The white tiger Ko San was, as his nickname implied, a strict person to everyone by default.

It was no different for Se Eun, who was family.

Rather, he was several times stricter. The reason was clear.

20 years ago, when Se Eun was eight, she lost both her parents in a car accident.

And in that tragic accident, only Se Eun, who was in the same car, survived.

Because it happened when she was so young, and due to the shock of the accident, her memories remained only vaguely.

According to the circumstances revealed at the time, Se Eun’s mother sacrificed herself to save her only young daughter.

Se Eun’s mother who died then was Ko Yeon Hwa, Chairman Ko San’s most beloved eldest daughter and Korea’s top jewelry designer.

The accident thwarted the launch of the jewelry brand under the Ko San Group that she had been actively preparing.

All that remained was Se Eun, who returned injured with her leg crushed by the car door.

No one welcomed Se Eun, who returned alive after losing both parents.

Even her only blood relatives, her aunt and maternal grandfather, looked at her with cold eyes.

‘You should have died instead.’

Even at the young age of eight, the intent read in those eyes was engraved in Se Eun’s heart as sharp fragments.

Afterwards, Ko San didn’t even try to look at Se Eun’s face.

He openly disliked even sitting at the same table, and whenever young Se Eun tried to act spoiled out of loneliness, he would cruelly push her away, calling her ‘the girl who ate her mother’.

As time passed and she gradually became an adult, Se Eun finally realized.

She was a sinner in this Ko San family.

A person who could never be forgiven, whose mere existence was a sin.

The marriage of such a sinner was no different from being sold off like a bundle of goods.

Fortunately, due to being confined for so long, her disability remained only as hushed rumors.

It was fortunate, if anything could be called fortunate.

However, now due to the unprecedented recruitment of a grandson-in-law, her misery was about to be exposed to the world.

She hoped desperately that no one would apply for such an absurd son-in-law recruitment, but Se Eun’s wish was not granted this time either.

In less than a week, her husband appeared.

*

“Welcome.”

“Excuse me for the intrusion.”

A man with a robust build stepped into the chairman’s office with its impressively high ceiling.

Ko San, true to his name, loved high things very much.

That’s why the floor with the chairman’s office was specially made with an extra high ceiling by opening up an additional floor.

The man glanced indifferently at the expensive artwork densely covering the towering walls, then plopped down on the leather sofa before Ko San could even offer him a seat.

Restraining his secretary who was about to say something in surprise and sending him out, Ko San examined this young and brash man.

It took some nerve to come to meet him wearing ripped jeans and sneakers.

His fine hair, roughly combed down, swayed beside his arrogant eyes.

His handsome features blended with that rough atmosphere to exude a strange charm.

“Indeed, as rumored, you seem well-suited to captivate a woman.”

“That’s my only talent.”

The man looked straight at Chairman Ko San with a wink and a smile.

He was the prospective grandson-in-law that Ko San had personally selected from among numerous applicants.

Ki Sun Woo, the second son of Juha Group, a major corporation rivaling the Ko San Group.

However, such a label was of little use.

Ki Sun Woo was known as the notorious playboy of the business world and a discarded prince.

“It’s an honor, given that there must have been quite a few applicants for such an enticing offer.”

Sun Woo pulled up the corner of his mouth while casually swinging his leg.

Seeing that face, Chairman Ko San hid his satisfaction at having made a good choice.

Although he was in a fallen state, pushed aside by his half-brother, and with a rock-bottom reputation, his polished face would be quite useful in this marriage.

After all, for such an unconventional recruitment, an unconventional character was needed.

“They’re all thieves hiding their dark intentions while pretending to be decent, but you with your obvious intentions are better than that.”

“Because that way you can easily manipulate me in your hands, right?”

Ha ha ha, a hearty laugh escaped Ko San’s lips.

Even though he was in his 80s, people around him still found him intimidating and could hardly look him in the eye.

Yet here was this youngster, almost grandson-age, looking him straight in the eye and provocatively leading their deal.

Ko San, who had survived in the business world no different from the wild for a long time, was adept at reading people’s eyes.

This rough and untameable man, like a young leopard, was undoubtedly the person he had been looking for.

“Whatever the case, I have chosen you. As the grandson-in-law of Ko San.”

“About that, I’d like to have a choice as well.”

Sun Woo tilted his body slightly and narrowed his eyes, then opened them.

Then he boldly snapped his fingers and suddenly proposed.

“I heard your granddaughter, the bride-to-be, suggested skipping the ceremony due to her leg disability, but I don’t want that.”

Ko San hesitated for a moment at the unexpected words.

Of course, he had no desire to present his limping granddaughter in front of people.

“You mean… you want to hold a wedding ceremony?”

