“Ashley, cous,” she heard the greeting as her glass was clinked by another champagne glass.
Her head turned toward the source of the voice. And her eyes caught a familiar figure she last saw around five years ago—as a surprise guest at her home in New Zealand. That girl had arrived in pieces then, heartbroken and a mess, if memory served her right. And her following days had been forcibly filled with listening to the girl's non-stop cry. The corners of Ashley's lips were drawn wide without realizing it. She warmly embraced the eccentric girl standing before her. Dressed in a bright yellow babydoll dress paired with a hot pink blazer, fifteen-centimeter heels of the same color, and an array of piercings sparkling on her face and ears. Sera Song, her cousin. Who had a similar fate to her, though their circumstances weren’t entirely the same. The one person in their family who could be just as annoyingly stubborn as she was. And yet, ironically, the only family member who always bothered to keep in touch with her. Even though Sera often brought chaos into her life, and their interactions caused her inconvenienced or frazzled, Ashley didn’t mind. Instead, she felt happy and entertained. Sera’s presence, for all its trouble, indirectly made her feel like she still belonged to the Song family. Because the rest of her relatives, including her own parents, barely spoke to her unless it was strictly necessary. Aside from urgent matters, they would rather ignore and treat her as if she were an invisible ghost. “You lucky girl,” Sera teased, a mischievous grin playing on her lips, "You’ve got a reason to stay in Korea forever.” "Is that what you think?" Ashley’s smile faded slightly. She didn’t mind the idea of 'staying in Korea forever'. But whether it would bring her happiness or simply add to her burdens, she was still uncertain. Even though Joshua Lim—who had officially become her husband an hour ago—had been treating her very well so far, she couldn't just take that for granted. Considering that what they are doing is a political marriage. Everyone has their own motives. And everyone, perhaps, wore a mask. “I almost thought you wouldn’t show up. You missed the ceremony, and the party is already halfway through.” Sera leaned closer to Ashley’s ear. Her hand that was not holding the glass was cupped near her mouth. “Sorry. I'm stoned. I drank too much last night.” She followed with a crisp chuckle. “My mom doesn’t even know when I got to Korea.” Ashley's eyes narrowed to hear Sera whisper. “As if that’s a secret?” she teased, striking back at once. Sera responded with a glance full of annoyance. Though there was nothing she could deny from Ashley’s two-sentence statement. First, everyone knew Sera was a heavy drinker. Her parents had even struggled to prevent the news of her addiction and mischief from spreading. Secondly, because of her uncontrollable behavior, her parents had sent her away from Korea immediately after high school graduation. In order to minimize news that could potentially affect the company's stock. Their shared story of exile is probably what made Ashley open enough to accept and tolerate all sides of Sera. And according to her, for Sera, being friends with her might be like having an ally. Two girls who were forced to live away from their own families. To the Song family, they were thorns rooted in the flesh. There was a risk of rotting, but even if the thorns were pulled out a thousand times, their roots would still remain. “Thanks, though, for coming,” Ashley sighed, ”Seeing you makes me feel less alone.” Sera clicked her tongue. “How pathetic,” her gaze sweeping over Ashley from head to toe. "So that’s why you’re standing here all alone? No one in the family wants to claim you, and no one out there wants to be your friend either?" Sera's expression was made up to look exaggeratedly shocked with widened eyes and a gaping mouth—prompted a mix of irritation and amusement. “You do realize, don't you, that you have such a nasty mouth,” Ashley countered, half-annoyed but unable to suppress a laugh. Sera had a way of delivering harsh truths as effortlessly as a joke. Ashley raised her glass, gesturing toward the buffet table. “I managed to get approval to bring two people. You've met one of them. Bella. Remember?” Sera's eyes followed the direction. Spotting a person she had often quarreled with over trivial matters, back when she ran away to Ashley's house. “How could I forget?” Sera grumbled, “I’ve never met anyone with such a horrible personality." Ashley grinned slightly. As much as she hated to admit it, Sera wasn’t wrong. Bella—her childhood friend, next-door neighbor, and probably the person who sided with and protected her the most—could turn into a monster at one time, but could also have the tender heart of an angel at another. It took a long time to truly understand that girl, indeed. “Also there are some friends from middle school I still keep in touch with. You might recognize some of them," Ashley added, nodding toward