The Billionaire and the Runaway Bride by Nadia Lee

Chapter Forty-Six

Yuna

In the evening, I’m back at Ivy and Tony’s place. I’m feeling much better about the encounter with that damned Woomin at the restaurant. Seeing him again gave me closure I hadn’t realized I wanted. Knowing that he didn’t get any of what he wanted soothed my old hurt. Now I’m scab- and scar-free. Ta-da!

Thankfully, Mr. Choi and Ms. Kim have no idea who he is, so they won’t be reporting him to Mom. She hired them after the breakup. Well, it wasn’t even a breakup. More like telling me he was through because he got the money he really needed. Said it was seed money for him to start a business.

And yet here he is—in Los Angeles, working as a server at a restaurant. What a joke.

I have no clue what he was thinking, coming up to me again like that. Did he think he could get more money from my family?

I honestly don’t understand what I ever saw in him. I thought the way the outer corners of his eyes curve down made him look like a nice, even-tempered guy before. But now it just makes him look shifty. It’s embarrassing that I ever thought he was genuine. The only saving grace is that we never did anything more than heavy petting. Otherwise, I would’ve bleached my vagina.

The lights are on in the living room. I walk over, then stop when I see Mom, Ivy and Tony with Katherine and Sebastian, who are resting in two electric cradles that rock automatically.

“Hello, everyone,” I say warmly.

“Not so loud. The twins are sleeping,” Mom hisses.

“Sorry,” I whisper, then hug Mom, just because I’m about to hug Ivy. Mom isn’t a super hugger—it isn’t a thing in Korea—but she tries to fit in when she’s in the States.

Ivy waves with a huge smile. “Hey!” she whispers.

“You’re back!” I hug her tightly. It’s always good to see her.

“Yup. Discharged this afternoon.”

“Outrageous!” Mom says. “You should’ve been able to spend at least another week at the hospital.”

That’s just like Mom. She thinks new mothers should have at least two full months of pampering in a private room at a hospital or someplace similar. “Mom, American hospitals aren’t like the luxury wing at Hae Min Hospital in Seoul.”

“It’s so backward and inconvenient,” Mom mutters.

I try not to laugh at how annoyed she is. Almost like a child denied a favorite treat.

I look over at the twins and marvel again at how tiny and precious they are. They’re making all my protective instincts and love swell. “They’re sleeping like angels.”

“Yeah, thank God,” Tony says. “Those cradles are worth their weight in gold.”

“Oh my God yes. Whoever invented them should get a Nobel Prize,” Ivy says.

“Why didn’t you set up the cradles upstairs?” I ask.

“We’ve got a set for upstairs, too. Should’ve bought stock in the company,” Ivy says.

We chat for a little bit, but Ivy gets tired. Not surprising. She’s just had not one, but two babies. That’s double the work.

Tony takes a twin in each arm and goes upstairs to get them settled in the nursery. Ivy follows.

I wave goodbye, and turn to Mom. “Are you heading back to the Aylster?”

“Yes, and you should come with me,” Mom says like it’s been decided. “Ivy and Tony will want to be alone with their babies. Trust me.”

Huh. She’s a bit too insistent. She’s told me to move to the hotel, but this is a bit too stubborn. “I don’t have the time to pack.”

“Ms. Lim has taken care of that already.”

I close my eyes briefly. I guess no was never really an option, but it rarely is when Mom is dead set on something.

“Fine,” I say heavily. Maybe there’s something Mom knows that I don’t about being new parents. Or…

Wait a minute. My birthday is coming up soon. In precisely two weeks. And that means a party. Since I don’t care to have parties at a hotel, which Mom knows, it’s likely my friends are going to host it at one of their places. Bet Ivy gets to do it. She uses the fact that she’s my soul sister to get what she wants, and she’d want to host my birthday party here.

And since Mom’s not bringing up that reason, it’s going to be a surprise party.

I try not to smile too smugly. I’d hate to ruin their fun. Besides, surprise parties are awesome. They’re my favorite. Actually, all parties are, but still. It’s for me, so it’s extra special.

“Fine,” I say, since I don’t want to argue with her or get in the way of my friends’ plans. “I’ll move to the suite. But I want my own space, Mom.”

“Of course.”

“And no setting up meetings with dossiers!”

The three Mom showed me are worrisome. If she brought them specifically to show to me when she knows I’m going to be in L.A. for a while, those men are probably willing to fly out to meet me or have a business trip to the States soon.

She straightens her back. “I would never force anyone on you…although I do think you should meet them. Why do you think they’ll be any less interesting and desirable than Declan Winters?”

I laugh. “Have you seen Declan Winters?”

“He’s a handsome man, I’ll admit. Looks, however, are not a sound foundation for marriage.”

I can’t believe I have to state my objections again. But I’m willing if it’ll convince Mom to give Declan a chance. He might not have a conglomerate to run or have the right degrees from the right universities, but he’s perfect. “All your dossier guys are workaholics like Eugene. They won’t show up for my birthdays or anniversaries because business will come first. The most they’ll do to show they haven’t forgotten about me is sending me some ridiculously expensive but utterly thoughtless gift. I don’t want that sort of life. And Declan will never do that.”

“You seem awfully sure.”

“Because I am. I’ve seen you and Dad.”

Mom lets out a sigh that says she’s dealing with an unreasonable child. “Not even your father was perfect through our marriage.”

I gasp. “No way! He missed special occasions?”

She shrugs. “Once or twice.”

My esteem for him drops several notches. Hard. Mom is a saint for being okay with that.

“He was out of the country on business, and I didn’t feel like traveling with him. It couldn’t be avoided.”

Well, then. He didn’t just forget. That changes things.

Mom continues, “Anyway, the point isn’t about my marriage, it’s about yours.”

“Mom, I know what I want. You don’t have to worry. I absolutely, positively do not want to be a merger wife. I want to marry a man who’ll love me for the rest of my life.”

“And you think that’s Declan.”

“Yes,” I say firmly. I’ve never been this sure, and I don’t ignore my gut feelings.

“All right. But if he does anything to make you rethink that, will you please meet with Ryu Taejo or any other candidate who’s still available?”

This is a huge compromise for my mother. And it’ll never happen. So I nod. “I will. I promise.”