“Can you believe it? He got married the day he found out we ed. With that too! He chose that woman over me?! How ing dare he?!”

Bona was at a quiet bar after the fight with Chan. Cocktail glasses littered the countertop around her. Joohyuk reached over and stopped her from downing her nth glass of the night.

"Isn't that a little ironic? You cheated on him and you want him to pretend nothing happened and forgive you, but when he gets married to another woman in a moment of spite and there you are, giving him hell."

He finished the glass in her stead. She huffed, whipping around to glare at him.

"Those are two different matters!" Bona grunted. “I called you here to help me with this issue, not to blame for what went down! Are you even on my side?”

"But how different are the two matters?" Joohyuk tapped his chin. "Both of you ended up with people that are not either of you.”

“And yes, I am on your side. If I weren’t, I wouldn’t even be here right now, stopping you from drinking your weight in alcohol.”

Bona rolled her eyes and called for another glass of Jaeger.

“Besides, in my honest opinion, staying in this relationship will turn things sour and toxic."

That comment made Bona scoff. She side-eyed Joohyuk, who was looking a little too serious for her liking.

"Of course you would want me to break up with Chan, then you could become my boyfriend." She sneered. “Wouldn’t you?”

Her words shot through his heart like a spear, but he pushed that aside, giving her the benefit of doubt that she was drunk and didn’t mean what she said.

“Come on,” he sighed and got to his feet. “I’ll send you home.”

“No! I don’t want to leave until Chan comes to get me!”

“Stop being such a brat. He doesn’t love you anymore.” Joohyuk rose his voice. “He’s not going to come to you anymore!”

Bona fell silent, she buried her face in her hands and took in a slow deep breath.

“You know what, you’re right.”

Joohyuk got to his feet and held his hand out, waiting for her to take it. Bona bit her bottom lip, somewhat feeling bad for what she said to him, but took his hand nonetheless.

“Come on, let’s go before the paparazzi get a hold of us.”

**

Maya woke up in the morning with a headache, something she experienced whenever she fell asleep terribly stressed out. She glanced around the room but saw no sign of Chan anywhere.

Swinging her legs off the bed, she rubbed her temples and took a huge breath before getting off. She heard a noise in the kitchen when she left her bedroom.

“Chan? Is that you?” She called out.

“Yeah, it’s me! Breakfast is almost ready!”

She smiled to herself and went back to her room to freshen up and get prepared for the day.

Maya came back down after a few minutes. Chan brought out two plates and set them on the dining table. The sight of him in his sweatpants and that apron warmed Maya’s heart. She just wanted time to slow down, so that she could enjoy that short moment a little longer.

“What are you looking at?” He looked down at himself. “Is there something on me?”

“I just want this moment to last longer.”

“Why?”

Chan chuckled and went to pull her chair out for her.

"No reason," she shrugged.

He shook his head in amusement and patted her shoulders but she flinched, lightly. He caught that and immediately pulled away, apologising.

"I--" Maya tried to explain herself. 

"Babe. It's okay. I understand."

Chan gave her a flying smooch, she returned a small and grateful smile.

Whenever she flinched when Marco tried to show her affection, he would return it with force. It was instilled in her that after every violent outburst from a person, there will always be affection.

To overwrite the pain inflicted.

Maya was fine with physical affection until she experienced violence first. Chan ran back to their room.

"I'm sending you to work!"

"You don't have to! I--"

Maya's phone rang.

"Hello?"

“Turn on the news! Something is wrong.”

It was Lucas. Maya quickly ran to the television and switched to the news channel and the first thing she saw was a photo of Chan and Bona plastered on the screen.

She gasped.

“What the hell?”

“I don’t know what’s happening but I hope things are fine between you both.”

“We’re good. I’ll talk to Chan. Talk to you later.”

She hung up and fell sitting on the sofa.

Footsteps came from the bedroom towards her. She turned her head, Chan's grin fell.

"What's wrong?"

He followed her line of sight and felt his heart skip a beat.

Actress and model Ra Bona was seen outside the home of BC Hotel CEO. What is their relationship? Stay tuned to find out more.

***

Joohyuk’s worry from the night before didn't go unfounded, but it wasn't about him and Bona in the bar - it was a photo of Chan and her outside his place. 

Bona's phone was ringing off the hook the moment she woke up. Her managers called her to announce the meeting with the higher-ups due to the scandal.

Endorsers were calling to cancel her appearance on shows.

All while she was still hungover from the night before.

The day was not going to go right.

***

Chan was driving Maya and himself to the office. His phone had been pinging with calls and messages - especially from Bona. He left his mobile on silent as he thought of damage control.

"What are you going to do?" Maya piped up. "What's going to happen?"

"Don't worry, babe. BC is handling the damage for now." He replied absentmindedly. "Besides, Bona and I have broken up. We can deny the news without making things up."

"But--"

"I'm fine."

He rolled to a red light just a street from the office when he noticed news vans driving up to the hotel building.

"Damn it."

The light turned green and Chan drove into a small alley.

"The reporters are here. I don't want them to catch us together in case they bombard you with questions."

"I understand," Maya nodded while unlocking her seatbelt. "It's just a 10-minute walk from here."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, really. I've been taking this route ever since I started working in BC."

Chan leaned over to give her a quick peck on her cheek before she left. He gave her another apologetic glance and drove off.

Minho was waiting at the lobby for Chan when he saw his car drive up. Motioning to the security guards on standby, they cleared the area, blocking the reporters with their arms.

"Mr Bang! What do you have to say about the scandal?"

"Is Ra Bona your girlfriend?"

"Are the rumours true about both of you? That you guys have been dating since 2 years ago?"

"Make way! Make way!" Security blared with authority.

Minho reached Chan, both of them squeezed through the crowd as the reporters pushed their way closer. When Chan made it to the doors, he turned around and faced the cameras, still safely s