[TOP]

           It was the day of the wedding. At last.

           Closing my eyes, I inhaled the cold air. The gardens of the Kwon summer chateau were dark, with only faint streetlamps that lit up along the main pavement road. I quickened my pace as I headed back to the building. No doubt, the guests were arriving one by one in expensive limos and BMWs. I wonder how many of those people were really here to give Jiyong and Dara blessings, and how many even knew them personally. All I know is, only two people here knew what was going to happen next.

           Using a secret passageway that Jiyong and I had found one day when we were exploring the old chateau, I arrived into the room where Dara was getting ready for the wedding. With her back towards me, she did not notice my presence. I admired her for a brief moment. She wore the most beautiful dress, the color of the purest and whitest snow, with lace and pearls trailing down to the floor. Her make-up and hair was already done by the professional team hired by the Kwons, making her look even more breath-taking than ever, if that was even possible. No doubt, she would be the most beautiful bride ever to grace the covers of both celebrity gossip magazines to business journals.  However, her eyebrows were furrowed, as if she was in deep thoughts.

           “Hello,” I quietly said, making her jump and turn towards me in surprise.

           “TOP!” She hurriedly got up. She was truly resembling an angel, all dressed in white, looking innocent and youthful. She was only eighteen. Sometimes, I forget the fact that, despite being an heiress, she was only in high school. Was she really going to get married so soon? “How did you get in here? I thought they said nobody was allowed to visit, since you all have to get ready downstairs for the wedding.” She pouted cutely. “Even my mother isn’t allowed to come here, which is outrageous, right? I mean, I only get married once...”

           Excuses. How many more lies and excuses do they need to feed her? I wondered fiercely to myself as I watched Dara chatter on. No doubt, Mr Kwon or Jiyong told her that. That was not the case, of course. No one was allowed to visit, because they fear their plans would go wrong. At that moment, the door to the passageway I just used opened with a bang, and a panting Bom appeared before us.

           “Bom!” Dara squealed. “How did you do that?! I never knew there were secret passageways in this room!”

           Bom gave me a meaningful glance, telling me we were behind schedule, before handing her phone to Dara.

           “Dara, watch this. There’s something you should see for yourself,” I quietly told her. She looked, confused, from me to Bom, but said nothing as she watched the video playing on the screen of Bom’s phone. Mr Kwon appeared, seeming to be on the phone with someone in his office. The angle and lighting of the video made it clear that Bom, who was secretly recording, had been hiding in a large closet or file cabinet.

           “How did you guys get this? What-“ Dara exclaimed.

           “I sneaked into the Kwon Manor last week,” Bom quietly answered. “Just watch it, Dara.” Dara obeyed, and the three of us stared at the screen.

           “-Yes, the day is getting closer and close,” Mr Kwon greedily bragged into the phone. “...What did you say...Of course not! No one knows a thing! My dearbrother, Jiyong knows better than to tell anyone about it...Yes, he will go through with what I have planned, he is my son after all. I swear, he will be a better heir than I had thought. I was a bit worried at first that he would have refused to cooperate when he heard that I was to grab the Park enterprise from Sandara’s hands once they are married, but he didn’t fail me! Truly how a suitable businessman should be...No, why should I have anything to worry about?! Everything will go according to plan! They will get married, the Park empire would be Jiyong’s to take, and we will merge it with Kwon enterprise! Of course, we have to buy our way with the board, and make them vote for us wh