Whatever happened to Chanyeol in the morning, Suzy was sure he would not ignore her for long. She just needed to act like normal, then he would break apart and beg her to open up to him. Just like usual. And that would be the time for her to reveal that she wanted him to decline her father's wish. She could just tell him that right away, but she didn't want to be the one begging from the start.

She was sure he would comply. After all, with that feelings he was developing for her, she had him wrapped around her fingers. Something she failed to recognize sooner if it weren't for Lay.

That night, while reviewing a project of her department, she waited for him to come home. It would be better if he would break sooner than later. Yet, even after midnight, Chanyeol had not come back. A little annoyed, Suzy decided to not wait for him any longer and went to sleep. Work still came first. She needed to wake up for tomorrow, and she would not want to sacrifice her time just to wait on him.

When morning came, she found the other side of the bed empty. But she could tell someone had slept on it. Chanyeol must have gotten home after she slept. A little smirk curled on her lips. Her plan could be put to work today. Chanyeol wouldn't even last the breakfast without wanting for her to talk to him. She only needed to ignore him like she always did.

A few minutes later, the door to the bathroom swung open and her husband came out in plain white t-shirt and boxer. He paused drying his hair with a towel when he saw Suzy stood in front of him to get inside the bathroom.

"Morning!" was his usual greeting whenever he saw her up though she never replied. However, to Suzy's surprise, he did not say such greeting this time. He only looked away and walked past her. No smile. Not a word. No effort to catch her attention. Nothing. 

Nothing except the faintly dark marks on his neck. 

Seeing that, Suzy furrowed her brows and looked back at Chanyeol who soon disappeared to their closet. /Were those...?/ She shook her head and entered the bathroom.

Curiosity got the better of her when she saw the shirt Chanyeol wore yesterday in the laundry basket. She picked it up and immediately caught the scent of Jasmine.

She felt she knew the brand of the perfume, but that was not Chanyeol's perfume scent. And it certainly wasn't hers either. She scoffed in disbelief as she tossed his shirt back to the basket. If he thought playing around with girls would make her jealous, he was very wrong. He would still came running to her again in the end. She still had the upper hand.

_____

"Morning!" Yixing smiled to Chanyeol who was descending the stairs.

"Hey," the friend greeted back with little energy at which Yixing frowned. Chanyeol gestured for him to follow to his study, and he trailed behind.

"What's wrong with you?" Yixing asked when they were finally inside the room. "You look... somewhat awful." He gave his friend a teasing smile when he sat down across him.

"Hangover. Geez. Thanks for the compliment." Chanyeol's lips quirked into a lopsided smile.

"How much did you drink? What time did you go back anyway?"

"You sound like a wife more than Suzy does," Chanyeol replied. "Or will ever be," he added bitterly while looking down.

"Give her some time. She will- wait, is that..." Narrowing his eyes, Yixing suddenly leaned closer across the table while pointing a finger at his friend. He sighed and leaned back. "Chanyeol, you didn't just drink, did you?" He frowned.

"Huh? What?" Chanyeol knitted his brows in confusion and Yixing pointed at his own neck. He immediately looked like a deer caught in headlights and cleared his throat while adjusting the collar of his shirt. "Was just some random girl. I needed to let off some stress too."

Yixing narrowed his eyes on him. "Chanye-"

"Nothing happened," the taller guy quickly assured. "I didn't even realize I got these. But I know for sure nothing else happened."

"Why were you hanging out with your college friends anyway? You know how they are with clubbing."

"Relax, Lay. They're not that bad. Actually-" Chanyeol reached inside the pocket of his suit jacket. "- I met them for this." He handed him a USB drive.

"What's this?"

"Information on Jongin. He's out."

Yixing's eyes were immediately rounded. "I thought he-"

"Bailed. Apparently since last year." Chanyeol let out a long heavy breath. "I told you yesterday I had my suspicion on who was behind Suzy's kidnapping. I was talking about him." Pinching the bridge of his nose, he look troubled. "Sehun and Baek found out more about him. It's all in the USB."

There was a knock on the door and the butler came in a second later. "Sir, Madam has come down for breakfast."

Chanyeol stood up after dismissing the butler, and Yixing followed. 

"You go accompany Suzy," Chanyeol told him when they exited his study.

"Where are you going? You're not going to have breakfast with your wife?"

Chanyeol paused in his steps for a moment. "I have a meeting." He lightly scratched his ear; a sign Yixing knew well of him lying.

He shook his head amused. "You can't lie to me. Are you sure you guys alright?" He only received a nod of the head from his friend.

"Lay," Chanyeol's step came to a halt again. He turned to him and pursed his lips. "Protect her," he told then walked away.

_____

It had been a week.

A week of Chanyeol not trying to talk to her. It was frankly bizarre. Suzy would like the silence she had been wanting in the house; but considering her plan to get him comply to her wish, she wasn't exactly happy with how things were turning out. It did not help that in a few days Chanyeol would start working in the company. That would mean shorter time to waver him.

Other than that, Chanyeol had been coming home late more frequently since that first time. She could almost always smell alcohol on him when he lay beside her. And once or twice, she smelled that jasmine perfume scent. It was starting to get annoying. Whoever the girl or girls her husband had been with should really change perfumes! 

"Let's go," Suzy stood up from her seat gathering her laptop and a folder in her arms. She had one more meeting to attend tonight before calling it a day.

Lay stood up from the leather couch in her office with a nod. When she was about to open the door, he stopped her and sidestepped her toward her desk.

"What now?" Suzy groaned and lazily tilted back her head.

Lay came back to her side and drape her blazer on her shoulders. "You forgot this." He smiled.

Suzy just mindlessly nodded before he opened the door for her. Hyejung immediately stood from her post and joined them telling her that the car was ready at the lobby. The three soon entered the elevator. 

As the compartment descended, Suzy leaned back on the wall and closed her eyes trying to ignore the growing tiredness. Chanyeol and his recent unusual self suddenly crossed her mind. For a moment, she just squeezed her eyes tighter, but then they flew open.

Her eyes settled on the backs of Lay and Hyejung who were standing in front of her. She clicked her tongue and called for her PA who flinched in surprise.

"Yes, ma'am?" Hyejung turned around to face her and bobbed her head.

"What perfume are you using?"

The PA blinked several times probably because of how random the question came out. But then she quickly regained herself and cleared . "It's Chloe, ma'am." She then smiled to her director. "Jasmine scent."

Suzy titled her head back and let out an annoyed breath before she stared back at her PA. "Change it," she ordered.

"P-pardon me, ma'am?" Hyejung stuttered in confusion.

The lady must have thought she was crazy. Even Lay looked back at her with rounded eyes. But Suzy was serious. The scent had been irking her for days.

"Don't use that perfume. Choose something else. I hate that scent," she shortly explained and went back to closing her eyes when she heard Hyejung give a complying answer.