The Way I Loved You

Fated

"Haein is going to the States to study. Say goodbye to her, okay?"

"Look at her face."

"She's still so full of herself."

All around her, people were gossiping. She could hear them perfectly clearly even if she pretended as if she didn't. She was used to it after all.

"There's a rumour that she's being admitted to a mental hospital."

"I heard it's because she went mad after her brother died."

She clenched her hands into fists, biting her bottom lip to stop herself from fighting back. Everyone in this school knew who she was: daughter of one of the most powerful chaebol familiares in the country. Hong Mandae's only granddaughter and his pride and joy. Before she'd even started going to this school, rumours had already begun to fly, and they made it a self fulfilling prophecy.

From the moment she set foot into the school, she became aware that everyone thought she was stuck up and spoiled. As a result, nobody wanted to talk to her or be friends from the first day. The anger towards their prejudice led many to be on the receiving ends of her death glares, perpetuating that negative image of her. Since then, everyone had taken pleasure in spreading rumours about her just for the fun of it, even digging deep for touchy subjects like her brother.

If people were determined to think that she was a bitch, she would very well hold her head high and prove to them that she couldn't care less. It wasn't worth it to waste her energy on spiteful people like them. Go ahead, call her arrogant, but she wouldn't back down against people like them.

Regardless, it still hurt to hear the vicious rumours they made up sometimes, especially when they were a little too close to the truth. She wasn't being admitted to a mental hospital, she wasn't crazy, but her mother sure thought she was. Her mother was convinced that she was a murderer, and that her bad energy was not only bringing bad luck to the household but causing her beloved son Soocheol to suffer as well. Sending her to the states was all part of her plan in getting rid of her.

Haein didn't want to go overseas to study on her own. Her family had never been particularly supportive of her beyond her grandfather, but they were all she had. She had no friends in school because everyone hated her, and she barely had the chance to interact with anyone else beyond her household. She didn't want to leave the only home she'd ever known and be forced to stay away by her own flesh and blood.

Her conversation with her mother the other day still rang in her head.

"You're leaving. You're going to study in the States until you graduate from college."

"I'm what?"

"You heard me the first time."

"All this because some fortune teller told you that I'm leeching off Soocheol's energy?" Haein was in disbelief. Her superstitious mother was more than willing to send her away just so her son could succeed.

I bet she didn't even bat an eyelid. It just proved her right about me after all.

"It's not just that! You're out of control and need to be more appreciative of what you have! Spending some time overseas will teach you how lucky you are to be raised in this household and you'll be more respectful to us when you come home."

"Why should I be appreciative? It's not like you've ever treated me like your daughter anyway. Out of control? What have I even done to warrant that?"

In one swift move, Seonhwa lashed out and slapped her sharply across the cheek, her eyes burning with fury.

"You're proving my point right now. How dare you talk back to your mother?"