II - 14

With her mind at ease, her expression lightened as well. 

“I-jun, what do you think of me? Or rather, how do you see me?” 

She posed the question to him, harboring a small sense of hope. 

Among the many questions swirling in her mind, this was the one she was most curious about—how he perceived her. 

She didn’t even dare to expect his heart. Instead, she thought it would be fine if he said he was drawn to her looks or, as he had mentioned before, that their physical compatibility was good. 

After all, everything he had said so far was undeniably tied to how he viewed her. 

“What do you mean by ‘how do I see you?’ What’s the meaning of that?” 

I-jun tilted his head, genuinely looking puzzled. 

He straightened his upper body from the steering wheel, deep in thought, and somehow his hesitation felt disappointing. 

She had anticipated that an immediate answer wouldn’t come easily, but his uncertain demeanor caused cracks to form in the expectations she had unconsciously built up. 

“You know… every night before I fall asleep, I think about it. Why did you choose me? Why does someone like you, who seems so out of my league, want to marry me?” 

She asked him, barely suppressing the ache in her heart. 

For a moment, silence filled the car. Though only a few seconds passed, to her, it felt like an eternity. 

“I-ryeong…” 

He finally spoke. 

Her gaze locked onto him, captivated by his calm voice. 

“Have you really been worrying about that?” 

I-jun reached out and gently stroked her head, as if praising a well-behaved puppy. 

“Do you think of me every night?” 

She didn’t dislike his touch or his teasing tone—in fact, quite the opposite. 

His careful yet tender touch seemed to sweep away her tangled thoughts. 

“Cute.” 

The hand that had been stroking her head slowly moved down to caress her soft cheek. 

“The day we met… it wasn’t a coincidence. Perhaps it was inevitable.” 

Then, naturally, I-jun took her hand and began to gently stroke the back of it. 

He resisted the urge to press his lips against her soft skin and continued speaking. 

“We went to meet with a client and parted ways that day, promising to see each other again at work.” 

She never imagined she’d run into him again at the restaurant that day. 

At the time, she had been mortified that her boss had caught her red-handed with her lover. But now, she was grateful—it was I-jun who had seen her, and no one else. 

“What happened back then isn’t important. What matters is that we met again there.” 

As he convinced her that their meeting was not a coincidence but fate, his fingers intertwined with hers. With that simple gesture, the memory of that miserable day faded from her mind. 

She had to admit it—being with I-jun made her forget any complicated thoughts, leaving her feeling completely at ease. 

“And that’s why we’re here together now.” 

Holding hands, they shared each other’s warmth. 

I-ryeong felt as though her entire being—her mind, her thoughts—was melting away. She worried that if she stayed like this any longer, she might disappear entirely without a trace. 

“So you see, our meeting wasn’t a coincidence—it was destiny.” 

“…” 

She was swept away by the atmosphere.

His breath and the warmth radiating from him made it impossible for her to think clearly. 

“I fell for the woman who brought me coincidence, and I chased after her to propose marriage.” 

He smiled faintly, and it seemed so genuine. Even if it was a misunderstanding, she wished that smile belonged to her. 

“The woman who ran away saying ‘no’ only made me more determined.” 

His lips brushed against the back of her hand. 

“We even spent an unforgettable night together.” 

It felt like he was telling her not to cling to certainty anymore. Overwhelmed by the frantic beating of her heart, I-ryeong finally parted her lips and exhaled a heated breath. 

“Are my reasons for marrying you sufficient?” 

Her head, now much lighter, nodded involuntarily. 

“Who would turn away a princess in danger?” 

His gaze felt real. 

“If anyone questions our marriage, tell them a wealthy prince came to the rescue. Of course, you can say that in front of my mother too.” 

I-jun released their intertwined fingers. 

“Are you feeling more at ease now than before?” 

Then, his tender tone disappeared as well. 

“You don’t need to act like my wife in front of me. Just do your best to play the role of a wife in front of my family, especially my mother.” 

The fleeting sweetness she had felt just moments ago now felt like an illusion. 

It was as though he was reminding her not to forget the purpose of their marriage. Her heart cooled instantly. 

“…Alright. I’ll do my best to play the role of a wife. But in return, you must keep your promise too.” 

I-ryeong grabbed his chin with her now-cold hand and locked eyes with him. 

“Don’t forget your promise to always be on my side.” 

Then, she smiled softly, as if nothing was wrong. 

“I’m addicted to you, I-ryeong.” 

She resolved to make his teasing words a reality. 

With an uneasy heart, the day of the meeting between their families arrived. 

Her parents were visibly surprised by the sudden schedule. They likely had many questions about the other party, but without showing much reaction, they respected their daughter’s wishes. 

The awkward relationship she had maintained with them until now unexpectedly proved helpful today. 

I-ryeong wore a tweed two-piece suit she had barely worn a few times—it was such a pity. The white color gave off a strong bridal vibe. 

She applied light makeup to appear neat and let her long hair flow freely. 

After finishing her preparations, she stepped into the living room to find her parents already waiting. They too were dressed in the outfits I-ryeong had painstakingly prepared for them. 

Though she had broken her savings for this occasion, she didn’t regret it. Given that the other party was the CEO of AE Cosmetics, she couldn’t help but pay attention to appearances. 

