Tears streamed down Nari Hana's cheeks as her trembling fingers clutched the memory card. With a shaky breath, she slid it into her laptop. The screen flickered, and soon, a video appeared.
On the screen, a young girl was holding a camera, filming Nari Hana herself. The image shifted, showing Nari Hana smiling sweetly at the lens, her voice soft yet bright.
"Hello everyone, I'm Nari Hana."
The moment those words echoed, Nari Hana's body stiffened. Her lips quivered, and tears blurred her vision as she watched the video of her younger self.
The girl behind the camera finally turned it around to reveal her own face. She laughed warmly, her voice filled with excitement.
"Hello everyone! I'm Heart, Nari Hana's heart."
Her joy radiated through the screen. She pulled Nari Hana into a side hug and giggled.
"You all must be wondering why I'm so happy today, right? Let me tell you—it's because I've found my true love. And here beside me is my cute little sister, Nari Hana. She's not my blood sister, but we are much more than that."
Heart's eyes sparkled as she continued, "Today is my birthday, and I wanted this video to be a memory for us. When we both turn twenty-four, we'll watch this again and laugh at how young we looked."
The younger Nari Hana, in the video, smiled brightly and added, "Yes! Right now, Heart and I are both sixteen. But when we turn twenty-four, we'll sit together and watch this memory again."
The screen went black. The video ended.
Reality came crashing back.
Nari Hana's hazel eyes burned with rage. She slammed her hand hard against the table, her knuckles turning white. Her eyes, now red and swollen, gleamed like a predator's in a dark forest. She grabbed her hair tightly, sobbing and screaming, her voice echoing through the room.
Through choked breaths, she shouted,
"You recorded every single one of my memories! You turned them into your game! I'll destroy you… Yui Tanaka! And you, Mr. Seojin Lang… I will ruin both of you!"
Her lips curved into a twisted smile as she wiped her tears with trembling fingers.
"I didn't come here to join your lives, Seojin… I came here to tear your family apart. I will snatch away every drop of happiness from all of you."
Her voice dropped, low and dangerous, almost a whisper.
"And I will enjoy it."
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed outside her room. Her body froze, ears sharp, heart pounding. Quickly, she wiped her face, hiding every trace of tears. With rushed movements, she snatched the memory card, shoved it back into the hidden pocket of her bag, and zipped it shut.
Her hands shook violently as she pushed the laptop closed, tucking it beneath a stack of study books on the desk. She tried to steady her breathing, but her chest heaved with every nervous inhale.
The door creaked open.
Nari Hana spun around. Fear gripped her chest, her breaths short and uneven.
Seojin stood there, his sharp eyes fixed on her. His face carried a storm of anger. Without breaking eye contact, he stepped inside, removing his coat and tossing it casually onto the side table.
His slow, deliberate steps brought him closer. Nari Hana's reflection in the mirror betrayed her secret—behind her, the edge of the laptop was faintly visible from beneath the books.
Her throat went dry. She forced herself to look into his piercing gaze, voice unsteady but controlled.
"Seo… Seojin. What are you doing here?"
Seojin's footsteps echoed heavily across the polished floor as he advanced toward Nari Hana. His sharp gaze pierced into her, each step carrying a storm of anger that made the air around them tighten. Finally, he stopped just in front of her, towering, his presence overwhelming.
Nari Hana's heartbeat raced. For a fleeting moment, she was certain he had seen everything—her secret, her hidden motives. Fear and rage collided inside her chest. Slowly, she slipped one hand behind her back, her trembling fingers curling around the small knife she had pulled from her poker set.
Her thoughts sharpened with a deadly edge. If you've truly discovered me, Seojin… then you won't leave this room alive.
But before she could act, Seojin's hand shot forward. His grip clamped around her wrist with such force that pain jolted through her veins. She winced as his fingers dug into her skin, leaving red marks where his strength bit into her flesh. With a sudden push, he forced her down onto the table, his face looming dangerously close.
His eyes—deep, stormy blue—no longer resembled calm seas. Tonight, they were thunder crashing over an ocean, unpredictable and violent.
Releasing her with a sharp motion, his voice cut through the silence.
"Nari Hana. I warned you… no one was supposed to know about our relationship. And yet, today, you screamed it out in front of everyone—our employees, the entire company."
His hand darted to her face, gripping her chin tightly, forcing her to look directly at him. His voice lowered, deadly and cold.
"What do you think you are? Do you take this marriage as a game? You even ignored my order about the dress. I told the maid to give you the black formal dress I had chosen. But you…"
Before he could continue, Nari Hana let out a low, mocking smirk. Her other hand loosened. The knife clattered to the ground, hidden in the shadows between them.
She raised her eyes to meet his, unafraid now.
"Yes, I know what I did was wrong." Her tone was soft, but her words carried defiance. "But tell me, Mr. Seo… how could a wife stay silent after seeing her husband with another woman?"
She moved casually, brushing her fingers over a nearby book as if to calm herself. In that swift moment, she slid the laptop safely into the hidden compartment of the study shelf. When she turned back, her lips curved upward in another smirk, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"You asked me once if it hurt to see you with Miss Yui." She tilted her head slightly, her voice trembling but strong. "And the truth is… yes. It hurt. It hurt more than I can ever put into words."
Seojin froze, surprise flickering across his features. His stormy blue eyes flickered with something else now—something unfamiliar, almost dangerous in another way.
Nari Hana stepped closer, her voice deepening with every word.
"Yes, Mr. Seo. It hurt when you kissed her. It hurt when you held her hand. Every touch you gave her felt like a knife stabbing my heart."
Her fingers, delicate yet bold, trailed lightly across his cheek, moving slowly as if memorizing every line of his face. His breath faltered, his body rigid under her touch.
"You married me for a contract," she whispered. "You never once considered me your wife. And yet… in these five months, I've fallen for you. I've fallen deeply in love with you."
Her voice cracked, pain dripping through every syllable. "I know you don't love me. I know you don't see me as your wife. But I can't help it, Seojin… every day, I've waited for you. I wore the dresses you liked, I chose the perfumes you loved, I tried to be everything you would want… and still, you never came."
Her tears spilled freely now, shining under the dim light. But even as her voice trembled, her smirk returned, bitter and broken.
Finally, she placed both hands on his face, holding him firmly, her eyes burning into his.
"Still… I love you. And I'm asking—no, begging—for just one chance. Give me one chance to prove that I can be more than a contract. That I can be your wife in truth."
Her hands slid down, gripping his wrist before guiding his palm slowly against her waist. The tension in the room shifted, heavy and suffocating.
For the first time, Seojin's breath quickened. His body stiffened, but his eyes softened just slightly, the thunder fading for a moment. His throat tightened, words caught inside, and his chest rose and fell sharply as he struggled to contain emotions he didn't want to admit.
For the first time, Nari Hana had cracked the mask of Seojin Lang.