Later that afternoon, she reluctantly bathed and got dressed for the dinner party since her father made it clear that she didn‘t have a choice in the matter. She combed her hair and pulled it back with a popular hair clip that matched the black dress she had picked to wear for the evening. She intentionally wore it because she felt as if she was attending the wake before her funeral, which she considered her marriage to be.

Her father wasn‘t amused with her dress. "Seohyun, you are acting inappropriately. This is a festive occasion."

"For you perhaps, but it is a morbid one for me."

Her brother looked like he wanted to comment so she glared at him. He immediately shut his mouth. He knew when it was time to be quiet.

"Go change," her father ordered. "Put on something with a lot of color."

The doorbell chimed. It was one of Luhan‘s servants who would drive them to his house in his stagecoach.

He groaned. "You timed this so you couldn‘t change."

She crossed her arms and nodded. "I‘m not stupid, though this whole arrangement is."

"I can only hope the Lord will show you the folly in your thinking." He sighed. "Very well. Let‘s go."

She slowly followed the two men out of the house and to the stagecoach.

"Good evening," the driver told them. "My name is Shim Chinhae." Turning to her, he said, "After the wedding, I will be your personal driver."

She simply nodded and entered the stagecoach with her family.

"You see, Seohyun," her father said. "Luhan is already treating you very well."

In two days, my entire life is going to fall apart. Who cared about personal drivers when she was denied the basic freedom to choose her own spouse? She closed her eyes, determined that she wouldn‘t burst into tears. After the driver started the stagecoach, her father continued, "I want you to be on your best behavior tonight. Do not disgrace me and your brother by acting defiant in public. It‘s one thing for you to act this way at home, but I will not tolerate such behavior in front of others."

"What will you do if I am defiant? Marry me off to someone I can‘t stand?" she snapped.

"You don‘t even know him. How can you detest him so?"

"The very fact that I don‘t know him is exactly why I shouldn‘t marry him."

"If you were to marry Jongin, you would end up miserable before the first year is up. You don‘t have as much in common with him as you think you do. I know you think he would make you happy but you‘re wrong. Marriage is more than attraction and excitement."

"Both of which Luhan sorely lacks," she bitterly added.

Her father closed his eyes. She knew he was praying because his mouth was moving though she couldn‘t hear what he was saying.

"Is Mr. Xi really an intelligent and good man?" she suddenly asked as an idea formed in her mind. Her father and brother seemed shocked at her question.

"Yes," her father said.

"Am I going to get a chance to speak with him tonight?" she further inquired.

"Of course. It‘s only right that the engaged couple speak to one another."

She nodded. Then she would do just that. Perhaps she would be able to reason with Luhan. Surely, he would understand why it was a bad idea for them to marry each other. Seeing as how he had as much to lose as she did in the marriage, it made sense that he would listen to her. She felt much better now that this course of action was set. Once she spoke with him, he would tell her father and his uncle that this marriage wasn‘t going to happen, and she‘d be free to get a job and marry someone she loved.

"What are you planning?" Jun Young frowned at her.

"I‘m going to talk to him," she replied. 

He didn‘t look convinced.

"Now Jun Young, don‘t assume that she‘s up to something," their father admonished.

"How am I going to get to know him if I don‘t talk to him?" she asked Jun Young.

"What are you going to talk to him about?" Jun Young wondered.

"I believe that will be between me and my future husband." There was no way she was going to reveal that information to him.

"Jun Young, some things are private," their father remarked. "I think it‘s a good sign that she‘s willing to talk to him without being forced to."

Though her brother kept quiet, she could tell that he didn‘t trust her. She didn‘t like the fact that her brother knew her so well. She decided she would find a way to avoid him during the evening, which wasn‘t so hard to do considering he usually took center stage while she hovered in the background and watched others around her. Except, tonight she would be of particular interest to the people there since she was the fiancée of the host.

When they arrived at his two-story home, she groaned. A lot of people were there. Everyone would know of the engagement after tonight. The hot Seoul August air seemed to push down on her, making it hard for her to breathe. She suddenly felt like a caged animal. She could only hope Luhan was as reasonable as her father and brother claimed.

She had never seen his house before. It was in a neighborhood with similar two-story houses, and it was just as immaculate and beautiful as the rest of them. It was light blue and there was a light blue picket fence to match it. A sidewalk led to the front door. The lawn was a beautiful shade of medium green, and two large oak trees decorated the front yard. Obviously, someone in Luhan‘s position had to maintain an impressive home. And I just happen to be another addition to his impressive house, she bitterly thought.

"You‘ll enjoy living here," her father assured her. "This is one of the nicest homes in Seoul. It has six bedrooms, three bathrooms, two parlors, an entertainment room, a large kitchen and dining room, a basement, and a large veranda out back that overlooks a good sized lawn that ha