Sitting in the car, Elizabeth was doing her best not to be apprehensive. In-ho kept on glancing over to her, seeing the way her leg bounced and her hands fidgeted on her lap. He was currently seeing a side of Elizabeth that he hadn't seen before. She had changed numerous times that morning, not satisfied with her outfit. In-ho had pulled on a navy shirt and a pair of trousers, but Elizabeth had just shook her head at him.

"Those trousers are too tight," she said to him and In-ho cocked a brow.

"I'm not entirely sure how I should take that."

"Definitely as a compliment because they do make your ass look great-"

"-I never knew you'd admired my ass before."

"Trust me, I'm a purveyor of fine art," she told him and he chuckled at her wit and she moved over to his wardrobe, pulling the doors open and rifling through his clothes. At one time he might've been put out by her snooping, but he didn't entirely care at this moment in time. "But my parents are more on the conservative side and I don't entirely want my mother to stare at you anymore than she will do. Then again, why should I care what they think? I don't even know why I'm bothering to meet them. I don't like them. I don't want to spend time with them."

But still she kept on going through his drawers, finally picking out another pair of trousers. Moving towards him, she handed them to him and went to the buttons of his shirt, buttoning another one up closer to his collar. He kept the amused expression on his face at her peculiar behaviour, but he didn't bother to complain.

"I just…I don't know why I'm acting like this," Elizabeth admitted to him. "Christ, I don't care what they think about us, not really. I know how I feel and that's all I care about."

"You know, I'm many things, but I'm not completely socially inept," he promised her. "I know that there is no love lost between you and your parents. I understand that and I understand why. But I also understand that, despite that, you're still their daughter and you still want them to understand you…be impressed by you…you seek their approval, no matter how many times you say that you don't care for it."

Elizabeth wondered if that was true, but she guessed that he had a point. She knew that she had always sought her parent's adoration. She'd never really had it. She never really understood why either. She tried the best she could at everything. She tried to be top of her class. She worked hard. She played piano. She went to galas and did everything right. But it had never been enough. Nothing she did had ever been enough and she thought that she would grow accustomed to that.

"I'm a thirty-four-year-old woman," she said to him. "Why am I still looking for their approval? I don't get it…I don't know why I'm like this…"

"Because old habits die hard," was all that he could say to her. "And as much as you claim not to care about what they think, we both know that's not true. You want to impress them. You want them to see you as a successful woman, which you are. If they cannot see that then they are the blind ones. The fact you're even going to this breakfast despite how they've treated you is admirable."

"They click their fingers and I come running as I always have," Elizabeth said and she looked him sadly in the eye, a hand going to rest on his forearm. He picked it up with his opposite hand, kissing the back of her fingers gently and dropping the trousers to the side, letting them fall onto the bed. "Old habits, right?" she echoed back to him.

"I can't pretend that I'm going to be able to hold my tongue after everything I know about what happened to you," he said to her. "But if you need me to be a supportive…well…partner…then I can be. I can be that for you."

"You already are, you know?" Elizabeth said to him.

"I try," he assured her of that much. "But I can only play a part so convincingly to a certain extent, Elizabeth, but for you, I'll do what I can. I'll try to be what you need."

"You already are," she whispered and stood on her toes, pecking him softly on the lips. He closed his eyes as her hands rested on his chest and he took hold of her hips, his grip gentle and tender. "And you don't need to change. I'm just being dramatic."

"I'll change the trousers," he said to her. "I want to make this as painless as possible for you."

"I just…they get under my skin, In-ho. They know how to annoy me and upset me. I don't want you to judge me based on them or think differently about me. I know that I can be a bitch when they're around."

"Listen to me," he urged from her and pulled her body tighter against his. She laced her arms around his neck, leaning to look up at him, back arching. "I told you everything about me. You know what I do. You know who I truly am. And you accept it. You came into my world and chose me. I can come into your world and understand why you are who you are and it would never make me think any less of you."

Elizabeth bit down on the inside of her cheek to stop herself from smiling too widely. Instead, she just kissed him again, hoping that would convey exactly how she felt about the man in front of her. She adored him more than she had thought possible and more than she had ever adored anyone else in her life before.

