The Bravest Bride : Escape The Wedding!

Arkan waited anxiously in the car, his mind filled with worry. Just after his wedding plans with Lunar were announced, he received news that Raya would be returning. Today was supposed to be the day they would surprise everyone with their relationship, but everything had taken an unexpected turn. He knew Raya wouldn't easily forgive the decision he had to make.

He left Secretary Ham waiting outside the car since he couldn't be seen in public with other women at the moment. His reputation would only worsen due to his past relationships with multiple women. Being an heir was proving to be more challenging than he had anticipated. He never wanted this life, but what could he do when his father asked him to fulfill certain obligations?

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw Secretary Ham approaching the car. And there she was, Raya, the woman he missed so much. He opened the car door while still inside, unable to contain his smile when he saw Raya standing beside him.

Raya took off her hat and glasses, revealing her face. They locked eyes, speechless. From her expression, Arkan could tell that Raya already knew about the news spreading. The tension in the air was palpable, a stark contrast to their previous meetings.

Arkan wanted to embrace her, but his hand was pushed aside. "Forgive me," he said softly, unable to look at Raya any longer.

He had hurt the woman he loved, and now he was grappling with the consequences. Was it worth sacrificing something precious for something as futile as this? How he longed to hold Raya and express how much he missed her.

"You betrayed me, Arkan," Raya said, her voice filled with pain.

Arkan bowed his head, acknowledging the immense hurt he had caused his lover. He had indeed betrayed their relationship by choosing to marry another woman, even though it was all part of a fake marriage. The coming year would keep them apart, and it was now on his list of regrets. How could he possibly explain all of this to Raya?

He felt helpless, unable to exert any influence over his current circumstances. He could only submit to his father's decisions without being able to argue. Running away with Raya might seem tempting, but he couldn't rely on a woman for his entire life. Without his father's wealth, he felt worthless.

"You don't intend to explain?" Raya's voice broke his train of thought.

He realized he needed to clarify the situation to clear up any misunderstandings in their relationship.

"I-I really don't know how Lunar ended up in the trunk of my car," Arkan began, but he stopped himself, realizing how absurd it sounded. How could a woman suddenly end up in the trunk of his car? Would Raya even believe such a story?

"Lunar caused a mess and forced us to get married."

"A mess?" Raya interrupted Arkan's words. "You didn't get her pregnant, did you?"

"Of course not!" Arkan unconsciously raised his voice but quickly lowered it again. "I didn't even know that woman. She just suddenly appeared in my life and caused chaos."

Raya raised a hand to halt the increasingly convoluted explanation. "Fine. Let's focus on this woman named Lunar."

Seeing Arkan nod, she began to process the information she was receiving. "So Lunar suddenly entered your life, disrupted our relationship, and you decided to marry her?"

Arkan nodded again, and confusion washed over Raya. "So you were having an affair behind me?" She drew her own conclusions based on Arkan's actions.

Arkan immediately pulled Raya into an embrace as she burst into tears. "I'm not having an affair behind you," he whispered, soothing her by running his fingers through her hair. "This marriage will only last a year. After that, Lunar and I will separate."

Raya pulled away from the hug, her eyes searching Arkan's. "What do you mean?"

"This is all so ridiculous. I have to marry her, but it's just a sham to maintain the company's image," Arkan explained, taking a deep breath.

Raya fell silent, trying to digest the successive explanations. "So you're not having an affair behind my back?"

Arkan shook his head, his smile widening. Raya embraced him with all her soul, not wanting to let go. In that moment, happiness filled their hearts. Tears streamed down their faces, mingling with the joy that enveloped them.

"Knowing that you were going to marry another woman made me so sad. I caught the first flight and left my work unfinished to come see you," Raya confessed.

Arkan smiled, grateful that Raya understood him. That's all he needed right now—a shoulder to lean on. With Raya by his side, he felt calm and reassured. He had made the right choice in choosing Raya as his life partner.

