” Yah!” Emily yelled angrily.
Joel could no longer help it as he bursted into laughter.
Emily looked startled as she watched her husband. ‘what’s funny about what I said’
After calming down, Joel looked into his wife’s eyes with a wide smile plastered on his face.
“Emily my darling, if you don’t like something, say it out.” He said.
“And I’m sorry about that. When we get to the villa, I’ll have a thorough bath and I will dispose these clothes.” He added looking down at the shirt and trouser he was wearing.
Emily nodded her head meekly.
“Good” Joel smiled and kissed her on her lips.
“You should have just slapped her hard and told her never to touch your husband again.” Joel teased.
Emily sneered, eyeing him.
Joel bursted into another round of laughter and kissed his wife again, this time, more slower and longer than before. He kissed her tenderly, their soft lips dancing to a tune being played by their hearts.
After a few minutes, grudgingly, Joel pulled away and smooched Emily’s forehead.
He wished the could continue but they had somewhere to go.
“Can we get going now?” He asked huskily.
Emily replied by nodding her head, her cheeks red from blushing.
Joel smiled, straightening himself and fastening his seatbelt on. He turned on the engine and got back in the road.
He prayed silently in his heart for Emily’s mother to like him.
***
Emily smiled as she walked into her mother’s room with Joel behind her. “Omma.”
Mrs Chen looked up “My daughter!”
” Omma I’m so sorry I haven’t been coming recently. ” Emily said, sobbing gently.
” Oh my poor daughter. Aigoo! Are you not eating regularly? You look so lean.” Mrs Chen exclaimed as she hugged her daughter wholeheartedly.
Emily grinned “Ani omma, I’ve been eating regularly.”
The mother and daughter were so much engrossed that they almost forgot that a man was standing by the door.
“Huh?…” Mrs Chen arched up her brows as she stared at the handsome man her daughter came along with.
Joel bowed, unconscious of what to do. “Annyoenhhaseyo, omonim”
“Ann-yeon-gha-se-yo” Mrs Chen replied, bowing her head.
” Please sit.” Mrs Chen offered, pointing her hands to the cushions on the floor.
Joel bowed again shyly and helped himself to one of the cushions. Since he wasn’t used to cushions, he found it uncomfortable to sit on one and decided to kneel on it.
Emily smiled and sat on the cushion next to her husband.
Mrs Chen smiled awkwardly at the man before her and also sat on her cushion.
“Errr… Omma… hum… This is my boss, Mr Joel Manchester, the CEO of Empire Corporation” Emily preceded.
“Ahhh…” Mrs Chen exclaimed.
“Jinjja?!! Ah, Annyeonghaseyo!” Emily’s mum grinned at Joel, bowing her head politely.
“Ah-em…” Joel bowed awkwardly.
“Thank you so much for giving my Emily the opportunity to work for you, kamsahamnida” Mrs Emily stated, bowing again.
“Ani, it’s nothing.” Joel replied, feeling anxious and uncomfortable.
Emily grinned at the duo, not knowing how to proceed.
“Erm, omma.” Emily stuttered, changing her position to a kneeling position.
“Omoni, Emily and I are planning our wedding.” Joel stated, coming to his wife’s rescue.
Mrs Chen sat expressionless, staring back and forth at the duo like she didn’t hear what the CEO of Empire Corporation had said.
The couple prayed nervously as the woman before them grew silent.
“Emily,” Mrs Chen called silently after a while.
“Omma?” Emily replied, staring into her mother’s eyes.
“What this man said, is it true?” Her mother asked.
” Nde omma. We love each other.” Emily replied softly.
Mrs Chen grew silent once again and looked over at the CEO.
“Mr Joel?” She called.
“Omonim” Joel replied, looking up at his mother-in-law.
“Is it true? Do you love my daughter?” Mrs Chen asked.
“Nde, Omonim. I really do.” Joel replied looking over at his wife who returned his gaze with a smile.
Mrs Chen heaved out a sigh. The look in their eyes said it all.
They were both in love with each other and she didn’t know where the assurance came from but she was sure the CEO wasn’t playing games with her daughter. She sighed again.
“Well, I don’t have the power to decide anything. I’ll have to take you to my parents, Emily’s grandparents. I can’t do this without them.” She stated.
Emily furrowed her brows.
Her mum usually talked about her parents but she had never told her where they lived or who they were. Emily was eager and excited to meet her grandparents at last.
Mrs Chen smiled at her daughter knowingly and looked over at the CEO. “If you don’t mind Mr Joel, we’ll go tomorrow morning.”
“Animnida.” Joel replied, shaking his head.
Mrs Chen nodded her head.
“So, what do I offer you?” She asked, smiling.
