It was a really fruitful night. The married couple’s relationship went a notch closer and Maya felt assured to be around Chan, that he wouldn’t hurt her.

Thank God Bona’s company put them in different hotels.

“Mom wants us back home for dinner,” Chan announced after hanging up the call with his mother.

Maya was in the toilet getting ready while he packed their stuff.

“Okay! But before that, I need to get to the office, Mrs Jin needs the report.”

He walked up to the door and threw it open, Maya gasped at the sudden intrusion and hit his chest. He rubbed the sore area playfully.

“Nice match,” he teased.

Maya glanced down at her lingerie-clad body and shoved him out the door.

“Stop playing, I need to get ready!”

Chan fell silent, making Maya curious as to what he was doing outside. She opened the door and he was on the phone. She went up to the bed where her outfit was.

“Yes, Miss Lee will be heading to the office tomorrow instead of later in the afternoon.”

Maya’s eyes widened and she ran to him, she tried to snatch the phone away but Chan had ended the call. He threw the phone onto the bed and held Maya by the waist.

“What did you do that for?” She scolded him. “Now Mrs Jin’s gonna be even angrier.”

He kissed her cheek.

“She won’t be. It’s a direct order from me. I told her you’ll be submitting the report straight to me. I can just tell her that you have done the report well.”

“I still have to do it, even if it’s submitted to you.”

She relaxed in his arms, letting the beat of his heart lull her. Chan patted her head gently, smiling into her hair.

“Okay, we have to start packing, or we’ll miss our flight.”

**

Three hours later, the couple arrived in Seoul and Chan immediately received a call from his parents. Maya waited for their bags and took a look around. Bona had been asked to stay behind a little longer to get a photoshoot done.

“Yes, mom. We are at the airport, we’ll be home in 20 minutes.” Chan walked over to Maya and handed her the phone.

“Hello, mom,” she greeted. “The trip was wonderful, I enjoyed it.”

Chan smiled at her and took the bags. Minho was on his phone, and had to leave earlier to head to the office to check on the employees and work at his desk.

“This feels like a honeymoon.” He commented.

Maya broke into a smile, “For a night’s not enough, dear husband.”

He offered his arm, “How about we plan for another, dear wife?”

She took a look at the arm and gave him a blinding beam, nodding and taking the arm. He kissed her cheek and they headed out the airport.

Minho led them to the waiting car, there were a couple of people who recognised Chan but they did not approach them. The moment Maya entered the vehicle, Chan gave Minho a thumbs up and they drove off, Minho turned to the car behind and headed to the office.

“Do I need to get anything for mom and dad?” Maya fumbled through her purse to grab her lipstick. “We didn’t get them anything from Jeju.”

“It’s okay, wife, they don’t need gifts.” 

He took her hand, lacing his fingers with hers.

“You being my wife, is already a huge gift to them.”

She shook her head in amusement and let go of Chan to apply her lip colour. She smacked her lips lightly to spread the colour evenly.

“I have something to ask you.”

“Hmm?”

“I don’t want to spoil the mood but--” she fumbled for the right words to say. “What will happen between you and Bona?”

Chan glanced at her.

“Why the sudden question?”

“I mean,” she cleared . “We… We had , twice now.”

“Oh, someone’s been counting.”

Maya chuckled, smacking Chan’s arm.

“Be serious!”

“Alright, alright,” Chan pretended to grab his smiles and threw them out of the car. “There, I’m serious now.”

“I don’t want to live with the thought that Bona might find out about us. I don’t want her to get hurt.” Maya played with her hands. “What’s… what’s gonna happen to us?”

Chan took a deep breath, realising at that moment, how worried Maya was for their relationship. To others, Maya would be recognised as the lawfully wedded wife, but to her, she was the third party who came between a stable couple.

He reached over and slid his hand into hers.

“Don’t worry about it. I will talk to Bona. I’ll break up with her.”

