"Dear love, I remember the day my feelings begin to spark for you. From that moment, I was on a mission to give you the happiness you deserved. To show you that it was always you from the very beginning."

__

She barely got any sleep last night because her thoughts just didn't want to turn off. And if she was being honest, she was nervous about today.

It's been months since she has last seen both Elijah and Farrah with their last encounter involving her being thrown out by security for slapping the hell out of her ex. She had left feeling embarrassed and hurt for being betrayed, and yet here she was getting ready to attend their wedding.

For hours she has been going back and forth with herself, debating if she would go through with it or not. Emotionally she was over Elijah, however, she wasn't going to pretend as if it didn't sting a little knowing that around this time, it would be her wedding day and not Farrah's.

But she truly believed everything happened for a reason. She could no longer lower her standards to the point she felt jealous of what another woman had. Besides, they always say, "you lose them the same way you get them," and maybe this was going to be their karma. Regardless, Carmen would walk in there confident and sure of herself, she deserved better anyway.

"Well damn, Carmen. You look good enough to eat," Bianca gushes, stepping back into Carmen's bedroom after taking a phone call.

Smiling to herself, Carmen grabbed her watch and secured it around her wrist to complete her look. "Thank you for coming by to help me get ready," Bianca was by far the better one between the two when it came to makeup and hair.

"Please, I needed you to show up and show out. Make that idiot regret leaving the best he ever had. Mark my words Carmen, Farrah is going to be intimidated as hell when she sees you, watch and see." Bianca pointed, pursing her lips confidently. She has sensed that woman was jealous of Carmen from the beginning. And no bride would like it for another to show up and steal her shine, which was what Carmen was sure to do.

Carmen softly chuckled, "Maybe but I just want to say my goodbyes for good and move forward, to finally close this chapter in my life," Her life was too great and she was entirely too blessed to be stuck in misery, especially over a man. Carmen was already planning on taking a vacation soon, just to get away for a while, lord knows she needed it.

"I hear you and I truly hope you get the closer you need. You're finally starting to get your glow back after all this time," Bianca commented, having seen the change in her over the last few weeks. She was more active, showcasing those pretty dimples more. Slowly, she was returning back to old self.

"Anyway, what time did Jongsuk say he was coming by?" Bianca asked, checking the time on her phone. The wedding starts in an hour and a half and it took about 30 minutes to get to the venue from Carmen's place.

Giving herself a final look over in her full-length mirror, she turned to face her friend. "1:30 since he insisted on driving us there," She tells her, still not over the fact that Bianca had invited him to be her date. It still surprised her when he said yes. Just knowing that he was going to be there beside her made her all anxious and nervous inside. However, she was happy that she wasn't going to be alone.

"Relax bestie, everything will be fine. You're going to attend a wedding with one of the most handsome men on the planet, one who definitely wants you at that," Bianca added, smiling at the way Jongsuk bluntly showed his interest in Carmen during their lunch date. Though the conversation was well distributed between all of them, it was clear who he was there for.

"You don't know that," Carmen dismissed instantly, still in denial.

Bianca rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips, "He is and I would know, the man couldn't keep his eyes or hands off of you. I was almost going to lie and say I had a phone call just to give you two some privacy."

"He was just being nice B, that's all."

"Oh? Last time I checked, he was there mainly for you Carmen. He wanted to get to know you better. I was just the third wheel." Carmen could try to play it off as if Jongsuk wasn't into her all she liked but Bianca knew better. The way he looked at her alone spoke volumes.

He was truly interested in getting to know her better.

"So what if he is B? I...I don't even know how to react to it."

Bianca stared at her curiously. "You're not scared to date him because he's famous are you?"

Carmen softly shook her head and went to take a seat on her bed. "No, I already accepted who he is. It's just...I'm nervous to date anyone." After being hurt in a way that she was, her thoughts on dating changed dramatically, almost to the point where she vowed to never date again because her trust in people was broken.

"Hey, don't do that. You can't let someone come in and change your mind on something beautiful as love. That type of mindset will have you missing out on opportunities with someone amazing. You know like how you have right now,"

Carmen nodded her head just as the sound of someone knocking on her front door caught their attention. She looked towards a wide smile Bianca who took off down the hall to answer, already knowing who it was.

Standing up, Carmen took a deep breath, quietly telling herself to relax. Grabbing her clutch, she walked towards her living room where she could hear Bianca talking to someone before she let them inside.

As soon as her eyes landed on Jongsuk, it was as if everything seemed to freeze around her. She stood there taking him from head to toe, admiring his slim build in his fitted khaki suit. The navy blue button-up underneath his jacket ironically matching the color of her dress. He looked beyond good, nothing short of mouthwatering if Carmen was being honest.