"I know I was drunk last night, but I did mean it," she told him, eyes wide and face earnest. "I love you."

He smiled back to her and moved towards her again, lips brushing hers once more as he said "I love you too."

He pulled back from her, despite longing to deepen the kiss and drag her back to bed. Instead, he let her go and reached for the trousers she'd handed him. He quickly changed as she finished fastening a necklace around her neck that had been given to her by Seo-ah.

The two of them left the apartment and headed to the car, driving through Seoul. In-ho was calm behind the wheel, one hand holding it and the other resting by the window. Glancing across to Elizabeth's bouncing leg, he switched his hands so that he could move his palm to sit on it, stopping her from fidgeting. She glanced over to him and he just nodded at her. She took a deep breath and tried to relax, sinking into the cushions behind her and closing her eyes for a moment. Parking on the street outside the hotel, In-ho climbed from the car and was going to open the door for Elizabeth, but she was too quick. She was already out of the car and on the pavement, staring up at the building in front of her.

"When you said your parents were rich…" In-ho trailed off.

"Yeah, they're very rich," Elizabeth confirmed and In-ho gathered that much by how they were stood outside of one of the most expensive hotels in Seoul. It was an all-glass front with a doorman and marble floors running throughout. The walls were covered in expensive artwork and the decorations were all antique furnitures.

In-ho followed Elizabeth through the foyer as she headed to the restaurant on the right. In-ho took hold of her arm, lacing it in his and acting the gentleman. He almost wished he'd put on a suit, but there were others who were wearing more casual items of clothing than him. It seemed to be that the richer people got, the less effort they made with their outfits. He was of the generation, however, that liked to dress well. He had always worn a shirt and trousers when he needed to. He didn't do casual, not very well, anyway. Even his pyjamas were expensive.

"You can still back out," Elizabeth assured him and he chuckled at her, shaking his head.

"Out of everything I've gone through, I can handle your parents," he promised her and Elizabeth wasn't entirely sure if that was true, but she didn't challenge him on that. The maître d' guided them to a table in a bay window, light streaming in. The round table was covered in a white tablecloth, the high back chairs decorated in a red pattern.

The man sat in front of the window stood up, dressed in a navy suit with a green tie. He had dark brown hair, similar to Elizabeth's, but his was slicked back on top of his head. He had a square face with a strong jaw and blue eyes. He was lean, but In-ho suspected he was also quite muscular based on the build of him. The woman remained seated, her hair long and straight down her back. She was blonde, but In-ho guessed she dyed her hair, even though her roots were well touched up. She had a white dress on and black heels, legs crossed under the table. Her face was slender and everything seemed perfectly proportioned. He imagined that the two of them made quite the stir together. They were a good-looking couple.

As they approached, the man moved from around the table towards Elizabeth. She let go of In-ho's arm, slipping from him. "Hi, dad," she greeted him and In-ho was amazed that her father embraced her. It was short and to the point, the man putting his hands on her shoulders and looking down to her.

"Elizabeth," he greeted her. "You're looking well."

"I'm doing okay," Elizabeth told her father and the woman still remained sat. Elizabeth glanced in her direction. "Mum," she spoke and the woman finally looked at her daughter, a smile forming on her face.

"Hello, darling," she said but she didn't get up to hug her.

"I hope you don't mind, but I bought…well…we've been seeing each other for a few months now," Elizabeth said and In-ho knew that she was nervous by the way she reached for her necklace and fiddled with it against her chest. "And he's really been a rock for me. I like him a lot…I mean…I love him," Elizabeth said and she glanced to In-ho, almost like she was pleading with him to dig her out of the hole she'd gotten herself into.

And so he did. He stepped forwards, hand extended towards her father. "Young-il," he said, knowing that it was for the best if he adopted his false alias. Her father looked down at his hand and it took him a moment before he took it, his handshake stern, almost like he was challenging him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Edwards."

"Young-il?" her father checked and In-ho just nodded his head once. "I see."

Elizabeth had warned In-ho that her parents might be wealthy and well-travelled, but they still held their prejudices. She could feel the tension in the air and she just wanted to grab In-ho and run away as quickly as possible.

