Pretend Love

Chapter 17: Revelation

"I just have a lot of things on my mind."

"Halmeoni told me about your fiancée. Why did she leave?"

"Halmeoni didn't tell you the whole story, then," Vincent deduced.

"She told me you asked a beautiful woman to marry you and she accepted. She also said Sungjae… is that why she left?"

"No. It's complicated," he sighed, raking a hand through his hair.

"I have four children, I know complications."

"I messed up. I was supposed to stay in the States while my permanent visa application was being processed, and I thought too highly of myself to send someone else to this stupid book fair," Vincent shook his head. "You're allowed to stay in the States if you marry one of its citizens. I was in a meeting with my bosses when my assistant came in. She said the word 'engaged' and something in my brain just clicked. I told my bosses I was getting married. Suzy was in the room, and I just…"

"So you didn't have feelings for her when you asked her to marry you?"

"Not that I was aware of. I mean, I liked having her around. She deserved a promotion, and I kept promising she would get it, when in reality, I didn't want to lose her. We just worked so well together."

"And then…"

"Then she made this crazy demand that I propose for real, and I started thinking about how I would propose to the woman I love, what she would want… and Suzy's image popped into my head. I planned the proposal with her in mind, and I found myself wanting to get to know her."

"And you fell in love," Mi-na deduced.

"I guess so."

"And does she feel the same way?"

"I think she does."

"Then what are you still doing here?"

"Mwo?"

"She went back to America, didn't she? Why are you still here?"

"I can't go back there."

"Why not?"

"This… immigration officer threatened to have her thrown in jail if I tried to enter the country."

"Why would a perfect stranger go to all that trouble?"

"He just has it in for us, I guess."

"He stayed with you here?"

"Abeoji invited him."

"Samchun? Now this starts to make more sense…"

"What do you mean?"

"Samchun has always been the one to boss us around. He scared off all Eomma's boyfriends before. Eomma wouldn't be married and have us if she hadn't fled this place."

"You think he had a hand in this?"

"I think you should find out."

____________

Suzy took a deep breath, letting the fresh country air fill her lungs. Her parents had been concerned when she announced that she had quit her job and given up her apartment, but they were thrilled to have her back, and gladly let her store her belongings in their attic. Suzy wanted to get a job and work out a lease agreement for the lake house, but her parents insisted she stay as long as she liked.

Suzy embraced the solitude and the creative atmosphere the lake house offered. Halmeoni was right, she had a story to tell. So while her mother painted, she wrote.