“Today, my daughter is getting married to Jin Sun Woo, the head of K1 Construction’s development division, in the special suite of the K1 Hotel right across from here. Others may envy me for becoming in-laws with a chaebol family, but I’m just grateful for how much my daughter and son-in-law cherish and love each other.”

When Han Moon Taek paused briefly, the commotion among the reporters grew a bit louder.

“Han, congratulations.”

“Oh, who do we have here? Isn’t it Assemblyman Min? And Assemblyman Jang is here too?”

Several politicians with connections to Han Moon Taek, a former political reporter for the Goryeo Daily, showed up at this ridiculous event to flaunt their acquaintance. The reporters grew more excited as their material increased.

‘This is crazy!’

She quickly realized why her father was putting on such a ridiculous clown show.

Frustrated that he couldn’t invite guests to the wedding to spread the news of becoming in-laws with K1 Construction, he was spreading the news this way instead.

Overwhelmed by unbearable embarrassment, Green covered her face with her bag and rushed into the K1 Hotel.

Entering the makeup room, the waiting attendant sat her down in a chair and skillfully began working.

“Just keep it simple, basic is fine.”

“But it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event. You should take advantage of all the services available!”

“No, really, just the basics please. I’m begging you.”

The staff, who had planned to show off their skills for the owner’s granddaughter-in-law, were deflated, but Green didn’t mind.

She was just too preoccupied with her father, Han Moon Taek, making a spectacle in front of the hotel.

“How long have those reporters been gathered out there?”

“Since 9 AM. At first, they came up to the special suite for an interview with someone claiming to be the bride’s father, but it was too disruptive so the manager chased them all away. Then they started that commotion across from the hotel…”

The makeup artist, who had been gossiping about the bride’s father and the reporters, suddenly realized who she was talking to and clammed up in shock.

She thought she was dead, having badmouthed the bride’s father to the bride herself. Her hand holding the brush trembled.

From then on, silence fell over the makeup room. With no conversation, the attendant’s hands moved even faster.

By the time makeup, hair styling, and putting on the wedding dress were finished, it was only noon.

“There’s a lot of time left before the ceremony. Would you like to go to the bride’s waiting room?”

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

As soon as Green sat down in the bride’s waiting room, Sun Woo arrived.

He was dressed in a comfortable navy suit. It was a stylish suit that accentuated his toned physique, but it was far from the look of a groom about to get married.

“You’re here?”

A faint smile finally bloomed on Green’s face, which had been weighed down by anxiety throughout the wedding preparations.

Sun Woo stared intently at Green, who sat like a painting in the bride’s waiting room, beautifully made up.

Unlike their first meeting, he had already seen her dressed up beautifully for the family introduction, but her appearance in a wedding dress was new and unfamiliar.

“Green, are you all done preparing already?”

“Yes, the staff were so skilled that it finished quickly.”

He too was feeling displeasure at the clownish act Han Moon Taek was putting on in front of the hotel.

But the moment he saw Green in her pure white wedding dress, he felt somewhat cleansed of the muddy feeling.

Though it was a marriage in name only, he suddenly became aware of the fact that from today, she would be his wife. On the other hand, he was also a bit concerned about the time she would have to endure from now on.

“Will you be alright?”

“Of course.”

Green deliberately answered cheerfully to Sun Woo’s seemingly worried gaze.

She wanted to let him know that if he kept his promise to her, she too would do her best for him.

“Shall we shake hands?”

Green extended her hand to Sun Woo first. Sun Woo’s large palm firmly enveloped Green’s small, soft hand.

When her hand, frozen like ice, touched Sun Woo’s warm hand, she felt like she was regaining her normal body temperature. His warmth seemed to melt even her heart, which had frozen stiff with tension.

“I’m counting on you, Sun Woo.”

“I’m counting on you too.”

Their gazes lingered on each other for a while. As Sun Woo was about to say something, there was a knock and an employee entered.

“Director, Secretary Ahn Yong Gi has arrived.”

“Alright, I’ll be out soon.”

