The soft purr of the engine filled the luxury sedan as I leaned my head against the leather headrest,, eyes fixated on the darkened sky through the tinted window. Seoul's night lights blinked past like forgotten memories... I should've been thinking about the wine contract I was meant to negotiate tomorrow or about Zixuan's proposal,, but all I could see in my mind was her.
Rimi...
I hadn't expected to see her at the business gathering tonight,, not amidst the suits, ties, and calculating smiles... But the moment she stepped through those grand doors with Luna beside her,, time slowed.
She looked... radiant. A vision... The chandelier's crystal light glinted against her hair,, and her dress—elegant,, understated, yet bold—hugged her like it had been stitched by the stars themselves. My breath caught. For a brief second,, the world dulled into silence,, as if even time paused to admire her.
Zixuan had been speaking beside me then. She was telling me about her grandfather—Chairman Floquet of Maison Valombreux S.A.R.L.,, the largest wine company in France. Impressive,, yes... Strategic. But my thoughts kept drifting to Rimi...
I hadn't known she would be here... Nor had I known Mr. Kwon would introduce her as his granddaughter.
That moment.
I remember blinking in disbelief,, caught off guard. If Mr. Kwon,, the silent force behind Korea's largest tech conglomerate,, was her grandfather—what did that make Rimi?? Who was she really?? Luna never left her side, protective as always... The moment Adrian walked in,, the atmosphere shifted. Zixuan's gaze snapped to him,, and I saw it—the interest in her eyes. But then,, behind Adrian,, she appeared again.
Rimi...
Adrian and Rimi entered the hall together, and yet... they acted like strangers. He greeted her with a polite, "Miss Rimi,," and she bowed respectfully,, her expression unreadable.
I stood frozen...
What game were they playing??
Lily's wedding had been anything but ordinary. The dance,, the glances,, the kitten, the way he chose that dress for her. Everything had been loaded with emotion... I was sure of it.
But tonight,, they acted as if none of it had happened.
As if they had never held each other close...
As if they hadn't shared something real...
Confusion twisted in my chest. I watched as Rimi excused herself and moved to the balcony with Luna... My instincts tugged at me. I wanted to go to her. Comfort her,, Tell her she wasn't alone.
But before I could take a step,, Adrian was already there.
They spoke for a while,, and though I couldn't hear the words,, I saw the way Rimi smiled, soft and unsure. Adrian leaned against the balcony rail,, looking casual, almost careless. But his eyes—those were fixed on her...
Zixuan moved closer to me,, sipping wine and pretending to watch the crowd,, but I saw her eyes darting toward the balcony. And then Luka joined us,, following their gaze too.
It wasn't just me...
They came back inside after a while,, just in time for Han Soo-min to begin his announcement... Then Adrian stepped up. His speech was eloquent,, professional,, but I knew. I knew who he was talking about. He never said her name, but every word felt wrapped in emotion. Gratitude. Regret... Something deeper.
Rimi stood still beside me,, her fingers clenching slightly around the stem of her wine glass. Luka noticed... Zixuan noticed... I noticed... And in that moment, I realized we weren't just watching a speech—we were witnessing something unravel...
As the speech ended and people clapped politely,, I leaned closer,, my voice low. "He meant that for you,, didn't he?? "
Rimi didn't answer. Her eyes were glistening,, reflecting the golden lights above.
Luna,, Luka,, and Clara excused themselves to the dessert bar,, leaving us alone. My heart was pounding. I wanted to say something—anything—but then Adrian walked over. My jaw tightened...
He greeted her,, and I listened.
"I was busy,," he said,, when she asked why he left Lily's wedding without a word.
Busy?? That's all he had to say??
Rimi's face fell,, just a fraction... Her smile wilted. But she didn't argue...
She never does.
She carries her pain so quietly,, it makes me ache.
After he left, I stayed beside her,, unsure of what to do. I wanted to reach out,, to hold her hand,, to tell her he was a fool. But my throat closed. Instead,, I watched her walk away, back toward the dessert bar,, back to Luka and Clara.
And I was left alone with my thoughts.
Why couldn't I get her out of my head??
Why did her smile haunt me??
Why did Adrian's indifference feel like a punch to my gut??
My phone buzzed,, dragging me from the spiral. My assistant,, seated beside me in the car, turned the screen toward me. "Sir,, I was talking about this video,," he said gently.
I blinked...
The screen showed a clip from the party—Adrian's speech,, with a caption someone had added: "Who is the mystery woman behind the CEO's cryptic gratitude??"
I laughed, awkwardly. "Ye,s, yes,, of course. I was just thinking about the context... Smart marketing."
He nodded,, unsure.
I turned my head back to the window,, my reflection barely visible in the glass.
My chest felt heavy...
Once,, my ex had told me that I liked making girls cry. Maybe she was right... Maybe I did. But with Rimi...
I never wanted to be the reason she shed a single tear.
Not one.
I wanted to protect her,, To shield her from all this mess—from Adrian,, from these games,, from the silent wars being played behind polite smiles and champagne flutes.
And suddenly,, I understood.
This wasn't just attraction... This wasn't just curiosity.
This was love...
I loved her...
I didn't know when it began. Maybe it was when she danced barefoot with the kitten in her arms,, laughing under the fairy lights... Maybe it was the moment she looked at Adrian like he was her entire world,, and I wished I could be that world for her...
Maybe it was tonight,, watching her try to smile through heartbreak.
But it was real.
I was falling. No—I had already fallen...
I rested my forehead against the window, the glass cool against my skin.
The car rolled up the long driveway to my estate... Lights flickered on automatically as we approached. My assistant said something about tomorrow's schedule,, but it faded into the background.
All I could see was her...
Rimi...
Even if she never looked at me the way she looked at him,, I knew I wanted to be there. To catch her if she fell. To be the quiet presence when the world got too loud... To be the one who saw her,, really saw her,, not the mask she wore at parties or the girl everyone whispered about...
No.
I saw the woman she was... The strength she carried... The way her eyes spoke when her lips didn't. The scars she never showed.
I wanted to be the one who kissed those scars...
The car stopped. My assistant stepped out first,, opening my door.
I didn't move.
He leaned down. "Sir??"
I exhaled. "Yeah. I'm coming..."
As I stepped out,, the cool night air kissed my skin,, and the stars blinked above, indifferent witnesses to my turmoil.
Yes,, this was love...
Undeniable...
Unshakable...
Unspoken...
But maybe, just maybe, not unrequited...
To be continued...