*Mackenzies pov
"What's the point?" I ask "You've made your mind up about me already, what do you need to know any other details for?"
"After I found out about my siblings existence I made it my mission to find out as much as possible about you, and them. I kept my meeting with Shaun, we discussed furthering my career over drinks... lots of drinks! I made sure I didn't drink too much as I wanted to keep a clear head. Shaun however drank a lot! He really has got a big mouth hasn't he, even more so when drinking. I asked how he'd managed to bag himself such a babe... with his ego stroked, he couldn't tell me quickly enough how he had taken you and your, to quote him directly, 'little bastards' in after you'd been left in the lurch by the kids father. He told me all about your first meeting with him. How he seduced you, made you believe he loved you and the kids, showed you off, behaved like a perfect gentleman... well, until you married, then he showed his true self, just as many abusers do. He said he wanted you so badly he was prepared to behave in such a pathetic way, sending flowers, taking you on trips, buying gifts for the kids, but had no intention of keeping that up after the wedding. As far as he is concerned your marriage certificate is proof of his ownership of you"
I remain quiet, prepared to listen to his story.
"Shaun told me that recently he has become bored of his life with you, that he has a new girlfriend who is pregnant with his child and he wants rid of you. He said that he had a plan to get rid of you and the kids, and earn a huge sum of money all in one foul swoop. No divorce. He told me of his plan. He told me he had dirt on someone, someone powerful with lots to lose. He had approached this person with his plan. You would be kidnapped and killed, Shaun would get the insurance money and be free of you. The kids would meet an accident later, topping up the cash reserves. Shaun would also keep the secret of your children's parentage, for a hefty price. My father was the powerful person.... you were the dirt..... my father was tasked with organising the takeover of Big Hit productions for Shaun in return for his silence. He agreed. He had no choice in his mind. He is a proud man, ironically he talks of honour all the time, but he clearly has no idea what honour is" Yoongi says sarcastically
I am stunned by all this information. My brain literally aching, I can't quite comprehend what I'm hearing.
"Shaun and I had a prenuptial agreement before our wedding. I had made some money myself which I wanted to keep secure for the kids futures. He wanted to protect what he had worked hard for. It was a mutual agreement. Why does he need to kill me? If he divorces me he owes me nothing"
"True" Yoongi agrees "but why leave a marriage with what you had at the start when you can leave it £20 million and a music production company better off? Tell me all about how you met my father.... please" he pleads
"I don't know where to start! It feels wrong to discuss this with you, especially since your mother is now passed"
"Maybe the day you first met would be a good place to begin" he responds
"Ok. Well, I had just finished senior school. I had achieved excellent grades and had big plans for my future. I was 16, inquisitive and ambitious. I wanted to study international law and politics, with the intention of working for the foreign office. I've always wanted to make a difference, to help people who can't help themselves. I had planned to take some A levels and then go to university but one of my school teachers put my name forward for a mentoring program just starting, taking students and matching them with a foreign diplomat from a number of different Countries. I was ecstatic to be recommended for such an amazing opportunity. In return for being taught about foreign law and diplomacy I would teach my mentor how to speak English. My mentor was your father"
We have moved from the bedroom and are now sitting on the sofa, side by side. Me with my legs folded up under me, Yoongi with his legs stretched out infront of him.
"We hit it off straight away. Even though we didn't speak the same language, we managed to communicate with each other. Your father is very good at making himself understood without words. He is a very smart man and he learned to speak basic English very quickly, making it easier for us to talk to each other. We visited Art galleries, the theatre, and went for walks in the beautiful parks. We went out for dinners. All these trips were to allow your father to practice his English. He did really well. We talked about his life in Korea. He told me that he had had a wife but she had passed away a few years before"
Yoongi looks visibly shocked when I tell him that, but that look of shock is rapidly replaced by something else. Anger? No, utter fury!!
I pause and swallow hard. I don't really want to tell him what I am about to, but I will. Im scared of his reaction given his state already but he deserves to know his Father is an Arsehole!
"I asked him about his children."
"And?" Yoongi enquires stonily
"..... and he said.... he said... well, ermm, he said he didn't have any!"
