Pulse punching through your fingers, you push the door open and barge into room 506 of the royal suite of hotel Grand in the city of Seoul.
Your betrothed, Gong Joon, eldest son of the chaebol family, is on the expensive black leather couch, pants pulled down to his ankles and a half-naked slender lady is on top of him.
Despite the AC running, they were both drenched in sweat - moaning and exploring each other's bodies.
You had to stiffen your legs to stop them from shaking.
Out of the corner of his eye, Joon notices you standing and instead of stopping, no, he smirked, ran his fingers into the prostitute's dark hair and brought his mouth crashing on hers.
You gulp down the tears threatening to escape and cleared your throat, finally getting their attention.
The girl shoots you a menacing glance, climbed down Joon's thighs and shamelessly flashed you her naked behind as she bend to pull up her lace panty.
You look away, wishing you could pull all her hair out.
Smirking, she gets her stuff and majestically struts out of the room while giving you a devilish smile.
You kept your cool till she was out of your sight.
"Honey, what is the meaning of this?"
"Meaning of what?" Joon showed no sign of shame or guilt as he asked, reaching for the half-full glass of whisky on the center table.
He takes a huge swig, fixing his big brown eyes on you, "Why do you look so surprised?"
This is embarrassing!
You swallow your pride, "Honey, you know that your money is the least of my concerns. I don't need anything from you like these gold diggers. All I want is your love and attention, is that too much to ask? Why must you cheat on me with these sluts?"
"Are you kidding ME!" He lashed out, throwing the glass cup at your direction. It landed a meter away from your feet, smashing into tiny little pieces.
"Who are you to question me?" He continued, "You better know your place. I never asked for this marriage, I was forced. But when I learned you were the only daughter of the Kang family, I decided to accept you because of your family's money but then after staying with you for two years, I don't think I can spend my life with you. I would run mad!"
He reclined into his seat, crossing his legs as he shoots you a blank stare, "If boring were a person, it would be you! You have money and everything but you are just too… too bland, like food without salt. You can call this girl a slut but at least, she makes me excited when I set my eyes on her. But you, my dear…"
He gets to his feet, approaches you - his spicy-bitter cologne greets your nose.
You lower your gaze, clammy hands tightly clutching the edges of your plain white knee-length cotton dress.
Running the back his hand along your cheek, Joon whispers, "Even if you were standing naked in front of me, I would not dream of touching you!"
"You jerk!" You raised your hand in an attempt to slap him but Joon was heedful.
He held your hand midway and pushed you hard. You fell on the floor, hand crushing into one of the sharp pieces of the glass.
Despite hurting you, Joon could not care watching you bleed. He turned with a frustrated groan, "You see, this is why I hate you. You cannot even punish me despite watching me cheat on you. You are so stupid, a dumb idiot. I would rather die than marry you."
You watched your betrothed fuck another woman but your heart did not break till these words escaped his lips.
You sharply cast your glazed eyes on him, "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Listen carefully Ari, I am breaking off this engagement." He said looking straight into your eyes. "So please, stay the fuck away from me!' With those words, he grab his suit and storm out of the room, leaving you in a miserable state of shock.
You quiver like a rain-drenched chicken.
Why is life exceptionally cruel on you? Your birth mother rejected you, left her home with another man.
Your father married a woman who absolutely hates you. Your step-brother is a little asshole who neither respects nor love you.
To your family, you are nothing but a liability, you had no one to call your own, and when Gong Joon came into your life holding a rose, wearing that delicious blue suit, his warm smile instantly melted your heart.
He was the kindest person to you and you fell madly in love with him. But after your engagement, Joon's true colors slowly started coming out in the open, you over-looked each red flag thinking being the humble woman would win over his heart but even after your attempt to be loved for who you are, once again, you are rejected.
I must be a jinx!
This sharp glass piece looks so magical, it glints in your eyes.
Is this god speaking to me?
You pick it up, tightening your grip around it, if nobody wants me, why should I chase after love? Why should I live in this world?
You close your eyes, drawing a deep breath as you place the piece of glass against your wrist.
Goodbye earth!
That was the last thing you remember and everything went dark.
Eyes closed, mind wandering, the warm soothing light of the sun floods into the hospital room, caressing your pale glass skin. Lips twitching slightly, you open your siren hazel eyes. Inhaling deeply as the sweet fragrance of the air freshener slowly rises and makes its way into your nostrils.
"You are awake!" The nurse on duty gasped, quickly running out of the room. She returned with a handsome doctor. They started checking on your health.
"Do you remember what happened that night?" The doctor reluctantly inquired.
