Lee Mansion…

The sky was almost dark when Lee Min Ho stopped his car in the car porch. He exited the car followed by Shin Hye who was now standing there, looking at the huge luxury mansion in front of her. There were few black cars that were parked in a big garage and she recognized one of it that always came to school to pick Hyun Jun. So she was quite certain that this must be his house.

How rich is this man, she asked herself silently. He bought a wedding ring for a fake wife with the price that could at least pay for her father’s company bank interest for three months. He even ordered the bridal shop to make a brand new wedding gown that she tried just now because he doesn’t want his fake wife to wear something old. The amount of money that he spent on her today was so much that the debts she owed him were not five billion won now.

Shin Hye heaved a deep breath as her eyes still darted at the mansion. This place will be her new home, her golden cage after next Sunday. She will live here with a man that doesn’t love her and a child that doesn’t belongs to her. Her job is to be a responsible and competent mother, the lady owner who will stay here waiting for her so-called husband and son to come home. This will be the beginning of her uncertain future.

A sudden touch on her hand broke through her deep thoughts as she turned to her side and saw Min Ho standing beside her, staring at her. He was holding her hand tightly in his.

“What are we doing in your house?” She asked, breaking the silence.

How does she know this is his house? Min Ho smirked. Of course she knows. She knows everything about him and his home address wouldn’t be something hard for her to check since she wanted so badly to stay inside here. Her acting skill must be very good to maintain such a calm expression and hide her excitement so well in front of him.

“Time is a treasure and I don’t have much time to waste on you. Since the wedding has already firmed, I hope to finish everything in one day. And that includes telling Hyun Jun who will be his future mother.” Min Ho said coldly and his tone was laced with sarcasm.

Shin Hye looked away and felt a pinch in her heart. This man is very confusing. One minute he can make your heart fluttered with a million of butterflies in your stomach and the next second he might transform back to the most cold and heartless man in the planet.  

Min Ho held their entwined hands up and let out another sarcastic smile. “I don’t care how much you love my money but in front of my son, you have to show him how much you love me. I don’t want him to know that this marriage is just tie under a contract. I want to give him a mother, a complete family. And your responsibility is to make that happen. I’ve paid you more than enough to perform that role.”

Shin Hye inhaled a sharp breath as she sank her teeth into her bottom lip before looking at him with a forceful smile. She took a step forward and pressed herself closer to him.

“Yes, Sir.” If this is the show she needs to perform after she got the money from him, she will do her part and cooperate with him. As he said, this is her job now.

Min Ho’s eyes darkened when he felt her soft body pressed against him. Her addictive scent intrudes his nose and makes his mind went blank for a second. This woman will not be easy to control but he loves challenges. She is the one who willingly walk into the tiger den herself. She can’t blame him.

“Welcome home, doryeon-nim.” The maid greeted Min Ho as she bowed politely at him. But when she straightened herself and saw her master came in with a girl, she was startled and looked at their entwined hands with a disbelief gaze. She slowly looked up and scanned Shin Hye from top to toe. She was speechless and froze in place. This was not the first time her master bring a girl home but never once he hold her hand like now and this woman is definitely not the style his master will bring back to meet Hyun Jun.

Like what her young master said, his father love colour-faced witches and they can already smell their perfume before they even walks in. But this time, the woman that he brought back was so different. Her beauty is natural without any extra effect added on her face. She doesn’t give her a you-are-just-a-maid gaze but smiled kindly at her. Even Hyun Jun’s mother, Jin Se Yeon couldn’t compare to her beauty.

“W-Welcome, agasshi.” She greeted her.

“Her name is Kang Chun Hwa. She is our housekeeper and the one who take care of Hyun Jun at home. She has been working here even before Hyun Jun was born.” Min Ho introduced.

Shin Hye looked at the maid and nodded with a smile. “Annyeonghaseyo, Park Shin Hye imnida. Mannaseo bangapseumnida.”

“Nice meeting you too, Park Shin Hye agasshi.” Kang Chun Hwa smiled politely.

“Where is Hyun Jun?” Min Ho asked her.

“He is in…” But before Kang Chun Hwa could finish her sentence, a familiar voice was heard and cut her off.

“Appa… you are back early today. I’m…” Hyun Jun ran towards his father but his eyes widened in shock, standing still in place. “Eo? Seonsaeng-nim? What are you doing here? How do you…” He asked but her question got cut off when his eyes were caught by their entwined hands. His eyes grew even wider when he saw the sparkling diamond ring on Shin Hye’s finger. He never saw that ring on her hand all this while. His lips slowly parted, as he needs some time to respond.

