The dread of it all clobbered her as she elevated his head unto her lap and surveyed her surroundings for any sign of a house cleaner to aid her.

"Somebody please, help!" Shin Hye exclaimed.

In haste at the sound of her plea Na-yun, Mi-sook, and So-ri rushed to her aid. Their expression filled with panic as they laid eyes upon their master lying unconscious on the ground near the stair way.

"Please call the gardener outside."

Shin Hye addressed Mi-sook. The others hurried about to help their in distress friend struggling to lift his heavy body off the ground. Confused about the awkward situation there were in Na-yun spoke out of line for a moment unable to contain the curiosity of why her Master was unconscious.

"What happened?" Na-yun asked.

"He tumbled from the top of the steps."

Shin Hye huffed out, as she struggled to help Na-yun with Yong Hwa. After striving to lift him from the cream-colored marbled floor the gardener entered just in time to rush to their aid. With most of the mass off her shoulder she let out a weighty breath sponging the sweat from her brow. For a moment she dreaded the large stair way as they took it bit by bit until finally reaching his chamber doors.

The other’s hurried to push it open and went about pulling the sheets out and fluffing his pillows before they achieved to lie him down.

“I shall make haste and call for a doctor”. Na-yun stated, while taking So-ri and Mi-sook by the hand and rushing out with them.

The door closed behind her after everyone disappeared, and there she stood alone feeling the underdone guilt of it all hit her like a thousand jolts. Her chest surged as she took light steps approaching him with restraint. Yong Hwa lay oblivious of anything and everything as she reached for his long leathered boots drawing his feet from them. Her hands worked quickly, disposing of his coat and pulling the soft sheets over him. Shin Hye’s care now turned to Yong Hwa striking face, which remained neutral as the small wound just above his eyebrow still bled ever so slowly and his lip now ceased to bleed. So kneeling down next to his bed, she bit her hand and hoped for God's sake that he was not paralyzed.

“Yong Hwa”.

Shin Hye breathed. Her hands quaked as she reached out touch his forehead brushing aside a few of his dark locks. His eyelids seemed to quiver as if fighting to open and slowly his lips parted as a single painful groan escaped them.

"Are you alright?" she asked propping close to him.

Abruptly his eyes snapped open and quickly sitting up he grunted in pain as the reality of it all dawned on him. Yong Hwa held his head only to look down to his hands to realize that a red taint of his blood was coated on his fingertips. A shrill look covered his features as he turned to face his wife in complete seethe and utter revulsion.

"I bet you enjoyed that didn’t you?" he snapped trying to stand.

"Please, do not stand you just had a rather nasty fall."

Shin Hye tried to reason. She laid hands on his shoulders trying to press him back down into the mattress. At her touch Yong Hwa seemed to snarl and quickly pulled her hands away. Peeling back the covers Yong Hwa set foot on the ground, only to collapse down onto the floor in a violet thud. Fear gripped Shin Hye as she watched in dismay her husband tumble to the floor unable to stand.

"I told you not to rise."

She stuttered.

"This is all your fault, look at me now!” he snapped out.

“You are the most aggravating and despicable woman I have ever met, if I am paralyzed I will make certain you get the guillotine for this." he growled trying to support his own weight.

"I thought you wanted me hanged?" she replied with no humor.

"Hanged, decapitated, I do not care." he snapped enraged.

"You never have." she whispered, but Yong Hwa had heard it.

Yong Hwa stared at her but failed to see anything beyond the rage he was feeling as she stretched her hand forward to offer her help. For a moment he looked at her hand and his dark eyes lifted to look at her. The snare in his face would not leave him as he reached over and wrapped his hand around hers. Shin Hye nearly plunged forward as he supported all of his weight on her struggling to stand.

“Hold still! Do you want to finish the job and kill me!” he snipped at her clumsiness.

His legs refused to move as he managed to stand only to feel somewhat of a piercing pain on his lower back. The knowledge of having him so near made her blush as she looked away from his face only mere inches from her own. She had thought of the day when this would happen, her once cruel husband realizing just what a fool he had been to reject her as he took her into his arms and kissed her. Instead the reality was that here she stood but only to receive a tight painful grip around her waist and a snare instead of a face in love ready to take her breath away.

Saddened and disappointed she refused to think of such unfeasible dreams and did her best to lay him on his bed. Yong Hwa seemed relieved to let go of her and turned his face from Shin Hye feeling if he looked at her any further he might just hurl. Oblivious to his cruel thoughts she made sure to make him comfortable and fluffed his pillows and covered him making sure he was warm.

"Try to keep your feet up as much as possible it’s for the best." she muttered afraid to clearly speak.

"Why are you here, because the guilt has you? I do not need your help nor do I want you in my presence I demand that you leave my sight at once." he stated crossing his arms.

Shin Hye felt hurt but none the less as she stared back into his blue fathom eyes all she could see was a man acting like a child. His hands reach for the large rope near his bed and a bell chimed far to the distance. In no time Ji-min entered her eyes down cast as she spoke, clearly expressing the fear he inflicted upon them.

“Call for my mother at once”, he said.

“Yes, Master Jung” Ji-min replied.

Nodding her head once only for a fraction of a second did she glance to her side to catch a glimpse of Shin Hye. Her lips pressed into a thin line as her neutral expression gave no indication of what she thought as she exited the room.

“You are dismissed as well, but rest assure that you will pay for the endeavor you have initiated today”.

He spat out at Shin Hye.

“I did no such thing to cause your fall, how dare you accuse me of such a treacherous act”.

She defended.

“If you had kept your mouth shut none of this would have happened. A very un-lady like thing to do, talking back to the man that gives you everything you would have never had”. he argued.

“It may surprise you to know that I cannot be bought, I care so very little for material things. What I want I will never have because you will never be able obtain as much”.

“And what would that be you dim-witted fool?”

“Why do you care, and do not address me in such a manner, the only person here without etiquettes is yourself”.

Shin Hye defended.

“I will talk to you any way I please, I am the sole provider for this house and the man and that’s just the way it is”.

She said no more and modestly kept her lips sealed feeling angry rather than hurt by his imprudent insults and childish acts. Shin Hye felt her hands fist as Yong Hwa stared back at her, his face expressing nothing but repugnance and resentment towards her.

“Get out”.

He uttered through gritted teeth. Instead of obeying his ruthless demand she straightened out her dress and took a seat at the far end of the bed placing her hands neatly over her lap. Her lips lifted into a conniving smile for a fraction of a second and then she turned her head to look at him.

“Make me”.

She replied. She had not known where the un-lady deed had come from but nonetheless she held her ground awaiting his reply. Yong Hwa’s eyes blazed and his hands fisted but alas he was powerless to do anything about it. And so there they sat saying absolutely nothing simply letting their incensed glares do the work for them.

An hour had passed and it seemed to her that the doctor would never arrive to tend to his wounds and his back. She paced the large chamber fiddling with her hands as she stole small glances at the clock in his room. Suddenly a light knock was heard outside his doo