Sun Woo’s gaze lingered briefly on Green’s fair face before turning away. Green felt there was a hint of pity in his eyes, but she quickly shook her head.

There was no reason for him to pity her. This was just a contract for their mutual benefit, after all.

As Sun Woo turned and slowly disappeared from view, Green found herself slumping into her seat without realizing it.

Suddenly, an inexplicable fear washed over her, as if she had set out onto the vast ocean relying on just a small boat. The bouquet in her hand trembled slightly, but she couldn’t share this anxiety with anyone.

From now on, it was entirely her burden to bear alone.

*****

As the clock struck 2:30 PM, Han Moon Taek, who had been surrounded by reporters, decided it was time to wrap up his show.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the press. I hear that my in-laws have arrived, so I should head into the venue. I apologize that we couldn’t invite all of you to this small wedding.”

“Mr. Han Moon Taek, you owe us a nice meal!”

Everyone burst into laughter at one reporter’s joke.

“Kim, it should be drinks, not a meal. Isn’t my son-in-law the grandson of K1 Construction’s Chairman Park? I’ll tell my son-in-law to set up a drinking party for us, so look forward to it!”

The reporters gathered there cheered at Han Moon Taek’s quip.

They were all seasoned in this field, so none of them truly believed the love story Han Moon Taek had spun about his daughter and Director Jin Sun Woo.

They were simply curious about what tricks he had pulled to make this marriage happen.

“Thank you all for coming. I’ll be in touch again.”

After greeting the gathered reporters, Han Moon Taek headed towards the ceremony venue with his chest puffed out proudly.

Green, beautifully dressed in her wedding gown, was waiting for him in front of the special suite door.

“Why are you standing out here?”

“I was waiting for you, Father.”

“When do we go in? Do they give us a signal from inside?”

“They said to come in as soon as you arrived, Father.”

“Then let’s go in.”

As Green nodded, the waiting staff opened the special suite doors wide. Han Moon Taek entered confidently with Green.

The interior of the special suite was lavishly decorated with sparkling lights and fresh flowers.

As he walked down the wedding aisle with Green, Han Moon Taek could only feel sorry that more people couldn’t see this beautiful scene.

Holding Green’s hand and walking up to the platform, Han Moon Taek finally realized something was off.

Jin Young Cheol and Park In Young, the groom’s parents, were standing on the left, but the groom, Sun Woo, was nowhere to be seen. The officiant’s podium was also empty.

Han Moon Taek looked back and forth between Park In Young and Jin Young Cheol with a bewildered expression and asked.

“Where is my son-in-law?”

“Sun Woo left for Incheon Airport two hours ago.”

Park In Young checked her wristwatch and slowly spoke.

“By now, he should be on a plane to Paris.”

“W-what?”

Han Moon Taek was shocked. On the other hand, Green covered her mouth with her bouquet and smiled brightly.

She was quite pleased with the big ‘screw you’ Sun Woo had prepared for Han Moon Taek.

In fact, Green had heard about the plan for a ‘wedding without a groom’ from Sun Woo the night before the family introduction.

“Honestly, I love it. It exceeds my expectations to the point where I’m looking forward to the wedding.”

She kept smiling at the thought that Han Moon Taek, who had been so eagerly anticipating the wedding, wouldn’t even see a shadow of his son-in-law.

“Father looked ready to cling to Jin Sun Woo and ask for all sorts of favors as his father-in-law. But with Sun Woo out of Korea, he won’t even get to see his son-in-law’s face, let alone ask for any favors.”

Green’s voice, which had been full of excitement imagining Han Moon Taek’s frustration, soon filled with worry.

“I overheard Father on the phone a few days ago, and it seems more people are approaching him to do business together these days. They’re saying that when Jin Sun Woo inherits K1 Construction later, they could create synergy.”

There was silence on the other end of the line for a while after Green’s words. After a moment, Sun Woo spoke.

Sun Woo didn’t explain the situation in more detail, but Green was satisfied enough with Sun Woo’s plan. That’s why she had willingly attended the family introduction.