Everything about him was perfectly in place.

"Carmen," He greeted her, giving her that knee-buckling smile of his.

"Hi, Jongsuk," Her voice coming out in a breathy manner causing Bianca's grin to grow wider as she closed the front door back.

Placing his hands into his pockets, his eyes roamed over her gorgeous face before moving lower to appreciate the way the dress that she wore hugged her soft curvy frame so perfectly. "You look so beautiful," He tells her, finding her eyes once more.

"So do y-...I mean you look good as well," She quickly caught herself, stumbling over her words a bit.

She watched the way he his bottom lip, biting it briefly before he released it. That simple movement almost making her lose her train of thought.

"Thank you. So are you ready to head out?" He asked, knowing that the drive there would take them awhile.

"Yes," She nodded, placing her hand into his awaiting one, feeling those small tingles the moment their skin touched.

"You can have her out as late as possible...please, I insist." Bianca comments, earning a glare from Carmen and a low chuckle from Jongsuk. "Have a good time you two!" She adds, winking at her as she opened the door for them.

Shaking her head, Carmen let Jongsuk lead the way towards the elevator, stepping inside once it made it to her floor. "How did you two meet?" Jongsuk asked curiously, "You both have similarities but yet so different at the same time."

Carmen smiled at that, knowing better than anyone how true his words were. "At a college party actually. Some guy had tried to put drugs in my drink without me even knowing and Bianca had caught him. Beat him up pretty badly too and we've been close ever since," She laughed, remembering how surprised she was at Bianca's display of strength. She had a mean uppercut.

Jongsuk's eyebrows lifted at her story. "It's interesting how something so unfortunate can end in a positive way," He states, just as they made it to the main floor. "I'm glad everything worked out in the end. I can tell she cares for you very much."

"Thank you," She appreciated how observant he was.

Giving her hand a squeeze, they continued their walk through the lobby until they made it outside where Jongsuk lead her towards his car that she recognized was a Maserati. Though it was something she could easily afford for herself, she still was impressed. Being the gentleman that Jongsuk was, he opened the passenger side door and helped her inside before sliding into the driver seat beside her.

"This wedding we are attending, who are they to you?" Jongsuk asked once he pulled into traffic, glancing towards Carmen to a sad look cross her face.

"Truthfully?"

"Please,"

"Well, long story short, my ex-boyfriend who is marrying the woman he cheated on me with who used to be a friend of mine," She answered bluntly, seeing no point in sugarcoating the truth. The quicker he knew, the better.

Jongsuk hummed lowly at her response. "Closure, right?"

"Yes," She looked at him surprised that he understood so easily. Most would think that she was foolish for going at all but it was something Carmen knew she had to do for her sake.

"He isn't a very bright man. your ex. I have only known you for a few days and I managed to recognize how special you are," Jongsuk stated honestly, holding her gaze for a few seconds before focusing his attention back on the road. It was rare for him to not be right about someone's character after an encounter or two and from the moment he laid eyes on Carmen, there was no doubt in his mind that this woman by far different from the rest.

Feeling her cheeks grow warm by his words, Carmen smiled shyly as butterflies erupted in her stomach. She wasn't supposed to become so fascinated by someone in such a short period of time, yet here she was.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Of course,"

Biting her lip, she hesitated for a second, almost too nervous to ask but she really needed to ask him this. "Do you not get worried about being seen out...you know...with me?" Even though deep down she told herself not to worry so much, she did. She knew how crazy fans could get when they see someone they adore mingle with anyone from the opposite .

Jongsuk smiled a bit, knowing that her question was going to be brought up eventually. "No. I don't like hiding things from anyone in the way that I used to. Besides, they already know about you," He revealed. Not even an hour after he met Carmen and Bianca at the restaurant, someone had taken photos of them and uploaded them to social media. Some of the titles to articles being far fetched as usual.

"They weren't too harsh were they?" She wasn't so much as concerned for her name as much as his.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Some but I don't care what they have to say. I'm allowed to be happy and go out with someone, wither they are friends or something more."

"That doesn't bother, does it?" He asked her, stopping at a red light.

She softly shook her head. "Nah, though I must admit that I was nerves at first after finding out how popular you were but Bianca talked some sense into me." Which she was thankful for. All she could do was just go with the flow and see where this could go.

"Good because I want a chance to get to know you if you allow me." He wasn't sure where all this confidence was coming from but there just something about Carmen that made him want to get closer.

"I would like that," She gave him that dimpled smile that he was starting to adore more and more.

A comfortable silence fell between them until they made it to their destination. Handing his keys to the valet, he helped Carmen out of the car and offered his arm. "Are you ready?" He questioned, sensing how tense she felt beside him as she looked up towards the building.

"I guess so." She sighed, tightening her grip on his arm.

