Pay With Your Heart

Desperately racking her head to guess her grandfather's purpose for inviting them there, Hei-Ran could only think of one thing – the incident.

Her grandfather must have heard about the incident that happened at her parents place a few weeks ago. He must have discovered the truth about what truly happened six years ago.

She gazed at A-Yeong, and from her expression, it seemed she was right. That would explain why she looked like a zombie. Realising that might be the case, Hei-Ran felt her heart thump wildly, as this would be the first time her grandfather would be saying anything about the incident after many years.

Grandfather Su gazed at A-Yeong with anger buried deep in his eyes before staring at Hei-Ran.

"Six years ago, I pit the two of you against each other, not because I wanted to create any form of animosity between my grandchildren, but because you both were promising and showed good leadership spirit and looked like the capable hands, I could leave the company for." He paused and stared at Hei-Ran for a brief moment before he continued.

"I wanted nothing more but to put the company we've all worked hard for into the best hands, but it seems some of us got blind and desperate for power.." His tone was slightly sounding harsh. He paused and heaved a sigh before turning to A-Yeong, who, despite her shabby and distraught look, still behaved like a Su, or at least she knew how to behave in the presence of the old man.

"A-Yeong, I'm so disappointed in you. Although I knew you had it in you to go the extra mile to get what you wanted, I didn't expect you to stoop this low and tarnish the Su name all because of your greed. Stepping on a Su is the same as stepping on us all." At this point, the anger in his voice was cutting through the room like a butchering knife.

"Grand-" A-Yeong interrupted, but he raised his hand to stop her.

"There's no room for talking. You had all the time to do what was right, but you didn't. A-Yeong, nothing stays hidden forever. That no one knew what you did six years ago doesn't mean the universe didn't witness your unscrupulous act. I'm ashamed of what you've done." He turned to look at his secretary, who quickly handed A-Yeong a white envelope. She gazed at her grandfather before hesitantly receiving the envelope.

She had a feeling about what was inside, and the moment she opened it, her eyes widened in shock.

"G-grandfather" Her lips quivered just like her hands holding the paper.

"You're officially resigned as the president of the company and as well fired from being a staff of the company. Someone as wicked and manipulative as you can't work in the company talk more of leading it." He said in a flat tone.

"No!" A-Yeong exclaimed.

"And you'll also tender a public apology to Hei-Ran at the company, as you publicly embarrassed her." He added, ignoring her rebuttal and plea.

Her grandfather's last words dumbfounded A-Yeong. Tender a public apology?

"A public apology?" She asked with incredulity, prompting grandfather Su to glare at her.

"Do you refuse?" He asked in a challenging tone. A-Yeong's lips quivered, but she couldn't say a word. She fell to her knees defeatedly. She couldn't believe this was happening to her.

Hei-Ran watched the drama before her unfold, and she couldn't believe it. After so many years, she finally got vindicated.

There was a time when she wished for nothing but this, so she could get back to the company where she truly belonged....but not anymore. Seeing her grandfather do this now only made her realise the pain she had kept for years. It wasn't the pain of being betrayed but of the lack of trust - most especially from her grandfather.

How she wished he had believed her then.

She was pulled out of her trail of thoughts when an envelope was suddenly held out in front of her. Hei-Ran raised her head to the hand passing it to her; it was his secretary. She gazed at her grandfather, who gave her an affirmative nod. She slowly reached for it and opened it.

Her eyes widened in shock at the heading of the letter.

"Appointment?" She muttered as she looked at her grandfather in shocked surprise. They were appointing her as the new president of the company?

"It is high time you quit that job and return home where you truly belong."

"Huh?"

Hei-Ran incredulously stared at the paper in her hands. She couldn't believe it. This was truly happening.

"Grandfather." She called in a disbelieving tone. So this was why he had called her. To give her the job she had struggled for years ago, in a platter?

"Hei-Ran, my dear, I know no amount of apology can be enough for ever doubting you. You were the grandchild I raised and coached with my very own hands, and I should have trusted you when no one did, and for that, grandfather is sorry." He said as he lowered his head apologetically. He could still remember how Hei-Ran had begged and cried for him to believe her. He clearly remembered the hurt in her eyes as she walked out the company's doors that very day. And realising that she had been right all these years had made him question himself these past weeks.

Not just Hei-Ran, but also A-Yeong and the secretary were beyond shocked to hear him apologise. Hei-Ran couldn't believe it! Her eyes suddenly teared up as she gazed at the paper in her hands and also at her grandfather.

He really should have believed her. She had been dragged, harassed and mocked endlessly by the media and staff of the company. Countlessly she had pleaded with them to believe that she had not signed away the company funds to her boyfriend, who was also a staff at the company, but no one believed her—no one, not even her grandfather.

Nobody gave her the benefit of the doubt. Even her father had been disappointed in her. And unlike her grandfather, he didn't even apologise after the truth was revealed.

"Grandfather, this is..." She was utterly speechless. Grandfather Su stood from his seat and walked up to her. His hands slowly reaching for hers.

"Hei-Ran, I have watched you act as a real Su. Despite the challenges you were forced to face and with no support, you surged on and didn't let anything stop you. You joined that small company, and we saw how hard you worked, and your efforts have brought it to the level of success it's enjoying now."

She shook her head and interrupted him, "No, grandfather, that was all Jin-Hai. He's passionate about his work, and he made all the efforts. I just follow in his footsteps." Grandfather Su chuckled at her words.

"That's what you say. But the truth remains your efforts are nowhere lost to his. Hei-Ran, you have a Su bloodline, and we dominate in the business world, and that's why you must return to the company."

'Return?' Was he asking her to quit her job? Leave Jin-Hai?