Signed, I'm Yours!: A supervillainous romcom, page 12
It doesn’t take long to get the group back into good spirits and Lily out of bed. Robin and Zeke even start cooking dinner while the rest of us play Scrabble. I don’t, however. I don’t have any need to relive my disastrous spelling bee years. What do you mean Wednesday has a D in it? I call bullshit.
“Thanks for helping Lily,” Annie whispers.
She sits beside me on the floor as I go through her VHS collection. I thought Gen Z didn’t even know what tapes were, let alone collect them.
“I didn’t help. Not yet.”
Annie laughs, rolling her eyes.
“Of course you did. You changed the vibes in the room from sad to happy. The only other person I know who can do that is Jack.”
I blow raspberries.
“I’m nothing like Jack.”
She shrugs.
“You’re more alike than you think. You make a good couple.”
Had she said that yesterday, I would have dismissed her, but after last night…she might have a point.
Although he’s still only with me because we’re stuck together so that doesn’t say much. I’m pretty sure when this whole ordeal is over, I’ll never see him again. He might even throw me into prison himself.
“You’re good for him,” Annie says. “He deserves someone good for a change.”
A little pang of guilt makes my chest throb. I’m not good, yet somehow, I’ve convinced these people.
“Why-why do you say that?”
“Well, you know about Denise, but…Jack’s always struggled with partners.”
“Why?”
What’s there to struggle with? How can anyone dislike being with him? What reason could they possibly find?
“Being happy all the time is great, but it can have its downsides. Imagine being super pissed about something, and your boyfriend can’t stop smiling and telling you it’s not all that bad. Imagine not being able to have a proper fight because he always takes your side.”
I roll my eyes.
“Seriously?”
I thought anyone would kill to have their partner always take their side.
“Oh, I know. It’s silly, isn’t it? But unfortunately, that’s what his exes were like. When they weren’t taking advantage.”
I frown. “Advantage how?”
She glances at Jack on the couch. He’s too absorbed by his tiles to pay us any mind, and Annie purses her lips.
“Because you can ask your happy boyfriend for anything, and he’ll always think it’s a good idea. Even when it’s things like taking out a loan neither of you can afford.”
I stare at Annie, my insides twisting, acid climbing up my throat.
“Really?”
She nods.
I turn to Jack and feel a sudden urge to break some shit. Who could ever take advantage of him? I mean, I know I am, but I’m cute and fair. Those women weren’t. And they need to pay.
“Dinner’s ready,” Zeke calls out from the dining table, and everyone gets up.
“Are you okay?” Annie asks.
“Huh? Yeah. Why?”
She scans the air around me and purses her lips.
“Your aura. It…changed.”
I frown.
“Changed. Changed how?”
“It’s gone redder.” She waves a hand in front of me and nods.
“What does that mean?”
She opens her mouth but closes it before she utters anything.
“Come on. Let’s go eat.” She links her arm to mine and drags me toward the dining table.
“Annie! What does it mean?”
“Don’t concern yourself with that.” She pats my hand. “It’s all good. I think.”
It’s good that my aura changed when I started thinking about exacting revenge? I’m not so sure I agree, but Annie refuses to explain, and besides, with everyone gathered around the table, I don’t want to probe any further and cause any sort of unwanted revelations.
“It all smells delicious.” Jack sniffs the air as he takes a seat.
Everyone agrees, and he turns to me as if waiting for my opinion. He smiles.
I look into his eyes that look more familiar than they have any right to look, and I become more determined than ever to make anyone who’s wronged him pay. Not just him. Everyone in this room.
Which is an odd feeling. I’ve never felt protective over anyone other than Omma and Min. I don’t know what to make of it. I don’t even know these people. I shouldn’t feel this way. Like, at all.
“Yes. Delicious. But I will confirm once I try it.” I pull the chair closer to the table and Zeke serves everyone individually.
There’s creamy mac and cheese, roasted honey-glazed vegetables, Cobb salad, and steaks for anyone who eats meat. And yes, it all looks like it’ll go down well.
And it sure does. Especially the steak and mac and cheese. And apparently, Zeke is a wine snob because he pairs everything with fabulous wine as if we’re in a Michelin-star restaurant, so I can’t complain. He even teaches us about the grapes and somehow I retain the information instead of it going into one ear and out the other.
Robin is all too excited for us to try their dessert when my phone rings.
I reach for it just as Robin puts a big slice of gooey chocolate cake in front of me and I literally salivate in a millisecond.
“Aren’t you gonna get that?” Jack asks.
“Huh?” I turn to him, spoon already buried in chocolate and shooting straight for my mouth. “It’s probably Kevin about the engagement party.”
The entire table gasps, and I shove my mouth full of cake before the interrogation starts.
“Engagement party? You mean your engagement party?” Zeke asks.
“When is it?” Robin asks.
“And were you not going to invite us?” Lily chimes in.
Jack stares at me, unable to utter a word against me, and I can’t because my mouth is full. If it were up to me, I’d keep it full for the rest of the day, but this whole situation is my fault, and I owe it to them. And to Jack.
