“I came to inform you that we are having dinner with Choi Kang Ho tomorrow to discuss about your engagement with his son, Choi Seung Hyun.” Park Min Sik said coldly. The way he talked to his daughter was like giving a command.

Park Shin Hye didn’t give him any reply. Her face was expressionless. She nodded her head before she faced down. Her hands were clenching very tightly onto her skirt.

Even though her expression was calm but Lee Min Ho who was standing not far away from her can obviously saw the sadness that crossed her sightless eyes. He doesn’t know why but his heart tightened looking at her like this. He really curious with the reason why her father treat her so coldly. That day when they were in the cemetery, the day when they had dinner and today, he didn’t really look straight to his daughter’s face at all. The way he reacts in front of her was like she is only one of his staffs or maybe worse, a stranger. He even let her vision disabled daughter to stay alone in this beach house.

Just then, Min Ho’s deep thoughts were shaken off when Park Min Sik called his name.

“Lee Min Ho.” He called.

Min Ho took a step forward as he looked at him. “Yes, sajang-nim.”

“The dinner for tomorrow will be at 7pm sharp and will be at the same hotel where Shin Hye was attacked that night. Please make sure to tighten the security and stay close to Shin Hye tomorrow. I don’t want the same thing happen again.” He gave his instruction.

“Yes, sajang-nim. I’ll take care of it.” Min Ho replied as he stole a glance at Shin Hye.

Park Min Sik turned to Han Ki Ae who was sitting beside Shin Hye, looking uneasy. “Make sure she looked pretty and presentable tomorrow. Put some light make up on her. I don’t like the pale colour on her face.”

Shin Hye kept her face low as she bit her trembling lip hard, trying to hold the tears that were threatening to fall.

Park Min Sik let out a frustration sigh before he stood up of the couch and walked towards the main door, followed by his bodyguards. Before he stepped out, he stopped without turning around.

“The project we are discussing with Eastern Bank is very important to me and Dragon Corporation. It must be a success no matter how. So you better behave and perform well during the dinner tomorrow. Bear in mind on what you have taken away from my life. This is the only way for you to pay me back and be useful as Park Min Sik’s daughter.” He said in a very cold tone that could pain anybody’s heart just by hearing those painful words.  

There was a long silence in the living room after Park Min Sik was gone. No one in the house dare to say a word or go close to Shin Hye. Min Ho who was standing at the side, looked at her who was still facing down. He felt helpless as he let out a deep sigh.

Han Ki Ae slowly turned to Shin Hye and her back gently. “Shin Hye-ah, are you hungry? It’s almost dinner time already.” She asked, breaking the awkward silence.

Shin Hye didn’t reply or response her.

Han Ki Ae sighed silently. “Do you want to have a walk at the beach? I can go with you.” She said very softly.

After a while, Shin Hye lifted her head up without facing her teacher. “I’m not hungry. You can continue with what you were doing earlier. Don’t need to bother me. I just want to be alone.” She said as she stood up.

“Where are you going?” Han Ki Ae asked worriedly as she stood up of the couch too.

Shin Hye inhaled deeply before she answered her. “I just want to breathe some fresh air outside the garden.” Without waiting for her to protest, Shin Hye slowly walked forward, touching the cabinet near her and took her white cane before she made her way to the door.

Han Ki Ae turned to Min Ho and before she could say anything, he already nodded his head and followed behind her quietly.

Min Ho looked up at the dark sky before he turned back to Shin Hye who was sitting silently on the garden swing since two hours ago. Her face was expressionless and her right hand never leaves the bracelet hanging on her left wrist. He took a clearer look at the bracelet she was caressing. It was made completely with beautiful tiny white shells.

“You don’t need to stand here and wait for me. I’ll just sit here and won’t go anywhere. You can see me through the CCTV.”

