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Episode 22
Her voice trembled slightly, soft but sincere, drawing my gaze back to him.
Even if she remembered nothing else in her life, this moment alone would be enough for Iryeong.
Even if she could never receive his true love, she had already been given enough—enough to feel grateful, enough to keep going.
“I feel the same way,” she confessed, her lips quivering as she spoke.
She swallowed back the urge to blurt out how a reckless marriage had somehow become real feelings, and instead, she smiled brightly.
“You look amazing. Honestly… anyone would fall for you.”
He was always the kind of man who could make people turn their heads, but tonight—dressed to perfection for their wedding—he was breathtaking.
Even though their marriage was a façade, the thought that he was hers, at least for today, made her heart race.
“Did you fall for me too, Iryeong?”
“W-What? Me?”
The spark in her eyes had given her away. Flustered, she nervously touched her earlobe—warm from embarrassment. The earrings he had gifted her dangled gently, and she fiddled with them too, trying to hide the heat blooming inside her.
But her clumsy act was easy to see through.
“You’re so warm, I can feel it,” he teased with a casual smile.
“W-Warm? What are you talking about?”
She tried to play it off with a light shrug, but inside, she was panicking. Even if he’d caught her moment of fluster, she couldn’t let him see how deep her feelings really went.
“Stop falling for me,” he said lightly. “It’ll only make things complicated for you.”
His words landed like a blade.
Why now? Why on their wedding day? Her heart chilled so quickly she couldn’t even mask it.
“You look serious all of a sudden,” he noticed, taking her hand gently and folding it into his. But even the warmth of his touch couldn’t soothe her.
“Today, let’s only think about the wedding,” he said softly.
“…Joon.”
There was a strange, indescribable tension in the air—something that made her lips move wordlessly as she tried to understand it.
“When we get back from the honeymoon, let’s make it official. Let’s register the marriage.”
“Register the marriage?” she echoed, blinking in surprise.
It was her first time traveling abroad, and she had been so caught up in the excitement of their honeymoon that she hadn’t even considered the paperwork.
“I may not be the perfect husband,” he continued, “but I promised I’d be your one and only partner.”
Her heart wavered like a wave crashing onshore. His explanation didn’t comfort her—it only made her chest feel heavier.
“From today, we’re going to be more comfortable with each other. We’re married now. I hope you’ll treat me the same way.”
Listening more closely, she realized something subtle had shifted in his tone—like an invisible wall had been drawn between them.
She’d been so focused on hiding her feelings that she’d missed the more important signals.
“Thanks to you, I avoided all that marriage pressure,” he added with a grin. “Blind dates were such a nightmare. You saved me.”
There it was—the real reason for their marriage.
This whole thing had started with his selfish proposal, and today was merely the opening act of that performance.
“At least my parents seem to like you. That’s a relief.”
Iryeong fell silent, lost in thought.
Was there an end to this play with no script? And if they ever became a real couple… what more would he expect from her?
She’d come too far to turn back now.
“I’m glad we’re a good match as partners,” he said lightly.
She lowered her head, heart twisting. Did he mean they were sexually compatible? The thought stung. Was that all she was to him?
“Are you upset?” he asked gently.
“…Why would I be? No. I’m fine,” she lied with a shaky smile.
Why did his kindness have to sound so tender when it hurt so much?
She forced down the emotions that threatened to rise. Then she lifted her head and smiled sweetly at him, as if nothing were wrong.
“I’ve become your escape, Joon. So promise me… you’ll be mine too. Please.”
Her teeth pressed together, her eyes curving into a soft smile. She needed him to understand—this sham of a marriage wasn’t just about his goals. She had her reasons too.
If she didn’t say it, her love for him would just feel pathetic.
She pulled her rosy lips into a bright, determined smile, portraying the happiest bride in the world. She told herself she wasn’t miserable. She couldn’t be.
And so, once again, she tucked away her true feelings and waited for the ceremony to begin.
The wedding hall was lavishly decorated, bursting with flowers as if they had gathered every bloom in the world. The bride’s waiting room was no less extravagant—it was a garden in full bloom.
