17. （FOREVER）lasting
VERENA
17
Stepping into Jae’s office, I was immediately hit by the icy atmosphere that mirrored his demeanor. Undeterred, I tossed my bag onto his pristine desk, sending his neatly arranged pens scattering.
“Planning to camp here, Verena?” Jae raised an eyebrow, looking at the bag as if it personally offended him.
“Just making myself comfortable for the absurdity ahead,” I replied, sinking into a chair and propping my feet on his desk, right next to the financial reports I knew he hadn’t finished yet.
It had been a week since Auntie threatened me with a massive engagement plan, and I’d been looking over my shoulder for a public proposal ever since. I’d refused to come to the office and finish my handover because I was terrified Jae would do it here.
But I couldn’t avoid him today.
No, we had a contract to sign.
He sighed, swiping my feet off his desk and straightening the papers. Before he could launch into his usual reprimand, the door swung open and in breezed his new assistant. Dressed in a skirt that was undeniably too short for corporate decorum and a smile that stretched wide enough to include everyone but somehow felt meant just for Jae, she was the human equivalent of a sunbeam—albeit one designed to blind.
“Mr. Lee, I’ve brought the revised contract drafts you asked for,” she chimed, placing the documents a little too close to his hand on the desk.
Jae barely acknowledged her, his eyes cold and calculating. “About time,” he muttered, snatching the papers without so much as a thank you. He glanced at me, his expression hardening. “Unlike some people, at least she knows how to do her job.”
“I don’t work here anymore, Jae,” I argued.
He ignored me. “Thank you, Mina. That’ll be all for now,” Jae responded smoothly, not missing a beat.
Mina lingered a moment longer than necessary, batting her eyes in a way that made mine involuntarily roll. “If you need anything else, just buzz me,” she said, her tone dripping with implications.
As the door clicked shut behind her, I turned to Jae, arching an eyebrow. “Is that my replacement? She’s…enthusiastic.”
Jae picked up the papers, his smirk betraying his amusement. “Definitely better at following instructions than you ever were. Less sarcastic.”
I snorted. “I’m surprised you found someone so quickly. She’s flirty.”
He leaned back in his chair. “Competence isn’t as rare as you think, Verena. You were just…expendable.”
I scowled at him, my irritation bubbling just beneath the surface. “You’re just pissed I wouldn’t come in yesterday for your meeting with the project managers.”
“It was a shit show without you.” His tone was more resigned than angry, a subtle fracture in his usually impervious facade.
“Well, it looks like you found someone to help you,” I said with a forced smile, gesturing towards the pile of documents scattered haphazardly across his once impeccably organized desk.
He scoffed, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair, the stress evident in the tension of his shoulders. “Help? If you can call it that. I swear, the interns are practically useless. They can’t even collect documents without fucking everything up. I spent half the night fixing their mess.”
“Sounds like you’re struggling,” I replied, unable to hide the amusement in my voice. “Maybe you should consider being nicer to people. Might make them more willing to help.”
He leaned forward, eyes blazing. “You think this is funny? I had to deal with Daniels’s complete incompetence during the presentation. He couldn’t even answer basic questions about the project scope. It was embarrassing.”
I shrugged. “Maybe if you were a bit more approachable, people wouldn’t be so scared of making mistakes around you.”
His glare intensified. “Approachable? This is business, not a damn therapy session. And speaking of mistakes, do you know how many contracts I had to personally review because no one else could get them right? I’ve barely slept in days, Verena.”
“Well, you wanted to show that you could handle everything without me,” I said, enjoying the sight of him unraveling. “How’s that working out for you?”
He stood up, towering over his desk, his usual air of superiority crumbling. “Fine. You want to hear it? Everything has gone to shit without you. The office is in chaos. Projects are delayed, the staff is demoralized, and I’m on the verge of losing a major client because no one can keep up with the workload.”
I blinked, taken aback by his sudden honesty. “You’re really struggling, huh?”
“Struggling doesn’t begin to cover it,” he admitted, his voice dropping to a rough whisper. “I’m drowning here, Verena. Every time I think I’ve put out one fire, another one starts. And all I can think about is how much smoother everything ran when you were here.”