"And is this the man you had the extra-marital affair with or is that another one?" her mother asked, a smarminess behind her question. She reached for her cup of tea, holding it in her bony hands and taking a sip, eyes looking to her daughter and brows pointing upwards.

"We…we met while I was with Robert and things weren't great," Elizabeth said.

"I'll take that as a yes," her mother murmured and her father went to sit back down.

In-ho pulled Elizabeth's chair out for her and she sat down, turning her head over her shoulder and mouthing an 'I'm sorry' up to him. He just subtly shook his head at her, promising her that she didn't have anything to be sorry for. He sat down next to her and her father. Elizabeth reached for the pot of tea in the middle of the table and poured herself a cup before the server could get to them.

"And how long have you been seeing…Young-il?" her father asked.

"A few months now," Elizabeth said.

"An affair, Elizabeth," her mother tutted, almost like she couldn't believe it. "You don't need to behave how they behave."

By 'they', Elizabeth suspected she meant husbands. She knew that her mother's friend's husband's had affairs. She knew that they gathered at the tennis and golf club and talked about it. They didn't care though, so long as they were being looked after. Elizabeth, on the other hand, did care. She didn't know if her father had cheated on her mother. She never dared ask that. A part of her suspected that he might have, recalling hearing an argument so explosive when she was eleven that she hid under her bed with her hands covering her ears.

"I never meant for this to happen," Elizabeth said.

"Did your legs just fall open?" her mother sniped back and Elizabeth looked down at the tablecloth as In-ho just glanced between her and her mother. She was talking to her like she was a child and Elizabeth looked like a beaten little girl.

"Mary," Mr Edwards warned.

"It's true, John," Mary replied, looking to her husband. "I know what happened was awful, but do you know the impact it has had on your father's business?"

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen," Elizabeth defended herself.

"You never mean for anything to happen," John replied and looked to his daughter. "And I understand that things have been difficult for you, Elizabeth, but our name has been tarnished as well. When the allegations came out…I lost clients…your mother was shunned…it had an impact on our lives. Why did Robert do that? What did he have to gain from it?"

"He'd been gambling," Elizabeth said. "He was taking my money to pay the loan sharks he owed. I was working at the firm and he…he found out I was trying to leave him. He didn't take kindly to that and so he tried to ruin me."

"Robert tried to ruin you? I find that hard to believe…I find all of this hard to believe."

"You know what he did to me," Elizabeth said. "You saw the bruises, mum. You saw them and you knew…both of you knew…"

"I can assure you that I had no idea," John spoke up and Elizabeth looked to her father, shaking her head in disbelief. In-ho caught the glance between them. It was almost like there was something unspoken there and he didn't know if he should bring it up. In the end, he figured that it wouldn't help. The entire table was already shrouded in a tense atmosphere and he didn't want to make things even worse.

"And if what he did to you is true-"

"-It is," Elizabeth interrupted her mother.

"Then I really don't know why you had to air it all so publicly. Going to the press is tacky, Elizabeth. We're taught to rise above these things and you never could. Why did you not divorce him and be done with it? Why did you push him? He told us everything, you know."

Elizabeth frowned and shook her head. She looked back and forth between her parents as In-ho noted a waitress approaching the table. He subtly shook his head at her and she swerved, already sensing that interrupting them wouldn't be a good idea.

"You've spoken with Robert?" Elizabeth checked from her parents. "Are you serious?"

"He called us and told us that he was distraught you'd run off with another man. He said he'd caught the two of you together…he understands that what he did was wrong, but he said you drove him to it."

"And you believed him?" Elizabeth asked, voice rising in disbelief.

"Well, the proof is sitting at the table right now," Mary said but she couldn't even bring herself to look at In-ho, almost as though he was beneath her. Elizabeth stammered over what to say next, blinking quickly and mouth agape. "I mean, honestly, Elizabeth…how old is he? He'd old enough to be your father."

"Fifty-three," In-ho answered for her, almost growing tired of listening to them make Elizabeth feel so small and like she was the one in the wrong. He wasn't going to let that stand. "And yes, I am considerably older, but your daughter is a grown woman who can make her own decisions on who she wants to be with. It just so happens that we met and things developed from there. Neither of us expected it, but it did happen and I fell for Elizabeth. I care for her very much and I would never hurt her, not like her husband did."

