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There was no other way to explain these strange feelings toward Eun-chae now—except for love.
Damn it.
Everything had become completely tangled and chaotic.
Even now, he needed to find her, confess his feelings, and set their twisted fates back on track.
Seok-kyung slipped the photograph into the inner pocket of his jacket.
For several days, Seok-kyung didn’t go to work and kept trying to contact Eun-chae.
The constant automated message saying her phone was off infuriated him, so he eventually resorted to sending texts.
He ordered Secretary Won to immediately locate where she had gone, but after several days, there was still no news.
Where on earth could she have disappeared to, Lee Eun-chae?
His heart ached with a sharp, persistent sting. Every time he thought of her, it felt like his chest was lurching unnaturally. He wondered if this emotional turmoil might even give him heart disease.
The approval documents brought to his home by Secretary Won barely registered in his vision.
It was all his fault.
All of it.
Completely.
When Eun-chae first brought up divorce, he should have flown to Korea to see her face-to-face.
She wasn’t good at lying, so her emotions would have surely shown. If he had done that, he wouldn’t have let her slip away.
What kind of man couldn’t even protect his own family? What grand accomplishments could he claim without even holding onto what mattered most?
“Seok-kyung, son. A man must protect his family.”
“Yes, Father.”
“But do you know what comes first in doing that?”
“No.”
“You must protect the woman you love.”
Suddenly, the words his father had spoken to him as a child came flooding back.
Years later, when he married Eun-chae, he had asked his father about that conversation.
“What if I marry someone I don’t love? How should I handle it then?”
“Regardless of love, she’s your wife. You must protect her.”
“What if I fall in love with someone else?”
“Learn to love your wife first.”
Why hadn’t he listened to his father’s advice?
Regretting it now was too late.
Or perhaps it wasn’t entirely too late. He had found Eun-chae again, and he refused to lose her once more.
He absolutely did not want to live with that regret.
Suddenly, he remembered the day they went on a date. Even though they had to hide from prying eyes, Eun-chae’s face had glowed slightly.
As if she found happiness in that fleeting moment.
Of course, it might just be wishful thinking born out of his guilt-ridden imagination.
And then he vividly recalled the way Eun-chae looked at the piano in the restaurant that day.
“Want to play?”
When he noticed the faint longing in her gaze as she stared sadly at the piano, he asked. But Eun-chae furrowed her brows slightly.
“No.”
“There’s no one here but us. Just once…”
“I said no.”
Her reply was firm and cold.
That night, until the moment they left the restaurant, she never once glanced back at the piano.
Had she not touched the piano he had placed in the apartment either?
The thought clawed at his heart, like jagged hooks tearing through his flesh.
No matter what happened or when, he wanted to give Eun-chae a piano as a gift. No, he wanted to help her play again.
Seok-kyung picked up his phone and searched for Secretary Won’s number. He planned to ask him to look for a piano academy, practice room, or any space where Eun-chae could freely play the piano.
Just then, his phone rang in his pocket. It was Madam Cha, his mother.
He didn’t want to answer right now.
He ignored the call and headed toward the entrance, but the phone rang again almost immediately.
“Yes.”
“S-Seok-kyung...”
Seok-kyung froze mid-step while putting on his shoes.
Madam Cha’s voice trembled with fear, shaking uncontrollably.
“What’s wrong?”
“Your... your father...” Her voice broke into sobs.
“Ahh...”
His body swayed unsteadily.
Even though Madam Cha couldn’t finish her sentence, he already understood what came next.
He’s gone.
His father, who had been bedridden for over two months, had finally passed away.
There were so many things he wanted to ask his father when he woke up.
Most importantly, he needed guidance on how to bring Eun-chae back into his life. Now, that guidance was forever lost.
“Wait for me. I’ll be there soon.”
“Mm, please hurry….”
Seok-kyung ended the call, leaving behind his sobbing mother.
Darkness enveloped him. Everything was being sucked into an abyss.
________________________________________
The sudden death of the son of a global conglomerate’s chairman sent shockwaves across the world.
The funeral hall was flooded with crowds, creating chaos.
Chairman Baek saw his son’s face one last time at home and swallowed his tears. Afterward, he retreated into seclusion, only saying he’d visit the gravesite after the funeral ended.
Of course, he also mentioned meeting with the board of directors in two weeks to elect the next CEO.
Unlike her initial reaction upon learning of her husband’s death, Madam Cha had returned to her usual composed and cold demeanor.
Her calmness became a topic of whispered gossip among condolence visitors.
Meanwhile, Seok-kyung, serving as the chief mourner, greeted guests but looked gaunt and half-lifeless.
“Seok-kyung, are you okay?”
Joo-eun, who had come to pay respects, gently patted his shoulder and asked.
