II - 17

I-ryeong arrived at the Dogok-dong mansion on the weekend, summoned by CEO Lee Jung-ae. In her hands, she held a bouquet of roses, carefully chosen to suit her soon-to-be mother-in-law. 

The Dogok-dong estate was overwhelming even from the outside. The tall walls surrounding the property stretched endlessly, completely isolating it from the outside world. 

She had only ever seen such luxurious mansions in dramas—never in real life. Overwhelmed by the sheer scale of it, she could only swallow nervously. 

“Please follow me inside.” 

Guided by a guard who patrolled both inside and outside the estate, she passed through the garden and entered the main house. 

Employees dressed in maid uniforms greeted her at the entrance. 

The house was eerily quiet. If only I-jun were here instead of being away on a business trip, the tension might have been less suffocating. 

I-ryeong stole glances at the opulent interior as she followed the employee. 

“Madam, your guest has arrived.” 

The employee standing at the entrance to the drawing room announced I-ryeong’s arrival. 

There was no sound or movement from within. Yet, without waiting for permission, the employee confidently opened the heavy door. 

“I’ll prepare tea.” 

Inside the drawing room, Jung-ae sat alone. 

Once the employee left, leaving just the two of them in the room, I-ryeong bit her lip and steadied herself. 

“Hello. Thank you for inviting me.” 

With a composed smile, she offered her greeting. 

“Make yourself comfortable.” 

From her seat at the head of the spacious drawing room, Jung-ae gestured toward the seat directly across from her. 

I-ryeong sat down, still holding the bouquet she hadn’t yet presented, resting it on her lap. 

What could this meeting be about? She wondered if there had been an issue with the wedding preparations that I-jun had been handling. 

“This marriage—do you know that I-jun pursued it entirely on his own?” 

At Jung-ae’s words, I-ryeong froze, unable to offer any rebuttal. 

Within AE Cosmetics, CEO Lee Jung-ae was known for her commanding presence and charisma. 

Starting as a door-to-door saleswoman, she had risen to become the head of a major corporation—a feat achieved largely through sheer determination. 

Yet, during the family meeting, she had remained mostly unresponsive, except when cautioning her eldest son’s family. That aloof demeanor led I-ryeong to assume that Jung-ae opposed the marriage and that this meeting would confirm it. 

“…You do know this was I-jun’s unilateral decision, right?” 

So, at that question, I-ryeong found herself unable to respond, merely watching Jung-ae cautiously. 

“I-ryeong, did you know that until recently, I-jun was receiving matchmaking proposals?” 

Hearing this for the first time, her mind went blank, clouded with confusion. 

“I also heard he rejected all of them.” 

Instead of answering immediately, I-ryeong fell silent for a moment. 

“Yes, I heard it directly from I-jun.” 

Swallowing a heavy sigh, she forced out her response, trying not to make things awkward for Senior Managing Director I-jun. 

“Is that so? He told you himself? Then let me ask—” 

Jung-ae’s expression shifted slightly, seemingly surprised. 

“Did he also reveal who the matchmaking candidates were?” 

Her eyes sparkled with interest, clearly anticipating I-ryeong’s next answer. 

I-ryeong tried to calm herself, reminding herself that this was just a test, nothing more. 

Chae I-ryeong. There’s no need to feel jealous. 

She repeated the mantra in her head, trying to convince herself not to get worked up over mere matchmaking prospects—but her lips felt dry.

I-jun had chosen her to avoid the pressures of matchmaking and marriage. She kept repeating to herself that there was no need to get emotional over something so trivial in their impure arrangement. 

But her heart raced wildly, and her breathing became labored. 

Why was she angry? Why was she feeling jealous? This wasn’t a relationship where such emotions should matter. 

I-ryeong lowered her long lashes and blinked slowly. 

Ah, yes. She was in love with him—unrequitedly, as always. 

Once again, she resolved to be the weaker party in this one-sided affection. 

With effort, she steadied her gaze and met Jung-ae’s eyes, which were watching her with keen interest. 

“I’m not curious about who they were. They must have all been impressive individuals.” 

I-ryeong smiled faintly, fiddling with the ring on her finger—the one he had given her as part of his proposal. Touching it seemed to gradually calm her turbulent emotions. 

“I-jun is an incredible man. The kind anyone would covet.” 

As she thought of him, a warm smile spread across her face. 

Even in bed, he was intoxicating. The mere thought of someone else taking him away made her dizzy. 

“In your eyes, Madam, I might seem lacking. But I-jun chose me.” 

Though this marriage was fake, she still wanted some small measure of approval. 

“I apologize for rushing the marriage.” 

She bowed her head briefly toward Jung-ae before raising it again. Then, with resolve, she continued speaking while meeting Jung-ae’s gaze directly. 

“I won’t ask you to see me favorably. Just… see me for who I am.” 

Her chest felt like it might burst, but she forced herself to maintain her smile, suppressing the twitch at the corners of her lips. 

Thinking only of I-jun—the man who had promised to stand by her side—she straightened her shoulders. 

If this were the office, things might have been different. But this was I-jun’s home, and soon it would be hers too. That’s why she didn’t shy away from Jung-ae’s piercing gaze, meeting it head-on. 

“I-ryeong,” Jung-ae called her name, emphasizing it with weight. 

The simple act of being addressed sent a wave of pressure washing over her. 

Still, I-ryeong strained to keep her crescent-moon smile intact, refusing to let it falter. 

Perhaps finding her persistent smile unsettling, Jung-ae averted her gaze, lowering her eyes. 

“Speak freely.” 

“We haven’t even entered the wedding hall yet, so let’s leave that for later.” 

A strange atmosphere lingered in the drawing room. 

