Chapter 24

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Although seeing Jin in front of me made me nervous, I could tell by the look on his face that he had something on his mind. Reaching out, Jin took my hand, holding it gently. "Can... can I talk to you alone please?" His words were hesitant, hopeful and I turned to Carrie, a question in my eyes.

Carrie waved a hand at me. "Go on. I'll be okay here. I promise."

Turning back to Jin, I nodded my head. He gave me a small smile and tightening his fingers around my own, led me into the kitchen and out the back door. For a moment, I thought he was bringing me out here to scream at me again, but he led me towards a bench and gently tugged my hand to sit beside him. He continued to hold my hand and I could see from the way he chewed his lip that he was trying to get his thoughts together.

I was silent as he sat there, not wanting to rush him. After a moment, he looked up at me, his eyes searching my face. "Can... can you tell me about the fiancé? I know... Jungkookie explained it to me, but... but I want... want to hear it from you."

Taking a deep breath, I pulled my hand away from his, not missing the look of disappointment in his eyes. I twisted my fingers together, not knowing if he was actually going to believe me, but knowing I at least needed to try. "I've known Nicholas since I was a kid. Our parents owned similar companies and when they brought up the idea to merge them together, the idea of Nicholas and me getting married was created."

"It wasn't your choice?" I shook my head in denial, even the thought of Nicholas made me want to lose the breakfast I had eaten in the airport before getting on the plane this morning. "Why would your parents make you marry someone you don't want to marry?"

I couldn't help but let out a harsh laugh. "The woman who I thought was my mother hated me. She would have done anything to make me miserable, to make me hate my life. She convinced my father that it was the right thing to do, that Nicholas was a good man and would take care of me. I only... only agreed because I didn't want to be the reason the merger failed."

Jin nodded his head, a faraway look in his eyes as though he was considering my words. "You... you don't have any feelings for him?"

"Oh god no. I hate him as much as he hates me. Enough to punch him in his jaw when he tried to force me to leave with him." The memory of Nicholas rubbing his aching jaw made me smile and I knew given the chance, I would do it again. There was no quality about Nicholas that was redeemable, nothing that would ever make me want him. Everything I wanted was right here, but I didn't know if they wanted me too.

Jin's eyes darkened at my words and he cupped my cheek with his hand, turning me to face him. "He... he didn't hurt you, did he?"

I shook my head. "No. I hurt him before he could." Confused by his suddenly sweet behavior, I pulled myself out his reach, twisting my fingers in my lap. I didn't miss the frown that crossed his face at my abrupt distance, but I needed answers first. "Why did you bring me out here?"

Sighing, Jin ran a hand through his hair, brushing the dark strands away from his face. "I... there's some things I need to tell you too. The day... the day you came into the diner? That wasn't the first time I saw you. I saw you on television when... during the opening of some restaurant. I was immediately drawn to you and I couldn't... couldn't get you out of my mind. Then I saw you were engaged and it just made me believe the dream I was having would never be real."

Jin stood up and started pacing back and forth in front of me, the agitation clear in his quick footsteps. I wanted to urge him to continue but I could see that he needed time, time to gather his thoughts, time to tell me what he needed to say.

"Then you all of a sudden showed up in the diner. I felt like all my dreams had come true, that I could finally get to know you, know the real person behind the one on television." Jin's head dropped down and he stopped in front of me. "But... but I knew you were engaged and I tried to push the thought from my mind. The day after you arrived, there was a news conference with your father. He looked so shattered, so destroyed, that it made me feel like you were this horrible person for putting him through that pain." I went to protest, but Jin held up a hand. "After hearing about the man you were supposed to marry, it explained why you did what you did."

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