prologue

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I sat rigidly on the couch, my parents seated across from me in our living room. Mrs. Lee, Lee Minho's mother, was also seated in the armchair, her eyes fixed intently on me. The air was heavy with tension, each breath I took feeling like a struggle.

My mother's hands were clasped together, her eyes pleading with me to agree. My father's jaw was set, his expression unyielding.

"Seungmin, we've discussed this already, please" my mother began, her voice laced with a hint of desperation. 

I shook my head, my heart racing with frustration. "I don't care about any of that, Mom. I've told you before, I don't want to marry him."

Mrs. Lee spoke up, her voice firm but polite. "Seungmin, dear, we know about your profession as a psychiatrist, and we believe you're the only one who can help our son. He's struggling with...issues. Anger, addiction...and we fear that if people find out, our family's reputation will be tarnished."

I felt a surge of anger.

"So you want me to marry him and fix him, all while keeping it a secret from the public? That's not only unethical, it's also impossible. I can't cure someone who doesn't want help, and Minho has made it clear he doesn't want anything to do with me or my profession."

Mrs. Lee's eyes narrowed. "We're not asking you to cure him, Seungmin. We're just asking you to be a supportive wife and help him manage his...condition. And in return, you'll be part of a powerful family, with all the benefits that come with it."

I stood up, my voice firm. "I'm not for sale, Mrs. Lee. And I'm certainly not going to marry someone who doesn't want my help, and who sees me as nothing more than a tool to fix his image."

Mrs. Lee's face fell, but she quickly composed herself. "Seungmin, please understand, my son needs you. He's struggling with his own demons, and I fear that if he doesn't get the help he needs, he'll succumb to them completely. And I know that you, with your expertise and compassion, are the only one who can help him."

She stepped closer to me, her eyes pleading. "I know that this is a lot to ask, Seungmin. But I'm begging you, please, help my son. Help him overcome his past traumas, his addiction, his anger issues. Help him become the man he once was, the man I know he can be again."

Her voice cracked, and for a moment, I saw a glimmer of the worried mother behind the poised facade. And in that moment, I felt a pang of sympathy for her, for Minho, and for the struggles they were facing.

"Okay," I said finally, my voice was soft. "I'll do it. I'll marry Minho, and I'll help him overcome his struggles. But I need you to promise me one thing, Mrs. Lee."

"Anything, Seungmin," she replied, her eyes shining with tears. "Anything at all."

"I need you to promise me that you'll support me, no matter what," I said, my voice firm. "That you'll stand by me, even when Minho resists help, even when things get tough. Because I know that this won't be easy, but I'm willing to try, for Minho's sake, and for yours."

Mrs. Lee's face contorted in a mixture of relief and gratitude. "I promise, Seungmin. I promise that I'll stand by you, no matter what."

A lovely change with love|2minWhere stories live. Discover now