My Pretty Woman

Chapter 27

[Sandara's POV]

"You can't play with me. What do you think you're doing? Your mind isn't even with me at the entire wedding," Shawn said to me, gripping my hand as he pulled me into the alley.

Despite my knowledge of martial arts from the past five years, I knew I could break free from his weak grip around my wrist, but I didn't resist. What he said was entirely true.

Jiyong. Kwon Jiyong, the one who had been there, kept me distracted for the rest of the event.

Then, suddenly, his forearm tightened around my neck, slamming me against the wall.

I jolted awake as my phone buzzed, interrupting my nap. A groan escaped my mouth as I stretched my arms, reaching for the phone.

Bom had sent a picture of her and her husband, Seunghyun oppa.

My husband reminded me about the address he had shared, your mom's old house. And he remind you to visit before returned to London tomorrow. Xo, Bom and the Husband.

I chuckled, realizing that five years hadn't matured Bom much. I still loved her, though. And she didn't even skip to text me while they both in Hawaii for the honeymoon.

Her reminder also helped shake me from the nightmare, the one about Shawn strangling me two days ago.

I shouldn't have brought him with me to the special event.

Shawn was just one of the people I knew from my short time working in London. He always tried to get into my pants, and I thought he would be the easiest to bring to Bom's wedding. Though I never let him succeed, he persisted. Then, what happened at Bom's wedding... he noticed me, how unfocused I was because of Jiyong's presence.

What I did wasn't much different from what Jiyong had done in the past. I had used Shawn to make it seem like I had a life when in reality, I had nothing.

I had thought Jiyong would be fine without me, but it turned out, I wasn't the only one struggling after that traumatic event in the past. We both lost the loves of our lives.

I touched my neck, seeing the purplish mark in the mirror. Damn you, Shawn. it was a few days ago but the mark look obvious on my neck.

Shaking my head to be present, I checked the time on my phone. 5:23 PM. I began calculating how much time I needed to get ready and catch the bus.

Luckily, I wasn't slow. My estimate was off; it only took me 30 minutes to catch the bus. I sat comfortably, securing my bag next to me as the seat beside was empty. Then, I looked down at the map on my phone screen, tilting my head.

It was the same route.

As the rain started to soak the window, memories flooded back. Jiyong. Fake dating. Love. And Daisy...

Seeing Jiyong a few days ago made me realize I still loved him as much as I always had. I had expected to see him at Bom's wedding, but no matter how much I prepared, facing him again all the preparation would never be enough.

He was still the same Jiyong with the same smile, scent, voice... the same person.

After Shawn threw me against the wall, I chose to leave. I was terrified, and all my martial arts training suddenly gone from my brain. I found it unbearable to linger in Jiyong's presence any longer. The tension between us was suffocating, threatening to crush the fragile facade I'd built over the past five years. Despite the overwhelming urge to collapse into his arms and release the flood of emotions pent up inside me, I knew that yielding to that impulse would obliterate all the progress I'd made.