19
The familiar LA sprawl shimmered on the horizon, a vast carpet of lights spread out like a glittering spiderweb against the inky backdrop of the Pacific coast. The sky ahead was already dark as the sun set behind them, painting the clouds with streaks of orange and gold. Jason barely noticed. He’d hardly slept at all during the long flight, each passing hour a relentless reminder of his failure to protect the people he loved.
Jason rubbed his eyes, trying to dispel the heavy shroud of weariness that clung to him. He’d tried to sleep, to find a few hours of escape from the storm of anger and worry raging inside, but it was no use. His mind raced with worry, regret, and a growing sense of dread.
Jason’s guilt chewed on him like a hungry beast. Despite his best efforts, he somehow always managed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He’d still been in LA when the tabloids broke their scandal about Tae Hyun and Ren. Then he’d been in Taipei when Naomi had her accident.
The jarring images kept appearing every time Jason had shut his eyes. Naomi, his mentor and confidante, lying in a hospital bed, fighting for her life. And Tae Hyun, standing on the penthouse balcony, glowing in the moonlight. Jason had left him alone in Taipei again, vulnerable, surrounded by any number of potential people out to get him.
Jason glanced at Seong Hyeon, seated across the aisle, his eyes closed, his breathing steady, seemingly lost in slumber. But Jason wasn’t fooled. He’d seen the tightness around his Security Chief’s eyes, the subtle tension in his shoulders. They were both carrying the weight of this crisis and their shared concern for Naomi.
“How much longer?” Jason asked, his voice hoarse from a dry throat.
Seong Hyeon’s eyes flickered open. “Less than an hour, sir.”
Jason nodded, turning back to the window. Less than an hour. Soon, he’d be back in LA, forced to deal with the harsh realities of hospital rooms and corporate intrigue. He could only hope that it wasn’t too late to make things right.
Soon enough, the plane’s tires squealed against the tarmac in Burbank. He’d flown out of Van Nuys but wanted to land closer to the Summit-Levin Medical Center in Beverly Hills. Jason was out of his seat before the engines had even fully powered down, his heart pounding with dread and determination. Seong Hyeon and Carlos were right behind him, descending the steps toward Jason’s waiting SUV.
The camera flashes went off without warning. Someone must’ve tipped off the press–no, that wasn’t it. Naomi’s accident was front page news, so, of course, the paparazzi would be watching for his return flight from Taipei. Carlos helped him into the backseat while Seong Hyeon took the seat beside him. A third bodyguard that Jason didn’t know slipped behind the wheel, followed by more tire screeching as he floored it and the SUV peeled away.
Jason barely registered the motion, his mind already speeding along with a thousand questions. How bad was it? Had Naomi regained consciousness? Would she even recognize him? The drive was a blur, a symphony of traffic noises as a soundtrack to Jason’s frantic thoughts. He clutched his phone, the screen filled with text updates from Lily, each one a stab of guilt and worry.
“She’s in the Amelia Harris Pavilion,” Jason announced as they turned into Summit-Levin’s main entrance drive. A tasteful, dark-glass covered mid-rise with tailored gardens and a fountain at the entrance, the Beverly Hills institution could’ve easily been an upscale hotel or shopping complex.
Another mob of photographers waited outside the entrance to the Harris Pavilion, held away from the doors by uniformed security. Jason ignored them as Carlos and Seong Hyeon escorted him inside. He’d probably have to speak to them at some point just to get them off his back. But not before he saw Naomi.
The hospital lobby was a luxurious expanse of cream-colored marble and warm, indirect lighting. The air even smelled faintly of jasmine–or, maybe, lavender. Seong Hyeon led the way, his broad shoulders parting the sea of worried faces and medical personnel. Lily was waiting for them by the reception desk, her eyes red-rimmed, her outfit rumpled. Seeing her shattered composure sent a fresh wave of distress through Jason.
“Lily,” Jason said, already fearing the worst. “How is she?”
Lily’s lips trembled as she struggled to speak. “She’s in a coma, Jason. The doctors don’t know if she’ll wake up.”
