Diamond nation

36. The burdens I bear

Alison sat on the floor, her legs curled up as she wiped a tear. Behind her Esther slept on the bed and she tried her best to not let the sound of her muffled crying wake the child up. In front of her was a photoframe she always kept on her desk and by her bedside — of her and Chaerin from when they both graduated university.

As she looked at the picture, her eyes fixated on Chaerin's face. The picture smiled back at her and in that moment Alison realized how much she had changed. She recalled her recent meeting with her ex-best friend and as her past and present face juxtaposed, it dawned on her that this was a completely new woman that Alison didn't know. But was she even in the position to complain? When the reason behind all this were her actions.

Beside her, her phone pinged. Countless emails and calls from her employees and lawyers were going unanswered. She had to save woolworks but she didn't have an ounce of energy within herself to do anything. She curled her legs tighter. She knew Chaerin didn't actually care about the company. All she wanted was to get back at her and despite that she couldn't get herself to hate the woman.

She was going to bear any punishment Chaerin wanted to inflict on her because deep down she knew it wouldn't have gone downhill had she not accepted Jungkook's proposal. But hearing Esther sleeping behind her safe and sound made her realize that maybe she didn't actually regret that.

"I am sorry", she spoke in a whisper to Chaerin's photo on the frame. "I turned you into something that you should have never become. And its all my fault"

She heard some rustling behind her and realizing that Esther might wake up, she immediately wiped her cheeks and stood up to leave the room. When she reached her office, she wasn't prepared to see Jungkook sitting inside with all of Woolworks files open in front of him. He was writing something but looked up to face the woman. Alison could sense the whirlpool of emotions on his face. Conflict, desperation and pain— he had always been an open book.

"Is Esther alseep?", he asked softly. Alison nodded. "What are you doing?"

"I am trying to find a way to stop Chae—", he paused as the atmosphere turned tense with the mention of her name. "Stop Grace from taking over Woolworks. There might be a clause or something in these legal documents or something in the Company act to help protect us from the forceful takover"

"Its futile", the woman said, looking at him blankly. "Chaerin does her homework. You know that. She wouldn't come unless she knew there was a clear victory. If you think reading these thick legal books or stacks of documents is going to help you find a trick, you best know she has already read them as well", with that she smiled sadly. "Twice probably"

"There has to be a way", Jungkook replied slightly frustrated. "Are we just going to let her do this? I agree we hurt her, especially me. And I am willing to do anything she wants me to do. But does that mean we let her take away what you have worked so hard for? What example does that set for Esther?"

When Alison didn't reply, he continued. "For your sake and for our daughter's sake we cannot let her win. There is no forgiveness for our actions and maybe we will always owe her a debt. But it cannot come at the cost of our families. Her problem is with me and you, not them. They owe her nothing"

"Did we not take her family away?", Alison quietly asked, her eyes brimming with tears at the thought of the funeral from seven years ago. "Did we not completely crush any hope she had left? Did we not abandon her all these years? Do you even know what she might have gone through? The rage she carries tells me she was hurt deeply. She wears her scars and they say a lot about her sufferings. And more than that she was betrayed by two people who she loved with all her heart. Maybe I should let her takeaway everything she wants. Thats the least I can do..."