^^ JUNGKOOK ^^

I checked my watch after stepping out of the car. It is nearly 6:00. "Did I come too late? I think she went home now."

However, the lights were still on in her office, which convinced me that she was still working. "Aigoo... why work overtime on your birthday?"

I stepped inside the gallery with a smile and a box of cake I held in my hands. No people were wandering around the gallery's artistic displays as the building was about to close. Just the janitor mopping the floor while whistling in tiny. I turned towards the reception area, greeted by a sweet smile from the two receptionists.

"How have you been?" I bowed as I exchanged smiles with them.

"We've been doing pretty well, Jungkookie," the other answered. "How about you? Visiting our CEO during her birthday, huh. That's so sweet of you!"

I just chuckled. "We're just used to doing this to each other."

"Don't worry. Miss Shanshan is still upstairs."

"Thank you, noonas. I want to go and see her now. See you later," I said, feeling the excitement I'd never felt while leaving to see her. I happily climbed the stairs, feeling the warm ambiance of the gallery. I didn't know why recently, she's taken over my mind. Throughout my work, she filled my thoughts, making me grin while thinking of her embarrassing moments with me. She's such a dummy! Now that her birthday has come, I feel eager to spend time with her, not knowing what kind of funny memories we can make again.

I turned around a corner, eyeing the sign that said 'CEO's Office' before stopping.

"Hyung?"

Min Ho nearly jumped from his place as I caught him sticking his ear on the office's door.

"Ah! You startled me, Jungkookie!" He shouted in a whisper while he winced with pain, putting his hand on his chest.

"What are you doing at your office door?" I asked, laughing, but he immediately placed a finger on his nose and pulled me away from the place.

^^ SHANSHAN ^^

"I know my family sent you here because they are prohibited from seeing me," I said, inhaling a deep breath while looking at the painting on the wall.

Mark was seated at my desk while I was standing, facing my back on him.

"You're surprisingly amazing. You dared to sign a restriction order against your own family," he chuckled. "I'm here for a business trip for two weeks, and yes, part of my stay here is to see you."

"Just tell me what you're here for... or should I say, what my family wants from me?" I said, quietly gripping on the edge of Min Ho's table, still not facing him.

"Lee Ji Hyo..."

I gripped my hands tightly while shutting my eyes as I heard my old name.

"Your father's business is going down. They need you to save the company-"

"W-what?" I laughed ironically, turning to him as he scanned my body in my red dress, almost losing his focus on our conversation. "I already made it clear that I do not have anything to do with their family!"

^^ MIN HO ^^

Something's strange. The way Shanshan's expression turned into shock when he saw that foreign guy showed that there was something wrong. He must be sent by her family from New York.

I leaned on the door, trying to eavesdrop after she sent me out, but all I could hear were muffled voices. That was when Jungkook appeared and scared me to death. I pulled him away quickly, leading him to a VIP room.

"Hyung, why did you pull me away? I wanted to see my best friend now!" Jungkook complained while I made him sit on the couch.

"You can't see her right now. A guest came to see her first," I said, making coffees for ourselves in the corner since there were no staffs to do it for us. They went home already.

"A guest? Is the meeting confidential that they didn't let you in?" He asked, his mouth opening in curiosity.

"I guess so," I answered. "He came to talk with her at this late hour and seems to be a high-class person."

"Oh!" He opened his mouth with awe again. "I guess he's the one who owns that limousine waiting outside! I wonder why someone wants to have an important discussion with her at this late hour," he said before taking a bite from the roll cake I served.

A staff came to us, politely asking permission to distract us before stepping inside and coming to me. "We are going first. Some of our colleagues are already at the bar waiting for us."

I nodded. "Tell them we'll be there shortly after Miss Lee is done with some important meeting. But no ordering of liquors first! We don't want to be arriving there with all of you being drunk already."

"Noted, sir," the lady smiled before glancing at Jungkook and waving him goodbye.

"Bye, noona!" Jungkook said with a smile.

