Ashes and Architects

Characters in this story

• Jemma Lee — Jemma Lee (25) is the rebellious heiress to a massive Chaebol empire relocated to Seattle. Adventurous, sassy, and brilliantly sharp, she rejects her family's rules for absolute freedom. A fierce, wildly resourceful free spirit, Jemma uses her own wits to protect loved ones and forge her own path.
• Lia Rios — Lia is a 25 yr old Latina American accountant working in Napa Valley at the Mondavi Winery she recently moved from Seattle to accept this position and is still trying to find her footing, her best friend is Jemma Lee who is currently half around the world trying traveling for work. Shy, confident.
• Nathaniel Kim — Nathaniel Kim, 26, is an Economics major at Seoul National University and a lifelong friend of Jemma Lee. Quiet, confident, and down-to-earth, he brings a grounded, no-nonsense presence to their long-distance group. Beneath his studious look and gentle dimpled smile is a deeply loyal anchor.
• Skyla Wendell — Skyla Wendell (@SkylaGlows) brings sun-kissed Orange County glamour to Jemma’s Journey. A former rival turned loyal travel bestie, this sharp-witted InstaSnap influencer pairs high fashion with gourmet organic roots. Her motto: "Keep it fresh, keep it golden."
• Jacob Lee — Jacob Lee, 58, CEO of Hondae Corp., a colossal entity spanning Seoul, Seattle, and SE Asia. Master of development. Married to Regina for 30+ years. Leads family: Exec sons Nico and Danny, rebellious but capable Jemma, and a sassy youngest daughter Josie. A force to be recokened with
• Nico Lee — At 31, Nicholaus "Nico" Lee is the brilliant, dangerously charming heir to the Lee family empire. Seattle’s top bachelor and Seoul’s most desired man, Nico commands any room with dead-sexy focus. He can conquer any boardroom without breaking a sweat—except when taming his rebellious sister, Jemma.
• Regina Lee — Role: Matriarch, Wife, & Daughter-in-Law Family: Married to CEO Jacob Lee; mother of four distinct children Affiliation: Hondae Conglomerate Demeanor: Gracious, warm, and poised Core Trait: Fiercely protective; a formidable force of nature when her family is threatened
• Josephine Aka " Josie" Lee — Nineteen-year-old Josie Lee is a powerhouse of intellect wrapped in a cool, casual exterior, as she makes her mark as a first-year Cyber Security student at the Seattle-based Lake Washington Institute of Technology. In a field that is both demanding and rapidly changing, Josie stands out with her ke
• Danny Lee — If Nico was born to lead, Danny was born to watch, calculate, and act before anyone else realizes what needs to be done. Smart in the quiet, unnerving way — the man who remembers everything, says very little, and is always three moves ahead. Decisive to a fault. When Danny makes a call, it's made.
• Eva Lee — Eva is the matriarch of the Lee clan — mother to Jacob, mother-in-law to Regina, and grandmother to Nico, Danny, Jemma, and Josie. Family has always been the other empire she built, the one she guards even more fiercely than Hondae. She knows every grandchild's habits, moods, and tells.
• Maren — Maren is Hondae's cold board strategist, an old friend of Eva's who knows exactly how much truth can hurt before it becomes useful.
• Anya Sharma — Chairwoman Anya Sharma, Eva Lee's old boardroom ally, is the one person in the room who can separate legal ownership from moral truth.