‘She’s so lovely. Hurry and give me a great-grandchild, dear.’

Chairman Kang thought, a small smile tugging at his lips.

The upbeat piano music transitioned into a softer, more solemn tune as the officiant announced the bride’s entrance. Seol-ah stood at the start of the aisle, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves. Her father offered his hand, and she took it, trying to calm herself. The one thing she absolutely wanted to avoid was tripping during the walk.

“Start with your right foot, Seol-ah.”

“Yes, Dad.”

Seol-ah replied softly, taking that first step as her heart pounded in her chest. Seol-ah’s father, Seong-ho, fought to maintain a serious expression, even though the corners of his mouth kept wanting to curl into a proud smile. Step by step, he walked down the aisle with his daughter, all the while remembering the moment when Seol-ah first told him about her decision to marry Hwi-gang.

“What? Who are you marrying?”

At that time, Seong-ho and his wife had been overjoyed when they heard that their prospective son-in-law, Jung-jae, had landed a job at LJ Electronics. They had even danced with excitement, thrilled at the idea of having a son-in-law working in a major company, and proudly boasted about it to everyone in the neighborhood.

However, not long after, Seol-ah broke the news of her and Jung-jae’s breakup. It was a blow that left Seong-ho and his wife embarrassed, wondering if they would need to move to escape the shame.

Just as they were trying to come to terms with the breakup, Seol-ah delivered even more unbelievable news—something they had never expected. At first, Seong-ho thought that still shaken by Jung-jae’s betrayal, Seol-ah was just making things up. How could she, their daughter, suddenly claim she was marrying the grandson of LJ Group, a global leader in the mobile phone industry? It seemed like a delusion brought on by her emotional distress.

But it wasn’t. Seol-ah’s words were anything but delusions, and soon the reality of her marrying the heir to LJ Group became very real.

Seong-ho still found it hard to believe, as if he were living in a dream.

‘Who would have thought I’d end up as in-laws with the owner of LJ Group?’

Even his relatives hadn’t believed it at first when they heard that Seol-ah’s fiancé was the grandson of the LJ Group’s chairman. Until they arrived at the wedding hall, some even joked that it could be a scam. It wasn’t until they stepped into the grand LJ Hotel wedding hall that they finally accepted the truth. Even then, many of them were left speechless, their mouths agape in astonishment at the reality of the situation.

Seol-ah’s wedding dress for the day was a high-necked, sheer gown with a subtle Chinese influence. The dress covered her from neck to wrists, with long sleeves embroidered with delicate flowers. Despite being sheer, the intricate design left little of her skin exposed.

“This one”

Hwi-gang had said, handing her the dress with the least exposure, after an intimate moment the night before, when she had worn a revealing, low-cut gown.

Though surprised by his choice, Seol-ah nodded and accepted it. Now, she stood at the altar in that very dress, looking like a graceful crane—elegant and modest.

“Seol-ah, Jin Seol-ah. I guess I really have to let you go now.”

Jung-jae whispered to himself, tears welling in his eyes as he hid behind a door, secretly watching the ceremony unfold. He now fully understood the old saying about the consequences of abandoning someone who has stood by you through thick and thin. He flinched when he noticed a member of the LJ Electronics TF team looking in his direction. Panicked, Jung-jae quickly backed away, not wanting anyone to see him in such a vulnerable state. Realizing that his presence would only highlight how pathetic he had become, he swallowed his tears and turned to leave.

“There’s no rule that says you can’t meet someone better than me. If you try, you might find someone who’s worth more.”

He remembered saying that not long ago, and now he felt the sting of those thoughtless words.

As Jung-jae left the wedding hall, he slapped his mouth in frustration, regretting the cruel things he had said to Seol-ah. He wiped the tears from his face with the back of his hand, cursing himself for failing to recognize the treasure he had lost.

“Groom, please proceed to meet your bride,” the officiant announced.

Hwi-gang slowly stepped forward and approached Seol-ah’s father, who was holding her hand. He bowed respectfully before taking Seol-ah’s hand and gently intertwining it with his arm.

After walking Seol-ah down the aisle, Seong-ho returned to his seat in the bride’s family section. Seol-ah, now arm-in-arm with Hwi-gang, matched her steps to his as they walked together.

“You look beautiful, my bride.”

“And you look handsome, my groom.”

Seol-ah responded with a smile, and Hwi-gang’s lips curled into a warm smile at her words.

The memories of the past month flashed through their minds, like a movie reel playing in their heads. Neither Hwi-gang nor Seol-ah had ever imagined meeting their life partner through such unexpected circumstances, let alone standing here now, exchanging vows.

Yet, the unimaginable had happened, and here they were, walking down the aisle, about to become husband and wife. As they reflected on their whirlwind love story, they couldn’t help but feel that their journey was one of those incredible tales people hear about but never think will happen to them.

“And now, we will proceed with the exchange of rings.”

As they exchanged smiles, their faces glowing with happiness, it was time for the ring exchange. A wedding hall staff member approached, carrying the rings on a silver tray lined with red velvet, its edges trimmed with gold thread.

Hwi-gang’s ring was simple, unadorned, yet elegant. But Seol-ah’s ring was anything but ordinary. It was adorned with the rare diamond known as “The Queen’s Tear,” a cherished heirloom passed down through generations of the Kang family—from Hwi-gang’s grandmother to his mother. Now, it was Seol-ah’s turn to carry on the legacy.

As Hwi-gang carefully slid the ring onto Seol-ah’s finger, cheers erupted from the crowd—particularly from the women in the audience.

“Oh my, isn’t that the ring I saw on Instagram?”

“Really? Where? Where is it?”

“Show me!”

As the ring slipped onto Seol-ah’s finger, cameras zoomed in for a close-up, and the image was broadcast across the large screen made of 24 smaller screens in the wedding hall. The giant monitor captured the sparkling diamond in all its glory, drawing gasps and admiration from the guests.

“Here, I saved this post because the proposal was so amazing,”

One of the women said, showing her phone to the others at her table. The women all leaned in eagerly to get a better look.

“Oh my gosh, I’ve seen this too! So that’s the ring?”

“Exactly! It stood out so much that I took a picture and looked it up. Turns out, it’s called The Queen’s Tear.”