She swallowed the lump in her throat as she fought back her tears.
“It’s okay, Emily…” Maria assured and helped her out of the conference room.
As soon as she was done in the industry, Emily drove over to her father’s house. She knew her father wouldn’t be home and would have gone to work.
Her father owned a farm and sold harvested crops to the market men and women.
That was the right time to go home if she wanted to meet her mum and brother alone at home. And besides, she needed to see them too, at least, to forget about her problems for a while.
“Omma!!!!” Emily grinned as she skipped to her mum’s room.
(A/N: omma means mum)
“Huh? Emily?!” Mrs. Chen stood up on her feet as soon as Emily stepped into her room.
“Omma!” Emily walked swiftly towards her and hugged her.
“I missed you, momma. I really really really missed you.” Emily couldn’t help the tears that strolled down her face.
“I missed you too, my child.” Mrs. Chen smiled as she broke away from the hug.
She pulled Emily down on one of the cushions and also sat on another.
“Have you been well? Do you eat daily? You look lean, wae?” Mrs. Chen complained affectionately.
“Ani omma, I don’t look lean. And yes, I eat a lot.” Emily laughed.
“Jinjja? Good food, not ramen alone right?” Mrs. Chen puckered her mouth sadly.
“Annie, I even eat BBQs too, omma.” Emily grinned.
“Jinjja? Aigoo, now I’m relieved.” Mrs. Chen grinned.
“Huh omma, where is Promise?” Emily arched up her brows.
“Oh, he went to pay off some of our debts.” Mrs. Chen sighed.
“Omma, gwenchana.” Emily patted her mum’s back gently.
“Your father doesn’t want to have anything to do with me, you, or your brother. We only live under the same roof. I have to fend for myself and your brother all the time but you know I’m getting old.” Mrs. Chen dabbed her eyes.
“Ommaaaa” Emily pouted her lips sadly.
Mrs. Choi was still sobbing when they heard sounds coming in towards the direction of the room.
“Oooommmaaaa.!!!!” Promise cried as he stomped his feet into the room.
“Huh? Promise what happened?” Emily and her mum looked up at him at once.
“Noonaaaa!!!!” The boy cried.
“Exactly, what is the problem?” Emily asked again.
“They beat me up.” Promise stated in between his cries.
“Mbo?! Nugu?!” Emily thundered angrily.
Who dared to beat her brother?
Even though she was a little bit gullible and stupid, Emily loved her family very much and never joked with any of them, including her stepmom and sister.
“It’s Kang Wook.” Promise sniffed.
“Kang Wook?!” Emily sneered.
She knew Kang Wook, he was a thug whom her mum always borrowed money from him, since she had no choice.
“Wae? Tell me, why did he beat you?” She asked in annoyance.
“He said we still owe him a lot of money. that the money I gave him is small.” Promise sniffed.
“So, that’s why he beat you up? Omma, how do you owe him?” Emily asked.
“Twenty thousand won.” Mrs. Chen sighed in grievance.
Emily pressed her lips in a thin line and took the debit card in her bag. Once again she was going to use the debit card-just once more.
“Omma! Let’s go shopping!” She grinned.
“Mbo?” Mrs. Chen furrowed her brows.
“Sho… pping?” Promise pouted.
“Uhn, shopping.” Emily smiled.
“We’ll get some things you can sell in the market and we’ll pay Kang Wook all of his money.” She explained.
And omma, you don’t need to lend money any longer, your daughter works in EWEI as a broadcaster now. If you want anything, tell me.” Emily grinned again.
“Jinjja? EWEI?! I am, you see… I told you it was noona we saw on TV two days ago.” Promise stated proudly, grinning from ear to ear.
“Nde, my daughter.” Mrs. Chen smiled joyfully.
“Now, let’s go shopping. Kaja!” Emily smiled.
“Kaja!!” Promise and Mrs. Chen chorused.
The trio stood on their feet and walked out of the room.
???
“The profit earned from the sales of the goods is double of what we expected. This means we need to export more of the product to earn more money. And from my perspective,” Noah explained as he stood next to the projector.
Joel’s phone lit up and he stared at it. He picked the phone up and checked the message; it was a debit alert.
Joel’s lips twitched up in a smile. He didn’t know why, but he was happy she used the debit card again.
“Meeting postponed!” He stood up on his feet, buttoned his perfectly ironed tuxedo, and took long strides out of the conference room.
Noah carried his boss’ laptop, packed his blue scripts, and trailed after the CEO.
