Lunar rushed out of the hotel as fast as she could, leaving behind the high heels she had worn to enhance her appearance. They had become an obstacle, making it difficult for her to take each step. Time was of the essence, as the makeup artist was surely stalling for her.

"Lunar!"

She heard Sora's and Nico's voices calling out to her. Escaping from them was truly frustrating. She had no desire to marry a traitor like Nico.

"Oh, gosh... What should I do?"

In the parking basement, she frantically searched for a hiding place, moving slowly and crouching to ensure complete concealment.

Drap, drap, drap...

She could hear the sound of hurried footsteps on the basement floor coming to a stop. It indicated that the person chasing her had ceased running, and the last sound she heard was not far from her current location.

She knelt on the floor and peered over one of the cars to see where Nico and Sora were heading. This way, she could determine where to dodge.

"Lunar, you better come out now. Don't ruin the wedding ceremony. Our family's good name will be tarnished, and Father and Mother will be deeply disappointed by your actions."

Two pairs of legs appeared from beyond the car she was using as cover. Lunar lifted her head cautiously, supporting her crouched body by holding onto the back of the car.

Hearing Sora mention their parents made her ponder. Although she had not chosen this marriage, she still didn't want to disappoint anyone, especially their parents.

But Nico was not the person he appeared to be. If only someone would believe her words and call off the wedding, she wouldn't even consider running away.

She didn't know where to go next. The only place she went to every day was home, where the family gathered. After this, she would be wandering the streets in her wedding dress. People would think she had gone mad for failing to get married.

Having moved to hide behind another car, she was taken aback when the trunk suddenly moved, prompting her to quickly move away.

She was unsure how to close the trunk without drawing attention from Sora and Nico. The sound of footsteps grew closer, and with nowhere else to hide, she decided to conceal herself within the trunk, using a dark cloth found inside to cover her entire body.

She hoped that her location wouldn't be discovered by anyone. No one could fathom how fast her heart was racing at that moment.

The car door opened and closed, signifying that someone had just stepped inside. Lunar expected it to be Sora and Nico, but it turned out to be a mistake.

Lunar was startled when she heard a voice close to her head. There was someone near her. It seemed the person had just placed something, although she couldn't discern what it was exactly.

"Did the blanket open like this?"

Lunar widened her eyes as an unfamiliar voice commented on the blanket she had used to cover herself. Would she be discovered so soon? She hoped whoever it was didn't recognize her. She just wanted to escape from the hotel as quickly as possible.

Simultaneously, the car door sounded again.

"Just put the suitcase down, why is it taking so long?"

Lunar realized there were two people present now—one with a soft voice and another with a deep, masculine voice. It was not the time for her to imagine what a man with a deep voice looked like.

She refocused on the hope that her whereabouts would remain unknown, inhaling and exhaling slowly to avoid arousing suspicion.

"I'll close the trunk of the car immediately, Sir."

A loud noise resonated afterward—the sound of the car trunk being closed. Lunar cautiously peeked out to assess the situation.

She heard the screeching sound of a car, which carried her away. She had managed to escape from Nico and Sora, but now she was trapped in the trunk of a car and couldn't get out!

Her life couldn't end there, not after running away from an unwanted marriage. She had to free herself as soon as possible to avoid a ridiculous demise. But how could she escape from the car trunk?

She slowly felt around in the trunk, hoping to find something that could help her. She couldn't remain curled up for long and survive in the stuffy room. The narrow and dark space made it increasingly difficult to breathe, and her body, unable to move freely, started to cramp.

Desperate, she searched for anything that could assist her. Among the scattered contents of the small suitcase beside her, she discovered an opening. It wasn't clear what was inside, but she could imagine what she was holding. The owner of the suitcase was quite cunning, as it contained women's underwear.

She tried to find a positive aspect to the situation. Perhaps the man with the suitcase had a girlfriend, especially considering the car was parked at the hotel. It was no longer surprising. Though she had no regrets about escaping the wedding, she had mistakenly hidden herself in the trunk of the wrong car.

Besides the underwear and cosmetic tools, she couldn't find anything else of use. In a burst of frustration, she pounded on the trunk lid, hoping someone would hear her and help. She also shouted for the trunk to be opened immediately.

