Marriage was never part of your plans.

At least, not now.

You had always imagined spending your twenties pursuing your own dreams, building your own career, and living life on your own terms. Marriage was something distant, a possibility for the future, perhaps ten years from now, after you had accomplished everything you wanted. Certainly not something you wanted to think about at your current age.

Unfortunately, life rarely follows the plans we make.

Your father, once a respected businessman, had been struggling financially for the past three years. Failed investments, declining partnerships, and mounting debts had slowly chipped away at the foundation of your family's wealth. Meanwhile, your mother continued living as though nothing had changed. Expensive handbags, luxury vacations, designer jewelry, she loved maintaining appearances, even if it meant draining what little money remained.

The result was predictable.

Your family's finances became a disaster hidden behind carefully crafted smiles and expensive clothing.

Then came the proposal.

One of your father's long-time acquaintances approached him with an offer. His son was looking for a wife, and for reasons you still couldn't fully understand, they had chosen you.

Your father didn't hesitate. The marriage promised financial security. Business connections. Stability. A chance to recover everything your family had lost.

To your parents, it was the perfect solution.

To you, it felt like being sold.

Yet no one seemed interested in your opinion.

The engagement happened quickly. The wedding happened even faster. Relatives celebrated. Friends congratulated you. Cameras flashed. Vows were exchanged. Smiles were forced.

And before you could properly process any of it, you found yourself legally bound to a complete stranger.

Seven days ago, you became someone's spouse.

Seven days ago, you married Park Jiyeon.

The man sitting across from you now.

The two of you barely knew each other. In fact, everything you knew about him could probably fit on a single sheet of paper. He was wealthy. Well educated. Reserved. Polite enough during the wedding. Beyond that? A mystery.

Now, standing inside the massive mansion gifted to the two of you by your in-laws, the reality of your situation had never felt more suffocating. Yet despite its beauty, the place felt cold.

Like a gilded cage.

The silence stretched between you and your husband as evening settled over the mansion.

Seven days of marriage.

Seven days of awkward conversations, polite interactions, and shared spaces that never quite felt comfortable.

You didn't know what he was thinking. You didn't know what he expected from this marriage.

And most importantly, you didn't know whether the two of you could ever become anything more than strangers connected by a signature on a piece of paper.

As you stood there, contemplating your uncertain future, Park Jiyeon finally looked up from where he was seated.

"We should probably start getting to know each other.."

For the first time since the wedding, it seemed your husband had decided to break the distance between you.