“I’ve gone and checked with the Park’s, your wife is there and her mother is doing better. Unfortunately their having some sort of trouble with their money, let’s hope that they do get back on their feet. I have offered my help to Seung-hun but he refused it.” Yong Hwa’s father said, as they walked into the grand hall of the building where they were to hold the ball.

“So did she ask for me?” Yong Hwa asked caring more about Shin Hye.

“I spoke with her, and asked her to be here for the ball.”

“Will she attend?”

“I don’t know, she looked very uncertain.” He sighed.

Yong Hwa felt disappointed to hear that Shin Hye didn’t want to come back, he knew that she was happier being with her family. He watched as the servants covered the tables in white table cloths and polished the golden marbled floor. The building looked grand as they made every detail count, from the Greek style to the silverware being laid out. Last year he had told Shin Hye not to get her hopes up about dancing together and spent the entire night with Seo hyun after his father had left. They only walked in as a couple but didn’t spend any time near each other at all; he had made sure of that. Yong Hwa felt remorse for doing all the cruel things he had done and knew that it was his turn to suffer the consequences of his actions. He felt himself going crazy around the house on his own, and unbelievable to him he found himself crying for her absence. His very heart and soul ached for her and he often called out to her at night, sometimes he dreams of her and when he woke he wished to go back to sleep. Her absence was more than he could bear. Last night Seo hyun had come by, he didn’t let her get two steps into the house and told her to leave. He didn’t want anything to do with her anymore, he wanted his wife. Breaking any attachment with Seo Hyun felt relieving and held deep regret within him as he made a priority check. Regret for having brought her into his home and bedding her nearly a year in Shin Hye’s very presence. A position that had rightfully belonged to her the night they had wed.

Disgusted and ashamed of himself he had his chambers repositioned, the wall paper, and the floor even the bed had been changed. Everything looked and felt completely different now along with the way he saw things now. The unfinished portrait that his wife had left untouched now hung on his wall as well to remind him of the pure and utter beauty she had been. At night when slumber was far from him, he would stare at it and wondered where in the world a place that beautiful could be? She hadn’t finished it, but what she had painted as a background seemed beautiful enough to want look for a place such as that.

“Hopefully she comes, and chooses not to stay with her family, I know it’s her family but she has you too.” His father then said, bringing him back to reality.

“Father, I know that we don’t talk much because of our different opinions on things, and because out of all the advice you have tried to give, and teach me, I have refused to listen to any. I know that you were only trying to look after me and you still are, but the truth is Shin Hye is not to blame for our falling apart.” He confessed.

Yong Hwa felt it was time to do what was right. He had to face his father, which was someone he always hid from behind his mother, but if he was to call himself a man, he could start by admitting to his failures and errors.

“What on earth are you talking about?” He asked, a curious expression masking his face.

“I am responsible for our failure, I never cared for her since we married and was rude, mean, and egotistic. I never cared to take time to get to know her and always saw her as a ghost in our home. I didn’t love her and never did until she cared for me and thought me to be a person who saw everyone equal. Without trying to show me who she was she did, and I know it is probably too late to get her back, because over all I had an affair with Lady Seo Hyun since the day we married.” He blurted out.

Yong Hwa’s father was in shock and couldn’t speak; he stood there staring at his son with disbelief in his eyes. Nodding he glared at him and took his handkerchief out from his coat.

“Shin Hye has always been a dear girl to me, ever since I had laid eyes on her wrapped in a bundle in her mother’s arms I knew she belonged in our family. I know now that I did a very awful mistake to marry her with you. You h