I dropped my spoon. „No. You can't be serious about that. I'm 17. I cannot marry someone I do not know." My mom tried to bring me down again. "He's 19 and the inheritor of the biggest jewelry store chain in the whole country! And he's really attractive. We would never choose a husband for you that's not dignified to marry our precious daughter." "You shouldn't arrange a marriage for your 17 year old daughter at all! Geez, are ya'll crazy?" I sprung up and looked at my parents. They were seriously planning on marrying me off to a complete stranger just because it would help them with their business. "I would understand you if you would tell me that our business isn't running anymore but..." "You know that having a fashion label is hard. And your mother wants to sell accessories that go with her new clothing line and..." I looked at my parents, not believing what they just told me.

I was wrong.

I sighed. It was the time before Christmas and all kinds of rich managers and politicians came around to the head quarter of my husband's jewelry chain to get their wives some cute diamonds for the holidays. And of course they got even bigger rocks for their affaires. I was disgusted by this fake life. I'm now married to Renjun for 3 years. My parents didn't listen to my prayers and I had to say yes in front of the altar. I looked over to him. He's not looking bad. His hands are fine and his fringe is falling into his face while he's burnishing the golden chronograph in his hands. He noticed my staring. "Hey... are you thinking about what you want me to get you for Christmas?" I shook my head. "No. I don't want anything for Christmas." He sighed. "Come on. I can get you anything and you want nothing. I just want to make you feel comfortable. I know that you're not." He put down the chronograph and came over to me and caressed my arm. I wrapped my arms around his waist and the tears started to flow. "I want to be free again. Please." "You know I can't give you that. We cannot divorce. I know how bad you want this but I don't think that's possible." I sobbed. "Why? You can just tell everyone that I'm cheating on you or that I'm crazy or..." "Our parents..." "I don't care..." He kissed my forehead. "You don't know how much your words hurt me, do you? Being married to someone who doesn't love you in a romantic way is like waking up in hell every morning again and again. I fell in love with you and married you but I can't have you. That's the worst penalty I ever got..." "I'm so sorry Renjun... you know that I love you but... just not in that way. I tried to fall in love with you but you're just the best friend I could ever imagine and..." "Enough. Give me a break please. We'll see how things will work out." I let go off him and he ran back to his chronograph and stared at it. I wiped my tears and waited for the next customer to arrive. A group of 7 men called us and wanted to see our new collection. They didn't give me any more information but I didn't care. In the end they'll be like every other customer. They'll leave a fuckload of money here and gift beautiful bracelets, tiaras and necklaces or rings to their wives and affaires. I sighed once again. Why did Renjun fall in love with me? That's so unfair. Would he be happier if I would just carry on acting like I do when we're on the red carpet? Should I act like I deeply love him? No. He wouldn't believe me. He's not stupid and it would hurt him even more. And I need to escape out of this world. I wasn't a part of the pretty folk and I would never be a part of it.

