Empress Of The Lost Kingdom

All the night Lee Tae Min could not help but peek at the jubilant faces of his brother and his long-awaited sister in law.

While they were in the Tu valley, he has witnessed their friendly interactions which made others doubt their relationship.

How his brother practically followed Li Juan everywhere, taking care of her like a loyal boyfriend. It was enough for making others believe that they are indeed a couple in love. 

But looking at their interactions now, those were some mundane things. The moment his brother took Li Juan to meet his family, they have become official and every single action of them laced with warmth and gratification, making others swoon.

Li Juan who was in the middle of conversations with designers who were trying to persuade her into modelling, occasionally stole glances at Tae Yang as if she is assuring that he hadn't left her alone,

Tae Yang whose eyes were planted on Li Juan, sparkled every time their line of sight met, re-assuring her that he is still here,

The silent glances which they were stealing from each other, his sparkling eyes, her shy smiles...it screamed the sexual tension between them.

Lee Tae Min, who sat alone observing the tranquillity lingering on his brother's face, couldn't help but wonder whether his brother is human or not?

From what he heard from Guan Tian Long, Li Juan only spent a short time together with Tae Yang, but how much did they love each other that he waited for her for all these years?

While Li Juan lived with no memory of him and suffered from a continuous strike of adversities, Tae Yang was patiently waiting for her to regain the memories.

Countless men were chasing her right in front of his eyes,

Only God knows how Lee Tae Min tried to control himself from gorging out the eyes of men who were trying to woo his pretty sister in law, how did Tae Yang manage to keep a cool head without even showing a single glimpse of jealousy or fear?

Lee Tae Min rose into feet and lazily walked towards the Li Juan, settling beside her and asked Park Sang Min who was engrossed in the conversation.

"Designer Park, can you take a few photos of us... together as a family?" 

Another round of photoshoot? Li Juan wished to cry, but no tears avail,

"Sure, sure," Park Sangmin said with a great amount of happiness, picking up the camera,

They came for a dress rehearsal but ended up arranging a photo shoot,

Cha Sei Ryeong immediately gathered up her family members, however, Tae Yang came hesitated, worrying about Li Juan

"Do we have to do it? She looks tired to death," He eyed Li Juan who appeared as if she is under the weather,

They had a rough night yesterday and as soon as she woke up, he asked her to accompany him to K country. After reaching the mansion, she never had a moment of ease.

"You don't have to pose for the photos if you are not comfortable with it," 

"It is alright," She said with a smile and tidied her grey coloured dress, indicating her willingness to take photos.

Once the family members gathered together on the large couch in the living room, posing for the family portrait, the designer team was left in awe, 

With the grandeur interior of the mansion and the Lee family who were born with elegance and poise resembled a royal family,

After a few rounds of the click sounds of the camera, the photoshoot for the family portrait was finally over.

However, Lee Tae Min grabbed the shoulder of his brother who was preparing to leave the scenario,

"Where are you going, your couple photo is still pending?" Lee Tae Min asked with a wicked smile. The whole family portrait photoshoot itself was a trick to bring Tae Yang and Li Juan together.

"Do you have to torture us through death?" Tae Yang touches his forehead,

"It is only one photo," Lee Tae Min grabbed his brother's shoulders with puppy eyes, "Please Hyung...please...,"

"Only One,"

Tae Yang walked over and whispered in Li Juan's ears, "Bear it for one more time and we will call it a day,"

However even before they could pose, Park Sang Min quickly clicked some candid shots of the couple,

"It's done," Lee Tae Min called out, interrupting their moment,

"Oh, thank you so much," Tae Yang loosened his tie and thanked the team.

However, even he could walkway, Li Juan grabbed his sleeves abruptly and said in a low voice, "We didn't pose,"

"You want me to pose?" He asked to confirm and she agreed with a nod,

"You asked for this!" Tae Yang grinned and leaned closer to Li Juan while asking out to the photographer,

"Can I ask for one more picture?" 

"We are ready for one hundred pictures," Park Sang Min enthusiastically assured him and got into the position, 

Tae Yang gently wrapped his strong arm over her thin waist and tilted his head to gaze at the woman who found her support on his muscular chest,

Li Juan who was startled for a moment grabbed his arm on a reflex.

When she regained her bearings Li Juan raised her ink-black eyes at the towering figure gazing at her with a doting smile, his warmth spreading over her skin, his enchanting fragrance entering her brain, subconsciously her red lips bloomed into a smile which no one has ever seen on her charming face.

Without any moments delay, Tae Yang lowered his head, his stunning face revealing the dimple on his cheeks, he almost pressed his thin lips on Li Juan's smooth forehead,

Her long eyelashes closing slowly in order to receive his kiss,

He abruptly stops and taps his finger on her forehead,

"You ask too much, honey," Tae Yang spoke out in K language and releases Li Juan who remained with a wronged expression on her face.

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In the guest room in the Lee mansion, Li Juan tossed and turned in the giant bed, unable to fall asleep,

Some kind of suffocation tightens her chest as if a heavy stone was placed on her.

Tae Yang only asked her to pretend as his girlfriend, but unlike his planning, his family believed their act and took them as a couple in love.

What was more terrifying? She found herself falling for the act, almost believing that Tae Yang is her boyfriend and she is visiting her in-laws for the first time.

Li Juan shook off the thought from her mind and get out of the bed for a breath of fresh air. She leaned on the cold wall of the balcony and stared into the swimming pool bathed in the white light,

To her surprise, she found Tae Yang's familiar back along with Yasook, sitting in the lone pool, in his arms the dog remained like an obedient kid.

