Seokjin paced restlessly in his room while Taehyung sprawled on the settee, absently toying with his phone.

"Tae, this wasn't part of the plan, was it?" Seokjin queried, his handsome features etched with concern.

Taehyung shrugged indifferently, his gaze fixed on the screen.

Seokjin sensed Taehyung's lingering displeasure from the awkward dinner two nights prior. He had felt uneasy about Youngsoon's affectionate gestures. Yet, Taehyung had remained silent on the matter.

With a heavy sigh, Seokjin pressed on. "Tae, you know I have no feelings for Youngsoon. I have a girlfriend. You've met her. She's the smartest, kindest, most beautiful woman I know, and I love her."

"I know," Taehyung murmured, still engrossed in his phone.

Seokjin settled into the chair beside the settee. "So, what's our next move? What's your plan to convince Jeongho to approve your marriage to Youngsoon?"

Taehyung let out a sigh and set his phone aside. "I'm not sure anymore. I thought Soon would play along with your fake engagement while I proved to Uncle that I can be more responsible at the office. I thought it would show Mr. Lee I'm worthy of his daughter."

He straightened up, his expression defeated. "But now... I don't know. When I saw how she kissed you—"

"That was just for show," Seokjin interjected quickly, trying to calm his cousin.

"For whom?" Taehyung exclaimed. "No one else was there but us. What if she was trying to tell me she doesn't want me anymore?"

"That's absurd!"

"No, it's not," Taehyung insisted. "She kissed you before I even arrived. Who was she trying to convince? The staff?"

Seokjin looked away guiltily. "You saw that."

"She was sitting on your lap," Taehyung continued bitterly. "She didn't seem like she was pretending to like you. I think she actually does like you."

"Again, that's ridiculous," Seokjin said, shaking his head.

"No, hyung, it's not," Taehyung protested. "And I think you liked it."

Seokjin stood up abruptly. "No! It's nothing like that."

Taehyung rose to his feet as well, facing his cousin. "I think being away from your girlfriend is affecting you. Now you're thinking about messing around with Soon, since she seems to be into it. You see her as an easy target." He couldn't disguise his displeasure.

Seokjin worried his cousin might start a fight. Taehyung was already scowling, and his tense body language suggested he was on the verge of something physical.

"Tae," Seokjin warned.

Taehyung took a step closer, his eyes blazing. "You think like an American now. Just because you haven't had sex in a few weeks doesn't mean you can pick up any girl as a substitute. You can't use Youngsoon for your pleasure. Do whatever you want with your American girl, but don't bring your underhanded playboy ways here to steal my girl!"

"That's enough!" Seokjin exclaimed, his body tense. "For your sake, I hope you're not insulting Luisa in any way because I won't allow it."

"So, you don't miss sleeping with her?" Taehyung asked angrily.

"That's none of your damn business!" Seokjin yelled before regaining his composure. He turned and walked to the other side of the room. "We're not talking about Luisa. We're not talking about anyone sleeping with anyone, okay?" He whirled around to face his cousin. "For the last time, I'm not interested in Youngsoon. I don't want to flirt with her. I don't want to sleep with her. I don't care what you think."

The younger man hung his head. "Hyung, I'm...sorry. I was out of line. I just have a suspicion that she has changed her mind. Now that she saw you, she forgot all about me. I really think that she's going ahead with the wedding. With you."

"You said all I had to do was play along for a little while and that you had a plan to get me out of this mess," Seokjin said, his voice laced with frustration. "So, do it. You can't just give up now. I'm not marrying her, and I'm sick of my father's constant reminders of my responsibilities. I know Lee Jeongho might cut ties with our company if I don't marry his daughter, but I'm not going to sacrifice my life for a business deal. You promised to help me get out of this, so now's the time to deliver." The handsome man's face was distorted in anger.

Taehyung's expression turned stern, but he seemed to understand the gravity of the situation. "Fine. You've been away for a while, so you might not know, but there's a clause in the marriage contract that grants Uncle shares in the Lee Jeon Group if the Kim heir marries Soon." He motioned for his cousin to sit down again.

Seokjin's eyes narrowed as he took a seat. "Get on with it. What's the catch?"

Tae took a deep breath before continuing. "The thing is, if you don't marry her, Uncle doesn't get the shares. But if you do, then Soon can decide she wants out of the marriage and... Kim Incorporated can keep the shares."

Seokjin nodded impatiently. "Yes, yes. And? How do I get out of that?"

"After you get married—"

Seokjin shot to his feet. "You're serious? You expect me to actually get married?"