My heart softened slightly at his confession, but I wasn’t about to let him off the hook that easily. “So, what are you going to do about it?”
He sighed, sinking back into his chair. “I don’t know. Beg you to come back? Offer you a raise? Hell, I’ll even throw in extra vacation days if that’s what it takes. Just…I need you here.”
“Unfortunately, my schedule is booked. I don’t know if you heard this, but I recently got engaged. I just have too much on my plate,” I replied sarcastically. “Mina has got it under control. And she likes you, so I suppose you’ll find your groove soon.”
“Since you made it abundantly clear you won’t be going back to work after I forced the engagement—very inconvenient, by the way—you didn’t assist in the handover.”
“Tough shit,” I retorted, leaning back in the chair.
“She came from another department,” he explained, as if that justified the rapid recruitment. “And yes, she likes me.”
“She’s like every other woman in the city,” I muttered under my breath.
Jae leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with the challenge. “Jealous, Verena?”
“Why would I be jealous of your fan club?” I scoffed. “I’m more concerned about how you’ll survive when she figures out you’re not as charming as your balance sheets suggest.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” Jae countered, leaning back with a smug grin. “I am exactly as charming as my balance sheets suggest. Perhaps even more.”
“You’re unlikable,” I shot back. “And your new assistant will learn that soon enough.”
Jae’s laugh was cold and sharp. “We’ll see. Maybe she’ll last longer than you did.”
“Maybe she will. But she won’t put up with half as much of your shit as I did.”
He smirked. “Let’s get this over with. First clause: the living arrangement. Try to keep up, Verena. I don’t have time for drawn-out negotiations.”
“Oh, joy,” I muttered, crossing my arms. “Hit me with it.”
“We need to cohabitate,” Jae stated, as if discussing the weather rather than proposing we share living quarters. “It lends authenticity.”
“In what universe do you think living with you is going to make this easier?”
“In a universe where you keep your clothes in my closet and we convince everyone we’re madly in love,” he retorted, his tone dripping with dry sarcasm.
“Mad is the operative word here,” I said, shaking my head. “Fine, but we set ground rules. Once Auntie is asleep, I move to the guest room.”
Jae scribbled down the note, then looked up. “Afraid you won’t be able to resist my charms up close?”
“More like afraid I’ll smother you with a pillow in your sleep,” I said. “Next clause?”
“Duration of the engagement. I say one year,” he proposed, tapping his pen against the notepad.
“One year? Have you lost your mind?” I leaned forward, glaring at him. “Six months, Jae, I can’t fake it for longer without risking my sanity.”
“Nine months,” he countered. “Compromise, and it gives us enough time to stage a dramatic breakup.”
“Fine, but we’re doing this my way. No over-the-top romantic gestures that’ll make me gag. We keep it believable, but low-key.”
Jae made a note, then hesitated. “Public appearances?”
“Minimum and always mutually agreed upon beforehand. And if you drag me to one of your charity galas, you owe me a new dress. Something expensive.”
He chuckled. “Agreed. But you have to dance at least one slow dance with me. For appearances, you know.”
I rolled my eyes. “Only if you promise not to step on my feet.”
“Noted. Now, about your mother…”
I sighed deeply. “Let me figure out how to break it to her. I’m not sure how I’ll convince her I’ve been dating you, considering she’s heard me complain every day for years.”
Jae paused, pen mid-air. “Need me to go with you to sell the story of our happy relationship?”
“And be an accessory to murder? I don’t think so.”
Jae made a note, then looked up with that calculated calm he mastered so well. “Public displays of affection,” he continued, tapping his pen against the desk. “Necessary for a convincing engagement, wouldn’t you say?”
I grimaced. “Fine, but let’s lay down some ground rules. Hand-holding is tolerable. Occasional pecks are acceptable.”
Jae’s smirk reappeared. “What about a passionate kiss? For believability?”
“No tongue,” I said immediately.
“Where’s the passion in that?” Jae teased.
“In your imagination, where it belongs,” I retorted. “And keep your hands north of the equator, buddy.”