Han Moon Taek was so shocked by the news that Sun Woo had already boarded a plane to Paris that he kept standing there in a daze. Meanwhile, his mother-in-law In Young turned to Green and spoke as if nothing was wrong.

“You just need to sign here on the marriage registration form. Sun Woo has already signed it.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Green approached the small table In Young was pointing to. On it lay the marriage registration form with Sun Woo’s neat signature already in place.

Holding the pen, Green looked at Sun Woo’s father, Jin Young Cheol, before signing. He was staring at Green’s hand without blinking.

With an expression as if he had lost everything in the world, looking like he might burst into tears if someone touched him.

Only then did Green realize. How much Jin Young Cheol hated this marriage.

She realized that when she signed this marriage registration form, the big picture of Sun Woo giving a big ‘screw you’ to his own father would be complete.

Conscious of Jin Young Cheol’s gaze fixed on her fingertips, Green gripped the pen tightly and signed with more force than usual.

“Hic…”

Although he quickly covered his mouth with his hand, everyone heard the sob that escaped from Jin Young Cheol. Park In Young merely glanced at her husband.

‘He really doesn’t want me as a daughter-in-law.’

Green muttered inwardly as she capped the pen. Well, she didn’t particularly like Jin Young Cheol either, so she didn’t feel especially wronged.

“Now it’s all done.”

After carefully checking the marriage registration form, Park In Young held it out to Han Moon Taek.

“Shall we handle the marriage registration, or would you like to submit it yourself?”

“I’ll… do it.”

Even in his half-dazed state, the suspicious Han Moon Taek absolutely refused to entrust the marriage registration form to Park In Young.

In that respect, Green found her father somewhat admirable.

Receiving the marriage registration form with trembling hands, Han Moon Taek turned to Park In Young and asked.

“Why did my son-in-law go to France?”

“He won a bid for a private resort construction project in Marseille. It’s a project Sun Woo put a lot of effort into, and he’s achieved results this time.”

“Then the business trip will be quite long, won’t it? How long…”

“At shortest, a year and a half. I expect two years. Of course, it could be longer.”

“What?”

Han Moon Taek, who had been trying hard to maintain his composure, exploded at the news that Sun Woo wouldn’t return from France for two years.

“I was trying to understand that as a man with important work, he had to leave urgently without even holding the ceremony. But are you saying my precious daughter has to live alone for over two years?”

“How strange. Even without Sun Woo’s business trip, did you think these children could have a normal married life?”

“And why couldn’t they?”

Park In Young smiled coldly at Han Moon Taek’s bold retort. Judging that he was no longer worth dealing with, she returned to her cold businesswoman face.

“As promised, we’ve handed over the marriage registration form so it can be submitted right after the wedding. Mr. Han Moon Taek, please make sure you’re familiar with the contents of the contract as well.”

“Then, what happens to my daughter now?”

“Green will live in the house where Sun Woo used to live until he returns. After all, she is our daughter-in-law now.”

As if all business was concluded, Park In Young told Jin Young Cheol, who was still in despair, that it was time to leave.

Coming to his senses, Jin Young Cheol glared at Han Moon Taek and Green in turn before leading the way out of the venue.

Park In Young turned to Green and said.

“Come along.”

Not having heard from Sun Woo about the situation after the wedding, Green followed Park In Young slowly, slightly bewildered.

“G-Green.”

Han Moon Taek’s pitiful voice was heard from behind.

When she reflexively turned around, Han Moon Taek was standing there helplessly, holding the marriage registration form in one hand.

The confident demeanor he had shown while interviewing in front of numerous press reporters just moments ago was nowhere to be seen.

Green turned her gaze back to the retreating figures of Jin Young Cheol and Park In Young, who had become her parents-in-law.

Although her mother-in-law, who strictly controlled her emotions, was more difficult than her father-in-law, who was so blatant about disliking her, it still seemed better than enduring her father Han Moon Taek, who disguised his own desires as his daughter’s happiness.

‘You brought this on yourself, Father.’

Green, who had been looking at Han Moon Taek with a cold gaze, slowly turned to follow Park In Young.