I went to the bathroom to renew my makeup. I looked down onto my watch that was made out of 24K gold and 12 heart-shaped rubies. Renjun made this watch with his own hands and I think it's helping him to know that I actually like this present and still wear it. Never mind. The clients will arrive in... "Hello? Is there someone?" I ran out of the bathroom back to the counter. Renjun wasn't there anymore and the clients arrived a bit earlier. "Aaaah. I'm sorry!" I bowed down to greet them. Wow. They were younger than I expected. All of them were wearing black suites and they all looked like models. I was kinda overwhelmed at first but one of them brought me straight back to reality. "I'm sorry Misses Byun; we're a bit early..." His voice was deep and warm while his hair was bright silver and cold. "No problem. I'm there for you. How can I help you?" "We want to see the whole new collection. We don't know what to buy yet and we just want to see everything." "Well, okay. Follow me." Everything? That'll take some I'm. Good thing that I wouldn't mind spending some hours with the tall man with silver hair. "Can you tell me your name? Just so that I know who you are Mister..." "Kim. Kim Jeunguk. But you can call me just Jeunguk." I flushed. I didn't do that in the past 3 years even one single time. "Okay Mister..." I coughed. "Okay Jeunguk. I'm Sidney. And these are my babies." I opened up the vitrine with the platinum earrings. "They are really pretty. Could you please wear them so that I could see how they'd look on my girlfriend?" I nodded my head and put them on. Jeunguk took my hand and made me do a pirouette. "Pretty." One of the men hit his shoulder. "Are you talking about the earrings or her?" "Ohh Changsun..." I looked confused at all of them. Some of them were walking around looking at the other vitrines and another part of the group was standing there with me. They guy named Changsun joked around while the others were frowning at him but he still walked up to me and whispered into my ear. "Don't listen to him. He is single. And I think he likes you." Jeunguk pulled him by the suit coat. "She is married. Don't you know that? Stop being so rude." He rolled his eyes and I opened my mouth to say something I didn't expect myself saying it. "My marriage was an arranged marriage. I do not love my husband. I just want to say that." Changsun started laughing and so did the others. "You guys aren't manager. I don't even think you guys could afford even one single pair of earrings from this shop. What are you guys doing here then?" I took off my glasses and loosed my bow tie that was part of my work uniform a little bit. A tall guy who was silent till this point came near me and opened his mouth. I could read the word "Cory" on his shirt collar and assumed that it was his name. "We can afford them. Would you please take our order now?" "Order...well. Then you'll have to pay a part of the price in advance, is that okay?" "No problem." Ten minutes later I had an entire page filled up with stuff they wanted to buy. Jeunguk opened his mouth again. "And the set of earrings you're wearing. We'll get them now." "Alright." I took them off and placed them into a fancy satin box and tied a ribbon around it before I gave it to Jeunguk. Right after that Cory came up to me and gave me an insane amount of money in cash. "When can we pick up our order completely?" "Tomorrow evening should be fine." "Okay. See you then." They walked away and I put the money into the big safe right behind me. What a weird experience. But this guy with the silver hair... I felt warm breath in my neck and startled. I turned around and found Jeunguk right behind me. "Make sure not to be here. Just tell your husband to give us the stuff. Pretend to be ill or... please." He slightly pressed my hand and ran away. He's beautiful but I don't understand what his problem is. They were all a bit weird. Who the hell carries so much money around? And why shouldn't I give them the jewelry to them?" I shook my head, left the shop and asked my chauffeur to take me back to my apartment. What a crazy day...

"Red carpet? Tomorrow night? We're going to see an opera? Okay. I will throw on the dress you send me. But our clients... yeah. I will be there. Okay. See you later." I put my phone down. Things are getting really weird right now. I threw on the red satin dress and the black Louboutin's and rushed out of the house. I don't want to see an opera... ugh. At work I fixed my makeup and took out all the boxes that were filled up with jewelry to the top. So much gold, silver and platinum... for what do they need all this stuff? "Are you done?" "Yeah..." I walked out of the bathroom and up to the counter. "And they really bought all of this stuff? You checked if the money is real, did you?" I rolled my eyes. "Of course I did." One second later it was dark in the whole building. "What the hell? This shouldn't happen..." I heard two shots of a gun and kneeled down under the counter. One more second later the lights were turned on again. "Come out. Both of you. And hands up. Or someone will die." I put my hands up and saw Cory and the boys standing on both sides of him. "What do you guys want? We have cameras everywhere and the police is on the way... you're not even wearing masks and you really think that I'm scared of you?" He shouldn't have said this. Changsun shot right in front of him into the floor. "Give me your money and the jewelry and we'll just go. Your security system is terrible by the way. Easy to hack actually." Somehow I wasn't scared. I wasn't even scared when Jeunguk came around the counter while I was collecting all the money from the check out and whispered into my ear again. "I told you not to be here..." "Maybe I had to be here. I missed you." Cory shook his head while I was giving him the whole day's takings. "You're insane. What are you doing here? I thought Jeunguk ran back to tell you not to come." "I didn't know why and so I was curious... what do I have to loose?" "Your life?" "You wouldn't shoot me." I laughed. "How can you be so sure about that?" "I got robbed here so often... but you guys are really something new. I wish they don't get you. Man... I wish I could even go with you." Cory smiled but Jeunguk shook his head. "Hey, your husband is standing right behind you! Won't you get in trouble for saving stuff like that?" I felt a hand around my wrist. It was Renjun. "Go." "What? Where?" "Go with them. Take the money and the jewelry." I felt tears dripping down onto my hands. "Take everything what you need and leave with them." "Renjun? What are you talking about?" He started to yell. "Just go when I tell you to do it! You wanted to be free! I know that you will never love me. We can't divorce but if you get kidnapped I can't do anything against it. Run away and live your life like you always wanted to do it. Promise me to never come back. I don't want to see you again ever in my life. I will call the police 1 hour from when you leave this door. Make sure that they do not get you. Don't let them find you ever."  I stared at him. He didn't just say this, did he? Jeunguk grabbed my wrist and the others got the money and the jewelry. Renjun had tears in his eyes and I stared at him with my mouth wide open. "I wish you guys a lot of luck. You'll need it. Take her away from here. Take here somewhere where she's happy. If something happens to her I'll find out and I will ask my men to kill each of you one by one. I loved this girl but I know that she never wanted me. I will go now. It's time to say goodbye." I got tears into my eyes. And walked up to him one last time. I took my watch off and placed it onto the counter. "Thank you for everything Renjun. I won't forget you." I hugged him and literally felt how much he was dying on the inside. "I love you. And in my next life I'll find you and make you love me too. But now it's time to send you again. 'Only know you love her when you let her go...'" He left. But not without giving me my watch back. "Please wear it. And please don't forget me." I started crying and crying. Cory asked me if I really want to leave with them but I wanted to do it. I do not remember much of this evening. I only remember that I fell asleep on the load area of a pick-up with Jeunguk holding me...

