Chapter 9

Seoul, Korea

NuStarr Talent Management Headquarters

The tray in Secretary Po’s hands fell to the floor with a loud crash.

Dae-Ho looked at his cousin with wide eyes and mouth hanging open before his eyes rolled back in his head and he slumped over, feigning fainting.

The only one not surprised by the announcement was Jae. His selfless niece was always thinking of everyone but herself first, and he hated that.

“Retirement or having back to back bookings,” Jae tried to remind her, “it wouldn’t matter."

“How so? Going to set sixteen to twenty-hours a day? Having to do interviews on no sleep and praying that you didn’t say something you shouldn’t have, slipped up, or gave away the ending afterward?! Spending more time traveling between signings, press junkets, interviews, and photoshoots than you do at home? How is any of that not going to go away with my retirement?!” she demanded. “If I retire I won’t be doing any of that!”

Jae got to his feet, and slammed his hand down on his desk; his patience had run out. “The stress is the same because the situation is the same. Retired or not, they will still come after you. Rain, you are being targeted! Retirement will not save you from that. If anything, it will make it worse. Not running around at the crazy pace that you do, it will make you an easier target because you will not be running all over. You will be simply sitting there waiting for them to finally succeed in getting you! Secretary Po, send those waiting away and let them know the position has been filled,” he ordered.

Secretary Po bowed then hurried from the office to do as instructed.

“What do you mean you already hired someone?” Dae-Ho asked, sitting up. “If you did, why are we interviewing old, fat, kimchi smelling guys?!”

Jae glared at him.

Rain screamed in frustration and started stomping her feet; she was too tired and hungry to deal with this at the moment.

“No. It’s my choice, Uncle,” she reminded him, trying to regain her composure. “And I chose to retire.”

“No, it isn’t. Not according to your contract,” Jae retorted.

The room started to spin and it got progressively harder to breathe.

Rain started hyperventilating.

“Oh crap,” Dae-Ho groaned.

For years Jae had promised Rain that her contract with NuStarr Talent Management was controlled solely by her. If she wanted to quit, settle down and start a family, go back to school, or find a new career, that was her choice and they’d honor it.

At-will contracts were unheard of, but she was worried that she would one day be a liability to her uncle’s company so she wanted that clause in her contact.

Now he was telling her that wasn’t how it was at all?

Not to mention, her uncle went behind her back and already hired a bodyguard?! Without her consent! That was overstepping his boundaries.

“I can’t… I can’t breathe,” Rain stammered, hyperventilating. “No, no, no. You lied to me…” she stammered, getting to her feet then hurried from the office.

Those in the reception area stood when she hurried past them, heading for the elevators.

“Myo Mi-Sun!” they called out after her.

Rain needed to compose herself, she needed a clear head in order to think straight, and to see the legal department about her contract.

“Myo Mi-Sun!”

Instead of waiting for the elevators since those in the reception area were on their feet, debating on following her or not, she hurried to the stairwell.

No one used the stairs outside of emergencies. The twenty-story building wasn’t the tallest in the area, but it had enough elevators that were fast so not many opted for the metal and concrete stairwell; it was always cold and not nearly lighted enough for most people’s liking.

At the moment Rain didn’t have a choice.

If she didn’t get some air, clear her head and compose herself, she’d lose it and that would cause Uncle to get upset which wasn’t good for his heart. It was bad enough she made him lose his temper, he very rarely loses his temper with her, and when he does it caused his blood pressure to skyrocket and that could lead to another heart attack.

Rain couldn’t handle losing her uncle; he was the only person other than Dae-Ho that she had in the world. Neither of the twenty-four year olds were remotely prepared for the real world without Uncle, and this outburst was proof that she was too childish to handle adult things.

Perhaps, instead of a bodyguard she needed to go back to school and learn how to be an adult?

The thought was as ridiculous as it was unrealistic.

There was nothing Rain was good at besides acting!

If she didn’t have that, what did she have?

Rain pushed the door open with force, well aware that the metal push bar required a bit of strength to open. But the force she smashed into it with wasn’t needed, and the door opened with ease.

So much in fact, that she stumbled into the stairwell head first, and her face rushed towards the steel handrail with a shriek.

Seemingly, as if time suddenly slowed, Rain’s progression stopped and she was suddenly being pulled back. Her legs disappeared, her breath rushed out of her, and suddenly she was being pulled into someone’s strong form.

Her heart was racing, she stopped breathing all together, and she couldn’t find a coherent thought.

Confused, Rain looked up at the man looking down at her; she was in his arms and he was protectively cradling her to his chest. There was concern in his beautiful hazel-green eyes, strong hands gripped her thighs, and his full lips puckered.

For the first time in her life, she was rendered breathless because of a man.

He was unfamiliar to Rain, but he was one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen; tall, broad shoulders, black hair cut in a style she hadn’t seen in Korea before, and beautiful, rounded hazel-green eyes. His complexion was warm beige with creamy yellow undertones, jaw wide, higher cheekbones, full lips, and nose was larger and rugged. His full brows were pulled together, causing a pucker to form between them that she wanted to smooth out with her thumb.

The suit he wore was designer and European in style; black on black with a black tie and vest. He had to be there for a modeling job, Rain thought, desperately trying to slow her racing heart. There was no way he wasn’t! Men that looked like that weren’t common in Korea, and Eurasians with such beautifully blended features true to their split heritage were in high demand at the moment.

Wasn’t this the exact type of moment Myo Mi-Sun had played for years on television and in movies? She falls into the arms of a handsome man that saves her from peril as if it is fated?

The man lowered his head down towards hers and his lips parted.

Rain’s heart raced even more, and without thinking about it, her lips started to pucker and she leaned up into him.

Never did she think those kinds of moments were real!

And she was right.