Exactly 2 o'clock a.m. when Minho returned to condo. He opened the locked door with the key and switched on the light. So worn out from day of work, he threw himself down on a leathered sofa. Out of the blue, he felt the quiet ambience when there was no persistent girl to greet him. He used to dislike on how Juniel stayed awake waiting until he come home. She is clingy and needy and it made him hate her more, but for some reason, her weird stuffs did wonders to soothe his workaholic self. He tilted his head up and closed his eyes, wondering if she is okay now.

From the start, Juniel instantly got emotionally attached with Minho while he needs to control. Though he warned her prior to this marriage, she tried her best to get his attention and has been intending to make this marriage goes permanent. She is so meek and kindhearted, he feels it to the point her effort succeed. The girl was clueless with his other commitment, unfortunately, it brought her jealousy and sorrow that she does not deserve. He needed to apologize once again so he picked up his cellphone and tried to call her at that hour. Juniel started missing him as soon as he is not around. She had to give up but it seems so hard. She felt like crying again, must pour out all the repressed fear and frustration from within. Why does it feel lonelier without him? She asked herself. She beat her pillow and the weeping starts all over again. He cannot love her as he was taken and she is such a loser, thinking of him inspite of that.

Later on, her phone rang and it was him! It blew her mind, obviously not expecting him to call her in such an early hour. She hesitated twice, thinking on what to do but she could not resist him.

“Hello Juniel. Thanks for answering my call.” He sounded deeper and gentle over the line.

“Oppa, how did you know I'm still awake?” Her soft tone sweetly passing through his ears.

“You never sleep until I return right?” Juniel usually ask him if he has already eaten everytime he comes home.

“Yes.” She nodded as she remembers her daily habit.

“Please forgive me Juniel. Whatever I did just forget it. I told you that me I'm moving on now, so you don’t have to feel upset.”

It seemed genuine, her aching heart was slightly relief after hearing that, yet still dithering about his real intention for her. “But how about your feeling for me?”

Minho replied “You know, things might change as long as you’re here besides me, with the little thing you’re carrying.”  

“Our child.” Juniel had experience being alone, and it is no good. Though she grew up with her loving adopted parents, she has no other siblings to rely on. So it is better to stay in this marriage even without genuine affection.

“I'll get you later. Just wait.” He promised.

Juniel had no other option but to yield to him. She was ready to forget his fault, giving this relationship another try for the sake of their child. “Okay Oppa. I'll wait.” She answered.

Sunhwa and Sulli were invited to the Inauguration of Seoul City Wall Museum. They left right after the ceremony as the mother was not in a good mood.

“Your Aunt Hasun called me so early just to blame your brother why Juniel had fainted. She thought that he’s so inconsiderate when he only thinks of his work. I told her that it was not serious but she won’t believe me.”

“Aunt Hasun had put her dumb daughter on pedestal. She put everything on her platter, pampering her to stay useless as she is. My poor brother, he’s too good for her. I wish you never force him to marry that adopted girl!”  

“I don’t know. Juniel is simple and nice girl and I trusted her for that. But you’re right. She’s a useless being. It’s a pity that she has abundance resources yet she could not think of any contribution for her company. Your brother is working nonstop to sustain the business and all he could hear is complains.”

“Hopefully, he’ll divorce her asap.”

“Don’t ever think of that Sulli. Juniel is pregnant.”

“O come on! Ma, they don’t love each other. You know why Oppa is staying? Because she’s just carrying his child.”

“No I won’t think of that!” The mother rebuked it. “I rather have a useless in-law like Juniel than any gold digger around him.” She was referring to his girlfriend, Yuri.

Yuri had finally surrendered. It was her nth time of calling him and Minho was not answering. She bang her phone, wanting to move on and go back to U.S. after she became so despair. But before she will leave, she wants some revenge that seriously gives some payback. She tried to call Sulli for some help.

Sulli was aware that Minho and Juniel were currently having an issue as her mother said. Taking the opportunity to tear them apart, she cooperates with Yuri on her plot. Sulli hired somebody to disguise herself as an informant.

Aunt Hasun had received a phone at pass 9 o'clock in the morning. The voice over the line was from an anonymous caller who wishes to tell everything about Minho’s outside affair. The scandalous information had reach the old woman detail by detail and it totally hit her from head to toe. A huge surge boiling within her after the call, she searched her daughter quickly.

Juniel was inside her bedroom filling her bags with some items as she decided to go back to condo with her husband. The plan was he will meet her after lunch but…

“What are you doing?” The mother entered without knocking.

“Packing my clothes Mama. Oppa will pick me up after work.” She said calmly.

“You’ll not go with him.”

“Mama?”

“Angel, listen to me.” The old woman sat beside her daughter. She was bursting inside yet she needs to control herself for her daughter's sake. “Some stranger just called me and she exposed everything about Minho’s girlfriend and his shameless deed.”

Juniel gulped with tense. Her heart skipped a beat realizing that her mother already found out her husband’s secret, putting them into another trouble.

“She said Minho has live-in partner back in U.S. and still in contact with her. She’s currently living few kilometers from condo, a unit that he bought for her. But the biggest revelation she had was when Minho forced his girlfriend to abort their child.”

“Abort?” Juniel was in shocked to know that. Everything else were old news except the abortion thing. Juniel recalled what Yuri had answered when she asked her about her pregnancy, that it was miscarriage. “No, Mama” She denied it, still in state of disbelief. Minho might be a coldhearted husband but not as a father. He is in fact supportive.

“There was a rumor that the model had an abortion and it’s because of him. We'll go to America. I"ll rent a private jet from my friend so we can fly asap.”

“Mama but It’s not true.”

“Don’t you understand? You almost had miscarriage because of him. He’s cheating on you and you know it Juniel.” Hasun could see that her daughter is stubborn and she had to stop it.

“He’s the father of my child.”

“Would you sacrifice your baby just for him? He can make the same mistake again. I won’t allow it.”

Her mother seemed right. Juniel embraced her, being indecisive on whether she will obey her. The thing is she is not ready to leave him.

“Let’s give him a lesson. We’ll go to U.S. and stay there until you deliver your child. He needs to fix all this mess but if not...You need to divorce him.”

“It’s hard Mama. I…I think I can’t do it.” Juniel felt it was an uneasy decision. Regardless of his feeling, she has to stick with Minho.

“No, you must. You don’t deserve such husband and your child will feel grateful without him.”

Juniel sobbed heavily upon hearing it.

To be continued...