Something Beautiful

Chapter - 53

Seconds passed by, but no one, including Uncle Monty, had, dare to be the first to raise a glass and drink old champagne taken from the underground storage warehouse to celebrate a wedding that never happened... No one included Mingyu.

As if oblivious to the tense atmosphere in the room, Mingyu turned the glass in her hand, noticed the glowing bubbles inside the crystal glass, then downed her drink. When he lowered his glass, he looked at Yugyeom with a mocking expression. "It's nice to know," she said coldly, "your sadness of knowing I died doesn't dampen your fondness for enjoying my best wine."

The grandmother frowned, Lisa's body stiffened, but Yugyeom accepted the sharp innuendo with an indifferent smile. "Let's just relax, we're always toasting to you every time we open a new bottle, Hawk."

From under her eyelashes, Lisa stole a glance towards the tall and mysterious figure in front of the fireplace, asking inwardly in a somewhat panicked manner what kind of man he really was. The man did not seem to be angry that Yugyeom had stolen his title, his money and his wife, but he was angry that his wine cellar had been robbed.

Mingyu's subsequent words immediately erased Lisa's initial estimate that the man had no concern for her estate. "How was the house doing during my departure?" he asked, and for the next hour he raised questions to Yugyeom, interrogating the man on the details of his eleven estates, his giant business, his personal investments, and even the health of his employees.

Every time the man spoke, his deep voice seemed to grind out Lisa's tense nervous veins, and sometimes, when he stole a glance towards the man, fear ambushed him, causing him to hurriedly turn his gaze back. Mingyu Kim who wore knee-length tights that accentuated his stocky, long legs and an open-collared shirt wrapped around his fielded shoulders, looked completely relaxed, yet there was an undeniable aura of power. It is now still restrained, yet it is gathering energy, waiting to be released against it. Lisa remembers the man as handsome, but not as masculine, or 'big' as this.

Mingyu was still very thin, yet the brownish skin he had gained during his escape and during his time on the ship made him appear much healthier than the white noble men. Standing almost within reach of Lisa's hand, the man appears to be looming like an evil demon, a dangerous and vile giant who suddenly puts Lisa in his life again, with power that can destroy all the happiness of Lisa's future. Lisa was not a lowly person, who would say she was sorry the man was still alive, but she really wished she had never met the man.

For a few moments that felt like centuries, Lisa sat still motionless, trying to control the tension within her, all her might trying to seem calm, clutching tightly to his calm demeanor was as if it was a blanket he could use to protect himself from Mingyu.

With fear mixed with recklessness, he waited for those inevitable moments, as Mingyu asked him a question. Nonetheless, when Mingyu had already finished discussing her other business status, and Lisa felt her anxiety begin to rise. When the topic was over, the man asked about the events that were taking place in London, then Lisa's panic turned into confusion. But when the man changed the subject and discussed gossip and other trivia and asked about the results of the spring horse race, Lisa's confusion turned to annoyance.

Clearly, the man considers Lisa to be no more important than the stallion of a two-year-old Lord or any other seemingly promising noble foal at the next season's horse race, Lisa realizes. Not that I should be surprised to know that, he reminded himself bitterly, for as he had known for some time, Mingyu Kim never thought of it as anything other than an annoying responsibility.

When all things, even the smallest, had been finished talking, the atmosphere of silence re-encompassed the room, and Lisa certainly thought the time had finally come. Just when he thought Mingyu was about to ask him four eyes, the man suddenly stood upright from his bent position over the fireplace and announced that he was going to come out.

Tatakrama requires Lisa to remain silent, but she can no longer stand still for an hour, let alone a day, waiting for the thrilling event. Determined to sound as calm and relaxed as possible, he said, "It seems like there's one more thing we need to discuss, Your Grace."

Without even bothering to look at Lisa, Mingyu reached out welcoming Yugyeom's handshake. "That's the thing that can wait," he said coldly. "If I'm done discussing more important matters, you and I will talk to each other."

The meaning that she is not something important enough is very clear from the sentence, Lisa's body stiffened hearing the deliberate insult. She had now become an adult woman, not a drunk little girl who was easy to play with and willing to do anything to please Mingyu. While controlling her anger with all her might, Lisa tried to argue logically, "Certainly humans deserve your time like the foal of a God you were talking about, and I'd rather talk about it now while we're all here."

Mingyu's head jolted towards her, and Lisa stopped breathing looking at the rage flaring in the man's eyes. "I said both!" hardiknya, let Lisa surprised because realized behind her cold and flat expression Mingyu Kim very angry. Before Lisa could digest it or withdraw her request, which she was about to do, the grandmother quickly got up and waved at Uncle Monty and Yugyeom to follow her out of the room.