Everyone in the gallery already knows about his friendship with my boss. He grew familiar with our staffs although he couldn't memorize all of them.

I looked at my watch. "Thirty minutes have passed already. What is going on at the office?"

I glanced at Jungkook, who was silently enjoying his coffee. "Jungkookie, if she's still there after an hour, I think I should bring you to the bar where we're planning to throw a party for her. You'll get bored waiting for her. It seems like they would take longer."

He shifted in his seat as he listened to me. "Ahh. Why does that person have to come during her birthday?"

I nodded, agreeing with him.

"I think I'll just wait at her apartment. You can take her to the party and send her home. At least I could be there to watch for her if she gets drunk."

"Oh, she said she's not into alcohol right now. But I promise to send her home safely."

^^ SHANSHAN ^^

Mark just crossed his legs, rubbing his finger on his chin. "Your father is sick, so he had to step down. When your stepbrother took over the company, that's when the company's reputation started to go down. Right now, they're facing bankruptcy."

"I don't need your updates about them," I slammed my fists on the table. "If they need help, they have lots of business partners and high-profile friends to ask help for!"

"No Ji Hyo-"

"Stop calling me Ji Hyo!"

He stood up, slowly walking to me as I held my anger. I looked up at him when he stopped, just a foot between us.

"You are the only one who can save the company... no one else."

"I'm not a member of their family anymore," I replied, my voice trembling from anger.

He put his hands in his pockets, sighing on the ground before lifting his eyes on me. "You still are. Those documents you filed with your lawyer don't have any effect on your family. Remember how powerful your parents are."

I furrowed my eyebrows, giving him a glare. "I don't understand why you are joining forces with my father."

"It wasn't my choice. Our parents have been business partners for a long time. Lee Ji Hyo, you turned down our wedding two years ago, but we are still open to accepting you again. Marrying me can save your company."

I stepped back. "What?! They're still expecting me to marry him?!" "What the hell? I'm not marrying anyone! Do not force me into it! I am not just an object being forced to do something against my will, and I... I don't care if their business goes down!" I lashed out. I could feel myself burning hot with rage as a tear flew out from my eye.

"Remember the many years your father worked hard to achieve success for his company and all the employees going to be fired if your business fails! You are the company's future! Ever since before, you were the only heiress fitted to rule, but you threw it away. Look what happened when your stepbrother took over. Now everyone's expecting you to do something about it. Everyone's blaming you for neglecting your responsibilities as the only bloodline of your father!"

I just stood there, my mouth unable to speak while Mark Torres lectured me. "Part of it seems to be my fault. But they don't understand my side too."

"You need to make a decision. I'm giving you two weeks." He said firmly, ignoring how upset I was. "Please don't make things hard. I don't want your family to take action by themselves and threaten your loved ones just to make you go back."

I held back my tears before putting on a brave attitude and staring directly at him. "Do whatever you want to do. I'm not afraid of them."

"Hah," he sighed, slumping his shoulders. "I'm saying this for your own good. Your family knows that you're close with that K-pop artist. Please cooperate if you don't want his career to be in danger."

"Jungkookie!"

"You don't have a choice. Be prepared after two weeks," Mark said, turning his head on me before walking out of the door.

I literally dropped on Minho's chair, groaning from the pain in my head while talking to Mark. My urge to process the things we just talked about was turned into a desire to just lay on my bed and rest. "But you still have to go to the party. Pull yourself together, Shanshan!"

I wanted to set aside what just happened. I still have to go to see my employees. They must be at the party right now, waiting for me. I let out a long sigh before pulling my exhausted self up, smoothing my hair and my scalp, almost sweating.

"Ma'am Shanshan?" Minho's muffled voice behind the door reached my ears.

"Minho..." I dragged my feet towards my table as he entered. "Is everyone at the bar already?" I said, gulping from the stabbing pain I still felt on my head.

"Yes, Ma'am. Everyone's waiting already," he answered.

"Okay," I sighed before my vision started to blur and slowly lost my balance.