Forbidden Desire

I lowered my head, a wave of guilt washing over me as I contemplated the impending deception I would have to perpetrate. Lies had never sat well with me, and the prospect of deceiving my aunt weighed heavily on my conscience.

“Do you think he’d be interested in someone like me, auntie? Of course nothing happened,” I replied, my words tinged with a mixture of apprehension and relief. As my aunt sighed with apparent relief, she handed me the notebook, her expression softening with a gentle smile.

“That’s better, my child. I hope it stays that way,” she murmured, her tone gentle yet firm.

“Of course! I’m going to my room…” I trailed off, turning to leave, only to be halted by the sound of my aunt’s voice calling after me.

“Jane?” Her voice was soft, a hint of warmth threading through the gentle concern in her tone.

I turned back to face the older woman, her smile casting a sense of warmth that enveloped me like a comforting embrace.

“Huh?” I responded, my voice tinged with curiosity.

“Your drawings are beautiful! You’re very talented! Your grandmother would be proud,” she remarked, her words stirring a swell of emotion within me. Unable to contain my feelings any longer, a tear escaped my eye, trailing down my cheek in silent testament to the depth of my gratitude. Drawing closer to the older woman, I embraced her, finding solace in the familiar embrace reminiscent of my grandmother’s comforting presence.

“Hey! Don’t cry, okay? It’s all right. I didn’t mean it,” my aunt murmured soothingly, her hand stroking my hair in a tender gesture of comfort.

“I know, auntie. Thank you for worrying about me,” I replied, my voice thick with emotion as I sought refuge in her comforting embrace.

Jinhee approached me slowly, her expression one of excitement quickly tempered by concern as she noticed my tears.

“What happened? What happened?” she inquired, her voice laced with genuine concern.

“Nothing, we’re just two silly girls who get emotional about nothing,” I reassured her, forcing a smile to mask the turmoil roiling within me.

“Yeah, I know how it is. Well, I’ve come to tell you some good news: I’m going away this weekend to my parents’ house and you, Dona Amelia, are coming with me because the house has no housekeeper,” Jinhee announced, her enthusiasm momentarily dampened by my somber demeanor.

My aunt’s reaction was less enthusiastic, her expression shifting as if she had been invited to a wake.

“Jane too?” she inquired, her tone tinged with resignation.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“No, Jane is on medical leave, the doctor has forbidden her to work out,” Jinhee explained, her words carrying a note of finality.

“Is Mr. Park going?” my aunt pressed, her curiosity evident in the furrow of her brow.

“No, he’s going on a business trip to Thailand. Is it okay if you stay alone, Jane?” Jinhee turned her attention to me, her gaze searching for reassurance.

“No problem at all. In fact, I’d love a few days away from all of them to get my head around it,” I replied, my voice tinged with a hint of relief at the prospect of solitude.

“Good! Miss Amelia, then pack my suitcase with lots of bikinis, camisoles, and summer dresses,” Jinhee instructed, her excitement returning with renewed vigor.

“Yes, ma’am!” my aunt responded dutifully, her expression resigned yet accommodating.

“Well, that’s all. I’m going to bed!” Jinhee announced, her enthusiasm undimmed as she prepared to retire for the night.

“Okay. Have a good night!” I bid her farewell, my voice tinged with a sense of finality as I watched her depart.

“You too,” Jinhee replied, her voice carrying a note of warmth as she disappeared from view.

As my aunt and I retired for the night, I couldn’t shake the sense of unease that lingered in the air, a silent reminder of the tumultuous events that had transpired throughout the day. Taking a long shower, I sought solace in the familiar routine, allowing the warm water to wash away the remnants of the day’s turmoil.

As I finally settled into bed, exhaustion washed over me, yet sleep remained elusive. Despite my best efforts to quiet my mind, thoughts of Jason continued to plague me, his presence a constant presence in the recesses of my mind.

The next day dawned with renewed vigor, my foot no longer aching as I tentatively resumed my daily routine. Though my aunt initially resisted, her concern for my well-being ultimately won out as she relented, allowing me to ease back into my duties with caution.

As I made my way to the office to perform some simple tasks, my heart quickened at the thought of seeing Jason once more. Knocking on the door, I braced myself for his presence, my pulse quickening with anticipation.

“Come in!” Jason’s voice, tinged with warmth, beckoned me inside, his demeanor relaxed yet attentive as he greeted me with a smile.

Entering the room, I found him seated behind his desk, his posture relaxed yet commanding as he perused a stack of papers. Clad in glasses, he exuded an air of quiet confidence, his presence casting a magnetic pull that left me momentarily breathless.

“M-” I began, my voice faltering as I struggled to maintain my composure in his presence.

“M?” Jason echoed, his gaze locking with mine in a silent exchange that spoke volumes.

