Chapter 2
Butler
Her grace, Honourable Song Hyekyo
The butler intoned majestically from the doorway of the drawing room where Honourable Seojoon Jeon, was seated. The butler stepped aside, and an imposing old woman marched in, trailed by her harassed-looking solicitor. Jeon Seojoon looked at her, his piercing hazel eyes alive with hatred.
Lady Song
Don't bother to rise, Jeon
The older lady snapped sarcastically, glaring at him when he remained deliberately and insolently seated.
Perfectly still, he continued to regard her in icy silence. In his mid fifties, Jeon Seojoon was still an attractive man, with thick, silver-streaked hair and hazel eyes, but illness has taken its toll on him. He was too thin for his tall frame and his was deeply etched with lines of strain and fatigue.
Unable to provoke a response from him, the lady rounded the butler.
Lady Song
"This room is too hot!"
She snapped, rapping her jeweled-handled cane upon the floor.
Lady Song
"Draw the curtains and let in some air."
Seojoon barked, his voice seething with the loathing that the mere sight of her evoked in him.
The lady turned a withering look in his direction.
Lady Song
"I have not come here to suffocate,"
Senior Jeon
"Then get out."
Her thin body stiffened into a rigid line of furious resentment.
Lady Song
"I have not come here to suffocate,"
She repeated through tightly clenched teeth.
Lady Song
"I have come here to inform you of my decision regarding Jiwon's children."
Senior Jeon
And then get out
Her eyes narrowed to furious slits and the air seemed to crackle with her hostility, but instead of leaving, she slowly lowered herself into a chair. Despite her advanced years, the duchess sat as regally erect as a queen, a purple turban perched upon her white head in place of a crown, a cane in her hand instead of a scepter.
Seojoon watched her with wary surprise, for he had been certain she'd insisted upon this meeting only so she could have the satisfaction of telling him to his face that the relocation of Jiwon's children was none of his business. He had not expected her to sit down as if she had something more to say.
Lady Song
You have seen the boys photograph
His gaze dropped to the picture in his hand and his long fingers tightened convulsively, protectively around it. Naked pain darkened his eyes as he stared at Taehyung. He was the image of his mother despite his obvious masculinity – the image of his beautiful, beloved Jiwon.
Lady Song
Taehyung is the image of his mother
The lady snapped suddenly
Seojoon lifted his gaze to hers and his face instantly hardened
Senior Jeon
I'm aware of that
Lady Song
Good. Then you will understand why I will not have that boy in my house.ill take the other one
Standing up as if her business had been concluded, she glanced at her solicitor.
Lady Song
See that Dr. Lee receives a check to cover his expenses, and another check to cover transport for the younger boy
Her solicitor said bowing
solicitor
Will there be anything more?
Lady Song
There will be a great deal more
She snapped, her voice strained and tight
Lady Song
I shall launch the boy into society, I shall have find a favourable partner for him, I -
Senior Jeon
What about taehyung?
Seojoon interrupted fiercely
Senior Jeon
What do you plan to do about the older boy?
Lady Song glowered at him
Lady Song
I've already told you – that one reminds me of his mother, and I won't have him in my house. If you want him, you can take him. You wanted his mother rather badly, as I recall. And Jiwon obviously wanted you – even when she was dying, she still spoke your name. You can shelter Jiwon's image instead. It will serve you right to have to look at the chit.
Seojoon's mind was still reeling with joyous disbelief when the old duchess added arrogantly,
Lady Song
Work him to death or marry him off to anyone you please – anyone except that nephew of yours. Twenty-two years ago, I wouldn't countenance an alliance between your family and mine, and I still forbid it. I –
As if something had just occurred to her, she broke off abruptly, her eyes beginning to gleam with malignant triumph.
Lady Song
I shall marry Sunoo to Sunghoon's son!
Lady Song
I wanted Jiwon to marry the father, and she refused because of you. I'll marry Sunoo to the son – I'll have that alliance with the Park after all!
A slow spiteful smile spread across her wrinkled face, and she laughed at Seojoon's pinched expression.
Lady Song
After all these years, I'm still going to pull off the most splendid match in a decade!
With that, she swept out of the room, followed by her solicitor.
Seojoon stared after her, his emotions veering between bitterness, hatred, and joy. That vicious old bitch had just inadvertently given him the one thing he wanted more than life itself – she had given him Taehyung, Jiwon's child. Jiwon's image. A happiness that was almost past bearing surged through Seojoon, followed almost immediately by boiling wrath. That devious, heartless, conniving old woman was going to have an alliance with the Park – exactly as she had always wanted. She had been willing to sacrifice Jiwon's happiness to have that meaningless alliance, and now she was going to succeed.
The rage Seojoon felt because she, too, was gaining what she had always wanted nearly eclipsed his own joy at getting Taehyung. And then suddenly a thought occurred to him. With narrowed eyes he contemplated it, mulled it over, studied it. And slowly he began to smile. "Tik," he said eagerly to his butler.
Senior Jeon
"Bring me pen and parchment. I want to write out an engagement announcement. See that it is delivered to the Seoul Times at once."
