30. At（TEMPT）
VERENA
30
Icouldn’t shake the feeling of Jae’s words. “There will be no holding back…” They echoed in my mind, making me question everything. What had gotten into him? Maybe it was a weird version of grief, a distraction from the pain of Auntie’s illness. Yes, that had to be it. He was using this fake engagement to cope. But still, we needed way more rules. Because this couldn’t happen. It wouldn’t, no matter what he said.
“Vee?” My mom’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Are you even listening to me? Where is Jae, I thought he wanted this dinner.”
Auntie cleared her throat. “I’m so sorry, Jennifer. I must have told him the wrong time.”
“He’ll be here soon,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.
The door swung open, and in strutted Jae, clutching a bouquet of flowers like he was a doting son-in-law. Really? He found time to pick up flowers while I was stuck here, under the laser focus of my mom’s interrogation glare?
“Oh, flowers,” Mom said, “This feels familiar.”
Jae flashed his award-winning smile at Mom and Auntie before turning his full attention to me. With no warning whatsoever, he swooped in and kissed me, his lips moving against mine with a kind of fervor that made the room spin. For a second, I lost myself in the kiss, forgetting all about our audience. When he finally pulled back, he murmured against my lips, “We have to make it believable, right?”
I narrowed my eyes at him, shooting a silent promise that this wasn’t over. “Right.”
We sat at the table, the flowers now sitting in a vase that Auntie had eagerly provided. The air was thick with tension as Mom’s gaze shifted between us, clearly suspicious.
“So, Jae,” Mom started. “Tell me about your intentions with my daughter.”
Jae straightened, a charming smile in place. “My intentions are to make Verena the happiest woman in the world.”
I almost choked on my water. He was laying it on thick.
“And how do you plan to do that?” Mom’s eyes were like lasers, piercing through his facade.
Jae took my hand, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “By loving her, supporting her, and standing by her side through everything.”
Mom raised an eyebrow. “And what about all those late nights at work? How does that fit into your grand plan?”
I felt Jae’s grip tighten slightly, but his smile never faltered. “We’re working on finding a balance. I want to be there for Verena as much as possible.”
“Is that why you were late tonight?” Mom’s tone was icy.
“I’m sorry about that,” Jae said sincerely. “Work ran longer than expected. But I’m committed to making this work.”
Mom’s gaze flicked to me, waiting for my input. “We’re figuring things out,” I said, trying to sound convincing.
“Figuring things out,” Mom repeated, her skepticism evident. “It seems to me that you’re both rushing into this.”
I forced a smile, my heart pounding. “We know it’s fast, but sometimes when you know, you just know.”
Mom wasn’t buying it. “And how did you two get together in the first place? You never mentioned anything about dating Jae before.”
Jae jumped in smoothly. “We kept it quiet at first. Wanted to be sure it was real before we told anyone.”
Mom crossed her arms. “And when exactly did you start dating?”
“About six months ago,” Jae replied without missing a beat.
I nodded, trying to back him up. “It just…it felt right.”
Mom looked at us both, her eyes narrowing. “Six months, and you’re already engaged? That’s quite a whirlwind romance.”
“We’ve known each other for years,” Jae said, his voice calm and steady. “Our relationship developed naturally over time.”
“But why the secrecy?” Mom pressed. “Why didn’t you tell anyone? Why did you lie to me and make it seem like you hated him, Vee?”
“We wanted to be sure,” I said, echoing Jae’s earlier words. “It’s a big step, and we didn’t want to rush into anything without being certain. And yes, him being my boss…complicated things. I like him a lot more now that I don’t work for him.”
Jae forced a playful laugh.
Mom wasn’t convinced. “I just want to make sure my daughter is happy. This seems…sudden.”
Auntie, always the peacemaker, jumped in. “They’re a wonderful couple. You should see them together, so in love.”
I forced another smile, feeling my cheeks heat up. “Thanks, Auntie.”
Mom’s gaze shifted back to Jae. “And you, Jae. How do you see your future together? What are your plans?”
Jae’s grip on my hand tightened. “I see us building a life together, a family. I want to give Verena everything she deserves.”
“And what about your work?” Mom asked, her tone challenging. “Can you balance that with a family?”
Jae nodded confidently. “Absolutely. Verena’s happiness is my priority.”
“I still think this is moving too quickly. I just found out about you dating!” Mom said, exasperated.
Auntie patted Mom’s hand, her eyes twinkling with a knowing smile. “I think I can explain.”
Jae and I exchanged a nervous glance. “What do you mean, Auntie?”
“You two aren’t that good at keeping secrets,” Auntie said, her tone gentle but firm, a knowing glint in her eyes.
