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“L-Look at it! It’s clearly about cleaning.”
“Why are you discussing cleaning with Project A?”
“B-Because there was a reason for it! Are you just making assumptions without solid evidence? Is this because Ms. Lee Eun-chae, the president’s ex-wife, got caught as the culprit?”
“Do we have concrete evidence that Ms. Lee Eun-chae is the culprit?”
“What about the apartment and her new clothes and accessories?!”
“I gave them to her.”
“…What?”
Eun-chae slumped back into her chair, hiding her now crimson face.
He gave them to her? That didn’t make any sense.
Did Seok-kyung really not realize how strange it would look for an ex-husband and wife—divorced for three years—to exchange apartments and clothing?
“It was part of settling unresolved alimony after the divorce. Does that answer your question?”
“Ahh…”
“Now, let me ask you something. Did I not ask earlier if you had evidence pointing to Deputy Yang as the culprit?”
“Yes! I haven’t received anything!”
“Then how did you purchase the R-brand watch on your wrist and those earrings?”
“Huh?”
Deputy Yang fumbled nervously with the earrings dangling from her ears. The elongated oval-shaped cubic zirconia sparkled under the fluorescent lights.
“What do you mean?”
“Those products were newly released by R-brand this spring. Only five units were imported domestically, and they’re extremely expensive.”
“T-They’re fake! They can’t be real!”
“Are you sure? There should be a tiny serial number engraved on both the watch and earrings.”
Seok-kyung’s piercing gaze bore into Deputy Yang, her face turning ghostly pale.
“The police are already here. We’ll secure the items as evidence, verify their authenticity, and confirm who purchased them. That’ll settle everything.”
“I, I…”
Startled by the mention of the police, Deputy Yang could only gape, unable to continue.
“Bring them in.”
At Seok-kyung’s command, the head of the auditing team opened the planning department office door. A stern-faced police officer stepped inside.
“Yang So-young, you are under arrest for violating unfair competition laws and conspiracy to leak trade secrets. You have the right to an attorney…”
As the officer recited Miranda rights, he cuffed Deputy Yang’s wrists.
In the end, Deputy Yang was dragged out of the office, sobbing uncontrollably with her head bowed low.
“Goodness…”
All the department employees stared at Seok-kyung and the head of the auditing team, utterly stunned.
Eun-chae was no different.
Goodness, Deputy Yang was the culprit?!
Her heart pounded wildly, and her legs trembled. She wiped the sweat from her palms on her pants.
The others seemed equally shocked, muttering only “Goodness…” without saying anything else.
Just before turning to leave, Seok-kyung briefly glanced at Eun-chae.
Though the culprit had been caught, the fact that she was once his wife wouldn’t change.
His concerned gaze lingered for a moment before disappearing.
It was fortunate and relieving to have the false accusations cleared, but through this ordeal, Eun-chae made a decision.
After confirming that Seok-kyung and his entourage had left the department, Eun-chae retrieved a document she’d prepared in advance from her drawer and approached Team Leader Park.
“Team Leader, I have something to discuss with you.”
“Huh? W-What is it?”
Though the incident was resolved, the hesitancy and awkwardness in his tone toward Eun-chae had vanished.
“Please approve this document.”
“What is th—? No, Ms. Lee Eun-chae!”
Park Team Leader jumped in surprise. Hyun-woo’s sharp gaze immediately darted over.
“What’s going on?”
“No, Ms. Lee Eun-chae is…”
As Hyun-woo approached them, Park Team Leader gestured to the document Eun-chae had handed over.
“What document is…? Eun-chae, what is this? A resignation letter?!”
Instantly, all eyes in the department turned to her.
Calmly, Eun-chae alternated her gaze between Hyun-woo and Park Team Leader before giving a faint smile.
“I’ve caused everyone too much trouble. I’ll leave the company.”
“No…”
“I was recently promoted to full-time, and my work isn’t significant. Hyun-jung can easily hand it over to a new employee.”
“W-Wait. Are you quitting today, right now?”
Hyun-woo asked in a raised voice.
“All my tasks are neatly organized in files. I’ve been meaning to resign soon, and it seems today is the day.”
“Eun-chae, why are you doing this? Don’t mind what others say.”
Hyun-jung rushed over and grabbed Eun-chae’s arm.
“They’re right, unni. It’s strange for me to keep working here.”
“Does the president know? Did he approve it?”
“What does the president have to do with it? He and I are no longer related.”
“But still…”
Eun-chae turned to face her colleagues, meeting their gazes one last time, and bowed deeply.
“Thank you for everything.”
“Is it too late to stop her…?”
Park Team Leader muttered grimly.
“Yes, Team Leader. It’s too late.”
