Bab 54: "...I Don't Have Friends."
"So you're traveling with him?" Mrs. Shu asked Grace when they were alone. She had asked them to excuse her and Ann, saying she needed to tell Ann something important. She had taken Grace into the little office at the back of the restaurant.
"Yes, I need to meet my maternal family," Grace answered politely.
"I take it you're not coming back?" Mrs. Shu asked.
"I will definitely return eventually. This is home for me," Grace assured her since that was what Ann had said.
"Your mother used to say she was from a very rich family... You won't forget us, right?" Mrs. Shu asked hopefully. That had been the exact reason she had wanted to speak with her privately after all.
"There is no way I can forget you," Grace said with a small smile.
"That's such a relief. I'm sure you will be a good girl. Make sure you don't get married without letting me know," Mrs. Shu said with a teasing smile before leading her back to the restaurant to join them.
"My grandmother wanted me to say thank you to you for taking care of Ann," Brad told Mrs. Shu when they returned to the table.
"Ann's mother, Maggie, was my very close friend in the same way both our daughters became friends. It's only right that I care for her. She is like a daughter to me, too," Mrs. Shu said, making Ann smile.
"Are you, by chance, related to CEO Tae-Joon?" Sara asked Brad shyly.
"How would they both be related when they're from two entirely different countries from two separate families?" Mrs. Shu asked Sara with a scoff indicating her question was stupid.
"Well, they could have been separated at birth or something, Right?" Sara asked, making Brad grin.
"We definitely weren't separated at birth. And as to whether we are related or not, we will know sooner or later," Brad said with a shrug before digging into the bowl of food Mrs. Shu had placed in front of him.
***********
"I'm supposed to meet up with Wang Tae-Joon for lunch. I really don't think I should show up to meet Jin with you," Grace said after they dropped Brad off at his hotel and were on their way to the clubhouse.
"We won't be wasting much time there. All we have to do is show up, show them you know what they think of you, and then we leave," Ann said with a shrug.
Grace suddenly smiled as an idea occurred to her. "How about we mess up their friendship instead? You could tell Jin that Ki and Yon told you all she said about you, and then you do the same to each of them," Grace suggested with a grin.
"That is evil but would definitely work. All you have to do is tell me exactly what they had said about you," Ann said, returning her smile.
"Okay then," Grace said and recounted all she had heard them say to Ann.
"They are mean. Though I agree with them, you did have an overbearing attitude. But that's not something a person should say about her friend in her absence. It would have been better had they told you about it," Ann said, shaking her head while Grace glared at her before turning to look at the driver, who was staring at them through the rearview mirror with a confused frown on his face.
"You do realize you're talking about yourself, right?" Grace asked before discreetly pinching Ann, who was yet to get her message.
"Oh! Yes. Sorry," Ann said with an apologetic smile.
"There won't be any need to go with you now that you know all they said about you," Grace said with a shrug.
"You will come with me but not as a friend or personal assistant. They made you cry, so you should as well watch me help you destroy their friendship as well. Sorry, me. They made me cry when you told me all you heard them say," Ann quickly corrected as the driver pulled up the car in front of the club.
"I'll go in first," Grace suggested and stepped out of the car. She walked into the club and saw Jin sitting at the end of the club where they had all sat some nights back.
"Hello!" Grace greeted with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Hey! You left the other night without saying goodbye. Ann, right?" Jin asked with a friendly smile.
"Yeah, Ann. What are you here for?" She asked Jin with Interest.
"I'm meeting with a friend. And you?" Jin asked Grace.
"I have a date with my boyfriend. I guess I came too early," Grace said with a false smile of embarrassment before walking over to sit somewhere not too far from Jin. She made sure it was close enough for her to see Jin's face and hear Ann's words.
Ann stepped into the clubhouse and looked around until her eyes landed on Jin.
"Hey! Grace. It's been so long since we last did this. I've missed you," Jin said, reaching out to hug Ann and peck her cheeks.
"Did you?" Ann asked with a smirk.
"Of course you know I did. You're my favorite friend, you know?" Jin asked with a giggle as they sat down.
"Am I? So, did you miss my overbearing attitude?" Ann asked in a cold voice, making Jin look at her in confusion.
"What overbearing attitude?" Jin asked, laughing nervously.
"You don't remember what you said? Maybe you should call either Ki or Yon to help refresh your memory," Ann said, looking at her with piercing eyes while Grace observed them from her seat.
"When did I ever say something like that? You definitely heard wrong. I can't speak about you in that manner," Jin said, fanning her face nervously. How had Grace heard what they had said?
"You mean Ki and Yon are lying against you?" Ann asked, making Jin's eyes widen in surprise.
"They told you that? Those bitches! It was all Yon. She bad-mouthed you, not me! How could she say something like that about me?" Jin asked with a flushed face.
"You're trying to tell me you didn't say anything?" Ann asked cocking a brow.
"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I may have said a word or two, but I didn't mean it. You're my favorite friend, and I was only trying to contribute to the discussion, that's all," Jin pleaded as Ann stood up. That was the clue Grace needed to leave.
"You can't leave your meeting? I guess we will meet in the evening then," Grace said loud enough for Jin to hear as she hurriedly left the clubhouse and returned to her car.
"You don't have to be sorry. It's good to know I don't have friends," Ann said coldly before walking out and joining Grace in the car.
"That was fast," Grace said with a pleased smile.
"Yeah, it was. Now let's deal with Yon and Ki," Ann said with a satisfied smile.
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