***

Arkan was a well-known businessman in the city. Having just finished a meeting with a client at a hotel, he closed the document he had been reading and took off his glasses before closing his eyes. He merely wanted to rest for a moment, but a sound coming from the trunk of his car caught his attention. It had been persistently loud, as if someone were pounding and screaming. He turned his head to look at the back of the car, which appeared normal. There were no other cars behind them. So why was there a noise coming from there?

"Are you okay, Sir?" Secretary Ham, who was driving the car, asked.

"Do I look okay?"

Arkan anxiously awaited a satisfactory answer from his secretary, as he felt strange at that moment.

"You look a little pale, Sir."

Arkan cleared his throat and loosened his tie. "Seems like I need to rest a bit," he said, reclining his seat.

When the noise returned, Arkan observed his secretary's expression to ensure that what he heard was not just a figment of his imagination. Secretary Ham seemed focused on driving.

In the end, Arkan managed to ignore the unfamiliar voice that had disturbed him. He gently massaged his ears, hoping the noise would soon dissipate.

A few moments later, they arrived in front of the office building. A crowd of journalists had already gathered, eager to obtain information about his sudden marriage announcement.

It didn't bother Arkan, as he had made up his mind to marry Raya in the near future. Their relationship had been going on for a long time, but he had only recently decided to announce it publicly.

Secretary Ham exited the car first and opened the door for Arkan.

Arkan stepped out of the car and walked toward the office building. But after just a few steps, the journalists swarmed around him. He had to retreat for safety, returning to the car until the situation calmed down.

Once again, he heard a noise coming from the back, even though there was no one there. Were the voices coming from the reporters? It seemed he should check his health after this. The workload might be causing his hallucinations to worsen.

As he glanced out the window, he noticed the previously boisterous crowd suddenly fall silent. Everyone's gaze was fixed in one direction—the back of the car. They began walking toward the trunk. Curiosity piqued, Arkan stepped out of the car to see what was happening.

As he joined the crowd, everyone dispersed. Secretary Ham promptly opened the trunk, revealing the source of the noise. Their eyes widened as they saw someone inside, including Arkan, who was taken aback to find a stranger in his car trunk.

"I almost... died..." gasped the foreign woman, her body drenched in sweat as she struggled to catch her breath. She clumsily climbed out of the trunk, her movements unsteady.

Arkan instinctively caught her body as she almost fell. Avoiding eye contact, he glanced at the scattered contents of his luggage inside the trunk. Secretary Ham quickly closed the trunk, preventing any journalists from taking photos. Then, he helped the woman, who was still leaning on Arkan, to stand upright.

"I—Is this woman the intended wife?" one of the journalists asked after assessing her appearance. Unbeknownst to anyone, this question would lead to a public misunderstanding that would impact the lives of the two individuals involved.

Who wouldn't be surprised by someone emerging from the trunk of a car? Moreover, wearing a wedding dress made the news of Arkan's wedding actually happening, which was definitely not like the original plan.

"You thought of hiding the wedding from everyone?"

Another question was asked to Arkan, and a mini tape recorder was handed to him. Secretary Ham immediately took on the role of blocking journalists from taking pictures or looking for information, holding out his hands in front of Arkan to make it difficult for people to break through.

"Are you going to the wedding today?"

The journalists did not give up easily, turning to question the woman in the wedding dress about the marriage because they did not get an answer from Arkan. They asked the same question over and over again, hoping to obtain some important information about Arkan, a man who had always been the center of attention after taking over managing a major company in the city.

"May we know what your name is, Madam?"

The atmosphere became silent after the question was asked, as if everyone there was very curious about the answer. Lunar looked around with her eyes wide open. Everyone surrounded her and also stared at her without wanting to take their eyes off.

"Lunar."

She thought that by saying her name, maybe she would stop being stared at. Unfortunately, Lunar was bombarded with an endless stream of questions. Journalists asked about her relationship with a man named Arkan. That name sounded very foreign to Lunar's ears since it was the first time they had met.

"I—I don't know a man named Arkan."

Lunar glanced at the person standing behind the man who spread his arms. Does Arkan mean the man who is frowning? She just realized who the person in question was.

The journalists seemed to whisper to each other. Those who heard the confession thought that the woman in the wedding dress was just boasting or it could be a plan to keep the marriage from being discovered. Arkan had tried hard to hide who the candidate to marry was. Now everything had been revealed because they finally found out who the candidate was, according to their thinking.

