I could only beat myself up when I thought about our past life. Now, our relationship is as cold as an iceberg. Mio was sitting quietly beside me, but she remained silent and didn't talk to me at all.
"Mio, how are you today?" I asked her softly, hoping my gentle voice would make her respond, but instead, she glared at me with a look of disgust.
I had already asked her out, but she rejected me without hesitation. In the past, she was willing to go anywhere with me. She was even happy just to sit in my car, but now, it seemed like she wanted to run away from me.
I felt guilty and deeply hurt, but it was my fault, right? I wanted to talk to her more, but before I could say anything else, she responded with a cold voice, "Stop talking and focus on driving. I don't want to die in this disgusting car with you."
I swallowed nervously, closed my open mouth, and focused on the road. I had never imagined I'd get married under these circumstances. I once dreamed of a happy marriage with Mio, but all I got was her cold shoulder during the entire drive. I was brought back to reality when she said, "Stop stealing glances at me. It's disgusting."
I'll do anything to make her happy, even if it takes a long time to achieve that goal. For now, I have to do everything I can to bring Mio back to me. But if she still chooses to leave, then I'll have no choice but to give up on her.
Sometimes it's true that love doesn't mean having someone—it means letting them be happy with their choices. When you force someone to love you, it's not love anymore; it's ownership.
I can't let her go, but I also can't force her to stay with me forever. I can't restrain her just because I love her more than I love myself. Mio isn't a bird to be caged in gold. She's a human being with feelings, and that's something I learned from my past life. Mio kept staring at the scenery outside, barely looking at me.
Is the scenery better than me?
Am I that ugly?
Or...
Is she uninterested in me because of my past?
But it's normal for her to react like this. I wouldn't want someone like me in my life either. I sighed deeply and kept an expressionless face. On the outside, I seemed normal, but inside, I was tortured. I focused on driving because I didn't want to upset Mio any further and make her hate me more.
We eventually arrived at our destination. We were about to become husband and wife, but it wasn't the happiest moment of my life. Our relationship wasn't what it used to be. I helped Mio out of the car and escorted her like a gentleman.
Mio didn't even glance at me—as if I were invisible. I felt hurt but tried to stay calm, taking another deep breath. Then Mio suddenly turned around as if someone was standing behind her and asked me, "Did you call me?"
I tilted my head in confusion and replied, "What do you mean?"
Mio confirmed that I hadn't called her and looked back again, finding nothing. Then she just shook her head without saying anything.
Why did she suddenly ask something like that? Were suspicious people spying on us from behind? Hmm, that was impossible. I had bodyguards stationed everywhere to protect both me and Mio. There was no way any bad guys could get near us.
My bodyguards were highly qualified, all graduates of military academies. They were masters of martial arts and skilled in stealth operations.
They could hide their presence effortlessly and work as spies to locate enemies. I shook my head helplessly, assuming Mio was just hallucinating.
I continued escorting her, and she didn't bring up the incident again. We took a photo for our marriage book—I grinned like a fool while Mio looked at me with cold eyes.
I didn't care about her expression; I understood why she felt that way. I knew that no matter what I did now, my past behavior wouldn't vanish. Mio was already disappointed in me. Still, I would do everything to make her accept me again. I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I was willing to work hard to rebuild her trust.
Trust is the most important thing in a relationship. A marriage without it will eventually fall apart.
I escorted Mio back to the car and asked her to have lunch with me, hoping she wouldn't reject me this time.
"Mio, how about having lunch together? I found a nice restaurant that matches your taste. I already reserved a table for us to celebrate our marriage," I said sincerely, smiling so brightly it could blind someone.
Mio stared at me. Her gaze alone made me feel like she thought I was being deliberate. But surprisingly, she didn't reject the offer—nor did she fully accept it.
"Okay, don't be too happy and fly high like a bird that ends up crashing down from overconfidence. I'm only agreeing because I don't want Mom and Dad to find out that we're not spending time together as husband and wife. So don't get it twisted—having lunch with you makes me sick.
Take a look at yourself in the mirror. What you see might just be an illusion. A handsome man isn't handsome if he doesn't have a heart."
Without another word, Mio opened the car door herself. I could only lower my head in silence and follow her.
I was happy she accepted my offer, but her words still hurt. I knew it was my fault in the first place, so I couldn't blame an innocent girl like Mio. She was doing nothing wrong. What I did in the past was simply coming back to haunt me. I could only curse my past foolishness.
Mio stayed silent and didn't talk to me like she used to. We arrived at the restaurant I had booked—it wasn't far from the marriage registration office. Mio sneered at me, clearly skeptical about the place.
It was no secret that this restaurant was known for romantic tales. Many bickering couples came here and left closer than ever. Its name was Go Beyond Your Limits, and their motto was: "Nothing is impossible if you work hard."
The restaurant was filled with young couples; not a single old couple was in sight. The whole atmosphere was designed to bring couples closer.
I led Mio to our table. Behind our seat was a giant love sign that nearly covered the entire wall. It was a favorite photo spot for young lovers. Mio gave me a dissatisfied glare, and I swallowed hard. She used to like romantic places—had that changed too?
I helped Mio sit, then clapped my hands once. The waiters immediately served the food I had pre-ordered for her. Mio glanced at the dishes and at me. She didn't comment on the food or the restaurant, which made me feel even emptier inside.
"Is the food okay?" I asked carefully.
Mio looked at me briefly and nodded but didn't say anything.
Honestly, I'd rather she fought with me than stay silent and ignore me like I didn't exist. Mio had figured out the perfect way to torture me.
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