The Accidental Star

CONVERSATIONS

JI CHANG WOOK

" Chang, good you're here, " Jake said when he saw me coming through the penthouse's double doors.

" What happened? " I asked in alarm when I saw several policemen making their way out of the door that I just came in.

" She's gone, " Jake said in a tight voice and then gestured for me to sit down on the couch. " She pretended to be crying out for help and when her security team was busy checking the penthouse, she escaped. "

I listened to Jake recount what happened in the penthouse as narrated by Anne's head of security.

" But why would she do that? Why would she run away? " I asked in bewilderment.

" Because of you, " a voice said behind me and I quickly turned my head to see Andrew Martinez walking inside the hospital penthouse.

He quickly took the seat across me, beside his nephew and regarded me with a piercing look.

" I told Anne that she's flying back to New York with me, " he told me as a matter of factly.

I frowned at him. What did he mean by that?

" We're leaving Seoul in two days, Mr. Ji, " her father went on, addressing me formally. " And that was why my daughter ran away. Because she doesn't want to come home with me. She wants to stay here and be with you. "

" In two days? " I echoed stupidly as I stared at Anne's father. " But I thought you agreed-"

" Somebody is out to harm my daughter, " he cut me off coldly. " Somebody wants to kill Anne. I cannot sit back and let my only child walk into the face of danger. "

" Chang, " Jake spoke out and I peeled my eyes off Anne's father. " Let's be honest here. Spotlight isn't the reason why Anne doesn't want to leave Korea. You know that. "

" I love Anne, " I blurted out. " I will never let anything bad happen to her. "

Jake nodded in agreement. " We're not going to let anything bad happen to her.

" But both of you can't protect her, " Andrew Martinez said in a neutral voice.

Jake and I turned quickly turned our heads to look at Anne's father. I saw the surprise in Jake's face and I figured he wasn't expecting his uncle to say that.

" I know what happened in the cave and getting a stranded on the highway. " Anne's father said unblinking as he looked at me. " She almost died of hyperthermia. The two of you almost did if Jake didn't find you. "

" But I- " I started to protest but he held out a hand to stop me from talking.

He quickly tore his eyes off me and looked at Jake.

" I know about the skydiving stunts and the motorcycle rides. I know about the threatening gift that she received when she was on tour and how she isn't safe with all these paparazzis following her around. "

" Uncle Andrew, those weren't-"

Andrew Martinez silenced his nephew with a warning look and Jake quickly shut his mouth.

" You know Anne isn't up to all these things. She's going to be MartinCorp's next CEO, Jacob. That's what she was honed to become and that's what she should be doing now, " He told him and then started shaking his head. " But she'd do anything for you. Isn't it enough that you left New York and burdened us with your decision to leave? Don't drag Anne into this. She's better off in New York doing what she's meant to become. "

I froze on my seat as I waited for Jake's reaction. To my surprise, he just hung his head, accepting what the Martinez Patriarch had just said.

Sharp jet black eyes turned to glare at me and I braced myself for what's to come.