Before they could say anymore, they rolled up to the gates of Chan’s parents. They were waiting at their door, Chan brought their linked hands to his lips.

“Smile, please. Don’t let this issue between me and Bona affect how you act. Just keep in mind that you are my wife, that’s a fact. And we are about to meet our parents, so turn that frown upside down, okay?”

Maya nodded, giving Chan the smile he wanted to see.

“That’s my wife,” he grinned.

“Aigoo! My favourite daughter-in-law is back!”

Mrs Bang ran over to hug Maya the moment she stepped out of the vehicle.

“Jiwon, she’s your only daughter-in-law,” Mr Bang laughed. “Hello, Maya.”

She bowed respectfully after the hug. Chan joined her and gave his parents a hug.

“Let’s head in. I’ve cooked a lot, they’re getting cold.”

The parents left towards the dining area, Chan held his hand out for Maya. She smiled, taking it and letting him bring her into the house.

**

“I’m so full,” Maya whispered to Chan after the housekeepers cleared the table.

He leaned over and kissed her cheek, “That’s a good thing, is it not?”

His parents watched them converse and smiled at each other. They got up, getting the newlyweds’ attention.

“Your father and I are going for a walk in the park,” Mrs Bang said. “Make yourselves at home. Son, how about you bring Maya to the pool?”

“You have a pool?’

Chan nodded and smiled at his mother, “Sure thing. Be careful on your way.”

He turned to Maya, got to his feet and held his palm out.

“Milady, may I interest you in a short stroll to the pool?”

She chuckled, gently putting her hand on his, “Let us proceed.”

Chan escorted his wife to the back of the house, where the pool was brightly lit with glow sticks. Maya’s eyes widened in surprise, before turning into crescents as she beamed at her husband.

“What’s going on?”

He sat her down on the edge of the pool, dipping their legs into the cooling water.

“Well, I realised you’ve never seen the house, so I decided to surprise you with a little something.”

Maya smiled, touched at his actions and started admiring the beauty of the pool before her. The night was illuminated by the glow sticks, the water added to the brightness of the night. Chan looked at her side profile, his heart thumping in excitement.

I get to spend my life with this woman.

His eyes started to sting.

Who knew that night in Vegas would end up in this?

A thought went through his mind and he got to his feet, grinning to himself.

“Maya, stand up for a moment.”

She was confused but got up nonetheless.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

Chan reached for her hands, “Do you like the surprise?”

“I love it, it’s so pretty!”

“You know what’s prettier?”

“Me?”

Chan laughed, “Yes, you. You’re one pretty devil.”

Maya shook her head in amusement.

“You wanna know what makes you prettier?”

“What?”

Maya was expecting some cheesy line. Chan s his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to himself. She felt her heart racing at the close proximity, her eyelids batted as she stared into his eyes.

“When you’re drenched.”

Before Maya could register what he meant, he held her tight and hurled the both of them into the pool. She let out a squeal and held her breath as they entered the water. They resurfaced, she sputtered and coughed while brushing her wet hair from her face. Chan wiped his face with one hand and laughed while holding her securely close to him, making sure she could breathe.

“What was that for?” She slapped his chest and laughed along. “I can’t swim!”

He tried talking through his laughter, his arm never left her waist.

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” he promised while still chuckling. “I’ll catch you no matter what.”

Mr and Mrs Bang shook their heads in amusement at the sight for the couple. Mr Bang nudged his wife.

"Remember we used to be like this?"

She nodded, "You were cheesier than him."

"What can I say? Like father, like son."

"Mom! Dad!"

Chan called out from the pool when he saw his parents in the house. Maya waved at them timidly, using one arm to cover her body. She was shaking. 

"Why don't you love birds get out of the pool? Maya looks like she's freezing."

Maya suddenly panicked, "I don't have any clothes here."

Chan went to her and guided her to the side with a hand on her lower back. He lifted her up and followed after her. The housekeeper came rushing with t