Seojoon looked up at the old servant
Senior Jeon
She was wrong, Tik
Senior Jeon
The old b!tçh was wrong
Senior Jeon
Yes wrong! she's not going to pull off the most splendid match of the decade, I am!
It was a ritual. Each morning at approximately 7 o'clock, the butler opened the massive front door of Honourable Jeon Jungkook's palatial Busan mansion and was handed a copy of the newspaper, Seoul Times, by a footman who had brought it from Seoul.
After closing the door, the butler crossed the marble foyer and handed the newspaper to another footman stationed at the bottom of the grand staircase.
Butler
"Here's Your Grace's copy of the Times,"
This footman carried the paper down the hall and into the dining room where Jungkook was customarily finishing his morning meal and reading his mail
footman
You're copy of the Times, you're Grace,
The foot man murmured diffidently as he placed it beside the nobleman's coffee cup and then removed his plate. Wordlessly, the Lord picked up the paper and opened it.
All of these were performed with the perfectly orchestrated and faultlessly executed precision, for honourable Jeon Jungkook was an exacting master who demanded that his estates and townhouses run as smoothly as well-oiled machines.
His servants were in awe of him, regarding him as cold, frighteningly unapproachable deity whom they strove desperately to please.
The eager Seoul beauties whom Jungkook took to balls, operas, plays – and bed – felt much the same way about him, for he treated most of them with little more genuine warmth than he did his servant. Nevertheless, the ladies eyed him with unveiled longing wherever he went, for despite his cynical attitude, there was an unmistakable aura of virility about Jungkook that made both feminine and masculine hearts flutter.
His thick hair was of dark shade of brown, his piercing eyes was deep black, his lips firm and sensually molded. Tough, rugged strength was carved into every feature of his sun-bronzed face, from his straight dark brows to the arrogant jut of his chin and jaw. Even his physical build was overpoweringly masculine, for he was six feet tall, with wide shoulders, narrow hips, and firmly muscled legs and thighs. Whether he was riding a horse or dancing at a ball, Jeon Jungkook stood out among his fellow men like a magnificent jungle cat surrounded by harmless, domesticated kittens.
As a news writer in the Times once laughingly remarked, honourable Jeon Jungkook was as dangerously attractive as sin – and undoubtedly just as wicked.
That opinion was shared by many, for anyone who looked into those cynical dark eyes of his could tell there wasn't an innocent or naïve fiber left in his lithe, muscular body. Despite that – or more accurately, because of it – the ladies were more drawn to him like pretty moths to a scorching flame, eager to experience the heat of his ardor or bask in the dazzling warmth of one of his rare, lazy smiles. Sophisticated, married men and women schemed to occupy his bed, young ladies and gentlemen of marriageable age dreamed of being the one to thaw his icy heart and bring him to his knees.
Some of the more sensible members of the high society remarked that honourable Jeon Jungkook had good reason to be cynical where these flirts were concerned. Everyone knew that his wife's behavior when she first came to Seoul five years ago had been scandalous. From the moment she arrived in town, the beautiful Lady had indulged in one widely publicized love affair after another. She had repeatedly cuckolded her husband; everyone knew it – including Jungkook, who apparently didn't care...
The footman paused beside Honourable Jungkook's chair, an ornate coffeepot in his hand.
footman
Would you care for more coffee you're Grace?
His lordship shook his head and turned to the next page of the Times. The footman bowed and retreated. He had not expected the honourable to answer him aloud, for the master rarely deigned to speak to any of his servants. He did not know most of their names, or anything about them, nor did he care. But at least he was not given to ranting and raving, as many of the nobility were. When displeased, the honourable merely turned the chilling blast of his black gaze on the offender and froze him. Never, not even under the most extreme provocation, did honourable Jeon Jungkook raise his voice.
Which was why the amazed footman nearly dropped his silver coffeepot when the honourable slammed his hand down on the table with a crash that made the dishes dance and thundered,
Jeon Jungkook
that's sanofabytch!
Leaping to his feet, he stared at the open newspaper, his face a mask of fury and disbelief.
Jeon Jungkook
"That conniving, scheming – He's the only one who would dare!"
With a murderous glance at the thunderstruck footman, he stalked out of the room, grabbed his cloak from his butler, stormed out of the house, and headed straight for the garage.
The Butler closed the front door behind him and rushed down the hall, his black coattails flapping.
Butler
"What happened to his lordship?"
He demanded, bursting into the dining room.
The footman was standing beside Jungkook's recently vacated chair, staring raptly at the open newspaper, the forgotten coffeepot still suspended from one hand.
footman
"I think it was something he read in the Times,"
He breathed, pointing to the announcement of the engagement of honorable Jeon Jungkook, to a Mister Kim Taehyung.
footman
"I didn't know his lordship was planning to wed,"
Butler
One wonders if his Lordship knew it either
the butler mused, gaping in astonishment at the newspaper. Suddenly realizing that he had so forgotten himself as to gossip with an underling, the butler swept the paper from the table and closed it smartly.
Butler
"honorable Jungkook's affairs are no concern of yours. Remember that if you wish to stay here."
Comments
Raptor gamer
A true page-turner!
2025-04-16
1