Chapter: 20
The house was quiet until the sound of the front door broke through the silence. Jin and Will stepped inside, bringing a rush of evening air with them. Marry, who had been tending to dinner, looked up and immediately smiled.
"You're home already!" she said warmly, hurrying over. "Let me help you with your things. Jin, I hope you'll join us tonight."
Will set his coat aside and replied with his usual composed calm. "He will. I just had to pick something up for our guest. Sorry for the delay."
"No worries," Marry said cheerfully. "I just turned down the fire."
"Thank you," Jin added politely, returning her smile.
But before Marry could respond, a soft, excited voice chimed in.
"So is that for me?" Leeann appeared suddenly, practically glowing with anticipation. "You bought it yourself, right? Not something Jin picked out?"
Will's expression softened slightly, though his tone remained even. "Of course. The woman at the store said it's the latest model this summer."
Leeann gasped and beamed. "No way you didn't! Thank you so much, love."
She threw her arms around him in a playful hug before twirling away with the glossy gift bag clutched against her chest.
Lena had watched the entire exchange from the hallway, her heart sinking as she observed the easy familiarity between them—the subtle way Leeann leaned into him, the small, protective way he looked at her. It was a side of Will she had never seen before.
She must be his girlfriend, Lena thought, her chest tightening. It makes sense, the way he talks to her, the way he looks at her. I should just go to my room before I get mixed up in something that doesn't suit me.
She slipped away quietly, closing the door behind her. Standing before her mirror, she stared at her reflection with a small, bitter smile.
"I guess life really is good when you're rich," she murmured. "Come to your senses, Lena. This is all pretend."
By the time dinner was served, laughter and conversation filled the table. Everyone had gathered—everyone except her.
Will, who sat at the head of the table, lifted his gaze from his glass. "Marry, I believe we're still missing one person, aren't we?"
Marry blinked. "Oh yes, Lena. I thought she'd be here by now. Should I call her?"
Leeann, twirling her fork, looked curious. "Lena? I totally forgot about her. Are you going to tell me who she is now?"
Will's tone remained neutral. "Yes, please do."
That made the whole table pause. Even Jin raised an eyebrow. Will rarely ask for anyone, much less a woman staying under his roof.
Leeann leaned forward, smiling. "Now I really need to know. Who is this girl?"
Meanwhile, in her room, Lena lay on her bed in her nightgown, staring at the ceiling. Her stomach rumbled faintly, but she ignored it. I'll eat when they're done, she told herself. No need to make things awkward.
A soft knock at the door broke her thoughts.
"It's me, Marry. May I come in?"
"Please, come in," Lena replied.
The door opened. "You're already in your nightgown?" Her voice was low but carried a note of mild confusion. "I thought you were joining us for dinner."
Lena's fingers fidgeted against the bedsheet. "I'm so sorry. It's a family thing. I didn't want to intrude. And I'm not hungry—I already ate with a friend from work."
Marry smiled kindly. "Oh, I see. I'll save some for tomorrow's lunch then."
"Thank you," Lena said softly, relieved when she left.
At the table, Marry explained that Lena wasn't hungry. The dinner resumed, though Leeann's curiosity lingered until Will revealed everything to her.
Leeann tilted her head, saying," What? You went with the fake fiancé thing, and now you are stuck with it? Poor girl, I am sure that this deal is not the best for her."
Poor girl?" His voice hardened. "What about me? I have to live with someone I barely know—someone who could risk everything I've built—because of Jin's brilliant idea. The media, my partners, everyone's watching now."
Leeann sighed, standing. "Alright, alright. I get it. Anyway, I have a shoot early tomorrow. Thanks for the gift."
She kissed Marry on the cheek, gave Will a brief hug, and turned to leave.
"Jin," Will said, "get her home safely."
"Of course," Jin replied, already taking his coat.
Hours later, the house had fallen silent. Marry had gone to bed, and Will sat alone in the living room with a half-empty glass of red wine. The faint amber light of a small lamp spread across the black leather sofa, reflecting in the glass table before him.
He leaned back, lost in thought—until a faint sound caught his attention. Footsteps.
Someone was in the kitchen.
He reached for the remote, turned on the lights, and froze.
Lena stood by the fridge, wide-eyed, caught mid-bite with food still in her mouth.
"What do you think you're doing?" His voice cut through the quiet.
She nearly dropped her plate. "Oh my God—you scared me!"
"I thought you said you weren't hungry."
He walked toward her slowly, his tone unreadable.
"I just…" She sighed. "Okay, fine. I just didn't feel comfortable with all your guests."
He stopped a few inches away, the scent of wine faint on his breath. His eyes were sharp, unreadable, but there was something else beneath the surface—something heavier.
"You're publicly the fiancée of Will Shade himself," he said quietly. "And you don't feel comfortable in front of Leeann and Jin?"
His voice grew colder with every word.
"Next week, we're attending one of the most prestigious galas in Europe. Nothing about this is meant to be comfortable. To succeed in life, people do what they must, not what feels easy. Your family started a business—were they comfortable? No. You worked two jobs to pay for your brother's scholarship—was that comfortable? No. And now, you're pretending to be engaged to a man you don't even intend to marry. None of this is supposed to be comfortable, Lena. It's survival."
He turned to leave but paused at the doorway.
"Make sure you clean that up before Marry wakes," he said without looking back. "She doesn't deserve your mess."
His footsteps faded down the hall, leaving her frozen where she stood. The kitchen lights felt too bright, too sharp against her shame.
His words had cut deep—not just because of their cruelty, but because somewhere in them, there was truth.
I feel like I let him down… she thought bitterly. But he's so difficult to talk to. He doesn't let anyone in.
She cleaned the table quietly, placed the food back in the fridge, and returned to her room. Sleep didn't come easily that night.
The next morning, sunlight crept through her curtains. It was Kyle's graduation day.
Lena dressed quietly, slipped on her shoes, and left before anyone could see her.