The day had been relatively quiet, which was a rare occurrence in Lorraine's life lately. As she sat by her desk at work, sipping on a cup of lukewarm coffee, her mind wandered. The company had an important project in the pipeline, but Lorraine's attention was pulled in a thousand directions, not least of all by the family drama that seemed to be intensifying.
Her phone buzzed on the desk, drawing her attention. It was a text from her mother, Krystal.
Krystal: Lorraine, I've been thinking about our last conversation. You should come live with me again. It's the right move. We need to be seen as a united front.
Lorraine stared at the message, her heart sinking. This wasn't the first time her mother had suggested this, but the pressure seemed to be mounting. Krystal's expectations had always been a heavy burden to bear—expectations to succeed, to look perfect, to embody the poised, untouchable image her mother had cultivated over the years as a public figure. Lorraine had moved out to create space between herself and that suffocating world, but Krystal never gave up easily.
Before Lorraine could respond, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was a message from her father, David.
David: Lorraine, I'm back in Seoul for good. I know things with your mother are difficult, but I'd like you to live with me. We could start over as a family. I want to make things right.
Lorraine leaned back in her chair, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. Both of her parents, notorious for their animosity toward each other, were now tugging her in opposite directions. They had never been able to agree on much, except, perhaps, that Lorraine should choose one of them over the other. The weight of their past loomed large over her, and she felt trapped between their competing visions of what her life should be.
She took a deep breath and decided to text Gabriel. He had a way of helping her see things clearly, and she needed his perspective.
Lorraine: Hey, can we meet up after work? I need to talk to you about something important.
Later that evening, Lorraine met Gabriel at their favorite café, a cozy place tucked away from the bustling streets. As soon as she walked in, Gabriel looked up from his phone, his expression softening when he saw her. He stood up, pulling her into a warm embrace before they sat down.
"You look stressed," Gabriel said, his eyes filled with concern as he reached across the table to take her hand.
Lorraine gave a weak smile, intertwining her fingers with his. "Yeah, it's been one of those days."
Gabriel tilted his head, waiting patiently for her to continue. He always gave her space, never pushing her to speak before she was ready.
"I got messages from both of my parents today," Lorraine finally said, her voice low. "They both want me to live with them."
Gabriel's brows furrowed. "Both of them? That's... complicated."
"That's putting it mildly," Lorraine said, letting out a frustrated sigh. "My mom keeps insisting that it's the best move for me. She wants us to present this united front, like we're this perfect mother-daughter duo. And then my dad... he wants to make things right between us. He's back in Seoul for good, apparently."
Gabriel squeezed her hand gently. "What do you want, Lorraine? It sounds like they're both thinking about what they want, but what about you?"
Lorraine bit her lip, her gaze dropping to the table. "I don't know. I moved out for a reason. My mom can be... overbearing, to say the least. She's a public figure, and I feel like I'm always just a piece in her image, rather than her daughter. But my dad... he left. He wasn't there when I needed him most, and now he wants me to just move in with him like everything's fine?"
Gabriel's eyes softened as he watched her struggle. He could see how torn she was, how the weight of her parents' expectations had pressed down on her for so long. "You don't have to choose either of them if you don't want to, you know. You've built your own life here."
Lorraine nodded, but the conflict still gnawed at her. "I know. But I also feel this... responsibility. Like I owe them something for all they've done for me."
Gabriel sat up a little straighter, his voice gentle but firm. "Lorraine, you don't owe them anything. They're your parents, and it's their job to support you, not the other way around. You need to do what's best for you, not what they expect or demand."
Lorraine closed her eyes for a moment, taking in his words. "You're right," she whispered. "But it's hard. They've been at odds for so long, and now they're both pulling me in opposite directions."
Gabriel leaned forward, his gaze steady. "Do you want me to come with you when you talk to them? I know this is a lot, but you don't have to face them alone."
Lorraine smiled at him, her heart swelling with gratitude. "You don't know how much that means to me."
That evening, Lorraine sat in her apartment, contemplating how to respond to both of her parents. Krystal's message had been direct, as always. She typed out a response and hit send.
Lorraine: Mom, I appreciate that you want me to live with you, but I need time to think. I can't just uproot my life again.
Almost immediately, her phone buzzed with an incoming call. Krystal's name flashed across the screen, and Lorraine took a deep breath before answering.
"Lorraine," Krystal began, her voice cool but edged with concern, "I don't think you fully understand what's at stake here."
"What do you mean?" Lorraine asked, already knowing where the conversation was headed.
"I'm talking about your future," Krystal said firmly. "You've worked hard to build a career, and being connected to me helps maintain that image. Living with me puts us in the public eye together—it solidifies our brand. You can't afford to make mistakes, especially with your father back in the picture."
Lorraine clenched her jaw. "This isn't just about image, Mom. It's about me living my own life."
