Unintended Peace

BLESSING MAY POV I should have turned around. That was my first thought when I stepped out of the car. My second thought was that I had absolutely no business being here. I stood at the entrance of GMDB Group's headquarters, staring up at a building so enormous that I had to tilt my head back just to see the top. Steel.Glass.Lights.Money. The kind of building that made you feel poor before you even stepped through the doors. “Wow,” I whispered. I couldn't stop staring. Back home in Los Angeles, I had seen expensive buildings before. I had walked past corporate headquarters, luxury hotels, and mansions that looked like they belonged in movies. But this was different. GMDB didn't simply sit in the middle of Seoul. It dominated it. The headquarters rose above the surrounding buildings like it owned the entire city. And apparently, for the next year, I was going to be working inside it. Me. Blessing May. A twenty-three-year-old Black woman from Los Angeles who had somehow landed an internship with one of the most powerful companies in Korea. I almost laughed. If someone had told the girl I was a few years ago that I would be standing here with two suitcases and an internship letter, I would have called them crazy. But here I was. And this wasn't just an internship to me. It was a chance. A real chance. My family wasn't wealthy. My parents had worked hard their entire lives to give my siblings and me what they could. There was never much left after rent, bills, groceries, and everything else that came with raising a family. I was proud of where I came from. But I was also tired of watching money determine what people could and couldn't do. This internship could change everything. I had graduated with honors. I knew I could work. I knew I could learn. And I wasn't flying halfway across the world just to spend twelve months taking notes and making coffee. I wanted a future. And I was prepared to fight for it. I adjusted the strap of my bag and walked toward the entrance. My suitcase wheels rolled behind me. The security guards checked my documents before allowing me inside. The moment the doors opened, I felt it. The difference. The lobby was breathtaking. The floors were polished marble. The walls were lined with glass. Employees moved through the building in perfectly tailored suits, their heels clicking against the floor as they spoke quietly into phones. Nobody looked lost. Nobody looked nervous. Everyone seemed to know exactly where they were going. I suddenly became very aware of my own appearance. My natural curls were pulled into a neat style, my dark skin glowing under the bright lobby lights. I tightened my grip around my folder. You belong here. I repeated the words silently. You belong here. I walked toward the reception desk. “Good morning.” The receptionist looked up. She was stunning. Perfect makeup. Long, straight hair. Designer clothes. The kind of woman who looked like she belonged on the cover of a magazine. “Good morning,” she replied with a polite smile. “Intern?” “Yes.” She checked something on her computer. “Blessing May?” “Yes.” “Human Resources. Thirteenth floor.” She handed me a small access card. “Take the elevators on your right. You'll need this card to access the floor.” “Thank you Ma.” I turned. Then I heard a voice behind me. “Good morning, Ms. Doreen.” I glanced back. A tall woman was walking toward the reception desk. She had dark skin, long hair, and a smile that immediately caught my attention. She was wearing an intern badge too. Another intern. “Sora, Good morning, ” the receptionist said warmly. The woman smiled. “How are you?” “I'm good. Congratulations.” “Thank you.” The receptionist looked between us. “Why don't you go together? I'm sure you can show her around.” The lady looked at me. “Come on.” I followed her. We walked toward the elevators. There were six. Two were marked EXECUTIVE. I immediately knew those weren't meant for people like me. But the big men on the Building. We stopped in front of one of the regular elevators. And lady pressed on the elevator button signifying upstairs. We waited as the elevator count down. She looked at me. “You've never been here before?” “No.” She laughed. “I meant Korea.” “Oh.” I shook my head. “This is my first time.” She studied me for a second. Then she smiled. “Welcome to Korea,” she said with a bright smile. “Sora Lee,” she introduced herself. “Blessing May,” I replied, returning her smile, She looked me over for a second, then nodded approvingly. "Okay, Blessing. First of all, you’re very beautiful.” I laughed softly. “Thank you.” “And your skin?” She pointed at me dramatically. “Girl, what is going on? Your color is something else.” I blinked, then laughed. “My color?” “Yes, your color!” she said, like I was supposed to understand exactly what she meant. “It’s so pretty. I’m actually jealous.” Okay… I definitely wasn’t expecting that. “You’re joking.” “I’m not. I’m being completely serious.” She paused and looked at my face again. “Well… mostly serious.” I raised an eyebrow. “Mostly?” She laughed. “I’m