Broken Loves Winter Storm

Past Discussions Forgiven (29)

Yoon was wrapping up his day when a text message from Mi appeared on his cell phone. He glanced at it, picked up the phone, and replied. Unbeknownst to Yoon, Lee Bo-va had someone following him. He messaged Mi back, agreeing to meet her at the address she had provided. Meanwhile, she was tying up loose ends and decided to leave a message for her assistant to arrange a meeting with the lead detective on the Lee Bo-va case for the next day. The idea of separation in a man like him unnerved her; she was certain he meant every word of his threat. He despised Hyun and would rather kill him—or her—than let her reunite with him. After sending the message, she powered down her laptop, placed it in her briefcase, and left for the day. "Make sure those contracts for the textile meeting are sent out ASAP; they're on my desk," she instructed her assistant on her way out.

"Chelsy, I'm leaving now. Call me if you hear from Jihoon Eu—it's important to set up that meeting ASAP," Yoon instructed his assistant as he too prepared to leave for the day.

The meeting place was a mere 15 minutes away. He texted his sister to inform her he'd be home late. She replied with, "OK, be safe."

Yoon drove out of the garage, heading south on Corporate Way. A black Mercedes sedan followed suit, emerging from the garage behind him. Yoon was not the type to worry about his whereabouts; he was as laid-back as they come, yet possessed a temper common among Korean men. His mind was preoccupied solely with the crucial conversation that awaited him tonight—a conversation deeply rooted in both his past and present.

She had secured a reservation in one of the private dining rooms for their confidential discussion. There was much she needed to convey to him, and he to her. His primary concern was to discover whether she was aware of Lee Bo's attempted actions against his life.

TTheir love, as profound as it was, remained a haunting and ever-present aspect of their lives.

Yoon reached his destination, walked towards the doors of the restaurant, stopped to take in the cold air, closed his eyes, and recognized the place. "It's the same restaurant where I proposed to Mi," he thought. "Why would she choose this place?" His nerves began to fray, anxious about what this might lead to.

He entered, and the hostess greeted him, escorting him to the private room. She smiled, asking for his drink order. Yoon, not usually a drinker, felt he needed one to relax and placed his order before sitting down.

Mi arrived and was also escorted to the private room. Yoon's face was buried in his hands, not looking up... He heard the door slide open but couldn't bring himself to look at her until she spoke. The previous night had been dark when they encountered each other... "Hyun hi," she said with a smile as she sat down across from him. He looked up; she hadn't changed much, except her hair was longer.

"Hi," Yoon replied, still looking at her.

"I've ordered a drink. What would you like?" he asked, signaling the attendant over.

She gave her order to the attendant...

"I know this isn't easy for you. I just wanted to see how you are and talk about the very thing you probably have questions about," Mi said softly.

Yoon was happy to hear her say that. "How have you been?" he asked her.

"Ahhh, where do I begin? So much has happened in 10 years. I want to apologize for my father and all the problems he caused in our relationship. His death opened up a lot of past issues, not only with how he treated you but also with Lee Bo va, whom I married." She watched Yoon's body language; to hear his name was like a knife thrown at him. Yoon did not answer, only looked up at her and asked, "Did you know what happened to me 10 years ago?" Mi started to form tears, taking a sip of her drink to steady herself. The conversation would be long and painful.

She took a deep breath, looked at him, and said, "No, my father said you were tired of his disapproval and you were leaving to go abroad. I found out about Lee's attempt on your life from my father in a deathbed confession and a video he left me. I have no words. I never thought he would try to kill you," she said, crying.

Yoon could see the pain in her eyes; she was emotional just saying the words.

"I am sorry, I am sorry I did not look for you, I am sorry that I was the cause of you almost losing your life. Hyun, I am sorry," Mi said, looking him in the eyes.

"I believe you. I needed to ask to find closure and let the past go. My sister was the balance all those years. I changed my name and never came back to Seoul until now. My parents died, and I couldn't come home to say goodbye to them. Recovery was hard, and therapy was just as hard. I am fine but still working through some things."

"Were you happy in your marriage?" Yoon asked.

"It wasn't a marriage; it was a prison, a formality my father imposed on me. Being married to that man was suffering; he treated me as if I were property," she said.

Yoon could feel his anger rising. He felt helpless listening to her story, wishing he had returned sooner.

"I filed for divorce after uncovering the truth. He was embezzling from the company, cheating on contracts, and making false promises to people we would never do business with. I've spoken to the authorities since you shared your story... I also submitted a copy of my father's confession. Lee Bo no longer works for Bealk Industries; I've cut him off from everything," MI confessed, visibly nervous.

"Something snapped in him after your press conference. He seemed angrier that you didn't die and that you're back; he knows what that means for him. Before coming here, he visited me, threatening both of us. He's convinced himself that we're back together and that he's facing jail time. It was quite ugly; he demanded 40 billion won to leave the country... If I refuse, he threatened to finish the job of killing you," MI continued, as Yoon's anger flared, and he moved to sit beside her to assure her that he wouldn't succeed.

"He's desperate; it's only a matter of time before they bring him in for questioning... It's going to be okay," Yoon said, knowing he had to enact his plan.

The scent of her perfume unnerved Yoon, as memories of holding her and kissing her flooded his mind. He abruptly stood up, then settled back into his seat.

"I have questions for you," Mi said, gazing into his cold eyes. "Can you tell me how bad it was for you?"

Yoon, nearly in tears, replied, "Don't ask me that. You don't want to know, and I don't want you to feel guilty about it," as he finished his drink.

A surge of emotion welled up inside him; he had to express his feelings for her. Hoping she reciprocated his sentiments, he readied himself to ask the question, but just then, his sister called.