Chapter 12 Unexpected [M]

Jennie glanced about the room with a tinge of nervousness that she couldn't understand why she was feeling. Maybe it had to do with her current position, sitting across a wide glass office desk waiting for her stepmother to come into the room—the office of the president and CEO.

There was something so gloomy and cold about the silent office that was decorated in tones of grey, from light to nearly black, and the walls were hung with various art works, abstract and distinct ones that showed more lifeless colors of black and white. They were framed in shiny black wood, fronted in glass and hung on the vinyl covered wall opposite the office table.

The upholstered chairs, smoked glass tables and even the small bar at the far corner of the spacious office matched the walls. The expensive furniture, the arrangement of the office and even the smell of the air freshener in the room does not in any way spell welcoming.

It looked more like a display room for expensive jewelry than an actual office. In fact, even a rowdy kid when placed inside this office will feel like he's in a fully furnished solitary confinement chamber but cannot touch anything for risk of being given the death penalty.

In simple terms, it looked elegant but felt scary. Jennie concluded that Chaerin probably has an obsession with black and grey which even showed in her demeanor most of the time—which is also just as unpleasant and as suffocating as this room.

The last time Jennie was her in father's office building was before he fell ill and at that time Kim Ji Yong's office looked very different—it was chrome and leather then and she remembered colorful modern art works hanging on the walls. Faintly, she wondered why Chaerin changed the interior of the office almost like she wanted to forget the memory of her father.

Whatever it maybe, she doesn't really care much. Her concern at the moment is why she's been summoned here. When she received the call from Chaerin's secretary that morning while she was getting dressed for work, her mind had been running afloat and wondering about this sudden call demanding her presence in the office. She had argued with the new secretary—her father's former secretary, she learned upon arriving here, was fired when Chaerin took over the presidency—to just say what the purpose for the call was. But as it were, she was under strict orders from her boss to only relay such instructions.

Mostly out of curiosity, but of course against her better judgment, is the reason why she's even here. Getting impatient, she took a quick glance at the small digital clock sitting on one of the office tables laden with an assortment of books. Fifteen minutes. She's been waiting for fifteen freakin' minutes.

Maybe she should just go. But she at once ditched the idea aside. There had to be some important reason why she's been called in. Resignedly, she let her mind drift deciding to reconceptualize the shoot she was doing for InStyle magazine later . . . but her thoughts had other ideas as it instantly shifted to Lisa.

She's been riding on cloud nine since that little confession they had the other day. At first, she was hesitant—out of habit, because of her past experiences with people she cares about disappointing and hurting her in the end—to say what she's been feeling for the Thai woman. But then Lisa said it back and it was just as surprising as it was thrilling.

Lisa Manoban cares for her . . . who would've thought? She certainly didn't but then again, a lot of things have happened between them now that eight months ago she would have considered as ludicrous.

This morning her husband was back to her usual virile self and wasted no time in exercising her energy . . .which initially excited her to no end.

"Good morning," Jennie chirped gaily, waking up to Lisa's face looking down at her with her charmingly girlish smile. "All better?"

"Not just yet," Lisa answered, her hand resting idly on the brunette's hip.

Jennie eyed her in bafflement, quickly checking her face for any sign of sickness but there was none. Her color was back. Her eyes were alert and overall, Lisa certainly didn't look weary anymore.

"Not just yet?" She repeated. "Do you want me to sing you a song? You know, for encouragement to get up in the morning."

With a grin, the dirty blonde haired retorted, "I didn't know you sing."

"Everybody sings. It's just a matter of whether it's in tune or not," Jennie quipped back, sliding off the bed swiftly before the latter even realized she stood up.

Lisa sat up, keeping her soft gaze on her as she rounded the bed while gathering her messy hair in a loose bun. "Let's hear it!" She cheered. "I'm already intrigued."

