31. D（Ate）
JAE
31
Exhaustion had become a constant companion. Another trip to Korea, another grueling round of flights and hospital visits. Auntie had just finished her last round of chemo, and while relief washed over me, knowing she was on the mend, the emotional and physical toll was undeniable. Back in New York, all I wanted was a distraction, and there was only one person who could provide that—Verena.
I dialed her number, craving the sound of her voice. Voicemail. Again. Annoyance twisted in my chest. Where the hell was she?
Scrolling through her social media, I found my answer. There she was, smiling, sparkling eyes, and dressed to kill. But the smile wasn’t for me. Some guy was sitting across from her, looking way too comfortable. They were at a chic downtown restaurant. I felt a surge of possessive jealousy. This sorry asshole was definitely not going to take my place. Even if I couldn’t have her, that didn’t mean this fucker could.
I was in my car before I knew it, navigating through the city streets with a single-minded focus. This date was going to end, and it was going to end badly—for him.
I walked into the restaurant, eyes scanning the room until I spotted them. Verena looked stunning, her laughter echoing in the dimly lit room. Her date, the poor bastard, was eating up every word she said. I settled discreetly at the bar, ordering a drink, and waited for my moment.
When her date excused himself to use the restroom, I followed, timing my entrance perfectly. He was at the sink, washing his hands when I walked in.
“Hey,” I said, my tone friendly but with an undercurrent of something sharper. He turned, confusion clear on his face.
“Do I know you?” he asked, brows knitting together.
“Not yet,” I replied, a smirk tugging at my lips. “But I couldn’t help but notice you’re on a date with Verena.”
“Yeah, and?” Suspicion laced his voice.
“Just thought you should know,” I began, leaning in as if sharing a secret, “Verena’s great, but she’s got this…thing. She’s totally in love with her boss. Talks about him nonstop. It’s kind of a deal-breaker for most guys.”
His eyes widened. “Seriously?”
I nodded, putting on my best concerned look. “Yeah, it’s a shame. She’s always mentioning him. I bet she’s brought him up tonight already.”
He looked even more unsettled. “Actually, yeah. She’s brought him up sixteen times.”
“See? Told you,” I said, patting his shoulder. “Just thought you should know what you’re getting into. Good luck, buddy.”
I left him there, confusion etched on his face, and returned to my seat at the bar. I ordered another drink, watching the scene unfold with a sense of satisfaction. Her date returned to the table, visibly shaken.
Verena noticed immediately. “Hey, is everything okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, uh, fine,” he mumbled, clearly lying. The rest of their conversation was a mess of awkward silences and forced smiles. I almost felt sorry for the guy. Almost.
Eventually, he made some excuse about an early meeting and bailed, leaving Verena alone and looking both confused and annoyed. Perfect.
I waited a few minutes before making my move. I approached her table, feigning surprise. “Verena? What are you doing here?”
She looked up, her eyes narrowing. “Jae? What a coincidence.”
I gave her my most charming smile. “Just got back from Korea. Thought I’d grab a drink to unwind. Mind if I join you?”
She sighed, waving at the empty seat. “Why not? My date just left, anyway. But there’s one condition—you can sit here, but we’re not allowed to discuss work. I’m off the clock.”
My heart skipped a beat. Lately, work was the only thing I could talk about with her. It was my safety net, the one thing I knew she’d engage with me on. If I talked about anything else, I might do something stupid, like demand to know why she didn’t want me as badly as I wanted her. But I couldn’t back down now.
“Deal,” I said, sliding into the seat. “So, what are we allowed to talk about then?”
She arched an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. “Anything but work. Surely, Mr. CEO, you can manage that.”
I chuckled, trying to mask my nervousness. “I’ll give it my best shot. So, what’s the latest scandal in Verena’s world?”
She laughed, and the sound was like a balm to my weary soul. “Oh, you know, just the usual—terrible dates, gossip at the office I’m not supposed to mention.”
“Terrible date, huh? What was wrong with him?”
“He seemed…skittish. And since you don’t let me have much of a personal life, I tried to bring up the job, but he seemed…uninterested,” she said, rolling her eyes.
I leaned back, a cocky grin on my face. “So, you don’t want me to talk about work, but that’s your date conversation topic of choice?”
She sighed, looking a bit defeated. “I know. I’m realizing I have nothing of my own these days. No hobbies, I don’t write anymore. I don’t do anything.”
I frowned, feeling a pang of guilt. She was right. I had consumed her life, leaving little room for anything else. I couldn’t stand the thought of her feeling so unfulfilled. As much as it hurt to admit it, she needed more than just work, more than just me.
But I could fix this. I was Jae Lee, and I could make anything happen. I started thinking of ways to make it up to her. Maybe I could send her on business trips that were really for her or take her with me when I had special negotiations. Sure, it was work, but a week in Tokyo or a night in Paris might make her life more exciting.
“I don’t have a personal life,” she admitted after a lingering silence.
I am your personal life, baby.
And I’m going to make it the best damn life you’ve ever had.
Even if you don’t want me back. Even if I had to bury those fucking feelings deep down and hack at them until they were long dead.