***

Lunar descended the stairs and noticed the maids bustling around. Earlier, she had seen a maid coming out of a room adjacent to hers. Arkan had mentioned that everything in that room belonged to Raya. She didn't know who Raya was, nor did she care at the moment.

She headed towards the kitchen, hoping to find something to satisfy her growling stomach. The servants were busy preparing food, and every time she tried to take something, it was swiftly taken away from her. Eventually, she couldn't find any food in the kitchen, despite her stomach rumbling with hunger since she woke up late.

Determined, Lunar searched for some bread. She spread jam on a piece of bread and devoured it, paying no mind to the busy maids around her. She had to make do with a few pieces of bread to stave off her hunger for the afternoon. It was truly unfortunate that in such a luxurious house, all she could get was bread.

"The master, Arkan, has returned!"

One of the servants announced, and Lunar finished spreading jam on her sixth piece of bread. She pressed it against another slice, holding it with her free hand, and started devouring it as she made her way out of the kitchen. She alternated between chewing and biting the bread, all while carrying the jar of jam and the remaining pieces of bread in her arms.

Her steps halted when she saw Arkan with a woman she didn't recognize. She nearly dropped everything she was carrying but managed to keep her composure. Who was this woman accompanying Arkan? Was the game involving the covert business behind Royal Gray finally over? Why was Arkan with another woman?

Arkan took a deep breath, noticing Lunar's presence. "This is Lunar, the one I told you about," he said casually.

"Oh!" Raya exclaimed, embracing Arkan as a sign of declaration. "I'm Raya, Arkan's true love. Nice to meet you, Lunar."

The maids who overheard the conversation were familiar with Raya since they already knew about her. However, the news of Lunar's involvement in the wedding left them uncertain about how to react. Raya was Arkan's genuine love interest, residing in the same house. On the other hand, Lunar was the future wife of the house's owner, someone they were expected to respect.

"Great!"

Lunar heard her name being mentioned once again. She finally realized that Raya was Arkan's girlfriend. It made sense why she wasn't allowed to touch anything in that room earlier.

"Nice to meet you, Raya," Lunar replied, unsure how to shake hands as both her hands were occupied. She resorted to taking a bite of bread so that she could extend her hand.

Raya released her hands and hesitated for a moment before reciprocating the gesture. However, she couldn't shake off the thought that Lunar was only after Arkan's wealth. There had to be something behind this fake marriage involving Arkan.

"You can rest in your room, Raya. I have to return to the office now," Arkan said.

Raya nodded. "I understand." She walked away with a maid, who carried her luggage.

Arkan no longer wanted to be bothered by Lunar's presence. He shook his head, finding Lunar messy and greedy. He couldn't fathom having a woman who walked around carrying a bag of bread and a jar of jam as his wife, even if their marriage was a sham.

Meanwhile, Lunar, witnessing Arkan's departure, hurriedly handed everything she was carrying to a nearby maid, including the unfinished bread. She ran after Arkan, desperate to catch up with him and grab his attention.

"What are you doing?" Arkan looked displeased as Lunar halted his steps.

"We need to talk," Lunar insisted.

"I don't have time for that."

Lunar ignored his rejection, knowing that what she had to discuss was crucial.

"If Raya is going to live here after we're married, won't that become news? Two women living with you?" Lunar questioned.

"Everyone knows that Raya and I have known each other since childhood. There won't be any scandalous news about us," Arkan explained.

Lunar finally understood that she was trapped in another woman's long-standing relationship. "But..."

Arkan, frustrated by wasting his time, brushed aside Lunar's hand blocking his path. Irritated, he managed to get into his car and paid no further attention to Lunar. As the car pulled away from the parking area, he didn't spare her a single glance.

Secretary Ham muttered quietly, sharing his thoughts that had been bothering him. "I believe Miss Lunar has a valid point, Sir. It's not feasible for two women to live in the same house after the marriage."