"Jeunguk, I'm not sure if..." "Why? Don't you want to marry me?" He was on his knees in front of me and held up the proposal ring. "I love you but..." "We're a couple since 5 years... please!" "That's why I'm afraid! What if someone finds out that I've changed my name and that I'm still..." "Don't worry and trust me. And now say yes." I sighed and then started to laugh. "Yes! Yes I want! There is actually nothing on this planet that I do want more!" He jumped up and put the ring onto my finger while kissing me. Some hours later we were sitting in front of the carmine cuddling and enjoying our life. We moved to the other side of the country. We were far away from Renjun and the police didn't catch us in that fatal night that changed my whole life. I looked down onto the proposal ring. "It looks like..." "It is. You know that I'm in contact with Renjun. He sent it to me. He thought it was the right time too." I sighed. "What about him? Did he marry again? Since he didn't talk to the media the last few years I didn't get what's going on in his life. And he only contacts you so..." "You know that he's just in contact with me to make sure that you're okay. And yes. He married. And he has two children now. I think he's finally fine." I smiled. "That's great. I want him to be as happy as I am with you." Jeunguk pulled me onto his lap and kissed me. "You're a mess. You're such a mess. Your life is so fucked up but you still have the energy to carry on living in this chaos. How is this possible?" I took off his shirt while he was kissing my neck and leaving dozens of small love bites. "I have you. I lived because I waited for you and when I found you my life just started. That's why I'm still dealing with all this shit." "And that's why I love you this much..."

"Mom! There is a man telling that he's my uncle! Come here! Fast!" I looked over to Jeunguk and with panic in my eyes I followed my 7 year old daughter Renmin. What if the police found us? Never mind. Not after 12 years... I froze. Jeunguk finally followed me too and wrapped his arm around my waist. "I thought you'd like that surprise." In front of me there was my ex-husband Renjun. "Long time no see." "I didn't see you since you bestowed me my life." "I didn't want to see you cause you were my life and it was hard to let you go. But now that I'm all settled I wanted to visit you and your husband again. And like I see you got a beautiful little daughter, too." "Mom? Who is this?" I kneeled down on the grass next to my mousie. "This, Renmin... this is the man who made it possible for mom and dad to meet and love each other." Renmin started to chuckle. "They I'm glad that you met him!" I stood up and Jeunguk kissed me. "Yes. I think Mom and I are really lucky that this man is in our life." Renjun laughed happily. I never heared him being that happy. "Hey little Renjin. Do you see the watch that your mother is wearing? I made it for her as a lucky charm. And then she met papa and you. It really brought her luck. And you're still wearing it. Still my watch. Still my love. Still 24K."