"So, what are we going to do tomorrow? I'm sure you have some kind of itinerary planned." Yubin asked Taec instead of answering his blunt and surprised question of her love for her fiance.

Taec laughed. "You are actually avoiding my question!"

"I mean. I know that my ankle still hurt, but we could still do some light non-hiking activity right?" Yubin continued ignoring his main question.

But Taec held her face in his hands to get her attention, gazing into her eyes. "I'm asking you, Yub. Are you marrying someone you love?"

Yubin paused for a long while, her heart beating nervously and then she finally took a deep breath and admitted. "I...don't..know.."

"So, it's just a fake wedding?" Taec asked to be sure. "You are just pretending to marry him? Is this part of JY's revenge plan??"

Yubin shook her head. "No, I'm marrying him for real. He loves me, at least it seemed so. It's a business marriage, Taec. It will do good for our business in the long term and yes, quicken the revenge plan as well."

"Are you selling yourself, Yub?" Taec raged, shocked by JY's devious plan and Yubin's agreement to it. He knew JY had been planning their lives for years for the very aim of taking back  their House of Jin but he would never want the plan to have Yubin selling her body just to attain their goal.

"I AM NOT SELLING MYSELF, TAEC!!" Yubin protested. "Seungheon oppa is a good man."

Taec watched Yubin controlling her tears, possibly hurt and shamed by his words. He looked down, decided against asking further anymore as he stood up and quietly walked to his room.

Maybe she thought she could love the guy in the end? Taec thought to himself as he lay on his bed. If that dude loved her that much, maybe Yubin could live a happy married life. If Yubin was truly madly in love with her fiance, Taec knew would definitely go on his way, nice and simple, to be happy for her. But he knew she only wanted this marriage because the guy could bring her closer to the revenge she wanted for the family she lost. Why couldn't she be totally in love with the dude at the same time then she would get both her business deal, love and happiness all at the same time? God, his heart was clamping in pain. Pain because he secretly wished he was the one for her. The one to complete her.

Tears filled in Taec's eyes as he felt a surge of love and hate emotions. He hated that he still loved Yubin and would do anything for her. Hated her for taking this revenge plan a step ahead she was giving herself to a possibly loveless long-term marriage. Why couldn't she just let him and the boys work this revenge plan for her instead? They were building the casino empire well enough and in a few years, could easily take down the House of Yang. Even if the House of Yang was known for their unscrupulous murder methods, Taec would willingly risk his life for her to keep her safe.

Are you selling yourself?!

Yubin buried her face in her pillow as she let her tears flow in the privacy of her cabin bed. She had never felt this awful about herself until Taec's choice of words, about her chosen marriage because she obviously did not marry for love. She had stubbornly told herself she would love her future husband soon and even if she did not, why should Taec care? Why should she care? Why should anyone care?

Taec was right in a way because she did sell herself at some point. At that point when Yubin finally gave in to the romantic Seungheon in bed because she thought, just like any typical playboy, he would eventually lose interest in her once he bedded her and then they could go back to being just great business partners. But no, Seungheon had to get serious with her and JY was even happier than her to receive such a commitment from The Song Dynasty casino king. And yes, she soon gave in to JY's elaborate fast-track revenge plan that she readily sold her soul and agreed to the marriage.

And now, Taec probably hated her for her soul-less act. Why couldn't she love a man like Seungheon?  Why couldn't she love him like he was part of her life and that without him, she would feel so lost. Just like how she felt when Taec left for London 4 years ago.

------

Yubin woke up to find that she had slept till almost noon. Then she remembered she could not sleep all night until 5am because she was probably jet-lagged, and she had already slept some hours in the afternoon in Taec's arms after the lake accident.

She wondered what Taec had been up to all morning. After heading to bed separately last night with a rather upsetting end of a conversation, they had not spoken to each other and kept themselves in their rooms all night.

Yubin found her hiking cane at the side of the bed and staggered out of bed. She found Taec's room empty as well as the living room. Then she spotted a note on the kitchen counter.

Had to head out for a few hours. Made breakfast already so you just need to heat it up in the micro-wave in case it got cold. Meanwhile, make yourself at home and don't go strain that bad ankle any further. I should be back by 2pm. - Taec

Yubin smiled at the note just under a plate of omelet, ham and toast breakfast. She put the plate of breakfast into the microwave oven to heat it up. She then headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth and rinse her face. The pain on her ankle had reduced quite a bit. She felt she progressed well with the ankle as she had slept well without any pain-killers. Taec would be happy to know he treated her injury well. Just alone in a cabin without his presence she was feeling slightly lost already.3 days with Taec in London now, it seemed her attachment to him grew back instantly. 

Yubin ate her breakfast as she pondered about the consequences of their conversation last night once again. Was Taec fine with her being in that kind of marriage now? He raged at the idea of Yubin selling herself to another man for the long term for the sake of her family business. Was it because he did not like her being like a ? Or because he did not want her marrying another man for the wrong reasons? Or simply because he loved and wanted her for himself?

Whatever reason it was, she needed Taec to understand and not hate her for her action plan. But on what basis? That she would eventually love her fiance? Or that she would eventually divorce Seungheon after the House of Jin was back in her hands? Or that even if married to another man, her heart was always going to be with Taec?

Yubin buried her head in her hands as the last conviction kept replaying in her thoughts and straining her heart.

The door swung open and the familiar tall figure appeared with some carrier bags in his hands. Taec shut the door as he walked to the kitchen and noticed Yubin sitting at the counter staring blankly at him.

"Where did you go?" she finally asked.

"Went into town to get an ankle guard for you and a pair of padded boot sneakers which will be more comfortable for you than your current boots." Taec informed as he laid out the items.

Yubin was so touched by Taec's actions she was close to kissing him again. Except she could only stare at him blankly again.

"What?" Taec noted Yubin was probably wondering why he purposely made a 2hour trek back to mansion and then headed to town just to get stuff for her so he added. "I only got these so you could at least walk comfortably outside when we go fishing later. I'm sure you would want to at least take a walk outside instead of just hanging indoors for the rest of this cabin stay?"

Yubin finally smiled and thanked Taec. "Thanks for this, Taec. And I think my ankle has healed a little better. I slept well without any painkillers last night."

"That's great, Yub!" Taec congratulated."Let's have lunch and then we can have a little walk outside."

"Oh but I just had breakfast."

"You mean you just woke up?"

"Yeah, like an hour or so ago. I ah..only slept at 5am. Jet-lag I guess."

"Well, I bought pizza. You could take a slice or two. It's a famous gourmet pizza so you should at least try it." Taec pulled out a pizza box and did not waste time grabbing a slice to take a big bite, advertising to Yubin how tasty it was.