Elizabeth looked over to him, wanting to do nothing more than lean over to his chair and kiss him, but she refrained. She just kept on staring at him as he looked between her parents, but neither of them seemed to want to engage in conversation with him. In-ho was tempted to get up and leave. He found that, despite being hungry, his urge to eat with people like Mr and Mrs Edwards was non-existent.

"I never intended to cheat on Robert," Elizabeth confessed. "I was faithful for so many years while he had affairs…and after the first time I never confronted him because he beat me so badly for daring to speak up that I couldn't go out for three weeks without wearing sunglasses or clothes that covered the bruises. But I couldn't keep living like that. Every morning, I would wake up and I would wonder what mood he would be in. My life was dictated by his mood and I couldn't keep going. I couldn't keep letting that happen. I was so tired…I wanted to be happy…I wanted to get away from him and Young-il…he saw me. He saw what was happening and he was the only one who stood up for me."

"Probably because you were the only one who spread your legs for him," John muttered and In-ho flexed his fingers underneath the table. John then looked at him for the first time. "Is that the case? Is that why you preyed on my daughter?"

"Not at all," In-ho said, his calm demeanour remaining, but on the inside he was seething. "I fell for your daughter because of her intelligence, her humour, her ability to stand strong no matter what life throws at her. I love Elizabeth because I see her for who she is and while you enjoy tearing her to shreds for her flaws and imperfections, I can only love her for them…is she a workaholic? Yes. Does she spend far too long worrying over what people think about her rather than just living her life? Yes. Does she take too much time in the bathroom in the morning? Most certainly. But I love her just as she is and I wouldn't change a thing."

Elizabeth could feel her heart swell. She swore she was about to burst into tears and she didn't care who saw.

"You don't know her," Mary spoke up. "Not really. You've been sleeping with her for a few months. Give it time and you'll see that she's not who you think."

"And who is she supposed to be?" In-ho couldn't help but ask.

"A spoiled brat who has had everything handed to her on a plate," Mary sniped and Elizabeth swore she wanted to scream. She felt like she was sixteen all over again, sitting at the dining table and being told that she was a disappointment and needed to be better. She hated it. She hated how her parents could make her feel so small.

"I worked hard to get where I am."

"We paid for your college tuition. Who paid for all of those extra tutoring sessions?"

"You wanted me to get straight A's," Elizabeth defended herself to her father. "You told me that men liked smart women, but they didn't like it when smart women spoke up for themselves. I didn't want to be like that. I wanted to be different."

"You always wanted to be different," John said. "Look, Elizabeth, we understand that things have not always been simple for you. But we've spoken to Robert and he is willing to take you back…and be faithful…in return, we will pay off his debts. You both admit that you've wronged each other and you're working on your marriage. There are people back home who don't believe you, despite Robert's…current predicament…the family business is suffering. There's only so much money in investment banking and when my clients don't trust me because of my daughter's antics, then stock begins to suffer."

Elizabeth could hardly believe what she was hearing. In-ho could see that she was processing what her father had just said to her. Outside, the sun had gone behind clouds now, almost like it was mirroring the atmosphere in that dining room of the hotel. In-ho moved to his feet then. He couldn't do this. He couldn't listen to them for another minute.

"She doesn't need to sit here and listen to this," In-ho declared. "She is not going back to her husband and that is final."

"Says who?" John wondered. "I'm sorry, but you really think you're suitable for her? You're not."

"And why is that?"

"Because you're almost twenty-years older than she is," Mary spoke up. "Because you're not from our world. Do you even understand high society? Can you even comprehend it? Do you not understand that if anyone finds out the two of you are together then it'll be embarrassing for us…Elizabeth…dating a man old enough to be her father…a man who you started dating because of an affair."

"I love him," Elizabeth said simply. "He's the man who took me in when I had nothing. He loved me even when I was at my lowest. I'm not giving him up and I am certainly not giving him up to go back to Robert."