"Lunar is a potential bride hidden by Arkan. We have to spread the word now."

Arkan was getting angry because the situation was getting worse, so he immediately pulled Lunar into the car with him. That day was a real disaster; all his neatly arranged plans had to fall apart because of the presence of a woman he didn't know. Like annoying pests, he didn't want any troublemakers in his life, especially in his relationship with Raya.

Arkan wanted to take out all his anger on Lunar right then and there, but the journalists were still there, banging on the windows like a flock of crows. Secretary Ham rushed after and sped the car away, leaving a still-inflamed mess in the crowd.

"Where are you two taking me? Drop me!" Lunar shouted, leaning forward to stop the man driving the car, tugging at his arm to make him stop quickly.

"Stop right now!" she shouted again.

Arkan didn't want another disaster to happen and pulled Lunar away from Secretary Ham. Resistance ensued, so he was forced to use force to prevent the chaos from escalating.

Arkan grabbed the woman who didn't want to be silent with both hands, holding back her struggle until Lunar tired herself out. Even so, he didn't let go; Secretary Ham might be bothered again, and it would put them in danger.

"You can get jail time for forcing someone to go with you. This is kidnapping!"

Arkan was even more provoked by his anger because the person who made the mess didn't even think about the mistake he had made. He shrugged his shoulders, making it clear how angry he was.

"You've got me in deep trouble. Were you playing hide and seek and using the trunk of my car as a hiding place?"

"I—I'm just...."

"You must be a crazy woman playing hide and seek in a wedding dress. And why are you involving me in your game?"

Lunar winced in pain as her shoulders were squeezed tightly. She was let go after that and fell backward. It seemed that she had indeed chosen the wrong hiding place. It turns out that she, who intended to avoid Nico and Sora, ended up involving other people's lives.

After the debate, no words were spoken. The atmosphere in the car was so tense with Arkan's anger that it was palpable. Even Secretary Ham didn't dare to glance at the passenger seat, while Lunar could only stay silent and massage her aching shoulder.

Until they arrived in front of a house, Arkan pulled Lunar to come with him, ignoring her rejections. He kept walking until they were in a room. That place was the sitting room that Arkan often used when important guests came to his house. Today he was using that room for a strange woman who had messed up his life.

Now they were alone in there. It was only there that Arkan let go of her hand. He switched to sitting on the single couch without paying any attention to Lunar.

Arkan took out his vibrating cell phone, as if the news about them had reached his father's ears. "Now I'm at home with the woman who made a mess," he said furiously without taking his eyes off Lunar.

Lunar could only look at what appeared in front of her. The man had not taken his eyes off her since earlier, and it filled her with fear, as if she were stranded on a foreign island alone with no one to turn to for help. Where should she look for a safe place to take shelter?

"What? I won't do it, Father." Arkan no longer looked at her. From Lunar's point of view, Arkan looked uneasy. She couldn't hear what the caller was saying, but it seemed to bother him.

Arkan turned off his cellphone completely before long, then placed it on the table before looking at the woman who had made the mess he mentioned earlier to his father. Once again, he scanned Lunar's appearance from top to bottom, dressed in a wedding dress and looking very disheveled.

"Are you a madwoman?"

Lunar shook her head before straightening her half-inclined body. What Arkan had said to her was clearly very insulting. How could she, who was dressed beautifully in a wedding dress and looked extraordinary, be called a madwoman? She was still sane!

"You're the one who's the mad one!"

"Good."

Arkan was very grateful for that, even though his father's decision was still not well received. He couldn't imagine living with a madwoman in the future if Lunar had nodded her head just now.

The tightly closed door to the room suddenly opened completely, revealing the figure of a man whose skin was wrinkled but still fit enough to walk steadily. That man was Damien, Arkan's father.

He walked fast enough to be able to sit in the chair. Damien noticed the pensive woman sitting in the same position he had been in since he entered the room.

"What is the reason you suddenly appeared in my son's life? Do you need money?" Damien glanced at her belly, which didn't look flat. "Arkan got you pregnant?"

Hearing that, Arkan immediately rebutted, "I didn't do that, Dad."

He had only met her a few hours ago. He couldn't possibly have gotten her pregnant, especially since Lunar wasn't his type at all. How did she end up pregnant?

"You can't answer?" Damien didn't seem to want to hear any rebuttal.

