When Ice meets Fire

Chapter 2

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**CHAPTER 2: LIN HUA'S POV{contract signed}

I sat silently in the guest room, heart pounding with a Combination of nerves and curiosity. This was my first time meeting Kim Taehyung, the man I was supposed to marry today. The makeup artist was packing up her brushes, and I could hear faint footsteps approaching the door. My palms were sweaty, and my mind raced to process everything that had happened in the last few hours.

The door opened gently, and I saw him—Kim Taehyung. Tall, with sharp features and piercing eyes that seemed to look right through me. His expression was unreadable, but I sensed a tension in him that matched my own.

He handed me a piece of paper—the marriage contract. I hesitated, glancing at it briefly.

He spoke with a commanding tone,"Look, just sign this fu*king papers, I didn't want to waste my time on you, i didnt want to marry you, that's just a waste of time. Signed those papers, after signing that we will be married couple officially but don't expect more than that, I will divorce you after two years. Don't worry, I will pay you enough for that just be my wife in front of public and in front of my parents. And take those off I don't want any ceremony for these fake marriage." He said telling me to sign the papers and warning me not to expect more than a contract marriage. I listened quietly, feeling a strange mix of fear and defiance. I stared at the contract paper at the upper part of it was his rules written in bold.

Rule 1:don't enter my room

Rule 2:don't ask me any questions about my personal life.

Rule 4:don't tell anyone not even your families and friends about this contract marriage.

Rule 5: don't try to seduce me.

Rule 6:don't fall in love with me.

Note: I hate clingy people.

I nodded my head immediately I was done going through his rules and some other things written on the paper.

A part of me wondered: why had I agreed to this?

I had no choice, really. My family was drowning in debt, and my father's illness was draining whatever little savings we had left. I’d taken on multiple jobs—waitressing, cleaning, anything to keep my family afloat. Then, out of nowhere, an old family friend approached me with an offer: a marriage that could save us all. An alliance with a wealthy family, a chance to escape our poverty—if only temporarily.

I remembered meeting Mr. Kim, Taehyung’s father, through a middleman. It was a quiet afternoon at a small restaurant in Seoul. He looked at me with a mixture of curiosity and kindness—something I hadn’t seen from many adults lately. He saw my sincerity, my struggles. And although it wasn’t love, I saw an opportunity—an escape from the relentless hardship.

When he offered his son’s hand in marriage, I knew it wasn’t for romance. It was a business arrangement, a strategic alliance. But I saw it as my only hope....my chance to give my family a better life, even if it meant pretending to be someone I wasn’t.

I had no illusions about the marriage itself. I knew it was temporary, just a temporary marriage. But I also knew that I would do everything I could to keep my dignity intact, to survive this storm.

When I looked up at him, I saw a flicker of something maybe regret, maybe frustration. But it was gone instantly, replaced by that unreadable expression once more.

"Okay," I finally whispered, my voice barely audible. "I’ll sign."

He handed me a pen, and I took a deep breath before signing my name on the document. As I did, I wondered what kind of man he truly was beneath that stern exterior. Did he want this marriage as much as I do to escape poverty or to escape his own demon?

, I saw a flicker of something—perhaps a shared understanding. We were both trapped in circumstances beyond our control. Maybe this marriage was just a beginning—of something neither of us expected.

"Umm.... can I ask you... for one off...er...? I said voice trembling.

"Yes just remember rule number two, are you scared of me or my response to your question?" He asked looking straight into my eyes with his emerald green eyes.

"No."

"Then why is your voice cracking and you are even trembling?"

"Can I visit my parent every week end, please." I pleaded without answering his question.

Taehyung's emerald green eyes narrowed slightly. "Weekends. You can visit your parents, but don't expect me to join. And keep this marriage a secret—no telling your family or friends."

Lin Hua's face lit up with gratitude. "Thank you... thank you so much." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Taehyung's expression didn't change, but for a fleeting moment.

He got up and strode out of the room, leaving me alone.