I-ryeong interpreted Jung-ae’s deliberate avoidance of eye contact as hostility. 

She realized then how much sharper the pain of an unwelcome marriage could feel. 

“You’re in the marketing strategy team, correct?” 

“…Yes.” 

Suddenly, a wave of unease washed over her, causing her to tremble. 

The carefully maintained facade of composure crumbled instantly, and sweat began to bead on her palms. 

“Not only are you and my son working at the same company, but you’re also in the same team…” 

Jung-ae’s intentions remained inscrutable, leaving I-ryeong parched for clarity. 

“After reviewing your personnel evaluations, it seems you’ll become a permanent employee without any major issues.” 

Jung-ae’s narrowed gaze swept over I-ryeong critically. 

She had assumed her son had fallen for I-ryeong’s decent looks, but after reviewing her personnel records, it seemed there was more to her than just appearances.

The fieldwork logs painted a picture of I-ryeong as an exceptionally diligent worker. Her clear and concise reports demonstrated her competence, and it was no surprise that she had earned high marks in her performance evaluations. 

She had a keen understanding of customer demographics for each store and attentively listened to the concerns of the employees. 

She was exactly the kind of person her workaholic son could easily fall for. 

“I heard strange rumors were circulating recently. It seems I-jun acted recklessly because of it.” 

Jung-ae had personally established the non-regular employee fieldwork system when founding the company, but now, under her son’s management, those responsibilities had completely disappeared. 

“I also see you worked at Cheil Apparel.” 

“…!” 

At the mention of her previous workplace, I-ryeong bit down hard on her lower lip in shock. 

“I’m not curious about why you transferred to our company as a non-regular employee.” 

But Jung-ae showed little interest in I-ryeong’s reaction. 

“Show me results that others can recognize—results achieved under the name ‘Chae I-ryeong,’ not as the daughter-in-law of Lee Jung-ae or the wife of Seo I-jun.” 

Jung-ae’s tone was soft yet firm, issuing her demand. 

Her eldest son, who had never shown outstanding achievements, remained perpetually stuck as a manager, while her second son, who consistently succeeded in his projects, had risen confidently to the position of senior managing director. 

“I don’t yet see you as my daughter-in-law. I’m merely observing due to my son’s stubbornness.” 

I-ryeong felt a chilling sensation wash over her, as if she were freezing from within. 

“If you want to become a part of this family, produce results worthy of pride. Conduct yourself in a way that avoids gossip.” 

Then, almost as an afterthought, she added: 

“I don’t care whether you’re the daughter of a snack shop owner or from a remarried family. I’m simply curious about who Chae I-ryeong is.” 

Jung-ae was looking at her as an individual, not just through the lens of her circumstances. 

It was a perspective I-ryeong hadn’t even heard from I-jun, and it left her feeling oddly unsettled. 

“Understood.” 

I-ryeong’s expression hardened, all traces of a smile erased. 

After returning from Dogok-dong, I-ryeong was exhausted. 

The fact that tomorrow was Sunday felt like a stroke of luck—she desperately needed rest. Her sensitivity seemed to have rubbed off on her younger brother, too. 

After the family meeting, she had brought Jung-min to live with her at home. 

Since then, not only Jung-min but also her stepmother had been walking on eggshells around her. Even today, they tiptoed around her, literally and figuratively—like walking on their tiptoes to avoid making noise. 

I-ryeong lay in bed all evening, skipping dinner, lost in thought. Then, as if reaching a decision, she suddenly sat up. 

“Jung-min, come to my room.” 

She opened the door and called him in. Then, she opened the bottom drawer of her dresser and pulled out a bankbook. 

“It’s fine, come in.” 

She beckoned her brother, who had been hesitating at the doorway, and seated him on the desk chair. 

“Do you still find me scary?” 

“N-No! Not at all!” 

His face turned bright red as he denied it vehemently. 

“I’m telling you to relax and make yourself comfortable.” 

I-ryeong sat facing him. 

Their relationship was so awkward that even her attempt at a joke came across as serious. 

“When I get married, you can use this room as your own.” 

“No way! This is your room!”

If he were an ordinary younger brother, he might have cheered with excitement. 

“I can use your room instead. I’ll downsize my things too.” 

The room Jung-min currently used was cramped since it doubled as a storage space. 

“Here, take this.” 

She handed the bankbook to Jung-min, who was fidgeting anxiously. 

“This is the money I’ve been saving little by little since I turned twenty.” 

“Sister… this is…” 

His panic was written all over his face. 

I-ryeong had opened a separate account after starting university and working part-time jobs. 

“I wanted to be the one to send you to college.” 

“Sister!” 

Never before had Jung-min shown such a wide range of expressions, especially not such negative reactions or raised his voice like this. 

“Just take it. It’s my wish.” 

It was a kind of burden—the weight of having torn their family apart out of sheer stubbornness. 

“When you get to college, don’t think about working part-time. Just focus on studying. And if you have time, try dating too.” 

She had only asked her parents for help with the first semester’s tuition, managing everything else on her own afterward. Eventually, she even repaid that initial tuition with her first paycheck. 

“If you’re short on pocket money, just let me know.” 

“Sister, I… I…” 

Among her peers, I-ryeong was known for her relentless determination. 

She hadn’t missed out on scholarships while juggling multiple part-time jobs. Back then, she thought it was only natural, but now, looking back, she felt a twinge of regret. 

“If you use it well, that alone will satisfy me.” 

As she gently patted Jung-min, who was on the verge of tears, her phone rang—it was I-jun. 

“It’s your brother-in-law’s call. Can you give me some space to talk?” 

Using the call as an excuse, she placed the bankbook in Jung-min’s hand and sent him out of the room.