She grabbed my suitcase from the driver and inclined her head toward the metal doors. “This way.”
Did we not tip here?
Was I expected to?
Panicked, I had a moment of being paralyzed before I cleared my throat, put on my backpack, hooked my fingers in the straps, and followed dutifully—question-free.
A tall security guard with dark hair and an easy smile waved at Solia, then slowly eyed me up and down, his eyes widening with each second.
Did I still have drool?
I quickly wiped my face, forced a smile, and waited.
Was everyone going to give me that exact same look of disbelief?
I did just get off a long flight, and it wasn’t like I had a T-shirt on that read: “I’m not from here!”
I frowned and followed her into a waiting elevator. It was half glass and gave you an amazing view of the city and the trees as it carried us upward. I hoped I would have some free time to explore.
The elevator kept going up, up, up, and finally stopped; had it gone any further, we would have Willy Wonka’d ourselves completely out of the building on a direct route toward the moon.
We were obviously at the penthouse.
I assumed she was taking me to see Siu. Where else would we go right after getting off the plane? Honestly, it was probably best to meet him now before I went back to wherever I was staying and crashed. He’d told my dad that I was staying in the SWT dorms, whatever that meant. I hadn’t seen a sign on the building, but I assumed I was going to be in one of the many rooms in the building I was currently standing in.
Jet lag was hitting hard and fast as my heavy feet followed Solia. We reached a black door with a silver handle. Next to the door was a white marble table with a phone, a green plant, and mints.
Huh.
She typed in a number on the small keypad and turned the flat handle. And then she just held it, like she was afraid to push it open. She literally had the same look on her face I’d had when I stumbled inside my house after my twenty-first birthday, completely wasted off margaritas and too much tequila.
Interesting.
She pressed her forehead to the door for a few seconds then shoved it open.
I followed her in, immediately stunned at the modern entryway with its dark hardwood floors and white walls. The right wall was massive with no artwork, not even a picture to interrupt its massiveness. To the left was an open stairway with metal steps leading up to a second level. The entire place was stark, extremely modern, and somehow a bit cold. It screamed expensive with its white walls and architecture.
Raised voices were coming from deeper inside the apartment.
She looked heavenward and then slowly zipped out of her boots and stared me down. I got it—I needed to pop off my Allbirds.
“Oh, oh, okay.” I quickly took off my shoes and grabbed the white slippers in front of me, mimicking her actions and hoping I didn’t just steal some poor grandpa’s house shoes in an effort to fit in.
Solia stiffened as she rolled my suitcase forward, suddenly moving so fast that I had to jog to keep up with her as she rounded a corner. The voices continued to rise. One of my slippers nearly came off as I tried to keep up.
I almost ran into her when she stopped and gave a small bow to a man with shots of silver in his dark hair. He had intense brown eyes that, even through the lenses of his black-rimmed glasses, showed flashes of anger.
Solia sounded like she was apologizing, and even if she had talked slower, I would have had no idea what she was saying. I couldn’t remember if I was supposed to bow too, and I suddenly hated the fact that it was such a rushed commitment that I hadn’t had time to research more.
After a long sigh, she said my name.
And again, I was reminded of what it sounded like when you name-dropped someone you wanted to also run over with your car.
I frowned. Was she apologizing because she picked me up and we were late, or was she apologizing on my behalf?
Because of me?
Slowly the man lifted his gaze to me and visibly flinched.
Awesome.
“Grace?” His voice was warm at least, his smile tentative but at least present as he eyed me from head to toe then gave me a slight bow.
It felt like they were both waiting for me to do something—anything, so I jutted out my hand like a lunatic and blurted, “Uncle Siu, it’s so good to see you again!”
Solia squeezed her eyes shut while Siu smiled at me and reached across the space between us, squeezed my hand, and said, “How’s your father?”
“He’s well, thank you for asking, and thank you for this opportunity. I promise I won’t let you down.”
His smile turned into a full-on beam. “I trust your father with my life, and now I’m trusting you with this internship. I know you’ll make us both very proud, Grace.”
I had the need to turn to Solia and say something like, “See, told you so! Stop freaking out! My dad saved his life. He’s my uncle. I’ve got this!” Before I said anything, though, more footsteps sounded, followed by what might have been arguing.
Siu seemed to stiffen a bit as rapid Korean filled the air, and five guys made their way into the living room, looking ready to murder each other if the pitch of their voices was anything to go on.
More interns?
Maybe this was a meeting?
I had no idea what my job was, but it would make sense that he would pull all of us together and give us a quick—please, God, let it be quick—debriefing.
I bit down on my lower lip as the newcomer in the center lifted his head. He had gorgeous red hair and the clearest blue eyes I’d ever seen in my entire life. No way were they natural. I almost complimented him when he looked to Siu and then to Solia and fired something off in Korean.
Solia smirked next to me and whispered, “He asked if you were homeless.”
Oh lovely, she was going to translate insults.
Perfect.
What a day!
I semi-glared back at him only to earn an equally taunting glare in return. Seriously? If we were going to be working together, he needed to back off.
I switched my glare to a smile and said one word I knew was universal. “No.”
The guys all snickered right along with him, and one of the others whispered something under his breath. I knew it wasn’t good when more looks were shot in my direction.
“Ugly,” Solia offered, louder than I would have liked.
Was the middle finger universal too?
If Uncle Siu wasn’t there, I would have been tempted, but this was more than an internship, It was about my dad, and their relationship too. I held my head high and ignored them.
Uncle Siu turned toward the guys and spread his arms wide, then seemed to scold them in Korean before turning to me and saying, “They apologize.”
He was watching me so he couldn’t see them
Every single one of them looked anything but apologetic.
In fact, they looked every inch the bullies that parents warned their kids about: too good-looking, too rich, too everything to care about anything but themselves.
I could play that game.
I wasn’t a child.
And I wasn’t going to let them taunt me just because I looked different than they did. They wanted ugly? I’d give them ugly.
When my uncle turned back around, I quickly took off my sweatshirt, wrapped it around my waist, and tied it, may as well embrace the homelessness and all that, besides why did it matter? They were in the same boat I was! Just because they were dressed better and didn’t look like they were begging for cash on the streets didn’t mean that they were any different than me. I almost stuck out my tongue when the one with red hair choked on another laugh and said something to the guy next to him.