Can't Let You Go

Chapter 11

His family's business had been in technology, semiconductors specifically. Dad made a lot of business trips here, enough to warrant buying a home. I'm not sure of the details of what he did here or his position in the company. There was some sort of scandal and his family business went bankrupt. My mother's father brought him into his company, making him into a manager and eventually the CEO. No one talks about what happened in the past and I've never even met my grandparents on his side.

One of the few things I know about my dad is that Korea is one of his favorite places on Earth. I'd thought I'd spend my free time retracing his footsteps so to speak and learn a bit more about him. However, Dae-Ho had already set up the office when I arrived and I've kept myself too busy to really explore either Dad's past or the country itself. Really, I've been using busyness as an excuse for not looking further into the distinct possibility that Dad has some very personal connections here. Maybe another family.

Not quite prepared to face what that means about my place in his heart, I let myself forget about it as I also forgot about my ex. Time supposedly heals all wounds and I'd thought time alone had matured me, but the outburst towards Tally just now proves that's not necessarily true. When I finish helping her get this drug arrest sorted out, I will take the time to actually face my past issues and solve them.

***HONEY/TALLY***

I'm grateful when Liam offers to go to the police station Tuesday morning to drop off the bank statement on my behalf. I am sick to my stomach over it. I was angry and upset before when I thought Bethany was pulling strings on my money from afar. This shows she has someone close by. I guess I shouldn't be surprised since I already suspected she is behind the drug possession frame up, but the gravity of that implication didn't hit me until Liam explained the ATM stuff.

Bethany doesn't just want me out of the house or out of the state. She wants me gone. Like my mother is gone. I have to wonder if Bethany is behind that as well. Maybe Mother was also cut off from the family and framed for a crime in some other country. Bethany had been Mother's assistant slash business manager. Mother was a figure-head vice president at Savis, the company my father owns. Her status as a mega star was useful for growing the company in certain sectors. She took it seriously for a short while, but lost interest. She authorized Bethany to represent her, attending meetings and fulfilling the responsibilities Mother had no interest in. She may well have had access to all of Mother's finances, too.

Now Bethany is an executive vice president, second tier to my father's position as president. A promotion she only got after her relationship with my father was exposed. That was a fun Christmas party. Mother had probably thought she knew Bethany pretty well. Enough to trust her to take her place at Savis. She didn't know Bethany well enough to predict that she'd steal her husband. Dad probably thinks he knows Bethany really well, too. But he doesn't know her well enough to see when she makes up outrageous lies about his own daughter. I guess that means he doesn't know me either since he believed the stories that came out of her mouth.

That seems to be something in common with my mom. Trusting too easily, too thoroughly, too quickly. This is a problem I identified and yet, I'm doing it again anyway. Essentially trusting Liam with my life when I've only just met him. I need to be better at keeping him at arm's length or I'm going to repeat all my other "too trusting" patterns. Patterns for both friends and boyfriends that have left me nearly as hurt as losing my brother.

The only person I have left is Zayan. I haven't talked to him in a couple of days so I give him a call.

"Honey!" he yells too happily in my ear when he answers. It's morning for me, but night for him.