Tao had woken up mid early morning to disconnect the uncomfortable wires and tubes that had been connected to him. It was hard for him to fall back asleep when he was hooked to a machine that beeped every time he dared to roll over to his side. He found Jai sleeping a bed on the other side of the room. Her curly hair all had escaped its binder was now all over her head. He felt relaxed knowing she was still here and didn't chase after Sehun like he feared.

He knew he should have more faith in Jai but she had crossed him before. He tried his hardest not feel hurt by her act but he couldn't get over how she went Sehun over him. He had warned her of his true nature by yet she disobeyed him and tarnished her word. Trusting her fully would take some time.

Tube free, Tao laid back down trying to fall back sleep. The doctors would back later to check on the stitching and vitals before they made their decision to either discharge him or keep him for another day. He was hoping for a quick discharge so he could start to get a handle on things.

He wasn't going to let Sehun get away with his threats of blackmailing Jai so easily. 

A few hours later Jai was frantically calling his name. The look on her face let him now something bad was going on. Tao's head felt like someone was rapidly punching him but he sat up anyway.

"What's wrong?" He asked wincing.

"I just got a search alert on your name. The media is spreading lies about us" Jai said quickly 

"Why do you have a search alert for my name?" He narrowed his eyes at her 

"That's not important right now. Read this article, we have to do something about this asap!"

She handed her phone over to him, climbing into the big hospital bed with him.

'China Bank heir and foreign woman have shotgun wedding'

"Huang ZiTao (the early 20s) secretly elopes with a foreign woman, many citizens suspect the two kept their marriage a secret due to the foreign woman is pregnant with his very first child. A source close to the couple day that this marriage was originally an arranged business marriage,  to keep her family from facing Financial ruin back in her home country. Netizens are furious that the family didn't announce their only son was going to be married in the first place. They would gladly cheer the couple on if the family was more honest. A few question how old the woman really is and worry Huang got a minor pregnant. "

Tao couldn't read anymore, he couldn't believe that his life was being speculated by the media and netizens. This wasn't what he wanted, but knew people would talk once they had a proper marriage ceremony for his parents. Then it dawned on him his parents would know and be smart enough to know only the marriage rumour was true.

""

       With the doctor's blessing, Tao and Jai went home the next day. Tao knew his parents would have a lot to say, while his father wasn't the one read gossip he knew his mother read every article that came out yesterday morning. 

"My parent's are going to lecture us so be prepared to apologise and sit on your knees for a while" Tao gave Jai a heads up before they exited the car. Jai helped Tao get out of the car, so he wouldn't put too much pressure on his injured side. Tao thanked her with a small kiss on the cheek, he was doing anything to stall for time. He hoped his parents weren't in too bad of a mood.

The morning house maid had let the couple in and rush to help them out of their shoes. Just before she took their bags she gave them a bit of a warning of what was to come, They were waiting for them in the dining room. They had curated all the new stands and cafe Magazines near their home. His parents were more than upset, the media had been calling them all day trying to get more information for their companies. His father was practically blowing smoke through his ears according to the house maid.

"Thank for the warning, Ms, Ta " Tao said politely as he dismissed her.

Tao took Jai's hand, squeezing it lightly before he did his best juggle walking with his cane crutch and holding his wife's hand. He didn't have to hold her hand but he wanted to show her support, this lecture would mostly be about his recklessness but Jai would probably feel just as responsible for this. This was not the first time his name was in the papers.
He didn't want her to run off to Sehun again to make all this stop, Tao would personally handle all this. Even if he had to pay a few media companies off again.

Tao knocked on the dining room door before hobbling inside. 

On the floor were two small pillows, one for himself and the other for Jai. Before either of them could kneel before this parents, His father was on his feet rushing over to Tao.

"Father-" Tao started but was cut off by the look on his father's face. He wanted to say more but his father's hand was already beginning to raise.

Tao braced himself, hoping not look weak in front of Jai.

The sharp sting against his face and the very audible sound of skin hitting skin were raw. Jai and his mother cried out as Tao took a defensive step back to avoid another hit, it had shaken him down to his feet. His stitches tightened as his body braced itself as his father moved closer.

"Enough!" His mother shouted "Let's just hear his side"

"What does this kid have to say? Another excuse? He couldn't tell his own father he already married this girl? How can he even explain that?" His father shouted back at his wife. "We took her in and she didn't say she was carrying his child"

"She's not pregnant honey" Mrs, Huang simply said

"No man marries before telling his family." He turned to Jai, lowering his voice "I want you to get an examination in the morning!"

Jai nodded as she held Tao up from leaning against the wall. If he was going to be upset she wanted him to yell at her, not Tao who was starting to look pale from exhaustion.

