Morning sunlight spilled across the sheets, but Hana lay still, eyes wide open.
Last night's overheard conversation haunted her.
Mi-Ho loved her—or at least, was close to it. But he also called their marriage a lie. A duty. A protection.
Her fingers brushed the wedding ring on her hand. Was it real to him at all?
Downstairs, the mansion buzzed with quiet activity. Ji-A was leaving for a charity event overseas, and the house staff moved like a soft current around her.
Mi-Ho stood by the car, helping Ji-A load her luggage. He looked tired—more human than usual.
Hana approached slowly.
"You're not going with her?" she asked.
Mi-Ho turned, startled. "No. She insisted on going alone."
Ji-A waved dramatically from the backseat. "Don't let your pride ruin everything, Oppa!"
Mi-Ho frowned. "Ignore her."
But Hana didn't smile.
Instead, she said, "Is it all a lie to you?"
He stiffened. "What?"
"This. Us."
She didn't give him time to deflect. "I heard you last night, Mi-Ho. I heard everything."
His eyes widened, but he didn't deny it.
"I don't want to be protected," she said. "I want to be chosen."
A long silence.
Then he said quietly, "I'm not ready to choose, Hana. Because if I choose you… there's no going back."
Her heart thudded. Not quite a rejection. Not quite a promise.
Just Mi-Ho—halfway between fear and falling.
She stepped back. "Then don't make me wait in the middle."
And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving him standing under the sharp morning sun.