Bella sluggishly left the bathroom. She rinsed the water off her clothes, and let them dry outside over the balcony. She sighed an exasperating sigh. "Damn you, Kim Woo Bin." She turned around and screamed. Woobin stood before her, startling the poor girl. 

"I should have added in the contract for you to not curse at me," he said jokingly with a smirk on his face. He peered over at the soaked clothes she left drying on the balcony railway. He didn't bother asking the reason. "Suzy wants to have coffee after lunch. Would you like to join us?" It was the man's attempt to reach out to the woman, as well as to figure out why his heart seemed to be more at ease when around her. He looked at her shocked expression. Was he being too nice? The contract ran through his head. There was nothing in the contract that stated she couldn't join him for coffee. "It's a little chilly, wear a sweater." It took a lot of energy for him to sound softer, and less demanding, like he usually was around her. Proud of himself, he walked to his side of the balcony and entered his bedroom. He leaned against the wall and felt his heart beat calm down. The girl did something to him.

"Hyung!" Jongsuk's voice echoed in his room. "Hyung, Seunghyun-ah is here! He's back from Sydney." Choi Seunghyun is their eldest cousin, on their mom's side. He taught at Seoul National, but was on sabbatical in Sydney, Australia. With his cousin home, it would be a nice distraction for the troubled Woobin. Seunghyun was not informed about the fake marriage just yet.

...

Seunghyun waved the flight attendant away after she offered a refill of his gin and tonic. He knew he'd be landing soon. It's been a good two years since he was last in Seoul. He would be stepping back into his role as the dean of anthropology department at Seoul National. He closed the paper after reading the story regarding his cousin's engagement to the blue eyed foreigner.  "Ah, the affairs of Empire Incorporated."  With a chuckle, Seunghyun pushed his Louis Vuitton suitcase upright and towards the exit doors of Incheon Airport.  He entered the car waiting for him at the curb and loosened his tie, ing his top three buttons of his shirt.  The estate was as pristine as ever.  He always found peace when he came back, however there was a foreboding feeling.  With the nuptials ahead, the Empire may be a little chaotic.  He always believed Woo Bin would have an arranged marriage, something which will benefit both sides of the company.  The woman in the picture is not of any "royal" blood.  An orphan even, without a university degree at that.  And she wasn't even Korean. 

Arriving at his house, he rolled his luggage into the room, changed into a Le Coq Sportif sweatshirt and joggers, then made his way quickly to the main house.  He was greeted with a big hug from the always happy Jongsuk.  "Yo, are you taller than me now?"  The moment he saw the brown haired, blue eyed fiancee it took him a full minute to register her beauty.  In Sydney there were all sorts of women of various nationalities.  Green eyes, hazel eyes brown eyes, blue eyes.  But her eyes, there was both sadness and hope in one gaze.  A soft smile emerged from Seunghyun's lips as he bowed and held out his hand at the young woman.  She was taller than expected, taller than the average Korean woman anyway.  He was lost for words as she took his hand and shook it firmly.  When she released his, he found himself wanting to hold tighter.  Now, Choi Seunghyun was a definite romantic and at that moment he had all forgotten that she was promised to Kim Woo Bin. 

"Hyung, welcome back.  I'm glad you came in time for the wedding.  Your work is going to miss you too much, yes?"  Woo Bin pulled Bella towards her by the shoulder, keeping his arm around her shoulders and by his side as he spoke of the upcoming wedding and the guests.  He reintroduced Bella, after he talked about himself and the goings on of Empire.  

Seunghyun held up his hand to stop his cousin from continuing.  He eyed Jongsuk who smiled happily at the scene in front of him.  "Is this for love?"  A straightforward question directed to the man before him.  "One day I read your engaged, then she leaves you.  Suddenly she's back, and now this is, what?  For certain?"  There was irritation in his voice.  The woman was too quiet.  She stood by Woo Bin, stiff.  She kept her head high and shoulders straight, and minimal emotion on her face.  She was robotic, playing a role.  "What's really happening?"

Seunghyun can be trusted, and Woo Bin had no worries with him knowing the truth of the five year contract.  His cousin read the contract.  "This is a lot of pages you typed up, damn."  Seunghyun especially enjoyed the fact that Woo Bin can have romantic relationships with any woman while married, as long as it's kept hidden.  There was nothing written in the contract about Bella being able to have the same, but perhaps it's implied.  If Woo Bin can have that kind of freedom, he can't expect his "wife" to not  have it.  "Genius. You are favored by the board and you run Empire, as you should."  His cousin should run it.  He is the true heir.  It always irritated him when others in the family try to block what is Woo Bin's, or Jongsuk's.  He looked at Bella, and gave her another soft smile.  The doors of the library opened and Suzy came walking in, moving immediately towards Woo Bin. His arm quickly motioned away from Bella, as if he didn't want her to see the affection, if you could call it that, towards his fake fiancee.  No one else knew the marriage was arranged in the way that most are familiar with.  Although, it seemed Suzy was aware that he wasn't marrying Bella for love, which means she was willing to see how far she can go.  She grabbed his hand, pulling him away from Bella further.  

The robotic blue eyed woman finally moved.  She tried not to look at the couple.  There was defeat in her eyes, the glimmer of hope gone.  Seunghyun observed her.  He sat with Jongsuk as they both watched Suzy, the one-month Empire estate resident, and Woo Bin interact.  "When did your brother smile over a woman like that?"  Seunghyun inquired.  

"Never.  He's been doing a lot of things ever since she arrived."  The youngest heir pointed to Bella.  Woo Bin walked with Suzy out the door, without saying goodbye to any of them.  Bella took a deep breath and stared at the door as if no one else was in the room but her.  Seunghyun saw the hope in her eyes come back and fade as quickly as it came back.  She was counting in her head, slowly, giving Woo BIn and Suzy a good head start before she walked back to her room.  Jongsuk back hugged Bella and whispered something in her ear.  He left the room and the woman moved towards the balcony door.  Seunghyun followed behind her, unnoticed.  He looked down from the balcony, following her gaze.  Suzy and Woo Bin were having coffee together, clearly she wished she was there instead of the Suzy.  After a deep exhale, Bella turned to face Seunghyun, catching herself lost in her thoughts in front of Seunghyun.  She apologized for whatever reason, and left him at the balcony.  As she brushed past him, Seunghyun caught her scent, Jo Malone London's Sakura cologne.  A scent that he believed branded him to give hope to the woman who is desperate for it.  Taking his phone out of his pocket, he immediately called his supervisor. his sabbatical is on hold, for he plans to be in Seoul for some time.  Wise men say, only fools rush in, and for Choi Seunghyun he has five days to stop a wedding.