Chapter 17

I woke up alone in my bed, and for the first time in a month, it didn't feel like a prison. It oddly felt like home. For the first time in a month since our wedding, I wore my wedding rings. This time, they weren't a reminder of my fairytale nightmare, but of my husband's words from last night: "I don't share what belongs to me, Sofia; and for the next five months, that includes you!"

I knew Gabriel also worked weekends, and from observing him over the past month, I suspected he'd be working even more now that he'd just returned from a week in London. I was on my own, and decided to visit my grandfather. He'd moved back home last week, living alone for the first time since my return from Seoul. He'd never lived alone before, especially not since his cancer diagnosis.

My childhood home was three hours outside the city, in the outskirts. My hometown wasn't poor, just isolated, small, and quiet—the kind of place where everyone knows everyone, and loves to gossip.

I debated calling Gabriel from the moment I left until I was minutes away. I hesitated because I hadn't updated him on my whereabouts, and didn't want him to think I'd become clingy just because he'd seen me naked.

Finally, I called anyway. He answered on the last ring, just as I was about to hang up. "Hello?" He sounded busy; there was a bustle in the background, and I wondered if he was even at the office.

"Hi," I began, pausing. Maybe he wasn't at work.

"Freckles, I only have a minute. Can you make it quick? I'm rushing to a meeting."

"Yeah, sorry," I said, shaking off my thoughts. "I just called to let you know I'm visiting my grandfather."

"Okay," he replied. "Are you planning to stay for a few days?"

He sounded confused. Of course he was confused—why the hell had I called with such a minor update?

"No. I'll be back tonight, or tomorrow morning. I have work to finish before Monday."

"Uh-huh." He sounded distracted. "The painting you're working on?"

"Oh no. There's a file I need to review; my boss specifically asked—"

"Huh?" He interrupted.

"What?"

"File? Boss? What are you talking about, Freckles?"

"I told you about working last week, didn't I? When we were having lunch after Arthur—"

He interrupted again. "Yeah, I remember. You said work. Aren't you a painter, like my mom?"

"Gabriel," I said flatly, "I paint as a hobby. I'm a finance analyst."

"Wait, what?" He sounded angry—low but serious. He had my full attention. "So you got a job? A real job, with a boss?"

"Y-Yeah."

"Are you fricking serious, Freckles?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" My voice rose defensively. "I asked if it was okay for me to go back to work, and you said it was fine—"

"Yeah, when I thought you were a painter who needed a studio in the house." He interrupted again, his voice rising.

"And it's supposed to be my fault that you disappear for half the days we've been married and haven't taken a single hour to learn the most basic things about me?" I shouted.

I actually shouted. I saw the driver glance at me in the rearview mirror as he pulled into my grandfather's driveway.

"You know what," I said, not giving him a chance to reply after his silence. "You were busy. You had a minute. That minute is long gone, so I'll let you get to your meeting. I've arrived anyway. Bye, Gabriel."

I ended the call. I sat in the car for a few seconds, catching my breath, before grabbing my bag, putting away my phone, and heading into the house where I'd spent most of my childhood, determined to have a good day despite the argument.

"I came to Seoul for you, Sof. We've been together since we were five. And I find out about your marriage from a news article?"

"Alice…" I reached across the table, but she pulled her hand away. I tried to hide my hurt. I knew this wouldn't be easy. "I'm sorry. Everything just happened so fast. And it's not a love marriage, you know? It's been hard."

"So the rumors are true? It was arranged?"

I nodded.

She adjusted her glasses, pushing back her blonde hair before sighing. "You're still my Sof?"

"Always." I offered a smile. "From the cradle to the grave, right?"

"From the cradle to the grave." She relented. "But if you ever ghost me again for a month, or leave out a major detail like getting married to a hot-shot billionaire, I will put you in your grave. Understand?"

I laughed. "Sounds fair." Alice had been my best friend since childhood, always by my side, even after I moved to Seoul following my parents' death. She was taller than me, blonde, and much prettier.

When I decided to marry Gabriel for the money, one day I was saying yes, and the next I was told to pack my bags and leave because there was an aisle I had to walk down.

How do you explain that to your best friend? How do you explain that you married for money? That you weren't even allowed to have your lifelong friend at your wedding?

"Oh, I've missed you." Her smile was so sad it almost broke my heart.

"You have no idea how much I've missed you too, Al," I mumbled. "Getting married so suddenly, moving towns… it was so much."

"It must have been hard." She murmured. "I should have called. I'm sorry."

"No. I should have called after I settled in. I just didn't know how to explain things," I said. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

"I'll get over it." She smiled. "But I don't think Sam will…"

I sighed.

When Alice arrived an hour earlier with soup for Grandpa, she looked ready to run. I had to beg her to stay and listen, but throughout our conversation, I dreaded this name being mentioned.

When I remained silent, she continued, "You know, he didn't believe me when I told him about the article. He only believed it when the pictures hit the internet, and he didn't date anyone for a week after."

A heaviness settled in my chest, and my smile vanished.

"Sof, he's had a thing for you for years, you know?" She kept her hand on mine. "He deserved to hear it from you."

"I know," I replied quietly, avoiding her gaze. I didn't tell her I'd had feelings for him too, all those years. I didn't tell her how we'd flirted, how we'd looked at each other. I didn't tell her I thought we'd get together eventually, but after Grandpa's diagnosis and taking two jobs to support him, I couldn't think about boys anymore.

And so I didn't. And then, I got married.

"Anyway!" she said loudly, pulling me from my thoughts, trying to cheer me up. "Tell me about this husband of yours!"

"Gabriel?" Unknowingly, my eyes shone at the thought of him. "What's there to tell?"

"I don't know. You don't have a thing for him?" She grinned. "Are you seriously telling me you live with all that hotness every night and haven't taken advantage?"

"Alice!" I exclaimed, eyes wide.

"What?" she laughed. "Give me details!"

"No details to give, okay?" I pursed my lips, trying to hide my smile. "Gabriel and I… there's nothing between us."

"No? You don't even care for each other?"

"Nope." I shook my head, and she continued to smile smugly.

"Then tell me, Sof, why is there a man who looks like your husband walking towards us right now?" My eyes widened, my heart thumping, and before she finished her sentence, I turned to see my husband, his eyes already on me, walking toward us.