She removed her gardening outfit and motioned me to follow to her room. There's a small study area by the window in her room. The main study area of the house is for my brother's official business. She went through some envelops on her desk and finally handed me one of the manila envelopes.
"I never thought this would surface ever. But this was the pictures from your father's luggage before. I was surprise to see it from the old stuff." She started.
"Do you remember what really happened?"
"I don't know if you remember, but the first time he went to Korea was when Marc is just 3-month old, but he didn't get the job that the agency promised him because he is a family man. So, based on his agency's suggestion we paid someone for the passport. That's why we sold your father's share in this farm before."
"It was good at first, I was pregnant with Katrina when he finally had the job in a factory. Then he came home after a year. I don't know if you remembered those times, we have to go to Laoag to call at RCPI once a month. He got promoted after that, then he came home again when Katrina was born. After 5 months, he went back. In 1992, that was the last time he came home, although he sends money every month, the calls became irregulars. Until after 3 years he got deported because of his fight with his boss…"
"I found out from his luggage finally about him having another woman because of these pictures, I confronted him. But he hasn't really confessed until, Edward came home after 3 months as well. He was the one who worked with him at that company, he also got deported. He would have not said anything if he didn't need my help for his teacher's ranking." She continued. Edward Villa, the one who they though cause the accident of Jae-woo's grandparents.
"So, what did you find out?"
"Your father had another family in Korea. He had 2 kids with that woman. But I have never became interested with it at all. I gave your father a choice that time, he can continue communicating with that woman or he can leave us."
"So, he made the choice…" I continued. If probably technology is as advanced that time as it is now, he would have easily contacted them again.
"I have never made an effort to know what really transpired in Korea, because I decided to erase that memory from us, so whatever happened in there, you can ask Edward…" she stated. She seemed to have made peace with that part of our past.
"How can I contact him?"
"You can just go their house, or I can ask him to come here…but why are you so interested om this now…?" I thought she will remain uninterested, I guess she wanted to know.
"Jae-woo's family owns Namshin…" I casually declared.
"What?!" I knew she will be surprise.
"Funny coincidence, right?"
"So, have you met them?" she became intrigued now.
"Nope. She had been estranged from her family since that incident in 1995." I informed.
"What would you do if you meet them?" she asked. I know it was a distant past. But the thought of having to meet them, I haven't really considered much about it. They have their own lives now, the oldest might be 34 years old already. They might have their own career as well, and I wouldn't worry about money, they will be taken care of by Namshin. It's not liked my father have anything to do with RTR, aside from the name. It has been 20 years since his passing.
I have always given him high regard. The reason of leaving my name and earning this Phd is all because of him. But to learn about his infidelity and having other life back then, the pedestal is crumbling. I knew it's useless now. But I have just began to develop an admiration for my Mom. I have never been close to her, I always thought she was cold and manipulative. Thinking about it now, she had gone through a lot from my dad. I approached her and gave her a hug. She was surprise.
"Thank you for everything and I'm sorry if I'm bringing this up now. I hope you understand. I finally found someone who loves me, I don't want to lose him, but if this will be hard to bear, I have to make a choice." I admitted.
"It was the past. If you let the past ruin your future, you'll never be happy. We've gotten this far because of you, and I would have never expected to have this life at my age. I am always grateful to my first born, because of you, life became much easier. You have always been there helping me out, from the time he went abroad and until he died, so if it's my time to support you for your happiness, I would do my best. We will be here, it's time for you to finally be happy," she is sincere. I know that.
She was so devastated when he found out about my marriage. Now, I understand. For her to have undergone this episode with my dad and still manage to hold her marriage together. There should be a way to work it out with mine. But she eventually supported me when he learned how much I'm suffering. She was there to help me through.
"Can you invite Uncle Edward for a meeting at lunch tomorrow?"
"Ok. But what will you do today then?"
"I'll have an online consultation at 1pm, then I will go visit Hazel after."
I went to eat breakfast. Thinking about my father and how he managed to totally abandon his family in Korea. So, if he was not deported, he would have been living his life with them. James and Daniel would have not been born. I always have this idea of him as being the person who changed my life. His death is my turning point, if he didn't die, I would have not gone to Denmark, I would have been a lawyer now. So, his brief life is the essential piece that fate made for all of us. He will always be the person who will define my life no matter what. My past that shaped my present and is also having a part in defining my future.