Trapped Marriage With the CEO

Lunar White gazed at her reflection in the mirror. The dress she wore looked stunning, adorned with white beads. The front of the dress was short, resembling a peacock's tail with its long back. Its length allowed her to walk without worrying about it getting dirty on the floor.

Today was her wedding day with Nico, the man introduced to her by her sister. She had to look exceptionally attractive as she would be the center of attention.

"Finally, my youngest daughter is getting married," her mother's voice exclaimed.

Her parents, accompanied by her father and sister, walked in with beaming smiles. Lunar, on the other hand, had never desired a loveless marriage. She had only agreed to it due to her family's demands.

"Mum, Lunar isn't officially Nico's wife yet. We still have to wait for the ceremony to begin," Sora, her sister, pointed out.

"It's all the same. Whether now or later, Lunar will still marry Nico," her mother replied.

"How can it be the same? We never know what the future holds," Lunar retorted.

Only their father seemed concerned, knowing that his youngest child would soon be handed over to a man she didn't love. However, it didn't change the fact that Lunar's parents were forcing this marriage upon her. For the Lunar family, marriage was the easiest way to shirk responsibility.

Before agreeing to the marriage, Lunar had initially refused, but her family responded with harsh words. Powerless and struggling to find employment, she had no choice but to comply.

Sora had also experienced a similar fate to Lunar's. Perhaps luck was not on the White family's side. However, Lunar's situation was slightly better than Sora's, as she was marrying a young man like Nico. Sora, on the other hand, married one of their father's friends, which was even more tragic.

Sora always appeared content, as her material needs were well met. She would indulge herself by buying various goods every day, satisfying her worldly desires. This was the reason why Sora supported their parents' decision for Lunar. They believed it would bring her happiness.

One thing Lunar couldn't comprehend was how her sister could be content with an older, wealthy man. She wondered how her own life would have been if she were in Sora's position.

Fortunately, Lunar was introduced to Nico, Sora's friend. At least her sister had considered her feelings by not arranging a marriage with an older man. Now Lunar could only hope that her feelings for Nico would eventually grow.

"By the way, where is Nico? I haven't seen him since earlier," Sora asked, wearing a puzzled expression.

Lunar remembered that Nico had finished earlier and mentioned going to the restroom. However, he had been gone for too long, especially with the wedding ceremony about to commence. She couldn't call him as his phone was with her.

"Nico said he was going to the restroom, but it's taking him too long. I'll go look for him," Lunar said, feeling restless and fearing something bad had happened to her future husband.

Lunar searched around for Nico. It had been over five minutes since he had left the dressing room, and she still hadn't found him.

"Ugh!" she sighed.

Could she really be abandoned on her wedding day?

Lunar would have been relieved by that thought before they had made all the wedding preparations. Now, with everyone gathered, canceling the wedding would only tarnish their reputation.

"Nico..."

It wasn't Lunar's voice. She heard it coming from a hotel room with a slightly ajar door. She stood right in front of that door. She tried to compose herself.

"Oh, Nico..."

Lunar was taken aback. She still held onto the hope that the man engaging in intimate acts with another woman wasn't her future husband, Nico. She couldn't fathom how he could engage in such behavior right before their wedding.

She cautiously opened the door for a better view. Unfortunately, her hopes were shattered as she saw Nico in bed with another woman. Her eyes widened in disbelief and pain. She couldn't bear to witness any more, so she shouted, stepped back, and quickly left the scene.

She had reluctantly accepted the unwanted marriage and had chosen Nico as her future husband. Yet, on her wedding day, she experienced betrayal. Why did everything have to turn out like this? It pained her deeply.

"Lunar!"

Her hand was pulled, forcing her to turn around. It was sickening to face the man who had betrayed her, especially since Nico showed no hint of remorse. How could she have been deceived by his kindness all this time?

"I hate you, Nico! Let me go!" Lunar struggled to free herself from Nico's grip on her wrist.

"Stop making a scene."

Nico led Lunar back into the hotel room, tightly closing the door. Now the three of them stood face to face. Lunar's anger intensified as she glanced at Nico, who was only wearing boxers and an unbuttoned shirt. She also noticed the woman on the bed, attempting to cover herself with a blanket. The mess wasn't created by Lunar; it was Nico who had caused it.

