Chapter Two

I think telling Bella that I have a meeting with Mr. Park tomorrow morning was a bad idea.

For the last ten minutes, she's been narrating various scenarios from her favorite erotic fiction pieces involving CEOs. Apparently, there are a thousand and one tricks I can pull tomorrow to seduce Mr. Park. I put the phone on loud speaker, throw it on my bed, and begin looking through my wardrobe.

"Don't wear that skirt you wore today," Bella's voice comes across. "It was too long."

"I'm wearing jeans tomorrow."

"What?" 

"My mom jeans. They're non-fitting just like I love it, and I think they'll look great for work."

"Your mom what?" she screeches and I cover my ears for a few seconds. When she doesn't scream again, I drop my hands.

"I look good in mom jeans. High waist. White sneakers. And a simple tee. That's the kind of vibe I found at work today."

"I don't care about the work vibe, gurrl. Mr. Park is not going to look at you twice if you wear that."

"I'm sure he's only interested in my designs, thank you very much."

"Are you honestly going to let this opportunity pass you by?"

"The only opportunity I see here is a great, well-paying job, Bella. Tell me, how's your latest gig going?"

"Changing subjects, I see. Anyways, there's nothing exciting about it. My new boss is a disgusting old man who thinks it's fun to keep staring at my fabulous ass. I think I'll quit once I get this month's paycheck."

I roll my eyes. "Bella..."

"You know me, Emma. If it don't sit right with me, it don't sit right with me."

Bella's attitude with jobs is the same attitude she has in life. She is not the kind of person to sit around struggling to make things work when they aren't. She's always moving on to the next thing, living as carefree as possible. If anything attempts to stress her out, she kicks it to the curb.

"Maybe I too should find a job at some hotshot company and show you how to grab the hotshot guys."

"Please do," I tell her. It would definitely be fun to learn first hand from her.

There's a beep from my phone, and I head over to check it. A notification alerting me of another call pops up.

'Mum.'

I sigh.

"Bells? I gotta go. Mum is calling."

"You don't have to take it," she says. "Let it be. You'll call her tomorrow after your meeting with Mr. CEO. Don't want to jinx that experience for you."

I smile. I really don't want to take it. But I know she'll only call again and again until I pick up, at which she'll lecture me for five minutes about ignoring her calls.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'll call you tomorrow with news."

"They better be good. Dream sexy."

She hangs up before I have a chance to wish her a good night too. 

Picking up my phone, I accept my mother's call.

"Hello Mum."

"Emma, did you say that you got a job with Park Entertainment?"

I bet normal mothers don't start every conversation with their daughter with biting remarks and criticism.

Which I can already sense from the way she stresses the words 'Park Entertainment'.

"Yes," I reply. "It's a-"

"New company that's still struggling to fight against the big music agencies in the market. 1 year and 10 months old, and not yet listed. CEO is 33 years old and had his contract terminated when he was an artist." She pauses, then a heavy sigh comes across the line. "Do you seriously think this job will last?"

"What?" How does she know all that... I only told her yesterday that I got a new job. She must have spent the entire day digging up dirt on the company so she could make a point of how this is another one of my dumb career mistakes.

"This company is barely making enough revenue to keep running, what makes you think they'll be able to keep you for long?"

I take a deep breath and hold my phone a few inches from my face. I need to stay calm or else she's going to ruin not only my night but also tomorrow's meeting with Mr. Park.

"A company doesn't have to be listed to prove it's successful. In the time Park Entertainment has been operating, they haven't had any financial troubles. The two groups under their label are steadily gaining popularity. Even the big companies started somewhere."

"So you think working for a person who wasn't professional enough to honour his contract is a smart idea?"

"Park Hyun Bin was being mistreated by his label, so he left. I would have left too."

Mother makes a loud huffing sound, as if she can't believe any of this. "You always do this, Emma. You never think about where you're going and that's why you'll never be like your sister. Look at her, she has a good job, a house, car, and a family. At your age, she-"

I disconnect the call and throw the phone next to my pillow.

I wish I listened to Bella.

I don't know what I was expecting, receiving that call. A 'congratulations Emma, you finally landed a long-term contract job with nice benefits?'

Nah.

My mother has never approved of anything I did. To her, I always paled in comparison to Louise. Louise is my elder sister and only sibling. Who, yeah, seems to have figured her life out by the time she was 21. At 32, she had everything the rest of us work for, plus a husband on top. At 25, I had just landed my first serious job, at a company my mother thought could go bankrupt any second.

To mum, I've always been a failure.

The sound of my ringtone permeates the room. I reach for the phone and switch it off.

I don't think I'll be talking to her any time soon.

  

                           ***

In the morning, I put on a pair of mom jeans, a white tee, and a pair of white sneakers. I throw on a brown long coat since it's chilly at the moment.

Today, I'm more excited than nervous. 

"You got this, girl," I mutter as I ride the elevator.

Everything is going to be fine.

Once I'm done with this meeting, I can begin work with no worries in my head.

When I get to the 11th floor, the secretary asks me to take a seat at a waiting area outside the office. There's a plaque at the door, reading "CEO".

The minutes crawl by. 

Eight comes and goes.

8.05.

8.10.

Does Mr. Park normally run late? Did he forget that he has a meeting with me?

Waiting longer means my calm facade is slipping away, and I can't have that.

Fortunately, I don't have to worry for much longer because at 8.14 am, the elevator doors open and he walks into the room.

I gasp. Then close my mouth quickly in embarrassment when I realize I actually made a sound.

My heart is suddenly thudding away in my chest.

I want to rise as he gets closer, but my legs appear to have turned to jelly.

He gets closer yet and addresses the secretary first. "Good morning, Rebecca."

The secretary rises and they exchange greetings. She also hands him some paperwork.

I press my hands to my knees, trying to gather my suddenly non-existent strength.

What the fuck is happening to me?

I was fine just a few moments ago.

A few moments ago, before Park Hyun Bin walked out of the elevator looking like he stepped out of the cover of GQ.

I never imagined he would be more gorgeous in real life. And he's so tall. The screens don't do him justice.

When he turns to me, I'm not ready enough. I must look pathetic, still glued to my chair when it's clearly time for my meeting. I rise to my feet, ignoring the weird nerves rocking my body.

"Ms. Tsindoli, right? Come in, we've only got ten minutes."

His voice. His voice, saying my name. I've always found his voice attractive. Whenever I listen to his old songs, it never fails to send shivers down my spine. Now, hearing him say my name, I'm sure my arms are covered in goosebumps.

I notice he's already gone through his office door, and I hurry to catch up. 

A few moments later, I'm sitting in front of his desk, where a plaque reads, 

'Park Hyun Bin, CEO'

I can't believe I'm sitting right across from him.