Kim Taehyung POV

I strode out of the room to go meet my parents. I saw my mom talking to a guest—probably about the cancellation of the wedding. When she was through, she turned to look at me and gave me a warm smile. Then she asked:

“She's beautiful, right?”

“Umm, Mom, I need to go somewhere right now,” I said after a long pause. To be sincere, I didn’t really look at her. Maybe I did, but I can’t even remember how she looked. Maybe it was because I was angry then—and still am now.

“Okay, but where are you heading?”

“Mom, God! Don’t you think you’re asking a lot of questions?” I said tiredly. I just wanted space.

“Taehyung, I’m your mother. You don’t speak to me like that.”

“I’m sorry, Mom. I can’t do this with you right now. I’m not in the mood. I’ll see you later. Love you, Mom.”

“Love you too, son,” she whispered.

“God, he will never change,” she muttered to herself.

I entered my car and zoomed off to my buddy’s place. It’s been five years since we saw each other, though we talk on the phone regularly. He also joined my parents in persuading me to find a girl.

I arrived at his place and drove in after the security guard opened the gate. I walked toward the door and knocked, but there was no response. I asked the guard standing close by if Zhen Wei was inside, and he nodded, saying he was. I twisted the doorknob and it opened—the door was unlocked all this while; it was just jammed.

There was no one in the sitting room. I thought maybe he was in his room, probably sleeping after a hectic day at work. But no, he wasn’t. I walked toward the bedroom door and started hearing muffled sounds—moaning. Zhen was enjoying himself.

“c*m for me, baby…”

“Ah, ah, ah… baby, I’m cuming. Go faster, please…”

“Jeez, this is gross,” I murmured, rubbing my forehead from stress. I was thinking that after my parents’ torture yesterday and today, I could just come to Zheng’s house and relax a little. But hell no—that wasn’t the plan Zheng had for me. I stepped backward and my leg hit something.

“Babe, ahhh… ah, I heard a sound.”

“It’s nothing,” Zheng assured her.

“Please go and check.”

“Okay.”

Zhen opened the door and peered out—that was when he saw me standing there.

“Oops, man, I’m coming. Give me a few minutes to get dressed,” he said and locked the door.

“Okay.”

Zhen walked out fully dressed in shorts and a white T-shirt.

“Hey, man, you’re back in town?” he asked as we shook hands.

“Yeah, as you can see—in full flesh and blood, in one piece. I hope I didn’t disturb your… enjoyment,” I replied as we walked to the sitting room.

“You did disturb my sexcapade. What would you like to drink? And what’s with the swollen eyes and dark circles? You look like someone who hasn’t slept or got punched. Have you been stressing yourself lately, bruh? If you’d taken my advice and gotten a girlfriend, maybe she would’ve helped you relieve the stress by… cumming,” he said as he walked toward the drink bar and poured a drink for me and himself.

“My wedding was today, you ninny.”

Immediately I said that, he spat his drink all over my suit.

“What the fudging fudge is wrong with you, man? You just spat on me,” I said angrily.

“I’m sorry, but did you hear what you just said? Or are you trying to make me pee my pants?” he said, gawking at me, confused and curious.

“My parents arranged a marriage for me today. Can you imagine? Who still does that in the twenty-fifth century?”

“Why didn’t your parents invite me? I would’ve loved to come. Anyway, if what you’re saying is true,” he replied truthfully—and smirked.

“Are you for real? I’m trying my best not to punch you hard in the face right now.”

“Hey, don’t think of that. You know you hit like, f*****g hard… for an old fucker. I’m coming back—that b***h is taking longer in my room than expected. I don’t want anything missing.”

“That’ll serve you right if she steals something. You lark around a lot, you know. HIV and AIDS are real, right?” I said with a soft chuckle.

“My father always said, ‘Son, whatever you do in bed, remember to use protection,’” he said jokingly.

“But your father is dead,” I said, smirking.

“Before he died. We’ll discuss this—I’m coming back. I need to get that b***h out of my house.”