Mia shrugged casually. “I watch Korean business news with Mrs. Kim at the library every Wednesday. She teaches me the difficult words. I read books about how international companies work because Mommy says understanding business is important.”
Elena stood frozen by the doors, cycling through shock, pride, and terror.
“James,” Alexander said, his voice stronger, “put Mia on a secure video conference call. I want our Korean partners to hear this directly.”
Minutes later, the wall-mounted screen showed five Korean executives in Seoul. When they saw tiny Mia in the enormous leather chair, their expressions shifted from tension to confusion.
Mia bowed politely in the traditional Korean manner and began speaking fluent Korean with natural pronunciation and cultural nuance.
The executives leaned forward, eyes widening as she explained the discrepancies in meticulous detail. The eldest, Mr. Park, responded rapidly. Mia translated with precision.
“Mr. Park says they suspected something was wrong but didn’t want to accuse anyone without proof. He’s grateful these mistakes were caught before signing. He also says I speak Korean better than most American business people he’s met in thirty years.”