Chaebol: Prince (COMPLETED - 2nd EDITING)

Chapter 7: Broken Promises (AMBW)

Joon was glad to hear the announcement that the plane had landed at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Constant business meetings were the price he had to pay in order to get away from the company. Exiting the plane was a true relief. Every ache and pain of nonstop meetings and little to no sleep could be felt after such a long flight.

"Mr. Seong, your car is this way." The driver escorted him to the black 2018 Mercedes S 560 4-Matic Sedan. He held the door for his employer to be seated and loaded his luggage.

"I sent you a text with the address where I'm headed for now," Joon instructed the driver. Images of her came to his mind. Every image he played over and over again to maintain his sanity for the last four years. An angel. A goddess. A divine muse. Many beautiful names and descriptions could be assigned to her. Nothing made him happier than her name. Kiah.

*****

"Kiah, please listen to me." He begged her to hear him out.

"Joon, please don't do this. Not here. Not at my place of employment." She tried her best to hold herself together. How in the world could he show up like this and expect everything to be just fine? She questioned deep inside.

"Please. Please hear me out." No matter how he tried to gain her attention, she would not look at him. Finally, Kiah opened the door, apologized to her students, and dismissed them for the day.

Her students walked out murmuring and confused. A few people stopped to ask if she needed any help. Kiah was amazed at how considerate her students were. She assured each of them that everything was fine.

Lying. No good. Piece of shit. These were the words that came to her mind as she returned to sit at her desk and glare at him as if she could cut him into shreds. How dare he come back here acting like everything is just fine? This stranger thought he could come back looking like a million dollars and excuse the fact that he disappeared from her life without so much as a word. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to have a moment and throw a chair at him.

"Kiah, baby. I know you're angry with me. I wish I could turn back the hands of time. You look at me like I'm the enemy, but I swear with my life that I have never betrayed you. I have loved you far too much to ever betray you. I thought I would die without you." His smooth deeply masculine voice cracked as he attempted to explain what happened.

"I just can't. I don't have the luxury of talking to you all day. I have another class that will be here in 15 minutes and I need to get myself together." She said without emotion.

"Please. Don't do this please." Joon tried to convince her to believe him, but the blank glaze in her eyes said she wasn't having any of it.

"I would appreciate it if you would leave my classroom." She walked him to the door and closed it behind him. Her body crumpled like a new linen suit casually tossed to the floor as she slid down into crying mess. Kiah continued to cry until she could hear people walking around in the halls.

*****

"Why do you look so miserable?" Kiah's mother stopped her at the door. The room seemed like it was spinning, and her mother's words drifted up to her ears in a jumbled blur. Something was wrong. Despite the ghost from her past which she revealed to be a flesh and blood man, somehow, she managed to get through the day. Not sure of what happened or why it happened, her drive home was nearly fatal as she almost hit someone who was in a crosswalk.

Kiah snapped back to reality. The gentleman screamed at her to pay attention. She knew it would be for the best if went straight home. Her hands were shaking, and she could feel her body slowly but surely shutting down. As she walked through the kitchen door, a pressure seized her chest.

"Mom. I saw him today." Ms. Grace watched her daughter walk through the door covered in sweat while holding her chest. There was something wrong. Her daughter was clutching her chest and she couldn't talk. Before the older woman could reach her, Kiah's body crashed onto the floor.

*****

"Ms. Grace, it looks like your daughter may have been under a significant amount of stress and as a result, she had an anxiety attack. Unfortunately, many of the symptoms mimic those of a heart attack, but that isn't what happened here. Your daughter is a very lucky young woman." Voices continued the conversation outside the room. All of a sudden, she heard mother raise her voice.

"Are you the reason she nearly died? Did you go to her job? Did you do this to her?" Kiah's mother was screaming at someone. What in the world was going on? Kiah tried to open her eyes but the light seemed like really sharp pins in her eyes. It hurt to move, but she had to figure out what was going on.

Movement in the room caught her attention. After she was able to partially regain her sight, Kiah squeezed her eyes together just enough to help her see a little body stirring from the noise outside. Try as she may, it seemed that she couldn't utter a sound. Her baby was asleep but now he was up. He slid his little body out of the chair and toddled his way to the door. The commotion outside stopped the moment the little boy walked out into the hall.

"Halmeoni." A small voice could be heard calling for his grandma.

"Juni what are you doing out her baby." The once sharp voice softened instantly.

"Don't be mad, Halmeoni." Sweet little kisses could be heard as they were exchanged between the older woman and her grandson. Kiah smiled. She was so grateful for her mother's presence. Peace of mind was short lived as she looked up to see him standing at the foot of her hospital bed.

Questions littered his face. Always a fair-skinned man, Joon stood by her bed looking like he had seen a ghost.

"Kiah tell me." The words which forced themselves from his lips were etched with pain and uncertainty. His face was contorted in pain as he searched her face for some sort of answer.

"He's your son." Though the words were whispered, they reached his ears as if they were the roar of a lion. Joon turned to observe his son holding Ms. Grace's hand. He fell down to his knees as he realized what he had done to her. As what she said registered in his mind and his heart, he was overcome with the knowledge that the adorable little boy was their love child. Tears welled up in his eyes and his hands flew up to his mouth.

*****