I glanced at his mother, who bowed her head as if she wanted the floor to swallow her up.
“And you? You couldn't make it into medicine is that why you're a dentist?” he said as he turned his attention towards me.
“What about you, Beom-Seok, why do you still work for someone? Shouldn't you own a hospital by now?” I asked as I looked him in the eye.
It was the worst thing I could have done to use his given name disrespectfully as I did, but I was so done with this charade.
My parents gasped and my Mum snapped my name.
His father's face was satisfied as Tae placed his hand on my lap.
“You see? This is their true colour, Tae. She is after your wealth.”
Tae stood up and bowed down towards my parents.
“I apologise for the inconvenience, sir, but I’d like to take you home now,” he said ignoring his father’s outrage. “You're not welcome to our wedding. Mum, you can come if you want to.”
“Is this how you treat your own father?” his Dad said as he slammed his fist on the table.
His Mum visibly jumped and turned white.
Tae took my hand and pulled me out of my chair.
“Yes, I don't want you anywhere near my future wife or her family. You had the option to remain civil this evening,” Tae said in a calm manner but his hand was crushing mine.
It wouldn't have made a difference what dress I wore. His Dad was appalling. My little sister came and held my other hand with a solemn look on her face. Tae glanced at my little sister’s hand, and I saw his resolve strengthen.
He began to usher my parents out. I glanced back and saw his mother was in tears, but his Dad was giving me a beady-eyed stare. I couldn't imagine living with a man like that let alone being married to him.
I tightened my hand around Tae’s. As the days passed, I was still learning new things about my fiancé, but I hadn't encountered anything that was a deal breaker. My Dad paused as we reached Tae’s car. I could tell he was very uncomfortable about how we left his parents' house.
“Mr Choi, would you really want your daughter around that man? What about when she is expecting our child? I won't have her going through any unnecessary stress. He won't change.”
My Dad looked at me uncomfortably for a moment before hesitantly nodding at Tae.
“I understand, but he is your father. You can keep a distance but still remain in contact with him as his son. It is up to you, I can only offer you my sincere advice,” my Dad said.
Tae nodded but didn't say anything. I could see the tension in his body and he was holding back his anger. He had come to my parent's house several times over the last two weeks and he had quickly become part of our little family. My mum warmed up to him, and my dad joked with him. My sister was definitely crushing on him. We climbed into the car in silence. Tae reached for my hand and I linked my fingers through his and gently squeezed it.
I used to joke with my Dad that I wouldn't find anyone as sweet as him, but Tae was a close second.
Chapter 19
Tae
The anger was simmering inside of me. The one time I needed that old bastard to behave, he couldn't do it. It was as if he were purposely trying to sabotage my relationship. No one would ever come between Nari and myself. Mr Choi was a pacifist but I was not. My future began with my family, my wife and our children. Once I reached Nari’s home I could see the discomfort in her parent's mannerisms as they said their goodbyes. We were still in the car when Nari patted my leg.
“They will get over it. My parents aren't comfortable with confrontations,” she said with a small smile.
“Unlike you, but you had a valid point. My father almost had an aneurysm,” I said with a smile as I thought about his bulging veins.
“He is just a mean ol’ bully. I pity your Mum,” she said as her mirth died away. “I’m going to get a lecture when I go back home on Monday.”
“I’ll come over and eat you out to make you feel better,” I said with a smirk before I started the car.
The thought of making her scream in her parent's house was tempting but too risky under the current climate. I would need to make do until I got her home. There was a delicate balance of keeping her satiated and slightly on edge. I hoped the next few weeks would go past incident-free until she signed our marriage registration. I didn't care about the religious ceremony.
Nari rubbed my thigh, and I glanced over at her. “Are you okay?” she asked softly, her eyes brimming with tears.