"That night?" You glance at your wrist, now wrapped with bandage, lifting your eyes to look at the doctor's face as you respond to his question, "I cut myself."
You blurted your suicide attempt so casually it made the doctor and the nurse exchange shocked glances.
"It seems you remember." The doctor composed himself, "You were at the brink of death when the cleaner found you and luckily you were saved. We ensured you are physically doing okay but we cannot say about your…" he hesitates, darting his eyes around like a thief caught stealing.
"My mental health?" You said the words for him, "Don't worry, I will not kill myself again, if I would do something stupid, it would be me killing someone else."
The doctor's eyes snapped open, "Huh?"
You look away with an unreadable expression, "I believe we are done, can I leave now?"
"Huh?" The doctor was still baffled. He regain his composure, "You can be discharged. I will inform your family…"
"No need." You interrupted him, "I can handle myself." You said as you climb down the hospital bed.
"But your family needs to be informed." The doctor insisted.
"Look, I know you are doing your job but my health is the last thing on my family's mind. They would celebrate my death and mourn my prosperity. That is how little they care about me, so if you are done, I have to go."
You kept a frown throughout the conversation and had to fake a smile at the end so the shock waves you released on him wouldn't make the poor doctor's head explode.
I have been in the hospital for a month and none of my family members are here to check up on me? Well, it's nothing new.
You signed the discharge form, called a cab and went straight to a salon.
Your black hair, you hated it.
In order to please your father, you pretended to be the perfect daughter. Kept your hair black, long and straight.
Wore only warm and floral clothes, your jewelries not too gaudy, your shoes are either flats and if you had to wear heels, they can only be one inch long.
Your breakfast, lunch, dinner were monitored. You hated all those healthy meals. You had to stay fit, going in and out of the gym all the time.
You had to stay with the friends you never liked, acquaint yourself with people you never connected with. But Gong Joon was different, you loved him, but he hurt you.
Because you were too immersed into being the perfect person, to be loved, you could differentiate the difference between kindness and manipulation.
You settle down on the chair. The hairdresser rushes into the room with a practiced smile, "Forgive me for being late, when I heard it was you who visited us, I could not believe it. Today you came without an appointment but no worries. I heard about your accident, you must be feeling okay now."
You study her reflection in the mirror as she furtively glanced at your bandaged wrist.
"Well uh, which hairstyle do you want?" She asked, ruffling your hair, "It still looks and smells good. Do you want me to wash and straighten it again like you always do?"
"I want you to cut it." You answered.
She sharply looked up, "Huh? Did you just say you want me to cut it?"
"Yes, cut it all off." You gave a determined response.
The hairdresser did as you commanded. You went to a boutique, bought new clothes, wore them, and took the cab to Moon Bay, the Gong's family company.
When you entered, all eyes were on you. You couldn't care any less. Did not stop to say hi to anyone like you usually used to whenever you visited.
Heels clinking loudly on the floor, hair bouncing up and down as you strut, you take the elevator to the top floor where Joon's office is at.
Joon had just finished a meeting with the company's stakeholders and came to escort them out when you appeared into the hall - majestically approaching him.
At first, Gong Joon was breath-taken, wondering who this sexy lady could be.
He admired the brown bouncy shoulder-length hair cut you did, eyes perusing slowly at you. Your lissom body shape and curves was snug in the black fitted dress you donned. Hips thrusting up and down as you catwalk.
You finally approach him.
His eyes shamelessly glowed with lust for your body, "And who may you be?"
You smirk, "Your rejected betrothed."
The smile on his face instantly disappears, eyes widening in shock, "Kang Ari?"
He could not believe his eyes, how could someone look so different in just a month? The smoky eyes you wore and the deep red lipstick were completely different from the clean girl look you always used to wear.
He scoffed in disbelief, "Ari?"
"What, are you blind? Calling my name once wasn't enough to confirm if it is really me?" You inquired.
Your tone threw him off. Where is the softness in your voice, the warmth in your gaze? Why are your eyes cold and empty, your expression unemotional?
He wondered, now staring at you as if he was seeing you for the first time.
"Gong Joon."
You've never addressed him by his name before, doing so now shocked the life out of him.
You force the diamond ring he proposed to you with out of your finger, lifted your murderous gaze to meet with his flustered ones.
Without giving it a thought, you swing your left hand, slapping Joon hard across the cheek.
Employees gasped in unison, now watching the drama.
Joon was caught totally off guard, he never saw that slap coming.
He sharply looked up at you, "What is the meaning of this?"
You throw the ring at his face with a contented grin,
"I am rejecting you."