The Lee Family

Chapter 17

It was the spirit of Christmas when Lee Joon-Ho’s mother left his workaholic husband and him for another man. Before she left, Joon-Ho played with his teddy bear in his room, thinking his mother was preparing dinner to celebrate Christmas Eve together. Yet it was her last gift to set the table with tasty food. 

Lee Joon-Ho was getting hungry when he looked at the clock; it was 9:00 p.m. He went outside, holding his teddy bear, which his father had gifted him. He looked excited to greet them, but there was no one to welcome him. 

Silence aired their mansion as the moonlight shone toward the dining table. The food was getting cold. He was left all alone, unattended. 

He felt scared. “Mom…Dad…?” he mumbled as he clasped his arms around the teddy bear. He ran through every room he could find to look for them. 

“Mom?! Dad?!” He let go of his teddy bear. “Where are you? Mom… Dad?” His heart pounded as his innocent eyes stretched in surprise.

They’re gone. 

―As the snow started to drizzle from above the sky. It’s snowflakes flew and touched the glass window of their cold home. 

He felt so lonely. 

He went to the coach, curled up his knees, hugged the teddy bear as he glanced at the main door. Still…waiting for his parents to come home.

11:00 p.m.

Nothing but stillness that numbed his ears with pure silence. 

12-midnight. 

The season of greetings ended.

Lee Joon-Ho sat facing the door, cuddling with his teddy bear. Hungry and tired. There were no tears shed from his weary eyes―only sadness. Yet he didn’t let go of the remaining hope in his heart. He wanted to say how much he loved them, even though they had neglected him; he still cherished them. 

The door creaked open, and his eyes beamed, thinking his parents were surprising him. But it was not them. It was Chairman Lee’s secretary, who was astounded to find him sitting on the cold, tiled floor. 

Lee Joon-Ho finally understood that his parents would never show up. He saw the secretary carrying nothing but a bunch of folders for his father to sign for. Yet, he smiled widely and said, “Merry Christmas, Park Gwan nim.” 

It pangs the secretary’s troubled heart. 

Joon-Ho was only 10 when his pretentious, loving family had broken apart. 

―And that year, he promised never to be like…his father. 

When he turned 15, he and his father grew emotionally apart. Distant. His father would come home when he needed extra clothes to bring, and leave the house as if he had no son to say hello to. Though Park Gwan looks after the progress of his education, he didn’t need his father’s recognition. 

He will continue to excel in his studies without his father’s appreciation. 

Lee Joon-ho had kept that promise to himself. To grow the best version of himself. Though he had not received any love from his family, he chose to love himself more sanely. He has friends in school who see him as a debit card. Yet, he didn’t mind at all. 

As long as he did not grow selfish and unkind. He will continue to be compassionate. 

When he turned 16, his father brought a child with him. Looking at the child, he looked 5 years younger than him―an alpha. 

“From now on, this child would live here with you,” his cold father said. His expression was detached as always. He added, “He’s your half-brother, so treat him well.” 

Lee Joon-Ho stood from his seat and tilted his head toward the child, who looked wary from being taken away, from my father’s insincere touch. 

“Hello, I’m your big brother, Lee Joon-Ho,” he smiled. “Let’s get along well.” 

The child looked hesitant, but he said, “Hello. I’m Lee…Tae-sung. I’m 11 years old. Please take good care…of me.” He looked up at our father with a longing and sad expression. He asked, “Can Mom…live here too?” He tugged on our father’s black blazer.

Joon-Ho’s eyes opened wide in astonishment. Will Father bring that woman here?

“No.” Their father said in an irate tone. “Your mother is nothing but an alcoholic woman. She didn’t deserve to be here. So, get used to it.” 

Lee Tae-sung was about to cry, and Joon-Ho grabbed his left arm. “Come on, Tae-sung, let’s play. Big brother will show you around.” He released his pheromone that softly eased Tae-sung’s fear towards their heartless father. 

Tae-sung wiped his tears and beamed a smile toward him as they left their Father alone in the dim door without seeing him off. 

Years came by, and it was spring. Lee Tae-sung's inferiority complex began when their Father chose to bring Lee Joon-Ho into the company more often than him. He gets himself in trouble, and their Father didn’t like it. 

When Lee Joon-Ho visited him in his room, Tae-sung would physically start a fight with him. Joon-Ho couldn’t understand why he was so upset. Yet he did know since he spent less time with his half-brother. He tried to reach out and make time with Tae-sung, but he felt that his brother had grown tired waiting for him. 

He let go of his half-brother in spring and chose to learn the duties in their Father’s company instead. Yet their family seemed to have many troubles to face. 

Lee Tae-sung became a drug addict when he started college. To keep their Father’s good image. He was sent to the rehabilitation center. But it was later found out that he began to cause harm to the other patients. 

