What woman doesn't dream of a wedding that matches her fantasies? Every woman in the world must have imagined the wedding she had longed for, including Nara. She had already envisioned a wedding based on a concept she had planned herself—inviting all her friends, along with her parents and extended family. She even wanted to invite her favorite celebrities. But in truth, none of that was the most important thing. The wedding Nara wanted most was one with someone she loved who loved her in return.
But what was happening now? Not a single thing Nara had dreamed of was part of her wedding. Forget having her best friends or extended family there—Nara had gotten married just one day after her family died. She still didn't even know whether her parents and younger sibling had been properly buried. To make matters worse, she had married the demon who slaughtered her family.
Right now, Nara was sitting on the sofa in the living room of Zico's mansion. Yes, her wedding to Zico had just ended. Nara looked incredibly beautiful in her white dress. Unfortunately, as soon as the ceremony was over, Zico had gone straight to the office and left her behind. As far as Nara was concerned, Zico leaving so quickly was actually a good thing. Because if Zico were still here, who knew what he might do to her.
“Miss, are you hungry? You haven't eaten anything since this morning, have you?” asked the maid who had woken Nara earlier.
Zico had a lot of servants in his house. Around 120 servants worked in the mansion, led by a head butler named Mr. San. Such a large number of servants matched the enormous size of Zico's mansion, which almost resembled a royal palace.
“No, I'm not hungry,” Nara replied.
“But, Miss, you—”
“I just want to go to my room.” Nara interrupted the maid before she could finish. She stood and climbed the stairs to her room.
The maid named Sari could only watch her mistress leave with pity.
“Poor Miss Nara. This is the worst wedding a woman could have,” she murmured.
Inside the bedroom.
Nara slowly closed the door to her room. Then she stood behind it, her face blank as she stared straight ahead without a trace of emotion.
Suddenly, her body slowly slid downward. She leaned her back against the door as tears began to stream down her cheeks.
“Oh, God, is this the fate You have given Your servant? Papa, Mama, Najwa... Nara is married now. Can you see Nara from up there? If you can, are you happy, or are you sad instead? Nara misses you so much. She couldn't even bury you as your daughter and older sister. Sob... sob...”
Tan Group.
Zico sat in his imposing chair inside his office. Jo stood before him, ready to answer and carry out every order he gave.
“Jo, have you taken care of that rat family's funeral?” Zico asked coldly.
“I arranged their funeral at the place you ordered, sir,” Jo answered with great respect.
After hearing the reply, Zico fell silent. His gaze fixed on a photograph lying on his desk. It showed him standing between his parents. The picture had been taken when Zico was six years old.
“Dad, are you happy? Zico is sure you're smiling up there, right? Aren't I a devoted son, just like you always said?”
Zico smiled coldly as he spoke to his father in the photograph.
As usual, Jo remained silent. Even if his master acted strangely in other people's eyes, Jo would never dare open his mouth, much less advise him. As far as he was concerned, his master never acted without a reason.
“Jo.”
“Yes, sir.”
Zico bared his teeth in a sinister grin before continuing.
“You know I just got married, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Isn't it funny? I married my enemy's daughter after slaughtering her entire family. What do you think that poor girl’s life will be like after marrying me?”
“Of course, she will accept the fate you want for her, sir,” Jo replied.
Zico fell silent for a moment after hearing Jo's answer. Meanwhile, Jo simply waited for his master's reaction.
Jo always tried to give the best answer to every question Zico asked. In truth, Zico wouldn't do anything even if Jo gave an answer that didn't match what he wanted. But as Zico's loyal right-hand man, Jo felt he had to always give his master his best.
Jo was slightly startled when he heard Zico's laugh—a frightening sound to anyone who had never heard it before.
“Hahahaha, you're right, Jo. That little rat's fate is in my hands. I don't want that little rat to ever experience happiness. I'll make sure her life is filled with nothing but suffering and tears.”
“Jo, you may leave!”
“Yes, sir.” Jo bowed, then left Zico's office.
The clock read 7:02 p.m. Nara was still sitting on her knees in front of her bedroom door. Tears continued to stream down her cheeks. She still couldn't accept the reality she had just endured.
A knock sounded from outside the door, followed by someone calling her name.
“Miss.”
“Miss, Mr. Zico is home. You need to come out and welcome him,” said the maid knocking on Nara's bedroom door.
At the sound of Zico's name, Nara remained silent. Her tears began to flow again. She hated that name so much. She didn't even want to hear the name of that demonic man, much less see his face.
“Papa, Mama, Najwa... Should Nara follow you? Nara really doesn't want to live with that demon. Please come get Nara, Mama... Papa...” she said through her tears.
“Miss, can you hear me?” The maid outside the room continued trying to persuade Nara to come out and welcome Zico home. “Miss, please come out and greet Mr. Zico. Or he'll get angry,” she continued.
But Nara remained completely still. She stubbornly refused to see Zico's face. To her, death was better than being touched by a murderous demon.
“Why isn't Miss making a sound at all? Could it be that Miss...?” Sari covered her mouth with both hands. She thought Nara might have committed suicide inside the room. Sari quickly ran to the first floor to tell Zico.
“Sir! Sir!” Sari called out loudly.
Zico and Jo, who were in the living room, immediately turned toward her.
“How dare you call for the master so disrespectfully!” Jo shouted.
“I-I'm sorry, Mr. Jo. I only wanted to tell you that Miss Nara didn't answer at all when I called her to welcome Mr. Zico home.”
“State your meaning clearly!” Jo shouted again.
“I-I mean... c-could Miss have committed suicide?”
Zico immediately fixed Sari with a sharp, piercing stare.
Sari began trembling in fear. Even though she had worked in that house for two years, she was still terrified of Zico. Sari wasn't the only one—the entire household staff obeyed and feared him, including the head butler, Mr. San.
“What did you say? Suicide? You mean that little rat committed suicide after marrying me?” Zico asked coldly.
“I-I mean, m-maybe, sir.”
Zico rose from his seat and approached Sari, who stood trembling before him.
“Listen! If that little rat really did kill herself, you'll be blamed. You're responsible for her while she's in this house!”
Sari grew even more frightened at Zico's threat. The man's sharp gaze made her body tremble harder.
Zico lifted his head and looked toward the upper floor, where Nara's bedroom was.
“I won't let her die so easily. She will die only when I want her to. And I'll be the one to kill her,” Zico said.
Zico then hurried up the stairs toward Nara's room. He had to make sure the woman was all right. Nara couldn't die as easily as she wished. She had to experience the same suffering Zico had felt when he was nineteen.