To Be or Not To Be A Family - Chapter 89

Ashma got up without finishing her breakfast and left for her room. She was distraught after seeing her mother and biological father talking and giggling with each other. She wanted her mother to be happy but not after snatching someone else’s happiness.

The love of her life was now married with two kids and she needed to understand that. Maybe they really were good friends and Ashma was thinking too much. She needed to give her mother the benefit of the doubt.

She went to her room and without taking bath, went to the bed. She knew she needed rest, her eyes were burning due to tiredness. She closed her eyes and slept again for hours. She knew she needed some sleep. No one came to disturb her. Everyone was busy reprimanding Bong-Cha for hiding such important news from them. Everyone went to their offices and colleges after having breakfast.

Young-Soo again called Ryan Jong-Ho and complained to him about his sons. His sons were creating trouble for his daughters and he hated that. The younger one was harassing his younger daughter and the elder one just declared war in front of everyone with his elder daughter. He shouted at Jong-Ho who apologised on his son’s behalf.

In the afternoon, Vidhi went to wake her up for lunch. Ashma groaned and moaned and then turned to her side and went to sleep again.

“She must be tired. She was not feeling okay yesterday. I should let her sleep for some more time,” pondered Vidhi. As it was difficult for her to sleep with a plastered hand with Ashma, she was given the room next to her. Vidhi went for a nap in that room after having lunch.

After half an hour, Ashma woke up. She went to the bathroom, took a bath and came outside in blue pyjamas. No one was at the house. She went to the kitchen, In-Ho and all the servants were nowhere to be seen. Ashma was hungry. She left her breakfast and it was way past lunchtime. Everyone in the home was resting or napping.

She searched for the food in the fridge and some leftovers were kept in clingwrap. She took out the bowls, plated the food and placed the plate in the microwave. The clinging and clanking of the utensils alerted In-Ho that someone was in the kitchen.

“What are you doing here?” asked In-Ho, politely.

She turned around and saw In-Ho, “oh, sorry if I disturbed you, I was just hungry.”

“No, no, dear, it’s no issue. Let me help you.” In-Ho moved forward to help her.

“No, please go back to your rest, I can do this on my own,” said Ashma.

“No, you are a kid of this house and no kid of this house will ever work when I am here,” protested In-Ho and moved next to her to help but saw that she needed no help. She had already placed the plate with food inside the microwave to heat.

“Are you trying to make me a spoilt brat?” teased Ashma.

“What? No.”

“Wait! Did you call me ‘kid of the house’?” inquired Ashma, puzzled.

“You are a kid,” said In-Ho.

“Right.”

“And you are in the house.” In-Ho pointed out to the walls.

Ashma smiled at his explanation. “You are very smart, did anyone tell you that?”

“Everyone.” In-Ho smiled at Ashma and winked.

“You know what I meant,” emphasised Ashma.

“I know what you meant,” said In-Ho with all seriousness. “Whether you want or not, you are a Park, you are our kid.”

“Thank you for calling me your kid, but I am not Park, I am Dewan,” objected Ashma.

“Say whatever you want, you were a Park before you were born,” clarified In-Ho.

The microwave beeped signalling that the food was done. Ashma opened the door of the microwave and said, “okay, I am hungry and I get angry when I get hungry, so can we talk later on this topic.”

“You have no idea how much love you would have received if our boss knew about your birth,” interrupted In-Ho.

“Boss?” inquired Ashma and she was not sure about whom he was talking about.

“Your grandfather,” replied In-Ho.

“Yeah, right,” Ashma rolled her eyes.

“No, it is true, he always wanted a granddaughter and when Bongie was born he was over the moon. If he would have known about you, he would have brought you to Korea in a heartbeat,” said In-Ho.

“What about Baek-Hyeon, doesn’t he love him too?” asked Ashma.

“He loves him but he loves Bongie more and I know he loves you too.”

“How could you say that? I will puke,” said Ashma. She put her tongue out and acted as if she was about to puke.

“Ha-ha, your mother is right, you are very naughty,” laughed In-Ho. “I say that because I saw what happened to him the day he hit you,” In-Ho became serious.

“What happened to him?” Ashma took out her plate and placed it on the breakfast table. She then got busy searching for spoons and forks.

In-Ho realised what she was doing so he opened a drawer and took out spoons and forks and knives and handed them over to her.

Thank you,” said Ashma after receiving the spoon and fork.

