Jiyong knew he would regret everything he was doing right now, every single day of his life later. But he also felt that what he was doing was the right thing to do. What he needed was just one single person to love without any responsibilities to come along with it. Call his selfish. He didn't care but he didn't want to prolong the marriage only to end up hurting Maya and the child to be. He had come to care for her more than he thought he would.

That night, when he met Maya at home, she tried to walk away from him, but Jiyong caught her wrist and stopped her on her track.

She turned around to glare at him with red rimmed eyes and snatched her hands from him.

"Please don't touch me without my permission," Maya lashed out.

"I am still your husband, Maya!" Jiyong huffed.

"For now!" Maya retorted back.

"Fine! I just need a few minutes of your time," Jiyong replied wearily, as he removed his jacket and threw it on an armchair nearby.

Maya went to furthest sitting area from the armchair and sat on it, waiting for him to continue.

Noticing the distance she put between them, Jiyong sighed before he continued, "I spoke to my lawyers. I would like you to stay in Korea and have the baby! So that she is a Korean citizen and will be easy for other legal things as she grows up! Also for her to be entered into my family registry. We will be married during the duration of yo... your .. pregnancy. Then if you are ok with it, we can still be married till the five years is up but you can choose where you want to stay after the baby arrives."

She? He thinks the baby is a girl? Maya thought to herself.

Maya nodded softly and replied in a resigned voice, "I think that works for me as well. I have already submitted a transfer of work location request to my higher officials. But it will take time!"

"You are planning to work even after the ..." Jiyong looked up at her through his eye lashes.

"Yes. Not that I need monetary support from my work but I need to do something. I .. I have already moved my things back to the guest bedroom. "

"Why?" Jiyong dared to as ask the retreating woman.

"I am not willing to contribute to an already dead marriage, Jiyong! I must have been stupid to think this marriage was working!!" Maya hissed.

"It doesn't have to be this way, you know. You can still change all this!" Jiyong said faintly.

"I choose not to. Good night," Jiyong watched his wife walk away from him. 

Though they saw each other almost every day in the morning, Jiyong and Maya hardly exchanged pleasantries. She didn't suffer much from morning sickness or any such pregnancy symptomatic troubles except for fatigue and managed to breeze through her first trimester anyone finding out about her pregnancy.

Not many people at work had known who she was married to until she appeared with Jiyong at the award show. But even afterwards, being in a field very different from entertainment industry, the news didn't quiet affect her relationship with anyone at work.

There has been times when Jiyong had been tempted to ask if she was ok or if she needed anything but he resisted the urge to show care. Sometimes at night, he would find her fast asleep on the sofa with her laptop still on. 

He still hasn't confided in anyone even his parents about her pregnancy. It was like if he didn't acknowledge it, it wasn't real. He had made the mistake of telling his parents about Sandara s pregnancy after her abortion to his parents as a reason for his erratic behavior and his father had had his first heart attack then. 

Jiyong was shocked to hear laughter coming from inside his house when he returned from work that day. It was already going to be midnight. Was Maya watching tv perhaps?

Inside the living room, he found his wife sitting with a very tall and handsome man and both of them laughing at something. He felt his stomach clench at the sight just as his eyes met the eyes of the other man and he saw the eye contact turn into a glare from the other man s part.

"Oh.. " Maya realised that her Husband had returned as she turned around to see what had caught Jason s eyes.

"You must be Jiyong," Jason got up to shake hands with Jiyong.

"Yes. And you are?" came the curt reply.

"I am Jason Lee. I am here to visit Maya. I couldn't come for her mother s funeral so I wanted to pay my condolences.

Though Jiyong would have normally moved into his room by now, somehow he didn't want to leave his Wife alone with this man.

Maya watched with her husband with her eyebrows furrowed. Why was he still here? Usually he immediately retired to his bedroom hardly acknowledging her.

There was an awkward silence in the room.

Clearing his throat, Jason turned towards Maya, "I will be here for a week. Meeting up with other friends. So let me know when you are free. We can go together to meet them or go somewhere to catch up!"

"Sure. I don't have much work right now so  should be ok if I take sometime off. Thanks a lot for visiting, oppa! It means a lot to me," Maya said as they both got up and hugged each other warmly.

"It was my pleasure. Considering I couldn't make it to your wedding as well. It was nice chatting. Will wait for your text. Take care," Jason turned around and bowed to Jiyong, "It was nice meeting you, Jiyong shi."

"Same here," Jiyong replied formally irritated after seeing their hug.

After sending Jason off, Maya tried to walk past Jiyong , without a glance at home. This only angered him further.

"So the infamous Jason finally makes an appearance! And what wonderful timing!! I can't believe you!! Is this the plans you said you were making for future?? Huh??" Seethed Jiyong. 

Maya stopped in her tracks to glare at him. Thumbing to ignore him, Maya turned around to continue on her way to her room when she felt a hand on her shoulders roughly turn her around. The back hit the wall and pain shot through her shoulders.

But in his anger Jiyong couldnt fathom his actions.

He placed both his hands on either sides of Maya s face as he scowled down at her. 

"You didn't answer me!! It didn't take long for you to look for another guy, did it?" he snarled.

"Really?? You really want me to answer that? Ok then. My answer is .. maybe.. maybe he will be a part of my future plans? Ok? Satisfied? Now move!!!!" Maya pushed at him with all her might and walked into her room.

Jiyong ran his hands through his hair. Imagining Maya in the hands of another man did something to his heart. He tried to complete the picture with his child in the hands of the other man as well. While he had been busy pushing his wife and child away from himself, it had never occurred to him that his place in his family will be replaced by another. And seeing the prospective competitor, irked him more!