Jess
As soon as Mark touches my lips with his, Emily knocks on the door.
"Miss?"
I quickly clamber down his arms and almost stumble to the door. I feel my cheeks burning as I face the woman. "Yes?"
She looks at my red face then at Mark behind me and back at me. "Uh...." her cheeks turn pink, too, "the lawyer is here."
"Thanks," I shyly nod, still couldn't get rid of the tint on my face. "I'll be right down."
I turn around to look at Mark who's scratching the back of his head and looking down at his feet, then go down to meet this lawyer Lei wanted me to talk to.
"Jess," the man stands up from the sofa and offer his hand for me to shake.
I take his hand and tell him to follow me in the office - Lei's office - which is down the hall. "Sit," I tell him, taking the seat opposite his.
"I'm YongZe. Lee YongZe. As you already know, I'm Lei's lawyer....not his father's." He chuckles. "So, everything we talk about here doesn't reach him, don't worry."
I smile at that. He takes out a really thick envelop and, one by one, take out folders of papers. Just great....I'm really not in the mood to go through documents right now. Ugh....
He notices my expression and chuckles again. "You don't need to go through this now. I'll just tell you what they are and we can meet again next time for you to sign them."
"Thanks," I nod. Phew!
"First of all, congratulations."
I look at him, puzzled. "Huh?"
"For getting back the company." He hands the envelop that is on top. 'Transfer of ownership' - it says on top. Another questioning look from me.
"Lei, just gave you back all the shares of your dad's company his father had bought from the other shareholders."
Oh my God. He just didn't....How...? "Are....you...s...s...sure?" I stutter.
He just points at the papers I'm holding and smiles. I look down at it and skim through pages, barely reading. All the pages has Lei's signature on them. I can't believe this. Lei.....
"And," he continues, getting another folder, "I can't give this yet directly to him. Lei asked me to let you handle it first."
He gives me the envelope and it's another transfer. This time, the name is 'Kim, SeokJin'. For real??????
"There are a few shares he's transferred to his name," he's pertaining to Jin-Ah, "but because of what he's done to you, Lei wants you to decide on whether to give it or not."
This can't be real. I pinch myself just to check I'm awake. This is not a dream, is it? OUCH! No, it's not. It's real. Lei has really done it. How? When?
As if reading my mind, "the day you came home from the dinner in his parents' house," he says.
I recall, he was on the phone when we got home. So, this is what he's talking about back in the hospital. When he said he regret considering him as a brother.
Another folder, "this is a deed of ownership to one of his hotels in Korea."
"Woah..." I put my hand up, not taking the folder from him, "No...this is not mine. I won't accept it."
"He wants you to, Jess. Just take it." He pushes it back to my hand.
Lei...you don't have to.
One last folder, "And this," he smiles up at me, "is his gift to you."
I raise one eyebrow as I take the papers. A very short, hand-written letter is on top and I take it.
'Jess,
You'd always be a part of my life...an important one at that.
I'd want to show you this, because, even for once, I want you to be proud of me. I know I've done a lot of wrong, to you and to a lot of people around you.
This is my way of telling you that you've changed me - for the better. I've realized a lot of things while we were together, even for just a short time. You were my inspiration, and you'll always be.
I love you, Jessica Zhao.
Lei.'
Tears fall down my cheeks as I re-read the letter. Lei...you'll always be a big part of my life.
I set the letter aside and go through the documents. They show that he has donated 75% of the profit of the remaining shares to charity. 20% of it, he's keeping for his own. The rest is for his parents.
My heart warms at his gesture. He really has changed. Most of the benefactors of the donation goes to different rehabilitation centers in China.
I am just speechless as I gape at it.
Mr. Lee clears his throat, and I look at him, my mouth still agape.
"I know," he chuckles a bit, "unbelievable, right?"
I nod.
"This is all because of you, Jess. You see, Lei is like my son. I've seen him grow through this years. And it's the first time I've seen him do something that makes me really proud. I know you are, too."
I nod again.
"Thank you," the words are sincere. "Thank you for taking care of him."
I stand and go to him, hugging him real tight. "This is just..." I sob, "I can't believe he'd...." sob, "How can he..."
"There now," he pats my back, "you did it, Jess."
________________________________________________________________
Mark
TIMING....WTF!!!!
I shake my head and just chuckle. I go down to look for Jake.
"Mark!" That shriek...
"Jackson!" I hugged him. I'm just so happy to see this guy.
"Bro," we do a fist bump. "So, where's my cuz?" He looks around, seeing none of her.
"She's in there," I point at the door where I think I saw Jess and the lawyer go in, "she's talking to Lei's lawyer."
His mouth makes an 'O' shape, then he raises his brows as if asking what it's about. I just shrug my shoulders.