Lunar's gaze fell upon the clothes strewn across the floor, further fueling her anger. "Did you sleep with a hotel employee?"

"It was just a mistake," Nico casually replied.

"Just a mistake?" Lunar chuckled disbelievingly at his explanation.

"If this was all a mistake, then I will report it to the hotel and have the employee who seduced you fired immediately." She pointed at the hotel employee without even glancing in their direction.

"I won't allow you to do that," Nico retorted as he buttoned his shirt.

"The wedding will start soon. We need to leave immediately so the guests won't have to wait," Nico continued.

Once again, Lunar laughed at Nico's nonchalant attitude towards marriage after betraying her so blatantly.

"Do you think I would still marry you after witnessing your affair? Don't delude yourself, Nico! I would never marry a man like you!"

Lunar stormed out of the hotel room, ignoring Nico's attempts to stop her. It was no longer about the guests; her priority was to prevent the wedding from taking place.

She hurried to the dressing room to inform her family about Nico's betrayal, causing her parents to become infuriated.

"There will be no wedding today," her father declared, clenching his fist.

"It's not true, Father," Lunar protested.

Amidst the tense atmosphere, Nico appeared dressed neatly in a formal suit befitting a groom.

"Lunar just wants to ruin my reputation and cancel the wedding," Nico explained.

Lunar's eyes widened. Nico's statement contradicted the undeniable truth. "I-I saw it with my own eyes, Nico, you were with another woman. I'm not lying!"

"Lunar had initially refused to marry Nico. Perhaps this is her plan to cancel the wedding," Sora chimed in.

"What do you mean? Doesn't my presence here prove that I accepted the marriage?"

Sora shrugged. "Who knows?"

Lunar's legs felt weak, realizing that Sora wasn't on her side and instead sided with Nico, the one who had betrayed her. They were siblings, supposed to support each other, but Sora didn't believe her.

"The wedding ceremony is about to begin. Don't tarnish our good name by giving reasons to cancel the wedding. Hurry up and get ready to embrace your happiness," her mother interjected.

They all left Lunar, except for Nico, who wore a triumphant smile as he successfully deceived the family before departing.

How would Lunar navigate a marriage she increasingly despised? If she went through with it, who knew what other betrayals awaited her? She couldn't endure a life of constant pain with a man like Nico.

Lunar looked around the dressing room; only she and the makeup artist remained. It seemed that everyone had already gathered at the venue.

"Excuse me, can you help me?" Lunar called out to the makeup artist.

The makeup artist appeared confused as she glanced around, realizing that they were the only two left.

"Are you referring to me, Madam?" the makeup artist asked, seeking confirmation while pointing to herself.

Lunar rushed out of the hotel as fast as she could, leaving behind the high heels she had worn to enhance her appearance. They had become an obstacle, making it difficult for her to take each step. Time was of the essence, as the makeup artist was surely stalling for her.

"Lunar!"

She heard Sora's and Nico's voices calling out to her. Escaping from them was truly frustrating. She had no desire to marry a traitor like Nico.

"Oh, gosh... What should I do?"

In the parking basement, she frantically searched for a hiding place, moving slowly and crouching to ensure complete concealment.

Drap, drap, drap...

She could hear the sound of hurried footsteps on the basement floor coming to a stop. It indicated that the person chasing her had ceased running, and the last sound she heard was not far from her current location.

She knelt on the floor and peered over one of the cars to see where Nico and Sora were heading. This way, she could determine where to dodge.

"Lunar, you better come out now. Don't ruin the wedding ceremony. Our family's good name will be tarnished, and Father and Mother will be deeply disappointed by your actions."

Two pairs of legs appeared from beyond the car she was using as cover. Lunar lifted her head cautiously, supporting her crouched body by holding onto the back of the car.

Hearing Sora mention their parents made her ponder. Although she had not chosen this marriage, she still didn't want to disappoint anyone, especially their parents.

But Nico was not the person he appeared to be. If only someone would believe her words and call off the wedding, she wouldn't even consider running away.

She didn't know where to go next. The only place she went to every day was home, where the family gathered. After this, she would be wandering the streets in her wedding dress. People would think she had gone mad for failing to get married.

Having moved to hide behind another car, she was taken aback when the trunk suddenly moved, prompting her to quickly move away.

She was unsure how to close the trunk without drawing attention from Sora and Nico. The sound of footsteps grew closer, and with nowhere else to hide, she decided to conceal herself within the trunk, using a dark cloth found inside to cover her entire body.