The board of members stood up on their sweet and bowed their heads till the CEO was out of the conference room.
“Boss I got the boys to do some research on the relationship between Miss Emily and Vincent, and…” Noah rapped as they walked into the CEO’s office.
“Stop!” Joel cut him short.
He wasn’t ready to hear it, he was scared his suspicions would turn out to be true. He didn’t want to hear it.
Noah pressed his lips in a thin line.
“Why did you call the witch?” Joel sneered.
“Ahhh. Well, boss, I didn’t call her. Sir did.” Noah scratched his head.
“Hyung?” Joel furrowed his brows.
“Nde.” Noah bowed slightly.
“My love!” Danielle grinned as she barged into the CEO’s office.
“Speaking of the devil…” Joel smiled broadly as he watched Danielle sway her hips towards him.
“Boss, I have to attend to some things.” Noah bowed his head and made to leave the room.
Joel shot him deadly glares as Danielle hugged him.
‘deo, you are going to leave me with this witch’ Joel sneered angrily.
‘i’m sorry boss, it’s your cross and you have to carry it.” Noah gritted his teeth and hastily walked out of the office.
“The house was boring and I decided to come spend some time with you.” Danielle smiled as she broke away from the hug.
“Huh?… arasso.” Joel returned her smile with a grin.
“Since you’re not doing anything, should we go shopping?” Danielle suggested.
“Huh?” Joel arched up his brows.
“Oppaaaa… hun?.. hun?” Danielle pouted.
(A/N: oppa does not only mean brother it can also be used when you’re referring to your boyfriend.)
“Aishhh! Danielle you are going to make me run mad.” Joel groaned as he stood up on his feet.
What exactly did she need to shop for? Ahe had the latest designer clothes, bags, and shoes. She just derived joy in frustrating his life. Joel almost cried.
He took his black coat from the hanger and wore it in his tuxedo.
“Oppa kumawo!” Danielle kissed his cheek and dragged him out of the office.
???★★★???★★???★★★???
“Oppa don’t you like this one?…” Danielle grinned as she touched a dress.
They had arrived at the boutique and she was currently going through some clothes on the hangers.
“This one is pretty too right?” She asked, touching another dress.
“Danielle just buy whatever you want!” Joel groaned.
“Huh?” Danielle furrowed her eyes as something caught her attention.
“Joel .. that girl…” She pointed at Emily as she walked towards the cashier with her family.
“Isn’t that the girl that lives with us?” Danielle asked her eyes on Emily.
Joel looked up in her direction and smiled, so she had used the black card for her family.
He received a message and quickly took out his phone from his pocket. It was another debit alert. He looked up and smiled as he watched Emily laugh.
Emily ruffled her brother’s hair playfully as they walked out of the boutique. But why did it feel like she was being watched by someone? She stopped at the entrance of the boutique, turned back, and looked around but didn’t see anyone looking in her direction.
“Emily, what is it?” Mrs. Chen asked.
“Huh? Ahhh… annniii omma. Kaja.” she turned around and the trio walked out of the boutique.
“Oppa say something!” Danielle pouted her lips as she looked up at Joel.
Joel rolled his eyes.
“Just pack the whole clothes on this row,” Joel told the sales girl behind them and dragged Danielle to the cashier.
Emily drove back to their house and parked her car outside.
“Omma if you need anything don’t hesitate to call me okay?…” She smiled as she wrote down her phone number on a sheet of paper.
“And here..” she handed a sum of money to her mom.
“Kumawo Emily.” Mrs. Chen smiled lovingly.
“Ommaaaa… Don’t cry, okay?” Emily puckered her lips.
Mrs. Chen nodded her head and stepped out of the car with Promise.
“Promise don’t forget to take good care of mum huh? huh?” Emily grinned as she waved her family goodbye.
“Take good care of yourself okay?” Mrs. Chen smiled.
“Uhn omma.” Emily nodded her head and drove the car away.
Emily shook her head sadly as she drove back to the villa…
Her mum was a strong fighter, she had suffered a lot. Their family used to be happy even though they had nothing until her dad came back home one day with a woman who had turned out to be her mum’s best friend and her daughter. Her dad had told them the woman was pregnant for him and she and her daughter were going to be living with them.
Hye Ri had miscarried the child back then and had blamed it on her mother, saying her mother was a witch and had spoilt the child in her womb because she was jealous.
Emily waved at the security officers as she drove into the close. Since she now lived there, they no longer requested a pass card from her each time she drove in.