Chapter 61: A Dangerous Proposition

If that was true, it was like selling his granddaughter wholesale. My face grew serious.

“So…?”

“So, I need your help. Tell Grandfather we’re getting married. But since he won’t believe words, let’s get engaged and break it off later.”

I was confused. Processing, I said uncomfortably.

“I get your situation sucks. But why me?”

Engagement isn’t a game. To me, Ju Ria was practically a stranger, known only a few months. Original Choi Seung Hyun may have liked her, but that wasn’t me. I had no attachment to her.

Her face turned desperate.

“I know it’s absurd for you. But please, just this once. I swear, it won’t harm you or your family. You’ll gain more. You’re not into anyone, and you don’t like me, so can’t you just do me this favor? An engagement and breakup won’t even show on records. It’ll be a blip, not even gossip.”

“Hmm…”

I furrowed my brow, not out of disbelief, but because this felt eerily familiar.

Beyond pros and cons, this setup was dangerous.

In every romance novel, fake relationships start with no feelings. Over time, the leads fall for each other’s charm, and it becomes real love, complete with dramatic confessions. I’m in a romance novel world now.

I’m not the protagonist, but we’re both from good families—nothing says this couldn’t happen. Plus, “I” had a crush on her before! In the industry, this had a 99% chance of turning real. If not for some twist, original Choi Seung Hyun probably would’ve married her.

But I wasn’t here to play romance games. Since Do Yoon said he hated me being Haewon’s heir, my mind was on constant alert. Until the protagonist marries happily, my life has no peace or stability.

I looked at her seriously.

“Do you like me? Sorry, but I don’t…”

She glared, exasperated. I pushed through, embarrassed but firm.

“Okay, I get it. But our families want us together for business. Breaking an engagement would be worse than not starting. How do I handle the fallout?”

“I’ll handle it.”

I tsked inwardly. Handle it? You came to me because you can’t. No woman, not just Ju Ria, would get what she wants marrying me strategically. As a non-blood heir, I’d inherit nothing from Haewon. If I got kicked out, her family might sue Haewon for damages. That’s a big reason I dodged blind dates.

Then she said.

“I like women.”

“…Huh?”

Silence stretched. I blinked dumbly. What?

“…Oh?”

“The girl you saw at the Jeju hotel—she was my girlfriend. We broke up. My family knows, so they’re rushing to marry me off.”

“Whoa.”

A stupid sound escaped me. She looked grim.

“Last time we met, they only suspected. Now they have proof. Grandfather’s losing it. Rumors are spreading, so they want me married to a guy to squash them early.”

The relentless twists left me reeling. I hadn’t expected this. She looked at me with resolve.

“Just get engaged. When I come out and break it off, it’ll be my fault. Haewon loses nothing. You’ll be the victim, so you could even demand compensation. I’ll sign any contract, notarized.”

I was speechless.

“You’re… dead serious.”

“Obviously.”

Her determination was impressive, if shocking. Coming to a guy she found pathetic with this request meant immense pressure at home. I felt a pang of sympathy, but agreeing still felt off. Cautiously, I asked.

“Am I really the only one you can ask?”

“You seem uninterested in marriage, so you’re the safest. If I pick someone who falls for me, it’ll be a mess.”

Her judgment was sharp. I felt ashamed for briefly suspecting she was exploiting my past feelings. She was the opposite. She continued.

“Think of it as a deal. You lose nothing.”

It wasn’t just no loss—it was all gain. I crossed my arms, feigning a scowl.

“What if I don’t agree after you spilled all this?”

“Then that’s that. My judgment’s only so good.”

“What if I blackmail your grandfather?”

“Would you?”

“…No.”

She smiled faintly.

“Then we’re good.”

Her smile made me uneasier. I’d spoken harshly to test her, but those were things original Choi Seung Hyun might’ve done. Why trust me with this?

I didn’t want to imagine it, but if I refused, her steady gaze suggested she’d prepared for the worst. My clasped hands tightened. Sensing my hesitation, she added.

“If you engage me, the blind date talk stops. We’ll do a flashy engagement, say we’re taking it slow to respect our careers. I’ll go back to the States—PhD, job, whatever takes time. You’ll get years of peace. We’d meet two or three times a year for family events or holidays, but that’s it. No one lesser than my family will bother you.”

…That’s true.

For the first time, I was tempted. She noticed my shift and pressed.

“I’m sorry for begging. I know I’m being a brat. But if you help me, I’ll owe you big. Whatever I can do, I will.”

I sighed deeply. Silence returned. It wasn’t hard, but I couldn’t easily agree. I didn’t like being officially tied to someone. As I looked at her to refuse, tears streamed silently down her face. My words caught in my throat.

I couldn’t outright refuse. I asked for time to think, and Ju Ria thanked me repeatedly, as if I’d already agreed.

“Ugh.”

I couldn’t consult anyone. Slumped on the living room sofa, I sighed. Searching “homosexuality” on YouTube yielded only negative church channels and sensational news. I stopped before smashing my phone, rolling on the floor, tugging my hair.

The lack of a clear reason to refuse was the issue. Knowing my small kindness could save her life made it harder. Then, the door’s keypad beeped, and it opened.

Do Yoon saw me curled up on the floor and rushed over, startled.

“Hyung? You okay?!”

Thinking I was in pain, he lifted me onto the sofa. He’d avoided touching me lately, but panic overrode that. I said sheepishly.

“Yeah… I’m fine. You’re home early.”

“Really okay?”

“Yeah, just mulling something over.”

“What’s wrong?”

I answered absently.

“Homosexuality…”

His face went white as a sheet.