The Pretend Wife

Eleven.

"don't you trust me to make everything right for her?" taeyong's mother admonished him. "don't worry taeyong, she's in good hands. now go ahead and get dressed. i don't want you looking like a slob tonight."

taeyong's mother pressed the end button and placed jennie's phone back on the table. "that fiancée of yours is very persistent. i couldn't believe he disobeyed his mother's orders." madame lee told jennie with a smile.

jennie couldn't help but chuckle at her comment.

madame lee moved closer in order to examine jennie's make up. "everything looks good." she said approvingly. "let's continue with our lesson then?"

jennie nodded in agreement. madame lee had been giving her a crash course on the who's who of the upper class society.

"min jee is a social climber. she would do anything to get her hands on a rich, suitable man. she made a move on taeyong once. it was a relief that my son had enough sense to ignore her. chung-ho on the other hand is a young businessman. his family owns a huge construction company. he's very shrewd and intelligent and good looking as well." taeyong's mother rattled on as jennie studied their pictures and tried to commit them into memory.

jennie was still feeling very nervous in spite of madame lee's assurances. taeyong's mother had been nothing but kind to her the entire week. thanks to her she had finally gotten the hang of wearing those deathly trap shoes that she was suppose to wear tonight. she had also given jennie some pointers on how to interact with certain dignitaries and to shoo away unwanted advances without causing a scene. most of all she had warned jennie on what to expect after being introduced as taeyong's fiancée and even though she was not looking forward to it, jennie was already quite confident that she would be able to manage it. she had realized that it was not very easy to be a future wife of a prominent figure of society but for taeyong she would go through anything just to help him.

after five long hours, jennie was finally done and madame lee had a huge smile on her face as she looked at her future daughter in law.

"they will love you jennie." madame lee announced confidently.

jennie smiled back. it didn't really matter to her how the other people would react. taeyong's reaction was the only one that mattered.

•••

that night taeyong stood restlessly on the stage that was set on one side of the grand ballroom where their engagement party was being held. he had craned his neck trying to catch a glimpse of jennie but he could not find her anywhere. he however spotted his friends along with chaeyoung in one corner of the ballroom and their presence had soothed him a little bit.
eventually his mother joined him on stage. she looked elegant dressed in a long black gown paired with blood red strappy stilettos.

"where's jennie?" taeyong asked his mother as she took her place beside him.

"impatient are we?" his mother said with a teasing smile. "don't worry, you'll see her soon. i wanted to give her a grand entrance."

madame lee took the microphone and started to address the people. everybody was quiet as all eyes were turned towards the charismatic matriarch of the lee family. "good evening ladies and gentlemen." madame lee greeted the guests with a confident smile on her face. "we would like to thank you for your presence tonight. as you all know, we have an important announcement to share with you. my only son taeyong has been recently engaged and we are proud to present his lovely fiancée tonight. i have come to know her quite well and i can tell you that my son is one very lucky man. without further adieu, i want to present to you ms. kim jennie."