"Snow," he immediately diverts his attention to the dog that is running towards him. "I missed you," he kneels down to hug him.
He then looks around at the house, then at me, questioning.
"Lei's." I just tell him and he makes another 'O'. "Don't ask," I tell him, shaking my head, not believing this whole situation either.
We go out to the patio with drinks in hand. "So," he starts, "we're going back to Korea together tomorrow, right?"
I sigh. Back to reality. Back to work. I shrug.
"The boss is expecting you there by tomorrow afternoon, Mark."
I know. My seven days is over. I look back inside the house and I think Jackson knows what I'm thinking.
"I don't think she'd be following very soon," he says. I know that, too.
"I can't just leave her, Jackson." I tell him honestly. "What if....Do you know what Lei did to her?" I say exasperatedly, replaying in my mind what I saw on Jess' body.
"Why? What did he do?"
I tell him. His eyes are wide and so is his mouth. "What? That asshole!" He grits his teeth.
"That's why. I'm not really sure if I can just leave her here with him. But, you should've seen them. They look so....sweet together." I cringe at the sight of them in the hospital before we came here.
"My cousin? Sweet? To Lei?" He seems to be astonished at that. "Impossible."
I shake my head and lay my head on the back of the seat, closing my eyes. I couldn't believe it either.
"So...what's your status then?"
"I don't know," I answer. "I honestly don't know. One minute she kisses me, the next she talks about Lei."
"Another reason I don't want to be you, Mark," he chuckles, taking a swig of the beer he's holding.
"Dinner's served," Emily comes out to call us.
"We'll be there," I tell her, getting up from my sit. Jackson follows.
"Is Jess still in there?" Jackson asks the maid, pointing at the room where she's with the lawyer.
"The lawyer just left," she says. "Miss is up in her room."
"Isn't she coming down to eat?" I ask her.
"She said she doesn't want to be disturbed, Sir."
That girl.
I prepare a plate for her and is about to take it up to her room when Jackson takes the tray from my hands. "Let me," he says.
After only about five minutes, he comes down, the tray still on his hands.
"She won't open," he says. "What's happening to her?"
I go up and knock on her door, "Jess. It's me. Open up, baby." No answer. "Come on, Jess. You have to eat."
"I'll be down in a while, Mark," her voice is soft, sounds like she's been crying again. Sighing, I go back to the dining room.
"So?" Jackson asks, looking up from his plate. I just shake my head and sit beside him. Jake comes in with some of the other men.
"Mark," he says, "I think our work here is done. We're flying back tomorrow."
I nod.
"You?"
I shrug.
"He's coming with me," Jackson answers, "We're going back to Korea."
"Ok." Jake says.
But, I don't want to leave. Not when I'm still not sure if she's ok or not. Is she going to stay in this house with him? Are they going to get married? What did Lei mean when he asked me to take care of her? Is he giving her up? I still want answers. I can't leave not knowing what I should do next.
I have to talk to her before I go. I need to.
After dinner, I go back up to her room and knock. No answer. I ask Emily if there's a spare key to open the door. She goes down to look for one. When she comes back up, she hands me a key and I open the door.
Jess is sound asleep on the bed. The ring....her engagement ring, is on her hand. Not on her finger though, but she's holding on to it. The red box beside her, along with a phone.
"Jess?" I whisper, making my way to the bed. But, she doesn't wake up.
I sit beside her and stroke her hair. As like on the plane, her brows are knitted and she's mumbling something I can't make out.
"Tell me what to do, baby," I whisper as I watch her sleep.
I must have dozed off beside her. "Mark?" I open my eyes and see her sitting up. "How?" She looks at the door.
I smile up at her questioning face. "You didn't eat. Are you hungry?"
She leans back on the headboard and shakes her head. We sit like that for a while, silent, not talking. I take her hand and play with her fingers. She lets me, looking down at our hands.
I don't know how to start asking her. What now? What happens to us?
"Mark," she's the first to break the silence. "I need to stay here."
That makes my heart take another fall. That one sentence says it all. So, she's decided to stay here with Lei. Tears just freely flow down my cheeks. "I understand." Do I, really? Actually, I don't. Why? Why does she still want to stay with that guy? I thought she loves me?
But, I remember what my father said.
"You should understand her. She needs your understanding more than ever."
"Son, be patient. Don't give up on her."
"Just trust her."
The next morning, I wake up with her still beside me. I get up quietly, not wanting to wake her up. I can't bear to say goodbye when she's awake.
Jackson and I head to the airport early in the morning, Jake and the others are long gone.
"I'll wait for you, Jess!"
_________________________________________________________________
Did I say it's the Last Chapter?
I'm sorry....but I feel like writing more...so I would be adding another chapter...and maybe an extra.
Lav ya!