Hearts in Seoul ✧

xlvii

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warning: mentions of abortion.

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The fire between the two parties continued to ignite, even adding more fuel to the fire when Kayleigh's parents found that their daughter had sneaked out with Lucas against their wishes. Kayleigh returned home late, two hours before midnight, reeked of his perfume, although they only spent the night gazing at the stars in the dark sky that loomed above them. She blushed when she thought of him, but immediately lost the giggles when she saw her mother sitting in the living room, drinking her red wine as she waited for her.

"I figure you already know what I am about to say," she slurred, her red nails encircling the wine glass. "This is not how I raised you, Kayleigh. You've changed."

"I've grown," she stated, bravely. She was not going to submit to her mother's insults. Not again.

"No. What you're doing right now is typical of the teen generation. I do not want you to fall under that influence," her mother stood up, placing her wine glass on the countertop delicately as she strode towards her daughter.

"I'm sorry to break it to you, Mum, but I am part of that generation."

Her mother slapped her. Hard.

"Since when did you learn how to answer back like that?" Kayleigh knew and had grown up accustomed to this family's culture — that answering back equated to disrespect. But her mother had invalidated her, constantly insulted her, told her that every decision she made was merely the spur of the moment, invalidating her. "This is exactly what I meant by you've changed."

"No, Mum. I grew. My whole life I lived my life for your pleasure as if I was a puppet in this household. I felt trapped between the four walls, prohibited from seeing the beauty the world had to offer. I know you are a cynic, Mum, and I know that you wanted to enforce that in me. But no, unlike you, I saw the beauty in this world. I grew up living my life for your approval, but not this time. I do not care what you think of me. I'll do what I want."

"No, Kayleigh. I won't allow you."

"I don't care if you allow me or not. I love Lucas and you will no longer dictate the way I live my life. I may be your daughter but I am not one of your workers in your law firm you can just order around."

Another slap. Now on the other cheek. It burned.

"I do not want you making the same mistakes again. Do you know that your father wasn't the man I loved?" her mother took a deep breath before she picked up her wine glass from the countertop. "Our marriage was the childbirth of a fixed marriage. It will be unfair on my side if you get to marry the man that you love."

Kayleigh felt her knees weaken at her mother's unprecedented and surprising confession. Did her mother not want her? Was she a mistake?

"I never wanted a child, Kayleigh. But we had to, for the company. Your father and I wanted a boy, and it was part of the agreement that we are to have one child only. When we found out you were a girl... we wanted to... to get rid of you. But your father insisted that we keep you because regardless, you are still our daughter."

Aine looked at her daughter, unfazed. Kayleigh was surprised; it was the first time she didn't have anything to say. Miguel seemed to have heard their conversation from their room, standing in the middle of the hallway as his eyes shifted from his wife to his daughter.

The next thing that came out of Kayleigh's mouth was unexpected. "Do you love me? Because if you don't, you can put me up for adoption. At least I do not have to carry a heavy name." Aine's wine glass shattered on the floor, causing Miguel and Kayleigh to wince, shards of glass sprawled all over the floor. "I do not want to be a Ramirez. You never wanted me anyway. I'm doing you a favour."

"No. I won't let you do that," Miguel intervened, standing in between his wife and his daughter. "You are our daughter Kayleigh. Aine may never have loved me or you, but I do. I own the name. You will keep the name. I will not let Aine do that."

Aine smirked, walking away as she grabbed another wine glass, filling it with the French red wine she loved. "And, might I add, she's also the reason why our company have not gained a client for the past month." Miguel looked at Aine sternly, as she looked back, urging him to tell her the truth. "Go on. She's our daughter. She's supposed to know."

Kayleigh couldn't bear to hear whatever her father had to say, storming out of the parlour into her room. The couple remained, Aine wearing her signature red pyjamas as she sat down, reading the magazine that, coincidentally, headlined Ramirez vs Hyun.

"Why did you tell her the truth?" Miguel whispered as he took out the flask he'd always had, drowning it down his throat.

"She ought to know that the world is unfair, Miguel. You can't have everything you want in life. I learned that the hard way," Aine explained. "So what now? We're losing money. We can't go on like this forever."

"It's because of you, Aine. Not Kayleigh but—"

"This wouldn't have happened if she did not fall in love with Lucas."

"— We should honestly end it. There's no need for us to stop Kayleigh from loving Lucas freely. You know how hard it is to love someone you can't have and end up marrying someone you do not, right? Are you that selfish that you want Kayleigh to suffer the same fate? I know you don't love her and I know you didn't want her either. But as your husband, I'm begging you to let her love the man she wants to love."

"Easy for you to say." She took another large sip of red wine. He wondered how she could drink that much in a night.

"I know. But this has caused a strain on our company and on the Hyun too. We should end it. We can't gain anything. I'm going to call them, whether you agree or not. It's time for this to end."

He picked up his phone, dialling Christopher Hyun's number. He'd secretly asked Jeremy for his number.

"Christopher Hyun. Is there anything you need?"

"Yes. This is Miguel Ramirez. Uh, Kayleigh's father. Can we have a meeting tomorrow evening at dinner? With Kayleigh and Lucas? My wife and I..." he looked at Aine, who stared at Seoul's skyline. She did not care. He didn't either. "We both decided to end this."

"Sure. My house then at 7 PM? I'll send you the location."

"Perfect. We'll see you. With Lucas and Kayleigh. It's time for them to love each other. I think we both know how much they do."

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