“Sometimes the strongest among us are the ones who smile through silent pain, cry behind closed doors, and fight battles nobody knows about…”

Song inserted in this chap: Daddy's Hand by Holly Dunn (credit to owner)

It was a cloudy day with everyone wearing black holding a white rose in their hands, eyes fixed in the center as most moaned silently in grief. Most of the people who attend the funeral today were PLE’s business partners and Park Won’s friends. Two prayers were read before a hymn was played. Later, the guests paid their last respects by laying white roses at the foot of the grave.

Park Shin Hye, who has been very quiet and calm since this morning, slowly walked to the front with a violin in her hand. She slowly closed her eyes, held the violin in place and started to play the song that she always played for her father. Memories of her father started to float in her mind as tears rolled down her cheeks.

♩ ♪ ♫ ♩ ♪ ♫

I remember Daddy´s hands, folded silently in prayer.
And reaching out to hold me, when I had a nightmare.
You could read quite a story, in the calluses and lines.
Years of work and worry had left their mark behind.

♩ ♪ ♫ ♩ ♪ ♫

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“I’m here to hold my daughter’s hand and walk her down the aisle. Look at you. You are so beautiful. You looked so much like your mother. She will be very proud of you.”

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♩ ♪ ♫ ♩ ♪ ♫

I remember Daddy´s hands, how they held my Mama tight,
And patted my back, for something done right.
There are things that I´ve forgotten, that I loved about the man,
But I´ll always remember the love in Daddy´s hands.

♩ ♪ ♫ ♩ ♪ ♫

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“Love is like a double edged sword. It always has two ways and opposite effects. It can make you sweet and happy but at the same time it could make you pain and sad. Same goes to the feeling when you were in love. His every reaction, every move could make you happy and hurt you at the same time. It’s like your world was revolving around him.”

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♩ ♪ ♫ ♩ ♪ ♫

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin´.
Daddy´s hands, were hard as steel when I´d done wrong.
Daddy´s hands, weren´t always gentle
But I´ve come to understand.
There was always love in Daddy´s hands.
♩ ♪ ♫ ♩ ♪ ♫

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“Shin Hye-ah, appa need to go find your eomma. You have to promise me not to cry and don’t be sad for long. You have to be strong and take care of yourself. Remember what I told you. You have to trust appa and yourself. You must hold tight on your happiness.”

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♩ ♪ ♫ ♩ ♪ ♫

I remember Daddy´s hands, working 'til they bled.
Sacrificed unselfishly, just to keep us all fed.
If I could do things over, I´d live my life again.
And never take for granted the love in Daddy´s hands.

♩ ♪ ♫ ♩ ♪ ♫

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“My beautiful daughter, Shin Hye. I’m leaving now. Appa loves you…”

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Light rain started to fall as the sad violin melody was played, streaming through everyone’s broken heart at the funeral. Lee Min Ho slowly walked to Shin Hye, holding a black umbrella in his hand. He took the violin away from her when she finished and passed to Secretary Joon who was standing behind him. He held her hand in his and squeezed it gently.

“We should go now. It’s raining already.” Min Ho said softly.

Shin Hye slowly turned to him and met his gaze. “Why is it raining? Because appa is crying too?”

Min Ho sighed as he let go her hand and moved to her cheeks. He gently wiped her tears away and caressed her cheeks. “It’s because you were crying and it hurts everyone’s heart. Your father wouldn’t want to see you like this. You promised him you will take care of yourself and be happy. Eo?”

Shin Hye looked at him and nodded softly. Her face was very pale and the dark circles under her eyes worries Min Ho. She didn’t sleep well and hardly eat. He still have a lot of work waiting for him to settle in the office but looking at her like this, he really couldn’t concentrate on his work now and leave her alone.

Min Ho turned to Secretary Joon. “I know there will a meeting this afternoon. Please help me to cancel it. Send all the documents that needed my approval to my house by today. I’ll do it at home.”

“But…” Secretary Joon wanted to object but was cut off when Min Ho turned away from him.

Min Ho turned back to Shin Hye when she pulled his sleeve softly.

