The Incident

Park Mansion

The front of the mansion has a water feature with cascading over the top of the wall into a pool in the inner courtyard. The cream coating of the paint of the mansion shined as the sun beat down on a large mansion.

A garden was surrounding the mansion. The roof was peaked, slanting down at an angle. The windows had cream colour curtains hanging on the other side of them, drawn so that the sunlight could stream through.

The grand hallway was featuring a large curved staircase on the side to the left entrance door. The staircase escorted to the second floor where the main bedrooms are suited.

"Where are the maids?"

Two maids rushed to upstairs as they heard the Empire group's owner, Richard parker's voice. He was a kind of ruler of this mansion.

"Sir." The maids came into his study room and lowered her head.

"Where is he? Tell him to get ready in thirty minutes and come outside." Richard parker ordered.

One of the maids bowed before rushing to the young master's bedroom. She knocked on the door, and the door opened after a minute.

Before the maid could say something, he showed him his palm, stopping her. "I know. I need to go to a party in 30 minutes. I'll get ready and go outside."

The maid smiled awkwardly before she made her way back to her work.

"Who was it, Rayan?"

Rayan closed the door and turned to his Secretary. "Mr Joon. Am I a robot? I think even a robot will get bored with me."

"Not girls." He replied with a cheesy smile.

Here I was being tired of everything and there he was joking!

Rayan laughed it away. "I'm just too perfect for them to get bored."

Mr Joon smirked as he stood up and patted on his shoulder. "Get ready." With that, he left the room.

Without bothering any of it, Rayan sat on his chair before the big table, looking at the big family photo which was hanging on the wall. He was smiling brightly beside my elder sister with his parents in that photo.

From childhood, I'm used to hearing that I have a perfect family. My father is the owner of the most prominent conglomerate group of Korea. My mother is a successful CEO of Seoul Hospital. My elder sister is a successful Paediatrician. A family, full of successful people. But was that considered as perfect? Was it because of the wealth and frame we carry? Everyone seems to envy and want to be me, but how many of them know that I want to be them too?

A pre-arranged lifestyle, A pre-arranged career, and a pre-arranged girlfriend or worse.. a pre-arranged marriage with a successful woman, a daughter of the top businessman. I am handsome, she is beautiful. Everyone says it's a match made in heaven. The compatibility solely based on background and outlook. But how about feelings? How about love? Do I love her? No one wants to know... or worse, doesn't care at all.

I was committed to her that I will come back from the USA after 5 years, finishing my study. I did and joined my father's business but the place itself was breathless so I left again. somehow I managed to make it 3 years longer.

She was with me there too. And now I have come back again, it will turn into always soon. Yeah, I am comfortable being with her or should I say I am used to having her with me because of my family? I have known her since I was in elementary school. But until now, I don't remember even one day that she captured my heart. And now it's impossible even she knows that because my heart is now already with someone else. Yeah someone else. There was another she.

Rayan inhaled a deep breath and gazed down at the drawer. He opened it and like always his heart skipped a beat seeing the photo inside it.

Though this "she" isn't mine now, my heart is always hers. So the feelings for my so called girlfriend was never the same even worse I have never felt anything for her. But still I am trying.... to... do... Do what? Forgetting about that "she"? Or forgetting about my girlfriend? I don't know.

Taking a deep breath out, Rayan closed the drawer and got up as he walked to the cloakroom. All he need to do is to wear a suit that was selected. A typical pre-arranged lifestyle be like.

After getting ready, he came outside to the yard. Everyone who was present in the yard bowed to him.

"Dude." He heard his best friend John called him from behind when he was about to get into the car.

Rayan widened his eyes in surprise as John came to him. "When did you come?"

"I have some issues to be solved with Mr Joon." John showed him some papers in his hands. "By the way, I heard you're going to your...." He paused and bit his tongue before he cleared his throat again. "Ahm... I mean Somin's birthday party?"

He was going to refer her as 'my fiance', but stopped knowing how much I hate it.

Rayan nodded as a soft sigh escaped his lips. "I envy you. It's better to be an engineer's son, isn't it?"

John laughed.. "It's obviously better than your life. At least I can do what I want to..." He stopped saying further as his gaze shifted at the door. He bowed at the person with a smile. "Your dad is coming." He mumbled.

"All you have to do is communicate with their sons and daughters." With that, Richard made this way to the car

"I'll see you after coming back." Rayan said before he got into the car.

....Rayan's POV....

