Truth Behind the Opening

~* Benedict's Private Villa *~

~ In the Guest Room ~

Peony stirred from her slumber in Benedict's private villa, and the vigilant butler promptly informed him of her awakening.

"The butler, a tall and sturdy figure in his 40s, clad in a distinguished grey uniform, addressed her from outside the room, "Young Miss, is there anything you need?"

Peony, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes, observed the butler. "No need. Where is Benedict?"

"Young Miss, Young Master will arrive shortly," he assured with a warm smile.

"Thank you. I'll wait for him," Peony nodded appreciatively.

Searching her handbag for her phone, she found it switched off. Concern etched her face as she thought, "What will I do now? I need to contact Mom." Thankfully, she had her charger, and with a sigh of relief, she plugged it into her phone.

Having refreshed herself with a quick wash, Peony made her way to the grand living room. The space, a seamless blend of elegance and modernity, boasted state-of-the-art amenities that complemented its chic aesthetic.

Opening the door in a swift response to the doorbell, the butler greeted the unexpected guest with a warm smile, "Young Miss Amaya, welcome."

"It's been a while, Butler Kim. How are you?" echoed a sweet voice, filling the air with familiarity.

Peony, standing in the living room, found the voice oddly familiar, triggering a sense of nostalgia. "I have heard this voice before," she mused, her curiosity piqued.

The unexpected guest, elegantly draped in a royal blue cheongsam, glided into the room with a graceful smile. The intricate embroidery on her attire hinted at a tale of cultural richness, each stitch telling a story of tradition.

"Senior?" Peony immediately identified her.

"Peony, you're here? It's been so long," Amaya exclaimed with genuine delight, enveloping her in a warm hug. The air filled with a sense of reunion as their connection, forged through time, unfolded.

"Senior, it's a long story. It's indeed been so long," Peony replied, reciprocating the embrace.

As they settled into the living room, conversation flowed, accompanied by the arrival of maids bearing refreshments and snacks to the table.

Amaya was Peony's one-year senior in high school and also happened to be Benedict's cousin.

"Peony, why didn't you contact me after high school?" Amaya inquired, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern.

Peony sat with a gloomy demeanour, struggling to find the right words. Eventually, she sighed and confessed, "My results took a nosedive in my final exams, and I couldn't secure a spot in a reputable college. I lost touch with many over time."

Amaya raised an eyebrow, scepticism evident in her gaze. "I have to believe that? You, the student council vice president, having bad results? It must be bad according to you. It's a silly reason."

"No, it was so bad that my position was taken away. But leave that aside; you're glowing today, senior. Did you bring some good news?" Peony deflected, attempting to lighten the mood.

Amaya gently pats Peony's head, eliciting a flustered reaction. "W-what?" Peony stammers.

"Nothing, just checking you," Amaya smiles warmly. "You're still the same."

Peony's eyes flicker with a mix of surprise and curiosity. "You and Benedict are quite similar," she mumbles, her gaze drifting to a nearby solo portrait that captures Benedict's infectious grin.

Amaya chuckles, her laughter carrying the weight of shared memories.

Benedict enters the room, a mixture of surprise and amusement crossing his face as he playfully smacks his own face. "You!"

"You're dramatic as always, Benedict. Even I want to puke facing you," Amaya chuckles, shaking her head.

"I should call your husband to pick you up," Benedict threatens, his tone laced with playful mischief.

Peony interrupts, her eyebrows raised in a mix of amusement and disbelief. "Do you act as a CEO even with your family?"

Benedict is momentarily taken aback, but then his concern breaks through the banter. "Don't you need more rest? What are you doing sitting like a superhuman after everything that happened to you?" His words carry genuine worry.

"What happened to her?" Amaya asks immediately, concern etched on her face.

"Senior, I'm fine now," Peony tries to evade, offering a reassurance that struggles to convince.

"No, tell me everything, Benedict. This girl is hiding everything from me. I can see through her that she is not well," Amaya insists, her gaze piercing through Peony's attempt to downplay the situation.

Benedict sighs as he tells her, "She just somehow survived today."

As he continues, leaving out the part where she was with Garret and was on their way to the airport, Amaya looks at Peony, seeing the frailty etched on her features, her body shivering. Amaya wraps her in a tight hug. "My dear junior, everything will play out right," she whispers, a mix of comfort and concern in her voice, a reassurance that extends beyond words.

Peony weeps, the comfort she needed so desperately now unfolding in Amaya's embrace. Benedict looks at her, his gaze fixed, a mixture of empathy and helplessness in his eyes. His heart feels an itching sensation, a familiar heartburn that triggers a thought, "I should order some more antacids."

Clearing throat Benedict asks, "Amaya, what brings you here?"