His face falls, he looks absolutely desolate. How awful to find out from your fathers mistress that your father denies your existence! I feel devastated for him. His straightens his back and his face hardens.
"Continue" he gestures, extending his hand infront of him.
"We spent time together everyday. The time we were in each other's company getting longer and longer each time. The day I realised I was in love with Jay... your father..... was one I'll never forget. It was the greatest shock of my life.
We had just attended the ballet. The story was so romantic, after it finished we walked along the Thames, the weather warm with a gentle breeze. We stopped to look out across the water and that's when he kissed me. I hadn't ever felt anything like it. I got goosebumps across my entire body, my knees went weak, I felt like I couldn't breathe, my skin on fire. It was the most amazing feeling I have ever felt, I didn't want it to end."
Yoongi continues to listen, although he appears pale and seems sad rather than angry now.
"When we arrived back at his room Jay took my hands and told me that he loved me. I was so happy. I told him I loved him too. That was the first time we slept together. I'm not going into details about that with you, but I was head over heels in love with your father. I basically moved into his room at that point, spending as much time together as we could. He was 30 years my senior but I really didn't see that. He was just the most amazing man. Funny, kind, interesting. I didn't care what age he was, but I knew my parents would object, so we had to keep our relationship a secret.
We had spent a blissful 3 months together before I found I was pregnant. I was happy, but also terrified. I loved your father, but felt too young to be a mother. Your father, who had initially seemed utterly shocked at the pregnancy was so supportive. He paid for private hospital appointments. We went to the scans together, shopping for baby things. Your father organised a small apartment for me nearby to the embassy. He said that it would be difficult for him to see me at his hotel as gossip could ruin his career. I understood, so was happy to stay away from his workplace. Jay still came and visited frequently, helping me decorate the apartment, choosing and building baby furniture. Your father is NOT patient when it comes to flat pack furniture" I say with a small laugh. "He had a few tantrums, but that made him more appealing to me, he wasn't perfect, he had his flaws, but he was perfect for me. I gave birth to our beautiful son Shay 6 months later. Your father was over the moon with joy. He had a son. Five months after Shay was born your father had to leave to go back to Korea. There was apparently something that needed immediate personal attention. He told me he would be back soon. He continued to pay the rent on the apartment, and sent money for Shay. I was so lonely, I missed Jay so badly. Shay was a good baby, but being a mother is hard work, especially alone. I became sad, and tried many times to contact your father, I wrote letters to the embassy, I tried his mobile number, always with no reply.
I became more despondent, couldn't eat too well, and began to lose weight and vomit pretty often. I saw the doctor who happily reported that I was infact 2 months pregnant with my daughter"
"That must have been hard for you" he says
"It was so tough. I was a young, jobless, single mother, relying on a monthly allowance coming from the opposite side of the world to keep us. I'm not sure how I knew, but I knew Jay was never coming back. I swallowed my pride and went home to my parents. They were furious with me for getting pregnant twice in such a short period and at such a young age, but mainly for doing it all alone and denying them the knowledge they already had a 5 month old grandson! They did not ask about the father, and I didn't tell them anything. The shock of me being pregnant was enough, I couldn't tell them that the father was older than them! They told me that despite this not being the path they would have chosen for me this early in life, they were proud of the job I was doing with Shay, and they would continue to support me as best they could. Bo was born 8 months later. She was... is.... perfect. Both her and her brother looked so much like Jay though.... it really hurt to begin with, but as time passed I stopped looking for Jay in their faces, then I only saw me.
They were MY kids. I would love and protect them always, no matter what.
My parents were able to help me look after the kids and I was able to get a job at Shauns company, starting on a basic salary in the post room. I enjoyed it, and it gave me a little cash to help my parents out financially. They are by no means rich, and 3 extra mouths to feed was hard on us all, but we made it work.
After a few months I was promoted, then again and again. Within 2 years I was brokering deals between the company and huge Artists, and earning a tidy wage plus commissions. I saved most of it. After paying my parents for feeding and housing us I really had no reason for money. I didn't want to go out as I had my kids. I had no desire to buy things for myself. I met Shaun at an office party when Shay was 4, Bo almost 3. In hindsight I realise that where meeting your father was the best thing that had ever happened to me, meeting Shaun was the worst!"