Contract Salvation

Maria has once again slept in, she's late but doesn't know it yet 'cause she's dreaming of Antonio rescuing her and they both getting married. She's awakened by her Grandma, Abuelo's, loud yelling from the kitchen, "Mi ha! Maria! aren't you going to work today?". She's instantly jolted from sleep, rushes to the bathroom to freshen up and dashes out of the house running. Antonio lends her his bicycle so she could ride to help get to work faster, she thanks him and hastingly leaves. Min is waiting nearby on Maria's residence street, he instantly spots and begins tailing her to get the information Seok asked for. Maria arrives almost thirty minutes late, her boss is very upset and decides to cut her pay for her incessant late coming to work. Maria only apologizes to him and marches off to the kitchen. She begins brooding over her mum's health and how she's to raise the money for the surgery, but her thoughts are interrupted by loud screams from the dining hall; she goes to check it out. A rude customer with dark shades and an expensive designer suit is yelling at a waiter and is about to hit her until Maria intervened grabbing his arm and shoving him. The manager emerges from his office and the rude wealthy customer begins exaggerating what happened and the manager turned and hit Maria and told her she was fired and he returned to face the rude customer and began profusely apologising to him. With teary eyes Maria just stood still and secretly began to loathe wealthy people as they always seemed to cause her problems everywhere she met them, she remembers the bar incident and storms out of the restaurant, mounts Antonio's bike and speedingly rides away, wiping tears from her eyes as she rides. Once again she got fired from a second job, this really only further complicates things for her. She gets off the bike and begins dragging it with her as she walks down the street close to her house, she's almost run over but Antonio quickly grabs her in time. She doesn't even seem to care that she was almost hit. Antonio is furious at her and questions her for not being careful, "Maria, are you trying to kill yourself?what's wrong with you?". She doesn't say a word she just bursts into tears and Antonio gives her a hug, trying to calm her down. Meanwhile Min, is closeby watching them and secretly taking photos wearing a nasty grin muttering to himself, "Seok will like this". Antonio takes Maria to a park and buys her Ice cream, Maria thanks him and begins to tell him everything that's been going on and her mum's poor health. Antonio sympathises with her, he takes her hand and promises to help her in any way he could. They both stare at eachother and blush, Maria quickly looks away as Antonio stares at her. He looks at his watch and says he has work to do so he has to go, she agrees though she's sad. He apologizes and promises to check up on her and maybe they could go for dinner when he gets back, she smiles and they both leave. Min also gets up and removes the newspaper he used to cover his face and smiles wickedly as he heard all they talked about. He enters his car and drives off to Seok's company to give him all the information he gathered.

Seok looks at the file Min gave him on Maria. After reading through it he concludes. "I wonder why I had interest in her in the first place? your right,Min, she's useless and her life is just sad and boring. Just dispose of all the information you found. Thanks anyways". Min raises his eyebrows and furrows them at Seok and finally explains it to him. "Actually Hyung, she isn't as useless as you think. I mean, she's naïve, poor and currently desperate, plus she's a citizen of this country. she's perfect for the job. We finally found the perfect person for your arranged contract marriage", he grins looking closely to get Seok's response. "I don't know Min, she looks difficult. What if she becomes too hard to control?", "Hyung, trust me, at this point she is choice less. She can't do anything against you at all". "Fine, if you say so Min. I would say a job well done, you deserve something. Just take any car you want from my garage except my latest model Lamborghini, the black one". "Wow! Hyung you are so generous, Kamsahabnida (Thank you)". Min happily runs off to claim his prize, while Seok ponders on Mom's suggestion and looks at the file and pronounces her name outloud, "Maria Elizabeth Andreas. I guess you'll just have to do", he grins. Just then Seok's secretary walks in with a worried and frightful expression on her face Informing him of his mum's visit. Seok sighs and buries his head in his palms and grumbles and replies,"Thank you, you may leave" to his secretary. Shortly Mrs Kim Ha ri, Seok's widowed mother,walks in and Seok rises to respectfully greet her, bowing ninety degrees as their culture demands. She nods approvingly and begins speaking in Korean. "It's been months since you arrived in the States yet you didn't see it necessary to keep in touch with your mother? even if you couldn't consider me what about poor Son Ha, your fiancée, she thought something terrible happened to you". Son Ha emerges from behind Mrs Kim and rushes to hug Seok. Seok isn't very happy to see either of them, he intentionally blocked Son Ha's number from his phone so she wouldn't bother him. Seok mutters sarcastically, "Just great" under his breath as he rolls his eyes. Son Ha leaps on him and refuses to let go until Seok has to personally pry her off his shoulders. She kisses his cheeks and he pulls a fake smirk. Son Ha tells him she missed him in Korean (Pogoshipo Oppa). He coldly replies, "Me too". He then asks her to quietly wait outside, she turns to him mother and begins to wail that she is family too and should be allowed in on the conversation. Seok is becoming angry and becomes more irked when his mum signals for him to allow her stay. He reluctantly agrees. Just then Min walks inside, His eyes closed and swinging a bunch of car keys in his hand he loudly says, "Thank you Hyung...!" he finally notices Mrs Kim's presence and instantly becomes uncomfortable and nervous. He bows to greet her and quietly takes a seat. Seok begins to pitch Min's idea to his mum. Mrs Kim is obviously not fine with it. She already loathes Min as it is, it's basically an open secret that Seok's aware of, infact everyone knows she's terrible at hiding it. "Mum, the idea seems good. Atleast we get the needed approval and gain the trust of the foreign investors", " But I don't like it Seok. Where did you even get such a crazy idea from". "Well mum, you see, Min pitched the idea it's actually normal over....", "Oh! I see, Min pitched this ridiculous idea. That explains a lot", she meanly glares daggers at Min. He shrinks with fear and begins to perspire. Son Ha finally catches on and yes "NO!" loudly. She's afraid of loosing Seok. After much minutes of yelling, numerous hysterical and over dramatic displays of Son Ha and promises, Seok's mum finally agrees and Son Ha reluctantly does as well, when she is promised an instant wedding with Seok immediately after he divorces his contract American Wife. She could be so annoying to look at, she was so dumb; atleast in Seok's eyes. He didn't entirely hate nor like her, his relationship with her was one of convenience. Her family had money, not that he needed any part of it but her mother was his mother's childhood friend so they basically did the match making themselves. Infact, Son Ha was the one who needed his money, it was after all the only thing she ever asked him for. He knew that she didn't truly love him but he didn't care as it was mutual either ways. Mrs Kim goes as far as saying that while Seok is married, Son Ha will be like his concubine having free access to everything he owns still as though they were married. Seok isn't too comfortable but he has no choice, his mother's words are final.

Seok was happy to atleast have gotten his mother's approval, he asks Min to arrange for him to personally meet Maria to make the deal with her in hopes that she'll accept. Min collects the file and dials Maria's number.

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