Clara just stared at her ceiling as she laid down on her bed. After her talk with Joo-hyuk, the day passed by in a daze. She had managed to escape the team dinner as she lied saying she needed to go talk with Joo-hyuk’s secretary about the promotion. Excited, Team Leader Park had let her leave the office early—despite the deputy manager’s protests. Clara clucked her tongue in annoyance at the thought of her supervisor. Maybe she should take Joo-hyuk’s offer… Then she wouldn’t have to deal with the deputy manager’s jealous outbursts.

The former lawyer sighed as her mind wandered off to her half-siblings. She felt so conflicted. On one hand, she despised her brother as much as her father and his mistress. They—especially her brother—had been the root cause (to her knowledge) of her mother’s death. Her father’s greed of wanting a male heir to take over the company had fueled his murderous act. However, on the other hand, she couldn’t bring herself to blame and hate her siblings—after all, they had only been kids, just like her. What authority and control would they have had over the situation? Clara groaned as her feelings clashed with one another. Everything about her biological family was so… messed up and complicated.

Clara hadn’t made it any better when she proposed to Joo-hyuk earlier… She thought it was a great idea—and in a way, it still was, which is why she had asked his hand for marriage. Her marriage to Joo-hyuk’s family would give her the advantage of taking over GK Group, as her mother had entrusted 10% of her shares for GK Group to Joo-hyuk’s father. It was as if her mother had known something would happen to her. It pained Clara to think that her mother had prepared to keep Clara and her position as the legitimate heir to the company, safe from the clutches of her father. However, any hope of forming a bond with her sister was out the window. The heiress was certain that her sister would come after her, as Clara had dared to touch Jung-hyun’s ‘man’.

She looked around her quiet, empty apartment. Clara felt so lonely in her huge place; the overbearing silence of her apartment made her feel lost and unwanted by the world. Thinking about her biological family had her feeling even more vulnerable. Clara knew she would never be welcomed by that family or anyone involved with GK Group, for that matter. Her existence would jeopardize everyone’s current positions. Clara’s paternal grandfather’s will stated that if Cha Soo-hyun was ever found to be alive and well, all 55% of the Cha family’s shares of GK Group (including her father’s) would be given to her—making her the major shareholder of the conglomerate.

Clara brought her knees to her chest as she rested her head on her arms, tired from the thought of her family. Suddenly, images of her mother lying on her own pool of blood on the cold, marble floor, flitted through her mind. She clenched her fists, as she felt her heart race in fear. She started to hyperventilate as her last memory of her father, Cha Min-woo, played in her mind on a loop. Clara felt like she couldn’t breathe as she clutched her chest. She felt like she was dying as her vision became blurred, her chest beating rapidly on her chest. Thump, thump, thump—that was all she heard as she felt her blood rush with anxiety and panic.

A few minutes passed when her panic attack slowly subsided. Clara trembled in fear as she took in deep breaths, her bangs matted on her forehead, from her cold sweat. Clara wiped her tears as she tried to calm down. She slowly laid down when her phone rang. It was her adoptive mother. Clara took in another deep breath before she answered.

“Hey mum! How are you?*” she asked with a weak smile.

“Clara? Honey, what’s wrong? Are you sick???” her mother watched Clara worriedly.

“No, I…” Clara couldn’t finish her sentence as tears welled up in her eyes.

“Clara! What’s wrong???”

“Mum… I miss you guys… I just miss you all so much…” she trailed off as she started to sob.

“Oh… My baby. Don’t cry…” her mother said as she too, started to cry.

The mother-daughter started bawling their eyes out, unable to form coherent sentences. Clara saw her father and brother walking into the living room with confused looks on their faces as they watched the two women in their lives crying their eyes out via the computer. Soon, all four of them started to cry in sync. Clara couldn’t help but giggle at their situation while she cried. She found it funny and a bit ridiculous that they were all crying just because she wasn’t home.

“Haha, look at us, just crying… This is so ridiculous…” Clara said as she wiped her eyes.

“It’s not ridiculous! Do you have any idea how much we miss and worry about you??? Why haven’t you called? Young lady, you need to call us at least twice a week from now on!” her father scolded, as he sniffled. Clara nodded her head, feeling so stupid. Why hadn’t she reached out to her family? Instead, she was moping around, feeling sad that no one would welcome her in Korea.

“Wait a minute… Dad, aren’t you supposed to be in London? And what about you, Cameron? Why aren’t you at work?”  Clara asked with a frown. It was a Wednesday, what were doing at their home in Germany?

