Chaebol: Prince (COMPLETED - 2nd EDITING)

Chapter 12: Reset (AMBW)

The trip to the resort was exactly what she needed. The mountain scenery was mind-boggling. It was as if she were part of a Norman Rockwell Christmas painting. Everywhere she looked was covered in snow. Kiah found herself in a winter wonderland.

Kiah knew that this much snow in the south would really shut the city down. No matter what type of weather hit Texas, people would drive as if nothing was going on at all. That wasn't the case with severe winter weather. Snow and ice caused panic and fear because it was difficult to drive on icy roads. Most would be stuck in their homes trying to avoid the ice which normally showed up when any significant snow fell.

Once she checked in, a binder was handed to her. It contained her itinerary for the week. She was glad to have the rest of the day to get her bearings and explore her surroundings. This was work, but it felt like a vacation. She was escorted to her room as her mind flittered around with all of the possibilities.

The moment the door was opened, she felt her breath sink deep into her chest. The view stopped her just as she stepped inside the room. It was something very humbling as Kiah walked over to the balcony with wide dark brown eyes locked on the astounding Adirondack Mountains. The picturesque view was truly something to behold. It was hard for her to believe that she was actually in New York at one of the most beautiful locations in the world.

Snow made the scene more unbelievable as if she were part of a surreal fantasy. She had no idea they would place her in such a beautifully decorated suite big enough for a medium-sized family. Kiah walked around entranced by the bright and natural color combination. Her mind was overwhelmed with the view and the serenity she found the moment her senses encountered the room's surroundings.

Kiah turned to the young man, gave a hefty tip, and thanked him for his help. Once the door was closed, she jumped on the bed like a small child and stretched out enjoying the plush blanket and pillows on the bed.

I'll close my eyes for just a few minutes. She heard the words mumbled out loud. It was an attempt to convince herself that all she needed was a very short time to relax after the trip. Getting up at 3 am coupled with the flight all kind of hit her at once. Kiah stretched her limbs and closed her eyes. It was as if a warm comfy embrace welcomed her.

She promised to herself that she wanted to do and see so much as possible. Since this was a vacation town, she wanted to enjoy everything. Skiing, snowboarding, and any other snow-related events were all included on her agenda. Everything seemed to go as planned until she made the big mistake of allowing the bed to seduce her off to sleep.

A popping sound made everything perfect as she visualized the scene of a fire crackling, dancing, and flickering in the fireplace. The warmth of the room and the fluffy plushness of the bed gently tugged at her senses. The more Kiah tried to resist, the more she was caressed until finally she was lulled off into a deep sleep.

*****

Everything was hazy. Her eyes desperately wanted to open but it was as if she had been drugged. Kiah struggled through the fog of sleep and pulled herself out of the bed. When she finally opened her eyes, the position of the sun in the sky told her that she allowed most of her exploration day to get away from her. There was no doubt of the sun going down and a quick look at her phone verified that it was nearly 4 pm.

She jumped off the bed and was immediately struck with an overwhelming sense of hunger. After taking a quick shower, she found something casual and warm to wear. As soon as she was dressed, she realized there wasn't much daylight left and there were a few things she needed to do before looking for a place to enjoy a meal.

Kiah decided to walk outside. She knew for sure that the cold air would be rejuvenating. Cold weather was her least favorite, but it had the perfect effect of snapping her out of any sleep filled thoughts which lingered around in her body. The moment she stepped outside, the crisp fresh air shocked her into full alertness.

A brisk walk to the west side of the property, which faced the lake and the mountains, placed exactly where she wanted to be with just enough time to watch the sun as it set. Kiah recorded the view to share with her mother and her son. Thinking of them instantly brought tears to her eyes. She felt a small sense of selfishness for leaving them back home, but she really needed something of her own. This little retreat may not mean so much to others, but it meant the world to her.

Kiah knew she had been hiding for years because she felt like she let herself and so many other people down. All of her previous speaking engagements focused on encouraging minorities to overcome their educational and financial obstacles. She encouraged young and old to not allow poverty to stop them from becoming the leaders of tomorrow. Young men and women, as well as teens, were advised to make a vow to themselves to graduate high school and college before engaging in behaviors which might stop their progress in life.

Kiah reflected over the many conventions, inspirational talks, and seminars as she headlined in college, she felt like a liar and a failure. The moment she graduated from college, she did the very thing she encouraged others to avoid. Kiah allowed herself to be fooled into loving someone who apparently only saw her as a notch in his belt. No matter what anyone said to her, his actions did not line up with his promises.

Even though they were under each other's skin for a long time, he changed when he moved back to Seoul. He forgot about her and never once called to check on her to be sure if she were successful in her job search. He never called to make sure she was healthy or even safe. He didn't even bother to email her or text her to assure that he was still there for her and that one day he would surprise her. He never encouraged her to be strong and just hold on a little bit longer.

The one thing that pissed Kiah off above and beyond everything that went wrong in her life was the fact that like a fool, she silently waited for him. Even while she stood watching the sun as it slipped silently and effortlessly behind the mountains, in her heart, she was still waiting for him.

Her fingers did what they always did as they rolled the engagement ring around her finger. It was a habit she was never aware of when she picked it up. Whenever she was deep in thought or worried, she soothed herself by focusing on the ring. It gave her some unexplained comfort. As she realized that she was still waiting on Joon-Woo, a dam broke. She was sure she had firmly secured wall around the waterworks inside her heart.

Time passed, and she managed to build up her strength and secure herself. She managed to stave off the affections offered by any man who attempted to get close to her. In a dire effort to protect herself from multiplying the pain which still lurked around deep in the most hidden place of her heart, Kiah shut down everything. When she first shut down, her life spiraled out of control and she refused to experience that again. Kiah loved Joon so much, she wasn't sure if it was even possible to love another man the way she loved him.

There was no explanation for why she couldn't let him go. He hadn't contributed anything over the years to keep her holding onto him, but her heart refused to allow her to let him go. On the other hand, her mind fought ferociously to expel every thought of him. The thoughts in her mind held her in such a state of shock that she didn't even realize someone was standing next to her during the sunset.

*****