The Price of Love

Chapter 24: Reputation

Warning:  Allegations of date rape/coercion

Jin

"I heard you took your husband privileges a little early," Micha crooned at me over her cup of coffee. Her eyes sparkled with amusement. "And your little friend left so unexpectedly yesterday. She didn't even say goodbye to me."

"Why would she?" I countered, toying with my fork. What husband privileges was she talking about? "Is my father coming to breakfast or not?" I was only there because I had missed breakfast yesterday and was told that my father wanted to see me today.

"Oh, he'll be here," she said, still with that sickly smile.

A few moments later, the door opened, and my father ambled in, followed by Fiona. I frowned. What was this all about, and why did I have a bad feeling about this? I stood up when Fiona approached a seat at the table.

"At least you remember some of your manners," my father grumbled as he made his way to his seat. One of the servants helped him get comfortable. He turned his eyes to me. "We need to talk about the manners you forgot."

I slumped into my chair. "I don't know what you mean, sir."

"Tell them what you told me, Fiona," Micha said, her voice dripping with concern. "Tell us again what happened."

I turned to look at Fiona in her seat across from me. She cast me a nervous glance then quickly averted her eyes.

"What happened?" I asked her. I observed that she was twisting her hands together nervously.

"You know. I-I talked to Mrs. Kim--"

"Call me Mom, my dear," Micha interjected. She shot me a sneer. "It's only a matter of time, after all."

The red-haired girl nodded. "I talked to M-Mom yesterday because I missed breakfast." She glanced at me then looked down again. "I can't...say this."

I exhaled impatiently. "Can someone tell me what is going on?"

My father hit the table with his hand. "I will tell you then. You took advantage of this girl the other night by keeping her in your room."

"What?" I exclaimed, dumbfounded.

"Don't deny it," my father continued. "Several of the staff already confirmed it. She stayed in your room until the next day and, quite frankly, Seokjin, we all know the only reason you would have a girl in your room."

I turned to look at Fiona. "Fiona, what did you say happened?" She refused to look at me, and I became upset. "Look at me. What did you say?"

Micha sighed. "Don't bully the girl for speaking up. It is a delicate matter for a young lady such as Fiona to bring up, but I told her--"

"You told her?" I interrupted her. "You told her what? Did you tell her what to say? So that's why you mentioned husbandly privileges. Well, that's simply not true." I looked at my father. "I don't know what Micha instructed her to say, but I can tell you that nothing happened. I didn't...we didn't do anything. I was upset, and she stayed to talk to me, and I fell asleep. I might've kissed her." I turned to Fiona. "But that was only because I thought you were someone else. And that's where it stopped. She fell asleep on the bed, and I slept on the couch. That's what happened."

Fiona glanced at Micha, and I saw the look that passed between them. I could've sworn that Fiona was reluctant to continue, but Micha shot her a pointed look.

"Your reputation does precede you, son, and if Fiona is too polite to mention it, then I will," Micha announced.

"Because we all know you are not polite," I muttered, earning a scowl from Micha. Then her scowl faded into a sneer.