Rina looked at her bowl of cereal.

“Prince says hi.” Mark’s deep voice made her look up, her eldest child came dashing to her. She smiled and hopped down from the stool.

“Hi, boy.” She cooed as the Husky reached her.

“Is Coco feeling better? I tried feeding them the new dog food, they didn’t seem to like it.” Rina said as she followed Mark to the garden.

“Summer loves it, Lucy too.” Mark replied as he plopped down on the terrace, Rina smiled and walked on the grass barefoot.

“It’s today, huh?” Mark asked as she sat down beside him.

“Yeah.” She replied.

“Are you going?”

“Do you think I should?” She faced him, Mark paused briefly.

“I think you should go.”

Rina watched as Summer and Lucy, her German Shepherds played with their squeaky toys.

“I’m not demanding that you go, but you’re not afraid of them, R. I know that. So, why are you hesitating?”

“I..I don’t want to lose it again.” She replied, Mark sighed and took her hand in his.

“You wont, now you’re not facing this alone.” Mark stated.

“And, they can insult you, berate you all they want, look down on you, in just a number of days, your husband will be the owner of that company they’re so protective over.” Mark said lightly.

“But if they do insult you, your bodyguards are waiting outside so~”

“Ya!” She balked at him, Mark smiled and just opened his arms to her, she smiled and let him wrap his arms around her.

“We’re in Seoul now, our battlefield.”

“How is it your battlefield, Mark?” She questioned.

“Your battle is also my battle. And, I now have actual responsibilities, like…running a company.”

“And having to keep up with an angsty wife?”

“That too. I have to keep her at bay before she chases Bona with a razor.” He mused, Rina snorted.

“So, breakfast?” Mark asked and let go of her.

“Good luck, unnie. I love you.” Haena said, Rina looked at the screen of her phone.

“I’m afraid…of what I can do.” Rina said.

“Haena, I have the worst temper, what if I say some things and..”

“And it hurts them? Good for them then.” Haena pointed out.

Rina chewed on her lower lip.

“Mark oppa’s not with you?”

“I wanted to be alone, besides he’s busy too.” She replied, Haena smiled.

“Unnie, just remember, you’re different. You are Rina Tuan now, they can’t hurt you and you’re stronger than most of them.”

“Thanks, Haena.”

“And, you have a Mark Tuan, they don’t have one.”

“Stop it.” Rina said pointedly, the younger girl just chuckled before ending the call.

Mark opened the document, he his lower lip as he started to review the details.

“I received reports regarding samonim’s new projects,”

He faced his secretary.

“The board loves her already,” His secretary smiled.

“She’s better at this than I am.” Mark took the files from him.

“Her projects have been green lighted by the president himself.”

“That’s good, then. I’ve always had a difficult time with the board.”

“Vice president, they just need some time. In their eyes, you’re too young and~”

“Inexperienced, I know.” Mark finished.

“But you aren’t like that, sir. They just don’t know you that well yet. Use this as a chance then,” His secretary placed an envelope on his table.

“It’s a party this Saturday, our anniversary here in Korea. Everyone will be there.”

Mark picked it up and tilted his head.

“Arasso, I’ll tell Rina about this. You may go.”

The black Rolls Royce phantom pulled over in front of LLG’s main office. Rina looked up as her bodyguard opened the door for her.

She slid down from the car, revealing the black Balmain pantsuit she was wearing, the wide legs slacks made her look slimmer than usual matched with a pair of black stilettos.

“Samonim,” Her guard spoke as they went past through the doors, she looked up and saw Bona waiting for her.

“Mark didn’t come with me, no need to act warm.” Rina spoke as she stopped in front of her, she noticed how Bona’s lower lip quivered.

“Is it really necessary to show off?” The girl replied, her eyes going to Rina’s two bodyguards.

“They’re not protecting me, they’re protecting you.” Rina smirked before sidestepping the girl and walking towards the elevator, her two guards followed her.

The double doors opened and Rina paused, they were all complete inside the room, her father’s three sisters and the youngest of the siblings, Lee Cheonshik. But it wasn’t them that made her pause, it was the elderly man that was seated at the head of the long table.

