Present time…

“Appa…”

“Yeo Jin-ah… I’m so sorry…”

“Appa… where are you?”

“Yeo Jin… what’s wrong?”

“Appa… Yeo Jin is very scared. Eomma… eomma is gone. She is rushing back to the hospital now.”

“Hospital? What happened? Where are you?”

“I’m at home…”

“Wait for appa. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

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Hospital…

“Agasshi…” Park Chi Won’s personal driver immediately stood up from the hospital bench and walked to Shin Hye when he saw her running towards his direction.

“How’s abeoji?” Shin Hye asked urgently, trying to catch her breath at the same time. When she received his call telling her that her father passed out in his office and was sent to the hospital, all the excitement and expectant she has of waiting for Min Ho to come back for Yeo Jin’s birthday celebration was all gone. Fear swamped her, worried that she will lose her only parent.

“I don’t know. The doctor is still checking inside.” The old driver explained. “Everything was still okay this morning. But when I was waiting for him outside his office, his secretary called and said he is not feeling well. He suddenly feels dizzy and can’t even balance himself when he stood up. When I got up to his office, he already passed out.”

“Did he take his diabetes medication?” Shin Hye asked again.

“I… don’t know.” The driver shook his head softly.

Shin Hye heaved a deep sigh and at that moment, the door of her father’s ward opened and a doctor came out with two nurses followed behind him.

“Doctor Park?” The doctor raised his brows in surprise.

“Doctor Yoo.” Shin Hye nodded at him politely.

“Minister Park is your…”

“He is my father.” Shin Hye said. “How’s he?”

“We have done a CT scan for him. It’s a transient ischemic attack.” Doctor Yoo replied.

“Ministroke?” Shin Hye furrowed her brows.

“Yes. It normally occurs when part of the brain experienced a temporary lack of blood flow. Fortunately, this can be resolved within 24 hours. Unlike stoke, TIA doesn’t kill brain tissue or cause permanent disabilities. Since TIA and are nearly identical, it’s better to seek for immediate attention as early as possible. You should know that one in three people who experience a TIA later experience a . So, early treatment is essential.” Doctor Yoo continued.

Another deep sigh escaped Shin Hye’s lips again as she looked at the doctor worriedly. “Does he need a surgery? I know having the surgery to clears the carotid arteries of fatty deposits and plaques could reduce the risk for another TIA or a .”

Doctor Yoo nodded. “You are right. But I don’t see a severe narrowing of his carotid artery. So, I would not suggest for a surgery. At this moment, I will give him antiplatelet first. This medication could makes his platelets less likely to stick together, and it helps to prevent blood clots.” He paused and smiled at her. “Don’t worry. Your father’s condition is not too serious. We will take care of him.”

“Thank you, Doctor Yoo.” Shin Hye smiled faintly.

“He is already conscious now. You can go in to see him. I’ll come again tomorrow.” Doctor Yoo said before he leaves with the nurses.

Shin Hye then turned to her father’s driver. “You must be very tired waited for so long. The nurse here will take care of him tonight. You can go back now. Get the maid to cook some porridge and bring it over tomorrow morning. I don’t think he will like the hospital food.”

“Algae sumnida.” The old man nodded.

After the driver left, Shin Hye opened the door and walked into her father’s ward. She inhaled a deep breath the moment she saw him lying on the bed, looking tired and pale. She realized her father has aged so much compared to the last time they met. But… when was their last time seeing each other? Except for those family dinners with Min Ho’s parents that she couldn’t escape, they hardly see each other. After she was married to Min Ho, their relationship has worsened further since then.

Slowly walking into the room, she stopped beside Park Chi Won’s bed and looked at him with a gaze of concern. “Abeoji… how are you feeling?”

Park Chi Won slowly looked up at his daughter, starting at her for a moment before he looked away coldly. “Haven’t die yet.”

Shin Hye bit her lip hard, forcing herself not to get affected by his cold behaviour. To be honest, she should already feel immune with this kind of treatment from him. “Although it’s just a ministroke, but if you continue to neglect your health, a real will happen. You have to listen to the doctor and do as you told.”

“You come here alone?” Without bothering to comment on what she said, he just changed the subject. He glanced around the room, like he was expecting someone before looking back at Shin Hye. “Where is your husband? Did you tell him that his father in-law is dying soon?”

“I didn’t tell him. He has an urgent meeting to attend in his office. I don’t want to disturb his work.” Shin Hye lied. First, although she received a message from him that he was having an urgent meeting, but he didn’t tell her where. She assumed it must be in his office. And second, when she received the call saying her father was admitted in the hospital, the first person she called was Min Ho. But… his phone was turned off.

