Alyssa and the billionaire

Ji-Soo was on the verge of screaming. Nothing Father said made any sense. She watched them sitting across from her like you would watch a movie in a foreign language.

“The Kang family is one of the richest in the country. We are very lucky to have a chance to become part of such a family”, Father said.

But she loved someone else.

“Think about your future Ji-Soo. Think about the company. Connections with the Kang family can help your Dad a lot”, her mother urged.

“But me and Han-Soo…”Ji-Soo started to say, but her mother cut her off.

“We are securing your future, making sure you marry into a good family, but you want to run around with that…that freelancer…”

“He is a journalist, mother!”

Ji-Soo rarely talked back to her parents, but the thought of marrying anyone but Han-Soo was heartbreaking. He was not rich, but they were in love. She had never asked for anything, so why wouldn’t they let her marry the man she loved?

Mother was looking at her like worms had crawled out of her mouth.

Her heart was beating wildly; she had done something wrong, again. She did not want to disobey her father or upset her mother, but she never wanted anything more than to be with Han-Soo.

“Han-Soo and I love each other, and he has been working very hard. We were even planning to get married after his promotion. I just…”

“Enough!”

Lee Yoon-Jin was not a man of many words. When he said something it was final and Ji-Soo knew she had lost this battle the moment it started. Still, she could not help the tears that had started to form in her eyes

“You are going to marry into that family and that is final!” he said, his face unresolvable.

“But father!” Ji-Soo's voice was a quiver. She was fighting the tears.

“We have been too lenient with you, letting you see that boy and now you have forgotten what you owe this family!”

Now the tears pushed their way down her cheeks and she let them.

So-Yun put a hand over her mouth to hide her smile. Ji-Soo was so gullible, make one mention of her debt to them and she would do anything.

So-Yun would never let her daughter marry the Kang family's monster but they needed the family's connections and she knew Ji-Soo would do anything to please them. All she needed was a little buttering up.

So-Yun cleared her throat,” Ji-Soo dear you know we want the best for you. We want you to live a happy life where you have everything you need. You also know that things have been shaky for your Dad and the company.”

There it was, the guilty look, she saw the wheels in Ji-Soo's head turn and knew she almost had her. Just a little more. She got down on her knees and watched as Ji-Soo's face turned from guilt to shock, the tears were pouring from her eyes.

“I am begging you. Lee So-Yun is begging you Ji-Soo. Not for myself but for the family. I am pleading with you to make this sacrifice for us, for you.”

She took Ji-Soo's hands and drew them close to her, placing them on her chest.

“I know we are asking for a lot and I know it will not be easy, I know. I had to make sacrifices too when I married your father.”

“Mother” Ji-Soo whispered, guilt and pain overcoming her as she saw her mother on her knees.

Bingo. She had her. Just that was left was a little extra acting.

“Ji-Soo, women like us do not get the luxury of choosing who we marry. As the oldest daughters we have duties to our families and marriage is one of them…”

Ji-Soo felt something in her throat like a thick cloth had been pushed down there. Her mother was on her knees crying and she…she was thinking of only herself, forgetting her duties to her family.

So-Yun did not realize when the tears came but she did not want them to stop. She wanted Ji-Soo to feel they needed her. She squeezed Ji-Soo's hands.

“Who we marry can make or break us and our family. Please, for our sake, for your sake, do your duty. We have let you have everything you need, you owe us this much.”

She looked at her father, he was looking away from her. His face was hard and Ji-Soo could not help the beat her heart skipped.

How could she be so selfish? They had been so kind to her and this was how she wanted to repay them. She has to make things right.

Ji-Soo knelt next to her mother and wiping the tears from her eyes, she felt her throat loosen.

“Father, mother, I'm sorry. I just really love Han-Soo and I forgot that my family should come first. I know the marriage has already been decided with or without my consent. I will not argue further and I will do my best to get accepted by the Kang family.

She saw her father's lips twitch. This Time he looked at her.

“You have come to your senses. That is good. So-Yun set up a date, and the families need to be formally introduced.”

So-Yun could not help the smile.

“Thank you Ji-Soo, you don't know what you have done. Today you have proved you deserve to be in this family. I'm proud of you.”

Ji-Soo smiled too. Mother was proud of her. She knew this was the right thing to do but there was something else she had to do.

. . . . . . .

Min-Jae yawned.

“You should rest sir”

Min-Jae looked up at his secretary, a small smile playing on his lips. He was the closest thing he had to friends.

“Mr Park, I think you are the one who needs more rest. You have not been home in days. I'm sure my Unni misses you.”

Their eyes met and they both burst into laughter.

“More like she is happy I'm gone!”

“If I were her, I would divorce you,” Min-Jae Snickered. “What was it this time?”

“She was planning to set up a blind date for you with my cousin”.

Min-Jea's laughter had stopped.

”Did my mother make her?”

Park put a hand on his shoulder when it came to Min-Jae, marriage was a delicate subject.

“She is just worried about you. You are not getting any younger and she also wants to turn your children into her minions”

They both burst into laughter again. He could imagine Mr Park's wife, Min-A, commanding a group of children to terrorize them.

Mr Park cleared his throat.

“On a more serious note, you should be thinking about marriage…”

Min-Jae stopped laughing and Mr Park knew what he was going to say next.