a small group of guests not far from where Bella was. “The blond guy next to Bella,” Sera’s eyes lit up, more interested in the first piece of information than the latter. “Is that your other friend? Is he Bella’s boyfriend?” “Yes… and no.” Hearing that, Sera immediately put her glass down on the cocktail table in front of them. Then quickly took a mini mirror from her bag, touched up her makeup, dabbing on powder, and fixing her lipstick. Ashley watched the whole scene with resignation while sighing repeatedly. As if she knew exactly what Sera was up to and where this was headed. “Whatever. But if you get hurt, don't come looking for me.” “You said he's your friend,” her hands were busy putting her things back into the bag, ”That means the percentage of him not being a jerk is about fifty percent. The rest, it's your responsibility.” “What resp—” Her words were not even finished, but Sera already took a few steps away. Her head was shaken faintly and her grin stretched thin. No matter how much she was warned or threatened, nothing would stop Sera. So she just let her cousin go without moving an inch from where she stood. At least, as far as she knew, her friend was not a jerk. Left alone, she sipped two to three mouthfuls of her drink as she looked around again. Looking to see if Josh was still laughing with his friends or had moved on to another place to make small talk with family acquaintances. Without any meaningful intentions, Ashley had done this several times since they parted ways to greet guests. It was almost like a reflex, though she didn’t understand why. It could be because she was subconsciously curious about what the man was truly feeling behind that ever-present smile. Or, she simply wanted to confirm his whereabouts—nothing more. Once she found him, Ashley cast her glance quietly near the fountain. The place where the man was currently chatting with his other friend. Then went back to sipping her drink with a wandering mind. When will this boring event end? Why was time moving so slowly? What if she ended it herself? The thought impulsively urged her to cross the garden and head to her room. But her plan suddenly slipped her mind as she passed through the restaurant door that connected the hotel’s garden to the lobby. Ashley accidentally caught the figure of Josh who had already walked into the restaurant from another door. His face looked flustered with an equally agitated look in his eyes, repeatedly checking his phone screen and circulating his gaze around the room in turn. Then when the man stopped his repetition and hurried to the point of almost running towards the lobby, Ashley's curiosity got the better of her. She lifted the dangling tail of her sheath dress as she walked quickly to follow him. At the far end of the lounge, the figure in a jet-black suit disappeared behind the rows of palms that served as partitions. Showing a faint silhouette between the gaps of the not-so-lush leaves. The closer Ashley got, the more clearly she heard the sobs of a girl’s voice. So she slowed her steps, careful to keep her shoes from tapping too loudly, and making sure she did not hear wrong. “Why did you come? You shouldn't be here.” Josh's deep voice softly broke through the muffled cries.Ashley stopped and looked around, searching for a spot that could conceal her completely while still letting her hear their conversation. To her left, about three to four steps away from where Josh was, stood a large pillar. Ashley very carefully walked on tiptoe and hid behind it.“You mean I can't see you?” The girl's voice sounded raised. “You said you wouldn't leave me. But what? Look. What I was afraid of actually happened, right? All your words turned out to be a bunch of bullshit, huh, Josh?”“No, no. That's not what I meant. If they see you—” Josh paused for a moment. Instead of finishing his sentence, he remained silent for a long time.Ashley's neck spontaneously stretched longer, thinking her ears couldn't pick up their voices. But no matter how hard she focused her hearing, not a single sound could be heard.Even so, Ashley remained still, waiting like a statue. She even breathed in and out very slowly.“I was just afraid you'd get hurt,” Josh's voice reappeared.At this m
The look on Ashley's face was a complete mess. Something inside her head was boiling, and her chest felt like it was being beaten from within. Creating an agonizing sensation of pain.She was angry.Very angry, and hurt.She couldn't even bear to imagine what she looked like now. Because even without seeing her reflection, she could guess how messy and pathetic she looked.Ashley slowly tried to stand up. Fixing the top of her dress and brushing off the dust floor on her dress. As for her disheveled hair, she ran her fingers through it, ruffling and combing as best she could do.Only when she felt that her hair no longer stuck out too much, she stepped out from behind the partition. She avoided making eye contact with whoever it was and moved quickly to the elevator. This time, luck seemed to be on her side. No one else got into the elevator with her. And the hallway on the floor where her room was located was also empty.The first thing she did after making it into the room was run s