"You'll never be welcomed back," John warned her. "When all of this comes crashing down, you won't be able to come home."

"Who says it'll come crashing down?" Elizabeth wondered.

"We all know it will," Mary said and took another sip of tea.

In-ho looked down to Elizabeth and he held his hand out to her. Elizabeth looked to it and took hold of it, but she didn't move to her feet. In-ho frowned, but she squeezed his fingers inside of hers. "Just give me a minute," she urged from him. "Please?"

Everything in his body told him to say no. He didn't want to leave her with her parents, but he saw the look of steely determination in her eyes. "I'll wait for you by the car," he said and Elizabeth just smiled to him and let go of his hand. He walked away with one final glare in the direction of her parents, not entirely sure if he was doing the right thing.

Elizabeth waited until he was out of earshot before she spoke again. "I came here hoping that maybe you would be willing to listen to me," she began. "I thought that maybe, after everything that had happened, you would believe what Robert did to me…how he abused me…but my happiness means nothing to you, does it? You don't care if I'm happy or if I'm lying unconscious in a hospital bed. I'm just a means to an end…a pawn for you to use when it benefits you."

"You insolent, little girl," John snapped under his breath.

"That's where you're wrong," Elizabeth said. "I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm a thirty-four-year-old woman and I'm capable of making my own decisions in life. I don't need you both to tell me what to do and I am done seeking your approval. I am done trying to make you respect me…so if this is what you want…you want to cut ties…then fine. I'm done. And even if Young-il wasn't in the picture, I would never go back to Robert because I know what I'm worth now. I finally understand that, actually, I do matter. I matter and I can make something of myself. I'm not defined by Robert…by my family name…I can make my own choices now."

Elizabeth glanced between her parents and she finally stood up, looking out the window as rain began to hit the panes of glass.

"There's no coming back from this, Elizabeth," John warned her. "If you walk out that door then you don't come home."

"Then I guess this is goodbye," Elizabeth told them and she tucked her hair behind her ears.

"You're going to regret it," Mary tacked on.

"I've lived with so many regrets, but this isn't one of them," Elizabeth said and she turned on her heel and she walked out. She felt like a weight had been lifted. Her heels clicked on the marble floor and she left the hotel without looking back. Moving down the street, she didn't even bother to try and shelter herself from the rain. She expected In-ho to be by the car, but he was walking towards her. His hair was wet, hanging in clumps down his face, the navy shirt sticking to him and his eyes glancing over at Elizabeth intently.

"I went to the car, but I couldn't stay there and leave you with them. I couldn't abandon you, not when everyone else abandoned you…I can't be like that. I know that-"

She cut him off, kissing him harshly, arms going around his neck and hands clinging to him. In-ho staggered back by the force which she launched herself at him, but he soon took hold of her by the waist, kissing her back and closing his eyes. He didn't even care about the people who were walking around them. Elizabeth moved her mouth against his, almost like she was trying to convey everything she was feeling with the kiss. She needed him to know how much he meant to her. She needed him to understand that he was all she cared about. And he knew it.

"I don't want them," Elizabeth said, finally letting her lips move from his. "I don't want anything to do with them. I don't want to go back home…and even if in one year…two year's…ten year's time…you decide that you don't want this…me…us," Elizabeth said, but In-ho shook his head, opening his mouth to protest, but Elizabeth pressed a finger to it. "Right here, in this moment, I know that I made the right decision. I know that, no matter what happens…at this moment in time…I chose you and I chose to be happy. Nothing will ever make me regret that."

In-ho could see that the rain was making her hair fall straight, her blouse turning almost translucent and droplets sticking to her face. He moved his hands up her waist, fingers gripping her cheeks. "I won't let anything happen to make you regret it," he assured her of that much and Elizabeth just nodded. She knew he couldn't promise her that. Neither of them knew what the future held, but at that moment in time, it felt like nothing could go wrong.

…

Sitting up in bed, In-ho wrapped an arm around Elizabeth's shoulder. She tugged the quilt under her arms and collapsed against his side, head resting by his shoulder and near his chest, hand laced inside of his and toying with his fingers. He moved to kiss the top of her head. Both of them had been wrapped up in each other since they got through the door and had gone back to bed. Despite it being past lunchtime and neither of them having ate anything that morning, they didn't seem to care. They were too comfortable where they were.

