Seunghyun’s POV

I sat in my office quietly as I worked in complete silence. Jiyong had barged in five minutes ago, and he started to rant about his personal problems. First, he talked about the trouble a broadcasting station was giving him based on the content of a commercial he wanted to get paid to air. Then, he segued to his next problem: his wife. He talked about how much he missed her and that he couldn’t wait until she returned from Paris. Finally, he spoke about his other problem: Park Bom. No one but Jiyong and I knew that she was pregnant by her abusive, playboy husband. I heard that her husband was still trying to look for her, but he had not searched Korea because he didn’t think she’d ever want to go back home.

Jiyong stated that Taeyeon didn’t want Bom around. Bom was always trying to prove that she was a more important aspect of Jiyong’s life than Taeyeon would ever be, and that didn’t sit right with Taeyeon. Unlike Yoona, Taeyeon was more outspoken and made it clear to her husband when something was wrong. Yoona was the opposite; she hardly spoke up, and when she did, it was because she had been holding it in so long that she exploded involuntarily.

“I don’t know what Taeyeon will say when she finds out that I gave Bom money to hide from her husband,” Jiyong sighed.

Jiyong and I decided to help Bom. We didn’t have proof that her husband did abuse her, but we also didn’t have proof that she was lying about it. Jiyong gave her money, and I let her stay in my apartment in Gangnam that I used to live in until I got married. We wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt.

“You don’t tell her,” I contended, “Do you really want to widen the conflict between you and Taeyeon? She always hated Bom in the past, but things are different now. You and Taeyeon have a daughter. Taeyeon now sees Bom as a threat to her family—you and Jiyeon. She’d do anything for that little girl to have a happy family, and Bom is an intruder. She’ll go ing berserk, Ji.  You have to protect what is yours.  Your family is what you need to protect.”

Jiyong pouted his lips out and stuffed his hands into his pockets while he slowly began to slouch into his seat across from me.

“Doesn’t Yoona hate her, too?” Jiyong asked, “You’re not going to tell Yoona that Bom is staying in your bachelor pad?”
I scoffed, “Of course not. I don’t want Yoona to worry about anything related to Bom. It’s not like we’re doing anything sinister. We’re not cheating on our wives. We’re just helping out an old friend.”

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Yoona’s POV

Fashion week was absolutely fun. I met so many designer and models, and I had executives from Chanel, Derek Lam, Ralph Lauren, and Marc Jacobs practically begging for me to wear their designs when I returned to Seoul. Sooyoung, who was a bigger fashion critic than me, claimed to be very jealous that so many execs approached me as a first time attendee.

I was walking towards the restaurant Seohyun had selected, Le Cinq. She raved about the reviews and talk about the restaurant, so we decided to give it a try. I walked behind the girls as I saw Changwook beside me with caution displayed on his face.

“Changwook sshi,” I called out softly.

He was startled that I said his name. His eyes widened, and he was distraught that I was actually speaking to him. I wasn’t a snob, but I didn’t speak to him or the rest of the staff because they were terrified of getting too close to me. I bet they thought I was a bratty, spoiled woman.

I swallowed, “I just want to say thank you for saving me last night.”

“Madam, it is my job,” he answered, “My job is to keep you and Mr. Choi safe.”

“Well, you’re doing a great job,” I nodded, “I appreciate the dedication and hard work you have given to my husband and myself.”

He finally cracked a small smile, “Thank you, Madam.”

That had to be the first time I saw one of the guards smile. As soon as we entered the restaurant, I saw the smile on his face disappear instantly as he scanned the restaurant with the other guards.

A restaurant host led us to a corner table, and I took my seat as I eyed the people in the restaurant carefully.

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Bom’s POV

I hated being pregnant. I was eating like crazy, and I threw up almost everything that I ate. Most of all, I hated being in Korea. I didn’t have many friends here—only Jiyong and Seunghyun. Even though they were my only two friends in the whole country, I wasn’t even free to spend time with them as I wished. They had careers that kept them busy, and they had wives who hated me. I should have warned them that marriage was a trap. It was created to make two people miserable.

I heard the doorbell ring, and I quickly opened it excitedly. Seunghyun and Jiyong appeared with cautious looks on their faces. They entered the lavish apartment, and I saw Seunghyun look around the apartment as if he was scanning the whole place.

“You said that you were having abdominal pains, noona,” he breathed out, “We came as soon as we could. We even cancelled a meeting with the staff!”

Okay, I did call them and say that it was an emergency, but in reality, it wasn’t true. I was very bored, and I wanted to hang out.

“The pain went away,” I lied.

Jiyong gasped, “Noona, you’re lying! We’re very busy! We have careers, and you can’t do like that to us.”

I huffed out a lungful of air as I crossed my arms against my chest. When did these two get so damned serious? I remembered the times when Seunghyun would spend hours on video games at home locked in his room. I also remembered the times I’d help Jiyong sneak out of his house so that we could go to a party.

“I’m dying of boredom!” I groaned, “I have nothing to do at all.”
Seunghyun frowned, “Then find something to do.”

“Tell me what your wife does to keep herself company when you’re gone in another country. Maybe I should get some tips from her,” I mocked.

The look on Seunghyun’s face told me that I crossed another line. I was still analyzing their relationship. From the looks of it, Yoona wasn’t so sure about her marriage with him…but him…he never showed emotion. He was a stoic man, but I knew him all my life. I wasn’t so sure myself, but I thought he was head over heels for her. He showed his love in very odd ways, but that is very like him. He wasn’t like a normal man. Seunghyun was extraordinary.

I continued, “Don’t be so insecure, Seunghyunnie. Your pretty little wife is probably bored at home all the time because you always leave on those business trips, but I don’t take her for a cheater.”

“I know she wouldn’t do that,” he argued, “Noona, you’re too much. We already agreed to help you, but if you’re going to continue like this…”
“You’re going to what?” I dared, “Are you two going to abandon me like everyone else in my life?”
The two fell silent as a hint of solemnity filled the air. I hated talking about the past, but it was something that haunted me even to this day. They were two of the few people who knew about my life, and that was why they promised me that they would never abandon me years ago.

“You know we’re not like that,” Jiyong lowered his voice.

“Great!” I tried to change the atmosphere, “You two can help me cook then.”

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Yoona’s POV

Sooyoung noticed that I had been staring in one direction for a long time, so she snapped her fingers in front of my face to break me out of my reverie. I quickly blinked and then tried to refocus on my friends. They were talking about the Chanel show that we just saw, but my mind was elsewhere. Sitting two tables away was Jung Jaemin. He was the investor that Seunghyun was trying to impress. He was eating with two younger women—they looked like they were his daughters.

“Who is that?” Yuri finally asked.

I answered, “The older man is Jung Jaemin. He’s the