The ride back to the estate was suffocatingly quiet.
Nicole sat with her hands folded in her lap, eyes fixed on the city lights streaking past the window, but she wasn't really seeing them. Her father's words replayed on a cruel loop. The way the table flipped. The smug look on her brother's face. And then—
I love your daughter.
Her breath hitched.
That wasn't rehearsed.
They had planned timelines, stories, details—but that hadn't been part of it. Gu Sean's voice had been steady, unwavering. Protective. Real.
Did he mean it?
Nicole swallowed and shook her head slightly, forcing the thought down before it could take root. This was a contract. A partnership. She couldn't afford to let herself believe otherwise—not yet.
She finally became aware of the car slowing, the iron gates of the estate opening smoothly as they pulled inside. The familiar sense of calm washed over her, but her chest still felt tight.
Gu Sean glanced at her once, as if he wanted to say something, then thought better of it. "We're home," he said quietly.
She nodded. "Thank you… for today."
"For always," he replied, just as softly.
⸻
The Days That Followed
The next few days passed in a whirlwind.
Meeting Gu Sean's family was… surprisingly easy. His grandparents were warm and dignified, his parents reserved but kind. There were no accusations, no judgment—only approval and genuine happiness.
"You suit each other," his grandmother said with a knowing smile, squeezing Nicole's hands. "He's calmer already."
Nicole wasn't sure how to respond, but something in her chest eased.
Then came the planning.
Venue tours. Floral consultations. Dress fittings. Cake tastings. Color palettes. Everything moved fast—so fast it made her dizzy. One moment she was sampling champagne frosting, the next she was approving centerpiece designs worth more than her old monthly rent.
This is my life now, she thought, stunned.
⸻
The Confrontation
One afternoon, after a long tasting session downtown, Nicole decided to walk the short distance back to the car alone. She needed air. Space.
"Nicole."
Her steps faltered.
She turned slowly.
Samantha.
Her brother's wife stood a few feet away, arms crossed, lips pressed into a tight smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"We need to talk," Samantha said.
Nicole's spine stiffened. "I don't think we do."
"Oh, but we do," Samantha snapped, stepping closer. "You waltz back into everyone's lives with a rich fiancé, playing the victim like you always do."
Nicole's pulse spiked. "Excuse me?"
"You think you won," Samantha continued bitterly. "You think marrying him makes you better than us?"
Nicole let out a sharp laugh, disbelief cutting through her shock. "You kicked me out of my own home. You lied. You took everything and still want more?"
Samantha's face hardened. "You should've stayed gone."
The words hit harder than Nicole expected.
Voices had risen. People stared.
And then—
"I wish you were never born."
Nicole froze.
Her father stood a few feet away, face twisted with rage. "You're useless. Always have been. All you do is bring shame. If not for that man, you'd be nothing."
The world tilted.
Nicole's chest burned as tears threatened, but she refused to let them fall. She straightened, voice shaking but strong.
"I was paying the rent. I fixed the house. I worked overseas for years. And you still chose him."
Her father scoffed. "You're good for nothing."
Silence rippled outward.
Then a familiar presence stepped in beside her.
Gu Sean.
He hadn't raised his voice. He didn't need to.
"That's enough," he said coldly. "From this moment on, you will not speak to my fiancée that way again."
Nicole's breath caught as his hand slid to the small of her back—steady, grounding.
"If you continue," he added, eyes hard, "you'll answer to me."
No one spoke.
Gu Sean turned slightly, lowering his voice just for her. "Let's go."
As they walked away, Nicole finally let herself breathe.
And for the first time, she realized something profound:
She wasn't alone anymore.
And whatever this marriage began as—it was becoming something neither of them could control