24K Magic for a Perfect Illusion

Ch 35: Pressure's Taking Its Toll

Four nights later after the hotel’s first anniversary, another party held in the same venue for Hearthof’s birthday celebration.

Since the theme for the party is black and yellow, Hestia dressed up in a sunny yellow dress with black waist belt along with her black hat and black 4-inches heels with pearls on its toe cap that matches the white pearls necklace hanging on her slender neck.

It’s a round neckline dress with 7/8 sleeve length, knee-length skirt underneath a mesh that extends below mid-calf.

When Hestia looked at her reflection on the mirror, she’s satisfied with her simple yet elegant look.

Rhea came in to Hestia’s bedroom and saw her youngest daughter twirling around as if she’s dancing alone without music. “You should wear a princess gown Tia, aren’t you going to the prince’s ball tonight?” she teased the surprised lady who just noticed her presence in the room.

“I prefer comfortability with sense of fashion.” Hestia replied. “Though I considered earlier too wearing a yellow ball gown that will make me look like Bell in Beauty and the Beast, but I realized it isn’t my party and stealing the spotlight is actually rude.”

“I don’t think your prince charming will mind to see his princess in a beautiful gown.” Rhea went to the corner and touched the yellow ball gown that was set aside.

“So, you accept him now wholeheartedly after talking to his parents and making friends with his mother.” Hestia sat elegantly on the sofa beside the footboard of her bed while observing Rhea.

“Tina and I has been friends since she became your teacher.” Rhea replied while pretending to examine the gown closely. “So, it’s more of a reunion than making friends.”

“Ma, are you trying to arrange me with Hearthof?” Hestia exposed Rhea’s thoughts straightforwardly.

Rhea’s body stiffened when Hestia read her mind, how can she forget that aside being a gifted child Hestia majored in psychology, so she turned around to face her child and decided to come clean since she’s already exposed. “Yes. Tia, you’ll be 26 in a few weeks and yet your still unmarried.”

“Here we go again.” Hestia sighed. “Ma, I don’t want to get married … yet.” she just added the last word to prevent a long argument before she continued. “I want to focus on my career for now, and being in a relationship is on the last of my list.”

“Do you know why I stopped arranging ladies to your brothers after matchmaking them for almost a year?” Rhea sat down beside Hestia and took the latter’s hand.

“Aside from you couldn’t control them anymore thus you gave up and put the pressure on me?” Hestia sarcastically replied.

Rhea patted the back of Hestia’s hand and ignored the sarcasm as she continued, “They’re men, I don’t need to worry about them that much as they aren’t the one who will give birth to their children.” she sighed heavily as she looked at Hestia’s eyes. “It’s hard to deliver a baby when you’re on your 30s.”

“Uh … as far as I know you were 32 when you had Ter and every year after you gave birth to her you were pregnant for five more consecutive years. So that kind of reasoning isn’t convincing …”

Rhea glared at Hestia which was enough for the latter to keep her mouth shut. “Your father was on his 20s back then alright. Also, I never thought that I get pregnant easily or he’s just to powerful to produce babies. You don’t know the pain I went through to deliver your siblings and you. It wasn’t easy for me to carry a baby for six consecutive years. I almost lost my life and your eldest brother but I made it through until I have you.” she looked at Hestia dotingly as she reminisced the past.

On the other hand, Hestia thought that it was her parents’ fault for not controlling their desire though she’s also grateful that they brought her to the world.

Before Rhea go on with her motherhood journey, Hestia cut off their conversation, “Ma, I get it. I really appreciate your concern but can we have this talk next time? I’ll be late for the party.”

Rhea snapped back to her senses before she got too emotional because of the past, “Ah, right. Of course, the party, you should go now and don’t make Hearthof wait for you for too long.”

Although Hestia knows that she didn’t fully convinced her mother not to interfere on her affairs, she decided to let her be for now.

In the Goddesseth Hotel ball room.

Hearthof greeted the guests as they entered the hall and had been waiting anxiously for Hestia to show up.

He thought that she won’t come as she avoids him because he already confessed to her and he got rejected.

But all his worries were gone when Hestia made her way to him with a beautiful smile plastered on her pretty face.

“President, you’re drooling.” Benny teased him on the side.

Hearthof glared at Benny as he thought if he’s being too nice with his assistant that latter dares to tease him.

“Happy Birthday, Thofy!” Hestia greeted Hearthof cheerfully as she handed the present to Benny since she saw earlier that the latter don’t receive the gifts directly.

Benny was about to take the present but Hearthof took it directly so the former’s hands left hanging on air for a few seconds before he put his hands down and chuckled at his boss action.

“Thank you.” Hearthof smiled wholeheartedly as he carried the box in his arms like a treasure. “May I open it now?”

“Up to you.” Hestia shrugged as she looks at Hearthof like a child excited to open his present.

Hearthof opened the box excitedly and as soon as he saw what’s inside, he exclaimed, “Oh wow! It’s SONY XC-1!”

“I was worried that you already have one before since it was released almost two years ago.” Hestia sighed in relieved when she saw the genuine reaction in Hearthof’s face.

“I actually wanted to buy it when it got released on the market but I was too busy with work that I already forgot about it.”

“I’m glad I made a right decision to buy it.” Hestia replied.

“This piece of technology is actually the world’s first commercial color video camera to utilize a completely solid-state image sensor, a charge-coupled-device, or CCD.” Hearthof explained enthusiastically. “It was also the smallest camera on the market.”