“It’s my day off… And dad, well… To be honest, I don’t know why he’s here. Why are you here, dad?”

“I’m working from home! That’s not important! Did you have a bad day at work, sweetheart?” her brother and father looked like they were going to go beat up whoever harmed their little girl.

“It’s nothing… I just missed you all terribly, that’s all!” Clara lied, smiling sweetly at them.

“Sweetie, want to look back at the old photos you took with you to Korea? Like what we always do during the weekends and holidays?” her mother wiped her eyes, smiling softly at her precious daughter. Clara nodded. The youngest family member got up and brought over the big album book she had brought with her.

Clara and her family spent over two hours reminiscing their trips to various places, mainly the UK as her family were originally from there. Clara was looking through the photos when one caught her eye. She took it out of the covering and stared intently at the teenage boy in the background behind her. She gasped… How was he…? Her brother asked her what was wrong as she showed them the picture.

“Oh! Isn’t that the time you almost got mugged in London?” her brother recalled as he raised an eyebrow. Her mother clapped her hands and started laughing.

“Oh my! I remember! You made me take a picture of you, remember? Since that boy helped you get your purse back!” her mother said while laughing at the memory. Clara stared at the picture, astonished that she had forgotten that day. She remembered it so vividly now…

Her family had gone on a summer vacation to the family’s home, Astley Manor, back in Warwickshire, England. Clara had been sight-seeing in London with her mother and brother, when she had lost them in the crowds. She hadn’t panicked, as she knew her way around the bustling city—she had been to London numerous times for the holidays. The teenager had been walking around the Trafalgar Square when a pick pocketer snatched Clara’s purse away from her shoulder and ran through the crowds.

Horrified, Clara had screamed and darted after the man, asking people to stop him, but people just stared at the running man, offering no help. Frustrated, Clara continued to sprint after the thief, running out of breath. Just when she was about to give up, a tall Asian boy with slick black hair and lean, well-defined muscles that peeked through his school uniform, slipped out from one of the crowds and subdued the man, pinning the thief to the ground. The crowds had cheered as the 18-year-old boy looked up at Clara and handed her the purse that he managed to rip off from the purse-snatcher’s hands.

Clara had felt her heart race as she shyly took her purse from him, thanking him. The boy smiled, tousling her hair and told her to be careful before he went back to his group of friends. She had stood there frozen, mesmerized by the boy, when her mother and brother ran up to her, as they had seen the commotion from afar. Clara told her mom to quickly take a picture of her, as the boy was still behind her, talking to his friends. Her mother, confused, obliged and took a photo of her daughter, not knowing Clara’s real intentions. She had managed to capture the boy she fell for on film, forever trapping his smiling face on the photograph.

Clara smiled at the memory and stopped herself from bursting into laughter at her naïve, 16-year-old self. How funny… I had completely forgotten about that…, she thought as she smiled at her family who smiled back at her. She felt so much at ease than earlier.

“Clara, don’t forget, we’re here whenever you need us. If you’re feeling down, call me or your dad or brother whenever. You know how much we cherish and love you.” her mother said, smiling at Clara.

“I will mum… I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to worry you all… I just got caught up with life in Korea, that I didn’t realize how much I missed you all…” Clara mumbled meekly, as her head drooped.

“Oh, my sweet pumpkin, we’re not blaming you. It happens, just don’t lose sight of what you’re there for.” her father comforted her, grinning at his daughter. Cameron, Clara’s brother, gave her a knowing look and Clara smiled. She knew her brother had her back.

“Okay. Thank you, dad.”

“Do you want some tea? We recently produced a new blend, but I want your input on it.” her father wiggled his eyebrows. Clara laughed.

Her father was the CEO of Astley & Lumley, a renowned tea company that was known for its unique blends of tea. She grinned widely, nodding her head vigorously at her father. He always named a new tea blend after her whenever she was having a difficult time—it was his way of cheering her up.

“Now, get some rest, you must be exhausted. You also have work tomorrow.” her mother chided, waving goodbye as Clara’s father and brother shouted out their love for her, before her mother ended the call.

Clara chuckled as she set her phone down. She picked up the picture again and smiled. She felt more certain of winning her employer’s heart—if not, she would use this as another means of convincing him. He was her first love, after all. Clara smiled as she held the picture close to her before she fell asleep.

SIDE NOTE:

*: Dialogue is in English

**NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.**