She narrowed her eyes to get a better view,

All of sudden a pang of pain hit her and memories of a stormy night flashed in her mind,

She looked the through the opening of the window and found a forlorn silhouette standing the pouring rain,

His eyes were fixed on her window,

"Is he mad or what?" She mutters and closes the window shut as she prepares to go downstairs,

Once she walked out of the door with the umbrella, the man who was frozen to the ground turned his face towards her.

She moved closer to him and pulled the man under the umbrella,

"Are you crazy? Can't you see its lightning? Do you want to die?" She asks angrily,

"Whether I live or die, why do you even care, Li Juan?" He replies with a question,

"Don't die in front of my doorstep," She retorted,

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"It is better for us to part our ways," She forcefully places the umbrella on to his palms drenched in rainwater and turns to go away,

Even before she could take a step forward, a pair of strong arms wrapped her into an embrace,

"Don't go," His agonized voice rings near her ears,

She frantically tries to peel off the hands from her frail body,

"Leave me," She yells in pain, trying hard to unclasp his arms, but no avail,

"Don't go," He repeats,

His strength was overbearing as if it choking her, she reluctantly turns her head and immersed her sharp teeth on his arms,

Even when her mouth got filled with the bloody taste, he remained unswayed,

"I am not leaving you,"

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Li Juan held on to the railings, with misty eyes, 

Through the blurry vision, the silhouette of the man in her painful memories resembled the man stood before her eyes,

Tae Yang!!! She mumbled,

Even before she knew it, her feet took Li Juan towards the swimming pool,

When the obedient Yasook started to let out a low growl, Tae Yang turned back and saw Li Juan heading towards him as if she under some kind of evil charm,

He rose into his feet and rushed towards her,

"What happened?" His eyes showing a glimpse of panic,

"Nothing," Li Juan replied with a smile, "I couldn't fall asleep, so I thought I will get some fresh air"

He lets out a sigh of relief,

"Why are you still awake?" 

"I can't fall asleep either," He replies while trying to control Yasook who is trying to climb on to Li Juan,

However, she smiles and crouches down to brush Yasook's furry belly,

"Is it okay if I stay with him for a while?"

"He will be happy to stay with you," Tae Yang smiles and brings her to the patio,

"Let's sit next to the pool," She clasps his arm and without any delay dragged him towards the pool, Yasook and Tae Yang obediently follows her,

Li Juan sat on the poolside, immersing her calves on the cold water in the swimming pool.

"Lee Tae Yang, the CEO of Lee corporations and the young master of the Guan family. A potential groom for Bai Yue Ling of Yu palace. I thought I made it clear that I don't want to marry you," She lets out a laugh and recites,

"And here I am, staying at your home under the title of your faithful girlfriend...Nah...your fiance,"

Li Juan glanced at the man who sat with a sheepish smile,

"Why are you being so adamant on marrying me?"

"We are pretending as a couple," He says with an expressionless face,

"Really! You don't have to put an act in front of me,"

"Can I be honest?" Tae Yang's voice sounded elated, 

"Try me!!!"

"Have you ever thought about marrying me?"

"No," Her reply came in a blink of a moment,

"Not even for once?"

"I never thought about marrying anyone, not even you..." Li Juan stated with a poker face, "Do you know that I have a medical condition?" 

"But you recovered from that brain injury," Tae Yang added, he himself assisted the surgery and his uncle Gu assured him that she is out of danger.

"I recovered from that injury on an account of losing my memories. I even forgot that I lost my mother," Her voice had a tinge of pain,

"Even if you forget your memories you can start a new life," Tae Yang tried to cheer her up. He clearly knew how much Li Juan loved her mother.

"It is not that easy young master Guan, especially when your life is a mess. Do you want to know why I rejected you?"

He shook his head and waited for her answer, however her reply was totally unexpected,

"I felt bad for you,"

Tae Yang raised his thick eyebrows in a query,

"Our alliance was made to reconcile our families, that too, on the basis of an old promise," Li Juan moved her feet under the water, making a gurgling sound to fill the silence,

"Young master Guan, you are an eligible bachelor, by all means,"

The corners of her lips curled into praising smile, "I was hesitant to ask you to marry me and end up ruining your life,"

She scoffs and looks at the starlit sky,

"After all who would marry a girl who was in a relationship with another man? I felt it was unfair for a man to carry my entire burden,"

"This was your reason?" Tae Yang asked with a bewildered face,

"You have misunderstood me. Even if you had a child out of wedlock and still, I would've married you," His manly voice remains unwavering when he said with an affirmed look on his face, 

"Do you love me?" Li Juan suddenly asked him,

"I thought you would've known when I took you to meet my family," Tae Yang gazed at her dark eyes and continued, "Before your accident, due to some misunderstandings, I lost my chance to prove that I am worthy of your love. 

Now you are here and I want to ask," He stopped for a moment,

"Do I still have a chance to prove my love?"

"I am afraid you don't," Li Juan replied with a plain face,

"Why?" 

"I don't think I am worthy enough to accept anyone's love. Every time I regain my memories I am finding myself with a company of different men, almost doubting my chastity," She wrapped her hands over her chest and dropped her head,

"Why are you thinking like this?" Tae Yang frowns at her words,

"It is the truth." She affirms,

"Sometimes I feel like I am waiting for someone. Someone who loves my real self, someone who stood up with me whenever I felt that I have no one. Someone who lends me shoulder whenever I feel tired. Someone who saved me a couple of times. Someone who protects me like a guardian angel,"

"Who is he?"

"I don't know," Li Juan's ink-black eyes tearing up as she continues,

"I don't remember his face. But I often remember his traces in my memory,"

"May I help you to find him?" Tae Yang offered his help,

"It is alright, I planning to give up on finding him,"

"Why?" He was curious,

"I think I should start live in my present,"