Min Ho cleared his throat, took a sideway glance at Shin Hye before looking at his son. “Where is your tutor? I thought you should be having your private tuition at this time?”

“His private tuition class is on every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. He doesn’t have any class on Wednesday and Friday.” Shin Hye was the one who answer for him. She remembered Hyun Jun told her about it before.

Min Ho turned to her with an amazed gaze. “You know everything.” He whispered but loud enough for Shin Hye to hear.

“Of course. A gold digger like me can’t miss out any important information, right?” Shin Hye whispered back with a sarcastic smirk. Since no matter what she say, he will still think about her that way, why not she just admit it and make her life easier.

Min Ho inhaled sharply as he returned her with a sly smile. Good. She is slowly showing her true colour.

“Appa…” Hyun Jun voice filled the room again. “Why are you… and seonsaeng-nim…” He couldn’t finish his sentence because his eyes were too busy staring at their hands. He thought his father doesn’t like his teacher. But why is he holding her hand and bring her home?

Min Ho let out a gentle smile that Shin Hye never see before. She used so much strength to harden her heart over this man but with that one gentle smile, her heart was softened again.

“Appa have a good news for you. Let’s talk in the living room.” He said as he let go of Shin Hye’s hand and carried his son in his arms.

Shin Hye nodded at the maid that has never stop smiling since she came in before she follow obediently behind Min Ho.

“Seonsaeng-nim, sit here.” Hyun Jun patted the empty space on the couch beside him as his father was sitting on his left. He felt extremely happy to be seated in between the two people he loves the most. He then turned to his father and looked at him expectantly. “Appa, what good news you want to tell me?”

Shin Hye took a deep breath when her eyes met Min Ho’s gaze.

He held Hyun Jun’s hand and smiled at him. “Remember that night you ask appa whether I like your seonsaeng-nim or not?”

Hyun Jun nodded vigorously.

“Appa didn’t reply you that night because…” Min Ho paused and glanced at Shin Hye. “… I need to know whether seonsaeng-nim like appa or not.”

“And…?” Hyun Jun looked at him nervously.

Min Ho smiled at his son’s expression. He really likes Shin Hye a lot. The money he spent to buy this mother for him is worth it. “She has agreed to be appa’s wife… Hyun Jun’s eomma.”

“Chincha??” Hyun Jun widened his eyes as he turned to Shin Hye. “But… but…” He pursed his tiny lips and looked at Shin Hye meaningfully. She told him that she already have a boyfriend and will have her own children next time. She can’t be his mother. But he can’t say it out loud because he didn’t tell his father about this and even lied that Shin Hye wanted to be his mother.

Although he didn’t say it out loud but Shin Hye understood the meaning of the shock in his gaze. She knows he lied to his father because he wants her to be his mother rather than those witches that he doesn’t like. She is not angry with him because thinking it in another way, he was the one who gave her an extra choice to save her father.

“Wae? You don’t want me to be your eomma?” Shin Hye asked with a teasing smile.

“Of course I want.” Hyun Jun almost shouted. “But… you said appa doesn’t like you.”

Shin Hye glanced at Min Ho for a moment before looking down to meet Hyun Jun’s eyes again. “I was wrong. Your father told me that he is crazily in love with me. Since he beg me on his knee, I’ll give him a chance.” She said with a bigger smile this time. She could clearly hear Min Ho’s breathing turned heavy. Looking at his difference in front of his son, she knows he wouldn’t do anything to her. She is just paying him back for all those hurtful words he has said to her.

Beg her on his knee? This woman is unbelievable. Min Ho glared at her but when Hyun Jun asked Shin Hye the next question, his gaze softened, as he looked at Shin Hye, curious with what she is going to answer.

“Then… do you love appa?”

Shin Hye bit her lip, looking into Hyun Jun’s eyes. Is that even important? His father already said it very clearly that her position in this house is just in name and everything is just a business deal. But in front of a kid, she doesn’t want to lie.

“I… I love him.” She said softly, averting her gaze to avoid their eyes. She shouldn’t be nervous because even she is honest now, for Min Ho, that three words is just a lie.

An unfamiliar feeling hit Min Ho’s chest the moment he heard that three words. Although he knows what she meant was ‘I love his money’ but it still can’t stop his heart to skip a beat.