"Whenever you're ready to leave, just let me know and we'll go." He reassured her.

"Thanks." She smiled softly as they followed behind another couple towards the rooftop where the wedding was being held. Carmen could feel and see eyes on them the moment they stepped out of the car, even catching a few staring at Jongsuk in amazement. She didn't wither it was because they knew how he was or because he was that damn fine, or maybe it was both.

"Carmen, is that you?" A familiar voice suddenly spoke up, bringing them to a halt until the person came into their view. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever girl!"

"Hey, Makayla." Carmen greeted, hugging the woman back happily.

"And who is this?" Makayla asked, grinning at the handsome man who stood beside her.

"Jongsuk. This is the groom's sister, Makayla." Carmen introduced them while they shook hands.

"Definitely a major upgrade from my brother," She winked playfully, earning a small laugh from Carmen. "I still can't believe he's marrying Farrah's lame over you." She added, shaking her head in disbelief. "Our mom still hasn't forgiven him for what he did to you, you know?"

"Where is Mrs. Morris by the way?"

Makayla pulled a displeased face. "Helping the bride get ready," She answered before her name was being called. "I'll come to find you again after the wedding, ok?"

Nodding her head, she watched Makayla walk off, leaving the couple alone once more. "What is his name?" Jongsuk asked suddenly.

"Elijah." His name on her tongue even tasted bitter.

The way she said his name didn't go unnoticed. "Do you think you'll be ready to forgive him or Farrah after this?" He knew that in order for her to truly move on, she would have to take that step no matter how hard it was.

"I do, however, that doesn't mean I have to like or respect either afterward." After today, she hoped to never cross their paths again.

"I can understand that. So would you like to mingle some more or take our seats?" Jongsuk asks, smiling at guests who seemed to be in a daze as they looked at him.

Um, excuse me but could I take a picture of you both? I promise it's strictly for the wedding," Carmen glanced towards the formally dressed man who stood in front of them holding a camera.

She looked up at Jongsuk to see if he would mind. "Sure." He nodded, pulling Carmen closer to his side, placing his hand against her waist.

Great. You two look amazing together." The photographer commented as the couple smiled, looking like the real deal.

There was a sense of comfort that washed over Carmen being by Jongsuk's side like this. It felt so right.

"Thank you, enjoy the wedding." He thanked them, walking off to pictures of other guests.

"We should find decent seats before everything starts," Carmen says to answer his question. A few people were already seated anyway.

Deciding on a row near the middle, they took their seats as Carmen admired the simple yet beautiful set up of the aisle and floral alter archway. It made her think of how she had wanted her wedding outside as well but on a beach or maybe a pretty garden. In due time she knew that her dream would come true but until then, she would remain patient.

"What's on your mind?" Jongsuk questioned, taking notice of the distant look on her face. She was in deep thought about something.

"I want this one day, you know? To be married and go on to live a happy life with the love of my life." She tells him, smiling softly to herself.

"I do too." The thought of settling down has been on his mind for a while now, especially now that he was almost thirty. Dating, however, was always tricky, especially in his work field. Though he had options, it was sometimes hard to tell the difference between those who were genuinely interested in him or simply the exposure that came with his name.

"Why are you single?" She suddenly asked, turning her gaze to meet his. In her eyes, so far, he was the closest thing to perfection. In fact, she was positive that even his flaws couldn't change how she saw him.

Jongsuk looked away for a few seconds before answering. "There was someone before I came to NY to shoot...but things between us were already rocky, so we decided that it was best if we just ended it."

Of course, he had someone from back home. Even though they were broken up, Carmen hopes for something with Jongsuk shrunk immediately.

"I see." She whispered as everyone began to take their seats. Jongsuk being the observant person that he was, realized the change in her as soon as he told her. It didn't take a rocket scientist to not understand why either. He wanted to reassure that his interest in her although unexpected was genuine but it would have to wait until after the ceremony.

Once the music started to play, the ceremony swung into action as everyone stepped out looking nice with smiles on their faces as they walked down the aisle. The moment Elijah came into view, the way her heart used to beat was no longer the same. He was handsome without a doubt but the feelings she once had for him were nonexistent. Even when their eyes connected briefly, the spark was no longer there.

And when it was Farrah's turn, Carmen smiled softly as she walked down the aisle with her father beside her. She looked gorgeous despite her ugly ways.

Everything went by smoothly, with the couple exchanging their personal vows that even had a few people in attendance rolling their eyes at. And as Carmen stood with everyone else watching the newlyweds walk down the aisle, she felt so at peace and content. The hatred she once had for them fading the moment they said their I Do's.