“Well…”
Without erasing the faint smile on her lips, Eun-chae returned to her desk, packed her belongings, and left the department.
Once she took the step, she felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
She bowed once more to her colleagues before exiting.
“Eun-chae!”
Just as the elevator doors were about to close, Hyun-woo held them open.
“Uh… well…”
He looked like he had so much to say but didn’t know where to begin.
Eun-chae smiled at him and closed the elevator doors.
Manager Kang’s feelings were appreciated, but surely he understood now why it couldn’t work.
This was the right choice for everyone, allowing Hyun-woo to finally move on.
She didn’t look back once as the elevator descended to the first floor and she exited the building.
The sticky summer heat hit her, but her heart felt lighter than ever.
I should’ve quit sooner. Why did I drag this out, making things difficult for Mr. Seok-kyung?
Self-reproach crept in, but she brushed it aside.
Next stop: the apartment.
On her way home, she stopped by a nearby mart and bought a small travel bag.
She didn’t have much to pack—just a few books from her old single room, along with some underwear and clothes she’d gradually acquired.
Her hands moved hurriedly as she stuffed her belongings into the bag.
She didn’t know when Seok-kyung might come looking for her after hearing the report from Park Team Leader.
Of course, a small part of her hoped he’d come sooner.
Ridiculously enough.
As she reached for a book to pack, a piece of paper fluttered down from between its pages.
Her hand froze mid-air as she picked it up.
“Ahh…”
It was her wedding photo with Seok-kyung.
The only photo she’d taken with him—the only one she’d kept after the divorce. In the picture, Seok-kyung’s expression was stiff, while she stood beside him, smiling brightly.
Skipping the wedding photoshoot to accommodate his disinterest in marriage now felt like a foolish decision. At the time of the divorce, she thought keeping this photo was the right choice, but now she regretted it.
If only she’d taken more pictures then, even if they felt awkward or uncomfortable.
If only she’d captured enough moments with Seok-kyung to look at this photo without emotion.
Without tears.
Realizing her tears had dampened the photo, Eun-chae quickly wiped them away with her hand.
Instead of returning the photo to its place between the pages, she placed it on the table.
She didn’t want to see it again.
Looking at it now would only make her cry—not just for him, but for every moment she’d spent leaning on him.
And that was something she could do without needing the photo.
After packing everything, she carefully placed the apartment key card on top of the photo and left the apartment.
“Goodbye.”
Just before the door closed, she bid farewell to the empty apartment—or rather, to Seok-kyung.
________________________________________
“A resignation letter?”
Unsure if he’d heard correctly, Seok-kyung turned back to Secretary Won. Seeing the beads of sweat rolling down his face confirmed it wasn’t a misunderstanding.
Secretary Won unfolded a folder on the desk, revealing the resignation letter Eun-chae had submitted.
A resignation letter? After clearing her name? Why? Because of her connection to me? Just because we were once married?
Anger surged within him.
“Surely…”
“Huh?”
Ignoring Secretary Won’s confused question, Seok-kyung bolted out of the president’s office.
“President! Where are you going?!”
The calls behind him faded into the background.
He rushed to the parking lot, snatched the car keys from the driver, and sped toward Eun-chae’s apartment.
Wasn’t it all for this? Her visit last night drenched in rain, clinging to him, and this morning’s breakfast and lunchbox—wasn’t it all to escape?
To sever ties with him?
He called Eun-chae on the way, but the call went straight to voicemail: “The user has turned off their phone.”
Seok-kyung accelerated, arriving at the apartment sooner.
Taking the private elevator upstairs, he knew the moment he opened the door.
There was no life left in that apartment.
Even without searching, he immediately sensed Eun-chae and her belongings were gone.
“Lee Eun-chae…”
He collapsed onto the sofa.
The setting sun cast long shadows across the living room, and at the edge of one shadow lay a photograph.
Seok-kyung slowly reached for it, clenching his teeth as he recognized it.
Their wedding photo.
His stiff, unsmiling face stared straight ahead, while Eun-chae stood beside him, smiling radiantly.
Her flushed cheeks and blooming smile felt unfamiliar.
He couldn’t recall ever seeing her with such an expression—because he hadn’t paid attention.
Why had she smiled so brightly at a wedding she didn’t even want?
『Still, it’s our wedding day. Smiling is better than crying, right?』
He could almost hear her laughing voice echoing somewhere.
Suddenly, a droplet fell onto the photo, landing between their faces.
Confused, he looked up and realized his vision was blurred.
Why?
Why was he crying over Lee Eun-chae?
Why did his chest ache so sharply?
Only then did Seok-kyung admit to himself that he loved her.
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