Jae hyun's POV
"I just turned my headache into my full-time wife"
The second I stepped out of that stinking jail cell, I swore I'd never let anyone embarrass me again.
Then the universe laughed and delivered her in a dress.
We were walking into the contestant hall when she crashed into me.
"Oof sorry… oh wait. Bartender girl?"
That voice. That same smug little tilt of the head.
I froze.
Yesterday, some drunk idiot at a club tried to grab her by the waist. I stepped in, took a fist to the jaw, broke the guy's nose, got dragged away by security… and this ungrateful gremlin just fixed their skirt, muttered "I could've handled it," and walked off without even a thank-you.
I still have the scar on my eyebrow from that night.
And now here she is, fake lashes, fake hair, fake everything… looking like a doll and still not recognizing me.
Something evil inside me smiled.
I grabbed her wrist. "You. You're my bride now."
Her face went paper-white. "W-what??"
Hyo-jin nearly dropped his tablet. "Sir…"
"Shut it, Hyo-jin. New plan. This one. Final answer."
The girl I actually picked two seconds ago (perfect posture, rich-family princess) squeaked, "But I won!"
I didn't even glance at her. "Congratulations. Second place gets a gift card."
Min-jae tried to yank her hand free. "Sir, I ranked last in literally everything!"
"Exactly," I said, dragging her toward the car. "Makes this look fair."
She dug her heels in. "Wait, wait, wait….why are you mad at me? I don't even know you!"
I stopped. Turned. Leaned in so close our noses almost touched.
"That's a lie," I said, voice low. " Club LUX. Some creep had his hands on you. I got punched in the face saving your ungrateful ass. You looked me dead in the eye, said 'I didn't need help,' and walked away like I was the dirt on your shoe."
Her mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.
"That… that wasn't me," she tried.
"Bullshit." I flicked the edge of her fake hair. "Same eyes. Same smart mouth. Same 'I'm too cool to say thank you' energy."
Her cheeks went fire-engine red. "I… I really don't remember…"
"Of course you don't. Princesses never remember the peasants who bleed for them."
Hyo-jin coughed into his fist. "Sir."
"What's your name?"
"I said what's your name?!"
"Min jae." She said.
"Isn't that the name for a man?"
"I guess my parents thought it'll suit me."
"Well funny enough you could pass for a man ."
Min-jae lowered her voice to a desperate whisper. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I don't know what's wrong but I'm sorry."
"Too late." I opened the car door. "Get in."
"Wait wait wait sir"
"Begging looks better in the wedding photos. Move."
She glanced around (contestants staring, phones out, Girl One literally crying now) and realized she had zero options.
She climbed in, knees knocking together.
I slid in after her and shut the door.
Silence.
Then she turned to me, voice shaking but still trying to fight.
"You can't force me to marry you over one stupid night."
"I just did."
"I'll tell everyone I'm…"
I raised an eyebrow. "A bride from a fake contest ? Go ahead. I dare you. See how fast your sick life loses its when the contract money disappears."
Her whole body went stiff.
She stared at her lap, fists clenched so tight her knuckles went white.
I leaned back, finally relaxing.
"Buckle up," I said, grinning. "You owe me a thank-you. And I'm collecting with interest."
She didn't answer.
Just stared out the window while the car pulled away, looking like someone who just realized the devil drives a Maybach.
The second the car door slammed shut, the silence lasted exactly 1.2 seconds.
She whipped around so fast. "You can't be serious."
"I'm always serious," I said, loosening my tie. "Especially when I'm petty."
She tried the door handle. Child-locked. Obviously.
"Let me out."
"No."
"This is kidnapping."
"This is a contract. You signed the contestant agreement. Page 17, clause 9: 'The final selected bride will immediately accompany the CEO for orientation.' Congratulations, you're oriented."
Her eyes went huge. "I ranked last in four stages!"
"Exactly. That's why I picked you. Nobody can accuse me of playing favorites."
She opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again. "You're doing this because of the bar."
"Ding ding ding. Give the girl a prize."
"That wasn't me!"
"Same eyes. Same mouth. Same 'I don't need a man' attitude. Try again."
"I took a fist to the face for you!" I snapped, louder than I meant. "Still have the scar. Want me to show you?"
She went quiet for half a second. Then:
"Fine. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. I was scared and stupid. Please let me go home."
"Nope."
"I'll kneel. I'll kowtow. I'll call you oppa for the rest of my life …."
"Tempting, but no."
She changed tactics, voice dropping to a whisper. "My sister is sick. Like, really sick. That's the only reason I did this stupid contest. If I disappear…."
"You won't disappear. You'll be on every billboard in Seoul as Mrs. Kang Jae-hyun. Your sister's hospital bills? Paid. Forever. You're welcome."
"That's creepy."
"That's being rich."
She hugged herself, suddenly looking tiny in that ridiculous dress. "People will notice I'm…l."
"I don't give a fuck?" I tilted my head. "Because right now you look annoyingly pretty."
Her ears went red again. "Stop saying that."
"Stop being pretty, then."
She actually growled. "I'm not! You know what? Never mind"
"That' what I thought ."
"This isn't funny!"
"Who's laughing?"
She tried the door again. Still locked.
Hyo-jin up front cleared his throat. "Sir, traffic cam in five."
I hit the privacy screen button. Black glass slid up. Now it was just us.
Min-jae's voice cracked. "What do you want from me?"
"Everything," I said calmly. "Starting with a proper thank-you."
"Thank you," she spat through gritted teeth. "Happy?"
"That was pathetic. Try again. With feeling."
"Thank you so much, Kang Jae-hyun-nim, for saving my pathetic life that night," she said in the fakest sweet voice ever. "I am forever in your debt."
"Better. We'll work on the sincerity."
She rubbed her temples. "I'm going to throw up."
"Please don't. The leather is Italian."
"Why are you like this?" she suddenly yelled. "Normal people don't drag strangers into fake marriages for revenge!"
"I'm not normal. I'm Kang Jae-hyun."
"That's not a personality!"
"It's been working so far."
She stared at me like she was calculating how many years she'd get for murder.
"Look," she tried again, softer. "I'm begging you. Pick someone else. Anyone else. I'll disappear. You'll never hear from me again."
"Again tempting. But no."
"Why not?"
"Because I like watching you squirm."
Her mouth actually fell open. "You're a psychopath."
"Diagnosed? No. Suspected? Daily."
She switched to pure panic. "My friend is waiting outside. Soo-ah. She's going to call the police…"
"Already texted her from your phone." I waved it. "Told her you won and you're celebrating with the CEO tonight. She sent back heart emojis."
Her face went from red to ghost-white. "Give me my phone."
"No."
"I'll scream."
"Go ahead. Soundproof."
She actually screamed. A tiny, frustrated "Aaaargh!" that sounded more like a kitten than a threat.
I couldn't help it; I laughed.
"Don't laugh at me!" she shouted.
"Too late."
She lunged for my phone. I lifted it higher. She practically climbed into my lap trying to reach it.
"Give it…"
"Nope."
She froze, suddenly aware she was half-straddling me. Her hair brushed my chin. She smelled like strawberry shampoo and pure terror.
We both stopped breathing for a second.
Then she scrambled back to her side like I was on fire.
I smirked. "See? Already acting like a married couple."
"Shut up."
"Make me."
She crossed her arms, looked out the window, voice tiny. "I hate you."
"Feeling's mutual. We're off to a great start."
Silence for ten whole seconds.
Then, so quietly I almost missed it:
"…How long do I have to do this?"
"Minimum one year. Or until I get bored."
She turned slowly. "And then?"
"Then you walk away with enough money to buy your sister ten hospitals. And I never see your annoying face again."
And just like that I found my wife.