I put my hand up and try to swallow as quickly as possible before I address them all. “It’s not what it sounds like. Really.”
“Really? What does it sound like? Because it sounds like our best friend has hidden a fiancé and now a party from his best friends.” Zeke crosses his arms and stares right at me.
Oh great. We’re back to me being the enemy. But I deserve it, so I can’t be mad about it.
“It’s not like that at all. We’re…we’re only doing it to shut up some work colleagues. We’re not even anywhere close to getting married.”
“Oh, is that the case?” Zeke arches an eyebrow, and I’m not sure if I’ve made things worse or not.
“You guys are more than welcome, of course. But honestly, it’s not even going to be anything fancy.”
“Of course we’ll come,” Annie says, staring at everyone else as if daring them to say otherwise. “We want to be there for our friend, even if it’s a nothing party.”
“That’s it. A nothing party. Like you said,” I tell her, and Jack awkwardly smiles at them.
I can’t even imagine how much he hates me for what I’m putting him through. For the rift I’m causing between him and his friends. But he has an excuse, and if I have to, I’ll tell them as such when all this is over. Preferably by email and from far, far away, where no one can find me, especially Jack. Because no matter how happy one can be, I’m sure forcing them to betray their friends’ trust is something to be angry about.
Maybe Thailand. I haven’t been in forever. It’s nice this time of year.
“So, when is this nothing party?” Robin asks.
CHAPTER 14
JACK
“Well, I’ve got to give it to you, Kevin. This is great.”
Seojun’s apartment looks more luxurious if that is even possible. The end where the dining table had been up until yesterday is now occupied by a string quartet dressed to the nines and entranced by their own music. In the middle of the living room, there’s now an ice sculpture of two swans forming a heart with their necks and beaks. There are flowers everywhere I turn, from the windows to the walls to the floor, but the most impressive features are the champagne and chocolate fountains taking center stage and making this party feel as expensive as it probably is.
“Thank you, sir.” Kevin bows for me, but I shake my head.
“You can call me Jack. I’m not your boss.”
“I’m sorry, si—Jack.”
A girl in a ponytail, white shirt, and black skirt approaches me with a tray and presents the food.
“Caviar and salmon blinis?”
I carefully lift one of the beautifully presented canapés and take a small bite.
It tastes horrible, but seeing as both Kevin and the server are staring at me, I shove the rest of it in my mouth and pretend to enjoy it.
Rich fishy food has never been my cup of tea. I wonder if it’s Seojun’s. We’ve been stuck together for five days so far, and while he’s eccentric, he hasn’t struck me as a food snob. Besides, he only seems to be particular when we’re out and about trying to find the answers he’s looking for. If anything, he’s like a puppy at home. Which is probably why Shuga is obsessed with him.
After dinner at Lily and Annie’s, I couldn’t burden my friends with looking after my pet any longer, especially since it was only raising more scrutiny about my relationship with Seojun than we needed.
I hated lying to them, but these were extenuating circumstances, seeing as I couldn’t spill the truth to them no matter how hard I tried. I just hope they’ll understand and forgive me when all this is over.
If it’s ever over.
Seojun has never signed for anything that lasted this long, so we’re officially in uncharted territory. We’ve actually been in uncharted territory from day two, but now it is officially official.
As more and more people arrive, more and more servers offer food and drinks to the guests clustering in smaller groups. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think this was a genuine engagement party.
“How did you manage all this in two days?” I ask Kevin, who stands in the corner admiring his handiwork while wearing the most unflattering attire. White chinos a size too big, a pink sweater vest over a white shirt, and pink shoes.
Kevin notices me staring.
“Mr. Sinister’s orders. He wants people to know I work for him when we’re in public,” he explains. “And as for the party, it’s simple. I found the best catering and party companies and created a backlog of contracts and paperwork that made them think they had forgotten about their most prestigious event of the year. Grass even sent some of their staff to cater because they felt so guilty.”
“Grass? My friends have been trying to get a reservation there for months. How the heck did you do that?”
Kevin shrugs. “You’d be surprised how much people are willing to do when they feel guilty. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that they’ve found themselves with contracts that could get them sued for not delivering.”
I smile at him, but it doesn’t feel quite as warm as most of my smiles. This is wrong. On so many levels. Right? But if I know Seojun—and after five days of being inseparable from him, I feel like I do know him—he will find a way to compensate these people for their work. Will it be with stolen billionaire money? Very likely. I know it doesn’t make it entirely okay, but well, these people won’t miss their insurmountable wealth. Besides, only bad people get so much money, so in a way, the Sinister Seomyeong is a superhero. A modern-day Robin Hood.
“Jack!” someone behind me says, and I turn to find Annie, Lily, and the rest of the gang dressed in their usual casual clothes, sticking out like sore thumbs amid all the tuxedos and dresses.
“Guys! You came!” I put my drink down and go over to them to embrace them all one by one.
“I thought this was a nothing party,” Annie says when I hug her last.
I look at them and bite the inside of my cheek.
“It is.” I chuckle.
