The wedding was merely two days away, and Valerie had numerously patted herself on the back for surviving the week at the villa. It's been a bit peaceful for the last couple of days for her as she enjoyed her bonding time with Yoora, Sora, Mrs. Park and of course, Mrs. Oh. She also met all the other uncles and aunties Chanyeol has in his family and she definitely enjoyed the nervous breakdown Sora had when she was to be introduced to Jongin's parents. In the end, it was a successful meeting considering how Mrs. Kim adored her at their first meeting.

Although it might have something to do with the velvet cake Sora made before they arrived, but Valerie wasn't so sure.

She was also acting more civilised with Sehun after their talk in the garden the previous night. Sehun was clearly beginning to accept the fact that the girl he once loved has now moved on to his own cousin, and he had to admit that Chanyeol was the best choice he'd choose for her. However, he still didn't tell Chanyeol about it and purposely irritates the man by being close to Valerie. She knew what Sehun was up to, actually, but decided to just ignore to see how Chanyeol would react in those situations where her ex was suddenly too close to her, and most of the time she finds it hilarious and cute.

Meanwhile, Chanyeol had been confused with his own feelings ever since he found out that Valerie and his cousin used to be engaged to each other. At times, he'd react as normal as he would whenever she was around. But on other times, Chanyeol had a hard time controlling his heart beat and would find himself staring longingly at her whenever she was around. Honestly, he was used to seeing Valerie laugh, smile and play around, but this time these feelings started to confuse him and he finds himself wanting just to wrap his arms around her and never let go.

He was actually contemplating on doing it soon.

On the other hand, Kyungsoo, Joonmyeon, Sora, and Jongin has been watching the 'actor couple' ever since Sora pointed out that Chanyeol might be having feelings for his PA. They would watch eagerly whenever Chanyeol would get bitter over Sehun's presence around Valerie, and feel stunned as they saw the stupified look on his face whenever Valerie does something - even if it's as simple as tying her hair or as ridiculous as sneezing.

"Yup, he's whipped!" Kyungsoo muttered when Chanyeol's eyes seemed to have shot hearts out of his orbs when Valerie sneezed upon getting hit by the cold breeze. They could see her rubbing her own arm to heat herself up while she walked pass their other cousins who was also helping with the flowers to take the cardigan Chanyeol was offering her.

"You have to agree that she looked adorable sneezing like that though," Joonmyeon pointed out, earning acknowledging looks from the two men.

Sora scoffed. "So this is how men observe women. By how they sneeze?"

Jongin chuckled. "Don't worry, sweetheart. You sneeze adorably, too." he assured her and kissed her cheek, making Kyungsoo and Joonmyeon roll their eyes at their PDA. They were all seated under the shades at the pool on the other side of the mansion, watching the couple from behind their sunglasses.

"Seriously, who would've thought that Chanyeol would fall for Valerie? All this began with an act and now... wow, Jongin, I can't believe I'm about to admit that you're a ing genius." Kyungsoo said to Jongin who grinned widely.

"If they really get together, they should name their first son after me."

"I should stop calling them The Actor Couple in my head," Sora suddenly said. "They seemed to be like a real one to me."

"That's cause they're both in love with each other," Kyungsoo scoffed.

"Who would've thought that the mighty Park Chanyeol will have goo-goo eyes for his secretary?" Joonmyeon chuckled, high fiving Jongin.

"First of all, it's personal assistant and second, Chanyeol and Valerie are in a fake relationship?!"

The four froze at the voice and slowly turned their heads in unison to see Baekhyun standing behind them with a disbelief look on his face. The man scoffed at their expressions and glared at Chanyeol from across the pool.

"I can't believe this," he muttered.

"Baek-"

"I can't believe he lied to me." Baekhyun seethed before glaring at the four of them. "You guys lied to me too. Tell me, whose great idea was it because I doubt Chanyeol actually has the brain to come up with this kind of soap opera ."

Jongin sighed and stood up from the pool chair which he shared with Sora. "I did, Baek." he admitted with an apologetical look. "I'm really sorry, but I'm sure you know why he's doing this."

Baekhyun sighed and ruffled his hair. "Lemme guess: grandma?" Jongin nodded. "Still, he could've just told me something! And I totally bought it!"

"So did I!" Jongin revealed, earning himself a confused look. "Okay, get this. I told him to get Valerie to act as his girlfriend for this whole thing and he agreed because as his PA, Valerie knows a lot about him. Plus, he's comfortable around her so it'll seem more convincing."

"But now, it seems like our main characters are falling for each other," Joonmyeon added, smiling softly.

Baekhyun frowned. "Wait, so you're telling me that Yeol's in love? So this whole thing started as an act but he's not acting?"

"Actually, I think none of them are." Sora admitted with a sheepish smile. "I know Val, and I think she's in love with Chanyeol too."

Baekhyun shook his head and sighed. "This is way too complicated for me to comprehand," he said before blinking at Kyungsoo. "Wait, you knew about this and you didn't stop them?"