Park Chi Won chuckled sarcastically. “Meeting in his office? What kind of wife are you? You don’t even know where your husband is. He is not in Seoul. He went to China last night for a meeting.”

Shin Hye was a bit shock upon hearing what her father said. China? He didn’t tell her. He just promised that he will come back to celebrate Yeo Jin’s birthday. She didn’t and dared not to ask further when he texted her that he will be late.

“I don’t intervene in his work.” She said softly, trying not to show her emotion in front of her father.

Park Chi Won let out another sarcastic laugh again. “You don’t intervene or he doesn’t let you to intervene?” He smirked. “Don’t you think you are very useless? Both of you have been married for seven years. But what have you done? Except for giving birth to a daughter, what else have you accomplish in this marriage? You can’t even make a man who stay with you for seven years to give his heart to you.”

Tears began to form in the corner of Shin Hye’s eyes and her heart felt like shattering. She looked at her father as both her palms clenched into fists. “Why until now you still cannot accept the fact that no matter how hard I tried, no matter what you do… Lee Min Ho will not fall in love with me. I have already told you since the first day you want me to marry him seven years ago. I told you he doesn’t love me. You were the one who insisted and forced me to marry him.” She paused as the painful memory slowly creeps into her mind, reminding her the most hurtful day in her life.

“In case you forgot, let me remind you.” She bit her lower lip hard, staring into Park Chi Won’s eyes. “I tried to fight and refuse to marry him. But you… you threatened me with the evidence you got from the hotel. You leave me with no choice but to break my own word in order to protect and married the man who doesn’t love me.”

~~~~~

7 years ago…

Hotel room…

This is crazy… this is a dream… this must be a dream…

Shin Hye took a deep breath, slowly taking off the belt of the bathrobe and pulled it open. Her eyes immediately widened in horror as she found herself looking upon her body through the huge mirror in the bathroom. Her eyes remained unblinking as her body was still dripping with bath water. Countless of red marks were imprinted on her pale skin and everyone of it reminds her of last night’s uncontrollable craziness.

It was her fault. When she saw Lee Min Ho at the pub last night, she should have force herself to stay away from him. Her heart shouldn’t be softened after she witnessed how Choi Soo Young rejected him. When he went back to his table and continued to drink, she should just let him be and… and not worried about him. When she saw him deadly drunk there, she should just find a way to contact his family and not stupidly brought him to a hotel, thinking to let him rest before sending him home.

How can she not know that when a person is drunk, he will lost his mind and do whatever he wanted to do to the person he imagined and wanted it to be. And the worst part is how can her self-control become so weak? He was completely drunk and doesn’t know what he was doing last night. But she is not. She is conscious. Why didn’t she push him away?

No, she did push him away. When he suddenly pinned her onto the bed and hovered on top of her, she did struggled and tried to push him away. But… but all her strength vanished the moment he begged her not to leave him alone. Her struggles became weak as her heart instantly softened. She looked into his eyes and all she could see was pain. He was hurt. And… and when he said ‘I love you’… the three words worked like a curse on her. Although she knows the three words were not meant for her, it still froze her rational mind and struggles altogether.

Taking a deep breath, Shin Hye turned away from the mirror, unable to look at herself anymore. She is not complete anymore. She… she had lost her first time to a man that doesn’t love her or even wouldn’t remember the whole thing.

She quickly took a towel and wiped herself before putting her clothes on. It’s almost dawn now and he might wake up anytime soon. She has to leave before he finds out about her. After she was done, she gently opened the door and came out from the bathroom.

She looked over at the bed and Min Ho was still sleeping soundly without wearing anything under the comforter. His clothes were scattered in different places on the floor as she quickly picked it all up and folded it nicely before putting it on the couch beside the bed.

“W-Water…”

Shin Hye felt herself gasp and her eyes widened upon hearing Min Ho’s voice. She turned around and a sigh of relief escaped her lips when she saw his eyes were still closed. He is still drunk.

“Water… water…”

He is thirsty. Shin Hye quickly ran to the minibar and took a bottle of mineral water before she ran back to the bed and sat beside him. After she opened the cap, she gently lifted his head up with one hand and slowly feed the water into his mouth. She poured the water very slowly and carefully, worried that it will choke him if she pours too fast.

Just in a short few seconds, Min Ho emptied the whole bottle and continued to sleep after he felt better drinking the water. Shin Hye put the empty bottle on the side table before she reached out to pull the comforter higher to cover his exposed bare shoulders.

Her face uncontrollably blushed a deep shade of red as the memory of what happened last time replayed in her mind. She knows it was an accident. If she didn’t go to Yuri’s birthday party last night, she will not see him being rejected by Soo Young and will not brought him to the hotel. He was drunk… but she was not. She couldn’t help but angry in herself, in her shame and loss of self-control.

What should she do now? Cling to him and force him to be responsible for her? Force him to marry her because he took her ity away?

No, she will not do that. She will not use last night’s accident to force him for a marriage. Her pride and dignity will not let herself to do that. And most importantly, she knows he doesn’t love her. A marriage without mutual love from both parties will become a tragedy. Both of them will not be happy. Everything that happened last night… it will and must stay as a secret forever.

Inhaling another deep breath, Shin Hye gazed at Min Ho’s handsome face and let out a sad smile. She slowly leaned forward, hesitated for a brief moment before she pressed her lips against his warm forehead. It was a kiss, a goodbye kiss. Although he didn’t know it was her last night, but… she didn’t regret.