“It doesn’t look like a nothing party,” Lily says, and Zeke snaps his fingers in agreement.
“I know, but…” I startle when Bob and his wife enter. “See? Bob is here, and he’s not overdressed.”
Bob stops and looks down at his casual, jacket-less suit and frowns.
“What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”
“Nothing. That’s exactly what I’m saying.” I pat his shoulder before I turn to greet his wife, Martha.
“How are you, sweetie?”
I kiss her on the cheek and turn to look at the room.
“Quite the turnout,” Bob comments and picks up a glass of wine from a roaming server.
I nod and inspect the faces.
I find a few familiar ones from the office, including Karen and Mortie and other SPAM agents I’ve dealt with in the past.
How did Kevin find these people? Even I don’t have their contact details. I could use the database to find it, but I wouldn’t abuse the system like that, especially for a party that isn’t even real.
“That guy looks familiar, but I can’t place him.” Bob points to one of the men in a black suit standing by the champagne fountain and throwing daggers at everyone around him.
“He does look familiar,” I answer.
“Well, I, for one, don’t know who anyone is,” Zeke says.
“Yeah, it’s like Jack has more friends he hasn’t told us about,” Brandon cries, and I bite the inside of my cheek again.
I hate doing this to them. I hate that I even had to get them involved in this or that I can’t tell them it really means nothing. I don’t even know why we’re throwing this thing. It seems only Bob cared about missing it. I could have told him we moved the date to give us more time. But no, for some strange reason, I went with Seojun’s terrible plan of trying to wine and dine my colleagues so he can find his missing family.
What if this signature never ends? What if I’m tied to him for the rest of my life? Does that mean I can never tell my friends and colleagues this isn’t real? Will I have to marry Seojun next? This charade has gone far enough. I know he didn’t mean any harm when he said we’re engaged. It was more like a slip of the tongue, but it’s still hurting my friends.
He’s not a bad guy. I know he isn’t. Every day I spend with him is further proof of that. He’s kinder than he lets on and sweeter than he allows people to see. Even when he thinks he’s being devious or cunning, I can see right through him. I can see everything he’s been through, everything that’s shaped him, made him believe he had to be ruthless to succeed, to be cruel to be heard, to be bad to be good.
But even good people make bad decisions, and this has been a terrible one. Maybe I can talk to Seojun. Maybe he can do something about it. Especially if this signature bonding thing doesn’t go away like he’s convinced it will.
Yeah. That sounds like the best path forward.
“Where even are we?” Robin asks.
“Seojun’s apartment.’
“Hang on. He lives here? What does your fiancé do, exactly, Jack-Jack?” Zeke asks.
What do I tell them now? And how? How can I tell them what happened to me and still convince them Seojun isn’t a bad guy?
“That-that’s…complicated,” I manage to say. It’s better than lying again.
“This is so weird,” Brandon says, and I smile at him.
“Weird doesn’t necessarily mean bad.”
Brandon grimaces.
“Didn’t say it does, but now that you mention it, it’s usually bad. Actually, it’s always bad. Oh God. Am I weird?” He breaks into tears again and Zeke hugs him, patting his back affectionately.
“Where is the man of the hour anyway?” Robin asks.
I open my mouth to answer them when it hits me.
He’s not here.
How is this possible? And why didn’t I realize how weird it was that he wasn’t with me when he excused himself to go get ready?
I look around, searching for him. He must be near if I’m not in pain. Right? He must be here somewhere.
I push my jacket sleeve up and unbutton my shirt so I can look at my arm when the room goes quiet.
Seojun appears in the hallway in a striking salmon-shaded, loose-fitted suit made of silk and crystals that make him look like a walking gemstone.
He takes in everyone in the room, a blank but fierce expression on his face, and then he stops at me. I smile. He smiles. He’s never looked like he belonged here more than he does now.
In fact, he doesn’t even look like he belongs in my life. Or, more specifically, like I belong in his. I could never look like that—so confident, handsome, or stunning—or be able to carry myself through a room like it belonged to me. Yet, when Seojun does it, he looks like this is right where he was always supposed to be.
But then he glances at my exposed arm, and his smile drops.
I look down and catch my breath.
His signature…is gone.
CHAPTER 15
SEOJUN
Jack looks so handsome. So wonderful standing there in the black shirt and suit, looking like a domesticated bad boy. He looks like he belongs here, with me. But how can I focus on that when… When his arm is exposed, and it shows the truth underneath?
I knew it was going to happen. I’ve been waiting for it for days now, I just didn’t expect it would happen in the middle of the party.
Although, to be fair, now that I think about it, it must have happened before because I managed to get away and get dressed without him. I’ve just been too preoccupied with the goal of this party to realize Jack wasn’t in the room with me and I wasn’t in pain.
Does he remember me? Does he remember all the lies I’ve told since I met him? Does he remember what we do when the sun goes down and we’re sharing a bed?
He smiles at me, but that’s not much comfort. This man smiles all the time. Even when he’s in uncomfortable situations. But his smile does indicate recognition.
Does that mean he remembers and he’s about to expose me to everyone present?
