MHD - 48

Chapter 48: Resolve

Jae-hyuk tore open the envelope with an indifferent expression and immediately checked its contents.

Several photos of Kwon Chaewon entering and leaving a hotel room with her lover caught his eye. In multiple shots, Chaewon was grinning widely, exposing her gums. She appeared to be thoroughly satisfied with her everyday life alongside her lover.

Rumors had it that this male actor—Chaewon’s lover—wasn’t particularly talented as an actor, given how every project he starred in flopped. However, it seemed he excelled at charming women.

It was ironic that someone as materialistic as Kwon Chaewon could be so happy giving herself to a man who lacked both status and wealth.

The rumors about her carrying armfuls of luxury shopping bags whenever she visited him were evidently true.

But then again, am I any different?

Looking at the naked couple in the photos, Jae-hyuk let out a bitter laugh, twisting one corner of his lips.

If Chaewon knew about his situation, she’d have every right to point her finger at him, accusing him of hypocrisy. A washed-up actor clinging to his wealthy family while shamelessly going on arranged marriage meetings—yes, that was him.

“…I’m no better than scum.”

With a wry smile, Jae-hyuk tucked the photos back into the envelope. Manager Oh, who had been silent until now, resumed his report.

“…And we received a call from Representative Kwon’s office. They want to set up a lunch appointment this week. It’ll include Representative Kwon, his daughter, Kwon Chaewon, and yourself. When would you like to schedule it?”

“Did they reach out first?”

“Yes.”

As Jae-hyuk listened, he opened his phone to check his emails. His weary gaze scanned the contents. The night felt heavier than usual.

“Cancel one of my lunch meetings and arrange this instead. We’ll choose the venue, and make sure a reporter is present.”

“A reporter?”

Manager Oh looked surprised, as if to say, “Again?” Jae-hyuk nodded indifferently.

There’s a saying: empty vessels make the most noise. While nothing significant had progressed between him and Chaewon, he was deliberately orchestrating their meetings to generate as much buzz as possible.

Each time they met, articles would be published, spawning endless gossip. Chaewon would believe that their relationship was steadily progressing toward marriage—all while she continued seeing her lover on the side.

Representative Kwon, unable to pry too deeply into his daughter’s love life, would likely think the same: that his daughter was getting along well with Lee Jae-hyuk.

If Representative Kwon decided to give him a nice gift, all the better. If not, it didn’t matter either way.

Gossip would continue to swirl in the financial world, driving stock prices higher, while Cho Jeongmu’s faction would grow increasingly anxious. If internal conflicts arose within their ranks, Jae-hyuk planned to exploit the cracks.

“Yes. Make it loud, just like last time.”

“Understood.”

Jae-hyuk gave a slight nod to Manager Oh, who bowed politely, before climbing into his car. He glanced briefly at the documents in his hand before tossing them into the corner.

Buzz.

His phone vibrated. Checking the screen, he saw an alert for a news article matching a keyword he’d set.

“Seo Hee-soo vs. Jin Yuna: The Century’s Showdown in Kang Jaemin’s Film”

It had been a while since Hee-soo’s name appeared in the news. The article included a photo of her from a few years ago.

As he stared at Hee-soo’s face, a message notification popped up over the article.

“Have you heard? My father wants to have lunch with you.”

Tapping the notification, Hee-soo’s image disappeared, replaced by a full-screen message from Chaewon.

“He seems determined to give you a good gift. Look forward to it.”

It seemed Representative Kwon was preparing to throw something his way. Just as he’d predicted, the pieces were moving smoothly across the board.

“I’ll look forward to it.”

After sending a brief reply, Jae-hyuk tossed his phone into the corner of the car seat.

Buzz. The phone vibrated again in the corner, but Jae-hyuk ignored it. He had no intention of replying further to whatever Chaewon might say.

If Representative Kwon offered something, he was willing to accept it—but he had no plans to get entangled with his daughter.

Take what he can use, discard what he doesn’t need once it’s served its purpose.

If there was one more thing to gain from this…

Leaning his head against the headrest, Jae-hyuk half-opened his tired eyes and gazed out at the nighttime scenery. Amidst the city lights, Hee-soo’s face appeared like a mirage.

Her translucent gaze, steady and unwavering, seemed to pierce through the dazzling night lights, staring directly at him.

Would he ever see her calm face shaken because of him, even once more?

The blinking city lights flowed like water, eventually fading out of view. Hee-soo’s face scattered like fragments of light reflected in the night.

Chasing the lingering image of Hee-soo, Jae-hyuk closed his eyes.