"I'll take a test sir" Jai gave him a vocal answer. She looked at Mrs, Huang who smiled at her for holding herself with respect like a lady.

"Then it's settled, no need to be upset anymore, Jaid will get an examination and Tao will rest with his wife" Tao's mom walked over to her husband and linked her arm through his ". I have to make brunch for my aunties, honey I need your help"

"I am not done, I didn't talk to him about his responsibility -"

"He's heard all of that before, clearly he has learned his lesson and will personally make all of this go away in the next week. He's a married man with a wife to look after. we can't always hold his hand like a baby. " She looked at her son "Right ZiTao?"

Tao nodded and his mother smiled at him warmly, you could tell she really loved her son. She was saving him from getting his ear talked off by his father and expected him to clean his own mess. Jai felt a pang of sadness, she missed her own mother.

"I will tell my aunties to give me their best wedding planner since I didn't see my son get married, I expect a beautiful ceremony" she tugged on his husband and lead him towards the door.

Mr, Huang let his wife drag him out the door, but not without throwing his son a look of disappointment.

When they were gone Tao slumped on the floor in pain, he managed to last that long without giving in to the pain. Jai checked to see any of his stitches had popped open during the confrontation, and she was relieved to see they were all in place.

"Are you okay?" she asked

"I'll be fine. I just need to lay down." he panted

Jai helped him up and to his room. She was glad the worst of was over.

             The next morning Tao and his father were giving every company that had been contacted by so-called mysterious source a ring to see how much they had paid for the information. They threaten to sue for slander and defamation of character if they didn't retract and publicly apologise. Many agreed and even took the hush money settlement but one station who was always a pain in his father's side held strong and said they would report about their call and hung up rudely. Mr, Huang wasn't worried about them too much especially after they what he had planned for PR damage control. He would clear the shotgun wedding rumour with the examination, release an apology to the citizens and would be posting their wedding pictures. The only thing they needed to do was find the source and see if they could get him admit that they were behind it, and they already had an idea of whom it was.

"That boy just won't let it go, will he" Mr, Huang said to himself as he left his office. He was on his way to Jai's room, the exam had to be done already. It wasn't that he didn't trust her word, he didn't trust his son. He knew how he was.

He thanked the doctor who promised to call him a few hours with the results and dismissed Jai to do as she please for the rest of the day.

A part of him was sad that the results were going to come back negative, He wanted beautiful grandchildren to fill retired life with laughter and silly songs but he also realised that Jai was too young for all that as well. Times were different, there was no need for Jai to have a baby so soon. Tao was his only son, he would inherit all his wealth anyway. A baby would only cement Jai's status as his wife, nothing else.

      Jai and Tao laid in bed snuggled up, talking about what they wanted to do when Tao was all healed up. Jai wanted to go back home so could meet her parents and Tao wanted to fly out to Japan for a week to visit some old friend to brag about being the first of them to get married to a hottie.

"Your such a dork" Jai muttered

Tao kissed her cheek "You love my playboy ways" he whispered

"You regret it?" Jai said breaking the playful moment.

"Regret what?"

"Marrying me"

Without even hesitating Tao said no, "I love being married to you, it's a little strange but I don't think I'll ever regret it"

Tao laced his fingers with hers. "I'll never regret it unless you do" he kissed their hands tenderly.

"I love you, T"

"I love you too, J"

Pionk!

The sound of something hitting the glass alerted Tao and Jai. They went over to the window to see a small group of women with signs, they seemed to shout as they threw pebbles at the window below on his lawn.

"What are they doing" Jai commented out loud.

"Not sure" Tao answered her. He rolled the crank to the window to see what they were shouting.

"What do you want?" Tao shouted at them.

"We want you to confess to violating a minor" one shouted

"How dare you make her abort your child!"

"You should the right thing and raise the baby! Like a real man!"

"Whoa! where did you get all that ?" Tao snapped at them

"Red Sun Daily!" They shouted together.

"Who's the Red Sun Daily?" Jai asked Tao.

"They are a conservative news station, they hate my father"

"Why?"

"It's a long story" Tao turned back to the protesters "All of that was a lie! She was never pregnant and even if she was she's my wife so your logic makes no sense. I can't knock up my own wife?"

"Not when she's a minor you scumbag."

"e, e, e" they all chanted.

The women stopped chanting and looked fearful, a few began to run away. Tao assumed his father must have opened the door.

"You'll regret this Huang family, Your son's misdeed will not be swept under the rug." One shouted as she jumped in their van.

The sooner they got Sehun to admit he was the source publicly the better Tao and his family would be.