"Yes," Taehyung motioned for him to sit down. "You have to be married to get a divorce. Is that not how it works in America?"

"Tae!"

Taehyung's expression remained calm, but his tone was gentle. "Hyung, think about it. If we don't make it look like a real marriage, it'll raise suspicions. And we need to make it believable if we're going to get away with this."

Seokjin's face twisted in disgust. "You're asking me to get married for real? Are you out of your mind? That's not what I signed up for!"

Taehyung sat down beside him, his hands spread in a calming gesture. "I know it's not ideal, but it's the only way to make this work. Think about the benefits – we can use the time to gain Lee Jeongho's trust, and then when Youngsoon divorces you, we come out on top."

Seokjin's anger simmered beneath the surface, but he took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. "This was not part of the plan. I need some time to think about this," he growled.

"I need your help, hyung," the younger man pleaded.

Taehyung's words were met with a fierce scowl as Seokjin's anger boiled over. He shot to his feet. "You're not taking my feelings into account, are you?" he spat, his voice low and menacing. "I have a girlfriend back home, someone I care deeply about. I promised to return to her, and I asked her to think about marrying me. Do you know what you're asking me to do?"

The younger man sighed.

Seokjin's eyes blazed with indignation as he paced around the room. "This is not what I signed up for. I didn't agree to become a fake husband, and I certainly didn't agree to hurt someone I love."

Taehyung winced at the intensity of Seokjin's words. "I didn't mean to make things harder for you, hyung," he said softly. "But think about it this way: the wedding will be here in Korea, and the divorce will be handled discreetly. You wouldn't have to tell Luisa anything."

Seokjin's face turned white with rage. "You're suggesting I lie to her? You make it sound so easy. That's not just a little white lie – it's a betrayal of trust. I can't do that. I won't do that." His voice cracked with emotion as he struggled to keep his composure.

Taehyung walked up to him. Hi's hand on Seokjin's arm was gentle. "Just give me a little more time, hyung. Please, don't give up yet. If you refuse to marry her and Uncle gets angry, I'll be cut off from Youngsoon forever."

Seokjin's sigh was a low, resigned sound. "Look, Tae, I understand you want to win Youngsoon's heart, but I'm not going to pretend to be someone I'm not. If my father cuts me off and Mr. Lee cuts ties with us, so be it. You'll have to find another way to make her yours." He paused, his eyes locked on Taehyung's. "Or find someone else."

Taehyung's scowl deepened. "Imagine if someone told you you couldn't be with Luisa and you'd have to move on. Would you just walk away from her?"

Seokjin's expression turned thoughtful. "Of course not, but our situations are different. I've fought hard for Lu, overcoming countless obstacles. It's a story you know nothing about." He shook his head. "I'll never let her go. I love her too much."

"And don't you think it's the same for me?" he asked softly. Taehyung's question hung in the air, heavy with unspoken emotions.

Seokjin's eyes filled with desperation. "Please, don't ask me to do this. I can't marry Youngsoon. I can't lie to Luisa. She's been through too much because of me, and our love has been tested too many times. If I lose her, I lose myself."

Taehyung saw the pain in his cousin's eyes and felt a pang of guilt for asking him to make another sacrifice.

"Sorry. You're right. I'll think of something else." Taehyung's apologetic whisper hung in the air.

Seokjin's response was a defeated nod. "Yes, but don't take too long. Father and Mr. Lee are already making plans." He gazed at his cousin's crestfallen face, his own expression mirroring the sorrow. "I'm sorry, Tae. If there was any other way to help you, I'd do it." As Taehyung walked away, Seokjin's eyes followed him, his gaze heavy with regret.

As Seokjin's mind wrestled with the puzzle, he struggled to come up with a new plan. What other paths was he missing? What avenue had he overlooked?

He yearned to confide in Luisa about the mess he was in, but how could he explain the impossible situation to her? "Hey, love, I'm going to get married to someone else just for appearances' sake. Don't worry"? It was a cruel thing to ask her to accept. She was in Dallas; he was in Seoul. Would she even believe that it was not real? She had no way of knowing what was going on.

And even if she did believe him, how would he navigate this sham marriage? How would any of this work? He wasn't too sure he trusted the clause that Taehyung told him about. What if there was more to it? There always was with these corporate marriages. Most of the families expected a couple to have children to inherit the business. No! He couldn't do that to Luisa.

The thought of being so far away from her made his head spin. He knew Luisa loved him with all her heart, but could he ask her to understand this twisted situation? If the situation were reversed, would he? He felt trapped in a web of his own making.