Lunar was confused about how to answer this question. She no longer had a home, and of course, she needed money. However, it would be too cunning for her to take advantage of the situation just to get a place to live. She had to remember that her current position was causing havoc in the life of someone who shouldn't have been involved in her escape.

"I ran away from the wedding and accidentally used Arkan's car trunk," she glanced at the person with the name for a moment, making sure that she didn't spell the name wrong, "as a hiding place. Really, I didn't know the situation would get this complicated. I'm sorry for what I've done."

Unexpectedly, Lunar decided to sit on the floor and beg. "Please, don't kick me out. There's nowhere else I can go. I'll do anything, even if I have to be a servant in this house."

Lunar couldn't deny that she really needed a place to live. If she was wandering on the street, she could have been caught by Nico and Sora again. Through the man who seemed to have the power to protect her, it seemed she could avoid marrying Nico. It was fine for her to be a servant as long as she could be free after this. She put her pride aside for a while to secure a place to live.

Damien glanced at his son, who looked very angry. He would be angry if he didn't have to find a solution to the problems that occurred. If he allowed the foreign woman to pass, the media might come to meet her and gather information, and it could be things the foreign woman might not disclose. On the other hand, if he didn't allow it, all the news would die down soon.

"For now, the best option is marriage. You two will get married soon."

"What?! M-married?" Lunar's eyes widened.

Arkan, who already knew the decision beforehand, wasn't too surprised anymore. He still didn't accept it because he had already made his own choice for a life partner, and now it was all destroyed in one blow. Did he really have to marry Lunar? Wasn't there a better way?

Damien understood that neither of them agreed to the planned marriage, so he clarified the meaning further.

"It's only for one year until your separation is announced."

It was a final decision that couldn't be contested. They had to get married.

Lunar stood outside the room, waiting for the two men who were still talking inside. She looked around and admired the luxurious surroundings. It was no surprise that the man she was going to marry was wealthy. She had dealt with a prominent businessman in her hometown, and now she found herself in an even more opulent setting.

Earlier, the breathtaking scenery had left her speechless. From the window, she noticed Arkan seeming to protest against the decision that had been made. They were complete strangers, and getting married under such circumstances was unacceptable. But she needed a place to live, so she had to swallow her pride and beg not to be expelled.

Lost in her thoughts, Lunar suddenly realized her attention was diverted. She glanced at her reflection in the window and noticed her disheveled appearance—messy hair, smudged makeup, sweat-soaked clothes, and bare feet without shoes. No wonder people had mistaken her for a madwoman. Her current state was a far cry from how she had looked in the dressing room earlier.

A chuckle broke the silence, and Lunar turned to see the man who had been driving the car earlier. The laughter quickly subsided when the door opened, and the man respectfully stepped aside for the two who had just exited.

Lunar instinctively followed suit, understanding that when asking for a place to stay, she should show respect to the person providing her with shelter. One of the men continued walking while the other stopped. Lunar looked up and found herself face-to-face with Arkan, causing her to lower her head in response. Arkan's expression remained unfriendly.

"Follow me," he said curtly.

Lunar lifted her head, surprised that Arkan was addressing her. She glanced at the man who was no longer looking down beside her. His nod indicated that she should follow Arkan. Hesitant, she turned to catch up with him, walking a few steps behind.

They arrived in a room with a bed. Arkan stopped at the entrance, allowing Lunar to enter first. The door closed behind them, creating a space for them to have a one-on-one conversation. Unbeknownst to Lunar, there was a looming danger she was unaware of.

As Arkan approached her, Lunar became aware of his presence and averted her gaze when their eyes met. She felt trapped by a man who showed no hospitality, as if she were dealing with a menacing villain. She took a step back, readying herself for self-defense.

"We... we don't need to get married. I can just be a maid in this house. Please, give me a place to stay until it's time for me to leave," Lunar pleaded.

Arkan exhaled slowly, placing his hands in his pockets. He never took his eyes off Lunar, who looked cornered like a small cat. He despised disrupted plans but didn't want to dwell on his hatred for too long.

"We will get married soon. We'll separate after one year. During that time, do not disrupt my plans again," Arkan stated firmly.

Lunar gazed at his expression, no longer displaying anger. However, what Arkan had just said registered in her mind—marriage. Were they really going to get married? It was not part of her plan to escape the wedding and avoid Nico, who had betrayed her. Now she found herself trapped in another marriage from which she couldn't escape. Was this karma for defying her parents' wishes?