“Huh?” I asked, feeling a sting of panic. My stomach churned as the room’s tension thickened.
Auntie took a deep breath, her expression softening, eyes glistening with unshed tears. “They pushed up the engagement for me.”
“Auntie, wait, we can—” Jae began, his voice trembling, but Auntie silenced him with a look.
“Jennifer, I’m dying,” she said, her voice breaking slightly. “My cancer came back.”
The room fell into a stunned silence. Mom gasped, her hand flying to her mouth, tears spilling over her cheeks. “Oh my God, Binna, why didn’t you tell me sooner? How long have you known? Are you getting treatment? What can we do?”
Auntie shook her head, a sad smile tugging at her lips. “I’ve known for a few weeks. I’ve decided to forgo treatment this time. I want to spend my remaining time making memories, not in a hospital.”
Mom’s tears flowed freely, her voice choked with emotion. “Binna, no…”
Auntie reached out, squeezing Mom’s hand tightly, her eyes shining with love and resolve. “Please, Jennifer, I need you to understand. These two lovebirds…they’ve been dating for a while, but Jae proposed probably to ease my heart a little, to reassure me that he won’t be alone after I’m gone.”
I felt a wave of guilt crash over me, a sharp pain that cut through my chest. This wasn’t the truth at all. Auntie’s belief in our relationship, her faith in our love, was built on a foundation of lies. Her words were a painful reminder of the reality we were pretending to live.
Mom’s tears continued to fall. “How could you keep this from me? We could have helped you…we could have been there for you.”
Auntie’s grip on Mom’s hand tightened, her voice steady despite the tears in her eyes. “I didn’t want to burden you. I wanted these last moments to be filled with joy, not sorrow.”
Jae’s hand found mine under the table, squeezing it tightly, a silent promise that we were in this together. His eyes met mine, filled with the same mix of guilt and resoluteness. We had to keep this up, for Auntie’s sake.
The enormity of our deception was inescapable.
“Jennifer, I need you to support them,” Auntie continued, her voice filled with quiet strength. “They need you now more than ever.”
Mom nodded, her tears still flowing, her voice breaking. “Of course, Binna. Whatever you need.”
Auntie’s eyes softened, her gaze turning to me and Jae. “You two…you have to stay strong. For me.”
I swallowed hard, fighting back my own tears. “We will, Auntie.”
Jae’s voice was steady, but I could hear the strain beneath it. “We promise.”
Auntie smiled, a sad, beautiful smile that broke my heart. “Thank you.”
As we sat there, I couldn’t shake the feeling of impending loss that hung over us. We were racing against time, against the inevitable, and the truth of our situation was more than I could bear.
Mom’s tear-streaked face turned toward me. “Let’s talk about this more tomorrow, Binna. How about a spa day? I want details and I know some doctors in the city I want you to check in with.”
“You might have retired, but those nursing instincts are still strong,” Auntie said.
“Damn right. I just want to take care of you.” My mother glared at me. “Verena, can you walk me out?”
I stood and followed her, the silence between us thick with unspoken words. We went down the elevator, then stepped outside into the cool evening air, the city lights casting a soft glow around us as we waited for the town car Jae had called.
Mom turned to me, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s all fake, isn’t it? For her.”
“Due to an ironclad NDA, I cannot confirm nor deny that statement.”
Mom’s lips trembled as she wiped a tear from her cheek. “I’ve always loved Binna. When she moved away, she called every week that first year, asking me to check on him. And I love Jae too. He’s suffered so much loss and always buries himself in work to escape it. I don’t like how he treats you at the job, but no one deserves to be alone.”
Her eyes bore into mine. “I don’t agree with this. I don’t like it, but…I get it. And you’re going to need help.” She cupped my cheek, her touch warm and comforting.
“Are you going to tell?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
She shook her head. “Sweet girl, your heart has always been so big. Just don’t lose yourself in this, okay? You’ve always had big plans for yourself too.”
Tears welled up in my eyes as I nodded, the enormity of the situation crashing down on me. “I won’t, Mom. I promise.”
The town car pulled up, and Mom gave me one last, lingering hug. “Take care of yourself, Verena. And take care of them.”
“I will,” I whispered, holding her tightly.
As she got into the car, I watched her leave with a hollow pang in my chest. Then, I turned back toward the apartment, my mind racing. I knew what we were doing was for Auntie, but the reality of it was more complicated than I had ever imagined. And now, with Mom’s blessing and her warning, I knew I had to find a way to navigate this without losing myself in the process.
Back inside, Jae met my eyes across the room, a question hanging between us. I walked back to him, ready to face whatever came next. We were in this together, for better or worse, and somehow, we would make it through.