HAUGHTY-To Love ✔

CHAPTER 35

AUN POV

I could feel the waves of nausea rising in my throat, a consequence of barely having any food throughout the day. The only thing I managed to eat was a small bite of cake that JungYun had fed me during our traditional cake cutting ceremony. He had insisted that I eat more, but my stubborn nature had led me to politely decline in front of the elders.

"Aun, are you alright?" Lily asked, concern evident in her voice as she noticed my uneasiness. "Do you want me to loosen your dress?"

"I'm fine," I replied, mustering a weak smile. "Could you just get me a glass of water, please?" Lily nodded and promptly left the podium to fetch what I had requested.

My gaze wandered over the sea of guests, although my vision was blurred by the blue and green patches caused by the prolonged exposure to the bright gold headlights focused on us.

I had already changed into my reception dress, a long, smooth, silky violet gown with a side slit. I paired it with sharp, pointed 4-inch high black heels. Standing beside me, my groom looked dashing in a full black Armani suit, his tie matching the color of my dress. Together, we posed as a picture-perfect couple in front of the high-definition lenses capturing our every move.

Despite the discomfort in my stomach, I couldn't help but notice the satisfaction in JungYun's eyes as he stood by my side. His gaze met mine, that familiar smirk still playing on his lips.

"You look stunning, wifey," he whispered, his voice filled with a mixture of admiration and possessiveness. "Tonight, all eyes will be on us."

Our arms remained intertwined, though JungYun would occasionally pull his hand away from mine to snake it around my waist. The constant closeness and the repetitive romantic poses we had been doing for the past hour, as instructed by the photographers, were starting to give me a headache. I was completely exhausted from the whole wedding affair.

"Aun dear, I want you to meet some of our family members," Dara interrupted the photoshoot, turning to the photographer and requesting a brief pause. She guided us towards a large round table filled with unfamiliar faces.

An elderly lady, seated at the head of the table, turned her eyes towards me and flashed a wide smile as I approached. "Dear, this is JungYun's grandmother," Dara whispered, introducing me to the woman. Despite her friendly smile, there was a certain air of sternness about her demeanor.

She glanced at Dara, communicating something through her eyes, periodically pointing towards me. Understanding the message behind her eye signals, Dara cleared her throat to get my attention. "Aun, grandma wants to talk to you in private," she said, gesturing towards the elderly woman.

I looked at the two elder women, confusion evident on my face. "S-sure," I stammered, unsure of what awaited me. Sensing my nervousness, the ladies guided me to an empty room, away from the prying ears of the guests. "Is something wrong, Mrs Jeon?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

"Call her Mother, sweetheart. She is your mother-in-law, isn't she?" grandma interrupted, her posture stern and her voice carrying an air of authority. I lowered my head, accepting my mistake. "I'm sorry, Mother."

"It's fine since you're new to our family, but I don't want you to make these silly mistakes again," she said, her voice firm. She glanced at Dara before continuing her words. "Aun, you are the youngest bride in our Jeon family, and I hope you will keep yourself to follow and continue our traditions."

Her words only served to confuse me further, as I struggled to understand what she was referring to. "I'm sorry, I couldn't quite grasp what you mean," I admitted, looking at her wrinkled face for any signs of clarification. With a sudden stern look, she darted her eyes towards Dara and furrowed her eyebrows. "You didn't tell her anything?" she questioned, her tone filled with disappointment.