Apollo’s Heart - Chapter 42
Chapter 42
Chapter 42
“I did a little research on Roy Jean’s career and found out he fell into a slump for quite some time after his wife’s passing. And he happened to reinitiate his work three years ago.” Tae-jun looked squarely at Yuri as he spoke.
“Excuse me, but I don’t understand what you’re trying to say.”
Indeed Yuri had no idea what this man was insinuating and where the conversation was headed towards. Her senses were on high alert, nonetheless.
“What are assistants usually responsible for?”
“We assist with the creation of work, or whatever needed.” She replied plainly.
“Does it include something personal and private? For example, if he needs someone in his bed…”
“Tae-jun!” Si-yeon exclaimed indignantly, slamming her water glass back on the table at his audacity to suggest such a thing, and shot him a scathing look. “You are being rude. That’s such an indelicate question to ask.”
He did not reply to Si-yeon, in fact, he ignored her as if she did not exist. Right now, Yuri was the only person worth laying his eyes upon. His eyes were prodding her to offer an answer. His eyes roamed all over her. His glances were burning, cold and passionate at the same time.
Yuri could sense one thing – whatever relationship they had in the past; it definitely did not end well. Tae-jun did not try to veil his curious glances towards Yuri in front of his own fiancé. He did not even care if anyone saw him.
The question itself did not surprise Yuri. Roy Jean had a reputation for not hiring a female assistant in the industry.
After he’d separated from his wife by death at a young age, he had pursued his own celibacy for a long time, mourning for his loss. In order to avoid any kind of rumors involving women, he was reluctant to hire any female assistant.
When Yuri was hired as an assistant to Roy Jean as the first female assistant in over ten years, naturally, they became a hot topic for gossip. As a result, she had to repeat the same answer over and over again like a parrot.
“Mr. Jean and I do not share such a personal and intimate relationship. He is simply my boss and teacher.”
“A boss and a teacher. I apologize. I was ignorant.” Despite the apology, his tone suggested otherwise.
Thankfully, the lunch was served cutting off further conversation. The star chef appeared in front of them as if on a cooking show, explaining the menu of the day next to the table.
House-made cheese, top graded beef, and abalones freshly delivered from the seaside every morning could not impress Yuri. She could not even taste anything, and it seemed so with the man seated before her as well. He looked like he would rather cut, chew, and swallow Yuri than the food.
To cut the tension in the air, Si-yeon started speaking.
“Yuri, other than assisting Roy Jean, do you work on your personal pieces?”
Yuri was thankful for the change in topic. “For the moment, I don’t have anything that I am working on my own.”
“Why? Actually, the agency told me that there was a piece that inspired the Heart of Apollo, and I heard it was created by you. I was dying to see it, but it was not open to the public.”
At that instant, Yuri dropped her fork.
Clink!
The clashing noise of the fork hitting on the ground rang through the air.
“Are you okay?” Si-yeon asked worriedly.
“Oh, I am sorry.”
When Yuri tried to pick up the fork, Si-yeon called up a waiter.
“You seem dizzy. You’re pale as a sheet!”
Si-yeon’s voice was muffled like a drop of paint in water to Yuri’s ears. She was panicking. She had not expected to hear anyone mentioning Apollo. The piece that her hands obsessively created, the only piece Yuri had ever created – the inspiration was sitting right in front of her.
Tae-jun was Apollo!
She clenched her fists tightly beneath the table, feeling the blood circulation begin to get cut off… she endured with sheer grit and they eventually resumed their meal.
After a long and tense lunch, Si-yeon whispered at Yuri while Tae-jun paid for the meal.
“Yuri, I am sorry for what my fiancé said. He’s not a rude person, but he’s been in a bad mood nowadays because of work. I apologize for him from the bottom of my heart. I am sorry.”
Glaring at Si-yeon’s glistening diamond ring on her ring finger, Yuri nodded. It was not Si-yeon’s fault after all.
“It’s ok. I’m not angry. I should leave now, thank you for inviting me.” Yuri didn’t drag the matter. The one thing she wanted now was to leave and away from the man!
“Of course! Thank you for your work. I hope to see you again. Please say hi to Mr. Jean for me.” Si-yeon had every intention to right the wrong and part on a friendly note.
“Sure. Thank you for hosting me.”
When Tae-jun finally came out of the restaurant, Yuri said her parting words to him as well.
“Thank you for inviting me. It was a pleasure to meet you.” She even rewarded him with another faux smile.
Of course, it was a lie.!
However, one more lie should not be problematic to a conversation which was already covered with rampant lies.
Keeping his straight face, Tae-jun nodded back at Yuri.
Yuri turned to the elevator. As soon as she entered, Yuri pressed the lobby and frantically pushed the close button over and over again. She wanted to escape from the place as soon as possible.
I need to get out of here.
Warning bells rang in the back of her mind.
The man with penetrating eyes looked at Yuri like a fierce beast right before biting the neck of its prey. She needed to escape to somewhere safe. She could not think any further.
However, fate betrayed her desperation.
A big hand slid between closing doors. The high-performing elevator’s luxurious doors smoothly opened again, revealing the owner of the hand.
The man standing before Yuri, was Tae-jun.
It was him!
⸙