The door to the sitting-room closed behind them with a thud, and for the first time in fifteen months, Lisa was with the man who had been her husband, and anxiously realized, they're just the two of them.

Through the corner of her eyes she saw the man walking to the table and pouring a glass of champagne for himself, and Lisa took advantage of the opportunity to really pay attention to Mingyu. What he saw made him tremble in fear. Panicking, he wondered why he used to be so innocent or so intoxicated that he imagined Kim Mingyu as a gentle man. Now, judging from the adult's glasses, he could not see any signs of tenderness or kindness in that hard and rough figure. How could I possibly equate him with Michelangelo's David, he thought.

Instead of being gentle and handsome, the brown-skinned figure of Mingyu looked more ruthless and haughty, indisputable, as seen from his hard jawline and straight nose, as well as having a strong determination when viewed from his chin raised up. Lisa shivered inwardly looking at the cynical demeanor in the man's eyes, the sharp innuendo she heard from the man's speech.

Once upon a time, he had felt that gray eyes were so soft, like the sky after the rain in summer, it was very shady. However, now all he could see were cold and unfriendly eyes like a layer of ice. An unfriendly or understanding eye. Oh, that man is indeed handsome, he admitted though reluctantly. Very handsome, in fact, but only if we are attracted to a man who is mysterious, rude, cunning and sensual, and he is sure he is not like that.

Trying to turn her brain around to find the best way to express her opinion, Lisa walked up to the table and poured herself a glass of champagne, unaware that the glass was still full, then he looked around trying to decide if he wanted to sit or stand. He decided to stand up so that the man did not seem too towering and frightening.

At the fireplace, Mingyu raised a glass to her lips while watching Lisa. There are only two possibilities as to why the woman insisted on wanting to talk to me, Mingyu thought. The first possibility is that Lisa really believes herself to be in love with Yugyeom, and that is why she wants to marry the man. If it was like that, the woman would soon say it, simply and honestly, as she had always been. The second possibility is that the woman wants to marry whoever holds the title of head of the Kim family. If that was the case, the woman would definitely now try to appease Mingyu with gentle and feminine words. But first Lisa had to wait for a while until Mingyu's anger subsided, just like she did now.

Mingyu drank up the champagne in his glass and placed it on the fire with a loud bang. "I'm waiting," he snapped impatiently.

Lisa jumped back and turned to look at the man, surprised to hear his sharp tone. "I know" he said, determined to speak as calmly and maturely as possible and made it clear that he did not want to be the responsibility of the man. On the other hand, he did not want to do or say anything that made the man know how sick, angry and wrong he had been all this while knowing how Mingyu actually felt towards him, she said, or how stupid he was to cry for the most famous playboy in London.

To add to the dilemma, in the mood as it is now it seems clear Mingyu will not think logically if talking about topics that can invite gossip, such as divorce. In fact, Lisa instinctively knew the man would react otherwise. "I don't know how to start," he said hesitantly.

"Then," the man sneered while his sharp gaze split Lisa's light blue satin dress, "let me give you some suggestions. If you mean to say sweetly how much you miss me, it seems like the dress you're wearing is a bit inappropriate. It's wiser if you change clothes first. But the dress is so beautiful." His lazy tone changed firmly and briefly. "Is it bought with my money?"

"No. actually, I don't know exactly.."

"Not to think about the dress," cut Mingyu into pieces. "Let's keep your cipher. Since you won't throw yourself into my arms and then shed happy tears at my return, while you're dressed as a bride, you'll have to think of another way to soften my heart and apologize to me."

"How did you start by saying how sad you were when you first heard I was gone forever?" continued Mingyu mercilessly, ignoring Lisa's anger. "That's better to hear. Then if you can shed a tear or two, you can tell me how you lost me, and cry and pray..."

It was almost exactly like reality so Lisa's voice shook with embarrassment and anger. "Stop! I don't want to do things like that at all! After all, you arrogant hypocritical guy, sorry about you I don't care at all."

"Your actions are stupid, my dear" said the man lazily, walking away from the fireplace. "At a time like this it is necessary to show a gentle demeanor and shed tears, not insult. After all, softening my heart should be your number one goal. The women of good descent and wanting to be Kim's mistress must make themselves well-liked by the Kim family's legitimate descendants who are single all the time. Well, since you can't change your dress and you can't cry, how about you tell me you miss me so much" the man sneered insolently. "You miss me, don't you? Very, very brave, I swear. I miss you so much that you want to marry Yugyeom just because she looks a little like me. That must be it, right?" taunted.

