Chapter 4

Nightmare

Jisoo knows she's not the best cook. She lacks skills. But she tried cooking several dishes at home before the wedding and the feedback was good. Tonight, Jisoo cooked Spareribs. She doesn't really know if V would like it but... she tried her best to make it as tender as she can. Yeah, that melt in your mouth goodness… she worked so hard to achieve it for her husband.

Jisoo looked at the clock. It's already nine in the evening. Does he really come home late? He used to be able to meet her once or twice a week whenever they have dinner dates before the wedding. So he should be able to come home for dinner right?

Jisoo looked at her phone and noticed that she already called her husband three times. There was no reply and he hasn't called back.

Jisoo tried to call again.

What if he thinks she's needy? What if she's being this pestering clingy wife?

Jisoo sighed. She was about to end the call when a woman answered his phone.

"Hello?"

Jisoo gulped.

"Is this V's phone?" asked Jisoo

"Yes. Who's this?"

"I'm... his wife."

"Oh, I'm his secretary. Hi Maam. Sir V left his phone in his office. Their meeting is running late. I was not supposed to touch his personal phone but you've been calling several times already. So I picked it up."

Jisoo breathe a sigh of relief. It was his secretary.

"I see. I'm sorry. I'm still trying to understand his schedule. Can you just remind him to call me back once his meeting is done?" said Jisoo

"All right Maam. I'll tell Sir V to call you back."

And then Jisoo ended the call.

He really is so busy.

Jisoo sigh.

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V went back to his office feeling really tired. It was such a jam packed meeting.

"Sir, your wife called several times. She asked for you to call her back." said his secretary.

V sighed.

Jisoo called.

"You should go home now." Said V

His secretary bowed and left.

V closed his eyes. He doesn't want to go back to that house yet. He doesn't know what to do with Jisoo. He doesn't want to keep being cruel to her. Just seeing her face when she’s hurt is enough to crack the cold facade he's trying to give off.

But he has to move the plan forward.

V looked at his watch. It's ten in the evening. He checked his phone and saw a message from Jisoo.

"I cooked dinner for us. I'll wait for you to get home. Let's have dinner together. :D I miss you. "

No. He can't...

He can’t spent time with her… She has to see where this marriage is going.

There was a knock on his door. RM came in.

"Yo, you still here? Not hurrying home to your wife?" Asked RM.

V did not answer.

"Newly married men are usually excited to get home." Said RM

"Well you can just make me an exception to that." Said V

RM sat across V.

"It can't be that bad. You may not love her but Kim Jisoo is pretty. And as you said, she's a nice girl." Said RM

V bit his lip.

"She is."

"Then what's so bad about going straight home?" Said RM

"It's because she's nice... too nice." Said V. "It's like this nagging feeling inside my head screams at me whenever I'm with her."

RM winced.

"Conscience."

V nodded.

"Possibly..."

"You are not thinking of stopping are you?" asked RM

"No. when I think of Dad, i don't think I have any other choice but to see this through." Said V

"But?"

V ran his hand on his hair

"But it's becoming harder and harder." Said V

There was a long moment of silence.

"Did you... I mean it was your wedding night yesterday. What am I even asking, of course you would." Said RM

"I didn't."

RM's eyes widened.

"You... didn't? Are you sick?" asked RM

V shook his head.

"What's wrong? It could only be either you don’t find her attractive… or you’re having performance issues.” Said RM

“You know it’s neither of that.” Said V.

“Didn't she find that fishy?" asked RM

"She must have. But I will not lay a hand on her. I will not use her like that." Said V

"But you're used to doing it with random women. What's wrong with doing it with your wife?" Said RM

"First, she's just my wife until we get our revenge, which I am trying to fast track. Second, she's not like those random women. Do not even compare her to them." there was an edge on V's voice.

RM kept quiet for a while.

"Tell me... when you were drunk you said you'd protect her. Is this your way of protecting her?" asked RM. "Not touching her, not going home early... what else are you trying to do?"

V did not answer.

"You are intentionally making her hate your marriage." Said RM. "Do you want her to file a divorce?"

"It's going to end in a divorce anyway." Said V

"You are trying to make her hate you so that she'll file for a divorce." Said RM. "Are you trying to make her stop loving you?"

"That is the only protection I can give her. I don't want her to hold on to a false hope. I will never love her back. And I am about to get everything from her family. She has to hate me, stop all that she feels for me..."

"The plan is to make her fall for you. So that we can get the shares and properties."

"I will get those shares and properties soon. And I will need Suga's help. But... i have already decided and I will never change my mind. I want Jisoo to file that divorce as soon as possible. I want her to be free from the raptures of our revenge. She shouldn't have been part of any of this in the first place." Said V

"You care for her." Said RM

V's throat moved.

"You actually really care for Sweet Jisoo, V." said RM.

"She's innocent. It isn't her fault her father is Alfie Kim."

RM sighed and shook his head.