She turned her head to one of her guards briefly and moved .

“Mark,”

She stepped into the room and the doors closed behind her.

“Rina, finally, thank your joining us.” Her aunt, the eldest, Ahee spoke.

“I had free time.” Rina said coolly, she saw Minhyuk and Bona also in the room, seated beside their mother, Mira

“Why don’t you take a seat, Rina?” Sekyung, the youngest aunt spoke, she was the one who loved her cheating husband so much.

Rina looked at her grandfather, he was smiling at her with such warmth that it made her want to run to him and cry on his lap.

She swallowed and sat down.

“We all know what happened before made you feel bad, we hurt you, and we felt hurt by it too, but it was an honest mistake, dear.” Ahee spoke.

Rina looked at her straightly.

“We already talked about this, and we think it’s..it is only proper that you come join us here, sweetie.” Ahee finished, even Cheonshik was looking at her with a smile that was so fake that it made Rina want to throw her Fendi purse at his skinny face.

“Your aunt is right, Rina. Join LLG, it’s only right that you do.” The Lee patriarch spoke.

Then it all dawned to her.

This was a trap.

They knew, they all knew how she could never say no to her grandfather.

And they knew that she wouldn’t dare open if he is around.

Rina looked at her father, he didn’t meet her gaze, and his eyes were glued on his palms. She felt her tears form but she looked up, her stoic expression in place.

“What do you say, Lee Rina?” Her halbae tilted his head at her, she froze, he was the one who started LLG, he was the one who built all of LLG from scratch. And here she was, the family’s firstborn, plotting to take it all away.

“I’m sorry, halbae, but I can’t.” Rina spoke.

The room grew silent, she saw Bona smirk to herself.

“Rina~”

She stood up and walked to the elder, she leaned down to kiss the top of his head.

“I have other appointments, so I need to go.” She said, but the elder reached for her hand.

“Rina, you don’t know how long I’ve waited for this day, for you to join us at work.” He spoke. Rina swallowed.

“I’m sorry, halbae. But I’m married now. I have responsibilities to my husband and his work.” She said before pulling away from him, Rina looked at her father and gave him a small bow before stepping out of the room.

As soon as she stepped out, she spoke,

“I want to be alone. I’ll call you when I’m ready to go.”

Her two guards backed away, Rina walked towards the elevator and quickly got inside. Her lips quivered as the doors closed, she dropped her purse on the floor just as her tears fell.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, halbae.” She whispered, then she heard the doors ping open, she panicked. Before she could react, a familiar scent reached her.

“R,” Mark walked to her, the doors closed behind him.

“He…He…wanted me to come join him, Mark…He said..he’s been waiting for me.” She sobbed, Mark just wrapped his arms around her.

“He…was waiting for me, but what did they do? They kicked me out before I could get in. They were all lying to him, I…I even lied to him!” She cried.

“It’s not your fault, they wanted you out.”

“But I let it go on, all the lying…I just let him blindly wait for me, expect for me to come to him.” Her shoulders started to shake.

“Appa….he couldn’t even meet my eyes, Mark, I let my grandfather be clueless about everything, and all this time, I didn’t even call him when I was away.”

Mark just shook his head and leaned his chin on the crown of her head.

“You’re doing this to protect him, to protect the company that he built.” He explained. Rina closed her eyes and just buried her face against his chest.

“I’m not only a crappy daughter, but also a ty granddaughter.” She shook her head, Mark sighed and pulled back.

“Look at me,” Mark cupped both of her cheeks made her meet his gaze.

“You are probably the best thing that’s ever happened to my family in a while, you’ve even helped me so much in managing our Seoul branch,”

“So, don’t do this to yourself. It’s not your fault if they refuse to be honest with your grandfather, but you’re better than them. You’ve always been better than them, Irina.” He said softly.

She just looked away.

“You’re not crappy, you’re my wife. And you deserve to get what you want, you don’t have to worry about your grandfather, I’ll take care of it.”

She nodded meekly.

“So, stop crying.” Mark wiped her cheeks with his thumb.

“I…can give you everything, I just need you to be strong for me, alright?” Mark flashed her a small smile.

“Alright.”

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