But no matter how many flowers surrounded her, every guest who visited the room said the same thing: the flowers paled beside the bride.
“No wonder Mr. Seo snatched her up so quickly.”
“She must’ve inherited her father’s picky taste—no ordinary beauty would do.”
His relatives all had their comments ready.
Iryeong responded with polite, radiant smiles, playing the role of the joyful bride flawlessly, even if it was only for show.
As the bustling room slowly quieted, her family entered.
Their anxious faces unexpectedly steadied her own nerves.
“Honey, look at her,” her stepmother Jihyun whispered, dabbing at her eyes. “I’ve never seen a more beautiful bride.”
“Wow, noona… You look amazing,” her younger brother Jungmin breathed, awestruck in his school uniform.
He had stubbornly refused the new suit she’d wanted to buy him, but seeing his shy pride made her smile.
“As long as you’re happy, that’s all I need,” her father said, fighting back his own tears.
For once, despite their complicated blended family, they looked like any ordinary, happy family wishing their daughter the best.
“Bride’s family? Please gather around for a photo,” the photographer called out.
“Closer together, please. Parents and siblings next to the bride—that’ll look best.”
The photographer’s directions were firm, making everyone shuffle nervously.
“Jungmin, come sit next to your sister,” Jihyun urged.
She smiled gently and guided her brother to sit beside her. Jungmin couldn’t hide his joy, grinning brightly.
“Perfect. Look here! One, two, three!”
The camera clicked. Their first proper family photo. A small but meaningful piece of history.
As Iryeong fidgeted with her bouquet, trying to settle her swirling emotions, the waiting room door opened.
“Hello?”
A middle-aged woman swept in, wearing a striking pink hanbok. Her arrival made everyone exchange questioning glances.
“I’m the groom’s sister-in-law’s mother,” the woman announced coolly.
It was Park Soonja—Yujin’s mother. She and her daughter ran one of AE Cosmetics’ flagship stores. Because of Yujin’s hostility, the Gangnam branch had always kept their distance from corporate inspections.
“I came to say hello. After all, we’re going to be in-laws.”
Her bright red lipstick curled into a sly smile. Iryeong felt uneasy instantly, like the woman had walked in to assert dominance.
“Hello, I’m Chae Iryeong,” she greeted politely, bowing slightly from her chair—standard for a bride in her gown.
But Soonja took offense. Her expression darkened as she approached.
“I heard your family isn’t very… well off,” she said with a mocking tilt of her lips.
“I’m sorry, what?” Iryeong blinked. The overpowering perfume and the sudden provocation made her grip her bouquet tightly.
“My daughter told me everything,” Soonja continued with a laugh. “Your family sells… cheap food products, don’t they?”
Anger burned through Iryeong. The woman wasn’t just insulting her—she was insulting her entire family.
“You’re being disrespectful. Please leave,” she said firmly, swallowing back the fury rising in her throat.
“But I’m actually worried, you know,” Soonja continued, unbothered. “If both our families are struggling, won’t that split the support we get from the Seos? That’s what really concerns me.”
The blatant greed made Iryeong’s blood boil.
“Apologize to my parents. Right now. Or—”
“What’s going on here?”
Joon’s voice cut through the room, sharp and cold.
No one had noticed him enter, but now he strode toward them, his long strides bringing him beside Iryeong’s family in an instant.
“S-Son-in-law…” Soonja stammered.
“Do you make a habit of being this rude?” His voice was calm, but his eyes were icy. “Did my brother and sister-in-law agree to this?”
She frantically waved her hands. “N-No, that’s not what I meant—”
“Then why are you here, causing trouble?” he pressed relentlessly.
“I heard you received financial support,” he continued coolly. “It wasn’t from my mother, so who was it?”
His tone left no room for escape.
“After the ceremony, I’ll be looking into the store you run and the flow of funds,” he added coldly. “For now, leave. Immediately.”
It didn’t matter that she was a relative.
For Joon, when it came to Iryeong, there was no hesitation. He would protect her—without question.
