Contract Marriage 18+ [A Hopekook Fanfiction] ✓

10.1🥀

Jeon had made good on his promise and had enlisted both Soobin and Nayeon's aid in ensuring that she took her vitamins and rested enough... but that was the only promise he kept. A month passed with barely any word from him, his phonecalls, the few that came, were rushed and impersonal and barely lasted three minutes each time. When Hobie tried to contact him, he was never available, or so the cold female voices on the other end of the line told her. She had no choice but to take them at their word.

She kept track of Jeon's movements through the news; online, televised and printed, his father's death and Jeon's subsequent taking over of an empire were pretty hot news items and barely a day went by that it wasn't mentioned in some form of news. There had been paparazzi coverage of the funeral, despite the media ban the family had put on proceedings, some intrepid photographer had managed to get a picture of Jeon standing over his father's open grave, his face closed up tighter than a fist, flanked by his mother and by Jungha who had stood with her hand woven through his arm, offering the support of a lover, the support a wife would offer. A lot had been written about that photograph, a lot of cynical criticism had been aimed at his cold, absent wife and a lot of praise for the stoic Jungha who stood by him through thick and thin.

No word about her difficult pregnancy which made travel nearly impossible for her. A few local reporters had contacted her, wanting her "side of the story" and her refusal to be interviewed or offer any comment had merely added fuel to the fodder that she was unfeeling and cold. The media, when given free rein, were ruthless. For the most part they left her alone, content to write what they wanted and in every article the beautiful, vivacious Jungha was lauded for her unwavering and loving support, while the "plain and anti-social" Hobie was criticised for her seeming neglect of her husband in his time of need.

She sighed quietly, as she stared out at the heavy downpour, missing Jeon so much it hurt and wishing that she could just talk with him. The baby moved restlessly and she winced slightly as a tiny foot caught her just beneath the ribs. She sang a quiet lullaby and ran her hands over the mound of her stomach. She was feeling her burden more and more with each passing day and it was getting increasingly difficult just to make it through the day.

"Hobie?" The quiet voice coming from behind her made her jump nearly out of her skin and she yelped before turning to face Soobin and Eunwo both of whom stood framed in the doorway of the den.

"God, you startled me," she gasped as they stepped into the room, neither cracking a smile, both looking relentlessly grim. "What's wrong? Has something happened?"

. "hobie... we have to get you out of here," Soobin said urgently, rounding the sofa to stand in front of her.

"What? Why?"

"We'll explain once we're out of here..."

"No," she shook her head stubbornly. "Tell me now. Is it Jeon? Was he hurt?"

"He will be once I get done with him," Eunwo suddenly threatened furiously.

"Eunwo, not now," Soobin groaned and Hobie's eyes settled on the grim-faced man in confusion.

"I don't understand..." her confused gaze went from Soobin's frantic expression to Eunwo's furious one. "What's going on?"

"A story just broke in the Asian newspapers..."

"What story?" She asked in bewilderment and Eunwo swore softly.

"Sweetheart we can discuss it later, for now we have to leave before the vultures descend."

"No, Eunwo," she maintained stubbornly. "I'm not leaving my home without good reason." Eunwo's jaw clenched and his expression clearly gave away his frustration with her.

"Hobie they're saying that Jeon was blackmailed into marrying you. That he did so for his father. They're also saying that a source close to the family claims that since Jeon has no reason to be with you anymore he'll be filing for a divorce as soon as he gets back."

"I never thought of that," Hobie half-whispered to herself. "Of course he's free now. That's probably why I never heard from him, he's been busy planning this... I should have realised that he would want that. I should have seen this coming."

"Hobie, don't you dare beat yourself up about it. If the divorce rumours are true then he's a bastard for abandoning his pregnant wife when she needs him most," Eunwo fumed.

"No, I'm happy for him. He was trapped..." she was so dazed, she barely realised what she was saying and Eunwo swore in disbelief.

"My God, it's like you have battered wife syndrome. Stop making excuses for him, he's an ass who hurt you time and again." When it looked like she was about to protest, Soobin stepped forward.

"Come on, darling, let's get you packed up and out of here," her cousin took charge, grabbing hold of Hobie's arm and jerking her out of her stupor. Soobin steered her out of the room, tossing a warning look over her shoulder when it looked like Eunwo wanted to say something more.