Forbidden Desire

I was still euphoric, despite the thirty-hour journey from Brazil to Korea. Everything was new to me and I hadn’t been able to sleep for a minute. I had never been on a plane or even traveled anywhere, and the first time I did it was on a long trip that would change my whole life. I look once again at my sketchbook, admiring the portfolio that got me a scholarship at one of Korea’s most renowned colleges, still not believing that I was really here. I grew up with my grandmother who had recently passed away because I lost my parents when I was a child. When I lost my grandmother, I was totally alone in Brazil and didn’t see any point in staying there. My aunt has lived and worked in Korea for over twenty years and always wanted me to come here, but it would be very difficult to get a work visa for someone with no qualifications, so when I saw the GKS scholarship, I saw a chance to get a visa and be able to study and work in Korea.

My aunt had been working for the Park family for fifteen years and was now working for the family’s eldest son, so when she recommended me to his wife she didn’t hesitate to hire me. Everything was perfect, because this job required me to live there and that would guarantee that as well as a salary I would also have a home and food. My aunt is very discreet and didn’t tell me much about the couple I would be working for, she just made me promise that I wouldn’t fall in love with the owner of the house because according to her, he was very handsome, I’ve always been very integrated and even if he was handsome, I would never get involved with a married man, so I’m sure that won’t be a problem.

I got off the plane and was finally on Korean soil, I was excited to see my aunt after all this time, after all she was the only family I had. I picked up my bags and after passing through immigration I went out the main gate trying to find the exit. Everything was so modern and clean that I was sure I was a long way from Brazil. I’d been studying Korean for over a year on my own and I was still struggling to read Hangul. I was trying to locate myself until I heard a voice that I’d only heard on the phone.

“‘Jane, my daughter, you’re huge! So beautiful! Come here!'” my aunt exclaimed warmly as she enveloped me in a hug. Tears welled up in my eyes as I felt the warmth of family embrace me once again.

“‘Aunt Amelia! I thought you wouldn’t be able to pick me up, you said you’d be busy.'” I responded, touched by her gesture.

“‘I thought I would be too,'” my aunt replied, “‘but Mrs. Park was so excited about your arrival that she gave me the rest of the day off and had the driver bring me here to pick you up.'”

“What a wonderful boss!” I exclaimed, my heart swelling with gratitude. “I don’t even know her and I already love her!”

“Yeah…” my aunt replied, her smile fading slightly.

“What’s the matter, auntie?” I asked, surprised by her sudden change in demeanor. “Isn’t she wonderful?”

“No, she is…” my aunt hesitated, “I don’t have any complaints about her, on the contrary, she’s very nice to all the staff, but she’s not so nice to Mr. Park.”

“Huh? Her own husband?” I questioned, taken aback. “Why is that?”

“She was forced into marriage by her parents and never liked Mr. Park,” my aunt explained, her voice tinged with sympathy, “she’s very cold towards him even though he’s very silly with her.”

“Well, that’s between them, isn’t it?” I remarked, trying to shrug off the tension. “If she’s nice to the staff, that’s all that matters.”

“Yes, I’m glad you think so,” my aunt replied, a hint of worry in her voice. “I’m just a bit worried about all this attention she’s giving you, you know. She asked some strange questions.”

“What questions?” I inquired, curiosity piqued.

“If you were pretty, if you were single…” my aunt trailed off, her expression troubled. “She seemed a bit too interested for my taste.”

“She may have been jealous of her husband,” I suggested, trying to lighten the mood.

“I don’t know…” my aunt murmured, her brow furrowed. “Like I said, she doesn’t like him, so I’m probably just imagining things.”

“Yeah, never mind!” I replied, eager to change the subject. “The important thing now is that I’m going to be close to you, I’m going to study art, which is what I love, and soon I’ll be a famous artist!”

“Yes, my child!” my aunt encouraged, her eyes shining with pride. “Never give up on your dreams!”

“Never, auntie!” I affirmed, determination coursing through me.

“Now let’s go! You must be tired and hungry,” my aunt said, leading the way. “I’ve prepared some Brazilian food from Minas Gerais that was your grandmother’s recipe!”

“How delicious! It’s all I need!” I exclaimed, my stomach growling in anticipation.

As we made our way towards the car, my aunt introduced me to JinWoo, the mansion’s chauffeur. “Jane, this is JinWoo,” she said warmly, “he’s the baby of the house.”

“Aigooo! Don’t talk like that or the girl will think I’m spoiled,” JinWoo interjected playfully.

“Aren’t you?” my aunt teased, a twinkle in her eye.

“Aish… It’s nice to meet you Jane! Welcome to Korea!” JinWoo greeted me warmly. “You can call me Jin!”

“Thank you Jin, it’s my pleasure!” I replied, returning his smile.

As we drove towards the mansion, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the breathtaking Seoul scenery passing by. It was hard to believe that I was finally here, after all the hard work and sacrifice it took to get me here. When we arrived at the mansion, I was awestruck by its grandeur.

“Wow, what a beautiful house! How can it be so big?” I exclaimed, marveling at the sight.

