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“Of course, I know. All the more reason I can’t show up with puffy, red eyes. I don’t want him to think that I’m still crying over him. Let me keep a scrap of dignity in all this. I won’t have to see him ever again after this.”
“That. I just needed to make sure that was what you still wanted after learning the full story.” June gathered her jacket and got on her feet. “I think my work here is done, and I will bid you adieu.”
“Thank you, June.”
“Have a wonderful night. You earned this, and Best Placed Bets is going to blow everyone away.”
After one last hug, June left Jihae to her thoughts. But she kept her mind carefully blank even as her heart pumped and churned inside her, water raining down from her heart as the ice around it melted.
Jihae arrived near the end of the line for the red carpet. The stylist had chastised her repeatedly for her tears, and it had taken ages to make her look presentable. When she stepped out of the car, flash bulbs burst around her, and she gave them her real smile, rather than her signature Princess Jihae half smile. Despite everything, she was proud to be there, and proud of the film she’d produced.
She heard the expected chatter over the color of her dress and her free-flowing hair. Even her makeup was warm and stormy, unlike her former icy, elegant looks. Appearing before the public as herself was incredible. It freed something inside her. The insecurities and resentment she carried deep within unchained themselves and flew away. She was here as her own person, and she was fiercely proud of who she was.
She stopped and smiled for the cameras for what seemed like the hundredth time when she heard a commotion behind her. From her perch on the stairs, she saw a small group of people walking toward her and the crowd parted like red curtains to allow them through. At that moment, she spotted the tall, broad-shouldered man wearing a velvet, royal blue tuxedo. She thought anyone would have been able to single him out of the crowd, even the Hollywood red-carpet crowd.
He looked exquisitely handsome with his slightly unruly hair slicked back from his forehead. He was even thinner than when she’d last seen him, but he looked sharp and sophisticated...and full of determination. Colin had always been a confident man with an air of authority about him even as his usual, lighthearted self. But the man who stood on the carpet looked like he was ready to take on the world, exuding power from every part of him.
When he came to stand at the bottom of the short staircase, Jihae realized she’d been holding her breath. She let it out in a rush and stretched out her hand to steady herself on the rail.
“Jihae.” His voice was low and tense, but hearing her name from his lips sent a thrill down her spine. “You look so beautiful.”
“Colin, what are you doing?” she said, glancing around at the gathering crowd.
“I just wanted you to know how much I love you.” His voice broke. “I know I’ve hurt you—so much—because of my guilty conscience and hang-ups. I’ve betrayed—”
“Stop that.” Jihae rushed down the steps and tugged him to the side until they were a few feet away from the red carpet. It didn’t exactly give them privacy, but the reporters had now turned to the next celebrity walking down the carpet.
“I’ve betrayed your trust,” he continued as though there was no interruption. “I’ve invaded your privacy by eavesdropping on you. And most of all, I should’ve believed in you and trusted you with my truth.”
“Colin, we’re done. You’ve apologized already and I’ve declined to accept.” She tried to sound aloof and disinterested, but her voice shook.
The thought of him as a little boy without a father he could look up to, and of him as a young man, disappointing the woman who raised him to become the man he was today... It tore at her heart.
“I love you so much and I was so afraid of losing you that I was slowly losing my mind. I fooled myself into thinking that I could let you go when the time came. I tried to convince myself that what we had was a brief affair and no one would get hurt. I told myself to cherish every day with you because it was bound to end. That telling you the truth was only bound to hurt you.”
His confession made her realize how she had tried to fool herself in the same way. She’d told herself she could keep herself from falling in love with him. She had always planned on leaving him. Foolishly believed that she would be able to leave him. She lied to herself to protect her heart, but Colin had still given his heart to her. He had loved her all along, and had fought with the fear and guilt inside him.
“I don’t know if I could believe you. You broke my heart, Colin.”
“I know I did. God, I know. But losing you broke me. Nothing has meaning to me anymore. Please give me a chance to love you. I will dedicate my life to making it up to you. To making you happy. Without you, my world is colorless.”
A sob escaped her. Her life as Princess Jihae had been colorless. She had been colorless, lifeless, until she met Colin. He had filled her life with color, and she was finally able to bring out all the beautiful, powerful colors within herself. And she wanted so much to forgive him. To grab the happiness he was offering her. But she was so afraid.
“I don’t think I could endure another broken heart. I won’t be able to survive next time.” Tears ran down her face, probably undoing all the hard work of her stylist, but it was hopeless. There was no way she could stem her tears.
“I swear to you there will never be a next time. I will never keep a secret from you again. I’m far from perfect, and I may hurt you at times in my stupidity, but I will always own up to it and work harder to be the man you deserve. Please.” Colin kneeled before her on the cold asphalt. “Please give me a chance to love you. Let me cherish you for the rest of our lives.”
Jihae was so entranced by Colin’s words that she didn’t see the group of people who came to stand behind him for a second. Then she drew back in shock. It was the Song family. She recognized Garrett Song and Grace Song from the business papers, and Adelaide Song from the fashion magazines. James Song was also there. Another man and woman stood beside Adelaide and Garrett, and seemed to be their significant others. They all wore warm smiles and earnest expressions. All but Grace Song, who stood in the middle with calm dignity.
“Please forgive him,” James Song said. “He’s so entertaining.”
“We’ll personally kick his ass if he misbehaves again,” Garrett said as though he meant it.
“He’s an idiot but we love him.” Adelaide shrugged. “Could you, too?”
Then Mrs. Song finally spoke. “Will you be a part of our family?”
“Will you give me another chance?” Colin asked, still kneeling in front of her with tears brimming in his eyes.