Jennie giggled and she moved out of the Thai woman's line of vision, making a quick sprint to the bathroom. But before she could close the door, Lisa had pushed against it and easily wrestled her way inside. "Hey! I was here first. Wait for your turn!" She protested teasingly.

"Not until you sing a song," Lisa advanced toward her and easily grabbed her waist, lifting her to sit on the long-marbled space of the bathroom sink. "I'm not letting you go until I hear a song but make it snappy coz' I don't want to be late for work."

Jennie yelped in surprise as the backs of her thighs connected with the cold marble, but Lisa kept her firmly in place while she stood between her legs.

"Fine!" She relented, steadying her breathing as she tried to decide what song to sing.

A playful smirk broke over her lips as she mentally picked a song. "Here goes . . ." Jennie made a show of prepping her vocal chords by rolling her shoulders, clearing her throat and making soft humming noises before she began to sing:

Oh Mister Sun, Sun

Mister golden sun!

Please shine down on her

Jennie tried her best to keep a normal expression, singing like she's so into the song, and not burst out laughing while she directly held her husband's gaze that was slowly acquiring a bamboozled look over her choice of song. But she still continued, rather enjoying herself in witnessing Lisa's reaction.

Oh Mister Sun, Sun

Mister golden sun!

Hiding behind a tree . . .

Lisa Manoban is asking you

To please shine down

So she can play with you

Oh Mister Sun, Sun

Mister golden sun!

Please shine down on

Please shine down on her!

The air was utterly still when she finished the children's song. Lisa's face was a picture of someone weirded out by what she had just seen. Her brows were drawn straight, her head tipped to one side, her mouth agape and she was looking at her like she became another person.

"There you go. A song. Did I sound okay?" Jennie posed in an expectant tone as though Lisa's opinion mattered much to her but actually she was ready to erupt in laughter.

Lisa seemed to shake herself back to the present. "Oh yeah . . . wow . . . you sing very well!" She replied warily. "You have a really nice voice, Nini."

Looking down at the Thai woman due to the height of the bathroom counter that made her a few inches higher than her head, Jennie gave Lisa an over bright smile, laying her hands over her well-defined shoulders.

"You really think so? Thank you!"

"Yeah." Lisa was unsure how to react. "Um—was that really a song or am I hallucinating again?"

Jennie couldn't hold it any longer. Her hands flew over her already flushed face and she ruptured in hilarity. "You're just soo . . . just so—"

Lisa wrenched her hands off her face and held it flat on the marble on either side of her hips, a gleam of menace in her eye. "Someday . . . just you wait woman."

"Come on Lisa! How could you not know Mister Sun? And you have to admit it's an appropriate song in the morning."

Lisa grunted incoherently and gave a cursory glance at her smiling lips, but immediately her piercing hazel eyes swung back to her. "I have other more appropriate things in mind."

"Like what?" Jennie asked conscious of Lisa's mercurial change of mood.

A long silence followed as if the latter was thinking, and Jennie saw her eyes looking at her hair that was falling off the loose knot then at her profile. "Like this . . ." Those rough hands suddenly encasing hers on the marble top lifted, then one found her nape to draw her face down close . . . moving her lips closer and closer to the Thai woman's plump lips.

Lisa's lips were soft and appealing as she tipped her head to the side and moved it in a lazy, seductive motion back and forth over the brunette pliant lips. She leaned even closer and her restless hands stopped on the chocolate brown-eyed girls' hips, pulling her in tightly.

The Thai woman's warm tongue circled Jennie's lips sending tiny shudders over her entire body and it didn't take long before her lips parted and answered her tongue with a willing response. The kiss grew warmer and more arousing steadily as it went on. But in the midst of it Jennie suddenly felt her world tilt and realized she was being lifted off the marble to stand on the bathroom floor.

Then, in one deft motion, her shirt had slid up exposing her breasts to Lisa's questing hands and mouth. Jennie leaned towards her softly and moaning, running her fingers through her husband's chestnut hair reveling in the wonderful feelings she was stirring in her body and realizing that she's been missing this—so much—for two days.

