Haera pulled her coat closer as the helicopter lifted off away from them, she looked around.

“Your place?” She called over the noise.

Taeyong nodded and gestured for her to walk with him.

“What did you want to talk about? Our impending doom?” She asked as they got inside the house.

“I want to know how this happened. How did you end up being there?” He asked her before taking her coat.

“I was..at a shoot, then our parents came. Eomma said it was an emergency and..she asked something that I promised her years back.”

Taeyong didn’t speak but he proceeded to pour her a glass of water. Haera climbed on one of the the stools.

“Wait, who were you supposed to marry? Where is she?” Haera blinked.

Taeyong exhaled, she stilled, suddenly realizing what she was asking.

“Taeyong, I—I’m sorry. I~” Haera stammered.

“It was an arrangement. I barely knew her. So don’t be too sorry.”

Haera halted, she took a small sip from her glass.

“She was at the hotel suite, preparing for the wedding. My mother took out some of the family jewels for her to wear.”

Haera nodded.

“But then, she disappeared along with my mother’s jewelries.”

“What?” She was stunned.

“And, abeoji didn’t want to cancel the wedding. It was to save face. Them dragging you into this was all just to save face.” He said flatly.

“Well, it would have been a big deal if Samsung’s president was left at the altar.”

“And you don’t seem bothered about this,” Taeyong replied, Haera flinched.

“You’re still an ice prince. How could I forget?” She muttered darkly.

“Yoo Haera, you’re a celebrity. This will change things for you.” He told her.

“I’m trying not to think about that as of this moment.” She replied.

“Why?”

“Taeyong, I have a boyfriend.”

He looked at her, his brows rose briefly.

“And nobody knows, except for my staff.” She frowned as she spoke.

“And I don’t know how to explain this to him.”

“Do..Do you want me to talk to him?”

“And what will you tell him? That I was your replacement bride?” She replied, Taeyong closed his mouth.

“It still amazes me how casual we can get. We’re speaking informally now.” She added as an afterthought.

Taeyong shook his head before taking out some coffee.

“As we speak, our parents are probably writing our story for us. Should we just ride the tide?”

Taeyong glanced at her, Haera was itching on the sleeves of her lace wedding gown.

“If you want to, then it’s fine.” He shrugged before taking out his phone.

“Yes, president,”

“Can..you deliver some comfortable clothes to my house?...No, not mine.” He said as he faced her.

“Get them in Haera’s size. I’m sure her manager can provide you that. And, shoes.” He said before ending the call.

“Does that make us childhood sweethearts now?” Haera blinked at him, he snorted.

“Is there no way out of this? Can’t..you do something?” She asked, Taeyong looked at her.

“I mean, I know what’s done has been done. But in the long run..maybe we can still escape this.”

“It’s our wedding night and you bring up divorce?” He mused back.

“Now you’re being playful when I’m being serious. Ugh, why are we even friends?” She sighed before leaning against the counter.

Taeyong smiled and just sat down beside her.

Media outlets were going crazy, news of Yoo Haera’s marriage had surprised everyone. She was young and no one expected that she’d tie the knot this early.

And yet, there was more talk about her husband. In a matter of hours, her husband had become the most searched name on the Internet. And most of her fans approved the moment they saw who he was.

“This is so wrong.” Haera’s manager muttered under his breath as staff moved Haera’s things into the van.

“I cannot believe the company agreed to this.” Her coordi mumbled, they glanced at Haera’s mother and the groom’s parents who were waiting outside.

Haera’s penthouse was being emptied out and she was to move to her husband’s place.

But, Haera didn’t know that yet.

Why?

Because she disappeared last night.

“Do you think..she already spoke to him?” Her manager asked quietly.

“I don’t know; she doesn’t even know how to explain all this.”

They were about to move along when a black Mercedes Benz S560 rolled in. Taeyong was the first one who appeared, then Haera followed him.

“Haera!” Her mother called her, they saw how the girl frowned when she saw her things being moved out.

“What are you doing? How could you do this without asking me first?” She argued.

Taeyong followed behind her.

“Daughter, it’s only right for you to move in with your husband. What will people say?”

Haera shook her head.

“Auntie, it doesn’t really have to be rushed. I’m sure Haera has some things that she wants to settle first.” Taeyong intervened politely.

“And besides, I can have the rumors shut down.”

“I guess he really is powerful.” Haera’s manager whispered.

“Taeyong-ah, it’s fine. It’s better if Haera adjusts right away~”

“Adjust? No one gave me heads up! I was literally tossed to the altar.” Haera snapped.