~~~~~

Park Mansion…

Two days has passed since the incident and everything seemed normal. Shin Hye went to her class as usual, but she didn’t see Min Ho in the campus. Since he didn’t come to find her, she assumed that he didn’t remember anything and didn’t know it was her that sent him to the hotel that night. Although she couldn’t help to feel a little disappointed, but she is grateful that he doesn’t remember a single thing. Life still goes on no matter what and she would prefer to not be involved in his life anymore. Their encounter was a mistake from the beginning. They are not supposed to appear in each other lives in the first place.

After Shin Hye’s class was over, she went home straight and was surprised to see her father sitting in the living room. He should be working in his office at this hour. What is he doing at home?

“Abeoji…” Shin Hye walked towards the couch where he was sitting, and greeted him respectfully.

Park Chi Won slowly looked up to meet her gaze. “The maid told me that you didn’t come home two night ago. Where have you been?”

Shin Hye stared at her father as shock written all over her face. She was not prepared and never thought her father would suddenly ask about that night. “I-It was my friend’s birthday. She… she was drunk and… I stay at her house to take care of her that night.” She bit her lip nervously, holding her gaze low at the same time. “I’m sorry that I didn’t call back to inform you. I guarantee it won’t happen again.”

Park Chi Won didn’t say anything and just let out an inward smirk. Instead of asking further, he changed to another subject, an unexpected subject. “Since you are here, I think I’ll just tell you now. Be prepared. I will meet up with Lee Ki Jung today and set a date for the wedding. It will probably be on next month.”

Another surprise and shock hit her like ton of bricks. Her eyes grew wide and looked at her father in horror. “What wedding?”

“Your wedding with Lee Min Ho.” Park Chi Won replied emotionlessly.

“Abeoji…” Shin Hye took a step closer to the couch where her father was sitting. “I already told you. I won’t marry him. We… we don’t love each other. Even if I say yes, he will not agree with it either.”

Park Chi Won smiled as he averted his gaze. “That’s not under your concern. Lee Ki Jung will have a way to make his son to agree. The land that they bought is too expensive for him to say no. As long as you cooperate with me and listen to me obediently, everything will go smoothly.”

“No!” Shin Hye raised her voice. “I will not marry him. I already told you. We don’t love each other.”

“Hmmm…” Park Chi Won nodded his head softly. “I’m quite sure that he doesn’t love you. But… are you sure you don’t love him?” He paused as he looked up at her with another smirk. “If you really don’t love him… then… what is this?” He said again as his hand took the remote control from the coffee table and the TV.

Shin Hye followed his gaze as her eyes shifted to the TV. If just now was a shock, then the feeling she is having now is like a bombshell has just landed on her. Her eyes widened, her lips parted, no words could form in . She couldn’t believe what she is watching now. The video that her father was showing her now was a record from a CCTV and the person who was in the video… was her. Although two days has passed, but she could still clearly remember that place, that hallway. It was the hotel that she sent Min Ho over when he was drunk two nights ago.

“You said you were at your friend’s house that night.” Park Chi Won’s voice filled the room again after a moment. He chuckled. “Then… who is this? You went into the hotel room with Lee Min Ho at around 11.30pm and since then neither of you come out from the room. It was already 6am when you finally left the room the next morning. You were in the hotel room with him for the whole night.” He paused as he slowly stood up from the couch and looked at his daughter. “I think I don’t need to describe in details on what both of you did inside the room, right? You should know clearer than me.” The smile on his face vanished as his expression was back to his usual coldness. “The bed was in a mess and… there was some blood stain on it. Do you think that kind of evidence is strong enough for a ual assault allegation?”

Tears began to well in Shin Hye’s eyes as