DH ✦ Ch 9

✦ Chapter 9 ✦

The first issue that sprang to mind was their relationship as husband and wife.

She wanted to ask if sleeping together at night also meant having sex. But the words wouldn’t come out.

After mouthing the thought in silence, lips trembling, Gayoung ultimately abandoned the question.

We’re adults.

If the situation calls for it, it’ll happen.

But there was a far more troubling issue.

The only things Hyunjae knew about Yoon Gayoung were that she was an orphan, the niece of a couple who managed a vacation villa, and a Columbia University student. Based on that, he must have concluded she was the best candidate for secrecy and fulfilling the agreement.

But what he knew was just the tip of the iceberg.

He had no idea that this iceberg held within it a massive, filthy secret—one that could possibly bring disgrace upon the entire GB family.

Her above-average moral compass urged her to confess the truth. But her desperate reality kept her lips tightly sealed.

If she told him now, Hyunjae would certainly withdraw his offer.

Gayoung looked down at the floor with anxious eyes, then at the wall, and finally at Hyunjae.

“May I ask you one thing?”

“Yes.”

“Do we have to register the marriage legally?”

It wasn’t that she wanted to register it. Quite the opposite.

Unlikely as it was, if the issue ever came up, she needed proof that they were not legally married.

Avoiding legal binding would serve as a last safety net for both Hyunjae and his family. This was a question wrung from her conscience.

But it seemed Hyunjae interpreted it the wrong way.

He touched his temple with his fingers, looking troubled. But his moment of contemplation lasted only a few seconds.

“That’s not possible. Legally, it would cause too many complications.”

His response gave Gayoung a sense of relief. She interpreted it as a way to prevent any legal disputes over assets.

Having neatly wrapped it up, Hyunjae asked her with a tone of finality:

“Can you agree to this kind of contract marriage?”

There was no point in Gayoung hesitating any longer.

“I’ll do my utmost in my role.”

❦

“Gayoung, heaven must be helping us.”

All the way to JFK Airport, Sunhee kept repeating those words. She had no idea that the “heaven” she referred to was actually the grandson of the villa’s owner.

Last night, Gayoung had discussed the details of the contract marriage with Hyunjae. During the talk, she voluntarily offered to keep the marriage a secret from her aunt and uncle.

It was a fitting arrangement for a marriage that wouldn’t last long. Even after the period ended, Gayoung planned not to disclose the marriage to anyone close to her.

Hyunjae promised to introduce her only to his immediate family as his wife. Except in unavoidable situations—but he alone would decide what was “unavoidable.”

Any other issues that might arise would be resolved solely based on Hyunjae’s decisions. Gayoung had agreed to comply completely.

On the basis of “mutual trust,” Hyunjae chose not to draw up a formal contract. Though the grounds for trusting each other were not just weak—they were practically nonexistent.

That morning, Gayoung had fulfilled every wish she’d made—enough that she could’ve run away from the deal without regret.

The assistant Hyunjae sent, Kil Byungsoo, was a miracle worker.

He arranged her uncle’s hospital discharge, bought them a meal at a fancy restaurant, drove the three of them in a luxury sedan, and handed over tickets to Korea.

“We were cursing about the hospital bill, but seriously, advanced countries are different. Can you believe the insurance covers all this?”

Sunhee’s newfound admiration for America was all thanks to Byungsoo.

Introducing himself as a TA from the business department, he explained with clarity that Columbia’s student insurance also covered family medical expenses. As for the plane tickets, he claimed that Gayoung’s friends, touched by her situation, had pooled their money together.

Naive country folks Sunhee and Bongman were completely convinced.

Sunhee even went so far as to whisper to Gayoung, “Don’t you think that TA likes you?” and nudged her saying, “I really like him—give it a try.”

At the departure gate, Gayoung held Sunhee’s hand.

“Auntie, I’m sorry you couldn’t travel more.”

“Just setting foot on American soil counts as a trip. And seeing you surrounded by such good people, we can leave feeling at peace. That’s all we need.”

Standing a step back and watching them say goodbye, Bongman’s eyes welled up with tears. He had been struggling with guilt over the trouble he had caused.

As Gayoung approached him, he quickly wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and grumbled,

“Damn American air’s harsh. Hurts my eyes like hell.”