just saying, if I had your skin, I would never stop taking pictures.” I couldn't help laughing. She was definitely different from what I expected. I had barely been in Korea for a few hours, and somehow this girl was already talking to me like we had known each other for weeks. She smiled at me. “See? I already like you.” “I guess that’s good.” “It is. You’re going to need me around here.” I looked at her suspiciously. “Why?” “Because you look like someone who is about to get lost on her first day.” I placed a hand over my chest. “I’m not that bad.” She glanced at the elevator doors, then back at me. “Hmm. We’ll see.” I had a feeling I was going to hear that ‘hmm’ a lot. Before I could respond, the elevator dinged. Sora immediately stepped forward. “Come on, California girl. Let’s see if you can survive your first elevator ride.” I stared at the open elevator for a second. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. Then I followed her inside. And within seconds, I realized I had made a terrible mistake. The elevator shot upward. My stomach dropped. I grabbed the railing. “Oh my God.” Sora burst out laughing. “You're okay!” “No, I'm not!” The elevator stopped. I stumbled out. Sora was still laughing. I covered my face. “I hate you.” “You'll survive.” I wasn't convinced. By the time we reached Human Resources, I was still recovering from the elevator ride. Bimbo, on the other hand, looked perfectly fine, HR was quick i was assigned to PRS Dpt, where I would assist the director, Mr. Han Gil After the introductions, we were told to return to the company residence where the interns were staying. So I could freshen up and settle in for work the next day. I had no idea where that was. Sora offered me a ride. I accepted. *** I Immediately knew she wasn't an ordinary intern. The interior of the car was luxurious. Black leather seats. A digital dashboard. Everything looked brand new. Okay, this is what we call luxury. The car was amazing. No—amazing didn't even begin to describe it. I tried not to stare, but who wouldn't? My eyes were practically everywhere, taking in every little detail. “You're quiet,” she said, glancing at me. “I'm just taking everything in.” She smiled. “You've been staring at my car since we left.” “I have not.” “You absolutely have.” I laughed. “Okay, maybe a little.” “Why?” I hesitated before answering. “Because interns don't usually drive cars like this.” She burst out laughing. “So that's what you're thinking?” “No. I'm just saying…” She glanced at me with an amused smile. “You're wondering where the money came from.” "No, just that.." I stayed silent. She laughed again. “I'm related to the Kang Family.” I frowned. “The Kang?” She nodded. “The Kang family.” My expression changed. Wait. The Kang family? The name was impossible to miss. GMDB wasn't just another corporation. The Kang family was behind it—the founders, the owners, the people whose name had practically become synonymous with the company. I slowly turned toward her. “You're related to them?” “Yes.” “How?” “My mother is Han Seo-yeon Kang. She's the younger sister of Chairman Jake Kang.” I stared at her. “You're serious?” “Very.” She laughed at my expression. I leaned back against the seat. So I've been sitting beside a member of one of the most powerful families in the company this entire time. Of course. Of course the beautiful girl with the expensive car and effortless confidence belonged to one of the richest families in the country. "Girl what are you doing here" I said teasing She laughed out loud "You're the daughter of the Mr Min ho Lee" She smiled “yes girl...Did you run a background check on us" I laughed "Girl... Didn't know what I was getting into, needed to be sure" “But Now my cousins, Jaden and Jay, runs the company now” I stared out at her in awe, trying to process everything she had just told me. My life had officially started feeling like a movie. “So why are you interning here?” She shrugged. “it actually a punishment for misconduct, am nit really into all this kinds of things, i love fashion. But you see my mom would kill me if go into it.” I laughed softly. “Your entire life is already planned.” “You have no idea.” The car slowed down. Then stopped. I looked outside. And my jaw dropped. The company residence was beautiful. Cream-colored walls stretched across the massive building, with wide balconies overlooking perfectly maintained gardens. A fountain stood in the center of the compound, surrounded by neatly trimmed flowers and greenery. Interns were everywhere. Some were sitting outside with their laptops. Others were taking pictures of the residence like they couldn't believe they were staying there. I stared through the window. Okay. So this is where we're staying? I turned to Soraya. She was already smiling at my expression. “Welcome to your new home, California girl.” I looked back at the enormous residence. Sora laughed. I stepped out of the car. “I think I'm going to like Korea.” “Give it a few days.” I smiled. I we walked into the building. This is going to be fun. Welcome to Korea