“Yuna waited for you,” Ivy says, pointing a finger. “Do you know what it felt like for her to have you not show? And that car!”
What’s the problem with it? It’s a great vehicle. “Yuna doesn’t have a car yet. I thought she’d like her own, and pink is one of her favorite colors.”
“Oh my God! You’re an idiot!”
Since she’s right about me being an idiot tonight, I let her rant on. I have no excuse for missing the party. It’s the first birthday of Yuna’s that we were going to celebrate together.
Tony stands next to her in silence. But his disapproving face is eloquent enough.
“She can’t drive!” Ivy yells finally.
“She can’t drive?” I ask, dumbfounded. “How can she not know how to drive?”
“Because she just doesn’t, okay?”
“But she has a driver’s license…” I thought she said she had one. Or I could be misremembering, but… How can someone not know how to drive and live in L.A.? It’s so inconvenient.
“In Korea, yes! Which she doesn’t use. She has a chauffeur for a
reason!”
I thought Mr. Choi was mainly for her safety. “Ah… Shit.”
The monumental nature of my fuck-up is beginning to become apparent. I cover my eyes with a hand. The car is as useful as a chunk of rock to Yuna.
Ivy steps forward and jabs me in the chest. “I’m going to spell it out for you, since obviously somebody has to. Yuna just wants someone to be there for her and care about her, the way she would for them. That’s why she’s refusing to marry any of the men her family selected. She doesn’t see that happening with them. I feel like an idiot for cheering you on because I thought you really cared about her. When you volunteered to help with the party prep, I thought it meant you are willing to put in the time, which is priceless.”
“Is she here?” I need to talk to Yuna in person. Now.
“No.”
“Where is she?”
“At the hotel with her mother. Who, by the way, was here to see the entire fiasco in person.”
Shit, shit, shit. Lady Min already thinks I’m unworthy, and this will only reconfirm her opinion. But what I hate more than that is how much I must have hurt Yuna. I should’ve just told Tim I couldn’t see Josh Fields today, no matter how much my agent wanted me to or how busy Josh is next week.
Because that meeting wasn’t worth missing Yuna’s birthday party or making her think I don’t care about her.
“Yuna tried so hard to act like it didn’t matter, only because she didn’t want to ruin the party for the rest of us. You don’t understand what kind of an angel she is. What a privilege it is to be in her tight circle of friends. You could’ve been one of the closest people in her life, but you threw it away over a meeting.” Ivy’s voice is vicious as she pours it all out.
She’s doing a great job of cutting me down. And I deserve it.
“Okay. I get it. And thank you for letting me know.” I take a step back. “I need to go talk to her. Right now. Excuse me.”
Ivy looks at me like she can’t decide between anger and pity. “Don’t be shocked if she refuses to see you!”
Chapter Fifty
Declan
I drive to the Aylster Hotel. Since I have no clue which room she’s staying in, I pace around the lobby.
My phone is finally charged, so I send Yuna tons of texts, saying I’m at the hotel and I’m sorry.
I try calling her numerous times.
My texts stay unread. My calls go unanswered.