Ji Hyun’s POV

“I am telling you to do it Ji Hyun.” Ji Yong said in a stern voice and I was already in tears refusing to do anything he was asking me to do. I knew that it was only a matter of time before he found out and here we were all three of us in a dark room. In the worst of situations.

“O-Oppa. You can’t be serious. This is too drastic don’t you think?” I pleaded to my older brother as he only shook his head and glared at me. He wore the darkest expression that I would never imagine him to ever show in any lifetime.

“Ji Hyun. Kwon Ji Hyun. That’s your name right? You’re my sister right? Which means you are a Yang. A direct descendant. And here you are refusing to do what I have asked you to do? Towards a Lee? One that you must hate. One that you must despise. But no. You like him. You kissed him. YOU BETRAYED YOUR FAMILY!” He screamed back at me and I shook my head back and forth in denial at what he was accusing me of.

I just wanted to be happy for once. To be able to do something without any consideration of where I came from. Of who my family was. I wanted to be selfish. I wanted this.

I closed my eyes tightly fighting back the tears that were already streaming down my face. Then I heard someone call out demanding me to open them and when I did I was alone in the room. Alone in the darkness.

I looked from side to side. Trying to look for any trace of Ji Yong. Where he could have gone or where he could have taken him. Only to find myself gap in fear when I saw him atop some sort of elevated platform. No. It wasn’t just elevated it towered over me like it was some gigantic building.

I saw Ji Yong bearing that same demonic looking smirk. One that I knew he could never muster. Holding right in front of him tied defenceless onto a chair. Not even able to fight back.

“Make your choice Ji Hyun-ah. Because you know you can’t have both.” He said and suddenly pushed him off the ledge of their platform making him fall down towards me.

“NO! LU HAN!” I screamed and barely reached him in time when I felt someone suddenly pull me out of the darkness that I was slowly finding myself in.

_

“Ji Hyun! Wake up! Ji Hyun!” I felt a strong pair of arms shaking me out of that horrible nightmare. I tossed and turned against whoever it was and felt absolutely relieved when I finally opened my eyes. Only to be welcomed by Mark’s relieved expression.

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?” He asked me and I nodded my head feeling extremely tired from my dream last night.

He sighed and stood up to open my blinds so as to welcome the morning sun into my room.

“I heard what happened yesterday.” He told me and I bit my lip in nervousness when I remained quiet. He shook his head before looking back at me with only the utmost concern evident in his eyes.

“You were so close to blowing it yesterday you know. This is turning out to be more than just a plan to get information already. More than just a phony relationship.” He pressed on even further and I immediately felt like crying with the heavy realization that came with every word that he spoke.

“Yes.” I croaked and felt tears streaming down my eyes the moment I opened my mouth. He sighed and pulled me into a hug. He held me there for some time and tried soothing me with ‘it’s going to be okays’ and ‘we’ll get through this’. But even so. I still didn’t feel any less comforted by what was happening right now.

After about twenty minutes of comforting me he pulled me away at arm’s length to flash me a charming smile.

“Get yourself ready. You know why I’m here this early in the morning.” He said and stood up to dust himself off. I stared back at him to nod in reply.

Today was an important date in my calendar. Because today was the day that I was going to be presented to JYP Enterprises as Nickhun’s wife to be.

_

“Princess! How have you been?” Ji Yong greeted when he saw me walk towards him in the corridor with Mark by my side. I smiled and bowed when we were face to face with each other. He seemed taken aback by the formality I was showing but nonetheless returned my bow and pulled me into a hug soon after.

“I see that you are now acting like a proper lady. Which is good. So. Are you ready to meet everyone?” He asked me and I nodded my head nervously only to be replied by a tousle of the hair from Ji Yong.

“You’ll be fine. If I knew any better. You’d be able to win over everyone’s hearts in there. So. I’ll head in first and signal you two to come in once I’ve announced you’re already here.” He said and left Mark and I outside while he went into the hall.

I was fidgeting with my fingers while Mark seemed relatively calm with what we were just about to get into. I scoffed when I realized this and he only seemed to laugh at my reaction.

“What? I’m not the one getting introduced here. You’re the main attraction for today.” He teased and I pushed him lightly to get back at his remark.

“This is in no way funny. Why can’t it just be me and him in one room getting to know each other?” I asked in frustration at all this hassle just for me to be announced to my supposed fiancée and his family.

“Because when you come from a wealthy and powerful family. You are expected to tolerate so much grandeur that is required in a thousand lifetimes.” He said and I turned to him to raise an eyebrow at his statement.

“And you are in no way for this kind of life?” I asked him because for once in my life I found myself curious as to what Mark wanted in life.

He was always just there. Reporting everything to his family but at the same time assisting me in my task to uncover information from the Lee household. Never did I question what he wanted.

He looked at me and chuckled before shaking his head.

“What I want is to be happy. Because honestly. If happiness meant living in a two bedroom apartment, constantly worrying about the bills for the next two months and just enough money to go buy myself some ice cream around the corner then I would take it in a heartbeat.” He told me and I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion at the thought.

“How is that happiness?” I questioned him.

“Simple. Because I’ll be away from the pressure that being a part of a powerful family entails. I’ll have my own say in what I want to do with my life. I’ll be able to