“It’s for the company. Stop arguing and get married.”

When Seong Hyun Je’s stern order fell, Hee Won’s face turned pale.

“Father, how can I get married? And to Cha Kang Woo of LS Group…”

She was only 22 years old.

A life suppressed, she had endured only waiting for college graduation.

There was only one way to escape from her father who saw her as mere merchandise, and her stepmother who had abused her.

To say she was assigned to a provincial post after graduation. After that, her only hope was to live an ordinary life teaching children.

Hee Won despaired at the shocking news that shattered her hopes.

“I’m only 22 years old. How can I get married?”

She knew without thinking deeply.

A marriage being sold off, that marriage would be the end of her life.

At Hee Won’s words, Chairman Seong frowned and raised his voice.

“You’re already 22. Your mother had you at your age.”

Hee Won felt anger rising as she watched Chairman Seong speak shamelessly about her mother.

Chairman Seong remarried his secretary Choo Hyun Jung less than half a year after his wife died.

At first, she didn’t know. It was later that she learned Choo Hyun Jung and Seong Hyun Je had been in an affair while her mother was still alive.

Hee Won was shaken with betrayal when she found out that her two siblings, whom she thought were not blood-related, were actually born out of wedlock.

And now he dares to mention mother!

Anger welled up, but Hee Won was powerless before Chairman Seong. All she could do was glare at her father while trying to hide her trembling body.

“You know what kind of man he is, and you still want me to marry him?”

The other party was that notorious scoundrel.

Cha Kang Woo of LS Group, one of Korea’s leading companies.

Born as the eldest son of Chairman Cha, he had lived abroad since childhood and never appeared in the media.

It was only a few months ago that the veiled man entered Korea. But in a short time, rumors about him were rampant.

[They say he never sleeps with the same woman twice?] [His abuse of power is no joke. I heard he throws things and goes crazy if something displeases him even a little.] [Is that all? Last time, they say he cursed at a woman’s face just because she asked for his contact information.] [But I heard his appearance is a mess, there are rumors he has burn scars on his face…] [Someone said he can’t even walk properly. But honestly, his looks aren’t the problem. The problem is his personality. How does he even meet women?] [With that much money, wouldn’t there be women who cling to him? Honestly?]

A personality disaster, womanizer, it was sure to be a thorny marriage.

“Don’t you know the rumors about that man aren’t good?”

“Why wouldn’t I know?”

Unlike Hee Won’s despairing expression, Chairman Seong’s face was full of smiles.

“Is it a big deal for a man to have such minor flaws?”

“Father!”

“LS, haha.”

She knew that to her father, children were merely a means for business.

“We’ll have a simple meeting next week, and hold the wedding within this month.”

“…I haven’t even graduated from school yet.”

Still, she didn’t know he would sell her off so quickly.

It felt like the sky was falling. Everything went dark before her eyes.

Before Hee Won could finish speaking, anger flashed across Chairman Seong’s face.

Seong Hyun Je slammed the table with all his might and shouted.

“Do you know why I’ve raised you so preciously all this time? It’s for this very day.”

Raised preciously?

You just cared more about business, that’s all.

Hee Won bit her lower lip hard as she looked at Chairman Seong.

He only thought of her as a commodity.

He only tried to make her a flawless premium product to be used as a means of business transaction later, there was no love in it.

To get a better price in the marriage market, the product must not have any defects. Chairman Seong controlled her every move.

Hee Won couldn’t even make friends, let alone have a boyfriend, without her father’s permission. People called Hee Won the ‘precious flower of Jinseong Foods’, but the reality was different.

Hee Won always resented her father for treating her as nothing more than an object.

“If this business falls through because of you alone, will you take responsibility? You. Who do you think you have to thank for living well-fed and comfortable all this time?”

“…”

“Stop talking nonsense and take a leave from school. No, quit it altogether. What’s so important about that school? It’s LS. We’re becoming in-laws with LS Group.”

Chairman Seong’s mind was filled with thoughts of expanding the business rather than Hee Won’s well-being.

“Father, not me.”

There’s Se Jin and Yu Na, why does it have to be me?

Words she couldn’t utter swirled in Hee Won’s mouth.

“Don’t talk back and listen.”

Chairman Seong waved his hand as if he didn’t want to hear Hee Won’s words.

“Just quietly get skin treatments and attend cooking classes. Understand?”

“…”

“Aren’t you leaving?”

At Chairman Seong’s shout, Hee Won left the study without being able to say a single word of refusal.

It was a marriage with predetermined unhappiness.

She didn’t want to get married as if her life was being sold off.

I hate it, I hate getting married like this more than death.

But there was nothing she could do.

This marriage was a noose she couldn’t escape by will alone.

[This is the timeline separator]

A few days later.

Hee Won headed to a high-end members-only bar wearing revealing clothes she had never worn before. Entry wasn’t difficult as her best friend Joo Ah was a VIP here.

