When life gives you lemons

Jiho would scream if he were allowed to. He was clenching his teeth throughout the meeting and refrained from saying any word. Yoon Hana exuded elegance and confidence in her tone when giving her responses which she kept short and precise. Gong Joon also contributed immensely which left you and Jiho looking like amateur interns who are attending their first meeting.

Gong Hangmo handed over the project file to both Joon and Jiho and the meeting ended when he wished them both good luck.

Joon and Hana left immediately and the two of you sluggishly followed.

"I feel like my head is about to burst open and it has only been ten minutes." You groaned, "How will I cope if I were to attend a one hour meeting? Huh?"

Jiho was lost in thoughts and walked aimlessly. You stop in your tracks, watching him drag his feet across the floor.

Yoon Hana has such a massive effect on Jiho, he doesn't even seem to realize I am no longer walking beside him.

You give a sigh of defeat, picking up your pace to get to him.

"Gong Jiho!" You clapped in his ear, startling and making him jump back to the present.

He sighed when he sees its actually you and not a ghost, "Are you planning on giving me a heart attack?"

"Wait a minute, you can't feel anything so how are you even scared?"

Your question was dumb, but you just had to ask to keep him engaged.

He gives you a weird look, "I can't physically feel things, doesn't mean my heart is broken too."

"Broken?" You don't like the sound of it and pulled a long face, "How can you even say that? You are not broken, you are amazing, you are handsome, you are smart, you are strong, you are …"

"Okay, okay, okay." He smiled brightly, "I know you said all of these to make me feel better. Thank you."

You shake your head, giving him a nudge with your elbow, "I am your wife, who says you have to thank me? Huh?"

You pushed out your chest, placing folded knuckles on your waist, "Do I have to tell you your role, Mr?"

"Forgive me for my mistake." Jiho played along, "I must have forgotten my place, please don't execute me for my foolishness."

His acting was on point, you couldn't help but both burst into a loud laughter.

"Gong Jiho, you are no longer alone, you have me, I am your friend, so please don't keep it in for too long or you might choose to cut your wrist, like I did." You said it as a joke but your words instantly turned the atmosphere thick with sorrow.

Jiho casted you a pitiful glance, looking down regretfully, "I am so sorry Ari. Back then when I saw you like that, I should've interfered, I should've tried to stop you, I should've picked you and taken you to the hospital myself but…"

he struggles to express himself but you already understand all that he's trying to say.

You smiled, taking a hold of his hand which made him look up.

"Gong Jiho, thank you, for not interfering."

He looks lost.

You chuckle bitterly, "If you had intervened back then, I would have still ran back to Joon, but after experiencing death, I realized he wasn't that important and that is why today I am standing before you looking confident and happy. I don't remember the last time I smiled genuinely when I was with Joon. So, don't feel guilty about it, okay?"

"Okay." He nodded.

"Okay!" You release him, sharply wheeling around, "I am going to the restroom, wait for me."

"Okay."

You strut to the end of the hall where the restroom is, freshened up and on your way back to the office lounge, you cross paths with Hana.

Seeing her made you cuss under your breath as you closed the distance between you.

"You were awfully quiet today, miss Kang Ari." She flashed you a sardonic smile.

You chuckle briefly, looking up to meet her gaze, "It's Mrs Gong now, and also you don't know me enough to know how I am, if I speak much or not."

"That is true but, I think I have heard enough from brother Joon to know what type you are."

Her lips curved into an endearing little grin,

"He did mention how clingy you were. In his words, 'a naive, gullible, boring to the core, annoying woman' who was like a leech to him. Even when you attempted suicide, you did it so you could get his attention. That is what he said."

Anger floods your brain, making you see red - you keep it at bay, holding yourself back.

