𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑩𝑬𝑻𝑹𝑨𝒀𝑨𝑳

VII

Jungkook's mother began spending more time with her during the day. She never mentioned the Sunday Rosé had escaped, but it was always there in the careful guard she kept on her expression, in the stealthy way she trod around certain subjects.

Jeon Choi was proud of her son. He had dragged himself up from lean beginnings, made a success of his career when all the advantages had been stacked against him. But she wasn't blind to what temptation could be put in the way of a man of Jungkook's calibre. He was quick, shrewd, and clever. He was nearly thirtytwo years old and already a respected member of the business community. The whiz-kid who had to be watched.

Star quality, with the looks to go with the label.

Women had to be interested in him because those dark good looks and his ability to make money out of nothing made him interesting to them. And, although nothing had been said to her as to why her son's marriage was suddenly very rocky, Choi was no fool, and most probably had had a fairly accurate idea of the truth. So she spent more time with Rosé, offering moral support in her quiet solid way, and Rosé was grateful, for she had also come to the bleak realisation that Choi was her only friend in this new alien world she was living in right now.

Which in turn made her feel restless, utterly dissatisfied with herself and the empty person she had allowed herself to become. Her home, which had once been her pride and joy, now became a place to see criticism in every corner. It was good enough for her, but not for Jungkook. His advancement in life meant he deserved something grander-something which would reflect the successful man he had become. And she would flay herself by remembering all those times when he had tried to talk her into moving into something bigger, better, and, with this new way she had developed of looking at him, she began to understand why. No wonder he never brought any of his business colleagues home with him- he was most probably ashamed of the place!

Then, contrarily, she would be angry with him for not letting her into that other world he moved in. She might be guilty of being a silly blind fool who had barely changed in seven long years, but he had helped keep her that way by hiding her away like some guilty secret that did not fit his smart successful image!

Anger became resentment, and resentment a restlessness that made her quick-tempered and irritableunpredictable to the point where she knew those around her trod warily, yet she couldn't seem to do anything about it.

What are you, Rosé? she asked herself one evening when-as had been perhaps inevitable after weeks of being home on the dot of six-thirty-Jungkook was working late, and the restlessness grew worse because he wasn't there and she wanted him to be-needed him to be to feel any kind of peace with herself.

You can't blame Jungkook for everything that has gone wrong, she told herself. You've been existing in oblivion. So wrapped up in your own cosy little world that you didn't even bother to wonder about the one he moves in beyond your sphere! You knew he went to business dinners a lot. You knew he had to move in certain circles if he was to keep his ear to the ground, but you never once wondered whether you should be moving there with him, listening with him-helping and supporting him!

You didn't even know the Harvey take-over had been wrapped up until Yeri told you! And the only reason you knew there was a thing called a Harvey take-over was because Jungkook's mother had risen in his defence one night when you were bickering on about never seeing him. 'He's tied up with this Harvey take-over!' she'd said. 'Don't you realise how important it is that he wins this one?'

No, she hadn't, and no, she still didn't, because she had never bothered trying to find out! What did that make her in this marriage between two people that was nothing more than a house and a bed and three children they shared?