Contract Marriage 18+ [A Hopekook Fanfiction] ✓

2.1🥀

The air at breakfast the following morning was still thick with tension. The unobtrusive staff had set out the usual Sunday morning breakfast buffet on the sunny patio next to the pool before disappearing back into the woodwork. Jeon didn't like distractions on Sunday mornings, so he preferred not to see the staff, and usually, even though he insisted Hobie have all meals with him for "appearances" sake, he ignored her in favor of his Sunday Times. That morning, despite the fact that he had the usual barrier of his newspaper up between him and the rest of the world, meaning her, she could all but feel his fury. Finally, after an unbearably tense half hour, he balled the paper up between his fists and tossed it aside before glaring at her across the glass table.

"I want to know exactly where you were yesterday, Hobie," he demanded fiercely.

"Why do you even care?" She asked tiredly. "You've certainly disappeared without explanation enough times for the both of us."

"We're not talking about me here," he pointed out.

No, but I think it's time we do talk about you, about your outrageous behavior, about the other women, and about your blatant disregard for the fact that you're married!"

"I don't feel married!" He sounded almost defensive.

"No?" She retorted recklessly. Well, maybe I don't feel married either! Maybe I'm ready to be outrageous. Maybe I'm ready for other men and extramarital affairs too!"

"This had better not be your way of telling me that you were with another man last night, Hobie," he warned ominously, his voice eerily calm. Hobie recklessly ignored the warning in his voice and plunged on regardless.

"So what if that's exactly what I'm telling you?" She asked daringly.
"What will you do about it? Make my life hell? Well, surprise surprise, it's already hell! Do your worst!"

"What's his name?" He insisted in a lethally calm voice that sent an involuntary shudder down her spine. She suddenly recognized that she had pushed him too far, but she knew that even if she backed down now, it wouldn't assuage his anger. "Hobie, who the hell is he?"

Even though Hobie knew that he would never physically harm her, she couldn't help but feel an instinctive frisson of fear. She knew that he had a tight leash on his temper, but right now that leash seemed strained to the breaking point.

"I was speaking hypothetically," she stuttered, abandoning all pretense of bravado and feeling unbelievably intimidated.

"I don't believe you," he bit out furiously.

"I wasn't with anybody; I just needed a break!"

"A break..." he repeated with flat contempt.

Yes, a break! A break from you and from this life... I don't want to be in this marriage anymore. I want out... I want to get away from you! Please, I just want a divorce, Jeon. Please."

"You'll get your divorce when I get my son," he reminded her ruthlessly.

"That's so sick," she protested. "Why would you even want a child with a woman you despise?" He didn't respond; instead, he sent an oddly probing little look over her strained face.

"You honestly don't know, do you?" He breathed in disbelief, and she blinked in confusion.

"Know what?" She asked blankly, distracted by the rapt look on his face. Again, he didn't reply. "Know what?"

"Why did you marry me?" He asked suddenly.

"You know why..." She was outraged by the way he was rubbing salt in the wound, unable to believe, even after a year and a half of similar treatment, that he could be so cruel.
 
"Humor me," he prompted, and she exhaled shakily before getting up with as much dignity as she could muster. She felt shaky and nauseous and couldn't stomach being around him anymore. She took an unsteady step away from the table, swaying so badly that he jumped up and clasped one large hand around her slender arm to steady her.
 
"Hobie?" He sounded almost shaken.
 
"I'm fine," she said, shrugging off his hand.
 
"I just got up too quickly. Now please excuse me; I have things to do!"
 
"Wait," he said urgently. "I asked you a question."
 
"A stupid question that you already know the answer to," she retorted.
 
"Maybe I'd like to hear the answer again." He was being a total ass about this, and not for the first time in her life, Hobie felt like hitting him.
"Oh, God, why do you insist on doing this?" She groaned.
 
"You really loved me, didn't you?" He breathed in amazement, and she shot him a haunted look before turning away.
 
"You may rest assured that whatever I felt for you a year ago is no longer an issue. I want a divorce; nothing you do or say can induce me to stay with you," she insisted, and he surprised her by nodding thoughtfully.
 
"Yes. I'm beginning to realize that," he acknowledged softly. There was nothing more to be said, and she left the room with her head held high and her dignity intact.