“No southern excursions, got it. Anything else, Your Highness?”
“And you can’t treat me like your assistant,” I added, my tone firm. This was a big one for me. I didn’t quit my job just to do the exact same thing without a salary. “I’m not managing your schedule, picking up your sushi, or making your dentist appointments anymore.”
Jae’s eyebrows shot up. “But who will ensure my teeth are sparkling and my calendar is flawless?”
“You will,” I said flatly. “It’s high time you learned how to use Google Calendar and the phone.”
“But I’m terrible at it,” he protested.
“Tragic,” I replied, not missing a beat. “Maybe Mina can help. Isn’t handling your…logistics part of her charm offensive?”
He sighed dramatically. “Fine, no assistant duties. What about emergencies? Can I call you if there’s a crisis?”
“Only if the world is ending,” I said.
Jae chuckled, nodding in defeat. “Noted. Anything else?”
“No treating me like an intern either. I don’t fetch coffee, dry cleaning, or your associates’ approval.”
“Understood. So, how should I treat you?” His tone was teasing but edged with genuine curiosity.
“Like a fiancée who wants to marry you, then kill you for your money,” I shot back with a smirk. “Speaking of money, don’t try to pay me to be your fiancée. I don’t want to feel like a lady of the night.”
“Who even says that?”
“I’m serious, Jae. I’ll use the time to figure out what I’m doing with my life, but don’t try to write me a check. That would just make me feel…icky.”
“Done. But keep my card for emergencies and for convincing people. Auntie would think it’s weird if my fiancée wasn’t taken care of.”
I nodded. “I’ll happily buy overpriced coffee on your dime, Mr. Lee. Oh! And you can’t fall in love with me,” I added, only half-joking. “This is professional.”
Jae put down his pen and leaned back, folding his arms and studying me with a playful tilt of his head. “I thought that was assumed.”
“I just want to be extra clear.”
He raised an eyebrow. “You think I’d fall in love with you?”
“It’s a common hazard in fake engagements,” I said, trying to keep the mood light, though my heart wasn’t quite in it. “Seen enough movies to know how this goes.”
Jae laughed, that rich, infuriating sound that filled his office. “I’ll add it to the contract. ‘Party A hereby agrees not to fall in love with Party B. Penalty for breach: immediate termination of the engagement and forfeiture of all rights to Party B’s excellent hugs.’”
“Make sure it’s legally binding,” I quipped, standing up and gathering my things. “And send me a draft for review. I have amendments.”
“Will do,” Jae replied while standing to walk me to the door.
“Look at us, negotiating like civilized people. It’s almost like we’re friends again.”
Jae’s response was instant, his voice tinged with surprise. “I didn’t realize we ever stopped being friends.”
“Really, Jae? You hadn’t noticed?”
“No, really. When did we stop?” he asked, his tone serious now.
“A long time ago,” I said, letting the weight of those words hang between us. “And now we’re not just not-friends, we’re fake fiancés. From frenemies to fiancés, what a leap.”
“Frenemies?” Jae repeated, the word rolling off his tongue as if tasting it for the first time.
I nodded. “For six months, I gave you decaf.” I giggled, thinking back to all of his yawns during meetings.
His jaw dropped, a look of comical betrayal crossing his face. “That’s why I’ve been so sleepy? What else did you do?”
With a shrug and a smirk, I leaned back slightly. “Let’s see, there was the time I signed you up for that newsletter you hate. You know, the one about mail order brides.”
Jae groaned, recalling the daily influx of emails he’d complained about for weeks. “That was you?”
“And I may have told the dry cleaners to add extra starch to your shirts. A lot extra.” I grinned, enjoying the confession more than I probably should have.
Jae ran a hand through his hair, a smile slowly spreading across his face despite the revelations. “You’re terrible,” he said.
“I am,” I agreed. “But you should probably get used to it. You’ve got six more months of my terrible company.”
“Nine months,” he reiterated. “I guess I’ll have to find some way to make it bearable.”
“Good luck with that,” I said playfully as I walked away, leaving Jae with a challenge he seemed only too happy to accept.