Jisoo
So much has happened in the past few days.
The town is torn on their thoughts about my father. His scandal is nothing out of the ordinary with politics, so him having an affair and illegitimate son won't affect him professionally, but those secrets will alter his public image—our family's public image.
My father left town for a conference and won't be back for a few days. He hasn't answered my calls but did take Jiyoon's. She was a daddy's girl growing up, and I think his affair has hurt her more than the rest of us children. He apologized profusely.
When I visited my mom, she was in the kitchen, and stacks of papers sat in front of her—legal documents, receipts of money transactions, and papers covered with texts. She demanded the documents or threatened a divorce. My father surprisingly had his attorney drop off everything. When I asked if she was leaving him, she only shook her head and grabbed another piece of damning evidence against Jennie.
I sat down and skimmed through them with her, grimacing with every check made out to Jennie for thousands and thousands of dollars. My mom hasn't commented on my involvement with her, but I won't be inviting her to dinner in my mother's home again. Shit. Inviting her to dinner, period.
When I went back to work, all eyes were on me. People had questions but were too timid to ask them. Then, Joohyun was brought in, making everything worse. She talked shit to me the entire time the arresting officers booked her. She announced I was having sex with her sister and threatened to release more family secrets if I didn't get her out of trouble.
I didn't.
Her threats only sped up her booking process.
**
"Give them to me, you stupid cunt!"
The loud voice wakes me. I throw some clothes on, grab my gun, badge, and phone, and rush outside to find Roger standing in front of Jennie's house, throwing rocks at it.
Not again.
I look away from him to see Jennie standing on the porch in her robe, begging him to leave.
I walk closer, and it's no surprise Roger is wasted off his ass. He drops the rocks in his hand when he notices me approaching.
"What's going on here?" I ask.
"He's trying to make me give him the kids," Jennie shouts, worry clear in her voice.
Roger takes a step forward, causing me to do the same and block him from getting closer to Jennie.
"I told the little shitheads not to leave," Roger slurs. "Joohyun said they couldn't stay unless she bailed her out. She didn't, so I'm here to collect the brats."
"They're not going anywhere with you," Jennie answers, her hands going to her hips. "Keep throwing rocks at my house all you want. I'll call the cops."
"Why haven't you called the cops?" I ask her.
She shrugs. "I didn't know what was going on at first. I came out here, saw him, and figured asking him to leave would be easier than involving the police and having every town bigmouth talking about it tomorrow."
"Roger, you need to call someone to pick you up," I demand. I want him gone, but he's too drunk to drive anywhere.
"Fuck you," he spits. "Go back home. You have nothing to do with this. Don't you hate her now?"
"I'll call one of my friends and ask them to pick you up then." I grab my phone. "You can keep your girlfriend company."
He lets out a cruel laugh. "At least my girlfriend doesn't keep secrets from me."
I freeze up at his words.
I can't help but laugh at myself for my stupidity.
I pull out my phone and call the station while making my way up to Jennie's porch. Douchebag can't say or do anything. Dude is dumb but not dumb enough to fuck with a police officer.
The police cruiser pulls up five minutes later, and they arrest him for public intoxication and disturbing the peace. Chances are, he'll be out tomorrow if he makes bail.
**
"Thank you," Jennie says when Cliff and Pete leave, Roger in the back of their cop car.
Standing on her porch, I nod in response. I should walk away and go back to my house, but for unexplained reasons, I can't. The need to make sure she's okay, not shaken up, is there ... and so is the need to be near her.
I'm so fucking conflicted, and I'd be lying to myself if I said I didn't miss her.
Fuck, do I miss her.
I miss our mornings, both before and after we started a relationship, our arguing, our sex, the conversations that somehow convinced her to open up to me.
I miss Jennie Kim, but I fucking hate her at the same time.
The porch light shines over us as she leans back against the front door, and I take in the fluffy pink slippers on her feet.
"Are you ready to let me explain myself?" she asks, letting out a breath. "I gave you that chance."
I slip her a glare. "You did, after a goddamn decade, so I'll call you when that time comes."
She grimaces. "Grow up, Jisoo, and let's act like adults about this, okay? We've both made mistakes."
"What's there to explain?" I snap back. "It's clear as motherfucking day. I pissed you off in high school, so you got your revenge by blackmailing my family."
She advances a step from the door into my space. "You think that's why I cashed the checks he offered us? Over teenage heartbreak?"
A chill hits my core. "I want you to be honest with me."
"Always," she says with no hesitation.
Liar.
I decide against calling her out for it. "Were you ever going to tell me?"
"I don't know. The more I trusted you, I think, yes, I would've eventually." She peeks up at me with a sad face. "Thank you for controlling Roger."
"I did it for the kids," I halfway lie.
"I'm sorry for all this, you know. I never wanted to hurt you or your family. That was never my intention. My feelings for you have been pure from the very beginning. It's going to kill me to watch you walk away from me."
She stands up on her tiptoes and presses her face into my neck. I can't stop myself from cupping her ass and shifting her close. Her teeth tug at my earlobe, and I don't hesitate to follow her when she leads me into the house to her bedroom.