Jongsuk slipped his hand into hers giving it a squeeze as he looked down at her, making sure that she was good. Carmen leaned back into him, happy that he was here with her. During the whole ceremony, she noticed his arm behind her chair, even him moving his chair closer to hers. All of it was appreciated.

When it came time for the reception, Jongsuk was pulled away by those who had recognized him to answer questions and take pictures. Carmen sat at a random table watching from a far with a smile on her face, not bothered to see him interacting with his fans.

Taking a sip of champagne from her glass, her eyes shifted around the room taking in all the guests, a few faces she knew from Elijah's side of the family. And just as his name crossed her mind, she felt someone place their hands on her shoulder, catching her attention.

"I didn't think that you would come," Elijah's deep voice said from behind her. Turning to look over her shoulder, she saw him smiling down at her warmly.

"Neither did I," She replied as he took a seat in the chair next to hers. "Congratulations." She told him sincerely.

"Thank you," He nodded, a familiar look filling his eyes. A look she knew all too well. "I'm sorry, Carmen. What I did was wrong, and I know I had no excuse for my actions but I hope you'll forgive me. You didn't deserve to be treated like that."

Carmen stared at him, searching his eyes and his face for any sign of fakeness. She didn't need any forced apologize from him just so he can feel good about himself. Thankfully though, all she could sense was true sincerity in his words.

He meant what he said.

"It's fine Eli, everything happens for a reason right? Just...next time if you feel the urge to cheat, don't. The aftermath is never worth it, for yourself or your wife." She warned him with a stern face.

"Trust me, it was a lesson learned. I know better." He chuckled as his eyes looked her over. "You look beautiful..." He commented, leaning forward to place his forearms on his knees.

Carmen shook her head, seeing what he was doing. "Thank yo-"

"Baby, there you are. People are asking for you." Farrah suddenly spoke up, causing Elijah to jump to his feet quickly. Carmen almost wanted to snort at that.

"My bad baby, I was just talking to Carmen," He explained to her. Farrah faced her as if she just noticed her presence.

"I see. Did you enjoy the wedding?" Farrah asked, forcing a smile on her face. Her pretty blue eyes stared back at Carmen with so much distaste.

Carmen wasn't stupid. She was well aware that Farrah sent her an invite to their wedding out of spite. Hell, it wouldn't even surprise her if she did it in hopes that Carmen would show up feeling miserable but clearly her attempts failed.

Farrah got who and what she wanted, so Carmen was confused as to why she was so damn angry.

"I did and it was beautiful. I'm really happy for you." Carmen grinned, linking her hands together watching the woman scowl. This was straight from a movie.

"I apologize for keeping you waiting. I didn't miss anything did I?" Jongsuk suddenly spoke up, wrapping his arm around Carmen's waist while he stood at her side. That warm, contagious smile spreading across his face.

"No, I was just talking to the newlyweds about the ceremony," Carmen says, looking at him then back at the couple in front of them.

"Congratulations to you both," Jongsuk nodded respectfully. As soon as he saw Farrah show up, he quickly excused himself from the crowd that had formed around him and made his way over to Carmen. The woman has been glaring at her since the reception started. He found it to be almost comical honestly.

"Thank you..."

"Lee Jongsuk!" Farrah squeaked out, answering Elijah's question herself. She had thought that her mind was playing tricks on her when she had sent in the audience but here he was in the flesh standing before her.

"And you two are...together?" Elijah asked, looking back and forth between them both with a tight-lipped smile.

"Not yet...but soon," Jongsuk answered confidently, his hand squeezing Carmen's side as he looked towards her.

Carmen smiled shyly, shifting her gaze towards her feet. She was really hoping he meant what he said.

Elijah's jaw clenched at that. "I see. Well, you're a lucky man." He told him seriously, earning a heated look from Farrah which he ignored completely.

"It was nice meeting you Jongsuk but if you don't mind, my husband and I have other guests to attend to. Please enjoy the rest of the party." Farrah says suddenly, not bothering to say anything else to Carmen who only smirked in return.

As soon as they were gone, Carmen laughed at the whole awkward exchange. "Well, that went great."

"They were definitely both jealous."

"Very." She couldn't wait to fill in Bianca later.

"Carmen..." Jongsuk whispered, turning her to face him completely.

"Hmm?"

Intertwining their hands together, he stared at her for few seconds just to admire how beautiful she was before he decided to speak. "There's somewhere I would like to take you if you don't mind? If not, we can stay here longer if you like."

It was still early in the day, and he had no other plans. Now that it was just the both of them, he wanted to use his rare time that he had to himself, to spend it with her.

It only took Carmen a few seconds to answer his question. She had already spoken to those who she wanted to, so she saw no point in staying. Besides the menu was way too plain for her liking to stick around and eat. Plus anywhere with Jongusk was way better than this.

"Lead the way."