EPISODE 1 – LIGHTING THE FIRE

 

Danielle Randolph sat at her antique secretary desk in her office in her century old Pink Lady Victorian home in Jackson, GA. Her hands were folded and pressed tightly against her lips, fingers interlaced. She stared intently at her reflection in the laptop screen in front of her. Her naturally platinum blonde hair was neatly arranged in the classic bun that she typically wore at the hospital where she had been working as a nurse since college graduation.

 

She debated about whether to take out the pins that held it in place and let it cascade down her back. Hoonie had always loved her long hair. She wondered if he would be impressed that it was now down past her knees. As appealing as the notion was that playing on the past would give her any type of advantage in dealing with her daughter’s biological father, her decades of trained calculating logic from work wove a coldly different reality.

 

            ‘No,’ she thought to herself. The second wealthiest and most powerful Chairman in South Korea would not be swayed by such a blatant attempt at emotional appeals. If anything, it would work against her and not for her. Such a maneuver would diminish her capacity as an adversary in his eyes. Although he would never openly admit it, she knew at the core of her being that he held at least a grudging admiration of her in her ability to keep Angelique’s existence hidden from him for almost two decades.

 

            When she had learned that she was pregnant, she dropped out of medical school, legally changed her name, completed nursing school, and moved to a small rural town in the middle of nowhere. She did it all in an effort to protect her daughter from becoming a pawn in the Chairman’s corporate chess game. Chaebol machinations outside the legal system were well known to any who even superficially delved into the culture.

 

Even though she knew that Angelique had dabbled in the realms of KPop and KDrama, she had managed to keep her daughter relatively insulated from that world until the end of her junior year. It was then that a foreign exchange student from Seoul had won her heart. Unfortunately, for everyone concerned, that student was none other than the heir to the first largest, wealthiest, and most powerful family conglomerate.

 

Things might have settled back to normal once he had returned to South Korea except that the boy had interfered and she had been caught red-handed keeping the scholarship that he had created for her under wraps. Angelique was far too young at the time to understand her reasons for doing what she did nor was her daughter likely to even attempt to do so. She was at that stage where she knew everything.

 

Danielle knew that she may even have been able to salvage that fiasco but a DNA test, given to her as a graduation present by her best friend in attempt to help her locate her father’s family, had revealed the skeleton that she had kept in the closet for so long. The fact that secret was out was at the center of the dilemma that she currently faced.

 

Once Chairman Min had learned of Angelique’s existence, a series of mind games had begun. It was mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausting for everyone close to her daughter. Angelique had aggravated the situation by accepting the proposal of the young man. Unlike America, South Korea still practiced arranged marriages especially at that economic caste. Angelique’s engagement had been an unintentional declaration of war between the families.

 

While Lee Hyung-Joo was ready to sever his family ties if that was what it took for them to be together, Angelique was not so ready to turn her back on the brother that she had just learned that she had. They had quickly developed a strong and loving bond that she did not want to lose.

 

Angelique had returned to Seoul after breaking her engagement to Lee Hyung-Joo in an attempt to get her father’s approval and permission for the wedding. In the end, the only way for her to do that was to blackmail both Chairman Min and Chairman Lee. She had managed that with the help of her fiancé and her best friend, Jessica Yoo. They had threatened to marry each other if Angelique and Hyung-Joo’s union was not approved.

 

The only reason this had worked was that Jessica was a ‘nobody.’ She had no standing on the social register and a marriage like that would have resulted in Hyung-Joo being disowned and losing his birthright as heir to LH Group. Chairman Lee did not intend to allow three generations of hard work to crumble because his bratty offspring was too blinded by love to realize that almost a quarter million people would lose their jobs if the corporation collapsed. South Korea conglomerates were highly susceptible to scandal based on the morals and behavior of the family members. One such as Hyung-Joo marrying Jessica, even against family wishes, would quickly cause stock prices to plummet. At least Angelique could be legitimized if her DNA records were accepted and verified and Chairman Min had her placed on the family registry.

 

But Danielle knew Dong-Hoon well enough to know that he would not let the matter rest. He was not about to allow Angelique to live her life in any manner other than what he chose. Her job as her mother was to see that didn’t happen.

 

During Angelique’s recent visit to Seoul, she had not been idle. She had made plans of her own. All of them depended on the outcome of the video chat that she was about to initiate. Which avenue she decided to travel was up to him. The dread in the pit of her stomach told her that the path was not going to be easy or pleasant.

 

Danielle’s finger hovered hesitantly above the green button on the touch screen that would complete the video call. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before making the connection.

 

***

 

Chairman Min sat behind his walnut, leather topped executive desk as he waded through the piles of items that demanded his signature. He stiffened when he saw the incoming call. He had no clue as to why that woman would be calling after the havoc that she had created. He briefly entertained the notion of not answering. No, he would hear what she had to say even though he seriously doubted that it could be of any consequence.

 

“Speak.” he commanded.

 

“Nice to see you again too, Hoonie.” Danielle said coldly but smiled reminiscently as she used the affectionate suffix of his given name as she had when they were lovers. She noted that he had aged well despite a few fine lines around his deep brown, almond-shaped eyes. Angelique had inherited quite a few of his features including his eyes. She was never quite able to look at her daughter without also thinking of him. It had only served to strengthen her resolve throughout the years and set plans in motion should this day ever arrive.

 

“If all you have is small talk, our conversation is at an end.” Dong-hoon reached forward to disconnect the call.

 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Danielle warned, a cold edge in her voice.

 

The Chairman scanned her face for telltale signs of bluffing. He saw none. She met his gaze directly, never breaking eye contact. If anything, the bunched skin beneath her eyes and the crinkles at the side of them indicated that she was laughing at him. He leaned back in his chair.