“Yeah, it only weighs 2.8 pounds.” Hestia responded.

“I’ll assemble it later.” Hearthof realized that he lost his composure because of Hestia’s birthday present. “Benny, put it in my office. I’ll deal with it later.” he handed the box to Benny who took the present carefully in his hands carefully.

Benny knows that among the expensive presents that his boss received, the man only cares about his woman’s gift.

“Come on, let’s go inside.” Hearthof offered his arm to Hestia that the latter took as they entered the hall.

Hestia scanned the crowd as they walked in and saw familiar faces since the guests are all on the upper-class of the society but even though it’s the same circle she doesn’t dwell on their names.

“I thought your childhood friends will be here.” Hestia whispered.

“Oh, we’ll be meeting them tomorrow.” Hearthof replied before he continued socializing with everyone who greeted him.

‘Right, he’s Hearthof Goddesseth now and not Sunggyu Kim anymore.’ Hestia thought as she reminded herself that her best friend is more of a businessman now that throw parties for network and not just for fun.

After accompanying Hearthof until he blew his 28 candles on his three-layered cake, Hestia went to the toilet to do her business but she never expected that she’ll interrupt other people’s business instead.

She caught a man and a woman in a lewd position as soon as she opened the door.

“Sorry!” Hestia rushed out immediately with a flushed face that she even forgot what she came there for.

“That’s fast.” Hearthof said while leaning on the wall, he came with Hestia as he doesn’t want to be part from her even for a few minutes and to keep her safe all the time.

“Is there any toilet here aside from this one?” Hestia asked as she pulled Hearthof away.

Hearthof noticed Hestia’s weird behavior so he asked, “Why? What’s wrong? Only few people will notice that toilet that’s why I brought you here.”

Hestia pursed her lips and leaned closer to Hearthof before she replied, “I think I saw Benny inside with his girlfriend.” as she mentioned the last word, she suddenly remembers who the woman was. “Oh my gosh, that woman is Joo-Hyuk’s stepsister! That’s Scarlet Nam, the woman who shot Bok-Joo with a tranquilizer in the restaurant. Do you know about their relationship?!”

“Hmm.” Hearthof nodded as he mentally noted that his assistant is a male dog in heat who doesn’t care where to f*ck his b*tch.

Hearthof brought Hestia to his penthouse instead to make sure that she won’t encounter the same or anything else.

When Hestia got out from the bathroom, she thought that Hearthof left since his own party is still on going at the ball room but the man of the hour was sitting comfortably on the couch with a wine glass on his hand while looking at the city view through the floor to ceiling window.

“I’m done, let’s go back.” Hestia informed Hearthof as she stood beside the couch. “You need to bid farewell to your guests.”

“I already told Benny to handle it for me.” Hearthof said coolly.

Hestia noticed the receiver on the coffee table. “Oh.” she paused for a while and thought that since the party’s over she’s also leaving then. “If that’s the case, I should get going too.”

“It’s already past 1am. I already arranged a room for your ladies, stay here until morning.” Hearthof glanced at Hestia with his lazy eyes as he notified her.

“But I don’t have spare clothes to change. I can’t sleep while wearing this dress on and besides …” Hestia refused but Hearthof cut her off before she continued yapping.

“There are clothes on the guest room as well as skin products that you use. It’s too late you should go and take a rest.” Hearthof said.

Since Hearthof looked like he already made preparation for her, Hestia just accepted his offer to stay for the night, anyway she’ll be staying in the guest room and they’re not sharing a bed.

When Hestia went to the guest room, she noticed the similarity to her own bedroom at home which made her worried and relieved at the same time.

Yes, she’ll be comfortable because the room itself made her feel at home but the thought of designing the room specially for her made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

She never expects that Hearthof would give her a space in his own home like he already anticipated that she’ll use it sooner or later.

“I don’t know if I should laugh or cry upon seeing this room.” Hestia uttered as she continued to explore the room. “Why did you make this room specially for me? What if you got other guests aside from me?”

“Did you forget that this is a hotel. There are plenty of rooms beneath this penthouse so I don’t think it’ll be a problem.” Hearthof leaned on the doorframe as he watched Hestia dotingly.

“I’ve never seen a guest room so detailed like this before.” Hestia opened the closet, although it’s not like her walk-in closet that looks like a boutique, the closet is still organized accordingly to the clothes functions. “You’re not going to lock me here, right?”

“Do I look like a psycho to you?” Hearthof chuckled. “But that’s actually a good idea.” he jokingly added.

“Hey, that ain’t funny.” Hestia remembered a case she handled before. “I’ve studied a case before during my second year in the institute, there’s a guy who locked up the girl he likes after she rejecting him.” she wanted to continue but she decided to make the story short instead. “He ended up killing the girl because she never like him despite of being together for almost a year.”

“That only means he never love the girl at all. What he had was merely obsession that he mistaken for love.” Hearthof replied. “If you love someone you won’t force her or him to do whatever you wanted to do, there should be respect between the two of you.”

Hestia sighed in relief inwardly when she heard his opinion, she felt terrible for doubting his intention. “Well, there are that kind of people who let their inner demon swallowed their humanity.”

“That’s when pressure’s taking its toll.” Hearthof responded. “Anyway, if you need anything, I’m just next door.”

“You literally provided me everything, what else can I ask for?”