Forced to Divorce the blind man to marry a billionaire...

The rain battered against the windows of the university dormitory, a relentless torrent that mirrored the turmoil soon to envelop Seri’s life. Huddled over her desk, Seri was immersed in her studies, determined to make the most of her scholarship year abroad. Her phone buzzed on the table, dragging her attention away from her notes. "Seri, there’s a letter for you downstairs," the dormitory receptionist's voice crackled over the intercom. A letter? Seri’s heart skipped a beat. In this digital age, letters were rare, often harbingers of significant news. She quickly descended the stairs, a sense of unease growing with each step. The receptionist handed her a plain envelope, the paper slightly damps from the persistent rain. Seri’s name was scrawled across the front in her father’s familiar handwriting. She tore it open and began to read. "Dear Seri, I'm sorry to inform you that your mother has passed away. Please return home immediately." Her world tilted. The words blurred as tears filled her eyes. How could this be? Her mother, vibrant and full of life, was gone? Seri clutched the letter, her knuckles white. But as her tears fell onto the paper, she noticed something odd. Among the lines of text were tiny dots, almost invisible, forming a subtle pattern. Her heart raced as she recalled the secret code she and her father had devised when she was young. It was a way to communicate hidden messages only they could decipher. Her fingers trembled as she traced the dots, her mind piecing together the hidden message. "Finish your exams first before returning." Her father’s real message was clear, even amidst the grief. He wanted her to stay strong and complete her academic responsibilities before coming home. The weight of the situation pressed down on her, but so did the resolve to honor her father’s wishes. Meanwhile, in the dormitory room: Sera, Seri’s roommate, was out for the evening, enjoying a night with friends. Unaware of the storm brewing in Seri’s life, she returned the next morning to find Seri sitting on her bed, clutching the letter, her eyes red and puffy from crying. "Seri! What happened?" Sera rushed to her friend’s side, her cheerful demeanor replaced with concern. Seri handed her the letter, unable to speak. Sera read it, her face reflecting the shock and sympathy she felt for her friend. She wrapped her arms around Seri, offering silent comfort. After a few moments, Sera pulled back, her eyes falling on the letter again. "Wait, what are these dots?" she asked, pointing to the barely noticeable marks. Seri, her voice shaky, explained the secret code. Together, they decipher the hidden message, Sera’s admiration for Seri’s father growing with each revelation. "Your father must be a strong man, Seri. And he wants you to be strong too," Sera said softly. Seri nodded, taking a deep breath. "I need to finish my exams. It's what he wants." The week that followed was a blur of study and grief. Sera never left Seri’s side, helping her with notes, making sure she ate, and providing a shoulder to cry on. The heavy rain outside seemed to echo the storm inside Seri’s heart, but she pushed through, driven by her father’s coded message and the memory of her mother’s unwavering support. Finally, the exams were over. Seri packed her bags, the reality of her mother’s death sinking in anew. Sera accompanied her to the airport, offering one last hug before Seri boarded the plane back to Seoul. As the plane took off, Seri gazed out of the window, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. She was going home to a life forever changed, unsure of what awaited her. Little did she know, the mysteries were just beginning, and her strength and resolve would be tested in ways she could never have imagined. Upon arriving in Seoul, Seri felt an overwhelming sense of nostalgia mixed with anxiety. She hailed a taxi and directed it to her family's home in the exclusive neighborhood of Cheongdam-dong, known for its luxury and opulence. The familiar sights of her city felt both comforting and alien. Her return to Seoul was marred by grief and uncertainty. The journey from the airport to her family's mansion felt like a descent into a nightmare. As the rain drummed against the taxi windows, Seri clutched the letter in her hand, the ink blurred by her tears. As the taxi approached her house, Seri's heart pounded with anticipation and dread. Sera, her roommate and closest friend, had been her rock throughout the final days abroad. But now, as Seri stepped out of the taxi, she faced the daunting prospect of confronting her family's secrets alone. Entering the grand foyer of the Park mansion, Seri was struck by the opulence that surrounded her. But the warmth and vibrancy that her mother had infused into every corner seemed to have faded, leaving behind an air of melancholy that hung heavy in the air. With each step towards the front door, Seri's resolve wavered, threatened by the weight of grief and uncertainty. Entering her family home, Her father, Do-Hyun, stood in the middle of the sitting room, his back facing her. "Dad?" Seri called out, her voice trembling. Do-Hyun turned slowly, his expression cold and unreadable. Seri ran to him, hugging him tightly. "I'm so sorry I didn't come back sooner. I—" "Your mother passed away three months ago," Do-Hyun said coldly, his tone devoid of emotion. "There's no need to bother." Seri stepped back, stunned by her father's sudden change in demeanor. She struggled to comprehend his words, her mind reeling with disbelief. She dear not asked because she already knew that in their family, explanations were rarely given. Before she could speak, a mocking voice pierced the silence. "Quite the dutiful daughter, aren't you?" The voice belonged to Mi-Young, her father’s junior from college, now her stepmother, who was sitting on the couch with her daughter, Hye-Jin.The resemblance between Hye-Jin and Seri was uncanny, their shared surname and appearance masking the truth of their relationship. Seri turned to face them, her heart sinking further. Mi-Young looked at her with a smirk. "If you'd returned when the letter was first sent, you might have had a say in your mother's fashion company. But now, it's under my control." Hye-Jin, who looked strikingly similar to Seri, met her eyes with a mix of sympathy and unease. They had been best friends at school, never knowing they were half-sisters. "You have the right to work there if you want," Mi-Young continued. "But given your tardiness, I doubt you'll be much of an asset." Before Seri could respond, her father intervened. "That's not why I asked you to come back." Seri turned to him, confusion written all over her face. "Then why?" "To marry you off," Do-Hyun stated bluntly. Seri's world spun. "Marry? To whom?" "His name is Jun-Hu," Do-Hyun said. "He's the son of our gardener. He's blind." Seri stared at her father in disbelief. "Why? Why would you do this?" "It's for the best," Do-Hyun said. "Trust me." She was an obedient child, and her father's wishes had always guided her actions.The weight of her father's expectations bore down on her, her resolve crumbling in the face of his pleading gaze. Despite the confusion and hurt, she couldn’t refuse him. It was the Park family way – to obey without question, to sacrifice one's desires for the sake of duty. "I... I understand," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "If this is what you want, Father, I'll do it."