My Naughty Fake Bride

Thankfully Grandma Unni did not ask too many questions and let her stay. She was also not that close to her father. 

The pregnancy wasn't showing yet, but it never failed to shock Han Mei that a life was growing behind her the wall of flat stomach muscles. 

Who knew how sad she was before when she learned about it? In fact, whenever she remembers herself sitting inside the abortion clinic at that time, she could not help but shook her head. 

Thankfully, she realized that it was a mistake before she really did something regrettable in her whole life. 

Buzz…Buzz…

Her phone continued to ring once again. It was only Han Jie who could keep calling her more than a hundred in a day. 

'Who else can do 88 miscalls every hour?' Han Mei thought helplessly. She could also bet that every missed call that was routed to voice mail would surely have some message left in them. 

Han Jie would make sure to leave someone even if it was only a scream. She could imagine her sister leaving a message like, 'Answer me, I am your conscience' or 'Help me! I am badly injured!' even if that was not true. 

So many messages, she could not listen to all of them, but it still made her smile occasionally. It helps that someone really cared and waiting for her to return. Since she could not listen to all of them, she was not aware that Han Jie had replaced her for the meantime in the engagement. 

Han Mei knew her sister was worried, and she knew her father was worried too. She wasn't too sure about her cousin Han Jun though. She believed either her cousin hid his soft heart behind the annoying personality, or he was just plain annoying. 

She didn't bother to confirm which was which, though, his personality was really daunting, to begin with. Han Jie usually called him an a-hole, though, whenever he did something annoying, which was all the time? The way those two interacts were always entertaining and worrisome as well. 

Probably, Han Jun cares as well. 

Her father does care too, definitely, but Han Mei was not that brave to face her father at this time due to what is going on with her. 

Han Mei continued to stare at her cell phone, wondering if it was finally time to contact her sister. She knew her sister had tried to contact her several times, but Han Mei hadn't been ready then. She didn't know if she was ready now, but she was willing to try. 

Han Mei dialed her sister's number. Han Jie picked up at the second ring. 

Yes. No need to ask, Han Mei knew her sister completely. 

"Hey, don't worry. I won't hang up." Han Mei said immediately knowing what to say. 

"Are you OK?" Han Jie said, whispered, scared, and concerned. Her voice sounds hallowed. She must be inside the restroom. 

Han Mei's smile trembled on her lips. It's was just like Han Jie to make her smile and cry at the same time. "I'm fine now." She said, her smile sounding through her voice. 

Han Jie took a deep breath at the other end of the line, she then asked carefully, "Can I ask when you are coming back?" 

She knew it was merely time for her sister to control herself, not because her sister didn't have anything to say to her. 

"I can't say, but soon, okay?" Han Mei said, hoping Han Jie wouldn't ask too many questions. There was another brief moment of silence before Han Jie released another deep breath.

"I miss you." Han Jie said, surprising Han Mei. Han Mei smiled again, tears glistening in her eyes. 

"I miss you too. Don't tell dad about this call, okay?" Han Mei said, whipping the tears from her face. 

"You wouldn't tell me where you are?" Han Jie said sadly. "But what about-"

She did not let Han Jie continue, "I can't tell you yet. Love you. Bye." Han Mei said, cutting the call and promptly bursting into tears. 

Han Mei smiled at her stomach. Guess she was ready to make contact after all. 

***

Han Jie woke up, slowly rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She looked around her room, temporarily confused about where she was before remembering that she was still in the hotel. 

She then sighed heavily. Han Jie was beginning to miss her room back at her hideout. She was not so sad, though, especially when Han Mei had called her earlier. 

Han Jie shrugged her shoulders, determined not to let her fear get to her. Where was Han Mie? 

She sadly smiled as she leaned forward and placed her head on her raised legs, her face turned away from the door. 

Han Mei had finally contacted her yesterday. She was pleased she was OK but still scared for her sister. 

What could her sister be hiding? 

Han Jie didn't mind keeping secrets from anyone as long as it wasn't something hurtful. 'I am keeping Suzuki Kyou's secret after all.' Han Jie thought glumly. She was not the only one who knew about his secret, but Han Mei should know it, and she was fine telling it to her, but her sister was in a hurry. 

She wondered if she should call Wang Jin before shaking her head as hard as she could on her upturned knees. 

Han Jie's interaction with Wang Jin was decent. It was nice to know someone from Suzuki Kyou's past and all, but Han Jie wasn't sure she trusted her new friend. 

Wang Jin was friendly enough and also loved her brother. Han Jie had to admit that she is a decent person, but not in a very sincere way. 

She raised her head from her knees and looked around the room, temporarily pushing all thoughts of Wang Jin aside. 

Han Jie believed she could trust Wang Jin with her contact but not something pertaining to her sister and her family. 

She then spied her sketchbooks on the bedside table, appreciating the neat and orderly fashion whoever had cleaned her room had done with the sketchbooks before panicking. 

But then she frowned. 'Had the person who cleaned checked what was inside?' Han Jie shook her head at her panic, laughing softly to herself. She knew she was ridiculous about it. 

No one could touch her sketchbooks thanks to her cousin's insistence that she found a way to lock up her sketchbooks or allow one of their guards to always be there during clean-ups. 

Han Jie had reluctantly agreed to have a guard in her room while thinking Han Jun was an a-hole. She didn't believe that thought completely, though, but it was fun to tease him when he looked like he woke up on the wrong side of the bed, which is every day. 

It's one of her hobbies. Well, not as much as she did before.

Han Jie pondered, adding more to her stories when she heard the knock on her door. Han Jie stared at the door like it had grown a second head. The person knocked again. 

"Miss?" Han Jie heard Jonah call out from the other side of the door. 

Han Jie let out the breath she had not realized she had been holding during the knocking. She had been reluctant to answer, thinking it was Han Jun. 

He had the uncanny ability to show up and gloat regardless of you never actually mentioning his name. Or whatever he had been right about. 

"Come in. Leave Han Jun outside if he's with you." Han Jie called out cheekily, brightly smiling as Jonah entered the room. 

"Good morning to you too, Han Jie." Han Jun said, glaring at Han Jie as he passed in front of her open the door to get to the living room. 

Han Jie laughed cheerfully. Jonah closed the door and grinned at Han Jie. Jonah may not actively dislike and love Han Jun as Han Jie did, but his respect for the man stopped short of the other man's sharp tongue. 

"Good morning, miss," Jonah said to Han Jie, still smiling. "Are you ready for later?" 

***

Author's Note:

If you also have free time, please check out my other books, while waiting for the update: 

- Beneficial Union: Chasing A Rogue Wife

- Marriage Right's: Billionaire's Forgotten Wife

- Baby Contract: Forced Deal with a Dragon 

- OtherThoughs (For Announcements and Oneshots)

From the bottom of my heart, thank you very much!