he has all the reasons to throw you out and take over the company. I love you. Despite our many differences, I love you with all my heart and I will protect you as best as I could. But I cannot do that unless you cooperate with me."

"What do you mean?" Jennie asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"The Brueshweilers have called this morning. They wanted us to fly to Thailand as soon as possible. Although, Lisa's mother insisted that we--that is to say us and she and her husband, Marco--should wait until Lisa and her King father will have their talk," Mrs. Kim said.

"What?" Jennie said.

"They want to meet you but Lisa's father, the King, insisted that nobody leaves Thailand without sorting this whole thing out. I hate taking orders especially from people I don't even know, but I guess I have to give in or else you'll decide to fly alone and I cannot let you do that now. I won't give the press another reason to camp in and mob you again."

"Mom..."

"But you need to meet with the board as soon as possible. Although, we'll have to wait for Chu's report later. I think that it's going to play a major role in all of these, once we find out who was inside that car," Mrs. Kim said. "There's no need to thank me because I'm just doing my job as your mother and your father's wife. Now, please do your job also and make sure that you keep it," she added and picked up her spectacles to read some papers. "I need you to keep it."

"Yes, ma'am. I will," Jennie said. She was still dazed and confused. Everything that her mother said hadn't sunk to her just yet and the only thing that was clear enough, as far as her brain had picked up on, was she was flying to Lisa's home soon. She couldn't wait.