Krystal sighed, as though speaking to a stubborn child. "Lorraine, I've always done what's best for you. Your father has never understood that. He's impulsive, reckless. Joining the Marino family was his biggest mistake. Being under Karl Marino's and Takako Fujimiya's tutelage... well, it cost him everything. It destroyed our family. I don't want you to follow in his footsteps."
Lorraine's heart pounded in her chest. "So you're saying everything that went wrong in our family was his fault? What about you, Mom? You've always tried to control everything, and when Dad couldn't take it anymore, he left."
Krystal's voice turned sharp. "He left because he was weak, Lorraine. And he cheated on me. That boy, Francis? He's the result of your father's infidelity."
Lorraine froze, her mind reeling from the revelation. She had always suspected there was more to her father's departure than he'd let on, but hearing the words from her mother's mouth shook her to her core.
"That doesn't excuse how you treated him," Lorraine said, her voice wavering but resolute. "He made mistakes, but so did you. And I'm not going to be used as a pawn in this war between you two."
Krystal's silence on the other end of the line was chilling. When she finally spoke, her voice was cold and detached. "You're making a mistake, Lorraine. You'll regret it."
Lorraine hung up, her hands trembling as she set the phone down on the table. Her mother's words echoed in her mind, but she pushed them away, refusing to let the guilt settle in.
Just as she was about to call Gabriel for some comfort, another message pinged through—this time from her father.
David: I'm free tomorrow evening if you want to talk. We can grab dinner, just the two of us. I'd like to explain some things.
Lorraine stared at the message, feeling torn once again. She wanted answers, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to hear the full truth from him. Everything felt too raw, too exposed. But part of her knew that confronting the past was the only way forward.
The next evening, Lorraine met her father at a quiet restaurant tucked away in a less busy part of the city. David was waiting for her at a small table near the back, looking a bit older and more weathered than she remembered. His hair was grayer, his face more lined, but there was a warmth in his eyes that she hadn't seen in years.
"Lorraine," he said, standing as she approached. "It's good to see you."
"Hi, Dad," Lorraine replied, offering a small smile as she sat down.
They ordered their meals, and for a few minutes, the conversation was light—catching up on work, life in Seoul, the usual pleasantries. But Lorraine could feel the tension building, the unspoken questions lingering between them.
Finally, she took a deep breath and spoke. "Mom told me about Francis. About your affair."
David's expression darkened, and he looked away, clearly uncomfortable. "I figured she might tell you eventually."
"Is it true?" Lorraine asked, her voice quiet but steady.
David nodded slowly, his shoulders sagging. "Yes. It's true. I made a terrible mistake, and it cost me everything."
Lorraine felt a lump rise in her throat. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"I wanted to," David said, his voice thick with regret. "But I didn't want to burden you with the truth. You were so young when it all happened, and I didn't want you to see me as the bad guy."
Lorraine looked down at her hands, her emotions swirling. "It wasn't just the affair, though, was it? Mom said joining the Marino family was your biggest mistake. That being involved with Karl and Takako is what ruined everything."
David sighed heavily. "Your mother and I had different views on a lot of things. She always saw the Marinos as a threat—too powerful, too controlling. But I believed in what Karl was trying to do. He wanted to change things, to bring about a new order. It wasn't easy, and it came with a lot of risks. Your mother... she never understood that."
Lorraine looked at her father, trying to reconcile the man she had known with the one who had made these decisions. "And now? What do you want?"
David reached across the table, taking her hand gently. "I want to make things right, Lorraine. I want to be in your life again, to be the father you deserve. I know I've made mistakes, but I'm trying to do better."
Lorraine swallowed hard, her heart aching with the weight of it all. She wanted to believe him, to trust that he had changed. But after everything that had happened, it was hard to know what was real anymore.
"I need time," she whispered.
David nodded, understanding in his eyes. "I'll be here when you're ready."
As they finished their meal, Lorraine couldn't shake the feeling that her life was being pulled in so many directions. Her parents, each with their own version of the truth, were vying for control over her future. But as she left the restaurant that night, she realized something important.
It was her life, and she was the only one who could decide where it would go from here.
Later that night, Lorraine found herself curled up on the couch in Gabriel's apartment, his arm wrapped around her shoulders as she rested her head on his chest.
"Thank you for being there for me," she murmured softly, her voice muffled against his shirt.
Gabriel kissed the top of her head, his voice tender. "You never have to thank me for that. I'm always here for you, Lorraine. No matter what."
And in that moment, Lorraine knew that, despite the chaos of her family, she had found something steady and true in Gabriel. It was the kind of love she had been searching for all along—the kind that wasn't defined by control or expectations, but by trust and support. And that, more than anything else, gave her the strength to keep moving forward.
----
After the long conversation about her parents and the emotional weight of the past few days, Lorraine felt a mix of exhaustion and relief as she lay next to Gabriel. The familiar warmth of his presence had a calming effect on her, making her feel safe and grounded, even with the whirlwind of thoughts and feelings swirling inside her.