“Yes. I’ll choose the date. The more lavish the wedding, the better. With lots of distinguished guests invited.”

Hmm, Ko San pondered for a moment.

As if not wanting to give him time to think, Sun Woo threw out another provocative statement.

“I have nothing to lose, but don’t you want to marry off your granddaughter as soon as possible, Chairman?”

To this man who dared to even guess his inner thoughts, Chairman Ko San rarely raised a white flag.

The other party’s words were correct.

Not missing an opportunity that came his way was the most important principle in his life.

And that a deal should rightfully have give and take to be established.

“Fine. I’ll give you the grand wedding you want.”

*

The newlywed home was arranged not far from the original family home.

In fact, it couldn’t even be said to have been arranged.

It was originally where Se Eun’s parents had lived.

Se Eun, who was eight years old at the time of the accident, was called into Ko San’s main house, and her parents’ house remained empty all this time without being disposed of.

Se Eun was bewildered, not expecting her grandfather who hated her to give her mother’s cherished house as a newlywed home.

But the most difficult thing to adapt to was the existence of a ‘husband’ that appeared overnight.

Having lived almost confined at home since childhood, she had no proper friends.

It would be fair to say she was almost ignorant about age-appropriate interests like dating or marriage.

However, she could clearly feel that this current situation was not normal.

“You’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for a while.”

“……”

Instead of answering, Se Eun stared blankly at the unfamiliar man in front of her.

Ki Sun Woo. The person who became her husband from today.

He leaned casually against the bed, his mouth full of smiles.

“The new bride wouldn’t come into the room, so I’ve been waiting alone for a while.”

“Ah, um……”

Feeling like she should say something, Se Eun hastily opened her mouth.

“Wouldn’t it be better to call me ‘honey’?”

“What?”

“Your grandfather would frown if he saw you saying ‘um’ to your husband.”

“……”

It was an accurate point. He probably would have roared if he had seen this scene.

Even so, Se Eun didn’t have the audacity to suddenly call this newly acquired husband ‘honey’.

“If it’s too uncomfortable, you can call me elder brother. I heard you’re a year younger than me, right?”

“…Yes.”

She knew about Ki Sun Woo’s background roughly from a single document her grandfather had thrown at her.

Twenty-nine years old this year. Second son of the Juha Group. Unemployed.

While Se Eun was unable to choose between calling him ‘honey’ or ‘elder brother’, the man in front of her began to scrutinize her thoroughly like a predator eyeing its prey.

Even considering it was cold because it was winter, Se Eun’s attire was excessive for being indoors.

A knit sweater covering up to her neck, and a baggy coat that revealed no curves of her body.

His gaze stopped especially at the end of the long skirt that thoroughly covered her ankles.

Because of this, Se Eun ended up examining Ki Sun Woo in return.

Since she couldn’t look at his face properly during the wedding, his handsome features felt unfamiliar anew.

His arms and legs stretched out on the bed were also surprisingly long.

What particularly captured her attention were his eyes.

Despite being light-colored, the intensely powerful gaze reminded her of a leopard’s eyes.

A gaze that was frightening yet somehow bewitching.

She wanted to avoid it, but strangely couldn’t take her eyes off.

Her spine seemed to stiffen from the excessive tension.

It was then.

Sun Woo suddenly flung back the blanket and jumped off the bed.

Then he abruptly approached and grabbed Se Eun’s hand.

“What, what are you doing…!”

Just as she was about to pull her hand back, startled by the unfamiliar touch.

His long, straight fingers quickly tied something around Se Eun’s fourth finger.

“…?”

Dazedly, Se Eun looked down at it.

A bright yellow dandelion flower had somehow become a ring tied around her finger.

“I picked it from the yard on my way in. It’s still February but dandelions are blooming, global warming is serious, isn’t it?”

Unable to respond to his nonchalant tone, Se Eun looked down at the small dandelion flower ring.

A loose knot tied clumsily.

Though it was just a single flower, it conveyed the man’s rough free-spiritedness who had plucked it.

“Great. We’ve solved the ring and flower at the same time.”

“……”

As a gift, it was a truly careless one.

Nevertheless, the yellow flower bud adorning her finger looked infinitely pure.

“Well then, now that I’ve done the basics as a husband, shall we move on to the next thing?”

He suddenly grabbed Se Eun’s hand, which was fidgeting as she wondered whether to take it off.

Thanks to that, the distance between them that she had been consciously maintaining was suddenly closed.

Se Eun blinked her eyes in bewilderment and perplexity that washed over her.

“The next… thing?”

After gazing intently into her eyes as if examining her, Sun Woo soon threw his gaze to the bed.

Then, from his exquisitely drawn lips came an infinitely provocative answer.

“Did you forget? Tonight is our wedding night.”