29. An Agreement

After carefully watching Ashley's gestures, facial expressions, and the look in her eyes, Josh was finally able to translate what she meant.

His mouth then automatically formed the letter ‘Aah’ as a response that he understood.

Then, Josh tried to hold back and postpone everything he had planned before—looking for Ashley because he wanted to continue their conversation yesterday. Although it couldn't be denied that the intense turmoil in his head, in his chest, at the base of his tongue—all of them—wanted to be spewed out and resolved as soon as possible, just to alleviate the suffocating pressure caused by the pile of problems with the other party. Which had not been resolved at all, but rather grew, and grew.

But no matter what, he still has to be able to control himself. In order not to be caught off guard by something that could harm him as it has in the past. He, also, had to be calm. That way, he would be able to see the big picture of the position at least, after the unknown woman finished her work here and left. And he could be free to talk to Ashley again.

Josh sighed faintly, then picked up the spoon. While trying to completely ignore his boisterous head, he very slowly scooped up the thick soup.

His gaze was blank and drifting as he poured the soup onto his rice.

Effortlessly, his head was instantly occupied again by the memories and problems that were creeping up to his foggy mind.

All this complexity...

He doesn't know where to start parsing and solving it.

ONE WEEK BEFORE ASHLEY'S RETURN TO SEOUL

Josh sat with a stiff posture. His forehead was deeply furrowed as he digested all the words he had just heard.

Right after his mother ended her long sentence—a threat in the guise of an announcement—the atmosphere in his father's home office instantly became very tense.

Across from where he was sitting, his mother and father did not stop giving him glares. It was as if everything they said that day carried absolute weight.

They both probably thought this was nothing more than a one-way ultimatum that could not accept the slightest protest or negotiation. But for Josh, what he had just heard was no different from a threat and coercion. Not only did he have no other choice, but he had to be willing to be trapped in his parents' long term plan, which seemed impossible.

“Why?” After a long period of silence, a single questioning word slipped out of his very dry mouth.

“What do you mean by ‘why’?” His mother answered him with a question.

“Why—” Josh ventured to lift his head to meet his mother and father’s gaze in turn, “should I do it?”

His mother and father almost simultaneously let out a short breath.

“Because you have to.”

Josh grew impatient, "If it's about Dad's business and the construction of Hana New Town, why not just send Jason? He's certainly more knowledgeable about issues like this, and should be able to help more than I can."

"Yes. I know your brother has better potential than you for this kind of politics. But he's a widower. After all, our family should still have equal power to trade with them."

Josh couldn't believe what he had just heard.

His mother was talking about his brother and him like goods that could be used as a means of bartering.

“That girl would suit you better anyway,” his mother added. “Now that I know that you guys went to the same school and were pretty close friends, I feel like the best decision is to propose yourself.”

Josh's eyes automatically narrowed, “I know her?”

His mom nodded.

"Ashley Song. Her Korean name... Hm, why did I forget. Do you know her name?" His mother turned to his father and asked.

Her father shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. Doesn't seem to have a Korean name. That kid lived abroad for a long time. Only ever lived here for a short while. I heard you guys were even in the same class in middle school."

His father looked at him with his usual flat facial expression-unexplained, and difficult to translate, "Try to remember slowly. It shouldn't be difficult to get together if you were friends before."

“Ah—yes,” Josh vaguely seemed to know who the girl mentioned by his parents was. If I remember correctly, there were many of his friends who were from overseas or mixed marriages and still used their Western names on a daily basis, without paying much attention or even knowing the Korean name that was officially recorded in the school archives.

"You should know that this marriage is crucial to the political future of your dad and your siblings. They are providing us a lot of support and financial backing."

At this moment Josh felt completely subjugated.

But his mother, catching her youngest son's sour look, quickly continued, "Especially for you. You can't believe the guarantees they will make for you personally and your children."

Josh frowned. His stomach churned at his mother's use of the word ‘children’ when what they were currently discussing was nothing more than a mere political marriage.

“The share amount they promised,” his mother pointed at the folder lying on the table separating them, "is in there. It will all be given out officially once you have children."

Josh could no longer stand the jokes his mother was making. He shook his head and snorted spontaneously.

“We're not joking, Josh,” his mother was annoyed by Josh’s response.

His father said, "Destroying a slut's life is not a difficult thing. I've been holding back because I wanted to wait for you to come to your senses. But as the days went by, you became more and more drawn in by that girl's cheap seduction, until I didn't know what to use to pull you back to the right path."

“And we think,” his mother quickly took over, “that we should be a little harder on you.”

Josh knew what his parents wanted. They even mentioned the condition as a conversation starter.

"Leave the girl alone, follow through with this marriage plan, and I'll let the girl keep getting the monthly allowance you're giving to her. Otherwise, I'll have to make her homeless and make sure no one can help her—including you," his mother reiterated.

"Not just homelessness. I want to give her a proper retribution for what she did to trouble this family. I'll make you see that girl suffer with your own eyes. You should know that this is not an offer. It's an order." His father's voice made Josh shudder. 

Then instantly making him swallow back all the words he wanted to use to get a little exemption or concession.

"It's all easy, Josh. It's not hard,“ his mother reassured, ”You just need to maintain a good relationship with a girl—who I've heard has a good personality and ethics, not surprising since she's from a well-respected family—spend time with her like everyone else, have children, and you can get your hands on those huge shares. You're free to take care of your company without having to beg your grandfather anymore. In the meantime, you're also helping us to live a good life."

"There's nothing to think about. You benefit greatly from this marriage. It doesn't make sense to refuse it just to keep that lowly whore-like girl. Take that folder and study it carefully," his father nodded his head towards the folder still lying on the table. “After this you just have to wait for further news.”