She hoped that her location wouldn't be discovered by anyone. No one could fathom how fast her heart was racing at that moment.

The car door opened and closed, signifying that someone had just stepped inside. Lunar expected it to be Sora and Nico, but it turned out to be a mistake.

Lunar was startled when she heard a voice close to her head. There was someone near her. It seemed the person had just placed something, although she couldn't discern what it was exactly.

"Did the blanket open like this?"

Lunar widened her eyes as an unfamiliar voice commented on the blanket she had used to cover herself. Would she be discovered so soon? She hoped whoever it was didn't recognize her. She just wanted to escape from the hotel as quickly as possible.

Simultaneously, the car door sounded again.

"Just put the suitcase down, why is it taking so long?"

Lunar realized there were two people present now-one with a soft voice and another with a deep, masculine voice. It was not the time for her to imagine what a man with a deep voice looked like.

She refocused on the hope that her whereabouts would remain unknown, inhaling and exhaling slowly to avoid arousing suspicion.

"I'll close the trunk of the car immediately, Sir."

A loud noise resonated afterward-the sound of the car trunk being closed. Lunar cautiously peeked out to assess the situation.

She heard the screeching sound of a car, which carried her away. She had managed to escape from Nico and Sora, but now she was trapped in the trunk of a car and couldn't get out!

Her life couldn't end there, not after running away from an unwanted marriage. She had to free herself as soon as possible to avoid a ridiculous demise. But how could she escape from the car trunk?

She slowly felt around in the trunk, hoping to find something that could help her. She couldn't remain curled up for long and survive in the stuffy room. The narrow and dark space made it increasingly difficult to breathe, and her body, unable to move freely, started to cramp.

Desperate, she searched for anything that could assist her. Among the scattered contents of the small suitcase beside her, she discovered an opening. It wasn't clear what was inside, but she could imagine what she was holding. The owner of the suitcase was quite cunning, as it contained women's underwear.

She tried to find a positive aspect to the situation. Perhaps the man with the suitcase had a girlfriend, especially considering the car was parked at the hotel. It was no longer surprising. Though she had no regrets about escaping the wedding, she had mistakenly hidden herself in the trunk of the wrong car.

Besides the underwear and cosmetic tools, she couldn't find anything else of use. In a burst of frustration, she pounded on the trunk lid, hoping someone would hear her and help. She also shouted for the trunk to be opened immediately.

***

Arkan was a well-known businessman in the city. Having just finished a meeting with a client at a hotel, he closed the document he had been reading and took off his glasses before closing his eyes. He merely wanted to rest for a moment, but a sound coming from the trunk of his car caught his attention. It had been persistently loud, as if someone were pounding and screaming. He turned his head to look at the back of the car, which appeared normal. There were no other cars behind them. So why was there a noise coming from there?

"Are you okay, Sir?" Secretary Ham, who was driving the car, asked.

"Do I look okay?"

Arkan anxiously awaited a satisfactory answer from his secretary, as he felt strange at that moment.

"You look a little pale, Sir."

Arkan cleared his throat and loosened his tie. "Seems like I need to rest a bit," he said, reclining his seat.

When the noise returned, Arkan observed his secretary's expression to ensure that what he heard was not just a figment of his imagination. Secretary Ham seemed focused on driving.

In the end, Arkan managed to ignore the unfamiliar voice that had disturbed him. He gently massaged his ears, hoping the noise would soon dissipate.

A few moments later, they arrived in front of the office building. A crowd of journalists had already gathered, eager to obtain information about his sudden marriage announcement.

It didn't bother Arkan, as he had made up his mind to marry Raya in the near future. Their relationship had been going on for a long time, but he had only recently decided to announce it publicly.

Secretary Ham exited the car first and opened the door for Arkan.

Arkan stepped out of the car and walked toward the office building. But after just a few steps, the journalists swarmed around him. He had to retreat for safety, returning to the car until the situation calmed down.

Once again, he heard a noise coming from the back, even though there was no one there. Were the voices coming from the reporters? It seemed he should check his health after this. The workload might be causing his hallucinations to worsen.

As he glanced out the window, he noticed the previously boisterous crowd suddenly fall silent. Everyone's gaze was fixed in one direction-the back of the car. They began walking toward the trunk. Curiosity piqued, Arkan stepped out of the car to see what was happening.

