Prajwal_Kadlag

Ahn Jae-hyun, a powerful CEO, and Kang Ji-ah, his fearless bodyguard, are forced into a contract marriage—unbeknownst to their families, they are already in love. But their happiness is short-lived as secrets unravel, revealing Ji-ah’s hidden twin, a long-lost mother, and a shocking betrayal.

Jae-hyun’s past holds its own mystery—was he truly the heir, or had he been living someone else’s life all along? As deception, fate, and powerful enemies threaten their love, Ji-ah and Jae-hyun must fight to reclaim their destiny.

A story of love, secrets, and a bond that defies all odds—"Beyond the Contract: A Love Meant to Be."

"Beyond the Contract: A Love Meant to Be"

(POV: Kang Soo-min & Ahn Min-jae – Past & Present Mix)

Past – Five Years Ago (POV: Soo-min)

Secrets had a way of suffocating a person.

After I discovered I was pregnant, every moment with Min-jae became bittersweet. I loved him, but I couldn't drag him into the chaos of my life. Our families were already at war, and if they found out about our child, they would never let us live in peace.

So, I did the only thing I could—I left.

I disappeared before he could ever know.

I still remember the night I walked away.

Min-jae had waited for me at our usual spot—a small rooftop café overlooking the Han River. The place where we shared stolen moments, away from the pressures of our last names.

"You're late," he said, his voice teasing but his eyes searching.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my heart breaking with every word.

He smiled, taking my hands in his. "Soo-min, I don't care about anything else. I just want to be with you. Whatever it takes."

I wanted to say yes. To throw everything away and run into his arms.

I forced a smile and lied through my teeth. "I don't love you anymore."

The moment the words left my lips, I saw his entire world shatter.

I pulled my hands away before I lost my resolve. "It was fun, Min-jae. But it was never real to me."

I turned and walked away before he could see the tears streaming down my face.

And just like that, I broke the heart of the only man I had ever loved.

Even after all these years, I could still hear her voice from that night.

I had believed her back then. I had let her go.

Only to find out later that she had been carrying my child.

I sat on the couch in our home, watching Soo-min clean up our daughter's toys. The silence between us was heavy, filled with unspoken words, regrets, and something else—something neither of us was ready to name.

"You should get some sleep," Soo-min said without looking at me.

She froze. It had been a long time since I said her name like that. Soft. Full of things I never said.

"That night. Why did you say you didn't love me?"

She opened her mouth, then closed it. I stood up, closing the distance between us.

"Did you really think I would have left you if I knew the truth?"

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "I was scared. I thought keeping you away would protect you… but it only hurt both of us."

I let out a slow breath, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I never stopped loving you, Soo-min."

She swallowed hard, her walls crumbling. "I never stopped loving you either."

And just like that, the years of pain, the secrets, and the distance between us began to fade.

Because no matter how much we had lost, we still had each other.

And this time, I wasn't letting go.

Chapter 17: A Love Hidden in Shadows (Part 2)