"Kim Jisoo has that ability to shake your heart, V. You are not easily swayed and you do not change your mind. You are stubborn and you are firm. You are stone hearted and you can ignore everyone else' feelings just to get what you want. That's the V I know. But you changed the plan... you changed it because you could not bear hurting her." Said RM

V's brows closed in.

"You are thinking too much, Hyung." Said V "I am still me. The plan is still a Go."

"But will be slightly altered because you need to shield Kim Jisoo somehow?" Asked RM.

V looked at ceiling in frustration.

"She still thinks I'm that hero who catches her whenever she falls." Said V.

RM stared at V for a while.

"Don't you think there's a possibility that you may fall in love with her?" Asked RM.

V stood up so suddenly that RM immediately shut his mouth.

"No. It will not happen." Said V. "This is the most I can feel for her. Pity I guess... or a little concern because she was once like a sister to me." Said V. "Give it up, Hyung. I will never fall in love again."

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V arrived at the house at one in the morning. The lights were still on. When he entered the living room he could see the dining area. And Jisoo was there, her head on the table. She seemed to have fallen asleep. V slowly walked towards Jisoo. She is indeed sleeping. He looked around and found the spareribs on the oven. It looked appetizing. It seems Jisoo really prepared for the dinner he intentionally missed. And then he saw the three tea bags that were used. She wanted to wait for him and drank three cups of tea to just keep her awake…

V took the chair beside Jisoo and sat facing her. Her face looked so serene... so trusting...

She had been waiting for him.

It's been a long time since someone stayed up for him. The last person she remembered doing it was his Mom. His Mom who died when he was ten, cancer took her life. Now Jisoo is doing it for him. How come she could still do this when he had been nothing but a jerk last night and this morning?

V had the urge to carry Jisoo to her room. To make her sleep more comfortably. Instead, V found his fingers tucking Jisoo's hair behind her ear... it opened Jisoo's face to him more.

Yes, she's pretty. Very pretty… her beauty shines even when she has no makeup on. V's fingers had a life of their own as it touched Jisoo's cheek, holding her.

If things were different, if only she isn't Alfie Kim's daughter... then maybe he wouldn't have to hurt her... he would have stayed being her hero oppa.

V pulled his hand away when he realized what he was doing. He wanted to cut his hand for not obeying him.

V laid his head on the table facing Jisoo.

How many nights will she cook dinner only to realize he's never going to come home to share another intimate moment with her? Will she give up after two attempts?

V sighed.

"Please give up soon, Jisoo." Said V. "You have to protect yourself. You have to learn how to unlove me."

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Jisoo woke up that morning still on the dining table. There was no trace of V. The only proof that he came home was the used shirt that was put in the washing machine. He did not wake her.

Jisoo felt physical pain because of the uncomfortable sleeping position. She shouldn't have fallen asleep! She should have stayed up. She failed to get the opportunity to talk to him.

Jisoo sighed...

Even the spareribs was not touched.

Why does it feel like they're living in the same house but there's a bigger distance between them now that before they got married?
 

 And then the doorbell rang. Jisoo opened the door to see Suga and RM.

"You are V's cousins right? I met you on the wedding." Said Jisoo. "Come in."

RM and Suga went to the living room.

"We brought gifts. We did not get to have a house warming for you and V..." said RM

"That's all right. Thank you for these." Jisoo accepted the gifts and then she prepared tea and some biscuits.

"V is at work though." Said Jisoo

"Yeah, we came from the office. We just came here to check on you. We have not had a good conversation during the wedding." Said Suga

Jisoo nodded.

"Yes. There were so many guests. I’m glad you both visited. I heard V saying he's closest to you two." Said Jisoo

Both RM and Suga nodded.

"We became close in high school, went to the same school." Said RM. " And then he lived with us for a while after his Dad died."

" Oh. I see." Said Jisoo. "I... also want to be as close to V as you two are. I mean we are husband and wife but... I still don't know a lot of things about him."

"Actually... you are right. You don't know a lot about him." Said Suga

Jisoo felt the tension in the air.

"Like that he's having troubles in the company right now." Said Suga. “I’m sure he will never admit that weakness to his wife.”

Is that why he comes home so late? Oh poor V.

"What kind of trouble?" asked Jisoo.

"The stockholders in my Dad's company want him out." Said Suga

Jisoo gasped.

"But he's good at what he does!" Said Jisoo, alarmed.

"But that was not enough. For the stockholders, he's a threat. He's too intelligent but he doesn't have money, properties and even the sphere of influence through shares of other companies. Many stockholders are suspecting that V may embezzle the company funds." Said Suga

Jisoo stood up.

"No he will never do that!" said Jisoo.

"As long as V's properties remain the same, his image will not change." Said Suga. "If there will be any money problems in the company, V will be the first suspect."

"Oh no..." Jisoo sank on the chair.

There was a long moment of silence.

“Is there a way I can help?" Asked Jisoo.

"Actually... If V will allow you to help..."

"He will. I will persuade him. I will help him. If he needs property I have many. If he needs company shares to prove that he has wealth, I can transfer my shares in my Dad’s company to him. I will transfer as much of what I have to him. I can't let those people continue to think my Husband is a pote