YOONA’S POV

                I stirred and stretched lazily, blinking when the sun momentarily blinded me. I kept my eyes shut for a moment, simply enjoying the warmth and comfort of the sumptuous bed. I sighed in contentment. I had a wonderful night with him.

                Then I realized that Siwon was no longer in bed with me. I opened my eyes with frown and hurriedly changed. My outstretched hand smacked against something hard. Siwon’s laptop was now lying on the floor in pieces. I dropped to the floor; groaning in dismay. I put the battery back in, I checked for further damage and then pressed the power button.

                In frustration, I punched several buttons on the keyboard. As soon as I began pressing the keys, the monitor blinked and dozens of programs opened and flashed in rapid succession.

                I began closing the program down. Halfway through I was struck by the fear that none of these were saved or that I was losing valuable information. I slowed down and suddenly saw a file with my name on it. It was an email from my father and I smiled as I saw the reference to me as his baby. But what I read next halted me in my tracks.

                I’ve had time to consider your reservations in regards to Yoona and perhaps you were right to be concerned. I don’t want you to think I discounted your intuition, but rather I want you to understand that I want her protected at all costs. Her knowing the truth of our arrangement isn’t necessary even as I understand why perhaps you’re uncomfortable with. She’s my only daughter and I love her dearly. The truth is, I’d rather she never know that the marriage is a condition of the merger. I trust that you’ll always act in her best interests. This is why I implore you to remain silent as to our agreement….

                I stared at the screen stunned. I admonished myself to remain calm even though my pulse was racing so hard that I could literally feel it jumping in my neck and in my temples. I returned to the email, forcing the blurry words to focus.

                “Yoona?” I yanked my head up, startled as Siwon suddenly loomed over me.

                “It fell,” I croaked out. “I was afraid it was broken. When I put it back together and started it back up, all those programs opened and I was trying to shut them all down.”

                He reached down to take the laptop.

                “Give it back, Siwon. I want to know what it says.”

                He closed it with a sharp snap and tucked it underneath his arm. “There’s nothing you need to see.”

                “Don’t lie to me,” I grit out. “I read most of it. Or at least important parts. I want to know what the hell it means.”

                He stared back at me. “Nothing good can come of it, Yoong. Just forget it, okay?”

                I gaped at him. “Forget it? I just saw an email from my dad admitting he manipulated you into marrying me? Am I supposed to pretend I didn’t see the email?”

                Siwon cursed and run his fingers through his hair. “Damn it, Yoona, why the hell did you open the laptop?”

                “Now it’s my fault!” I shouted at him. “I did not mean to! Now, I want to know what’s going on. What kind of deal did you strike with my dad? Tell me the truth!”

                “This is precisely why you’re your own worst enemy at times, Yoong. You’re too impulsive. You don’t think before you act. You just go around wading into situation and you end up getting hurt. If it enters your mind, you simply do it that quickly. At some point you have to learn some control.”

                I gaped at him, openmouthed ad his frustrated angry words bit into me. This wasn’t my fault. I hadn’t entered this marriage under false pretenses. He knew precisely where I stood. God knew I’d told him enough times.

                Tension rose. Sharp and so thick it was uncomfortable. Fear struck a deep chord within me because I realized that I was about to learn something truly terrible about my life. My fate. My marriage.

                “Siwon?” I whispered.

                I thought back on our relationship. I began to analyze every date. How much of it had been a lie? Was any of it true?

                “Just answer me one question,” I said faintly. “Do you love me?”