The words hung in the air, thick and suffocating. Jason’s knees buckled, and he reached out to steady himself against the desk. The marble-tiled lobby seemed to spin before his eyes, the world tilting on its axis. He wanted to scream, to rage, to demand answers. But all he could manage was a choked whisper. “Can I see her?”
Lily nodded, her eyes filled with tears. “Yes, she’s this way.”
Jason closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He had to be strong. For Naomi. For Tae Hyun. For himself. He opened his eyes, a steely resolve hardening his gaze. “Let’s go. I need to see her.”
Jason walked on autopilot, following Lily as she led him down a long corridor. Despite the plush carpets and tasteful artwork that lined the walls, the scent of antiseptic, the underlying hum of medical machinery, and the hushed whispers of nurses made it hard to forget that Jason was in a hospital. It was the same hospital his parents had gone to after their accident. The same one where they’d died while Jason was a world away in Seoul.
Lily’s touch on his arm broke through the haze of memory. “The doctor’s there if you have any questions.”
Jason nodded, spotting the white coat standing between two overly well-dressed bodyguards just outside the room. He also caught a glimpse of Naomi hooked up to a tangle of tubes and wires. The sight almost made him nauseous. He swallowed hard, the lump in his throat making it difficult to speak.
“Mr. Park?” The doctor, an older white man with a face liberally sculpted by plastic surgery, greeted him with a professional smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
Jason forced himself to mirror the smile. “Just Jason, please.” He let his smile fall away, too consumed by worry to put up a needless front. “How is she, doctor?”
The doctor launched into a detailed explanation of Naomi’s condition, but Jason barely registered the words. Internal bleeding, severe trauma, swelling of the brain. Whatever it was didn’t sound good.
“What’s her prognosis?” Jason sharply interrupted.
The doctor hesitated, choosing his words with practiced care. “It’s too early to say. She’s in critical condition, but we’re doing everything we can.”
Jason nodded. “I know you probably hear this all the time, but she gets whatever she needs no matter the cost. Understand?”
The doctor nodded back, his bland expression suggesting that he did, indeed, hear that all too often. “Of course.”
Jason excused himself, his legs unsteady as he approached Naomi’s bedside. Surprisingly, Justice was there, his eyes red and swollen, clutching Naomi’s hand as if it were a lifeline. He’d only just met Naomi’s new assistant and hadn’t realized the two were that close.
“Mr. Park,” Justice said, choked with emotion. “I’m sorry. I didn’t–” He paused, his cheeks flushed with guilt. “They told me–”
Jason waved off his apology. Propriety was the last thing on his mind. “It’s fine. Can you tell me what happened?”
Justice sniffled, wiping away a stray tear with the back of his hand. “I was on the phone with her. She was on her way home. And then–” He choked back a sob, his shoulders shaking. “I heard tires screeching and a loud crash–and then silence.” His voice broke, the words barely audible. “The police are still looking for the other driver. They said it was a hit and run.”
Jason clenched his hand into a tight fist as a knife point of rage twisted in his gut. He should’ve been there. He should’ve protected her. But he hadn’t. And now, Naomi was paying the price. He– “Wait. On the way home from where?”
Justice’s eyes widened at the sudden intensity in Jason’s tone. “I don’t know, Mr. Park. She didn’t tell me where she was going. She only said to wait in the office until she called.”
Jason frowned. “So, you were in the office when you talked to her.”
“Yes, Mr. Park.”
Jason’s frown deepened. He couldn’t say why, but something didn’t add up. Or, maybe that was just his paranoia. He put a reassuring hand on Justice’s shoulder. “Thank you for being here. I’m sure she’d appreciate it.”
Justice nodded, his expression softening. “I thought she didn’t like me at first.”
Jason could relate. “No, she’s only hard on the people she cares about.”
“Oh.” Justice frowned. “Then she must really care about Mr. Soh.”
Jason bitterly laughed. “No, that’s something entirely different.” He sighed, ignoring the mild surge of irritation at the mention of David’s name. “Anyway, feel free to stick around as long as you like.”
“Thank you, Mr. Park. But I should head home soon. I don’t want to be late tomorrow.”
It was Jason’s turn to frown. “Late for what? I’m sure Naomi wouldn’t mind if you took the time off, considering.”