As he joined the crowd, everyone dispersed. Secretary Ham promptly opened the trunk, revealing the source of the noise. Their eyes widened as they saw someone inside, including Arkan, who was taken aback to find a stranger in his car trunk.

"I almost... died..." gasped the foreign woman, her body drenched in sweat as she struggled to catch her breath. She clumsily climbed out of the trunk, her movements unsteady.

Arkan instinctively caught her body as she almost fell. Avoiding eye contact, he glanced at the scattered contents of his luggage inside the trunk. Secretary Ham quickly closed the trunk, preventing any journalists from taking photos. Then, he helped the woman, who was still leaning on Arkan, to stand upright.

"I-Is this woman the intended wife?" one of the journalists asked after assessing her appearance. Unbeknownst to anyone, this question would lead to a public misunderstanding that would impact the lives of the two individuals involved.

Who wouldn't be surprised by someone emerging from the trunk of a car? Moreover, wearing a wedding dress made the news of Arkan's wedding actually happening, which was definitely not like the original plan.

"You thought of hiding the wedding from everyone?"

Another question was asked to Arkan, and a mini tape recorder was handed to him. Secretary Ham immediately took on the role of blocking journalists from taking pictures or looking for information, holding out his hands in front of Arkan to make it difficult for people to break through.

"Are you going to the wedding today?"

The journalists did not give up easily, turning to question the woman in the wedding dress about the marriage because they did not get an answer from Arkan. They asked the same question over and over again, hoping to obtain some important information about Arkan, a man who had always been the center of attention after taking over managing a major company in the city.

"May we know what your name is, Madam?"

The atmosphere became silent after the question was asked, as if everyone there was very curious about the answer. Lunar looked around with her eyes wide open. Everyone surrounded her and also stared at her without wanting to take their eyes off.

"Lunar."

She thought that by saying her name, maybe she would stop being stared at. Unfortunately, Lunar was bombarded with an endless stream of questions. Journalists asked about her relationship with a man named Arkan. That name sounded very foreign to Lunar's ears since it was the first time they had met.

"I-I don't know a man named Arkan."

Lunar glanced at the person standing behind the man who spread his arms. Does Arkan mean the man who is frowning? She just realized who the person in question was.

The journalists seemed to whisper to each other. Those who heard the confession thought that the woman in the wedding dress was just boasting or it could be a plan to keep the marriage from being discovered. Arkan had tried hard to hide who the candidate to marry was. Now everything had been revealed because they finally found out who the candidate was, according to their thinking.

"Lunar is a potential bride hidden by Arkan. We have to spread the word now."

Arkan was getting angry because the situation was getting worse, so he immediately pulled Lunar into the car with him. That day was a real disaster; all his neatly arranged plans had to fall apart because of the presence of a woman he didn't know. Like annoying pests, he didn't want any troublemakers in his life, especially in his relationship with Raya.

Arkan wanted to take out all his anger on Lunar right then and there, but the journalists were still there, banging on the windows like a flock of crows. Secretary Ham rushed after and sped the car away, leaving a still-inflamed mess in the crowd.

"Where are you two taking me? Drop me!" Lunar shouted, leaning forward to stop the man driving the car, tugging at his arm to make him stop quickly.

"Stop right now!" she shouted again.

Arkan didn't want another disaster to happen and pulled Lunar away from Secretary Ham. Resistance ensued, so he was forced to use force to prevent the chaos from escalating.

Arkan grabbed the woman who didn't want to be silent with both hands, holding back her struggle until Lunar tired herself out. Even so, he didn't let go; Secretary Ham might be bothered again, and it would put them in danger.

"You can get jail time for forcing someone to go with you. This is kidnapping!"

Arkan was even more provoked by his anger because the person who made the mess didn't even think about the mistake he had made. He shrugged his shoulders, making it clear how angry he was.

"You've got me in deep trouble. Were you playing hide and seek and using the trunk of my car as a hiding place?"

"I-I'm just...."

"You must be a crazy woman playing hide and seek in a wedding dress. And why are you involving me in your game?"

Lunar winced in pain as her shoulders were squeezed tightly. She was let go after that and fell backward. It seemed that she had indeed chosen the wrong hiding place. It turns out that she, who intended to avoid Nico and Sora, ended up involving other people's lives.

