"YOU GOT TO BE KIDING ME!" Haeri snapped as she stood up.

Hyunjoong reached for her arm and held it tight, trying to inject sanity into Haeri's brain. "A son?" He hissed between his teeth.

Harabeoji Kim kept his face without expression and yet he nodded shortly. "Yes."

Hyunjoong clenched his jaw in annoyance. He should have known these: Harabeoji Kim and his strong will in making Hyunjoong down to his knees. "Harabeoji.. Why do you have to make this difficult?! You are not fair!"

"Difficult? DIFFICULT?? He.did.that.in.purpose! He disliked the fact that we were married!" Haeri shouted a little toward Hyunjoong. "Have you forgotten? He assumed me as commoner who didn't match you! He thought that I was a gold digger!" She gritted her teeth.

"Easy, Haeri." Hyunjoong tried to calm his wife. He dragged Haeri back to the couch next to him and caressed her shoulder. "Don't let him get you." He whispered to her ear.

Haeri scoffed loudly.

"Harabeoji? You said that about Haeri?" Minseo asked in shock.

Harabeoji Kim shrugged his shoulders. "That's the way she is. I was just stating the truth."

Taesung and Eunjung shook their heads in response. They understood how unique yet childish Harabeoji Kim could be. But.. saying those things to the new daughter in the family.. That was something you could not be proud of.

"Why should you react like that?" Harabeoji Kim eyed to Haeri. "You are his wife after all. And, producing children is just common in a marriage. You are lucky that I am not demanding a dozen of grandchildren. I am just expecting a grandson."

Hyunjoong hurriedly cupped Haeri's face, gaining her full attention and preventing her to say anything that would ruin anything. "Let me handle this."

"Hyunjoong~" Haeri whined, feeling totally pissed off.

"Leave this to me, baby." He pecked Haeri's lips just to shut her up. And, it was effective.

Taesung, Eunjung and Minseo looked at each other’s meaningfully. They never witnessed Hyunjoong acting this sweet to the girlfriends that he had before. With those girlfriends, he focused at his lust. But with Haeri..

Hyunjoong encircled Haeri's waist and pulled her toward him, gesturing that whatever happened no one would be able to seperate them. "At first.. Haeri and I planned some quality times for us as husband and wife before we thought about children. You see Harabeoji.. I was so selfish that I put our company above all even above my wife here." He squeezed Haeri's waist. "It is not that she against it. But.. she is expecting me for her. With that we decided for not having children in the next two years."

Shock gasps were heard inside the room. Even Haeri took a short intake of breath before gazed up to Hyunjoong and locked her eyes with his in snap. By looking at Hyunjoong’s eyes, she knew that she should trust him.

Harabeoji Kim laughed cynically. "What nonsense! There is no such thing! You just made it. I know that you will divorce this woman after six months. You use her as your tool to keep your position at the company, Hyunjoong. And you paid her big for that!"

"Abeoji!" Taesung stood up.

Harabeoji Kim turned his face to his son. "You are stupid if you don't catch the fact, Taesung. These two fool you."

"Harabeoji, stop it." Minseo also said.

Now, Harabeoji Kim looked at Minseo. "You adore her that much? That she has the power over little brother of yours? She stays because she has this need of money. She is broke and she needs our money to keep everything intact."

Haeri stood up and harshly wiped up the tears that already dropped to her cheeks. "What's so great for having such money? It still gives you no right to insult me! Fine! I married your grandson for money and so you knew. In return, I helped him to keep his position at the company because that silly and stupid and idiot request from you!"

Harabeoji Kim laughed out loud. "See! How cheap she is!"

Haeri pointed to Harabeoji's face. "Don't you say that!"

"What? You said that you gave the satisfaction he never had before. I wonder-"

"ENOUGH!!!" Hyunjoong roared.

Haeri sobbed few times before she headed to the door and ran away.

"Haeri!" Eunjung called her with no avail.

Hyunjoong exhaled loudly then he stood up. "I have no respect toward you anymore, Harabeoji." He said firmly.

"Hyunjoong.." Taesung softly said.

"Since I worked at the company, you treated me as worker not as your grandson. You learned my habit of working hard but playing harder. However, you felt worried for something unnecessary because I knew my limit. When you gave me that request.. I took it without complaint. I thought.. Just do it to satisfy an old man. I was at the phase of letting everything go when I met Haeri. Out of nowhere, we were married. We agreed that we should try our best for the marriage. And if the marriage made me able to keep the position, it was a bonus. I knew that she almost lost her lifetime achievement, the boutique. And, as her husband.. I helped her." He ran his fingers amongst his hairs. "You judged her wrong, Harabeoji. Haeri is far from cheap. She is rich and expensive. She is not like others, empty dolls. I value her that high and I hope all of you will do the same. If she gives up on me, that will be our lost." Hyunjoong turned around and headed to the door. Just before he walked out, "Up to now, she is still a . She refused to give up her ity to me before we held the wedding in front of God. She is not cheap. She is not." And, he vanished behind the door.