“Ah, well–” Justice’s guilty flush reappeared, darkening his already deep brown cheeks. “Since Ms. Bell is incapacitated, Mr. Soh assumed the role of acting President.”
“He what?!” Jason’s booming voice echoed off the room’s walls, drawing the attention of everyone in the hallway. He forced himself to calm down, reminding himself that he was in a hospital. “Do you have his number?”
Justice frowned. “Yes, Mr. Park. You don’t?”
“Why would I–” Jason stopped, hearing his voice rise again. “Just give me his number, Justice.”
Once Jason had it, he stalked away, ignoring Lily’s worried glances and the doctor’s curious stares. He found a secluded corner, his heart pounding as he dialed David’s number. It rang long enough that Jason almost hung up before David finally answered.
“Hello?” David sounded like he didn’t recognize Jason’s number, which Jason didn’t believe even for a moment.
“What the hell, David? Why are you running my company?”
“Ah, Jason.” David’s smirk was almost audible. “I take it you’re back from your little overseas adventure?” His smug tone set Jason’s blood boiling. “And the contractual rules of succession are clear. When the President becomes incapacitated, I become acting President until such time that they’re able to resume their duties. Perhaps if you’d read my contract, as I suggested–” He trailed off, but the insult was clear.
A crucial missing piece to the Brightstar puzzle suddenly fell into place. After Jason’s parents died, while he was fucking around trying to avoid taking over for his father, David had already been running the company. Jason groaned, seething as he chastised himself for not seeing that sooner. But the anger was good. Jason knew how to deal with rage.
“Don’t fuck with me, David.” Jason’s threat was a razor’s edge slicing through the silence. “You’ll regret it.”
“I assure you I’m doing nothing of the sort, Jason,” David smoothly countered. “This is merely–”
“No,” Jason interrupted. “You’re not hearing me. I’m not talking about contracts and succession and all that bullshit. I’m sure it’s all in line or whatever. But, I’m telling you, right now. Don’t. Fuck. With. Me.” He paused, letting his threat sink in. “I may not be my father, but I sure as hell am his fucking son.”
A silence stretched over the line, punctuated only by David’s controlled breathing. “I understand. Good night, Jason.”
David disconnected before Jason could threaten him any further, so he continued seething in his corner until he felt Seong Min’s looming bulk behind him.
“Mr. Park, sir?”
Jason turned around, deeply exhaling to shed some of his built-up aggression. “Something’s off here.”
Seong Hyeon gravely nodded. “Indeed. I just spoke with Ms. Bell’s security team. Apparently, they were given the night off.”
“What?” Jason’s brow furrowed as he considered why Naomi would’ve made that choice. “Can she even do that?”
“Yes, and no, sir. I also left instructions with her team not to let her out of their sight.”
Jason’s eyebrows shot up. “They followed her?”
Seong Hyeon nodded. “Yes, sir. They were the first on the scene after the accident, waiting until the police and emergency responders arrived.”
Finding a new focus, Jason’s anger sharpened into fierce determination. “They saw the accident?” Seong Hyeon nodded again, waiting for Jason to ask the more important question. “Where did she go?”
“Your parents’ house, sir.”
Seong Hyeon and Jason left right away, stopping only to leave Carlos and the driver behind to replace Naomi’s watchers at her door with strict instructions to forbid entry to anyone except verified hospital staff. They used the parking ramp exit, avoiding the paparazzi entirely, and were soon speeding up Beverly toward Santa Monica Blvd.
“What was she doing at my parents’ house?” Jason wondered aloud as they turned onto Rodeo and drove towards Sunset.
“Only Ms. Bell can answer that, sir.” Seong Hyeon grimly admitted. “Her team couldn’t go inside with her.”
Jason snorted. “How did she even get inside?”
“I assume Ms. Bell could talk her way into just about anywhere,” Seong Hyeon replied, his tone carefully neutral. “She’s resourceful.”
Jason nodded. That was definitely true. Naomi could charm her way past any security detail, a skill she’d honed over years of dealing with difficult clients and demanding personalities. Plus, he knew Naomi had a key to his house, which she’d used once to corner him while tanning on his sundeck. Hell, she probably had a key to the mansion, too.
