Taeyeon's day was going just the way she wanted it until Jiyong stumbled into the Labs, remnants of lacerations on his already healing face and a bad cut through his shoulder.

“Oh my God! What happened?” She dropped everything she was working on with Heechul and scurried over to her boyfriend, taking his face into her gentle hands.

“Gangs happened.” Jiyong groaned. “By right I should never have gotten this stuff treated to me because of status.” He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “They took me by surprise. And it hasn't been the first time this sudden gang ups on me has happened. Looks like a new rival gang is in town, and aiming to find a place by beating me down to ensure I concede and give them a place.” He missed the concerned  and worried looks both Taeyeon and Heechul gave each other at his words.

“Do you know who they are?” Jiyong shook his head.

“No idea. Whoever they were, they were damn good at covering their tracks. Either that or they're confident we'll meet pretty soon so they didn't really bother hiding.” Taeyeon knocked over a bottle in her nervousness.

“Hey. You okay? You look awfully pale.” Jiyong cupped her cheeks gently, a frown on his face. “Don't worry, they won't be able to touch you, I'll make sure of that.”

“That I'm not so sure, my dear Mr Kwon.” A cold voice sounded from not far from the front door of the labs. “After all, Erika belongs to me and me only.” Jiyong pushed Taeyeon behind him possessively, turning to face a boyishly handsome man, surrounded by a group of well armed men.

“Who the hell are you?” He could feel Taeyeon's hands shake---he didn't know of it was from nervousness or adrenaline due to the situation.

“I am the one and only, Byun Baekhyun. I'm quite sure Erika would have told you much about me---or is it Taeyeon, as you know her?” He leaned towards the side slightly, grinning satisfactorily as he caught a glimpse of Taeyeon's pale face.

“You're the bastard that mistreated Tae.” Jiyong's voice grew cold. “I assume you were the ones behind the underhanded attacks?”

“Very clever.” The other male grinned. “You're smart, and I like working with smart people. I'm sure we can part ways peacefully when you give me what I want.”

“What is it that you want?” Jiyong tightened his hold on Taeyeon as she trembled, running a soothing arm on her side gently as she trembled.

“Kim Taeyeon.” Baekhyun pointed at the trembling girl in Jiyong's arms. “Or as I know her, Erika.”

“You're not taking my girlfriend anyway from me.” Jiyong said fiercely. “She's mine. As much as I'm concerned, she being my girlfriend gives me much more claim to me obtaining her than you do. And for your information, her name isn't Erika. It's Kim Taeyeon.”

“Is that so?” Baekhyun mused, watching Taeyeon like how a hawk watched it's prey. “But if my memory serves me right, I actually have a higher claim to her than you do. After all,” He spread his arms, beaming. “She is my fiancee and betrothed.” Jiyong froze at his words, shock registering in his face. “Oh no wait, she didn't tell you that?” Baekhyun mocked. “Her parents promised her to me since we were young. I only came to take back what is rightfully mine.” He smiled a cheshire grin. “I’d be even so benevolent to tell you this. Your dearest Taeyeon was only using you as a leverage. Your family was the only one that could rival mine in terms of protection and power, and hence by attaching  herself to you, she used your affection for her, to force me to reconsider my hand when I plot to take her back. Because,  after all, you are the heir to your family, who would slaughter me and my family if anything was to happen to you. I  bet you couldn't tell this little secret scheme of hers, couldn't  you? You were so wrapped up that she wanted you too that  it didn't cross your mind she had agreed to date you a  little too quickly, or maybe that she  was using you for her own means. So, are you giving her to me now?” Jiyong stood stunned in his place, a sense of betrayal flooding his senses as he looked back at the pleading eyes of Taeyeon.

“Tell me. What he's saying. It isn't true, right?” Taeyeon's fingers gripped his arms tightly, her face pale and pallid. She took a deep breath.

“It's not true.” Her voice caught on the last part of the lie, every part of her shaking with the possibility of losing Jiyong forever. Taeyeon wasn't prepared for this. She wasn't prepared for the fact that she too would fall for Jiyong in the process. “Jiyong…” Her fingers clutched the fabric of his shirt like a life saving line. “Please…” Jiyong reeled back at the truth of the lie she spoke in her face, snapping back sharply and pulling away from her grip. “Jiyong---”

“Don't you lie to me!” His voice was oddly loud. “I trusted you! I didn't even…” He struggled to get his words out, frustration and hurt evident in his body language.

“I'll just leave you two to your nice little lovers spat.” Baekhyun shrugged noncommittally. After all, he only wanted Taeyeon. Any collateral damage that happened between her relationship with Jiyong was none of his immediate concern. “You have until sundown to make your decision.” His cold voice gave an ultimatum. “Or I will storm the labs and take what's mine by force. By then, your father would not have the right to interfere with my family affairs. “ The door swing behind Baekhyun and his Entourage, and Taeyeon collapsed on to the table, her legs giving out beneath her.

“Were you even serious about our relationship?” Jiyong's bitter voice cut through her clouded mind.

“Jiyong…” Heechul attempted to intervene. “You don't know how Baekhyun is----”

“Don't! “Jiyong swivelled around angrily, pointing a shaking finger at Heechul.  “Don't you dare defend her. She owes me an explanation. Tell me, Kim Taeyeon, am I just a tool to you? A funny toy you can lead around with my feelings to get you to places you can't and protect you like a loyal lapdog? Or was it just so funny to you to see me run around your heels like a puppy, never knowing that this relationship would never last right from the beginning!” Jiyong shouted, his rage taking the better of him as he swept all the vials they had been working on to the ground, the pieces of glass and liquids shattering in one whole mess on the floor. “That's why you couldn't tell me you loved me, couldn't you?” Taeyeon stifled a hiccuping sob as she crouched to the floor, arms wrapping around her body.

“I didn't mean for it to turn out this way. I..”

“You what?” Jiyong spat, his own tears burning in his eyes. “You didn't mean for me to offer you my heart and then for you to crush it to dust like it's nothing?”

“No!” Taeyeon screamed back at him. “You don't--you don't understand! I ran away from my family just to escape him, Jiyong! I was promised to him, given to him like a pig for slaughter by my family so that they could maintain their business! So that his family could do their dirty work for them! You don't know what it's like, to never live a life of your own that you can never decide and make decisions! You're not being fair! I told you about Baekhyun! I did!” Taeyeon wept, her heart crushing on itself as she saw how broken Jiyong was over her well kept secret. “But I couldn't tell you about us being engaged! I...couldn't hurt you like that when all you've been was just so wonderful to me.“ She whispered. “I left America, left my family, left my inheritance as an heir just to escape him. You can't--you can't give me back to him, please. Please.” She fell to her knees, not caring that the glass shards pierced her skin, pricking streams of blood on her legs. “I told you what he did to me and why I wanted to leave him. “ She whispered hopefully. “I was being truthful about that.”

“You just didn't leave him like you said. You escaped. You ran! And you brought this on me and my family! Kim Taeyeon, “Jiyong wanted to laugh. “Kim Taeyeon, you are one cruel cruel woman.” Tears fell from his eyes as he tilted back his head. “You're absolutely right. I don't understand Baekhyun as you two do. I don't understand what you've been through. “ He stooped down to her eye level, the thin promise necklace he had given to Taeyeon when they started dating, dark hate and hurt deep in his eyes. “You knew I hated my status in my family, that I hated the fact that people only came to me because I was the heir of the Kwons, that