"I don't mean to pry," In-ho said. "But your father…at the table…there was a moment where you looked at him like you were accusing him of something."

She knew he'd seen that.

"He…my mother always knew that Robert hit me. I told you how she used to just tell me to cover my face with makeup," Elizabeth told him. "But there was one time when we were at my parent's house, just after we'd been married a year, when we were in my father's study and Robert wanted me to sign some paperwork for the apartment we were looking to rent. I questioned how much it was, but Robert just promised me his salary would cover it…anyway…I signed and that made him happy. He started kissing me and at first I thought it was just him being sweet, but I told him to cut it out and that my dad could walk in at any moment. You know how Robert gets when he hears the word 'no'".

In-ho kept quiet, letting her tell the story, but he did keep hold of her hand, not letting her pull away. His chin dropped to sit on top of her head and his arm around her shoulder brought her closer, hand stroking her upper arm. She closed her eyes for a moment and shifted against his chest.

"I told him no, but he didn't listen. He pushed me over the desk and I begged him not to," Elizabeth said. "I said that we should wait until we got home and we were in private. I wasn't ready…I just…I tried to stand back up, but he kept a hand on my back and he pushed my skirt upwards…I remember…it just…it hurt…it hurt and I started crying…I just kept begging him to stop…but he didn't…and then when he was finished…he pulled my skirt down and kissed me on the neck, but then my dad walked in. He walked in and I remember him looking at us. I tried to get up and pretend everything was fine, but I'd been crying and I was still bent over his desk. And for just a minute, I thought that he was going to say something. I thought that he might actually kill Robert for what he'd done, but he didn't. He just stood up straight and he laughed. He laughed, In-ho," Elizabeth said and she gulped. "He told Robert to make sure we were in private next time, that the honeymoon phase was still going strong…and Robert laughed with him. Both of them didn't even acknowledge that I was there."

"Your own father…he just abandoned you," In-ho said and she could feel his grip on her fingers grow far too strong, but she didn't complain. She just let him grip hold of her. "How could he?"

"He wasn't really a father," Elizabeth just said to him. "Not really. Since then, I realised there was no point of going to my parents for anything. They'd never care, not really."

In-ho bit down on his tongue so hard he tasted the familiar copper of blood. He didn't know what he should say. He wasn't sure if words would comfort her or if she even wanted comforting. She looked up at him, eyes wide and soft.

"It was a long time ago," she told him.

"I wish things had been different," In-ho told her. "I wish you'd never had to go through that."

"But I did and things aren't different…things…we just need to make the most of what we have," Elizabeth said to him. "If things were different then I'd never have met Robert and maybe your wife might still be here and none of this would be happening…the games…us meeting…and maybe we might both have been happy."

In-ho knew she had a point. There was no point in wishing that the past could be changed because it couldn't be. The past was just the past.

"I know it can't be easy for you too," Elizabeth told him and she went back to rest against his chest, like she was unable to look him in the eye. "I know that you miss her and I know that you don't like talking about it, but you can…because I…I don't want you to think about sparing my feelings."

In-ho gulped at that and sucked in a breath through his cheeks. "It's not your feelings I am trying to spare," he admitted to her. "It's mine. There's times when I think about how I feel about you and I feel guilty. I feel guilty because I'm not thinking about her…I'm thinking about you…and then I wonder what she would say if she could see me now. Would she want me to be with someone else? Would she be happy for me? Would she be upset? And I hate the not knowing. I hate not knowing how she would feel and it makes me question everything…but then I see you…I spend time with you…and it's like there's no question. There's never any question of anything when I'm with you."

Elizabeth could understand that it must be complicated for him and she wanted him to know that she didn't want him to close himself off because he felt that he couldn't talk to her.

"It'll have almost been five years," he said, almost to himself. "I used to visit her grave and lay flowers, but since I took over the games…I haven't been back…I don't know if it's because I can't face it or because I don't want my brother to know I've been. My excuse varies depending on what excuse I am looking for, but I think, the main reason I don't go is because I blame myself for her dying. I should've done more to save her."