The man shrugged. "It was pointless," was all he said.

"So everything is sort of real now?" he asked again and they all nodded. "Wow."

"Wow, indeed." Jongin smirked before throwing his gaze back to the clueless couple.

Grandma Park was just leaving the library with her daughters, daughter-in-laws and Yoora when Jiyeon found her and she bowed respectfully before linking their arms together.

"Grandma, can I have a word with you? Just for a while, please?"

The lady raised a questioning brow with a fond look in her eyes before letting out a soft chuckle. "Of course, child." she said and told the others to leave. She allowed Jiyeon to lead her back into the library and sat back down on the armchair she previously occupied. "Now, what is it?"

Jiyeon smiled. "I just thought I should tell you that we have all been deceived for all this while." When Grandma Park looked at her questioningly, she smirked inwardly with a winning grin on her face.

Chanyeol

I hated it whenever grandma calls for me, even when she has no plans to scold me - which is rare. Even when I was a kid, I would try to run away whenever she calls my name with her soft yet eerie tone, or when she orders someone to come get me to her room. Once or twice, I'd successfully escape her and hid in the kitchen or in one of the vacant rooms, but in the end I would always find myself in her room looking like some criminal being sentenced. Even at the age of twenty-seven, I still have the strong urge to just get up and run the moment one of the maids, Byul- was it? - told me that grandma had called for me.

And I was having fun helping Yoora and Valerie pick flowers too, I sighed as I climbed up the stairs to her 'royal chamber'. I smiled to myself as I thought of how much I had changed ever since I started with all this acting with Valerie. I would've never thought that even in a million years I would find picking out flowers for my sister's bridal shower and wedding to be fun. Or maybe I just enjoyed watching how delighted Valerie looked as she helped Yoora with all the arrangements.

I took a deep breath just as stopped in front of her door before giving it a few knocks, and it soon opened revealing none other than Jiyeon. I frowned. "Are you grandma's minion now? You're always around her that it's creepy," I told her without batting an eyelash.

Jiyeon smiled sweetly like as if my comment did not bother her. "Hey, Yeol. Grandma's been waiting for you."

"Yippee," I mumbled under my nose before stepping inside the room. My grandmother's room is freaking huge. I used to hide in this room whenever I played hide-and-seek with Jongin, Baekhyun and Sehun back then, but I would always get scolded whenever grandma comes and find me first instead of my cousins. I found my grandmother standing by the glass door of her balcony and stepped closer until I was standing behind her. "You were looking for me, grandma?" I asked.

"Break up with her."

My eyes widened at the sudden attack. "P-Pardon?"

Grandma turned to me with a cold look in her eyes. "Valerie, or whatever her name is. Break up with her."

I was seriously dumbfounded. It's been a few days since her talk with Valerie and she hasn't done anything to indicate that she wanted Valerie out unlike during their first meeting, making me think that everything was okay. And now that everything was going smoothly for me, for us... grandma wants me to break up with her? 

"Why?"

"Why? There's nothing there at the first place so why not?" I froze at this. Did she find out about us? But how? "Break up with that good for nothing and start accepting the fact that Jiyeon is your fiancé."

I turned around just in time to see the satisfied smile on Jiyeon's face although she tried to hide it the moment our eyes made contact. "You did this!" I accused as I pointed my finger at her angrily. "But how did you know about it? Tell me!"

"Let's just say I heard a little birdie chirping on the treetop," she snickered, her eyes showing no regrets.

I groaned and turned back to my grandmother. "I will never marry such a pitiful like her, grandma." I ignored the sharp gasp from behind me and focused on the hard look on my grandmother's face. "I will not break up with Ahyoung."

"Watch your mouth, Park Chanyeol." My grandmother barked. "Jiyeon will be your wife-"

"I'd rather die than marry her!" I said, pointing a finger to the woman in question. "I will not marry Jiyeon."

"Park Chanyeol, break up with her or I will have you thrown out of my house!"

I would've caved in before but now, I am done being treated like my life doesn't belong to me.

"You don't have to, grandma. I can leave by myself."

Her eyes widened at my final words and I turned to march out of the room, followed by a frustrated Jiyeon. I ignored her and ran out of the house to the poolside where everyone was, and they all turned to me upon hearing Jiyeon's desperate shouts. Valerie's eyes met mine and I saw the worry and questions in them. Without a word, I marched towards her and grabbed her hands.

"Channie?" God, why does she sound so scared?

"Chanyeol, what's going on?" My mother asked as she approached us. From the corner of my eyes, I could see my cousins coming closer to gather around us.

I kept my eyes on Valerie and said loud and clear, "Pack your bags. We're leaving."

"W-What?"

One moment she was giggling with Yoora and some of Chanyeol's female cousins by the poolside table as they tried to arrange the flowers themselves, and the next she was dragged into Chanyeol's room. She watched in confusion as he began pulling out their suitcases and throwing their clothes inside the bag, not caring that their clothes are mixed together into two different suitcases. He moved fast while she stared at him dumbfoundedly, trying to understand the situation.