“You want us both to sleep in the same room? Here?” Ashley stared at Josh with an incredulous look in her eyes, as if the man had just uttered some nonsensical words. “Yes.” “You have a girlfriend. You said she's the only one you love,” Ashley tried to restate their situation as clearly as possible, ”But still you want to sleep in the same room with me?” And once again further emphasized her question. “Yes.” “Wow,” Ashley unconsciously shook her head and widened her eyes in disbelief at what she had just heard. She completely failed to understand the man's train of thought. She had no idea what he was planning, but at this moment, Ashley felt played. “I don't understand. But I still want to move.” Not wanting to comply with Josh's unreasonable demand, Ashley reached her hand into the closet next to him again. But once again, Josh prevented her from reaching the clothes. But the difference was, this time, his grip was tighter and more painful. “I’m not repeating myself. Just do
Ashley's forehead creased into a deep frown.The moment the man approached with a white box, she immediately scrambled off the bed and back away. Giving as much distance as possible until her back hit the closet. Until there was no more room for her to run.Her body stiffened, her posture was now rigid—showing a very defensive position.The turmoil of anger still filled her chest, pressing against her ribs, and threatening to explode. Mixed with a variety of inexplicable feelings, and also a sense of... fear?She couldn’t explain the faint, ghostly shiver that swept over her at this moment. Which made her palms wet in cold sweat and clasping tightly without her even realizing it.It didn’t make sense. Wrath suited her current state far better than this unreasonable fear. Because, Josh was the one who had made many mistakes. A lot, in fact. And it all happened in just a matter of one day.So, shouldn't he be the one who was currently stricken with fear? Shouldn't he be the one on his kn
After calming down enough to regain her composure, Ashley slowly opened her eyes. Her hand reached out for the bath glove.This time, she rubbed her entire body gently—not filled with anger like a moment ago. After all, her face still felt a bit burned, and the scratch marks on her skin stung every time they were exposed to soap.Normally, the source of her suffering came from one thing only—her family. Outside of that, her life for the past twenty-five years had gone pretty well. So she hadn't expected to encounter misfortune at the hands of a pair of ignorant lovers.The girl had scratched her face the first day they met, while the man had smeared insults on her—pride and also face.Ashley clicked her tongue, a bitter taste still settling in her mouth. It felt like her anger would boil over again just thinking about how roughly Josh had kissed her earlier.She had no idea what to do next.She was already too tired and fed up to deal with Josh again. But thinking about it, if she ins
Ashley spoke passionately, but her voice caught in her throat, suddenly dry and tight, cutting off her words. And because it was uncomfortable, she was busy clearing her throat.Josh watched her patiently. When she fell silent, struggling to continue, he finally spoke.“I just don’t want any more misunderstandings between us. And,” he sighed, “I don’t like being seen as a jerk. I'm also sorry for not telling you about my relationship. But clearly, I didn't lie.”"You didn't lie? How can you say that after what I saw?""I never said I was single. You never asked either, did you? So technically, I didn't lie."Ashley looked at him with a scornful glare. Unbelievable. This man could twist words and manipulate situations so smoothly, so cunningly.“I didn’t even know whether you were single or had a boyfriend,” Josh narrowed his eyes, locking his gaze onto Ashley's. "Or maybe you have a boyfriend too and just didn’t tell me?""As if! I’m a woman with morals. There’s no way I would agree t
He looked up. His eyes glanced at the girl who was staring at him intently.“Ah—Yes?” Josh stopped typing, leaving the sentence he hadn't finished. “Go ahead. I’m listening.”Ashley scoffed. “Are you sure? I don’t think so,” Ashley's tone sounded mocking, “You probably don’t even remember what we were talking about.”At the same time Josh also noticed Ashley deliberately glancing at the cell phone that was in her hand. So he put his phone down.“Oh really?” her tone is still the same.Josh sighed, rubbing his temple. “I’m listening, Ashley. You were explaining why you suddenly want a divorce when you've never thought about it before.”“Yes. Huh—no, no,” Ashley hurriedly corrected herself. “Who said I just thought of it now? Of course, I’ve thought about it. Who in their right mind would want to be stuck forever in a fake, business marriage like this?”Josh raised an eyebrow. He never thought Ashley would describe their marriage in such a variety of terms.It made him want to confront