“Are you… marrying my appa?” Hyun Jun asked cautiously.

“Yes.” Min Ho cut in. “We are getting married next Sunday.”

“Chincha?” Hyun Jun asked Shin Hye in disbelief.

Shin Hye held his gaze and nodded with a smile. “Yes.”

Hyun Jun held Shin Hye’s left hand and looked at the diamond ring. “Is this the wedding ring that appa buy for you?”

Shin Hye nodded again.

“Yah… why didn’t you choose a bigger one? These diamonds are even smaller than the diamond earrings that those witches wear.” Hyun Jun pouted his lips and turned to his father. “Appa, you are very stingy to seonsaeng-nim.”

Min Ho scoffed in disbelief. “Yah, Lee Hyun Jun. Do you know how much this ring cost? And she is the one who chose it. I have better choices for her.” He can’t believe his son is blaming him because of this woman. How long have they known each other? He felt a pang of jealousy hit his chest.

“But those witches…”

“Lee Hyun Jun!” Shin Hye cut him off and looked at him with a stern gaze.

Hyun Jun turned back to Shin Hye and bit his lips nervously. He recognized this gaze. It was an angry gaze.

“How many times I have to tell you that you can’t speak to your elder like that? First, you can’t say ‘yah’.  Second, no more witches here and witches there. I know you don’t like them but you can’t name them like that. It’s very disrespectful.” Shin Hye said in a firm and serious tone.

Hyun Jun sighed and nodded his head with his pouty lips. “Yes, seonsaeng-nim.”

Shin Hye’s lips slowly curled up in a smile as she grasped his tiny hand and caressed it softly. “The size of the diamond is not important at all. The most important thing is the meaning behind it.” She paused and brought her hand closer to him, showing him her ring. “The manager of the shop said the three diamonds of this ring have a special meaning. It represents today, tomorrow and forever. It’s a timeless talisman. This ring will be a blessing that keep us all together.”

A smile slowly spread across Hyun Jun’s face. “Yeah! Hyun Jun have a pretty eomma now.” He shouted happily as he threw himself to Shin Hye and hugged her tightly.

Min Ho was totally amazed by the scene he saw. Is that really his son? He has never seen him like this before. This is absolutely not his character. Instead of argue back, he just listened to what Shin Hye said obediently.

He laughed silently as he looked at Shin Hye for a long moment. If she is just an ordinary woman and they didn’t meet each other through a scheming plan by her, he might try to let this marriage work. She is a decent woman with a good mother material, a perfect wife material that every man would be crazy for. But too bad. She came to him with a motive that he couldn’t accept. And most important of all, nobody could replace Se Yeon in his heart.

“Doryeon-nim… the dinner is ready.”

The maid’s voice knocked him off from his deep thoughts. He turned to her and nodded. “Okay.”

“I’ll bring Hyun Jun up for his shower before I serve the dinner.” The maid said again.

“Seonsaeng-nim, you wait for me here. I’ll take the shower first and we will eat together later, eo?” Hyun Jun said happily.

Shin Hye smiled as she nodded her head. “I’ll wait for you.”

After Hyun Jun went to upstairs with the maid, Shin Hye turned to Min Ho and their eyes locked at each other. “Can you see? This is what I meant of setting a good example and shouldn’t give him an impression that money is important than anything else. He is only seven years old. He shouldn’t have think that the size of a diamond could represent how much love a person has for another person. This is wrong. As his father, you should lead him to the right direction.”

Min Ho smirked. “He has you now to set him a good example. I told you this morning that as long as it’s beneficial to Hyun Jun, I won’t interfere on how you educate him.”

“I will do my job… not because of the money that you paid but because I’m his teacher and… I really like Hyun Jun.” She can’t stop him from thinking she love his money but she doesn’t want him to think that she has any motive on Hyun Jun too because she doesn’t.

Min Ho didn’t comment on what she said but just let out a light smile. “I can’t deny how good you are on children. No wonder Hyun Jun wants you to be his mother so badly.”

And before Shin Hye could say anything, their conversation was interrupted by the vibrates sound of her phone in her bag.  She bit her lip and didn’t take her phone out to check because she already knows who is the caller.

Min Ho took a glance at her bag before looking at her. Although she has turned off the sound of her phone, but this is definitely not the first time it has been ringing since they met this morning. “You are avoiding someone?”

Shin Hye sighed deeply as she looked away. Taec Yeon has been calling her since yesterday night and she didn’t answer anyone of it. She doesn’t know how to face him and tell him all this. She is not prepared and not ready yet.

