"What is Park Tae-yong doing for you in return for marrying him? Tell me, I'll help you with it." Kim Myeongju continued.
"Mother, except I file for a divorce, I can't break off the marriage with Park Tae-yong. We are legally married and he won't quietly take a clean break." Kim Seo-yeon stated flatly.
If not because of the marriage certificate tying them both together, she would accept Kim Myeongju's offer. Kim Myeongju would help her for free, while Park Tae-yong was demanding something in return.
Kim Myeongju's eyes darkened.
"Park Tae-yong cannot be my son-in-law." Kim Myeongju muttered.
"Mother, do you hate Park Tae-yong only because of Kim Harang or is there something else?" Kim Seo-yeon asked as her eyes narrowed.
Kim Myeongju shook her head. "No, it's only because of Harang. Do you know, Harang was always a shy girl when I adopted her, and she never spoke to anyone or offended anyone. She'd never liked anyone, and the one man she liked, so coldly rejected her. She attempted suicide and almost self-immolated once. She needs to be restrained constantly to not try killing herself again. My Harang is a ghost of her former self. I wouldn't be able to watch one of my daughters marry the man that put my Harang in such a position." Kim Myeongju said, her eyes spewing hatred.
She paused, a pained memory passing over her face
She and Kim Min-ho had tried for many years to have children when they newly got married, but she had a rare disease that induced abortions of her babies. Finally, that year she carried her baby to term after much effort and it was a boy. She was overjoyed. Kim Min-ho wanted a daughter and they tried for a few more years before they decided to adopt Kim Harang. She was the child of a servant from Kim Myeongju's mother's side. The servant had died and Kim Myeongju and Kim Min-ho decided to take her daughter in.
Kim Harang had always been aware of the circumstances surrounding her birth, so she withdrew into herself and tried to stay far away from the power tussles of the noble. She did not want to partake in their matters and tried very hard to live a normal life and build herself up. She worked at a broadcasting station by her own ability. She was so humble!
At one of the royal events, she had seen Park Tae-yong and had immediately fallen in love with him at first sight. Because she wanted to prove herself to him, she opened up more, became more social and started using her title as the Duke's daughter to her advantage. Unfortunately, after she'd confessed to him, he rejected her and called her crazy.
That was the beginning of her downfall.
Kim Seo-yeon nodded. It was indeed bad. That Park Tae-yong. What an arse! Rejecting a girl like that! Kim Seo-yeon thought all this, but couldn't bring herself to sympathize with Kim Harang.
A man rejected you, so what?! It's not the end of the world! There are still plenty of men out there.
Kim Seo-yeon thought that everyone had varying degrees of mental stability and didn't scold Kim Harang too much.
"Seo-yeon, you can't get married to Park Tae-yong." Kim Myeongju said and stretched her hand forward to put it over Kim Seo-yeon's.
Kim Seo-yeon drew back her hand and coughed.
Kim Myeongju's eyes reddened at her action, but her face remained composed as she picked up the teacup to drink from it.
"Mother, you don't have to worry. We are not together. I'll make it clear to Kim Harang as well." Kim Seo-yeon said.
"Seo-yeon, you're silly. Park Tae-yong is rich, handsome, intelligent and is of noble birth. As long as you're living together with him, you'll fall for him." Kim Myeongju said with a serious expression.
Kim Seo-yeon looked at Kim Myeongju's serious expression and frowned as she went into thought. Park Tae-yong was indeed all of those things, but they rarely crossed paths in his estate. It wasn't like she was sleeping in his bedroom as a wife should. She stayed far away from him. And most of their discussions had been about business. They never approached the line, let alone cross it. She was certain she wouldn't fall for him.
"You don't believe it, do you?" Kim Myeongju said, a self-deprecating smile on her face.
"Mother, there's no need to worry. I have a low EQ and don't fall for people easily." Kim Seo-yeon said.
Kim Myeongju remained silent, her internal thought obvious: she did not believe Kim Seo-yeon would not fall for Park Tae-yong.
"Come, I want to show you to your room. Your father isn't home, he'll be back by the evening. If you can stay till then, that'll be great." Kim Myeongju said and stood up.
…
Park Tae-yong had been summoned by his father. He walked into the living room of his father's home. His father and mother were seated at the table in the dining hall eating breakfast.
"Park Tae-yong, have you accepted my offer to marry General Song's daughter?" A tall middle aged man asked the moment Park Tae-yong stepped in.
"I'm married to Duke Kim's daughter." Park Tae-yong said flatly.
"Hm." He nodded as he sipped the milk on the table. "She was the woman you brought to the photography exhibition?" He asked, not looking at Park Tae-yong.
Park Tae-yong had already sat down by now and was being served food.
"Precisely." He nodded.
Park Tae-yong knew his father well enough. By now, he must be aware of Kim Seo-yeon's situation. So, he didn't bother explaining how Kim Seo-yeon was their daughter.
"And I made a promise to General Song. Ah. He must be disappointed." Park Seung-ho, Park Tae-yong's father said in false concern.