Shin Hye’s sudden voice startled Min Ho from his thought. He cleared his throat as he looked at her. “I’m okay. As your personal bodyguard, I should stay close to you to protect you and not monitor through CCTV.” He said. He let out a sigh when he saw her body was shivering. He took his coat off as he took few steps closer to her. He leaned forward and wrapped his coat around her.

Shin Hye squirmed and gasped in shock as she felt his warm breathing fanning on her face when he put his coat around her. “W-What are you doing?”

Min Ho pulled away as he continued to look at her. “It’s very cold here. I know no matter what I say, you will refuse to go inside and insist to stay here. You heard your father loud and clear just now. He wants you to look like a princess tomorrow. You cannot fall sick.” He narrowed his gaze at her. “Or maybe this is your plan to get sick so you don’t need to attend the dinner tomorrow?” He joked, hoping to lighten the atmosphere. But then, he pursed his lips when he saw her hands clenched into fists and she turned away.

“I-I’m sorry. I was just joking.” He said.

Shin Hye took a deep breath before she relaxed her hands again.

Min Ho turned away and looked up at the dark sky again. He let out a sigh. “I don’t know what exactly happened between you and your father but no matter how wrong you were, how much you owed him, you shouldn’t use your future, your happiness or even your life to pay him back.”

Shin Hye’s body tensed up as she straightened herself up, turning her face to his voice.

“Even though your life was given by your parents, but they still don’t have the right to control what path you want to walk. The life is yours. You should live your life the way you want. You are not a puppet that control by your father. Being a chip of his business deal is not a right way to pay him back or love him.” Min Ho continued as he looked down at her.  

“Choi Seung Hyun is not a good person.” Min Ho continued.

Shin Hye’s brows furrowed in confusion as she still remained silent.

He sighed again. “You will only become a tragedy if you marry him.

She chuckled softly as her sightless eyes still facing him. “Does my father look like a good person to you?”

Min Ho was taken aback by her question and doesn’t know how to answer.

She turned away with a sad expression. “From the moment I was born in this world, it was already fated to be a tragedy. My existence will only bring sadness and bad luck to the people around me. My mother and my brother were the best examples.” She bit her lip before turning back at Min Ho again. “It makes no difference to add another tragedy into my life by marrying him.”

Min Ho looked at her as he tried to figure out what was she thinking in her mind. “How about Park Yoo Chun-sshi?” He asked.

“What about him?” She asked him back.

“I-I thought both of you are…” He stopped at mid-sentence, couldn’t find the right word to ask.

“Lover?” Shin Hye helped him to continue.

Min Ho rubbed his nape awkwardly as he nodded. “Hmmm... something like that.”

Shin Hye bowed her head down. “We are just… very close friend.”

He looked at her, unconvinced. “But both of you looked intimately close together.”

She quickly lifted her head up and shook her head. “We are not what you think.”

Min Ho’s lips curled into a light smile, looking at her cute expression. He doesn’t understand why but her answer just makes him feel so much better.

At the same time, Shin Hye doesn’t understand why she needs to explain to him. She just doesn’t want him to misunderstand.

They were remained quiet for long seconds before Min Ho broke the awkward silence. “Are you sure you are not hungry?” He asked.

“Eo?” Shin Hye looked confused.

He chuckled softly before he continued again. “It’s 9pm already. To be frank with you, standing here under the cold wind with an empty stomach is not a good idea. I just came back from my long medical leave and I’m sure your father won’t be happy if I fall sick again. I don’t want to lose my job yet.” He joked.

Shin Hye tilted her head and after a while, she let out a smile. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know it’s so late already.”

Min Ho couldn’t take his eyes off her face when he saw her smiled at him for the first time. He was totally mesmerized by her beauty. “You looked very beautiful when you smile.” The words slipped out from his lips without him realizing it.

Shin Hye’s eyes widened slightly as her lips parted, doesn’t know how to reply. She can feel her face was already blushing. She cleared and quickly stood up of the swing as she unfolded her white cane touching on the ground.

