“Nothing of importance.” I smile, clinking my glass against hers. “How long have you been here?”
“Long enough to hear Terrance’s golf stories. Four times.” She rolls her eyes. “But Catherine rescued me, thank the heavens.”
Before we can catch up further, a gentle chime of silverware against crystal interrupts the room. Jonathan Parras, Catherine’s husband and co-founder, stands at the head of the table, gesturing for everyone to take their seats.
“I see we’ve all arrived,” he announces, his voice carrying the authority of someone used to commanding courtrooms. “Please, find your places.”
My heart sinks when I discover my assigned seat is directly across from William, but at least I have Jasmyn on one side and Catherine on the other. Small mercies.
“Before we enjoy this magnificent meal,” Jonathan continues once we’re all seated, “I’d like to share some exciting news.”
The table goes quiet. This is unusual; these dinners are usually just social, a chance to chat with the partners away from office politics.
“As many of you know, our firm has been considering expansion for some time,” Jonathan says, his gaze sweeping across the table. “Today, I’m pleased to announce that Parras Law will be opening a new office in Seoul next quarter.”
My champagne glass stalls halfway to my lips. Seoul. My hometown. The city I left behind seventeen years ago, a place I’ve only dared to visit twice since.
“This expansion represents a significant opportunity for our firm to serve international clients, particularly in corporate and intellectual property law,” Jonathan continues. “And we’ll need a strong leadership team to establish our presence there.”
Catherine leans closer to me. “Your work on the Kim Industries case last year made quite an impression, Minji,” she says quietly. “Your understanding of both Korean business culture and American legal frameworks is…”
My mind races to catch up with what she’s implying. “Are you saying?—”
“Nothing’s decided yet,” Catherine says with a small smile. “But your name has come up in our discussions.”
The conversation drifts as servers present the first course, but I barely register the delicate seafood on my plate. Seoul. The idea of returning—not just to visit, but to build a life and career there—makes my heart ache. My mother would be over the moon.
“You okay?” Jasmyn whispers. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“They’re considering me for the Seoul office,” I whisper back.
Her eyes widen. “Holy shit, Minji! That’s huge!”
I thought tonight was about making partner here in the States, not halfway across the world. My mind races. Going back to Seoul could mean partnership a year ahead of schedule—the very thing I’ve been grinding toward.
“Would you go?” Jasmyn asks, keeping her voice low as the conversation around us flows.
“I… I don’t know.” Two months ago, I would have jumped. Now, with Aaron, everything feels different.
I cut off that thought. Six nights—that’s all we promised. I can’t pause my career for a man I’ve known for less than two months, no matter how safe he makes me feel.
“Earth to Minji.” Jasmyn nudges me under the table. “William’s been staring at you for the last two minutes. It’s creepingmeout.”
I glance up to find William, indeed, watching me, a calculating look in his eyes. He raises his glass slightly, a smirk playing on his lips.
“So, Minji,” he says, loud enough to draw attention from nearby conversations. “What do you think about the Seoul office? Considering your… background, you must have thoughts.”
“I think international expansion is a logical step for the firm,” I say. “Seoul is quickly becoming a major hub for technology and intellectual property law. The opportunities are significant.” While I do love divorce law, switching the cases I take wouldn’t be difficult.
Catherine nods approvingly. “Precisely why we’ve been considering it for some time. The question now is who will lead the initiative.”
William leans forward, all false modesty. “I’ve been studying Korean business culture extensively. I even started language lessons last month.”Kiss ass.
I nearly choke on my wine. The thought of William attempting Korean is almost too much. No wonder people call lawyers liars. William’s lies deserve their own case study. He lies for the sheer sport of it.
“How impressive,” I say, not bothering to hide my sarcasm. “How many words have you mastered so far? Two? Three?”
A few chuckles ripple around the table, and William’s smile tightens.