“You haven’t seen anything,” my aunt replied with a chuckle. “There are two swimming pools, one outside and one inside which is heated, a sauna, a jacuzzi, six bedrooms, a party area, a movie theater and that’s not even counting the servants’ bedrooms which are in a less busy area of the house.”

“Oh my God, how do you manage all this?” I asked, feeling overwhelmed.

“Oh, it’s not just me,” my aunt explained. “There’s a gardener, a pool attendant, a cook, and some maids who come during the day and leave at night.”

“So of all the employees, only the two of us will be living in the mansion?” I queried, trying to wrap my head around the situation.

“Yes!” my aunt confirmed. “It used to be just me, but when I explained the situation to Mrs. Park she was more than happy to welcome you home.”

“She sounds nice,” I remarked, though a hint of skepticism lingered in my mind.

“Nice? The woman is the devil!” JinWoo muttered under his breath, earning a sharp reprimand from my aunt.

“Watch your mouth, boy!” she scolded, her tone stern.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Amelia,” JinWoo apologized quickly, but his expression remained sour. “But I can’t like her because of what she does to Mr. Park.”

“Keep quiet, it’s none of your business!” my aunt snapped, shooting him a warning glance.

“But everyone sees that…” JinWoo protested, only to be silenced by another sharp look from my aunt.

“Shh! You didn’t see anything! First lesson in working in other people’s homes…” my aunt advised me, her voice lowering to a whisper. “Jane, you have to pretend you don’t see anything wrong with what your bosses do.”

“Me?” I echoed, feeling a sense of unease settle in my stomach. “As long as they pay my salary for me, she can do what she wants with her life.”

“That’s right, my child!” my aunt affirmed, her tone brightening. “We stay out of the boss’s business. Now let’s get inside! Jin, help with the bags.”

He took one of my suitcases, and I followed my aunt inside the mansion, my senses tingling with anticipation. As the aroma of Brazilian food wafted through the air, I couldn’t help but smile. It felt like home.

Inside the mansion, the scent of home-cooked Brazilian food enveloped us, stirring memories of my grandmother’s kitchen.

“My God, auntie, is that the smell of chicken with okra?” I exclaimed, my mouth watering.

“Could it be anything else?” my aunt chuckled, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

With eager anticipation, I sat down at the kitchen table as my aunt filled my plate with steaming food. I savored every bite, the flavors transporting me back to my childhood.

“Yumi just like Grandma used to make!” I exclaimed, savoring the taste.

“Who do you think I learned it from?” my aunt replied with a grin.

As Jin returned, my aunt served him a plate, and he dug in with enthusiasm.

“Are you starting college tomorrow?” Jin asked, his eyes bright with curiosity.

“Yes! Tomorrow is my first day at the Korean Arts College!” I replied, excitement bubbling within me.

“I can’t believe it! My brother Eunji is studying there too!” Jin exclaimed, a smile spreading across his face. “I’ll introduce you tomorrow and ask him to help you there, so you won’t feel so lost anymore!”

“Really? If it’s not too much trouble, I’d love to,” I replied gratefully. “Because I was already imagining myself lost and alone there tomorrow!”

“It’s no trouble at all! I’m sure my brother would love to meet such a beautiful girl,” Jin said with a wink.

“If your fiancee hears you talking like that, she’ll kick your ass,” my aunt interjected with a chuckle.

“But I said with all due respect, I’m engaged, but my brother is single, it was no big deal!” Jin protested, his cheeks flushing slightly.

“Oh my God, the girl has barely arrived and you’re already trying to find her a boyfriend! She’s too young for that, she’s only twenty and has to think about studying, not dating,” my aunt scolded playfully.

“Aish, Mrs. Amelia, I didn’t mean it that way,” Jin said, sheepishly scratching the back of his head.

“Yes, auntie, you can relax. The last thing on my mind is dating,” I reassured her. “I want to focus on my studies. But I do agree to meet your brother because it will be great to have an acquaintance at college.”

“All right then, tomorrow before class, I’ll ask him to come and pick you up!” my aunt declared with a smile.

“Thank you so much!” I exclaimed, gratitude filling my heart.

We continued eating and laughing until a beautiful woman who looked like she’d just stepped off the cover of a magazine walked into the kitchen. Everyone stood up when they saw her coming, so I followed suit, mimicking their actions. She was a vision in pastel pink, her checkered skirt and blazer exuding an aura of luxury. Delicate jewelry adorned her wrists and neck, undoubtedly worth more than I could fathom, and her chocolate brown hair cascaded down her back. Her elegance and slim figure contrasted sharply with my own genetics, marked by wide hips and thick thighs.

“Good evening, Mrs. Park,” they chimed in unison, their voices harmonizing like a well-rehearsed choir.

“Very good indeed,” she replied with a smile, her mischievous gaze settling on me as she looked me up and down. “Mrs. Park, this is my niece Jane.”

“What a beautiful girl!” she exclaimed. “You were modest when you told me about her beauty! Welcome, Jane! I hope you’ll be very happy in this house!”

“Thank you very much, Mrs. Park,” I responded gratefully.

“That way you’ll make me feel old. We’re almost the same age. Call me Jinhee,” she insisted warmly.