And his Father sent him to the Psychiatry Hospital under Dr. Shin’s care.

Tae-sung was like a cancer that tainted their good reputation. Their company’s well-known status. He had no choice but to be a black sheep in the family if that meant letting his Father and brother look at him…for once. 

And care for him, the way his alcoholic mother shared a cold love with him.  

When things didn’t go well with Tae-sung or when his days were rough and cold, his best friend Han Na-ri was the only person who stayed beside him. Despite his flaws and faults against his family, Han Na-ri had never rejected him. She treated him equally. 

The kind of care she expressed toward her friends as they continued to rely on each other's shoulders, like a family. 

Tae-sung fell in love with her during the summer of Hangang Festival. Han Na-ri treated him like a brother. They go on road trips and food trips around Gangnam and Seoul. But his inferiority complex toward his brother, Lee Joon-Ho, had never subsided. It continued to grow like a kidney stone in his life.

He wanted to become more successful than his brother, and the easiest way to reach that goal, Lee Tae-sung, began engaging himself in the dark businesses. 

He was then 21, a college student, and started his small lending company with his Father’s money. He was not dumb. He knew what he got himself into. He was savvy in making substantial business deals with highly profiled gangsters in Gangnam. 

When Lee Joon-Ho excelled in the corporate world, Lee Tae-sung painted his name in the dark trade. 

It was winter when he opened the Dark Club, where politicians, nobility and celebrities could indulge themselves during their rut season with the omegas that his underlings provided them from the debtors as collateral payment. 

Da-won, 30, an alpha, had become his trusted ally in handling the hard-headed debtors. They met in the club 2 years ago when they indulged themselves in a threesome with a male omega. Since Da-won was an exceptional hacker and a gangster himself, he did all the dirty work before he started working with Lee Tae-sung. 

A year later, when the XY Group of Companies faced their first downfall, Lee Joon-Ho stepped in. He became the youngest CEO and grew the company's sales by over 80%, a growth in the corporate and entertainment world. 

But behind the company’s prosperity and celebration, Lee Tae-sung exposed the dirty affairs of the corporate board of members to their Father.

Secretary Choi would seek his help and cooperation when things get messy in the corporate business. 

―Or when their Father’s business plan didn’t go into place. 

Money and power make the world go round. It was Lee Tae-song’s favorite thing to play around with, while Lee Joon-Ho had a good relationship with the company’s board members. Despite the negative comments he read from online sources, he maintained his composure and led them to the right path. But their Father controlled them within his palms.

And none of his sons will defy his words.

Lee Tae-sung had the freedom to do whatever he wanted. But for Lee Joon-Ho, the company was his cage. Preoccupied with the business's problems, he never dated even once. Time will come for that. He reminded himself. I’m still young. For sure, there’ll be the right woman for me. But how could I even date if I am tied to this company.

That’s when his father introduced him to Han Na-ri’s parents at one of the business partners’ parties. Han Na-ri at that time weren’t present. She was overseas, doing the modelling. Yet she and Lee Tae-sung spent most of the conversation on long-distance phone calls, not to feel alone and lonely, while Lee Joon-Ho was looking forward to meeting her as their Father’s choice for him to get married. 

Spring was over, and summer was about to welcome them. Lee Tae-sung was excited to finish his college degree in business while Da-won collected payments with his lackeys to their growing debtors in Gangnam.  

Tae-sung picked up Han Na-ri at the airport and dropped her off at their house. They decided to meet after a week since she has some photoshoots to do in Seoul. 

At a blissful night of summer.  

“We found you a suitable husband, Han Na-ri,” her father said. 

They were having a fine dinner in one of their high-class restaurant. 

Did I hear right? Han Na-ri's eyes looked stunned. She said, “But there are so many things I want to do first after college before getting married, Father.” 

Her father cleared his throat and said, “I’m not telling you to get married after college. I know you have plans before getting married.” 

“You’re father is right, Han Na-ri,” her mother said with a smile. She added, “He’s the eldest son of Chairman Lee of the XY Group of Companies. His name is Lee Joon-Ho, and we met him during one of your father’s friends' parties.”

“Why don't we set you up for a meeting, the two of you?” her father said. “Just try to get to know him. If you don’t like him, we can always find someone more suitable for you.” 

Han Na-ri thought for a moment. She said, “Alright. I’ll meet him once. If I don’t like him, please don’t stop me from doing modelling.”

“Of course, my dear. That’s your dream,” her mother said. “You’re our only daughter. Your father and I want to give what’s best for you.” She added, “But if you like him back, don’t worry about the arrangements. We’ll do it for you.”

“I know,” Han Na-ri smiled at them as they continued to enjoy their dinner. 

It was a humid summer when Han Na-ri had told Lee Tae-sung about meeting her soon-to-be husband. 

When their lives had fallen apart…once again…in the Lee Family.