And as if sensing her thoughts, Lisa voiced out throatily, "I missed this—I missed us like this."

Jennie nodded unable to force a sound past her lips. Lisa smiled that seductively charming smile of hers and her eyes twinkled as she lowered her mouth to the brunbette's already swollen lips, shutting out all thoughts from her foggy brain.

While Lisa's compelling tongue dueled with Jennie's, the former's fingers slipped inside the front of the brunette's cotton shorts, inching between the lace panty and skin in a slow motion giving her an opportunity to object.

But she didn't, much to Lisa's delight. Jennie's body responded fully, even straining to her, her leg lifting, and Lisa took it as consent. Her knowing fingers fluidly found her soft moist flesh and began arousing her with a thrilling touch until she lost all sense of her surroundings; solely focused on Lisa and her wonderful hands.

A strangled groan erupted from Jennie as the friction of her husband's fingers inside her sensitive core created a heat that came slowly, beginning in her toes, trailing up her legs, settling in her stomach until her head was thrown back and waves of pleasure overcame her senses.

She clamped a steadying arm across her shoulders, holding her tightly against her while her body still trembled from the height her husband brought her. Jennie felt her fingers gently withdraw and in the next second Lisa's powerful arms had closed around her slowly shuddering frame, her chin resting atop of her head, her breathing ragged and painfully heavy.

Jennie felt her aroused erection pressing against her. Lisa was tense and rigid. But much to her surprise, Lisa didn't do anything to ease her obvious pain. She didn't go any further than hugging her tightly as if trying to share in her fulfilled feelings. "Lisa . . . let . . ."

Lisa shook her head, silencing her. "It's okay, Nini. I'll manage," she whispered tenderly. "Just—I'll go first in using the bathroom."

That wasn't at all what Jennie meant or wanted. She didn't want them to stop. But Lisa was being the perfect gentlewoman all morning and she was quite in a hurry after she went out of the bathroom, apologizing because she can't drop her off at the studio since she was running late already.

The disappointment in her face must have been evident as she watched Lisa sped off the drive that Patrick's perfectly observant eyes picked up on this and he commented offhandedly, "That girl has lapses sometimes especially when she's busy. She tends to overlook things. But don't worry, Jennie, there's always tomorrow . . . or even tonight."

Of course, that simple, seemingly innocent comment had caused Jennie to blush to a deep shade of red. But what did she expect, Patrick Manoban always has impeccable timing and he does tend to say the darnest things.

The sound of muted voices outside the office door brought Jennie's attention back to her present surroundings, quickly fanning her face to keep the warmth from growing in her face over the memory with Lisa.

It didn't take long before Chaerin appeared from the door with a thin balding man, in wide rimmed spectacles that were too thick it made his eyes look beady even from a distance, following behind her.

In chic business attire that looked decidedly of designer brand, Lee Chaerin's surgically enhanced face was devoid of any expression when she entered her office and saw Jennie sitting on one of the chairs facing her table. She walked briskly toward her high-backed leather seat fitting for a president of a huge corporation and slid onto it without acknowledging her stepdaughter's presence.

She turned to the man she came in with and told him to leave them for the moment. "I will tell my secretary to call you in after I'm done here," Chaerin said curtly and the frail looking man obediently left without question.

Jennie remained in her seat, matching Chaerin's blank face with one of her stoic expression. Never betraying the uneasiness she felt being in her stepmother's presence. But curiosity was eating her up from the inside.

Once the man went out and closed the door, she raised a quizzical brow at Chaerin silently telling her to get on with whatever she wanted to discuss to her that required her to be physically present.

"Jennie," Chaerin began in a bland tone that bellied some sort of abhorrence to the name she had just spoken. "You're probably wondering why I asked you to come here—"

"Yes. I am." She interrupted tersely.

