Ice: Thaw the Frozen Heart [EDITING]

Chapter 54

2 Years Ago
"Park Changsun, you-"

Hearing how angry Uncle Wu sounded, Yeojin halted in front of the door; her hand froze on the knob. She gulped and stopped herself from opening the door wider. Maybe it wasn't a good timing to visit him in the hospital.

"Don't stress yourself, my friend. You don't want your heart to be in another trouble, right?"

Despite hesitating, she peeked inside and saw a man patted Uncle Wu's shoulder. She had seen him several times whenever she visited the Wu's. This man was introduced as a friend and colleague of Kris' father, she remembered. Yet the tension surrounding the two was far from being friendly. The scowl on Kris' father's face contrasted the grin on the other man's face.

"Tell you what," the other man spoke up again. "I won't give my vote for Geum Enterprise. Your son can even be the chairman as you wish too. But on one condition." He held up a finger as his lips curled into a crooked grin. "He should marry someone first. And I want it stated in your will that he can only inherit the position if he's married."

"What?!" Wu Yihuang gritted his teeth.

For some reason, Yeojin felt her heart drop hearing it. She covered her mouth to stifle a gasp.

"Are you in your right mind? Yifan hasn't even finished his college!"

Park Changsun shrugged. "We married young too, didn't we? Think about it. Your health is degrading and your son hasn't even finished college. If you don't want to agree to my terms, why would I not vote for the company to be handled by a more capable entity?"

He sat down on the chair beside the bed and ran a hand through his hair. "But I will consider your son if he's married."

"What does that have to do with him being a chairman?"

"Well-" he played with the tips of his nails "-I don't know how responsible he can be. If he's married, he need to be responsible for someone else too." Despite the glare from Yihuang, Changsun still grinned. "It can be his training ground to be a responsible young man."

"Don't talk nonsense, Changsun! Marriage is not a game!"

"I know that," Changsun replied nonchalantly. "My vote isn't a game either." He stood up buttoning his suit jacket. "I'll give you until the end of next week to think. Let me know if you've found a bride for your son."

Yeojin scrambled away to hide when Changsun walked toward the door. Hiding behind a wall, she peeked and sighed when she saw his retreating back. A deep sigh escaped her lips again when she leaned back on the wall. Her stomach churned at the thought of earlier conversation to which she eavesdropped. She wondered if she should tell Kris about this, but their relationship wasn't in a good state.

"Oh! Yeojin!" Uncle Wu beamed when she entered his room.

He was smiling, but Yeojin knew better that he was just hiding his initial worry.

"How are you doing, Uncle?" Yeojin tried to smile for his sake.

"Better. I'll be discharged the day after tomorrow."

"Are you sure you should be discharged so soon?"

Kris' father suddenly chuckled. "I feel like I've gained another daughter! Yes, yes, I'm better now. So it's okay."

The sincerity in his wide smile only broke Yeojin. Though his smile was radiating, it couldn't hide the tiredness in his eyes, the decline of his physical strength and his weakening heart. The thought of losing another father figure stroke her heart. She prayed Uncle Wu's health would be restored.