He said, “He was crying in a dark room. He didn’t eat anything, drink anything till Yongsuna found you.”

“It was just guilt.” Ashma shook her head in disbelief that was in a conversation about Young-Jae and someone was defending him.

“I have been working for him since I was a child, I know his every emotion. We practically grew together. It was not guilt, it was sadness and concern for you. He did not show joy but I know he was happy when people found you. And he was concerned yesterday and the day before yesterday when you fainted and when you were drenched in the blood,” said In-Ho.

“Haa…” Ashma dismissed all In-Ho’s talk about Young-Jae. “He is concerned about me, that is news.”

“Well, believe it or not, he is concerned about you, he loves you,” said In-Ho.

“Okay, about all the days, I will believe you but not that he loves me. That would not be farther from the truth,” protested Ashma.

“One day you will realise that he is your family and you will love him back,” pointed out In-Ho with confidence.

“Okay if you say so. But before that, can I eat?” asked Ashma.

“Oh sorry, of course.”

In-Ho left her alone in the kitchen. She took her plate out of the microwave and sat on the breakfast table. She was eating her food in peace when Eun-Kyung came yawning.

“How are you feeling now?” asked Eun-Kyung.

Ashma finished the food in her mouth, placed the spoon on the table and looked at her, “Well rested.”

“Need anything else?” Eun-Kyung saw that she was eating food and wanted to help her.

“No mumma, but what are you doing here?”

“Ohh, just came for a glass of water. Enjoy, I am going back to my nap. See you in the evening,” yawned Eun-Kyung.

“See you then.”

Ashma ate her lunch, cleaned her plate and went back to her room. On the way, she looked at the room next to her where Vidhi was taking her nap. The red room made her smile as she remembered what Yong-Sun said about the room to tease her. He wanted to take Young-Mi and have sex with her. That idiot had every idea how to make a girl jealous.

After checking on Vidhi, she went back to her room. She opened her mail and started working on a new project. No matter how much she thought no new ideas were coming up. After the spring fashion show, she had to do something bigger to make the world look at her. She had a conference video call with her colleagues and they discussed it for long but no idea came up in anyone’s mind. She gave instructions to all of them to think something new and big.

The whole evening she locked herself up in the room and kept trying to figure out what to do next, what kind of dress to design next. She looked up paintings, architecture, etc for inspiration but nothing came to her mind.

The dinner was a quiet one as Young-Jae was sitting at the table. Suddenly, he asked, “are you angry at me, Bongie?”

“No, why do you ask?” asked Bong-Cha.

“Why didn’t you tell me that that Ryan boy was bullying you?” inquired Young-Jae.

“How did you…?” Bong-Cha was shocked. He was not present at the morning table then how did he know. She looked at Ashma.

“Don’t look at me, as if I will go and talk to him,” said Ashma, casually.

“That’s right, then who?”

All looked at In-Ho together.

“What? He asked me what is new, I just blurted out, sorry,” said In-Ho coolly while doing his work.

“Pyo-ssi!” exclaimed Bong-Cha.

“I am sorry,” said In-Ho.

“Ahh… I didn’t know how to tell you all,” shouted Bong-Cha, frustrated.

“You know you can tell us anything,” said Young-Jae.

“I know, I was just scared, I am sorry,” Bong-Cha lowered her head and looked down.

“Thank you for helping her,” said Eun-Kyung looking at Ashma.

“Come on mumma, you don’t need to say that,” said Ashma.

“But I do,” said Eun-Kyung and blew a kiss toward her but Ashma gave a half-smile to her. “Why do you look disturbed?”

“Oh nothing, just work thing,” said Ashma.

“Are you sure? No anger issue?” teased Eun-Kyung.

“No, I am sure,” protested Ashma.

While they were talking, Ashma’s eyes fell on Young-Soo who took a spoon and started feeding Vidhi. Ashma clenched her teeth.

“Let me, I can help my mom,” shouted Ashma. She looked at Vidhi and screamed, “why didn’t you say something? Does the food taste better with his hands?”

“Ash!” scolded Vidhi.

“If you want help, ask me, not anyone else,” rebuked Ashma. “Mr Park! Could you exchange seats with me?” ordered Ashma.

“Yes,” said Young-Soo.

“Thank you,” said Ashma out loud.. They crossed each other while exchanging seats and Ashma whispered at him, “stay away from her.”