Perfect silence enveloped the room for almost a minute. All of them were busy with their thoughts. Shocking.. all of it was shocking them to the core. The fact that Haeri.. And, Hyunjoong.. But most of all.. Hyunjoong and Haeri as them.

“That was too much, Abeoji.” Taesung broke the silence.

Harabeoji Kim raised his face and glanced to his son. “Was it?”

“Yes.” Minseo answered fast. “We hurt her. We shouldn’t- She didn’t deserve it.”

“What happened would drag them closer.” Harabeoji Kim stood up. “But I am seriously expecting a son from them to continue our name.”

“Haeri, wait up!”

Instead, she fastened her walk. Haeri even half run to the nearest bus stop. She did not want to stop. No. Her heart was in pain. Those words.. It was like sharp knife that stabbed her heart over and over again.

Hyunjoong ran toward her and took her hand, swinging her up until she landed on his chest. “I am sorry.” He murmured low. Damn it! Seeing Haeri this way... He felt.. Seriously he was also able to feel her sadness.

Haeri pulled over and planted series of smack on Hyunjoong’s hard chest. “Damn it, Hyunjoong! It hurt to hear it from him.” She said between her sobs. “I hate it!” And, she started to mourn loudly.

Hyunjoong embraced her tight and rubbed her back to ease her down. “I know. I am sorry... I am sorry that you have to be treated that way. Please forgive me and my family.”

Haeri cried forcefully. Her shoulders shook and tears were down to her cheeks heavily.

“Sshh.. Please.. I am sorry. I am sorry. Forgive me please.. Don’t cry. Don't cry, Haeri." Hyunjoong murmured helplessly.

It took her minutes before she finally eased down.

Noticing that she cried less, "Better?"

Haeri nodded once. She was better.. For now. But she knew that she couldn't take another scene like this. If she continued the plan.. It meant that she had to deal with this situation for the next six months. This was not right. Stupid! This was all because she was short minded. Haeri pulled over and opened up her bag. She took out her card and handed it to Hyunjoong.

“What is this?” Hyunjoong asked in confusion.

“I keep the money that I get from you at that account. Take it back. And.. Sparks. I give it to you." She finally decided.

"Haeri-"

"I don't want anything related to you or your family. I have enough. At least... My friends still have their jobs.“ She sighed heavily. "I can't say that I am glad to know you. But.. I do hope that we meet each other at a better condition."

"You are giving up?"

She nodded as laughed shortly. "Something that I should have done years ago." Haeri dried her face with her palms.

Hyunjoong was speechless. Seeing the previous incident, he knew that this would come. But.. Suddenly he felt empty when he heard her saying it. God, he didn't want her to go. No.

"I'll come to get my things. But now.. I need my time alone." Then she her heel and walked away. Just in time, a bus came nearer and stopped right in front of her. Without looking back, Haeri jumped in and it took her from the place.

Hyunjoong's whole system was turned off. The one that attacked his mind and heart was not the fact that he would lose the position if Haeri left. But.. she left him. He was losing her. This was not right. He couldn't lose her. Not like this.

What should he do?

"Bona, please inform my Secretary to bring our lunches here. We have to finish this before dinner. I promised my wife for a warm family dinner tonight."

Bona smiled and nodded before she stood up and walked toward the door.

After she vanished behind the door, "She is awesome, huh? I wanted her for my team before Mr Kim took her as his assistant." Jose murmured as he locked his eyes to the laptop screen. "At first, I against Mr Kim's decision to make her assistant. But finally I understood that he prepared bigger scheme for her. Becoming Mr Kim's assistant is her training ground."

Minhyuk kept his mouth shut. During the discussion, Bona kept on giving fresh ideas and her understanding about the business was deep, those were not what he expected. He was underestimated her. And listening to Mr Aquino's explanation.. Lee Bona was far from just ordinary assistant.

How to make it right? He insulted her yesterday.

Click.

Minhyuk turned his face and found her walked in gracefully. She ruffled her hairs and accidentally met her eyes to Minhyuk's. Seeing his troubled expression, Bona couldn't help to give him a slight smile. She wanted to tell him that he shouldn't feel that way.

"I ordered Japanese Bento. I hope you are ok with that." Bona said when she was back to her seat, at the single couch in front of Minhyuk.

Minhyuk nodded shortly. "Japanese food is fine."

"Good." Bona flashed a smile before she was back to her laptop.

"Oh, I forgot!" Jose stood up. "I have to meet Mr Hong first. Please carry on. I'll be back in half hour." Just like that, he leaved the lounge.

Minhyuk blinked his eyes few times, knowing the fact that he was alone with Bona. Ok. This is it. "Hmm.. I am sorry." There. He said it.

"Huh?" Bona looked at him blankly.

"Sorry for what I said earlier. I was being stupid and-"

"Forget it." Bona calmly cut him. "You don't have to explain. Your apologise is accepted."

Unconsciously, Minhyuk sighed in relief loudly, earning a short giggle from Bona.

"That was for you to learn.. Do not judge book by its cover."

And, he learned it well.