The traffic thinned as they wound their way up Sunset to Stone Canyon. Jason’s mind raced as he pieced together the fragments of information he had about David. Cutthroat and ambitious, according to Seong Woo, but that wasn’t surprising for a corporate lawyer. Then there was the missing addenda, the barely hidden tension in their meetings, and David’s subtle smirk after Jason received the bad news about Tae Hyun. But the latest piece was the most troubling. David had been running his company before Naomi took over. And, with Naomi temporarily out of the picture, he was running it again. The only good thing to come from all that shit was that Jason had finally started thinking of Brightstar as his company–for better or worse .
They eventually pulled up to the gate at his parent’s house. Well, his house. It was all his, he reminded himself. After questioning the guards at the gate, who confirmed that Naomi had been there the night before, Seong Hyeon took them up the main drive and parked near the front door. The gate security had alerted the house security that he was coming, so a uniformed guard was waiting for Jason to reach the front door. It was a far cry from the elaborate production he always endured whenever he visited his parents, but Jason preferred the stripped-down, no-nonsense version anyway.
Jason quickly cornered the security guard, a young, slender Latino man with a wispy mustache above his full lips who was practically swallowed by his uniform. He glanced at the guard’s name tag. “Oscar. Naomi Bell was here recently?”
“Yes, Mr. Park.”
The sweat blooming on Oscar’s brow didn’t give Jason much confidence. “Where did she go?”
“I don’t know, Mr. Park.” Oscar frowned. “She had a key and entered the building without an escort.”
“What about the cameras?” Seong Hyeon forcefully cut in, startling Oscar.
Oscar paled. “The interior cameras are inactive.”
Jason huffed, wondering who else might’ve talked their way into his house. He leaned in close enough to feel Oscar’s rapid breath on his face. “Fine. From this point on, no one comes into this house without me. Understood?”
“Sir, uh,” Oscar frowned, clearly not expecting an aggressive grilling from his boss. “What about Mr. Soh?”
“What?” Jason angrily huffed. “Was he here, too?”
Oscar glumly nodded. “Yes, sir. Just this morning.”
“Not even Soh,” Jason growled. “No one. Not a fucking soul.”
“Yes, sir.”
Jason left Oscar to consider if he really wanted a job at the Park mansion while he led Seong Hyeon through the foyer, his footsteps echoing in the cavernous silence. David must have followed Naomi’s trail, retracing her steps. Of course, the lawyer wouldn’t have known where to look. But Jason had an idea where Naomi might’ve gone. She’d been looking into contract issues, after all. If she couldn’t find the copies of what she needed in the Brightstar archives, maybe his father had copies at home? After all, he was detailed to a fault. Hopefully, David hadn’t already disposed of whatever Naomi had discovered.
“Your father’s office, sir?” Seong Hyeon guessed as they approached the door.
“I can’t think of any other reason for her to be here,” Jason replied.
Jason tried the knob, half expecting it to be locked. But the door swung open, the hinges protesting with a faint creak that echoed through the silent house. He flipped the light switch, illuminating a space that looked exactly as he’d left it on the day of the funeral reception. And he had no idea where to start looking. He glanced at Seong Hyeon.
“Any ideas?”
Seong Hyeon nodded toward the imposing bank of wooden cabinets lining the back of the office. “Perhaps your father’s files?”
Jason groaned as he surveyed the room, his frustration mounting. “I don’t even know what we’re looking for.”
Seong Hyeon fell silent for a moment, frowning. “Perhaps we’re approaching this from the wrong angle, sir. We both assumed this was where she would visit. And she made no attempt to hide her visit to this house, not even from Mr. Soh. Only what she did while she was here.”
Jason nodded, realization dawning. “Of course! She had to have known he’d follow her trail.” He snorted, shaking his head. “She wasn’t looking for something. She wants me to find something.”
Jason scanned the room with fresh eyes until his gaze landed on his father’s desk. And there, gleaming in the dim light, was the gold fountain pen, identical to the one in Naomi’s office at the Brightstar building. With a surge of adrenaline, Jason rushed to the desk, his fingers fumbling with the pen’s base. The hidden compartment slid open, revealing a small, silver thumb drive. He snatched it up, a triumphant grin spreading across his face.
“Gotcha, David.”