Josh realized that if their conversation continued, it would only go around in circles without being resolved. Ashley didn’t seem to be in the mood to forgive him, and she certainly wasn’t about to agree to his request. Yet that was the core of the problem—where Ashley had found out he was in a relationship with another girl.Maybe, it had crossed his mind that if Ashley knew, there would be a price to pay. Because she was going to live this marriage like a real marriage—as her mother always insisted.But he hadn’t expected to get caught this quickly. And now, he might be paying a bigger price than he had ever anticipated.Because once trust is broken, piecing it back together is harder than fixing shattered glass.Josh finally broke the silence. “What if I apologize for everything? For everything that made you angry?”Ashley lifted her head and looked at him.“And what would I get in return for forgiving you?” she asked. “You’re only apologizing because you don’t want me exposing you
Tonight Josh was forced to return to his own home. After his very intense conversation with his mother, it was clear that he didn't dare to go straight back to Sharon's apartment.In fact, he was unsure whether he should be determined to stay away from Sharon for a while, or whether he should be stubborn enough to meet her secretly as usual. Which of course came with consequences that were far worse than before.If he took the first option, compromised with Sharon and kept their distance—even though the girl would explode in anger and refuse to part with him without listening to any reason, as he had tried in the past—maybe he would be able to delay a little time to find a way to get back together with Sharon without having to worry about any sanctions.But if he took the second option, by continuing to prioritize Sharon and breaking his own promise—which he had even said with a face full of guilt less than an hour ago—then, he really had to be ready to accept a punishment that would
"Yes. Interesting, isn't it?"“That brother of yours seems really stupid, huh.”"He's just blind. That girl is very good at clouding his common sense. Sometimes I wonder what it is about that girl that makes Josh cling so tightly, as if he’s incapable of letting go—as if her presence is inescapable. Like it's impossible to let go of the shadow," Jason paused."That girl is like a leech, Mr. Lim. That's why your brother has a hard time letting go of her. Just like a person with a severe addiction, for him she acts as both a parasite and a source of opium."Jason was quite impressed by the former journalist's reasoning and judgment. He couldn't disagree against it—because what she said was so true. Her words were disturbingly accurate."You sound like an expert. No wonder you used to be such a great journalist.”“Used to be? What about now?” Jinah’s voice held a tinge of irritation."Of course you've become more skillful and professional. If you weren’t reliable, I wouldn't have reached
"Then how about last night. You haven't answered where you were last night?"Josh again swallowed his saliva with difficulty.“At home,” he replied softly. “Of course I was home with Ashley.”His mother glanced at him without interest. Even though she didn't actually know whether her son was lying or not—she herself had asked this one question only because Min Jinah was babbling incoherently about how she wasn't sure if she'd seen Josh or someone who looked like Josh going out late at night from his apartment on the wedding night."I hope you're not lying. I heard something uncomfortable, but I don't know if it's true or not... But leaving a woman alone on the wedding night—that would hurt her a lot. You have to understand that."Josh's jaw hardened.Remembering that he not only left Ashley last night, but also fought and was rude to her, made his guilt tingle again."I also want you to keep your other promises. We can't wait too long,“ her mother thought again, ”should I legalize our
Josh was frantic. He couldn't answer anything. His voice suddenly disappeared as if swallowed by a complicated life dilemma. It was as if his entire body was swallowed by quicksand with thousands of leeches eating away at his body.His current situation was really difficult. Being forced to choose between the interests of his family and his feelings for Sharon, was like telling him to commit suicide. There was nothing he could choose. There was nothing he could prioritize over the others. Everything was important to him.That's why he kept in touch with Sharon despite agreeing to break up with her. He had done everything he could. He was even willing to spend a lot of time making plans and being more careful so as not to get caught by anyone.But Min Jinah was really a surprise. He hadn’t thought of her at all, as his mother had never mentioned her. He believed it was all over since the incident from years ago had been resolved and faded over time.He suddenly felt incredibly naive