She continues, "Even now, this little revenge play of yours is all to get his attention but the question is, why get Jiho involved?" Her tone immediately darkens,

"Jiho is a humble, kind, and well mannered man so it is difficult for me to accept that he cheated on his brother with you, he wouldn't even do so on his worst enemy. So there is only two options. Either he was blinded by your love and you manipulated him, which cannot be true at all because Jiho is not a fool when it comes to love. I am speaking from experience. And that leaves us with option two." She draws a deep breath, crossing her hands against her chest,

"You forced him to lie because you are blackmailing him."

Hana's attempt to unravel the mystery is truly impressive. You chuckle, shaking your head, "If I didn't know better, I would say you would make a good writer because damn, what a story!"

"Story or not …" she frowned, inching closer to you, "I know you have something on Jiho and you are forcing him into this or maybe, just maybe, he might truly be in love with you. And whilst you are using him to get revenge, all Jiho wants is to feel normal, to feel loved, to have people in his life. All he wants is to live a quiet life, a quiet ordinary life…" she paused, tears welling up in her eyes,

"But now you have made him a cheater to the entire world. He doesn't want to do anything with this company, doesn't want to challenge his brother but to be loved by him, but now, you have proved to everyone who said he hated Joon, true. YOU …You are the worst thing that has ever happened to Jiho, I am pretty sure he is overwhelmed, uncomfortable and because he is very kind, he can't even complain to your face. He swallows it all in and act fine, but he is bruised."

Hana's words leaves you shocked, guilty, and flabbergasted. Your face turns pale, feet glued to the floor.

She radiated heat, frosty gaze shooting you lazers, "I will find out whatever it is you are hiding and I will free Jiho permanently from your clutches, that is a promise!" With those words, she strides off.

You remained frozen in place for minutes. Why does Hana's words feel so true? Are you really forcing Jiho? Using his condition to manipulate him into joining your revenge?

After a while, you return to meet him. He's been eagerly waiting for you.

"Thank god you are here, I thought you were shape shifting or something." He mocked, though it was funny, you couldn't smile. Your lips didn't even twitch.

Jiho quickly studied your facial expression. "Did Hana say something? I saw her go to the restroom earlier."

You debate about how to express your thoughts, to question him. Eventually, you fake a smile, "Do you really think there's anyone who can speak to me in a rude manner? I would pull their tongues out or slap them across the face even before they think of it."

Jiho gives you a worried look and then sighed, "I heard everything."

You sharply look up to meet his gaze, "What?"

He sighed again, "I wasn't intending to but when you were taking too long, I went to check up on you and the I saw the two of you talking and I overheard how she spoke to you. I thought you said holding things in isn't good for us so why didn't you tell me the truth when I asked?"

"Jiho you… " you had to pause as you were about to start crying. You push back the tears threatening to escape and, exhaled sharply,

"Am I…" you bit your lower lip, unable to pluck up the courage to voice out your question.

"Am I …? Am I really …?" You closed your eyes, "Am I forcing you into this?" The words wrenched out of you. You finally open your eyes, taking stock of his face and then, softly said, "Am I manipulating you to partner with me? Am I really that awful?"

"Hey, hey don't." He vigorously shook his head, "Don't doubt yourself. You are not forcing me, it was my decision. Look, Hana and I were together for years so she knew at that time that I hated everything related to this company. I decided to stay in the shadows because I was hoping that choice would make my brother accept me but… he only ever saw me as a competition, an enemy. It doesn't mean I don't want to work here, it doesn't mean I don't want to be the CEO. It has always been my dream and you are helping me make it come true. Hana might think you are a jinx in my life but you are actually the only good thing that has ever happened to me so in a long time." He gives you a reassuring smile,

"And like you told me earlier, stop feeling guilty. If you hadn't come into my life, I would have still been cooped up in the shadows and my title will still be the 'crazy heir' but now, now I have my own office in the company and you, my dear wife, my dear friend, is my secretary so please… let it go and let's go see our new office. Excited?"

You immediately smiled, "Yes, I am excited. We have our own office? Come on…" you grab Jiho's hand, dragging him along, "Let's go see it."