“I know you are very busy with the company now and there are a lot of things waiting for you to settle. You don’t need to worry about me. I’m thinking to go back to appa’s house later to pack some stuff. So Ra and Jong Suk oppa can accompany me. You can go back to the office.” Shin Hye said.

“Yes. We can take care of her. You just go to settle whatever you need to do and come back to fetch her later. We will keep her accompany.” Kang So Ra said as she walked towards them with Lee Jong Suk with her.

Min Ho looked at So Ra and then at Jong Suk. He let out a long sigh before held Shin Hye’s hand again. “I’ll just go back to the office for a while and come back as soon as possible. You wait for me there, okay?”

He tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear before looking at So Ra again. “Make sure she eats something. She didn’t touch her dinner last night.”

“Okay. Don’t worry.” So Ra promised.

Min Ho took a last look at Shin Hye before he walked away with Secretary Joon.

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Shin Hye was standing in Park Won’s study room, looking at her family portrait, hanging on the wall behind his study table. She slowly walked closer to the portrait and held her hand out to touch on it. She remembered her father invited a famous artist to their house to draw that portrait for them. She was only 8 years old at that time. Tears slowly rolled down as she touched softly on her father’s face on the portrait.

“She is crying again. What should we do?” So Ra asked Jong Suk worriedly. They were standing not too far away from Shin Hye. They were following her very closely like her bodyguards since they reached Park Won’s mansion. She didn’t say a single word to them and just walked around the house looking and touching at the stuff, as if trying to feel her father’s warmth on those things.

“She is grieving now. What do you expect? You should be more worried if she’s not crying.” Jong Suk said looking at Shin Hye’s direction. But then he turned to So Ra and asked, “What was that with Lee Min Ho just now?”

“What?” So Ra asked, doesn’t understand what he mean.

“He looked like he’s very concern and worried about Shin Hye.” Jong Suk said.

“What’s wrong with that? He is Shin Hye’s husband. It’s normal if he is worried about her.” So Ra asked him back.

Jong Suk chuckled softly. “Husband? A fake one you mean? We all know the reason he married Shin Hye, okay.”

So Ra was now glaring at him with crossed arms. “Their relationship might start off with an agreement but nobody knows what will happen in the future. Who can resist falling in love with a girl like Shin Hye? You should understand this feeling the most, right?” So Ra asked with a hidden meaning inside.

Jong Suk glared at her and sighed. “But I don’t trust that guy.”

“Are you blind? Everyone could see the way he treat Shin Hye in the hospital that day. He even promised her father he will never leave her alone. Want to bet? I’m sure the contract will not be effective anymore 10 months later.” So Ra challenged him.

“Why not? I’m sure Lee Min Ho will leave her once the contract ends. I can bet with anything.” Jong Suk said confidently.

“Deal!” So Ra said as she smiled.

“Shin Hye-ah. You should eat a bit even you don’t have the appetite. Look at yourself. You lost so much weight just in this few days.” Jong Suk said, trying hard to make Shin Hye eat.

“He is right. Min Ho said you didn’t eat your dinner last night. You should at least drink some soup, eo?” So Ra said as she put a bowl of soup in front of her.

They were all sitting at the dining hall having their lunch. All the foods prepared by the maids were Shin Hye’s favourite but she didn’t touch a single thing. She keep saying that she don’t have the appetite to eat.

Jong Suk and So Ra both sighed at the same time and don’t know what to do next. They turned their gaze to the door when Min Ho came in. His brows furrowed with worry when he saw the food in front of Shin Hey was untouched. He slowly made his way to her and squatted beside her. She turned to him when he held her hand in his.

“Why are you not eating?” Min Ho asked softly.

Shin Hye looked down at their hands and shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”

“You didn’t eat yesterday and you are not hungry now?” Min Ho asked again as he lifted her chin up with his hand forcing her to meet his gaze. “Just eat a little bit. Okay?”

“Yes. Just eat a little bit. Listen to your husband. You look at him. He looked very exhausted already. He has to take care of the work in the compan