“Ah.. nothing” Joel smiled.
He was more concerned about getting off the cushion. The kneeling position was killing but he still managed to keep his calm.
Emily arched up her brows as she watched her husband massage his ankle with his hand and smiled.
She turned to face her mum, “Omma, we’ll get going now, huh?”
“Aniii, he has to take something.” Mrs Chen shook her head in disapproval.
“No, he’s okay. Right, Joel?” Emily asked.
Joel nodded his head, ” right.”
Emily grinned at her mum and rose up to her feet. “See you tomorrow, omma.”
She watched Joel as he struggled to his feet. His legs had gone numb.
“Annyeonghaseyo, omoni” Joel managed out of his mouth.
“So you are not going to take anything before you leave?” Mrs Chen asked, frowning.
Joel smiled, dipping his hand into his pocket. “Animnida. Some other time.”
He brought out notes of won from his pocket and handed the money over to his mother-in-law. “Do manage it, omoni.”
Mrs Chen opened her mouth, she wanted to reject the money but she knew there was no use in doing that because even his looks said it all; the CEO wouldn’t take a no for an answer.
She smiled. “Kumawoyo”
Joel bowed in acknowledgement.
Emily placed her hand on her mother’s shoulder as they walked out of her room to the entrance of the house. “Omma, you know I missed you right?”
Mrs Chen smiled and stole a glance at the CEO, taking in his features. His back was gaunt, broad and straight. He was tall and handsome; and although he was simply dressed, he looked so graceful as he strode out of the house. He was definitely some years older than her daughter.
“You really love him, don’t you?” She asked her daughter, lowering her voice.
Emily looked over at her ever charming husband and smiled.
“I do.” She whispered back.
“He’s really taking good care of me.” She added.
Mrs Chen smiled and nodded her head.
The couple got in the Royce, waved at Mrs Chen and drove out of the compound.
Hye Ri who was just walking into the compound stared at the car in awe, she squinted her eyes to see who was it but failed since the car was tinted.
“So, we’re coming back tomorrow morning, right?” Joel asked as he drove to the villa.
“Yes.” Emily replied.
“But do you know I have never seen my grandparents before? Tomorrow is first time I’ll be seeing them.” She added thoughtfully.
“Uhn.” Joel replied nasally.
Since he already knew about everything, he was not surprised.
As soon as he had driven the car far away from the Chens’, Joel stopped the car.
“Why did you stop the car?” Emily asked in bewilderment.
Joel pouted. “My legs hurt.”
Emily couldn’t help but snicker.
“But you know I’m not too strong enough to drive” she stated.
“I do.” Joel replied, unfastening his seatbelt.
Emily furrowed her brows. “Sooo… who is driving?”
“You’ll see for yourself.” Joel replied, smiling.
He took a nose mask from the dashboard and fixed it on Emily’s nose. He then placed a face cap on her head.
He did the same for himself and stepped out of the car.
Emily furrowed her brows, surprised at what her husband was doing.
Joel turned around the car and opened the passenger’s side for Emily to step out.
Taking the cue, Emily got down from the car.
Joel nodded his head closed the door and opened the back seat. He signaled with his hand for Emily to get in.
Emily shook her head climbed in. She watched with keen interest as Joel hopped in and sat next to her. He removed his mask and cap; and did the same for Emily.
Emily chuckled “Soooo?”
Joel winked, “wait for it.”
Emily grinned ear to ear as she watched one of Joel’s chauffeur get in the driver’s seat. She turned to face her husband and mused.
She arched up a brow, “really?”
Joel kissed her, “really.”
Emily giggled and drew him closer to herself for more kisses.
The chauffeur drove steadily while the couple made out in the backseat throughout the drive back to the villa.
***
The next morning, the couple did the necessary and drove over to the Chens to pick Mrs Chen before going over to the Chois.
Throughout the ride, Mrs Chen kept giving directions whole Joel continued to play along, acting like he didn’t know where they were going.
He had wanted to tell his wife that Vincent’s grandparents were her grandparents but he kicked against the thought since it was not in his place to tell her.
Emily was calm all through the ride but when her mum told Joel to steer the wheel to the left and drive into Grand Residential Close, Emily couldn’t help but wonder who exactly her grandparents were.
“It’s here.” Mrs Chen stated as soon as they were in front of the Chois’ mansion.
Emily furrowed her brows as she stared at the familiar gate.
‘Why are we here?’ She wondered.
The gate was soon opened and Joel drove in.
As soon as Mrs Chen stepped out of the car, she looked around and smiled.
“Home sweet home.” she murmured tearily.
Emily looked around as she stepped out of the car.
‘Isn’t this Vincent’s house…?’ She thought.