"Oh, this.", Amaya brings out a card and hands it to Benedict, "My son, Ryan's 1st birthday is next week, make sure you come and Peony since you're here as well you should come with Benedict."

"You have a son!" Peony exclaims, her eyes wide with genuine excitement..

Amaya's face beams with maternal pride as she hands Peony her phone, revealing cherished snapshots of her precious little one.

"Awww, so cute. Whose features did he inherit?" Peony inquires.

"Obviously my dominant genes," Amaya replies with a playful yet heartfelt smile.

"Both chatterboxes in one room," Benedict playfully interjects.

Amaya smirks, "Not getting the attention, Ryan's uncle?"

"Whose uncle? I'm not that old," Benedict retorts with a hint of mock offence.

"Oh, really? Soon every kid in our family will call you uncle. When will you marry? See Peony, this is his problem. Everyone is telling him to marry, but he? He's married to his company," Amaya complains, her tone a mix of jest and genuine concern.

Peony chuckles, "Yeah, senior is right, when will you marry? You'll surely find someone special, and it will be a grand celebration in our K city."

Peony's words unexpectedly land with a subtle weight on Benedict's chest. "She is telling me to marry?"

Fueled with a mix of surprise and defensiveness, he retorts, "You should be the last person to talk about marriage."

As soon as he says that, Peony's mood changes, her smile fading. Amaya glares at Benedict, who quickly stammers, "I-I didn't mean it that way."

Peony, now feigning a smile, replies, "No, you're absolutely correct. I shouldn't talk about marriage and family."

Amaya's glare intensifies as she scolds, "Benedict, this is not done."

"Senior, he is right. I must tell you everything before you invite me. The truth is..."

Amaya softly interjects, "I know everything, Peony. You don't have to force yourself."

Peony, her eyes wide with surprise, asks, "Did you?"

"Benedict must have told you everything. Yes, I sent that envelope to him. But before you think I was toying with you, you have to listen.", She speaks softly.

Peony, teary-eyed, continues, her voice trembling, "H-how can I think of you that way? You saved my life. Even after I lost contact with you tried saving me from that man."

"I know, Peony, it hurts a lot. You can say it is fate. My husband was working on a project for Gonzalez Ltd as a client. You can say it was a known fact that you and Garret would be married in the company. I knew that, and I felt happy that you would be married soon. Then one day his client, Mr. Beth, handed him a pendrive for the work. He brought his work home. And in the pendrive while searching and clicking for the project documentation video, that video played," she pauses.

She takes a sip of water from the glass and continues, her voice carrying the weight of the past, "That day, I almost beat him. I was in my room taking care of Ryan, putting him to sleep. I heard weird noises from the next door. I banged the door, thinking he was cheating on me next door, where he stood stupefied. His hands were shaking, and when I saw that, I was horrified as well. I noticed Shyla immediately. I thought he was watching a s#x tape."

"He was trembling that day— 'Babe, this isn't mine. My client handed it to me. Most probably it was by mistake.'"

I glared at him, suspecting he knew Shyla, "Do you recognize them?"

But his reply caught me off guard. He was trembling, "I do. He is Mr. Gonzalez's elder son, whose marriage is tomorrow."

"What? The man Peony will marry tomorrow? This scoundrel!"

My husband nodded and continued, "Babe, I-I don't know anything about this. This was a mistake. Mr. Beth gave me the wrong pendrive."

He immediately wanted to send the pendrive without any drama, but I copied the video. I was contemplating how to send this to you. I didn't have your phone number or anything. Then I remembered Benedict was saying he would send a gift to his business partner's son's marriage. I knew only he could stop the marriage," she paused.

Peony felt ashamed and embarrassed that her wedding was entangled in such a scandal involving her senior. It added another black spot to her personal life.

"Interesting," Benedict comments.

"Didn't you know it already?" Peony asks.

"No, I'm hearing it for the first time. I figured she was involved but didn't know the story behind it. My condolences to your husband. Is he alive?" He attempts a light comment.

"It's not the time to joke!" She glares at Benedict and then, turning to Peony, continues, "Benedict doesn't know about this. I was confident he would be able to stop your marriage on time, yet I couldn't think of a possibility where you could also be trapped. With my connections, I learned of the special divorce proceeding that needs only 3 months to separate. I mailed it all to him. I could only hope he would help you by acting mysteriously because you know his nature! This drama loving, insensitive cousin!" She complains.

Peony, overwhelmed by the revelations, takes a moment to absorb the gravity of the situation.

She is filled with gratitude amid the intricate layers of shock and revelation.

"Senior," Peony calls out, her voice a mixture of relief and gratitude, as she tightly embraces Amaya. "Thank you, thank you so much."

"Amaya, you're indeed brave," Benedict says, his tone carrying not just acknowledgement but a genuine admiration.