Chapter 30: Annual Dinner

As Jin-Rae drove home after an eventful day with Rose, his cellphone rung from his pocket.

He merely glanced at the familiar number and continued driving, his phone then vibrated from a lot of messages. Irritated, he took out his cellphone and threw it outside the window through the bay. He took out his company phone and dialed Alexa's number.

"Tell the IT to block all numbers from my previous number, get me a new phone."

Alexa, who didn't ask what happened to his previous phone, asked: "Do you have any specific liking, President Mo?"

"The one where my personal number isn't easily acquired." He hung up as soon as he finished his sentence.

Alexa pinched the bridge of her nose, she knew that tomorrow wouldn't be a good day for their office. The tone on the President's tone was cold and intense.

The Second Lady of the Ling family must have pestered him again. She thought she must message the Second Lady to prevent any more casualties between the families.

Alexa sent an email first to the second Lady Ling, inquiring about her health and she wishing her all the best. After about an hour, her phone rang.

"Did Jin-Rae bring a girl in his company?"

Alexa thought thoroughly of her answer and said, "the Vice President told me that the three of them are acquainted in middle school."

"Eun-Joo?"

"Yes the vice president ma'am." Alexa could hear a frustrated sigh from the other line. "President Mo isn't in his office right now ma'am, would you like to leave message?"

"Tell him that my parents expect him to be at the Ling annual dinner. His parents already said they will come."

"Of course, I will tell President Mo of the annual dinner. Would that be all Lady Ling?" Alexa waited but the woman on the other line already hung up. She put the phone down and wrote on an email directed to President Mo that he was invited of the Ling's annual dinner and that his parents will come.

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That night, Jin-Rae's home phone rang from his study room in his own apartment. The room was quiet, only filled with the loud ring of the phone. He took off his coat jacket and threw it on the nearby sofa and picked up the phone on the third ring.

"Jin-Rae?" A soft spoken voice came from the other line.

"Mother." Jin-Rae replied.

"I was handed an invitation earlier on by the Ling family. Your father said he couldn't come since he's busy with the company in Los Angeles. Is it okay if I get you to accompany me?"

Jin-Rae sighed as he slumped down on his office chair, turning on his laptop. "You don't need to ask me if it's okay, I'll always accompany you."

The face of the woman from the other line smiled in delight.

Jin-Rae opened his e-mail and saw Alexa's mail on his inbox. He did not bother opening it since the subject was about the annual dinner.

"Jin-Rae, if you don't mind me asking. Have you got a girlfriend?"

The sudden question from the other line made Jin-Rae chuckle. "What?"

His mother almost rejoiced upon hearing her son laugh, it had been years since she heard him make the same sound since he was a child. She believed that the woman he is with made him genuinely happy.

"Well, girls talk when they see a good looking man in a marriageable age still single. So, who is the girlfriend?"

"You already know her." Jin-Rae answered simply and a quiet gasp was heard from the other line. She somehow understood as she nodded on the phone.

"Well then, I'll see you at the annual dinner son."