Sojung twirled her glass of red wine. She had gone back to her own personal pad after serving the divorce papers. She watched the liquid slosh around in the glass, wondering why she couldn't see how red the wine was, even when the wine glass was transparent.

"What are you staring at?"

She could hear Changkyun's voice asking her.

This personal pad was a home, shared with Changkyun. It was supposed to be their marital place, but now… it's just another safe house for her.

"Why do people lie to themselves about something when the whole problem can be seen so clearly from outside?" She said to no one in particular. "It's like this glass of wine."

She took a sip.

"I know this is red wine, I can see the red and smell the wine, but why do I keep hoping it's something else? Why do I want to lie to myself that things are going to be okay?"

She downed the alcohol, slamming the glass on the countertop.

"I know that as long as the drug lord isn't caught, I would be in trouble, I also know that Johnny will get hurt if he stays with me… but why is it… why is it that I want to stay?"

"You're falling for your husband."

She froze, her inner voice just had to name the obvious. She couldn't rebut because it was her own brain telling her that fact, not some other person. She groaned, hitting her forehead against the tabletop a couple of times.

" this."

Her phone beeped, it was a text from Wonwoo.

Woo

He’s preparing to leave the house.

Sojung left the glass in the basin and gargled before grabbing her keys and leaving her apartment. She wanted to head back, to get the papers and get them processed as soon as possible. She waited outside Johnny's property till Wonwoo confirmed he had left. 

She entered the house, seeing nothing had changed from last night. 

Her feet started to feel heavier with each step as she dragged her feet to the study room. She honestly didn't know what she was hoping for.

Hoping that he had signed the papers?

But why was there this pull in her heart at the thought of their marriage dissolving?

She pushed the door open and stood rooted to the ground.

The room was in a mess, pieces of torn paper littered the floor. She picked one up and recognized it to be part of the divorce papers she had handed to Johnny.

She approached the desk, her ring was still there but a new piece of scrap paper laid under it.

"I'm not signing the papers. I'm not leaving you."

***

Sojung walked into the office building, Mingyu updating her on work and Clan related matters. Wonwoo and Wonho were walking in behind them, their eyes on alert.

They were notified of what happened the night before and the trio decided to up their system. From then on, no matter who called, all three had to stay with her.

The lift dinged at her office level. She stepped out, immediately bumping into Johnny. He grabbed her hand but she snatched her arm back.

"Use your words, Seo Youngho."

He eyed her guards and they stepped away.

As much as they wanted to protect Sojung from Johnny, they didn't want her marriage to suffer.

"What is it?" She asked after sighing inwardly.

"Use your words, you said," he scoffed and pulled her into his office. "So, what did it mean when you left your ring and divorce papers?"

"It's exactly what you think it means, Youngho. I want a divorce."

He scoffed, repeating her last few words.

"You want a divorce? What happened to no regrets or backing out in your dictionary?"

"Then you'll be my first."

She dug into her bag and held out newly printed papers.

"What?"

"Sign the papers, Youngho."

He stared at her, then at her hands, his arms falling to his sides.

"Why are you doing this?" He questioned. "Is this because of Minah? Or Kai?"

She narrowed her eyes, "What are you insinuating?"

"You've been so patient with me while I learned to change. You never gave up on me, but now, you're asking-- no, telling me to sign divorce papers? Why?"

"Maybe I've had enough," she spat. "Have you thought about that?"

Johnny took a step back, "What?"

"Maybe I'm tired of being patient? Maybe I'm done with this faux marriage? Maybe I just don't want to be with you? There were so many reasons for me to leave before, and I'm using them now."

"Faux marriage?"

The silence that enveloped them was deafening.

"Did you really feel nothing for the past few months?" He whispered. "Nothing at all?"

That question surprised Sojung.

Had she felt nothing at all?

Nope.

She did feel something for Johnny, the first time she had admitted that to herself, but… she was not about to let her emotions rule over her head this time.

"Yes. I felt nothing."

She pointed at the documents.

"Sign them. Mingyu will collect them from you tomorrow." She sighed. “This is your last chance.”

She headed out the door, not sparing Johnny a single glance. Johnny listened as the sound of her footsteps faded before dropping onto the chair next to him. There was a sinking feeling in his chest like he was going to lose something important.

He grabbed the papers and stormed out of his room, making a beeline straight for Sojung’s office.

“I’m not going to sign them,” he tore the papers and threw them at her feet. “I made a promise at the altar, through thick and thin with you, for better or worse, and I’m not about to break that.”

Sojung looked up at him, tired of going through this again. WMW were standing at her desk, watching the couple in surprise and concern.

“Youngho, don’t start.”

“Don’t start?” He scoffed. “You’re the one who gave me them."

“Seo Youngho--”

“I’ll give you time, okay?” He went closer to her. “Think about it.”

She snorted, “Every choice I make is carefully thought for. Get out of my office.”

Johnny opened his mouth, but no words came out. He didn’t know how to retort to that statement. He glanced at the guards, who had sympathetic looks on their faces. He shook his head and left the office. Wonwoo peeped after him quietly.

“He’s gone,” he notified the others.

Mingyu and Wonho shared a look. The latter cleared his throat, “You want a divorce?”

She rubbed her temples.

“Can we not talk about this?” She whispered. “I have work to do.”

“Young Miss--”

Wonho grabbed Mingyu’s wrist while shaking his head. The younger male sighed and scrolled his tablet, brushing all his thoughts to the side and got back to business. He started on his notes but Sojung had already spaced out. Her eyes were trained on her iPad but her mind was far away.

Divorce?

Do I really want that?

*

Johnny left the office on time that evening, not bothering to wait or look for Sojung. He didn’t know how to feel and act in front of her.

She seemed adamant about the divorce.

Shaking his head, he strolled down the street, eyeing wandering around when a specific ring from a jewellery store caught his eye.

It was a pendant shaped like fire.

He smiled to himself, immediately thinking of Sojung. He pushed the door open and stepped in to buy that pendant. Wife or not, he realised, he had never bought her a gift. 

I hope you’ll like this, Sojung.

He had just turned the corner towards his house when he saw a familiar-looking silhouette across the street. He squinted at the figure, realising it was Minah.

“Minah..?”

He hid behind the bus stop and saw her all dressed up and typing on her phone, waiting for someone. A car drove up to her side, Johnny saw her smile - the kind he had never seen before - and watched her open the car door and got in.

He could make out another male figure in the driver’s seat through the tinted glass, they kissed before the vehicle drove off.

Johnny’s arms dropped to his sides, his brain trying to focus and figure out what he had just seen. Minah hadn’t told him she was attached, only that she had just broken up with her rich ex-boyfriend.

The guy in the guy didn’t look anywhere like the rich tycoon.

Wait… he looks familiar though.

Johnny grunted in frustration, he couldn’t seem to recall where he had seen the guy before.

“I could have seen wrong, the windows were tinted,” he whispered to himself. “But Minah…