The Substitute Wife

CHAPTER 27

Park Jimin didn't talk loudly, but he sounded very cold and mean. He looked so aggressive that everyone felt compelled to listen to him. Everyone in the room was shocked and confused over what had happened. The room suddenly became quiet. They all laid their eyes on Park Jimin and Jeon Jungkook.

Put on the spot, Park Jimin became annoyed by everyone's stares.

He lifted his hand and was about to take another puff before realizing he had smoked the cigarette all the way to the filter. He stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray and grabbed his pack of cigarettes. He shook the pack and found there were no cigarettes left. Suddenly, his temper worsened, and he tossed the empty cigarette pack on the Mahjong table. He pushed the stacks of chips he had won not long ago across the table and kicked the chair behind him. He stood up and said, "This is no fun. I don't want to play anymore." He grabbed his cell phone, tidied his clothes, and walked away.

People in the private room recovered from the shock quite a while after Park Jimin left.

"What happened?" one person asked.

"When did Master Park suddenly get such a bad temper?" another asked.

"Master Park has been a little different than usual all day," a different person said.

Different? Truly different. He had seemed to be different not only that day. Actually, since last week, he had seemed to be a little different. Jeon Jungkook was dazed, staring in the direction where Park Jimin had left for a while. When he woke up from his daze, there was a smile on his face. He said to everyone, "He's fine. Let's continue our party. It's on me today."

...

Min Yoongi, the driver, had been waiting at the entrance for a while before Mr. Park walked out of the Majestic Clubhouse.

Min Yoongi immediately got out of the car and walked up to him with an umbrella when he saw Master Park walking out of the clubhouse.

After getting in the car, Min Yoongi ask, "Mr. Park, where are we going?"

Park Jimin looked at the heavy rain outside the window. He seemed to fall into deep thoughts.

Min Yoongi waited for a while, but Park Jimin didn't seem to want to talk. Min Yoongi started the car and drove on the rainy road.

The rain was heavy. Even when the wiper kept moving on the windshield, the view was still blurry. They drove very slowly.

When they were close to the company, Min Yoongi asked, "Mr. Park, are we going to the company as usual?"

Park Jimin quietly leaned back. He looked calm but seemed to still be deep in thought. After a while, he took a pack of cigarette from the glove compartment, lit a cigarette, and took two puffs on it. He turned his head to the side and took a look at the heavy rain outside of the window. Suddenly, lightning lit up the sky. Park Jimin frowned and said, "Call home."

Min Yoongi was shocked by his order. Mr. Park had never wanted to go home before, but recently, he wanted to go home. He took out his cell phone, dialed the landline, and put it on speaker.

The call immediately went through. It rang many times, but no one picked it up.

Min Yoongi called again. Still, no one picked it up. Min Yoongi turned around and asked, "Mr. Park, there seems to be no one home."

Park Jimin's fingers that clamped the cigarette quivered a bit since he knew no one was watching him. He tilted his head and stared at the raindrops splashing on the window for a very long while, then lifted his hand and smoked. After several seconds, a wisp of white smoke floated out from his nose. When the smoke ring had almost completely faded away, Park Jimin took the phone and dialed Yoon Jane's number, but it said that her phone was turned off.