Free Seoul Spankings by Anastasia Vitsky Page A

had learned, and she had made me scream, but it wasn’t enough.
    “Don’t go home, Indi Go.” Miss Cha touched my arm, and I looked at her in surprise. “Ee Sajangnim has never looked as happy as she has since you came. You are perfect for each other.”
    Something twisted inside my gut. I didn’t want to hear about our perfection. Did Miss Cha say this to every girl she petted and escorted from Hyunkyung’s bedroom? Maybe she would slip a few big bills into my bag as hush money.
    “She’s perfect for all the girls she brings home,” I said without thinking. I could have slapped my forehead, but it didn’t matter. A grave insult to the company owner meant nothing when I would leave anyway.
    “All?” Miss Cha wrinkled her forehead. “There is no all. She never spoke of marriage until she asked me to contact Madame Eve-nim about you.”
    Great-Aunt Matilda had mentioned a Madame Eve, too. Curious despite myself, I stopped walking to face Miss Cha. “Why did she want me? She didn’t even know me, right?”
    “Yes.” At my confusion, she clarified. “Yes, Ee Sajangnim didn’t know you. She asked Madame Eve-nim for an arrangement.”
    “To pretend to be her business client at the concert last night?” Hyunkyung’s words to Leila rang in my ears.
    “For a date. Madame Eve is famous for choosing the right people for each other. It was time for Ee Sajangnim to settle down, raise a family, and assume her new role as leader of the Han legacy.”
    “But I don’t speak Korean. Or know anything about Korea, or business, for that matter.” I wanted to believe Miss Cha, but nothing made sense.
    “Silly.” Miss Cha gave an affectionate laugh. “Ee Sajangnim can hire people to do all that. She can’t hire someone to love her. And you do.”
     
    ***
     
    “Why couldn’t you tell her the plane was booked? It should have been, anyway. Why did you get her a ticket?” Through sheer self-discipline, I forced myself to break off a piece of the scorned cake from last night. My frayed nerves didn’t need the whiplash of jeohyeoldangjung .
    “Eat rice,” Minhee urged, but I couldn’t take time for a real meal.
    “At the very least, you could have delayed until tomorrow’s flight!”
    Minhee stayed out of striking range. “I called in a favor, and I purchased a ticket for Miss Indi Go in first class.”
    If there had been a peanut in sight, I would have thrown it at her. “I told you not to!”
    “Ee Sajangnim.” Despite her usual deference, something in her tone made me take a deep breath.
    “Yes. Nuts. What ?”
    “Ee Sajangnim.” She paused. “I purchased a ticket for you, too. It’s the seat next to Miss Indi Go’s.”
     
    ***
     
    “Miss Indi Go, the car is ready. Are you sure you won’t change your mind? My country is a beautiful one. You would be happy here.”
    Wistfully, I zipped my bag closed. I had learned the folly of my snobbery, and Korea had indeed proven itself a beautiful country. Its people, however, left something to be desired. “Thank you, Miss Cha.”
    “Ee Sajangnim will escort you to the airport, of course.”
    I sighed. I didn’t want to face Hyunkyung, especially in public. “I’d rather go on my own. Isn’t she busy?”
    “You love her.”
    I blinked. Did I hear Miss Cha’s words or my own accusing heart? “I’m sorry, what?”
    “You love her, don’t you?”
    Without waiting for my answer, Miss Cha picked up my roller suitcase and trundled it through the foyer and out the door. She gave it to the chauffeur, and I sighed. I turned around to give Han Incorporated a silent farewell.
    Thank you for one wonderful night, no matter how it turned out. Maybe next time, I’ll go to France .
    I knew better, though. Great-Aunt Matilda would let me live with her because that’s what family did, but I’d return to my minimum wage job at the pub and serve drunk adjunct professors until I died. I’d watch Greg and his pregnant girlfriend, and I’d take in a litter of cats