A glacial look crossed Chaerin's features, her thin eyebrows that were arched high off her forehead it almost looked unnatural, curled into a frown evident of her displeasure at Jennie's tone of voice. "Fine. Enough of this pleasantry."

Jennie nearly scoffed. Pleasantry my ass! If her countenance can be called pleasant then no face is unpleasant anymore. "We were never pleasant with each other, Chaerin. So I really don't see the point of bothering with it now. It's far too late and it would be bordering on hypocritical if you insist on it."

"I see that mouth of yours hasn't changed. It's still as sharp as ever. What does your husband say about that? I would hope she's keeping you in check," Chaerin said with a tight smile that made her seem constipated. "I'll get to the point then."

"I would appreciate if you'd get to the point in this century. In case you forgot, I have a job. I'm not like other women who rely on their rich husband to provide for them praying they die soon so that they inherit their fortune," Jennie retorted, the words dropping from her mouth laced with unconcealed insult and sarcasm. "And leave Lisa out of this. I only lash out to people who deserve to be put in their place."

Chaerin laughed at that but it sounded forced and obviously not out of humor; her ebony eyes shooting daggers at Jennie's dark brown orbs. "Speaking of Lisa, how is she doing?"

Jennie held Chaerin's icy glares unblinkingly. "She's fine," she replied but she sensed maliciousness in the way that her stepmother asked about Lisa. "Get to the point, Chaerin."

The older woman leaned back on her leather baronial chair and crossed her arms over her chest in a languid manner as though she has all the time to spare and didn't care about Jennie's own schedule. "I heard she's been sick. I hope you took care of her like any loving wife would do."

"Yes, she was sick. She's well now. No longer in bed but at work! What the hell are you getting at?"

Another smile broke on Chaerin's face. It was a smug one. She relished in Jennie's momentary stun over that little revelation about Lisa Manoban. "We'll get to that, my dear Jennie," her stepmother said and Jennie nearly cringed at the endearment that didn't sound like one. "First, I wanted to remind you of the terms of Ji Yong's will with regards to your marriage."

"Remind me?! Is this why you asked me to come here?" Jennie scoffed in a high pitched voice gripping the armrest of the chair in annoyance. She drove all the way down here and waited for her just to hear a reminder?! "I am living the terms of that will. You arranged everything prior to my marriage. You were there when I got married! Remember?!" She thrust her hand forward to show off the wedding band. "This is the proof right here! Do you also need to see Lisa's ring?"

"Are you really living a married life? Or is it just in paper?"

"What?!"

"The condition in the will states you be married—meaning an actual marriage not just a simple living arrangement between two people who are married."

Jennie was sorely tempted to throw something hard and heavy at her stepmother. She couldn't understand what her issues are. Silently telling herself to keep cool, she pushed out a heavy breath and said, "Lisa and I are in an actual marriage and as you are well aware, we are also living together. So what in god's name is your problem?!"

"Oh it's not my problem actually, Jennie. It's yours," Chaerin declared in a business-like tone, sitting rigidly erect and clasping her bony hands on the glass table. "See, what you have with Lisa . . . isn't what I'd call marriage yet and before you start arguing with me, let me just tell you that from what I understand and your father's lawyers agree with me on this, for a marriage to be legally complete and fully valid it has to be consummated through sexual intercourse . . ."

With a shaky indrawn breath of shock, Jennie clutched at the armrest tightly until her knuckles turned white. This cannot be happening to her. Chaerin is outwitting her again! She couldn't come up with a rational thought as Chaerin continued to unravel the reason for her being summoned here.

". . . I have reason to believe that this relationship you have with Lisa Manoban hasn't been gratified yet. I have my sources Jennie and I assure you they are reliable so don't bother denying. But if you insist, we can have you examined by a doctor," Chaerin kept on, well aware that she had gotten Jennie's attention exactly how she wants it. "I am only making sure that you are living up to your end of the will. Call it—concern for your well