"We don't need to get married. I can be a servant in this house for the next year," Lunar repeated, firmly rejecting the idea of marriage. She had regained her composure, no longer overwhelmed by nerves.

Arkan lifted Lunar's chin with his index finger, bringing them face-to-face at a closer distance than before.

"Don't you understand what I'm saying? Don't disrupt my plans with your own. Just sit tight and follow my plan," Arkan asserted.

Arkan observed Lunar's appearance, which he could glimpse. "Clean yourself, you're sweaty and dirty."

Lunar simply watched as Arkan turned around and left the room, leaving her alone. She couldn't deny the truth about her sweaty and disheveled state. She realized that what she had seen in the mirror earlier couldn't be argued with Arkan's remark about her being smelly and dirty.

Lunar approached a door in the room, discovering it was the bathroom. Before entering, she decided to find a change of clothes. She couldn't possibly bathe and then put on the same dirty garments. She approached the wardrobe in the room, opened it, and was surprised to find a collection of clothes, including underwear.

Seeing the clothes reminded her of what she had found in the suitcase. She swallowed nervously, imagining the possible implications. Was her presence in this grand house a result of Arkan's scheme? Was she being sold off or involved in some covert business by the Gray family? Could she be in danger? Panic washed over her. If that were true, she needed to leave immediately.

But first, she needed to freshen up. She couldn't leave in her current state. Taking a hanging garment from the wardrobe, she placed it on the bed. She discarded her disheveled wedding dress, letting it fall to the floor. Stripped down to her underwear, she entered the bathroom.

Lunar took a moment to calm herself, contemplating how to escape this covert business. She must not fall into their trap. It didn't make sense for wealthy people like them to want an ordinary woman like her to become a member of the Gray family, especially when she was about to marry the sole heir, Arkan.

Emerging from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, Lunar turned around after closing the door, only to be startled by Arkan sitting on the edge of the bed. She quickly covered her bare shoulders with crossed arms, retreating to the edge of the door, her mouth agape. Their conversation was over, so why had Arkan returned? Was he about to initiate a plan to sell her? Wasn't it too soon? After all, she hadn't even had a chance to get dressed.

"Who gave you permission to take clothes from the wardrobe?" Arkan asked, his tone reproachful.

Lunar relaxed her crossed arms, momentarily distracted by the topic of discussion. "Weren't those clothes for me? I-I mean, they were in the wardrobe, and didn't you bring me to this room to live in? That means I can use everything in this room, right?" She quickly dismissed her previous thought about being sold.

Arkan approached, and Lunar tensed, making sure he wasn't looking where he shouldn't be. She refused to let any man see her, especially Arkan.

"Everything in this room belongs to Raya, and I won't allow you to use anything that belongs to her."

"R-Raya?" Lunar regained her senses, avoiding a confused question. "Then why did you bring me to this room?"

"To... to talk to you. This is the only place where I can be calm," Arkan replied, his voice wavering slightly. Discussing himself with a stranger was not something he found easy.

Now Lunar understood. She had misunderstood the covert business of the Royal Gray family. She wasn't being sold off, as she had initially suspected. Moreover, she was in someone named Raya's room. Lunar didn't care who Raya was; she didn't want to meddle in the affairs of a man she would only live with for a year. They would become strangers once their agreement was fulfilled, and they were not obligated to be close during that time.

"It seems that Raya means a lot to you, Arkan. Alright," Lunar said, placing her hands on her waist and looking straight ahead with determination.

"I won't use anything that belongs to Raya. Now, can you show me where I can rest? Since we will be husband and wife soon, based on our agreement, you should provide me with a place to live and fulfill all my needs."

Arkan raised an eyebrow, not fully comprehending the woman who had become the center of his troubles. He had married Lunar to avoid any negative rumors about their relationship. Lunar's benefit was that she would have a place to live and all the necessities as a potential member of the Gray family. He hadn't expected Lunar to be so audacious and speak so boldly without any embarrassment. But he couldn't deny it.

"Then let me accompany you," Arkan said, grinning.

Lunar widened her eyes as Arkan grabbed her arm and led her out of the room, wearing nothing but a towel. Many maids were present in the hallway, all staring at her. What an insufferable man! Couldn't Arkan have given her some clothes before they left the room?