“Ah, I’m not sure if I’m doing the right thing. For now, stay close to me. Got it? There are quite a few crazy guys here, so you need to choose carefully.”

Joo Ah spoke with a face still full of worry.

Joo Ah, who loved to party and had an outgoing personality, was the complete opposite of Hee Won, but they were best friends.

However, they could only be friends because Chairman Seong had given his permission. If Joo Ah wasn’t the only daughter of Kyungsun Semiconductor, Korea’s top semiconductor company, the two could never have been friends.

So Hee Won sometimes thought it was fortunate that Joo Ah came from a good family.

“Yes. I understand. Thank you. I’m sorry for making even your mother worry.”

Joo Ah, who was the only one who knew Hee Won’s purpose for visiting here today, spoke while trying to appear cheerful.

“It’s nothing. Mother was also upset about you living such a stifling life.”

“Thank you, Joo Ah.”

“It’s nothing. But are you really okay with this?”

Joo Ah came close and whispered in Hee Won’s ear.

“A one-night stand. You don’t like this kind of thing.”

Joo Ah’s face was full of worry as she looked at Hee Won.

“It’s okay. It’s what I want most.”

She was grateful for Joo Ah’s concern. But that didn’t mean Hee Won could give up on her plan.

Joo Ah couldn’t relax her face even at the words that it was okay.

“Joo Ah, thank you.”

But seeing Hee Won’s expression as she held her hand, Joo Ah forced a smile and said.

“Since we’re here, let’s enjoy ourselves. Even if we don’t meet any guys, we can have fun just the two of us.”

Hee Won nodded in response.

Chairman Seong controlled even the places where she met Joo Ah. The reason Hee Won could come to the bar today was because Joo Ah’s mother had helped.

[If Hee Won gets married, they won’t be able to meet often, and Joo Ah was feeling very upset about it. I hear it’s trendy these days for friends to travel together before marriage? We happen to have a villa in Gyeonggi-do. Could Joo Ah and Hee Won spend just one day together?] [She’s not even married yet, staying out overnight is not allowed. We should be more careful before marriage…] [Chairman, our Joo Ah and Hee Won are best friends. If you’re that worried, I can accompany them.] [No, even if you do that, I…] [If you’re worried, you can come along too, Chairman. The villa in Gyeonggi-do is in the mountains, so it will be healing for you.] [Ahem, alright. Then let’s do that. Please send Hee Won back by the next morning.]

Joo Ah’s mother persistently persuaded Chairman Seong. Of course, it was possible because Joo Ah’s mother was the second daughter of Hanseo Group, ranked 14th in the business world.

Chairman Seong, weak to power, allowed Hee Won to stay overnight with Joo Ah.

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

She said that, but Hee Won was determined to achieve her goal today.

Today, Hee Won planned to have a one-night stand.

“Wait here for a moment. I’m going to the bathroom. Don’t go upstairs without me.”

Joo Ah left after insisting strongly.

Left alone, Hee Won looked around with trembling eyes.

Her heart was pounding at the thought of this first transgression.

Honestly, she was scared. Even for Hee Won, sleeping with a stranger was a big adventure.

Her father had demanded chastity in order to sell his daughter at a good price.

Having a one-night stand was an act of rebellion against her father who was forcing an arranged marriage.

But if she didn’t do at least this much, she felt it would be truly unfair.

“It’s really okay, let’s go in.”

Until then, she couldn’t even imagine.

That her transgression would become reality so quickly…

* * *

Upon arriving at the bar, Hee Won quickly drank with Joo Ah.

After some time, Joo Ah met someone she knew and left her seat briefly. Feeling awkward sitting alone, Hee Won headed to the bathroom.

But even when she returned from the bathroom, Joo Ah was nowhere to be seen. As she looked around, she saw the broad, muscular back of a man sitting at the counter, like that of an athlete.

Somehow, she couldn’t take her eyes off the man.

Hee Won walked slowly back to her seat, her gaze fixed on him.

“Would you like a mojito?”

“Yes.”

Even as she answered, all of Hee Won’s attention was on the man.

If she were to spend a night with someone, she wished it could be that man.

Though the relationship would end after one night, she wanted to spend a night she wouldn’t regret for the rest of her life.

She felt she wouldn’t regret it with that man.

‘Alright. Let’s just do it.’

After hesitating, Hee Won made up her mind and stood up abruptly.

Hee Won flashed a smile at the bartender who asked what was wrong.

Hee Won’s heart was beating faster than ever as she walked towards the man.

With each step, she felt dizzy. The effects of alcohol were belatedly kicking in.

It was her first time drinking alcohol. The result of eagerly drinking strong liquor without knowing her limit was… it left her in a state of intoxication.

But Hee Won couldn’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So she struggled to try to regain her senses.

Fortunately, she seemed to have come to her senses a bit by the time she sat down next to the man.

Hee Won turned towards the man and rested her chin on her hand. Then she greeted him with what she thought was her brightest smile.

“Hello.”