The Manipulated Villainess

The ride to Moon Orphanage took almost 3 hours from the capital as it was located in the outskirts of the city.

It was weekend so both Nicole and Leon didn't need to care about work. Keeping in mind the other two places they have to visit, they set out early in the morning. It was about 9 in the morning when they reached the orphanage.

They agreed not to let reporters tagged around and instead, they would just send the photos to them. Both Nicole and Leon didn't love much attention though they were often forced to be in the spotlight, all because of their politician's parents.

Moon Orphanage was a beautiful place. It was not a big one and they didn't even have many children there. However, the houses and playgrounds were full of merriment of the children who were playing.

Briefly watching the children before they entered the Director's office, one thing crossed Nicole's mind. Then she turned around, her eyes swept their surroundings. "Didn't you say that your men will be here?" She looked at Leon with a bit of doubt.

"They're here." Leon simply replied.

Nicole glanced around once more but she still didn't see anything. Were they ghost or what? Maybe her expression made it too obvious, it earned her a chuckle from Leon. "You won't see them." He said to her. "You are also one suspicious woman. It's not just your step-mother." He remarked.

"I'm only curious. Your men whom you're so proud of, I never once saw them." Nicole's tone was almost a sarcastic one but Leon was not offended. He knew that it's just her nature.

"If you want to see them, you can but only after you accept my help." Leon glanced at his wristwatch and gently pushed her forward. "Let's go. The Director will be waiting."

Meeting Harris Ahn, the Director of Moon Orphanage who seemed to be in his early fifties, Nicole noticed a knowing smile on his face. He smiled warmly at her and that made her confused. Who was this Harris Ahn?

Nicole didn't raise another topic until the donations and other procedures were finished. She remained calm and normal until their task was over.

"Thanks for your huge donation. Through this money, the children will be able to get a better hope and life. I sincerely thank you in the name of our orphanage." Harris Ahn said and gave a handshake to both of them.

"It's our pleasure, Director Ahn. Feel free to tell us if you have any needs aside from this money. We will be open anytime." Leon was very friendly which surprised Nicole. She never knew that her fiance had this side in him.

"Thank you, Mr. Jung."

"You're welcome," Leon said and turned to Nicole. "I'll wait for you outside. Take your time and I will inform you if anything happens." He gently patted her on the shoulder and left the room.

Now that she was alone in the room with Harris Ahn, Nicole felt the pressure more. She was most afraid of what she might hear today. Turning around, she noticed that the Director was staring at her.

"You look just like your mother." Harris Ahn remarked with his gaze fixated on her.

"Do you know my mother?" Nicole promptly asked. Even in her company, there was no one who could tell her about her late mother. She died too early and besides, her mother stayed away from the spotlight while she was alive. Despite being the wife of Yang Group Chairman, she never revealed herself to the media and only a few employees knew her face.

"Do I know her?" Harris Ahn slightly smiled as he recited her question. "I'm the one who knows her the best. Please have a seat, Chairwoman."

Nicole sat down once again and Harris Ahn followed suit. "What do you mean?" She asked. She was very curious now. Her mother passed away when she was just 5, so she won't be lying even if she said she had no memories of her late mother.

"Me and your mother grew up together in this orphanage. She was like a younger sister to me." Harris Ahn paused before he asked, "Didn't you know that this is the place where your mother grew up?" He seemed to be amazed by it.

"No," Nicole whispered. "I didn't have a memory of her. Even the ones I know are so unclear." Her voice trailed off.

Hearing this, Harris Ahn quietly stared at her. Was it because of pity? She didn't know. She couldn't read him at all. Then he finally spoke up.

"I understand that it's not easy for you to come here with your step-mother watching your every move." Harris Ahn started and Nicole raised a brow. What did he know?

"Nicole." He called her name and looked at her right in the eye. "What I will tell you today is beyond your expectation. It might even change your life forever, much more in a bad way. I didn't plan to tell you this but when Director Lee told me about you, I made up my mind to tell you everything. So, I want you to make a choice."

"What choice?" Nicole quickly asked.

"You can choose to not listen and live your life as you did now but... your mother will be so hurt to know the way you live if she was still alive. However, if you decide to hear me out, your life might change forever and you might not like the way you change." Harris Ahn explained to her. "The choice is yours. I won't force you." He added.

Nicole finds herself in a dilemma. Just what did he know that he warned her like this? She might change the way she didn't want? She was puzzled. But she considered how hard it was to even reach this place. Besides, as long as this concerned her parents, she wished to know it, no matter what it was.

"Tell me." She expressed her decision. Glancing at the Director, she continued, "If this is about my parents, I want to know everything."

"Okay." Harris Ahn replied right away. He turned his head away, glancing at one photo in a frame that was placed on his desk. Nicole gazed at the photo and noticed that it was the photo of her parents with this man sitting opposite to him.

"After your mother's death, your father had a breakdown. It took a huge toll on him, mentally and physically. You might not know that I am a psychiatrist. During that time, I used to work in Westview Hospital and as your late mother's close friend, I was also close to your father. So, I used to look after him." Harris Ahn started with the story from twenty years ago while Nicole listened attentively.

"Due to your father's weak health and mental state, he neglected the company and his trusted employees took care of almost the work and... that's how everything started but your father was too late to notice."

"I had heard about the problems that aroused the year my mother's death. Even today, it's still the major drawback of my company. But is there something else in that incident?" Nicole was overwhelmed by curiosity.

"Yang Construction is the wing which suffered the most that year. Construction sites were poorly maintained and at one point, even the worker's safety was in jeopardy. One worker suffered a huge injury while working. They said that he fell from the construction site because the rope that supports him broke, unable to carry the weight. The blame was put on the company and its poor maintenance." Harris Ahn said. His face showed how sorry he was for the situation.

Nicole had heard about these in the company records. Though the worker survived, it left him handicapped and the company compensated him for it.

"You might be well aware of the things that happened during the injured worker was in a coma." Harris Ahn said to which Nicole nodded. "The construction workers refused to carry on with their work and protested against the company. Some protest before the company building and the others did in the construction site, blocking the road and the supply motor. But there is one thing you might not know." He assumed.

"Are you saying that there is more behind it?" Nicole never once heard of another story. She only heard that things were settled out with the workers.

"While the workers protest in the construction site, some men went to them, saying that the company hired them to chase the protestors away from the site. But your father never did such a thing. The protestors refused to leave and there was quite a turmoil. This is the most important part, one of the workers who protest against the company was seriously injured in that commotion and he died two weeks later."

Nicole's face turned pale at the news. Someone died? But why didn't she know anything?! "What do you mean? I never heard of that." She uttered. She couldn't believe that her company had such a past which was kept a secret!

"I know you never heard it before but Nicole, that's not the most important part." Harris Ahn's voice remained calm the whole time but his expression showed his regret for the incident. "What important now is the identity of the worker who died." He added.

"Do you know him?" Nicole asked, a hint of amazement on her face.

"I only find out about this after a few years." Harris Ahn replied. "The worker who died during the protest was 24 years old Jonathan Kim. He was an orphan and he had a younger sister, Mira Kim who was 20 at that time." Harris Ahn paused before saying, "And this Mira Kim is the Garcia Han we know today."