---

“A Meeting Between Families? Rumors Swirl About Lee Jae-hyuk’s Imminent Marriage to Cho Group’s Daughter”

Below the bold headline, a paparazzi photo taken from afar was displayed.

Hee-soo parked her car in the basement parking lot of Yeonwoonam Hotel and reopened the news article she’d glanced at before leaving.

The tabloid piece dominated the portal site’s front page, featuring everyone involved. Though blurry, the resolution was clear enough to make out their faces.

The photos showed a high-end Japanese restaurant exclusive to reservations, where a prominent political figure—Representative Kwon—and his daughter, along with Jae-hyuk, were seen exiting in a line. Another shot captured the three of them chatting while waiting for their cars.

The headline “Imminent Marriage Rumors” seemed perfectly fitting when juxtaposed with the seemingly cheerful appearance of the three individuals in the photos.

Hee-soo repeatedly turned her phone screen on and off, reading the article countless times. Her gaze kept drifting toward Jae-hyuk’s face in the photo. She zoomed in to scrutinize his expression in the blurry image.

Was that a polite smile? Or was it genuine?

“….”

After enlarging the photo for a closer look, Hee-soo sighed and closed her phone. What was she even doing? She felt pathetic.

Seeing Jae-hyuk standing beside another woman stirred an odd sense of loss within her. She had been the one to suggest breaking up, the one who pushed him away when he tried to get closer.

So why couldn’t she stop staring at his smiling face next to someone else? Why did her chest ache so much?

If only she could avoid seeing him or hearing about him altogether—how much easier life would be.

Hee-soo reflected on how wrong her current thoughts were.

Even if this were a marriage of convenience and Jae-hyuk were planning a loveless union with another woman, it wouldn’t alleviate her guilt.

It was inherently wrong to pursue a relationship with a man who was already involved with someone else. No amount of justification—whether it was framed as closure or something else—could change that.

And yet, despite wrestling with both moral guilt and physical desire, she couldn’t bring herself to end this entanglement.

A sigh escaped involuntarily.

As if mocking her inner turmoil, another scandalous article surfaced on the very day she was scheduled to meet Jae-hyuk.

If it wasn’t coincidence, then it must have been deliberate.

Why did such troublesome articles always appear whenever she was about to see him?

She couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was warning her: “This relationship is wrong. Stop it immediately.”

Putting her phone back into her bag, Hee-soo took out her sunglasses and put them on. Stepping out of the car, she carefully made her way to the elevator leading to the suite room.

Buzz.

While waiting for the hotel elevator, her phone vibrated incessantly. Glancing at it briefly, she saw a flood of messages from Cha Joo-won.

“Seo Hee-soo, I heard you sent a formal notice? Unfair contract? Are you insane?”

“Did landing one role suddenly make you think life is all sunshine and roses? You want to fight me?”

“Hey! Are you ignoring my calls?”

Sigh.

Holding her phone, Hee-soo hesitated for a moment before slipping it back into her handbag. The phone continued vibrating, causing the bag to buzz faintly.

After meeting Kang Jaemin, Hee-soo had approached Cha Joo-won to discuss revising the problematic contract he had arbitrarily altered. Before filming began, she wanted to correct the unfair terms he had sneaked into the agreement.

Her mistake was believing that Cha Joo-won still held some shred of loyalty toward her. Hoping they could negotiate and find common ground, she went to speak with him but ended up being threatened and kicked out of his office instead.

‘I’m so tired.’

Stepping off the elevator, Hee-soo walked down the hotel corridor until she stopped abruptly. Her gaze drifted down the long hallway. On this floor, there was only one room—the largest suite at the end of the hall.

Jae-hyuk’s suite.

Once, Jae-hyuk had said to her:

“The way you dance is so beautiful because you never seem to tire.”

When she heard those words, Hee-soo thought to herself:

“The fluttering wings you found mesmerizing were actually just desperate flails to keep from falling.”

People who didn’t have to struggle to survive would never understand the frantic thrashing, the tantrums, the sheer effort required to stay afloat.

Life had always tightened its grip around her neck, leaving no choice but to live combatively to survive.

That’s why dealing with people like Cha Joo-won or her own family left no room for rest. Thinking things would work out easily was simply naive.

Which was why Jae-hyuk, who admired her struggles as beauty, and she could never truly belong together.

We’re fundamentally different.

Ha. A bitter laugh escaped her lips. She had to face the truth.

She cursed her past self for daring to dream of a life with him. For reaching beyond her station, she had lost everything. And yet, here she was again, coming to see him. How pitiful.

Slowly, Hee-soo resumed walking.

Alright, she thought. Let’s end this. It’s time to put an end to this relationship.

With resolve, she pulled the card key from her bag.