Following the elders’ advice not to skip meals, he sat at a table and mechanically stirred rice into his bulgogi soup, which he had no appetite for.
Beside him, Joo-eun watched him pityingly as she used her chopsticks to add various side dishes to his bowl.
“If it’s hard, you can lean on me.”
“I’m fine. Thank you.”
Seok-kyung spoke without smiling. He didn’t have the energy to deal with her right now.
“We decided to postpone our wedding to winter.”
“Postpone?”
“Mm. I talked to Mother about it. Summer seems too rushed.”
Her tone carried a hint of regret.
Joo-eun’s desire to hold the wedding as soon as possible—despite the funeral—was palpable.
“We’ll talk later. Right now…”
“Yes, now isn’t the time.”
But she glanced around, searching for someone.
“Why? Are you looking for someone?”
“No, it’s not that…”
Seok-kyung turned his head in the direction Joo-eun was looking.
It was the staff from Studio FIRST. Among them, members of the planning department.
“Ms. Lee Eun-chae isn’t here?”
“…She quit.”
“Quit?”
“Yeah, she left the company.”
“Oh my, did I cause that?”
Joo-eun gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.
“No. She quit because she wanted to.”
“Really?”
As she lowered her hand, the corners of her lips subtly curled upward.
Whether intentional or not, it was the satisfied smile of someone who had gotten exactly what they wanted.
“Still, shouldn’t she have come here? Even if only out of respect for her former father-in-law?”
“She wouldn’t have been welcomed anyway.”
“Is that so?”
“She probably feels relieved.”
“Huh?”
“I clearly told her we’re no longer related. I even informed Mother.”
“It couldn’t be helped, right?”
Joo-eun replied as if it were obvious.
“I told you I hate it when my man looks elsewhere, didn’t I?”
“Did you not trust me? Or did you think I’d let myself be manipulated by your mother?”
Seok-kyung shot her a cold question before chugging the beer on the table.
“Stop drinking. Are you planning to get drunk as the chief mourner?”
Joo-eun snatched the glass from his hand.
Her attitude reeked of entitlement, believing she could do whatever she pleased.
Mother and you both underestimated me.
Until now, I didn’t need to voice my opinions because Chairman Cha always anticipated what I wanted and delivered it.
I didn’t care about women or marriage matters; anything was fine since I followed her wishes.
Whether it was marrying Eun-chae or marrying Joo-eun, neither held any interest for me.
Until now.
Now that Eun-chae’s presence in his heart was undeniable, he had no reason to let others manipulate him anymore.
Seok-kyung set down his spoon and chopsticks and stood up.
“Not eating anymore?”
Joo-eun awkwardly rose halfway, asking.
“Our wedding might be delayed even further.”
“What? Why?”
“I’ll contact you after the funeral ends.”
“Why? Can you explain?”
Joo-eun abruptly stood up and grabbed Seok-kyung’s mourning attire roughly, but when surrounding gazes turned toward them, she let go, embarrassed.
“Go back. There’s nothing for you to do here.”
Seok-kyung spoke coldly and turned away.
________________________________________
It was the night Eun-chae moved into her newly rented studio apartment when she learned of the death of Seok-kyung’s father, Chairman Baek Kang-ho.
After moving in early due to the unit being vacant sooner than expected, she unpacked her belongings and turned on the TV, where a large subtitle announced Chairman Baek Kang-ho’s passing.
“Father-in-law…”
Eun-chae collapsed onto the floor and listened to the news report.
Learning that he had suffered a cerebral infarction two months ago, remained unconscious, and passed away just hours earlier sent shivers down her spine.
So, during all this time, Seok-kyung hadn’t shown any signs of distress—even to her.
At the very least, he should have told me…
Shaking her head to dispel thoughts mixed with resentment and hurt, Eun-chae reminded herself that she was no longer part of that family. She was practically a third party now; there was no reason for them to share confidential matters with her.
Still.
Even so, it hurt to think he hadn’t shown any vulnerability or weakness despite everything.
Moreover, she harbored no ill feelings toward Chairman Baek—only toward Madam Cha—making his death even more sorrowful.
“I’m sorry, Eun-chae. If only I could have been the kind of father-in-law who could protect you.”
“No, Father. It’s all for Seok-kyung’s sake. I’ll be fine.”
“I hope you stay healthy and happy. Promise me that?”
On the day she signed the divorce papers and paid her final respects, Chairman Baek had held Eun-chae’s hand, patting it repeatedly as he apologized profusely.
Perhaps his remorse softened some of her hatred toward the Baek family—and toward Madam Cha.
“Please go to a better place, Father. Be happy there too.”
Kneeling with her hands clasped together, Eun-chae closed her eyes and prayed. And silently, she asked for Seok-kyung’s protection as well.
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