Chapter 1
Sleek, cool, and mysterious, her hands grasped the wheel tightly as the car raced through the streets like a bullet. Her raven-black hair flowed in the wind like the mystery of the night, whipping around her heart-shaped face with reckless abandon.
The city lights blurred together as she sped down the highway, the engine of her sleek, black Lexus LC 500 purring smoothly beneath her. She was a woman on a mission, and nothing was going to get in her way.
As she drove, she dialed a number on her phone, the Bluetooth system connecting seamlessly. A cheerful voice answered on the first ring.
"Hey, girl! What's up?" Rachel asked, her voice bubbly and energetic.
Nalani smiled, feeling a sense of relaxation wash over her. "Not much, Rach. Just got back from a meeting with a potential new client for Velvet & Vesper. I'm thinking of taking on their marketing campaign."
Rachel squealed with excitement. "That sounds amazing! You're going to crush it, I just know it. What's the campaign for?"
Nalani's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "It's for a new fashion brand. They want to launch a major ad campaign, and I'm thinking of pitching them a social media-heavy strategy."
Rachel's voice was supportive. "That sounds like a great idea. You're always so good at thinking outside the box. I'm sure you'll get the account."
Nalani's confidence soared at her friend's words. "Thanks, Rach. I really appreciate your vote of confidence." Rachel had always been there for her. From the start to the finish, through thick and thin, when no one else was there, there was Rachel.
Rachel was like the sister she had always wished to have. Ever since summer camp, she had been there for her. Motivating her to keep pushing. It was all because of Rachel that Nalani's Velvet & Vesper company was able to have a hardworking CEO, cuz none of that wouldn't have been possible without Rachel's words. Nalani always wished to be like Rachel. Everytime.
" Lani, Lani, are you there?" Lani smiled as something flickered in her eyes but it was soon gone, " Yeah, I'm here"
Just as they were wrapping up their conversation, the Bluetooth system beeped, indicating an incoming call. Nalani glanced at the dashboard screen and saw that it was her mother, So-hee, calling.
Nalani's expression turned guarded, and she hesitated for a moment before answering. "Hey, Mom."
So-hee's voice was stern. "Nalani, Mother requests to see you. She's not happy about something, and I don't know what it is this time. What did you do?!"
Nalani's heart sank. She knew that tone all too well. Her grandmother, Hwang hyeon-ok, was not someone to be trifled with. The woman was the epitome of dignity, grace and discipline. She held a lot of authority in the Hwang household as the matriarch, and therefore, her words were not to be questioned.
From a young age, Nalani had always wondered what she had done to make her grandmother so angry with her. Whenever her grandmother looked at her, there was either a look of mockery or disgust.
Nalani had always tried her best to please her grandmother but with time, she gradually learnt that there was nothing she could do to please the great Hwang. Nalani had done all sort of things just to please her, but it seemed like the more she tried, the angrier the Great Hwang got.
Walking on eggshells was an understatement of what Nalani did for her grandmother. And yet, Madam Hwang always found a fault in her, scolding her at every chance she gets, and it always ended in " If only you were a son..."
Soon, she learnt that her grandparents' families cherished the men a lot and the women a lot less. A man was like a gem. You could say it was more of a dynasty in Lani's family. But then, she just couldn't change herself, could she?
Now that she was 24, sudden family interventions like these didn't scare her anymore. Because it had been engraved in her mind that everything she did was either not enough or wrong. Even walking on eggshells in this case was an understatement of what she did. But it still wasn't enough to satisfy the Great Hwang hyeon-ok.
"What did I do now?" Nalani asked, trying to keep her tone neutral.
So-hee sighed. "I don't know, Nalani. I really don't know. I should be asking you. But you need to come home quickly. Mother is waiting for you."
Nalani's grip on the steering wheel tightened. She knew she was in for a lecture. "Fine, Mom. I'll be there soon."
So-hee's voice was firm. "See that you are, Nalani. Mother is not a woman to be kept waiting."
Nalani ended the call, feeling a sense of nausea wash over her. She knew she was in for a long night.
.....
HWANG MANSION
BANG!!
" Where is that ungrateful wretch?!" Madam Hwang's voice echoed through the mansion. The family members of the Hwang family were all in a state of panic or glee. So-hee and her husband, Ethan Patel sat down with faces full of dread.
So-hee wondered exactly what her daughter had done to make Madam Hwang so angry. Now, the dragon really looked like a dragon. At about 2:00pm in the afternoon, Madam Hwang had become extremely furious. She had continuously demanded for Nalani only to be told she was at work.
The Great Hwang would just scoff and demand Nalani all over again. She even sent people to Nalani's company to drag the girl back to the mansion but they came empty handed saying she was not in the building. At this point, Madam Hwang had requested So-hee to call her daughter which was what led to the mother-daughter phone call.
" So-hee"
So-hee's head snapped up in response to her mother's call, " Yes mother?" Madam Hwang looked at her daughter, her eyes filled with anger for Nalani. " Where is that unfilial daughter of yours?"
Although, these words stung, So-hee didn't argue with her mother and only answered, " She will be here soon. Be patient, Mother".
Madam Hwang only tsked and turned her head away, her cane readily tapping the floor. Min su, Madam Hwang's only son, watched this scene with complex emotions.
Hwang Min su was a man of few words. He kept his emotions under control just like now. No one could tell what was hidden behind those dull brown eyes that rarely showed interest. This was another trait of him that madam Hwang enjoyed. Though he was the youngest, he was the most matured of his siblings.
Hwang ji won, on the other hand, stood behind the sitting Madam Hwang with an evil smirk on her face. She could hardly wait for Lani to get home so the drama could begin. She could only imagine the kind of discipline Madam Hwang will demonstrate with her this time. Even better would be if she didn't come home. That would really prove her unfilial and perhaps even anger Old Hwang the more, thereby increasing her blood pressure.
She looked at Madam Hwang. The woman was basically boiling with anger. At this rate, she'll drop dead from high blood pressure and then the properties could be shared to the first branch.
But as always, the girl had other plans as it was at this moment that the housekeeper announced, " The young madam is home".