With a faint smile, Gayoung gently touched his still-cast-covered arm.

“Uncle, thank you for everything. I hope your arm heals soon.”

“Bones heal on their own if you leave ’em be.”

“Still, you need to be careful until the cast comes off.”

“Worrywart.”

Unable to express affection openly, Bongman awkwardly turned his attention to Byungsoo and bowed deeply.

“TA, sir… I’m truly grateful. Thank you so much.”

Soon after, Sunhee and Bongman disappeared with bright smiles beyond the departure gate.

“Ahh…”

Gayoung let out a long breath of relief.

For that moment, all other worries and the dread of the near future disappeared. She had returned her aunt and uncle to their peaceful lives. That was enough.

❦

The next two days were packed with events for Gayoung.

Following Byungsoo’s lead, she went to a photo studio and took wedding photos alone—just her in a veil. The simple shoot returned astonishing results the next day.

A wedding ceremony officiated by a pastor with just the couple present.

The photos were digitally rendered using the latest techniques so flawlessly that even experts would have trouble detecting they were fake.

There was more.

By filling out some personal details on a form handed to her by Byungsoo, a U.S.-issued marriage license was fabricated—identical to an official document with actual legal validity.

Holding the wedding photo and license in both hands, Gayoung marveled.

“Money really can buy anything.”

She gave up sleep that night to memorize every detail of a fabricated story—how she and Hyunjae met, dated, and got married—so they could present a consistent narrative to the GB family.

She was busy with other preparations as well: canceling her summer internship, packing up her dorm room, and checking out of the residence.

The next morning, she received another fake-yet-real item.

It wasn’t Hyunjae, but Byungsoo who handed it over—a pair of wedding rings in a case.

A luxury brand design: simple white gold bands inlaid with diamonds, with the engraving “Hyunjae & Gayoung” on the inside.

Gayoung slipped the ring onto her left ring finger just before heading to the airport.

She boarded the plane to Korea a mere 40 hours after entering into the marriage contract.

Beyond the curved glass window, clouds stretched below the blue sky.

Two hours out from New York, the plane was flying high above the Pacific.

In the business-class seat beside her, Byungsoo was lightly snoring. Across the aisle was Gayoung’s solo seat.

Hyunjae, having read a paper to kill time, set it down.

His eyes naturally drifted toward Gayoung. She had been tossing and turning since boarding, but was now completely asleep. She must’ve been exhausted after several sleepless nights; fatigue had finally overpowered her anxiety.

Noticing the ring glinting on her hands folded neatly over her stomach, Hyunjae let out a quiet chuckle.

I married that girl? Me?

The idea of a contract marriage had been impulsive.

He had blurted it out before thinking it through. In hindsight, it was actually a pretty decent idea.

It aligned with his grandfather’s obsession with getting him married this year. He could wrap up marriage and divorce all in one go without hassle.

A woman desperate enough to beg on her knees. A man who extended his hand. That was a perfect story to elicit blind obedience.

As a fake bride, Gayoung checked every box. Given that he had even considered cutting ties with his family, he had nothing to hesitate about. But still…

Was that really the only reason?

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Hyunjae’s lips. His gaze lingered on the serene face of the sleeping woman.

For the past year, he hadn’t been able to figure something out.

The one day he felt least like himself in his thirty-three years of life.

What was that abnormal desire? He’d seen more explicit situations before without losing control of his rationality. It couldn’t have been just because he saw her naked.

He had overlooked or deliberately ignored a lot of things in life. But this question burned at him so badly, he was desperate to know the answer.

He’d imagined all kinds of scenarios: maybe he’d been possessed by the ghost of a horny dog. Maybe someone had spiked his drink with an aphrodisiac. Maybe something was wrong with his eyes.

Or maybe—and this was the most ridiculous thought—maybe it was love at first sight.

Love… with that girl?

Back then, it was so absurd that all he could do was laugh.

But when he unexpectedly met her again—now a more mature version of the girl from his memory—his heart raced for some reason.

If that’s not fate, what is?

Now, by sheer coincidence, he had a chance to find out the answer to that nagging question. She was willing to accept any terms—there was no reason to refuse. Three months wasn’t such a big waste.

And so, Hyunjae decided to keep Yoon Gayoung by his side.