Chapter twenty one: An Unexpected Invitation

The early afternoon sun filtered softly through the white lace curtains in Linda's room, casting delicate patterns across the floor. She sat cross-legged on the velvet settee, her eyes fixed on the TV screen as the latest episode of her favorite mystery drama played in the background. The soft hum of the dialogue filled the room, mingling with the occasional chirp of birds from outside her window. A cup of untouched tea rested beside her on the table—lukewarm now, forgotten in the tide of midday laziness.

Then her phone buzzed.

The sharp vibration snapped her out of her trance. She leaned forward and picked it up, the screen glowing with a new message notification.

Sophia: Hey, Linda. Remember me? Can we meet?

Her brows lifted in surprise. Of course, she remembered Sophia—the woman she had first interacted with the day she arrived in town. Sophia had been kind, if a bit distracted, and Linda remembered clearly that she had a baby. They hadn't spoken much since then, just brief greetings here and there. It felt random… sudden.

Before she could even process the first message, another ping followed.

Sophia: [Location attached]

It was an address. A restaurant. One she recognized—modestly upscale and several miles away, tucked near the edge of the commercial district.

Linda frowned. The message had no explanation, no tone, no emojis—just a straightforward location. The abruptness of it all made her feel like something wasn't right. Her instincts told her this wasn't just a casual reunion.

She quickly turned off the TV, stood up, and reached for her coat from the rack near the door. Slipping into it, she grabbed her keys from the bowl on the counter and walked briskly to the garage. Instead of her usual car, she opted for her electric bike—faster for weaving through the midday traffic.

Moments later, she was on the road, her thoughts circling around Sophia's message. The cold wind brushed her face as she rode, and her concern deepened with each mile.

When she arrived, the sun was beginning to dip just slightly westward. The restaurant was a cozy, mid-sized establishment with glass panels and green potted plants that framed the entrance. She parked the bike carefully at the designated corner, locked it, and made her way inside.

The place buzzed softly with late lunchers and quiet conversations. Linda stepped in and let her eyes sweep across the room.

There she was—Sophia. Sitting alone at a table by the window, her posture slightly hunched, her hands wrapped tightly around a glass of water. She looked up as Linda approached, and her lips stretched into a tired, grateful smile.

"Hey," Sophia said softly, standing to greet her.

"Hey," Linda responded warmly, offering a hug before taking the seat opposite her.

They exchanged pleasantries for a few minutes, placing an order for two cappuccinos. Linda made small talk about the weather and how quickly the weeks had passed since they last saw each other. She then asked about her son, Jack and Sophia smiled saying he was alright.

Suddenly, Linda noticed something off about Sophia. This was actually their first real conversation since they'd met on the plane on her journey to Seoul.

Linda remembered how, on the flight, Sophia had been quiet but polite. But Sophia wasn't this nervous.

"Are you… alright?" Linda asked gently, her eyes searching Sophia's face.

Sophia's lips trembled. She swallowed hard, then finally let the tears fall.

"I'm not," she whispered, her voice breaking. "It's been so hard, Linda."

She wiped at her cheeks with trembling fingers, then began to speak, her voice barely audible at first but growing steadier as she told her story.

"The thing is.... I stayed in Busan after I gave birth to Jack. It was the only place I could get away. My husband—Jin-Ho—he changed after I left Seoul. The man I married… he stopped being the man I knew. He started drinking with his friends, coming home late, and when he was home, he was angry. Angry at me. At everything."

Sophia paused, swallowing a sob.

"One night, he hit me. Not just once—over and over. He said it was my fault. Said I was weak and useless. I tried to protect Jack, but I was so scared."

Linda reached across the table and took Sophia's hands in hers, grounding her.

"Where is Jack now?" Linda asked softly.

Sophia's eyes darkened.

"I left him with my sister. Her house is crowded—she has a husband and four kids—and I wanted to stay with her, but there's barely enough room. I visit Jack as often as I can, but my husband can't know."

Tears spilled freely down Sophia's cheeks now.

"I didn't tell anyone. I was ashamed. But when I came back to Seoul, everything changed. Jin-Ho was colder. I even saw him with other women. He laughed when I asked him about us."

Linda squeezed her hands gently.

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

Sophia shook her head, defeated.

"I didn't want to burden you. And I was scared you'd think less of me."

Linda's voice was fierce.

"You could never be a burden. You're stronger than you know."

"So, Sofia," she said gently, "apart from hitting you and treating you badly… what else did he do to you?"

Sophia's lip quivered. Her gaze dropped to the untouched glass of water in front of her. She gripped the edge of the table, her knuckles pale from the pressure.

"A lot," she whispered. "Things I never told anyone."

Linda nodded slowly, giving her the space to continue.

"He would insult me, all the time," Sophia said, her voice bitter now, voice still shaking. "Call me a useless girl from the countryside. Say I was lucky he even married me. That I had nothing before him. He'd laugh at my accent when he was with his friends."

Her voice dropped lower.

"Especially the women—his female friends. He'd insult me right in front of them. They'd laugh too. He'd act like I was a joke. Not his wife… not the mother of his child, just some stupid woman he kept around."

Linda clenched her jaw, fury simmering in her eyes.

Sophia went on, her voice cracking but determined now, like a dam bursting.

"He made me do everything. The cooking, cleaning, laundry—even when I was heavily pregnant with Jack. He never helped. Not once. And if I was late with anything, he'd scream at me. Throw things. One night he grabbed my wrist so tight—"

She held up her arm unconsciously, as if remembering the pain.

"He clenched it so hard, I thought he'd break it. Just because I forgot to iron his shirt. Then he went out partying like nothing happened."

Linda's eyes darkened.

"He parties a lot?"

"All the time," Sophia said, wiping her tears again. "Late nights. Clubs. Drinking. With those women. Once, he didn't come back for two days. And when he did, he blamed me for 'making him mad.' He said I was boring. That I didn't know how to be a real woman."

She looked up at Linda, her face pale, her eyes swollen with sorrow.

"He used to make me feel like I was nothing. Like I didn't matter. And I believed him for a long time. I really did."

Linda reached across the table and gently touched her friend's hand.

"You are not nothing, Sophia. Don't you ever believe that again. Is there anything remaining that I must know?." She asked.

"Yes!. " Sophia said shakily.

"Then tell me. I need to know everything. " She said and Sophia continued her story.