After the debate, no words were spoken. The atmosphere in the car was so tense with Arkan's anger that it was palpable. Even Secretary Ham didn't dare to glance at the passenger seat, while Lunar could only stay silent and massage her aching shoulder.

Until they arrived in front of a house, Arkan pulled Lunar to come with him, ignoring her rejections. He kept walking until they were in a room. That place was the sitting room that Arkan often used when important guests came to his house. Today he was using that room for a strange woman who had messed up his life.

Now they were alone in there. It was only there that Arkan let go of her hand. He switched to sitting on the single couch without paying any attention to Lunar.

Arkan took out his vibrating cell phone, as if the news about them had reached his father's ears. "Now I'm at home with the woman who made a mess," he said furiously without taking his eyes off Lunar.

Lunar could only look at what appeared in front of her. The man had not taken his eyes off her since earlier, and it filled her with fear, as if she were stranded on a foreign island alone with no one to turn to for help. Where should she look for a safe place to take shelter?

"What? I won't do it, Father." Arkan no longer looked at her. From Lunar's point of view, Arkan looked uneasy. She couldn't hear what the caller was saying, but it seemed to bother him.

Arkan turned off his cellphone completely before long, then placed it on the table before looking at the woman who had made the mess he mentioned earlier to his father. Once again, he scanned Lunar's appearance from top to bottom, dressed in a wedding dress and looking very disheveled.

"Are you a madwoman?"

Lunar shook her head before straightening her half-inclined body. What Arkan had said to her was clearly very insulting. How could she, who was dressed beautifully in a wedding dress and looked extraordinary, be called a madwoman? She was still sane!

"You're the one who's the mad one!"

"Good."

Arkan was very grateful for that, even though his father's decision was still not well received. He couldn't imagine living with a madwoman in the future if Lunar had nodded her head just now.

The tightly closed door to the room suddenly opened completely, revealing the figure of a man whose skin was wrinkled but still fit enough to walk steadily. That man was Damien, Arkan's father.

He walked fast enough to be able to sit in the chair. Damien noticed the pensive woman sitting in the same position he had been in since he entered the room.

"What is the reason you suddenly appeared in my son's life? Do you need money?" Damien glanced at her belly, which didn't look flat. "Arkan got you pregnant?"

Hearing that, Arkan immediately rebutted, "I didn't do that, Dad."

He had only met her a few hours ago. He couldn't possibly have gotten her pregnant, especially since Lunar wasn't his type at all. How did she end up pregnant?

"You can't answer?" Damien didn't seem to want to hear any rebuttal.

Lunar was confused about how to answer this question. She no longer had a home, and of course, she needed money. However, it would be too cunning for her to take advantage of the situation just to get a place to live. She had to remember that her current position was causing havoc in the life of someone who shouldn't have been involved in her escape.

"I ran away from the wedding and accidentally used Arkan's car trunk," she glanced at the person with the name for a moment, making sure that she didn't spell the name wrong, "as a hiding place. Really, I didn't know the situation would get this complicated. I'm sorry for what I've done."

Unexpectedly, Lunar decided to sit on the floor and beg. "Please, don't kick me out. There's nowhere else I can go. I'll do anything, even if I have to be a servant in this house."

Lunar couldn't deny that she really needed a place to live. If she was wandering on the street, she could have been caught by Nico and Sora again. Through the man who seemed to have the power to protect her, it seemed she could avoid marrying Nico. It was fine for her to be a servant as long as she could be free after this. She put her pride aside for a while to secure a place to live.

Damien glanced at his son, who looked very angry. He would be angry if he didn't have to find a solution to the problems that occurred. If he allowed the foreign woman to pass, the media might come to meet her and gather information, and it could be things the foreign woman might not disclose. On the other hand, if he didn't allow it, all the news would die down soon.

"For now, the best option is marriage. You two will get married soon."

"What?! M-married?" Lunar's eyes widened.

Arkan, who already knew the decision beforehand, wasn't too surprised anymore. He still didn't accept it because he had already made his own choice for a life partner, and now it was all destroyed in one blow. Did he really have to marry Lunar? Wasn't there a better way?

Damien understood that neither of them agreed to the planned marriage, so he clarified the meaning further.

"It's only for one year until your separation is announced."

It was a final decision that couldn't be contested. They had to get married.