Haera’s manager was about to move forward, but three men in dark suits surrounded the actress and her husband.

“We’re outside. People might hear.” Taeyong said quietly.

Haera exhaled, she could feel the Lee elders looking at her, she glanced to her left and saw her manager waiting.

“I’m needed at the company.” She said, the guards made way for her.

“Let Taeyong drive you.” Her mother spoke.

Haera just sighed before turning away from her parent, she felt Taeyong’s hand on her arm.

“I can meet you there if you need me to.” Taeyong said softly before gently pushing her to walk forward.

“I kind of want to be alone.”

“Okay.” Taeyong nodded, the guards pulled back, Haera got inside the waiting van.

“Lee Taeyong,”

Taeyong faced his father.

“We still don’t understand, appa. I think we deserve an explanation from everyone.”

“If only you just let it be, both of us wouldn’t be in this situation right now.” He finished before going back to his car.

Haera closed her eyes as she leaned back on the heated seat.

“What happened? Where did you go last night?” Her coordi questioned.

“Right. We were all worried.”

“Taeyong and I escaped.”

“How?”

“Helicopter.”

The van grew quiet, Haera just pulled the fleece blanket closer to her.

“Did you just tell us that your husband has a helicopter at his beck and call?”

“Can you at least let me sleep? We spent all night trying to figure out how to live this lie we’re thrown into.” She muttered darkly before hiding under the blanket.

They left her alone, soon they arrived in front of SM’s building. Haera folded the blanket nicely, she looked at the windows and she puffed her cheeks.

“Your fans have been waiting since this morning.” Her manager said, she let the coordi fix her hair and makeup before checking her reflection again.

“What does the company want me to say?” Haera asked softly, she watched as familiar faces looked at the van expectantly.

“They want you to apologize for keeping it a secret.”

“What?”

“They let the public assume that you’ve been dating president Lee for two years now and that he proposed four months ago.”

Haera nodded.

“And the only reason you kept it was because you didn’t want things to get complicated because of your status as a celebrity and you didn’t want Taeyong to be disturbed by all the rumors that will follow.”

“It sounds like a script.” Haera murmured before sliding down the vehicle, her fans started screaming as they closed in on her, security helped her cross the lot.

“Unnie! Is it true? You’ve been dating him?”

“How long did this go on? We’re disappointed!”

Haera paused, then she looked up with a smile.

“I’m really sorry. But, I just didn’t want to cause trouble. I know I hurt you all, but, he makes you happy,” She spoke, the crowd turned quiet.

“I hope you will all bless our marriage. Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean I’ll be leaving the entertainment industry soon.”

Haera sat across SM’s executives. They had just finished discussing everything. They also asked her how she knew Taeyong.

She knew him since she was kid, they were classmates up to high school.

They even finished an alibi for her. Regarding the wedding invitations, the bride’s name was false one and that they made it that way as to not cause issues. They didn’t want people to know that Taeyong was getting to married to her as to prevent publicity. It was a well-known fact that the Samsung heir didn’t like the media much.

Which was ironic, since he got married to Yoo Haera, SM’s favorite actress.

She leaned back on her seat, then her phone started to buzz. She took it out and frowned.

“Can I go now?” She spoke, Lee Sooman looked at her.

“You’ll discuss it with him, right?”

“Yes, I will.” She bowed politely before leaving the room.

I’m at our usual place. I need to see you. –Jimin

She exhaled before making her way to the elevator and going down to the basement parking lot. She got in her white Range Rover Evoque and sped away from the property. It took her a few minutes to reach the secluded coffee shop just blocks away from the company.

She put on a loose hoodie before going down and approaching the doors.

“I waited for you last night.”

She paused, there he was standing by the doors, dressed in a black jacket and a baseball cap.

“I’m sorry.” Haera said softly, Jimin took off his cap and looked at her.

“You don’t look so well.” He said, his forehead creasing.

Haera started to shake her head, he could see the tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

“I..I don’t know what to do, Jimin-ah. I..I…I don’t know how to get out of this.” She choked, Jimin just rushed to her before wrapping his arms around the girl.

“Why? Did he do something to you?” He asked, his grip on her tightened.

“N—No, Taeyong would never..But, how could my mother do this to me?” She murmured, Jimin just patted her back reassuringly.

“I’m trapped. She even has the company in her palm.”

“Hey, hey,” Jimin pulled back to meet her gaze.

“You’ll be able to pull through this. We’ll be able to pull through this.” He said in his calming tone.

Haera just stared back at him, Jimin smiled before brushing the tears away from her cheeks.

“You still have me. You’ll always have me.”

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