The most famous hotel in the city was packed as if there was some kind of assembly of people. Can you imagine a building with 12 floors was packed with the guests? Anyway, It's nothing to do with me. All I have to do is to sit in the minibar and engaged myself.

I placed a glass on the table and poured a drink for me. Truth to be told, pouring drinks for myself is the only way to be engaged. No one is allowed to pour drinks for me. I know it's the order from Somin.

Exhaling a sharp breath, I grabbed the glass and finished the whole glass of wine by one sip.

Nick, my childhood friend chimed in. "Wae? Are you pissed off?" No, I am not. I am so damn mad at myself.

Without bothering, I took started to pour another drink.

But was stopped by Nick. "Yah. Stop. Everyone is looking at you. What's wrong?"

I took a small sip before turning to him with my reddened eyes. "That woman. It's been so many years. But why can't I throw her out of my brain?" It was stabbing like a sharp knife.

Nick widened his eyes in shock. "Still her? What were you doing abroad all these years? Yah, There are so many girls who want to be with you. Why are you hanging on someone like her who doesn't want to be with you? Who is just a package of complicated things?" He just reminded me of that thing about what I was already aware of.

"Hi." A sudden voice interrupted. Hah! How much I hate it.

I knew this voice very well, I don't need to turn back to see who is it. No one other than my so-called girlfriend, Somin Brown!

"Hi. Somin. Why are you there? Please, come here." Nick did the formality. And I really felt like punching that bastard.

"I called you so many times." She was talking with me. I know, right?

But I didn't bother at all, I continued drinking my beloved wine. "I was busy." Well, that's a reply to avoid my dad too. Because if I just avoid her, this news will reach my dad's ears.

I heard her heaving a deep sigh before coming beside me. "Rayan, stop." She snatched the glass away from me and put it on the table in a manner that frightened everyone except me, Please, don't force me to create a scene here.

"Come with me." With that, she grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the bar with her.

"It's my birthday, Rayan. You didn't wish me. At least you should have met me first when you are here. It's our first meeting after you have come back from the USA. How can you still be like this?" Somin shouted. I know she was getting tired of me. That's what I want the most. But I know this better that she will never leave me.

Inhaling a deep breath, I looked at her with the shivering coldness in my eyes. "Somin, it's your fault that you expect it from me." She promised me once that she will never expect anything from me.

"What do you..." She stopped as my phone buzzed. Thank God, it did.

I took the phone out of my pocket and picked up the call. "Yeah. Mr Joon."

"Where are you? Are you okay?"

His voice sounded worried. So I got anxious. "Yes. I'm okay. But is everything okay?"

"Stay safe. I will talk to you later. I need to talk with Sir. Bye." With that, he declined the call.

Stay safe? Then something's going on.

"Is everything okay?" Somin's voice reached my ears.

I shook my head, shoving the phone back inside my pocket. "I don't think so. I need to go. Stay here. Not forcing you but,.. I think you should." I said as I made my way in.

I told you before this damn place was so crowded. The toughest thing to do here is to find someone, but the easiest thing was to get lost.

After about ten minutes, I finally found him, he was talking with the bodyguards. "What's wrong?" I asked him.

Hearing my voice, he turned around. "They saw some suspicious people here."

I titled my head confusingly. "Do anyone in this party have enemies?"

He laughed softly. "When will you grow up? Even you have enemies because of your power."

"Ah." I understood now. "I'll talk to dad and tell him to go back quickly," With that, I huddled towards my dad who was chatting with the owner of LG group, Seo jin

"Dad." I called him. Seeing me, he stopped talking and turned to me. "Yeah?" Look, who is being decent!!!

"Dad. Mr Joon.." I stopped when my gaze plopped at the large window which was opened and saw someone on the roof of a building which was far from this hotel. Wait... is he holding a gun? I blinked to clear my vision. Yes, I was right he was targeting the gun on the owner of the LG group, Seo Jin. But if he shot it like that, it can shot my dad too.

Without wasting a moment, I quickly grabbed Seo Jin's hands and pushed him to the other side. "Move." I shouted as I stood there in front of my dad.

The bullet reached like a fire in the air and it made its way to my stomach but I felt nothing for a while. I felt everything around me stopped. It was rippling through my body without any kind of pain. Slowly, the strength of my body crumpled, my knees went weak as the blood started to fall. Just then I felt like it was burning inside me.

The last thing I saw before closing my eyes was the people of the bar running out and my dad holding me on his arm.