"W-Wait, Chanyeol." she called as he walked pass her to grab their things in the bathroom. "Chanyeol, what's going on? W-Where are we going?"

"Back to the city," was his reply.

"B-But why? The wedding-"

"We're not going."

Valerie frowned. "But why? Chanyeol, talk to me!"

"Not right now," he told her, stopping in front of her and placed a his hands on her shoulders. "We'll talk once we get out of here."

"But Channie, we can't leave!" she objected. "Your sister-" Her words got stuck in when a pair of hot lips landed on hers, and her eyes widened when she began to understand that Chanyeol was kissing her. He pulled away before she could react and rested their foreheads together.

"Later, Ahyoung. Let's talk later, okay?"

Chanyeol walked back to the messily packed suitcases and zipped them all up before carrying them out of the room. He made sure that Valerie was following him and led her downstairs where he was immediately stopped by his family. His mother came to him with tears of confusion in her eyes.

"Honey, what's going on? Why are you suddenly leaving?"

"I-"

"I told you to break up with her, Chanyeol." came a voice from the stairs and they all turned to see Grandma Park standing there. Valerie froze at this and slowly turned her head to Chanyeol, slowly putting the puzzle pieces together in her mind.

"And I told you I won't."

Valerie stared blankly at Chanyeol upon hearing his determined respond. Why is he- if Grandma Park knows about this whole acting thing, then why would Chanyeol say that to her? Could it be that he's just... acting more? 

"Hang on," Chanyeol's father interrupted. "Mom, what did you mean by that? Are you telling my son to break up with Valerie?"

Valerie unknowingly grabbed onto Chanyeol's hand in fear and anxiousness. Their secret was about to be revealed, and the whole family will now hate her for what she did. I should never had agreed to this, she thought in regret but stopped herself when she felt Chanyeol's strong grip on her hand. No, I don't regret it. If I didn't do this, I wouldn't know that I'm in love with my own boss.

"There was never anything between them," Grandma Park revealed, surprising the whole family. Kyungsoo, Joonmyeon, Baekhyun, Sora and Jongin paled at this while Sehun looked like he had been hit by tons of bricks. "They have been acting all these while. They are nothing! Now, I want you to throw that woman out and marry Jiyeon."

"No, grandma!" Chanyeol yelled, surprising Valerie who was so close to just breaking down. "No, I will not marry Jiyeon and I will not break up with Ahyoung."

She turned to him in surprise. "W-What are you d-doing? S-Stop this! Chanyeol, it's over."

"No," he stated firmly, glancing at her momentarily before looking back at his grandmother. "Yes, I admit that I lied about having a girlfriend because I'm sick and tired of having you set me up with those people. When you chose Jiyeon, it became the last straw. I was desperate so I lied. And I told Valerie to act as my girlfriend for this wedding because I had no choice. But even if it all started with an act, it is real for me."

Valerie felt lost.

"I love Ahyoung, and I am not going to let her go." Her heart stopped at this. "This whole set-up made me realise how happy I've been ever since I met her, and it made me realise that I love her. She makes me happy. She makes me feel like everyday is worth it. She makes me want to live to see the next day because I know she will be there again." Turning to look into her eyes, he softly spoke, "I love her, and I'm not letting her go. Not now, not ever." Looking back at his grandmother, he said, "If you can't accept that, then I'm leaving."

When no one spoke a word after his confession, Chanyeol gently squeezed her hand and dragged Valerie out of the mansion. He ignored Jiyeon's tearful cries and marched to his car, quickly dumping everything into the trunk and gently leading Valerie to the passenger seat. She wordlessly got into the vehicle, still completely dumbstrucked by the recent events. Valerie glanced at Chanyeol, replaying the words he had said.

I love Ahyoung.

I love Ahyoung.

I'm not letting her go.

"Chanyeol, turn back around." she gently told him as he drove out to the road.

"No, Ahyoung. I-"

"If you do love me, you'll turn back around."

Chanyeol frowned and slowly stopped the car to the side of the road, pulling the brakes. He turned his head to her, suddenly looking nervous. "Y-You're not... angry?"

She smiled. "Why would I?"

"This is the thing you've been dreading, right? You should be angry at me and- and hate me for what I dragged you into."

"But I agreed. I knew the consequences and agreed to it," she reminded him.

Chanyeol's frown grew deeper at her calm note. "W-Wait, you're not angry?"

Valerie chuckled. "I can't be angry, Chanyeol. Not when the man I love just stood up for me in front of his family and told me he loves me."

Author's note:

A long, double update for you guys. I need to finish revamping this story soon because I'm about to go on an indefinite hiatus. Plus, the contest deadline's in November. I don't exactly remember the date, but I swear to finish it before November even comes.

I hope you enjoyed this.

Comment, comment, comment!

xoxo