"You did everything you could."

"There was always something else I could do," he replied with a shake of his head. "I could've tried harder. I should've done anything…but I didn't and I blame myself."

Elizabeth blinked back the tears in her eyes. "I know it's not the same," she said. "And I know I never met her, but if you want me to…I can take flowers…I just…I just don't want you to feel like that because you did everything you could and I'm sure she'd know that because she'd know the type of man you are. You're tenacious. You're unrelenting. You're the most determined man I've met. And that's why she'd have known that you did everything to try and save her."

In-ho wasn't entirely sure what to say to her, words failing him. He just lay there in silence, Elizabeth also keeping quiet. She kissed his shoulder softly and he squeezed her arm, closing his eyes. His wife might've been proud of him at some point, but he wasn't sure she'd be proud of him and what he was doing now.

…

In-ho had kissed Elizabeth goodbye before she went to work on the Monday morning. He'd pecked her on the lips and told her that he'd cook dinner for them, urging for her not to be too late home. She'd left the apartment and he'd gotten to work, looking over recruitment figures. He worked into the afternoon. It got to about five and he decided to go and pick some groceries up. He was cooking in the kitchen when Elizabeth messaged him at six telling him she'd be home for eight. He'd text her to tell her that dinner would be waiting and she replied with a teasing 'and that's why I love you.' He'd chuckled at his phone and gone back to dicing vegetables.

The phone began to vibrate again and he saw the number pop up of the Salesman. He wiped his hands on a towel and answered the call. "Is it done?"

"Robert Jacobs called the number and agreed to go to the meeting point," he said. "But you have another…predicament…that needs dealing with. It turns out that Player 456 has been searching for me to get to you. He's been paying anyone he can to track subway stations across Seoul."

"And he found you?"

"Two of his men did," the Salesman said and took a slurp of something In-ho assumed was a drink. "I dealt with them, well, one of them. The other is currently indisposed. 456 has been renting out a hotel and hiding here."

"You have the card, I assume?" In-ho asked him.

"It's been in my pocket since you told me to take it," he replied.

"Give it to him and leave."

"And if I want to have some fun?" the Salesman wondered.

"Taunt him if you must…get rid of him if you can…if not, give him the card. I'll be waiting."

"I'll let you know what happens," he replied. "And Elizabeth Jacobs?"

"What about her?" In-ho asked, not entirely thrilled with the Salesman bringing her up.

"Does she know her husband is going into the games?"

"No," In-ho said.

The Salesman chuckled. "What is it? A surprise for her?"

"Something like that," In-ho said. Truthfully, he wasn't sure how she'd react to her husband being in the games. He wondered if she might be horrified or if she would be thrilled. He hadn't told her out of trepidation and he was wondering if he could keep it from her, but he remembered that secrets could ruin them.

"I think she'll be elated."

"I hope so," In-ho agreed.

"There's a darkness inside of her, you know that, don't you?" he asked. "I saw it that day I met her. She's not all sweetness and light. She has a mean streak…could be a valuable asset for the games."

In-ho didn't say anything. He'd seen it inside of her too. He'd seen her and listened to how she spoke. Of course, there was a difference between wanting someone dead and actually pulling the trigger. He didn't know if Elizabeth had the stomach for that.

"Let me know when the job is done," In-ho simply said, not wanting to discuss Elizabeth.

He hung up and placed his phone down. He went back to dicing vegetables again. He remembered their time on the island. He remembered how he had held her in his arms as they listened to 'She's Always a Woman' in his apartment, doors open and sea breeze warming their skin. He remembered how she hadn't run from him and she'd been the one to talk to him about the games. He remembered how she had looked at him and spoken about those she despised. He remembered seeing something inside of her that shocked even him.

Maybe he shouldn't underestimate her.

Maybe that could be a costly mistake.

Maybe she was ready to see what really happened on the island.

...

A certain brother comes into play soon and we get ready to go to the games where Elizabeth is going to play a bigger role than In-ho realises...as always, thank you all so much for reading. Please do leave a comment - they really keep me motivated and I would love to know if there's anything you'd like to see play out!