Finally, the door to the storage room opened, and Jung-min emerged in his school uniform. She had agonized over whether to bring her younger brother to the meeting but made the decision early that morning. 

“Just wear that for the meeting. I’ll buy you a proper suit for the wedding later.” 

Though she had no choice but to let him wear his uniform, the outfit didn’t look bad on him. 

“Sis, I’m not sure if it’s appropriate for me to be here.” 

Jung-min glanced at his sister cautiously. 

“I-ryeong, bringing Jung-min along feels excessive to me,” her stepmother said, voicing her concern now that she knew about the future in-laws.

Under the watchful gazes of her parents, I-ryeong felt suffocated. She was already anxious about meeting I-jun’s family, and their concern only added to her unease. 

“It was agreed that we’d meet as families.” 

She didn’t want to hide or sugarcoat anything, even if it caused worry. 

“Leaving Jung-min out would have been stranger.” 

Having already decided to bring her younger brother along, she stated this matter-of-factly, unwilling to dwell on further excuses. 

“…Thank you, I-ryeong.” 

Mother and son stared at her, their hands tightly clasped. 

“We’ll be late. Let’s hurry and go.” 

I-ryeong pretended not to notice Ji-hyun’s teary eyes and rushed them along. 

She was leaving home soon after the wedding anyway, and she didn’t want to leave behind any lingering discomfort. 

They arrived at the traditional Korean restaurant where the meeting was to take place, riding in her father’s car. 

Seated in a row in the private room reserved under I-jun’s name, they waited. 

Water was brought for them to quench their thirst, but no one touched it. At this moment, I-ryeong wasn’t the only one feeling tense. 

The entire family sat stiffly, gripped by an almost suffocating tension. 

“We’re late.” 

A tall middle-aged man entered with a knock—it was Kyung-soo, I-jun’s father. 

Startled, I-ryeong quickly rose from her seat. 

“Not at all! We’re still ahead of schedule.” 

Kang-tae, I-ryeong’s father, also swiftly stood up to greet him. 

“Nice to meet you.” 

Kyung-soo smiled warmly and extended his hand for a handshake. 

Caught off guard, the two men shook hands, prompting Ji-hyun and Jung-min to rise as well. 

“Have you already started exchanging greetings?” 

Next, Lee Jung-ae, the CEO of AE Cosmetics and I-jun’s mother, entered. 

Unconsciously, I-ryeong swallowed hard. 

Seeing Jung-ae in person—someone she had only seen in company newsletters—made her seem even more dazzling and elegant. I-ryeong felt completely overwhelmed by her presence. 

“Nice to meet you. I’m Chae I-ryeong.” 

I-ryeong bowed deeply to I-jun’s parents. 

“I heard you’re one of our employees. Nice to meet you.” 

Jung-ae accepted the greeting without sparing I-ryeong a glance. 

Of course, she doesn’t approve of me, I-ryeong thought. Though she understood Jung-ae’s cold demeanor, it still stung. 

“Today’s matchmaking must be canceled, Mother.” 

After all, he had chosen her to avoid the pressure of a blind date. 

I-ryeong forced her lips into a strained smile, stretching them until they hurt. 

Then, a commotion drew everyone’s attention toward the entrance. 

“Oh my, is everyone standing?” 

The eldest daughter-in-law of the Seo family and her son entered one after the other. 

Once again, I-ryeong was the first to bow and greet the couple. 

“Hello, I’m Chae I-ryeong.” 

“We’ve been so curious about who our young master is marrying. It’s nice to finally meet you today.”

The owner of the sharp, clear voice—Han Yu-jin, the eldest daughter-in-law—eyed I-ryeong and Jung-min from head to toe before smirking. 

“This must be your younger brother? He’s quite young.” 

“Hello,” Jung-min greeted stiffly, just as I-jun entered belatedly. 

“My apologies for being late. I’m Seo I-jun.” 

Dressed in a deep navy suit, he bowed politely to I-ryeong’s parents. With his hair slicked back using pomade, he looked even more radiant than usual. 

“I-ryeong?” 

He turned his gaze toward her, locking eyes with her. 

“Why are you so beautifully dressed today? You’re making me fall for you all over again.” 

Without missing a beat, he reached out to gently stroke her cheek. 

Caught off guard, I-ryeong could only blush furiously. 

“Oh my! Mother, Father! Did you see that? Our young master is so different here than at home!” 

Yu-jin burst into laughter, casting a teasing glance at I-ryeong. 

“Enough with the nonsense. Be quiet,” Jung-ae scolded sharply but calmly, her tone heavy with authority. 

Yu-jin immediately clamped her mouth shut. 

“Of course he’s different. She’s his woman, after all.” 

But I-jun’s mouth didn’t stop moving—he couldn’t seem to contain himself, like a man desperate to boast. 

“She’s always beautiful, every single day. It’s becoming a real problem.” 

Even as everyone took their seats, his endless doting on I-ryeong showed no signs of stopping. 

I-ryeong was utterly flustered. She hadn’t expected him to act this way in front of their families. 

But strangely, she didn’t dislike it. Even if it was all an act, wrapped in lies.