Summoning all my courage, I pressed on, determined to fulfill my duties despite the tumult of emotions raging within me.

“Mrs. Park asked me to dust the furniture there,” I explained, my voice tinged with a hint of nervousness.

“Shouldn’t you be resting?” Jason’s concern was evident, his brow furrowing with genuine worry as he regarded me with a mixture of compassion and curiosity.

“I feel better already,” I reassured him, my voice tinged with gratitude for his concern.

“Okay. Make yourself at home then,” Jason replied, his attention returning to the papers before him as I set about my task.

As I dusted the furniture, I couldn’t shake the feeling of Jason’s gaze upon me, his presence a comforting yet unsettling presence that sent a shiver down my spine. Climbing a small ladder to reach the higher shelves, I felt his eyes follow my every move, a silent yet palpable intensity that left me acutely aware of his presence.

Lost in my task, I was startled when Jason addressed me once more, his voice cutting through the heavy silence like a knife.

“Do you need anything?” he inquired, his tone tinged with a hint of mischief that sent a flush creeping up my neck.

“Yes, but what I need is wrong,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper as I struggled to maintain my composure in the face of his unwavering gaze.

“Damn, girl!” Jason’s husky voice sent a shiver down my spine, his words laden with a potent mixture of desire and longing.

“I think you’d better look over there,” I murmured, my cheeks burning with embarrassment as I averted my gaze, unable to meet his intense stare.

“I think so too, but I can’t. The view from here is so good!” Jason’s playful tone sent a surge of warmth flooding through me, his gaze lingering on me with a hunger that left me breathless.

Before I could respond, the door swung open, and Jinhee entered the room accompanied by Siwoo, his presence casting a shadow over the tranquil atmosphere. Jason rose from his seat, a protective instinct stirring within him as he moved to shield me from view.

“You can come down, Jane, it’s clean up there,” Jason instructed, his voice tinged with concern as he extended a hand to help me descend from the ladder.

Climbing down, I found myself face to face with Siwoo, his gaze lingering on me in a way that made my skin crawl. Ignoring his advances, I busied myself with my task, a sense of unease settling over me as his presence loomed uncomfortably close.

“You’re playing hard to get, aren’t you? I like that!” Siwoo’s words, laced with thinly veiled desire, sent a chill down my spine, his proximity suffocating in its intensity.

“I’ve always wanted to be with a Brazilian. Especially a hot one like you,” Siwoo continued, his gaze raking over me in a way that made my skin crawl with discomfort.

Pushing him away, I recoiled from his touch, a surge of revulsion coursing through me at his advances.

“Not for all the money in the world!” I spat, my voice laced with venom as I sought to put an end to his unwelcome advances.

Enraged by my rejection, Siwoo seized me roughly, pinning me against the furniture with a force that left me breathless. Desperate to break free, I struggled against his grip, my heart pounding with fear as I sought escape from his suffocating embrace.

“Get off me, you’re disgusting!” I cried out, my voice tinged with panic as I fought against his relentless hold.

“Get off her now!” Jason’s voice, tinged with fury, cut through the heavy silence like a thunderclap, his presence casting a shadow over the room as he moved to intervene.

With a swift motion, Jason delivered a powerful blow to Siwoo’s jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground in a dazed heap. Jinhee rushed to his side, her expression one of concern as she attempted to staunch the flow of blood from his injured lip.

“Are you all right?” Jinhee’s voice, tinged with concern, barely registered as my whole body shook with revulsion.

Turning to face me, Jason reached out, his touch gentle yet reassuring as he sought to comfort me in the aftermath of the altercation.

“Is everything all right?” he inquired, his voice soft with concern as he drew me into his embrace, his warmth enveloping me like a protective shield.

In that moment of vulnerability, I found solace in his comforting embrace, my tears flowing freely as I sought refuge in his reassuring presence.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Jason murmured soothingly, his hand stroking my hair in a gesture of comfort that eased the tumult of emotions raging within me.

As Jinhee’s confused voice filled the room, I felt a sense of peace settle over me, a silent acknowledgment of the bond that had formed between us in the wake of adversity.

“What happened here?” Jinhee’s voice, tinged with confusion, echoed through the room, her gaze shifting between us with a mixture of concern and curiosity.

“That bitch kept hitting on me and when I said I didn’t want anything to do with her, she grabbed me!” Siwoo’s words, dripping with venom, painted me as the aggressor, his false accusations casting me in a sinister light.

Jason’s expression darkened with anger, his eyes flashing with barely concealed fury as he processed Siwoo’s accusations. Jinhee’s gaze, meanwhile, turned to one of pure hatred, her features contorted with rage as she glared at me with undisguised animosity.

“So I’m employing a slut in my house? You’re fired! Get out of here now!” Jinhee’s voice, filled with venom, cut through the heavy silence like a knife, her words a cruel reminder of the precariousness of my situation.