Alyssa pushed open the café door, the little bell above it chiming softly. Her eyes scanned the room until they landed on a familiar corner booth.
Kai and Lisa were already there, sipping coffee and chatting quietly. They hadn’t noticed her yet.
She took a breath. Here goes nothing.
As soon as Kai looked up and saw her, his face lit up like the sun breaking through clouds.
“My angel!” he shouted, practically launching himself out of his seat.
Before Alyssa could react, he had crossed the distance and scooped her up in his arms, spinning her around like she weighed nothing. She let out a surprised laugh, her feet dangling in the air.
Elvis stood frozen, his jaw slightly slack. He watched, dumbfounded, as a young man in a black cap and face mask lifted his madam off the ground like she was a child.
His hand instinctively moved toward his pocket to text Alexander.
But before he could, Kai set Alyssa down gently.
He held her at arm’s length, his eyes scanning her from head to toe. His playful expression faded into concern.
“Angel, you’ve gotten thinner. Did Lisa put you on a diet?” He shot a glare over his shoulder at Lisa. “Did you put my angel on a diet?”
“No, I didn’t,” Lisa said, rolling her eyes. She set down her coffee cup and tilted her head, her gaze shifting past Alyssa. “But I think you two are blocking the way for that handsome man behind you.”
Alyssa turned around.
She didn’t see anyone standing close to them except Elvis.
Oh. Right.
She had forgotten to introduce him.
She let out a small, embarrassed laugh and gestured toward the stoic man behind her. “Everyone, this is Elvis. My bodyguard.”
Kai’s eyes narrowed. “Bodyguard?”
Lisa raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Alyssa turned to Elvis. “Elvis, this is Kai, my best friend. And Lisa, my manager.”
Elvis gave a curt nod. No smile. No warmth. Just a professional acknowledgment.
Kai didn’t nod back. Instead, he gave Elvis a long, cold, dangerous look. A look that said: I’m watching you.
Elvis didn’t flinch.
Lisa stood up from her seat and grabbed Alyssa’s wrist. “Come with me.”
She dragged Alyssa to a more secluded corner of the café, away from prying ears. Kai followed closely, but not before throwing one last glare at Elvis.
Elvis watched them settle into a different booth. He understood. They needed privacy. He turned and sat down at a table far enough to give them space, but close enough to keep his eyes on Alyssa.
Lisa leaned forward, her voice low and urgent. “Can you explain what’s going on here?”
“Yeah,” Kai added, crossing his arms. “Is that why you called us here?”
Alyssa looked at the two of them. Her closest people. The only ones she trusted.
She hadn’t planned to break the news like this. She had pictured their reactions this morning—shock, anger, maybe even tears. But not like this. Not with them already on edge. This chapter was taken from novelping . com without permission.
“Alyssa.” Lisa’s voice softened, but her eyes were sharp. “Talk to me. What’s happening? Are you being threatened? Tell me.”
“I can call the police right now,” Kai said, already pulling out his phone. “I’ll have that guy arrested before—”
“Can you both stop overreacting?” Alyssa hissed. “You’re drawing attention to us.”
Lisa and Kai froze.
They turned their heads slowly. Every single person in the café was staring at them.
Kai let out a nervous cough. Lisa forced a tight smile and raised her coffee cup as if toasting the room.
Alyssa buried her face in her hands.
This is not how I wanted this to go.
The café settled back into its usual hum of chatter and clinking cups. Lisa and Kai finally calmed down, their breathing steadying as they turned their full attention to Alyssa.
She saw that they were calm now. Ready.
It’s now or never.
She folded her hands on the table and took a deep breath.
“I’m married.”
Silence.
Lisa’s mouth fell open. Her coffee cup froze halfway to her lips. “Y-you’re what?”
Kai let out a sound—half laugh, half choke as he raised both hands to his head, gripping his hair like he was trying to keep his brain from exploding. “Ohhhh… games. You’re playing games.”
“Tell me you’re joking,” Lisa said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes searched Alyssa’s face for any hint of a punchline.
Alyssa held her gaze. “I’m serious.”
“Did you marry that Eldric guy?” Kai asked, his voice sharp.
“No. Never,” Lisa cut in. “They broke up.”
Kai’s head snapped between the two of them. “You guys broke up? When? Why do I feel like I’m being left behind?” He looked at Alyssa, then at Lisa, hurt flickering in his eyes. “Why didn’t you girls tell me any of this?”
“Because you barely respond to your texts,” Lisa said flatly.
Kai opened his mouth, closed it, then shook his head. “Fine. So tell me why did you suddenly decide to break up with your childhood lover?”
Alyssa’s jaw tightened. “He cheated. I caught him.”
Kai’s expression darkened. “Did you deal with him?”
“No.”
“Enough of this Eldric talk,” Lisa interrupted, waving a hand. She turned her full focus to Alyssa. “Let’s get to the main point.” She leaned in. “Who did you get married to?”
Kai leaned in too.
Alyssa looked at both of them. Her best friend. Her manager. The only two people in the world who truly knew her.
“Alexander Kim.”
The name hung in the air like a thundercloud.
Lisa’s eyes widened. Her lips parted. She looked like she was doing mental math, connecting dots that didn’t want to connect. Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping.com.
“There’s only one Kim family in this country,” she said slowly. “They have two sons. Our president… and…” She trailed off, her voice dropping. “Don’t tell me it’s what I’m thinking.”
Alyssa nodded. “Yes. It’s exactly who you’re thinking about.”
“This doesn’t make any sense,” Kai said, shaking his head. “How did you meet him?”
“Yes, how?” Lisa pressed. “When did you start dating him? When did you marry him? And when did he marry you? There has to be a reason for all of this. It’s not even three days since you and Eldric broke up.”
Alyssa took a breath. She had known this would be the hardest part.
“We… kind of had a one-night stand. The night I broke up with Eldric.” She paused. “And then I was offered a contract. To bear his child. For a year. After that, we divorce.”
Lisa’s face went pale. Kai looked like he had been punched in the gut.
“No one knows about the contract,” Alyssa continued quickly. “I signed a non-disclosure agreement. But you two are exempted from it.”
Kai’s voice was hoarse. “Is there anyone who knows about your marriage? Besides us?”
“Mr. Eric knows and Alexander’s family.”
Kai didn’t respond. His eyes had drifted past her, fixed on something behind her head.
“Is that your husband over there?” he asked, pointing at the TV mounted on the café wall.
Lisa and Alyssa turned.
The screen was filled with a live broadcast. A press conference. And standing at the podium, sharp and commanding in a perfectly tailored suit, was Alexander Kim.
Alyssa’s breath caught.
She hadn’t known he was making his first live media appearance today. She hadn’t known why someone like him, someone who valued the shadows would step into the light.
But there he was.
“He’s so handsome,” a girl at the next table whispered.
“Yeah, who is he?” another asked.
The name on the screen answered them: ALEXANDER KIM.
Alyssa’s voice came out soft, almost to herself. “Yes. That’s my husband.”
Lisa and Kai turned to stare at her, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief
On the screen, a reporter’s voice rang out. “Mr. Kim, can you explain the marks on your neck?”
The café went quiet. Every eye turned to the TV.
Alexander smiled as he looked directly into the camera, it felt like he was looking straight at Alyssa.
“My little wife marked me,” he said, his voice smooth as silk. “To claim her territory.”
The café erupted into gasps and murmurs.
Lisa’s jaw dropped. Kai’s mouth opened and closed like a fish.
Alyssa’s face burned crimson.
What the hell is he doing?