 

“You are in no position to make threats.” he sneered. He knew all too well her socio-economic status. One call from him, well maybe two, and he could have everything she had ever worked for disappear – home, job, pension. Not to mention that bastard that she had brought into this world. He should have shipped her off to Costa Rica as he had originally planned. He had gotten greedy in thinking that he could arrange an AMMA – Arranged Marriage of Merger and Acquisition – with the Parks two children thereby dethroning the Lee’s from the #1 corporate rankings and solidifying their station.

 

“Nonetheless, I am warning you. Leave her alone and let her live her life as she pleases. You are just being petulant over the fact that she got the best of you.” Danielle leaned forward and smirked as she continued, “You should be proud. Your daughter turned out to be just like you.”

 

He refused to acknowledge aloud that he had been stewing over how to crush his illegitimate offspring without backlash on his son, himself or the empire that they had built. Despite the fact that she knew him well enough to figure that out did not change the situation. She was powerless to stop him. So why was she deliberately provoking him?

 

“I fail to see what you hope to accomplish by spewing vague and idle threats.” he harrumphed.

 

“Don’t test me Hoonie. I am telling you for the last time. Leave her alone or you will be sorry.” Danielle’s jaw was set and determined as she made her final plea. She sat back in her chair and waited.

 

“Your bravado is amusing but completely ineffectual. Do your best.” He fell backward laughing and ended the call.

 

Danielle Randolph once again folded her hands and pressed them tightly against her lips, fingers interlaced. She stared blankly at the screen in front of her contemplating her choices. She had fervently prayed that it would not come to this but he had left her no other option.

 

Hoonie simply saw her as a weak, poor, powerless individual. It was a façade that she had cultivated well over the years. She pulled herself upright and squared her shoulders. He should have looked past the superficial.

 

Chairman Min’s anger and focus were completely misplaced. It was she who first defied him by disappearing with Angelique in the first place. It was she who had sheltered her for nearly two decades from his manipulative mind games. It was she who, despite not having the legal title, was just as much a Chairwoman as he was a Chairman. Moreover, whether he believed it yet or not, it would be she who bested him last and she who would be the one to bring him down. All it would take to set it all in motion would be one phone call.

 

She eyed the burn phone that had been sitting next to her computer. She briefly wondered whether the events that she was about to set in motion would harm her daughter more than help her. However, it was only a fleeting thought. She knew that her daughter stood absolutely no chance against the combined wealth and power of Chairman Min and Chairman Lee. Not in the long term. Not in the end game. If Angelique were to have any hope of happiness, she could not afford to wait any longer. She needed to set her plan into action now.

 

Danielle picked up the phone that contained only one other number – another burn phone. She sent a two-word text giving instructions to the recipient. Then she regally stood, closed the lid of her laptop, crossed the room, and threw the phone into the fireplace. She crossed her arms and watched it melt. She should not have to wait long. But it would be agony until then.

 

***

 

On the other side of the world, a burn phone vibrated in Choi Yo-Hyun’s jacket pocket. His heartbeat quickened. Even though he had waited impatiently for his instructions, he was still startled now that they had arrived. What he was about to do would forever alter many lives, including that of his employer – Min Seung-Hwa.

 

Yo-Hyun had been with Seung-Hwa as his personal secretary/assistant all through the Young Master’s college years and as Seung-Hwa apprenticed to take over the business upon Chairman Min’s retirement.

 

He had come to think of Seung-Hwa as his hyung (older brother). The Young Master allowed him to speak freely on more than one occasion, which normally violated the employer-employee relationship at the corporate level at which he worked. It was during one of these sessions that Yo-Hyun had confessed that he was in love with the Young Master’s little sister – Angelique Randolph.

 

While he knew that nothing would ever come of it because of the difference in their stations, he had been quite clear that he would protect Angelique with his very life if necessary, even over that of Seung-Hwa. He had volunteered to get whatever training was required of him in order to fulfill that promise in the event that the Chairman chose to have Angelique ‘disappear’ to a remote foreign country as so many other illegitimate Chaebol offspring often had. To his surprise, Seung-Hwa had not fired him on the spot. He took that as a good sign.

 

Despite that, he was not at all sure that what he was prepared to do would be met with the Young Master’s approval even though it was both in his and his sister’s best interest. In some ways, he felt like he was betraying him. He only hoped that, should he be caught, he would be given the opportunity to explain himself. And, hopefully forgiven.

 

Yo-Hyun fished the phone from his pocket and read the short message - IMPLEMENT STAGE-1. Without hesitation, Yo-Hyun sent a mass text and mass email with multiple photo attachments to the group contact that had been created on the phone prior to him being entrusted with it. He systematically deleted everything prior to intentionally dropping the phone into a pitcher of water that was on the conference room table where he had been working. He then retrieved it, wiped it clean of prints with his handkerchief, balled it up inside several pieces of used paper and threw the small bundle into the incinerator chute.

 

After completing these tasks, he made a mental note to retrieve phone-2 from the floor safe at his apartment when he returned home. Then he went about his normal daily routine as if nothing had happened.

 

***

 

Editors of every gossip tabloid regardless of their written or virtual format, received photos of Min Seung-Hwa either carrying or reading a book entitled Off Seoul Searching by Angelique Randolph. Each editor questioned how the anonymous sender had managed to secure his or her personal email and personal hand phone number. Each wondered why someone thought those photos were a newsworthy item even if it did involve the 2nd most eligible bachelor in South Korea. Each smelled a story and ordered their staff writers to go with the publication of the photos in the society section with an appropriate sensationalized caption. Each ordered the office secretary to bring them a copy of the book STAT!