“Y-You… said you are hungry. We should go inside now.” She stuttered as she walked passed him.

Min Ho grinned when he saw her blushing face and followed closely behind her. Just then, she suddenly stopped her steps without turning around.

“T-Thank you.” She said softly.

He was surprised by what she just said. “For what?”

Shin Hye looked down and took a deep breath. “I wanted to say it just now when we were at the beach but I couldn’t find the right time. Thank you for saving me from the bomb attack.” She paused as she bit her lip. “You did keep your promise and brought me out of the car safely.”

Her last sentence was like a hammer that hit his head in a sudden. He made her a promise and she was thankful for saving her life. The smile she gave him just now, the way the chat just now. He can feel the wall that she put in between them was slowly broken down. He started to understand why his heart felt uncomfortable when he saw her sadness and when she was near to Park Yoo Chun. It was a mistake. He knew exactly what will happen if he continued to close the distance between them. Woo Bin was right. She wasn’t any girl that he met in the night club. She is Park Shin Hye, Park Min Sik’s daughter.

He inhaled deeply before looking at her back. “This is my job. I told you before that my responsible is to protect you. Even if it was another bodyguard in the car that night, he will still do the same.” His tone was cold.

Shin Hye was taken aback by his changed of tone in his voice. The way he said it was like anybody will do the same and he will also do the same to anybody at that situation. A pang of disappointment stings her heart. She laughed silently at herself. Park Shin Hye, you think too much. She nodded her head slowly. “I see. Then you are really worth the money that my father paid you.” She snapped back and quickly rushed back into the house without waiting for Min Ho to reply.

He closed his eyes briefly and let out a deep sigh before he walked into the house.

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Park Yoo Chun knocked the door and stepped inside Park Min Sik’s study room impatiently. He walked towards the study table and bowed at him politely.

“Why are you looking for me so late? Anything important?” Park Min Sik who was reading some files asked without looking at Yoo Chun.

He exhaled sharply, trying to control his emotion. “I heard that you will be bringing Shin Hye to meet Choi Seung Hyun tomorrow for dinner. Why didn’t you inform me?”

“Why should I inform you? This has nothing to do with you. I already told Shin Hye about it and Choi sajang want to keep the dinner private and between families only. So you don’t need to attend with us.” He said, still looking at the files.

“But why? We already know that it was Han Seok Kyu from TF Corporation who set the bomb in Shin Hye’s car. He knew that you want to marry Shin Hye to Choi Kang Ho’s son so that he will invest in our theme park project. Han Seok Kyu will do anything to stop Eastern Bank to do that. If you continue with the engagement plan, it will only put Shin Hye into danger.” Yoo Chun said in a nervous tone.

Park Min Sik put his pen down and looked up at Yoo Chun. His gaze was stern and dangerous. “Did anything happen to Shin Hye that day? She was still in one piece and no harm done. I have already tightened the security around her and about Han Seok Kyu, you don’t need to worry. I’ll handle him myself.”

Yoo Chun started to panic and his breath became heavy. “Even if Shin Hye is safe from Han Seok Kyu, do you think she will be happy marrying Choi Seung Hyun? He is not a good person. He wouldn’t treat Shin Hye well. His father just wants to use this marriage to clean Choi Seung Hyun’s dirty image so that the board will support him to replace his father’s CEO position. Everybody knows Choi Seung Hyun is a playboy and he even alleged with a case one year ago. If not because his father find someone to kill the witness, he was already in the jail.”

“So what? If Choi Seung Hyun take over his father’s position, then Shin Hye will be the wife of Eastern Bank’s CEO. I don’t see any disadvantage in this marriage. Shin Hye is a vision disabled. She should be grateful that Choi Kang Ho doesn’t mind and let her to be his daughter in-law.” He said.

Yoo Chun looked at him in disbelief. “She is your daughter. How can you let your daughter to marry a person like him?”

“Just because she