"Why are you acting like this?" scream Lisa.

Unwilling to bother answering the question, Mingyu walked over, looming over Lisa like a dangerous black cloud. "In a day or two, I'll tell you what I'm gonna do to you."

A confused mixed rage raged inside Lisa's mind, making her head dizzy. Mingyu Kim never cared for her and the man had no right, no reason to behave like an angry husband and feel so righteous! "I'm not a dead thing with no brain!" angry shouting. "You can't just throw me away like a piece of furniture!"

"can't?Just try?" challenge the man.

Lisa's mind spins hard looking for ways to assuage the man's absurd anger and calm his possibly hurt ego. While slouching his finger at his thick hair, he desperately sought a logical explanation. He is an innocent party and suffers in this relationship, but at this moment the man is the ruling and dangerous party, so he tries to give a reasonable explanation to him. "I can see you're angry..."

"You're very careful," mingyu sneered vilely.

Not caring about the insinuations, Lisa continued in a tone of voice she expected to be quite calm, "And I could see there was no point in arguing with you at this time of your mood..."

"Just go ahead and try it," Mingyu asked, but the look in her eyes implied the opposite as the man stepped closer to Lisa in a menacing manner.

Lisa hurriedly took a step back. "It's no use. You won't listen to my explanation. Anger shuts common sense..."

The quote from Ingersoll's words made Mingyu aghast, so he recalled the wavy-haired enchanting girl who quoted the words Buddha or John the Baptist, depending on the situation. Unfortunately, it only made Mingyu grow angry, because now this woman was no longer the girl she used to be. The woman had now become a cunning opportunist. If Lisa really wanted to marry Yugyeom for loving that man, Lisa would have said it by now, Mingyu knew that. But since the woman has not said anything yet, it seems that the woman wants to remain a daughter-in-law in this house, and be Kim's mistress forever.

And that was the problem Lisa had to face, Mingyu thought cynically. Lisa was unable to throw herself into Mingyu's arms in a convincing fashion and cried happily when Mingyu had just witnessed her almost getting married to another man, but the woman also could not risk letting Mingyu out of this house without taking steps for reconciliation. No, if the woman wants to remain valued and respected by her friends. To maintain that, the noble society had to see him on good terms with the current head of the Kim family.

Lisa has been an ambitious woman for the past fifteen months, Mingyu thought hatefully. Also pretty. Especially when viewed up close, with his dark brown hair that glittered down to his shoulders and scattered on his back like rolling waves, in contrast to his ivory-white skin, hazel eyes bright, dark eyes, and soft red lips. When compared to the blond woman Mingyu had seen, who was usually considered the most beautiful, Lisa was very very attractive and not boring.

He stared fixedly at the woman, convinced Lisa was a cunning opportunist, but with all that evidence he could find no trace of innocence in those eyes that glittered furiously and a face that looked up at him. Furious at himself for not wanting to see Lisa as she was now, Mingyu turned around and walked towards the door.

Lisa saw the man walking away, various kinds of emotions raging within her including anger, relief, and anxiety. The man paused for a moment in the doorway and Lisa's body stiffened instantly.

"I'll move here tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll leave some instructions to you. You can't go with Yugyeom anywhere!"

The man's tone of voice signaled to Lisa that he would receive severe punishment if he defied her orders, and although he could not imagine what kind of punishment he would receive, or why she was willing to give up and face various kinds of gossip, Lisa for a few moments was quite daunted to hear that threatening tone. "In fact, you can't leave this house. Youunderstand?"

Struggling to show an indifference that was completely incompatible with what she felt, Lisa shrugged her shoulders slightly and said, "I speak fluently in three languages, Your Grace. One of them is English."

"You want to hunt me down?" mingyu asked softly in a threatening tone.

Lisa's bravery fought with her wits, but none of them won. Afraid to continue but unwilling to back down, he tried to persevere by venturing out to speak in the tone adults used to calm an angry child, "I don't want to talk about that or anything else if you're in this absurd mood."

"Lisa," Mingyu said in a vile tone, "if you want to know how far you can push me, you've just come to the limit. In my unreasonable mood? Like this now? There's nothing that satisfies me the most but closing this door and spending the next ten minutes keeping you from sitting down for a week. Do you understand what that means?"

Threatened to be hit like a child undermined Lisa's confidence and made her feel as helpless and weak as a year ago in front of Mingyu. He lifted his chin and said nothing, but a red hue of embarrassment appeared on his cheek, and frustrated tears burned his eyes.

Mingyu looked at the woman silently, then was satisfied that the woman had been successfully tamed, regardless of manners she walked out without nodding her head at Lisa.