If his mother was asked a question like this... The biggest possibility was that she had already found out. Although Josh himself didn’t know how.Maybe someone had seen him with Sharon as they spent the day outside together. Maybe it was his own mother who saw them—no, his mother would've immediately confronted them both—especially Sharon—not called him alone at this time of night. Or maybe Jason had seen him with Sharon at the restaurant this afternoon? Although he was sure Jason hadn't seen Sharon at the restaurant, there was still a slight possibility.Or—Could Ashley have complained to his mom?His mom didn’t just ask about today. But she mentioned last night. If it was really Jason or someone who knew him, they wouldn't know that he stayed at Sharon's apartment last night.Was this all Ashley's doing?Clearly, right now he had to answer very carefully.The probability for him was fifty percent for an answer. One to tell a lie, and one to tell a little lie.Because as bad as it
When Josh stepped into the house, the first thing he saw was his mother, seated stiffly on one of the sofas in the living room.She was facing the entrance—the door that separated the foyer from the rest of the house—as if she had been waiting for him all this time, ensuring he would catch her expression the moment he walked in. Sour and tense.Josh’s steps faltered. He still couldn't guess what he was about to face at that moment. As far as he knew, there was nothing wrong within the family. He also felt that he hadn't done anything wrong lately, especially to his mother. In fact, compared to his older siblings, he was the most obedient, the most reliable.Yet his mother’s piercing gaze cut through him. Her eyes unblinked. With her arms crossed in front of her chest, she watched Josh approach her in silence, without saying a word.Josh swallowed hard. The air in the room was thick with something unsettling, something oppressive. It was eerie and cold, despite the lights still burning
That day, Josh willingly complied with Sharon's every whim—going shopping, buying all kinds of overpriced treats, and patiently waiting while she indulged in endless beauty treatments.But since he had been deprived of rest and sleep for the past few days—he had to be involved in family gatherings before the wedding, drowning in work with a project deadline just three days before the wedding day, and especially the hardest part, was dealing with Sharon's relentless tantrums... the impact on his body was real. It was like he had been beaten and crushed to the bone.He spent the entire day walking from store to store, sitting for long periods, then standing again—so many times that his legs nearly gave out from sheer exhaustion. Drowsiness clung to him like a heavy fog, so difficult to endure.His life felt disconnected from his own body. Every step he took was numb. Every movement happened without thought—like he was automatically going through the motions, like he was on autopilot.Me
"So, this is your house?"Josh gasped. He automatically jumped to his feet when he recognized the owner of the voice he knew so well was suddenly so close."Hyung—," Josh blinked tensely. And without him realizing it his eyes instinctively glanced to the spot where Sharon had just left.Of course, Jason caught that trembling glance. His eyes narrowed slightly. It felt so good, like he had caught a big fish. And Jason couldn’t help but feel a surge of satisfaction.Intending to play a little prank on his brother, Jason only gave a small nod, "Yeah?"Josh cleared his throat, his mind racing to come up with a reasonable excuse in this crucial moment. Until it unwittingly caused brief silence between them."I—had an important meeting... with a colleague here," he thinks he managed to give an answer. Followed by an awkward laugh that escaped her mouth immediately afterward. His demeanor was stiff, and his hands were clasped together—demonstrating a very bad lie."Oh, I see. But why lie at
"Mr. Kwak, if you see a pharmacy, please stop and get me some headache medicine," Jason said, taking a deep breath and letting it out. "I don't know why my head feels so heavy.""Yes, sir," the middle-aged driver replied, giving a quick nod, "I'll drive more slowly."That man with a well-defined oval face with sharp but refined features loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. Then adjusted his sitting position so that he could lean his head against the seat, and closed his eyes. Hoping the tension would ease even a little.Not long after, the car came to a gentle stop."Sir, do you need anything else besides the medicine?"Jason slowly opened his eyes, blinking away the haze, "No. I don't need anything else. That's all."The driver nodded before stepping out of the car.Jason grabbed the water bottle next to him and took a long and refreshing sip.His schedule had been brutal over the past month. A lot of work piled up. And one engagement after another, each deman