Jiyong s first night in his room after that night was not a pleasant one to say the least. He might have been drunk but his mind could clearly replay Maya s face grimacing in pain as he came back from his high having  poured out his frustrations and anger of the day into her. She hadn't explicitly told him no so maybe technically it wasn't but he knew better...

Jiyong tossed and turned before coming to a conclusion. The next five years, he would treat Maya with the respect she deserves. That was the least he could do. He could not promise to love her. And she had already come to the conclusion that their marriage won't last past the mama factory five years. He hadn't even given it that much thought. 

And why did she ring up Sandara? He knew that she was the one on his mind that night but how did she know that?

Maya took a deep breath to calm her pounding heart. She might have feigned a calm facade outside and said what she had wanted to say but deep inside, as soon as she saw Jiyong, she wanted to run into her room and lock the door. She wasn't ready to face him so soon after the incident even though her heart and mind had been convincing her otherwise. 

Putting up a brave and calm front was not new to her. Her parents had never been the kind to show real affection. She had been in boarding schools from the time she remembered only to be called home to attend some gathering or the other, to show off their perfect daughter. She doubted her parents actually knew what she did or studied during her time abroad. She was like a fruit waiting to ripen to be sold off to the best bidder. 

The following few months went eventless. The couple behaved more or less like roommates. With Maya having got a job at an international bank and Jiyong s upcoming comeback, they hardly met each other. And if they did, they merely passed each other with a smile and a nod. 

Slowly but surely the presence of a woman in his bachelor hood was obvious. Starting from the immense number of shoes in the shoe stand to scented candles in the bathroom, small changes began to occur around the house. 

But the fact that she still felt uncomfortable and scared in his presence was obvious in the way she tried to avoid coming in his way when he was home. 

Three months later...

Maya was working late that night in her cabin when she heard her phone ring. 

"Hello.. Maya?" 

Maya was caught off guard to hear Jiyong s voice on the other side of the call. 

"Yes?" Maya was too stunned to even acknowledge the fact that she knew it was him. There was an awkward pause before he continued.

"This is Jiyong. I didn't see you at home so got my manager to get your number."

"Oh.. I have some work to be completed before the hols so I don't think I will be coming home tonight," Maya quipped wondering where all this was leading.

"Oh ok. I was just wondering what your plans for the Christmas hols were? My parents have invited both of us for dinner but if you can't make it, I understand," Jiyong finished saying, bringing the suspense of the call to an end. 

Maya fidgeted with her pen for a few seconds before saying, "Sure, I am free," surprising even herself. 

"Thanks a lot," exclaimed Jiyong. He sounded as if he was both relieved and astonished at her answer. 

They further discussed the time of pickup before they ended the call. 

By the time they reached Jiyong s house early in the evening, Maya was a bundle of nerves. Not that she felt the need to please her husband s family but she felt that since they were unaware of the business side of the marriage, she has to be atleast sincere to their end of the relationship. 

Jiyong had already warned her that her parents were pretty old and so he didn't feel that they needed to know all the background of their marriage.

Jiyong made it a point to maintain a distance between them whenever he was around Maya. He didn't want her to feel intimidated. Even in the car, he placed all the gifts he had bought in the back seat of the car with Maya and he sat near his manager in the front. When the manager looked at his questioningly, he replied, " what?? They are good items that can melt in it. I don't want to put them in the trunk!"

Maya knew what Jiyong was doing and she felt grateful. This only made her want to be at her best behavior today. 

By the time they reached the place, her stomach had knotted up. 

"Aigoo... You guys are finally here! Omo! Both of you have lost so much weight!! Come.. come.. let's eat a lot!!" his mother , who was waiting outiside didn't give thhem any chance for responding as she physically dragged the couple into the house. 

Jiyong couldn't help but smile at the dazed expression on Maya s face as his mom forcefully pulled Maya into his house. Though he hadn't exactly told him about his marriage contract, he did tell her over the phone that they were still in the awkward phase of marriage just so that she wouldn't expect any kind of skinship that newly married couples exhibit. 

But looked like his mom had taken it upon herself to make solve the issue. 

Knowing his mother s headstrongness he was really worried for Maya and himself as he entered the house!