16 "I Hate Your Life"

Chairman Jiang frowned and looked at her questioningly. "Take your call and place it on the loudspeaker," He instructed her.

Ann simply nodded her head and received the call. "Ann! Have you talked to my father yet? I can't keep living your miserable life," Grace said in her usual arrogant manner, making Chairman Jiang raise a brow.

"I'm close to his office right now. would you love to speak with him?" Ann asked. She knew she was lying to Grace, but she couldn't help it.

"Are you crazy? How am I supposed to explain to him that after that minor accident, I woke up in the body of a peasant? Do you want them to assign me to an asylum for claiming to be Jiang Grace? Just do what I've told you, and stop being so damned stubborn," Grace muttered angrily.

"But I can't deceive them for long, and I'm nothing like you. What if they ask for a special memory? Okay, what was your last birthday party like?" Ann asked. She needed to prove to Chairman Jiang that she wasn't crazy and she wasn't his daughter either.

"I had the flu, so there was no party. You don't need to explain anything to anyone. Just pretend like you've lost your memory until you employ me. Then I can take care of things. Besides, have you forgotten our deal so soon? See, I have to go now. Mrs. Shu, or whatever you call her, needs me to serve some people. I hate your life!" Grace muttered as she disconnected the call.

Chairman Jiang kept staring at Ann disbelievingly. "That does truly sound like Grace, but how this switch happened is what I don't and can't understand," Chairman Jiang said, looking at her and then at the phone.

"So, do you believe me now?" Ann asked Chairman Jiang.

"Who are you, and where is my daughter right now? What happened?" Chairman Jiang asked Ann.

"I told you before; my name is Ann Peters. I had a minor accident a few days ago. When I woke up, I discovered I was in your daughter's body. Your daughter is currently with my guardian," Ann said.

"Have you met her? What about your parents?" Chairman Jiang asked her again.

"I'm an orphan. They died some years ago. I visited her yesterday when I was out with Tae-Joon," Ann told him...

"I'm very sorry about your parents. I hope Tae-Joon didn't suspect a thing. Do you have the qualifications Grace would need to apply for the job?" He asked her.

"He didn't suspect anything. And no, I don't have the required documents, but she said she could forge the required certificates and documents," Ann told him with a shrug.

"Are you always this honest?" Chairman Jiang asked her. He was really impressed by her character, and he liked that she hadn't decided to pretend to be their daughter like others would probably have done in her shoes.

"I just lied to Grace in front of you. I can't say I'm always honest," She said with a small smile.

"I'll employ her. But you must not tell her I'm aware of all this. As a matter of fact, I do not want you to tell anyone about this... not even my wife or Zoe. This has to remain between us," Chairman Jiang said.

"What shouldn't she tell me?" Zoe asked as she returned inside the office, surprising them both.

Ann quickly covered up with a laugh. "Why should I tell you when you obviously just heard I'm not supposed to tell you?" Ann asked her.

"You can't blame a girl for trying," Zoe said with a pout as she sat on the arm of their father's chair.

"Dad, I actually came because I wanted to discuss something with you, too," Zoe said with a shy smile.

"So why didn't you say so from the start?" Chairman Jiang asked her.

"I wanted to see how you would react to Grace's request before making mine. Plus, since we are all in a secret-keeping mood, I'll want my request to be kept a secret, too," Zoe said with a smile.

"Okay, let's hear it," Chairman Jiang said.

"I want to get registered in a dancing academy. I want to be a dancer... Sis, tell Dad what you told me earlier," Zoe said, smiling at Grace.

Ann wasn't sure how Chairman Jiang would react to it now that he was aware she wasn't his daughter.

"Erm, I told her she is a great dancer and could pursue a career in dancing," Ann said, giving Chairman Jiang a helpless shrug.

"You know your mother would hate that," Chairman Jiang reminded her.

"Which is why it has to be a secret," Zoe reminded him.

"But you're supposed to be working in the company already," Chairman Jiang reminded her. He really didn't want to get on his wife's bad side.

"I've told you all several times that I'm not interested in this company unless you include a dancing academy as a subsidiary of the company... Which I don't think is a bad idea, though," Zoe said.

"So? What do you say?" Zoe asked them, looking from one to the other, hoping they'd agree. She needed to start dancing before Grace recovered her memory again.

"You can't let your mother find out. Promise me," Chairman Jiang said with a sign of resignation.

"I promise! Thanks, Dad," Zoe screamed, giving him a happy hug before dancing around the room happily.

As if she suddenly remembered to hug her sister Zoe turned and gave her a bear hug while Ann worded a silent "I'm sorry." to Chairman Jiang.

"We can leave now, sis. You said you're taking me to see your new personal assistant if the meeting with dad goes well, and I'm guessing it did," Zoe said, taking Ann's hand while Chairman Jiang gave her a questioning look.

"We'll be fine, and you have nothing to worry about... Dad," Ann said with a reassuring smile.

"Yes, Dad, you have nothing to worry about. Don't worry, I'll take care of Grace," Zoe promised, oblivious to what was happening.

"I bet you will," Chairman Jiang said with a smile as he saw them off to the door.

After they left, he sat down in his seat with a frown on his face. How was any of this possible? What was he to do about it? His wife would think him crazy if he told her about this, and how was he to explain this new development to Chairman Wang and Tae-Joon? He couldn't possibly call off the marriage he had just called for only yesterday.

He would punish Grace for not trusting her family enough to confide in them about this. If she had come to them immediately after she knew about the situation of things, they would have found a way to go about it.

Maybe this would be an opportunity to teach his difficult daughter how to live like a normal human. By the time this was all over, she would be a better person.