"Song Yoo-bin is not smart." Park Tae-yong said flatly.
"I guess it's good you were smart enough for once." Park Seung-ho spoke, his tone harsh. Park Seung-ho naturally did not care who Park Tae-yong was married to, as long as the connections the woman had was good for the family.
Park Tae-yong's mother, Park Hye-sun looked at him immediately, she spoke up to lighten the atmosphere. "Tae-yong, you haven't been with us for a long time. How are you? Is Grandma Shin treating you well?" She asked with concern on her face as she stretched her hand and cupped his hand across the table.
"Father, I came back not to be your lapdog, but to fight for the throne as well." Park Tae-yong said as he slid a piece of egg in his mouth, ignoring his mother.
Park Seung-ho's face scrunched up in an instant.
"Park Tae-yong!" He roared. "Is this how you repay me? You unfilial child!"
"Father, I'm not interested in being your child. I said that six years ago and it remains the same now." Park Tae-yong said, his voice cold.
"Tae-yong, please calm down." Park Hye-sun said trying to ease the air.
"I want to give Grandma a good life and remove every obstacle in the way. Including you, Father." He said.
Park Seung-ho smacked his chopsticks on the table, picked up the glass of milk and threw it at Park Tae-yong. Park Tae-yong did not duck, even though he could have. He let the cup smash into his head, the milk flowing down his face. There was a cut on his forehead and blood seeped out, but the man did not budge.
Park Hye-sun shivered. Park Tae-yong had manic mysophobia and he would definitely be upset having food thrown on him.
Park Tae-yong calmly picked up a napkin and wiped his forehead, as he stood up.
"I only came here today to have one last meal with you and assert my position." Park Tae-yong said coldly and turned around, leaving.
"Tae-yong! Tae-yong!" Park Hye-sun stood up and ran after him.
Park Seung-ho smacked his fist on the table, his expression dark.
…
Kim Seo-yeon settled into her bedroom in the Kim castle that night. Kim Myeongju was highly efficient. She had gotten Kim Seo-yeon sets of clothes and personal needs for her to stay the night. And to prevent any mishaps, she had sent Kim Yi Hun on a business trip to Busan.
Although Kim Myeongju knew that Kim Yi Hun was a threat to her daughter's life, she couldn't bring herself to push him away. He had been her baby for a long time, and she and Kim Min-ho loved him and had high hopes for him.
Throughout the day, Kim Myeongju had accompanied Kim Seo-yeon, telling her tales and discussing with her. Kim Seo-yeon had been very open with her as Park Tae-yong ordered.
Now, she retired to rest.
After tomorrow night, when she was announced as the heiress, she would have to start explaining everything to her parents. She wondered how saddened her parents would feel if their biological son, Kim Yi Hun did not even want them.
Her phone rang when she was approaching the gates of Dreamland. She raised up the phone and stared at the caller ID with an annoyed expression. She didn't look closely enough when she swiped the answer button.
"Hello." The man's deep voice sounded through the speaker.
The sleepiness cleared instantly.
"Park Tae-yong? What is it?" She asked.
"My grandmother is coming over for lunch tomorrow afternoon. She wants to see you. Be there." He said.
"Park Tae-yong, you didn't want to see my mother, but you want me to see your grandmother? Tell me, where's the fairness in that?" Kim Seo-yeon said coldly.
Ordinarily, she didn't have a problem with things like this, but he had scolded her last night about her mother not being part of the bargain. Kim Seo-yeon was prideful and she wouldn't easily accept someone talking to her the way Park Tae-yong did. So what if he was a Prince? She was a future Duchess!
There was silence.
"She's in the last stages of her life and is at risk of getting dementia, she wants to see you before she forgets everyone." He explained over the phone. Kim Seo-yeon who for the first time, heard some vulnerability in his voice, blinked. She thought he would argue that it was a public performance and therefore, part of their bargain.
"Well, you have to come appease the Duchess. She's throwing a party tomorrow night to announce me as her biological daughter. She won't let me leave the house at all tomorrow, especially to meet you." Kim Seo-yeon steeled herself and said.
"Kim Seo-yeon, you're an adult. She can't restrict you." Park Tae-yong snapped at her through the phone.
"Are you a fool? Can't you take the hint? Come and apologize to the Duke and the Duchess! Take Kim Harang out on a date if you have to! But make them like you. I can't do that!" Kim Seo-yeon shouted at him.
Park Tae-yong paused, stunned. There was not a woman in the world who could talk to him like that.
"Kim Seo-yeon, do you want to die?" He said in a low voice.
"Yeah. Come and kill me. Then you can forget about becoming the Crown Prince. For God's sake, the Duke and the Duchess do not like you at all. We may be married, but they won't help you." Kim Seo-yeon said, her heart ramming against her chest.
Park Tae-yong on the other end hung up first.
What an asshole! He was making her so afraid of him and he wasn't even here.
She turned over on her side, thinking about Kim Myeongju's words.
Could she really fall for Park Tae-yong?