Min Ho was not happy with her reaction. “Ok Taec Yeon?”

Heaving another deep sigh, Shin Hye looked back at him. “Yes.”

A sarcastic chuckle escaped Min Ho’s lips as his eyes darkened. “I hope you still remember the three days timeline I gave you. I’m not a patient person.” He said coldly before standing up of the couch, walking towards the dining room, leaving Shin Hye alone.

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Park Residence…

After the dinner, Hyun Jun insists his father to send Shin Hye home personally instead of the driver. He wanted to follow at first but after Shin Hye told him that he still have school tomorrow and a kid have to sleep early, he listened to her obediently. Min Ho was once again amazed by the magic she casts on his son.

While riding the car, there was a deafening silence that filled the atmosphere. Neither of them say anything as they just sat in the car quietly, both deep in their own thoughts. As the car heading into the neighbourhood of Shin Hye’s house, the sound of vibrates from her phone broke the awkward silence. She stole a sideway glance at Min Ho before she slowly took her phone out. It was a new message received.

From: Taec Yeon

I don’t know what happened but you are obviously avoiding me. You promised that as long as I give you time to think, you will not avoid me and will keep contacted. I couldn’t wait anymore. No matter what, I want an answer from you tonight. I called your house but the maid said you are not home. I’m waiting for you outside your house now. I’ll wait until I see you.

Shin Hye widened her eyes upon reading the message. She quickly looked up and checked where they were now. They will reach her house after taking a right turn in front. She gasped nervously before turning to Min Ho.

“Y-You can just drop me off here.” She said.

Min Ho stepped on the brake pedal and slowed down the car. “We haven’t reach yet.”

“I… I know. But… I can walk back from here.” Shin Hye said in a shaky voice.

Min Ho inhaled a sharp breath and stopped the car completely. He turned to her with a sharp glare. “What’s the matter?” He asked in a displease tone.

He glanced at the phone she was holding and clenched his jaw. “I think you should learn to be more honest to me starting from now.” His voice is threatening.

Shin Hye held his gaze and sighed helplessly. Yes, what is the point of hiding when he already knows everything? “Taec Yeon oppa is waiting for me outside my house.” She confessed.

Min Ho’s brows rose. “Good. Then you don’t need three days. You can settle him off now.”

“I know. But…” She paused and bit her lip. “I don’t want him to see you.”

Min Ho crossed his arms as his face darkened. “I would like to know the reason.”

Shin Hye exhaled a sharp breath, looking at him. “Because I don’t want to hurt him.”

“You already hurt him by saying yes to me.” Min Ho said as he grabbed her hand harshly and brought it to her eyes. “Can you see the ring? This is the proof of your choice. Hurt him or hurt your family.”

Shin Hye yanked her hand away from him and glared at him with her eyes reddened. “I know and I’m not regretting my choice. I just want you to give me some privacy and settle this with him myself.” She paused and inhaled deeply. “Wae? Are you afraid that I’ll change my mind once I saw him?” She asked with a challenging tone.

Min Ho gritted his teeth as he grabbed her chin forcefully so that she have to look into his angry eyes. “You better don’t play game with me. If I’m angry, the consequences that you and your family are going to face will be unbearable.”

Shin Hye fisted the fabric of her skirt tightly, as she tried very hard to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. “I’m fully aware of it since the day I saw the file you gave me.” She swallowed hard and breathed deeply. “Don’t worry. I’ve already taken your one billion won and signed the contract. I’ll not be able to run away from you for the rest of my life.”

“I’m glad you are clear about it.” He said as he let go of her chin and looked away. The unshed tears in her eyes makes him feel uncomfortable. He can’t understand why it was so easy for her to trigger his emotions and make him lost control.

“Get down.” He said coldly.

Shin Hye slowly unfastened the seatbelt with her trembling hand as she opened the door and stepped out of his car. He didn’t wait for her to walk away and stepped harshly onto the oil pedal and drove off.

The moment Shin Hye turned into the street where her house was located, Taec Yeon saw her and immediately ran towards her.

“Shin Hye!” Taec Yeon grabbed her arms, looked at her for a moment before pulling her into his arms. “Where have you been? Why didn’t you pick up my call? I have been calling you since yesterday.”

Shin Hye balled her hands into tight fists as she rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. This will be the last time for her to lean against him and being embraced by him like this. They have been together for four years. Although the feeling she have for him is no