The soft glow of the city lights filtered through the window, casting shadows that danced across the room. Lorraine looked up at Gabriel, her eyes filled with gratitude and affection. His strong arms were wrapped around her, his heartbeat steady and reassuring against her cheek.
"Thank you," she whispered again, her voice almost lost in the quiet of the room.
Gabriel tilted his head slightly, looking down at her with a soft smile. "You don't have to keep thanking me, Lorraine. I'm always here for you."
His fingers gently stroked her hair, a tender gesture that made her heart swell with emotion. She shifted slightly in his arms, lifting her head to meet his gaze. For a moment, they simply looked at each other, the unspoken bond between them growing stronger in the silence.
Lorraine reached up, her fingertips tracing the edge of Gabriel's jaw, her touch light and delicate. There was something in his eyes—something deep and intense—that made her pulse quicken. She could see the love and desire reflected in his gaze, a mirror of the emotions swirling within her.
"I love you," she whispered, the words slipping from her lips without hesitation.
Gabriel's breath caught for a moment, his eyes darkening with a mix of affection and longing. "I love you too, Lorraine. More than you know."
His voice was low, husky, and it sent a shiver down her spine. Without another word, he leaned down, capturing her lips in a slow, lingering kiss. Lorraine melted into the kiss, her body responding instinctively to the warmth of his touch. Her hands slid up to the back of his neck, pulling him closer as their kiss deepened.
The kiss was a slow burn, filled with tenderness but also an undercurrent of passion that had been building for some time. Gabriel's hand slid down her back, his fingers tracing the curve of her waist as he pulled her closer to him. Lorraine's heart raced, her breath hitching as she felt the heat of his body pressed against hers.
They had shared moments of intimacy before, but this felt different—more intense, more raw. The emotional weight of everything they had been through seemed to heighten the connection between them, making every touch, every kiss feel more meaningful.
As their kisses grew more urgent, Gabriel gently rolled them over so that Lorraine was beneath him. His lips trailed down her neck, leaving a trail of soft kisses that made her skin tingle with anticipation. Lorraine's fingers tangled in his hair, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she felt the weight of his body pressing against her.
"Gabriel..." she whispered, her voice filled with both desire and vulnerability.
He paused for a moment, looking down at her with a question in his eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked softly, his hand brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
Lorraine's heart swelled with love for him in that moment. He always made sure she felt safe, that she was in control. She nodded, her eyes locking with his as she whispered, "I'm sure."
That was all the confirmation Gabriel needed. He leaned down again, capturing her lips in a kiss that was both tender and passionate. Their movements were slow at first, filled with a sense of reverence and respect for each other. But as the moments passed, the intensity between them grew.
Lorraine's hands roamed over Gabriel's body, feeling the strength of his muscles beneath her fingertips. His touch was gentle yet firm, his hands exploring every inch of her skin as if memorizing the way she felt beneath him.
Their clothes were discarded in a series of slow, deliberate movements, each layer falling away until there was nothing between them but the warmth of their bodies. Gabriel's touch was reverent, his fingers tracing the curves of her body with a mix of admiration and desire.
Lorraine's breath hitched as Gabriel's hands slid down her sides, his touch sending waves of heat through her. He was slow and deliberate, his every movement filled with care and attention, as if he wanted to savor every moment with her. The way he looked at her made Lorraine feel like the only woman in the world, and in that moment, she was his—completely and utterly.
When their bodies finally came together, it was like the culmination of everything they had shared—the love, the trust, the vulnerability. Gabriel moved with a tenderness that made Lorraine's heart ache with love for him. Each touch, each kiss, each movement was filled with a sense of unity, as if they were two halves of the same whole, finally coming together.
Their lovemaking was slow and passionate, a shared dance of intimacy and connection. Lorraine's hands clutched at Gabriel's back, her nails digging in slightly as waves of pleasure washed over her. Gabriel's breath was hot against her skin, his whispered words of love and desire making her heart race.
As they moved together, it was as if the world outside faded away, leaving only the two of them in this moment. The worries and complications of their lives—her parents, their careers, the pressures of the outside world—disappeared, replaced by the simple, pure connection they shared.
After what felt like an eternity and a fleeting moment all at once, they finally came undone together, their bodies trembling with the release of all the tension and emotion that had been building between them. Gabriel collapsed beside her, pulling her into his arms as they lay together, their breaths heavy and synchronized.
For a long time, neither of them spoke. They simply lay there, wrapped in each other's arms, their bodies still humming with the afterglow of their shared intimacy. Lorraine's head rested on Gabriel's chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat soothing her.
"I love you," Gabriel whispered again, his voice soft and filled with emotion.
Lorraine smiled, her fingers tracing circles on his chest. "I love you too. So much."
In that quiet, intimate moment, Lorraine felt a sense of peace she hadn't felt in a long time. Despite all the chaos and uncertainty in her life, she knew one thing for sure—she had Gabriel. And that was enough.