Chapter 9

"I love you" Jiyong turns his head instantly, he was surprised.

'Was it because she felt guilty for this morning's event?' he thought when he heard Taeyeon's confession.

He walks towards Taeyeon silently, he sat next to her on their bed.

He runs his hand through her silky hair and asked her cheekily "Why are you behaving so direct lately, are you not afraid that I might eat you up?"

Taeyeon faked a convincing smile and pulled him into an embrace.

"I want to eat you" her words continuously shook his world.

A smirk spread on his face.

"Go ahead, you have the right to as my wife," he said and welcomes her as they use their authority as a married couple.

That night he claims her first.

She stays up and watches him doze off to sleep.

Tears fall off and drip onto his face accidentally.

For the last time, she touches his face and gently plants a kiss on his lips.

"I love you" she takes out the baggage she packed earlier on and hid under the bed.

Not even taking one last look at him, she left the Kingdom with the assistance of Taeyang.

Her face was forcing a smile all the time, but obviously, her heart wasn't.

Jiyong woke up the next morning. He flips his body to face Taeyeon.

It was empty!

He rubs his eyes, and look again. It was still empty.

He touches the empty side of the bed.

It was as cold as ice.

For a moment, he thought everything that happened was surreal. But it was not, he knew that clearer than anyone else.

Jiyong got up in a hurry and quickly dressed up.

Something came to his mind.

The incident and Taeyeon's behaviour afterwards.

'No way' he repeats in his head. He goes around the place looking for her.

He erases his silly thoughts and replaces with other various possibilities, fooling himself.

Things became clearer when he asks all the servants and family members, no one saw Taeyeon.

His head, body and his limbs were all sweaty from the hours of searching.

He thinks of places where she might be but there was no sight of her.

'Maybe she's in the office', he thought.

He opens the door, however, emptiness welcomes him.

But a white envelope caught his eyes.

He hurriedly opens the envelope and read the letter inside.

To: Jiyong

You must be surprised today to find me gone. But this is the rule isn't it, and I broke the rule. I fall in love with you, so, I have to leave. I know you don't love me. After I leave, find someone you truly love and be happy. Because we've never been married. I know it from the start, you have never submitted the marriage form. But everyone falls for your convincing trick and didn't even bother to check once. Now that I'm gone, I hope that you will marry someone you loved and have a happy family. Forgive me for leaving you before you can find your love, forgive my selfishness and forget me.

- Taeyeon

After Jiyong read the letter, he fell to the floor.

His hand clenched onto the letter so tightly that wrinkles formed on the side.

"Silly girl" he muttered and closed his eyes.

"I love you too" he confessed but she can't hear him anymore, it was too late. He regretted everything so much, why did he choose that rule, why didn't he say he loves her before, why did he not do enough to prevent her departure. Everything he had done, turned and backstabb