New Life, New Rules

"The only one you should trust is you, Aera.~

"Why is my future not changing despite my little efforts?~

"You have to make a choice~

[Heart thumps harder…]

"Only your decision can bring an end to this coming tragedy~

[Nervously folded hand against dress…]

"To me or Areum?~

"To him… Hyun Min.~

"Why~

"That's the only way you can survive~

Darkness enveloped the scene and when I opened my eyes, I was back in the hotel's bathroom. The door creaked open like it did at first and my suspicion got cut through as he began to advance towards me.

Why is he here again?

Why am I here again?

What is happening with the order of time?

He blurred towards me while his right hand stretched towards my stomach. Before he could push the knife through,...

°~°~°~°

"Ahhh!"

I screamed, jolting out of my sleep.

"Nightmares?" A voice who was sitting next to me on the bed asked, swiping the strands of hair that had been soaked in my sweat away from my face.

I panted a little, releasing hot breaths at intervals.

My heart beat fastened up for no reason.

I turned at the voice and his face was already laid with a welcoming smile.

"Hyun Woo." I mumbled returning his smile with a little one.

"Did you sleep well?" He inquired, patting my hair through and through.

I nodded and hummed a yes.

He pressed forward and gave me a light kiss on the lips.

I smiled.

Before he could retract his move, I pulled him by his shirt dragging him back to myself.

"Do you know how much I've missed you?" I sulked tracing my slender finger against his ear.

"Did you notice me getting out of bed last night? I didn't want to wake you up since you were a little tired from all the stress from office work. I'm sorry." He apologized, caressing my cheek.

He was out last night?

I frowned.

"Why would you leave me all alone on our wedding night? What else is as important as I am now?"

"Wedding you say? It's been a month since we got married, Aera. How can you forget this so easily?"

I shrugged, a little confused.

I remembered saying my vows to Hyun Woo yesterday.

At the cathedral.

Without Areum in there.

What…?

Noticing my prompt silence which was due to being wretched with some thoughts, Hyun Woo continued,

"I just went out to get some air and some shots with my friends. They wouldn't be having me in their company frequently… as I am yours now, so they suggested a farewell bar party last night." Hyun Woo explained flawlessly.

Tch.

"Darling… I promise you that's the truth."

"But still…"

He stopped me abruptly by pressing his lips against mine immediately. I smiled through the kiss and raised my hands behind his neck carefully caressing his hair as he kissed me.

I felt Hyun Woo's hand slowly creep right under my nightwear and his warm hand began to caress my thigh and I twitched a little.

I must confess, I miss Hyun Woo's touch a lot.

Maybe it was because I was back to being eighteen then that I had no time to think about our crazy erotic ordeals in our little world.

I lifted my hips and gave him a slow response to his touch.

The tension was growing fast.

The heat of the kiss was intensifying.

He rolled his tongue into my mouth and he tasted like nectar when I felt this sweet sensation of his tongue.

He was a professional at handling kisses.

He had no flaws.

His left hand carved down the strap of my nightwear off my shoulder and he drifted off my lips, planting soft kisses on my chin then trailing off to my neck and shoulder.

I twitched so bad.

This feeling…

Of being touched…

This early…

By now, Hyun Woo's other hand had started to mount far from my thighs and he moved closer and closer to my honey cave.

I couldn't deny him this pleasure.

He is my husband anyway.

He is mine to own.

I am his to claim.

He made his way back to my lips and planted a soft kiss against my lips.

The sound of the brief touch filling out ears through and through.

I smiled and so did he.

"I made breakfast." He announced, biting his lower lip seductively.

"You want to leave me like this? After all the teasing?" I shrugged my hands still wrapped around him.

"You don't want to be late for work, do you?"

"Work can wait." I whispered.

"I'm more good at waiting." He laughed, pressing another kiss on my lips before pulling away.

He got up to his feet and began to make his way out of the bedroom. "Take a shower instead and wash your hair too." And with that, he opened the door.

I let out a wry sigh as I watched him leave.

Then, he was back.

"Don't forget you have to make it to the hospital today. I made a reservation for you already and your schedule at work today is actually cleared." He added before closing the door behind him leaving me dauntless.

Hospital?

Why will I be visiting a hospital?

Without a final resolution to clear my mind, I shrugged the feeling off and made my way into the bathroom.

Now that I am back in this life, I can still keep my name as mine. Hyun Woo is mine and so is my inheritance. But first, I need to start working my way through the company's procedures and maintain a policy.

I have to step into the position of power which has been mine from the beginning.

This time, I will not walk the same path that led to my unprecedented death.

And also, I have to be on the lookout for the one who had murdered me.

All alone, I can achieve this.

I gave myself a little nod of reassurance as I watched my image in the mirror.

°~°~°~°

Carefully pulling my car into the parking lot, I switched off the engine of my car when I was sure it was safe to stay in that spot. I grabbed my birkin bag and pushed the door open, stepping out into the shimmering sun.

My well tailored suit hung perfectly on my delicate body and my branded Valentino shoes were a perfect compliment to my fit.

I smiled at the perfection of my outfit.

I am royal.

I should look royal.

But on second thoughts, I wondered if it wasn't too much to flash designers to a hospital?

I sighed as I walked into the hospital. The common smell of antiseptic hitting my nose as I made my way past the emergency room.

I walked with great precision and my heels resonated across the broad hallway.

My phone vibrated in my bag and I knew it was a message from Hyun Woo. He had promised to send the details of the doctor who would be attending to me.

He had introduced him as a close friend and he would readily attend to me when I got to him.

I wondered what was going on in my body that I have to go to the hospital today?

Why can I not remember?

A split headache suddenly struck through my head and grimaced while holding my head to try and pacify the splitting pain, but it was of no use.

The world around me suddenly began to spin and all I could hear was distant voices ringing through the hospital. The voices were clearly not distant, but the pain rushing through my head made me presume it as something else.

I looked into my phone checking Hyun Woo's message for one last time, but my attempt erupted into a mild collision.

I had failed to notice someone sprint towards me and as we collided, my phone fell out of my hand, slipping away under a vending machine.

My right heel slipped as well and my balance shifted, preparing me for a fall, but as bright as my luck was that day, a hand slipped right under my waist, pulling me back up from falling like a plum.

Was I too thin to grap or was he too strong?

As he pulled me closer back to himself, my vision cleared and my head was back to being fine.

I made his face up and my eyes slowly began to pop in astonishment.

I could have let myself roll off his hold, but he groped me tighter, making me press my hand against his chest while my other hand held his muscular build that was hidden behind his doctor coat.

How?

"Hyun Min…" I blurted out unconsciously.