MHD - 64

Chapter 64: That Day, 10 Years Ago (1)

Yoon Ji-sun had been suffering from insomnia for a long time.

It began when a certain modifier started preceding her name.

The phrase that always came before “Yoon Ji-sun”: Wife of Lee Jung-chul, Chairman of Kangrim Group.

Sitting in a position envied by all, under the constant scrutiny of the public eye, took its toll. 

Ji-sun had never confided her innermost thoughts to anyone. She suspected this was the root of her insomnia but chose to bury her feelings deep inside, dealing with them alone.

Jung-chul had shown no interest in her, either before or after their marriage.

He always had young, coquettish lovers and treated their existence as a given. In Ji-sun’s position, she was almost grateful that he hadn’t fathered children with any of them.

Lee Jung-chul was a ruthless businessman, while Yoon Ji-sun was the sheltered only daughter of an artistic family who had married into his world.

Her pastimes were simple: watching her son Jae-hyuk grow up and managing the cultural foundation and art museum inherited from her family.

Though she was well aware of her husband’s infidelity, Ji-sun pretended not to know. To the outside world—and even to her son—she played the role of a loving wife, praising Jung-chul and lying through her teeth.

Maintaining the appearance of a perfect life was how Yoon Ji-sun protected herself. It was the only way to balance the sacrifices she had made in her youth.

Even though her heart was rotting away, the envy of others offset it. It was better than enduring judgment or pity.

Thud.

As usual, it was close to 2 a.m. Ji-sun woke up and went to the kitchen to swallow some painkillers. Her headaches had worsened recently.

Hee-soo. Seo Hee-soo—that girl was the problem.

A few months ago, a sexual harassment incident had erupted within the ballet company. The perpetrator was none other than her brother-in-law, Lee Jung-hoon.

Ji-sun had long known that Jung-hoon flirted with several members of the troupe. Up until now, nothing serious had happened, but toward the end, the situation escalated dramatically.

Ji-sun had worked tirelessly to smooth things over, persuading and coaxing each victim to keep quiet. But just as she thought the matter was resolved, trouble resurfaced elsewhere.

A journalist had caught wind of the scandal and approached the ballet dancers for interviews.

An anonymous interview with one of the dancers detailing the harassment was published as an article.

The ballet company was thrown into chaos. Given Jung-chul’s frequent threats to dissolve the cultural foundation and ballet company at the slightest provocation, Ji-sun was frantic to protect her own standing.

When she finally tracked down the dancer who had given the interview, Ji-sun was stunned. It was Seo Hee-soo—the very girl Ji-sun had cherished and nurtured, the one she believed would become the pride of the ballet company.

And now, that same girl was causing a catastrophe.

“You? Why did you do this?”

Despite Ji-sun’s sharp question, Hee-soo calmly explained herself, though visibly intimidated.

“I just couldn’t let it go like that. It felt too unfair.”

“Do you even realize what you’ve done?”

To Ji-sun’s fury, Hee-soo replied:

“I’m sorry. But I thought you’d understand. I thought you were different from Chairman Lee.”

“What?”

“You always told us to take pride in our cultural heritage. You said we should cherish it. What kind of pride are you trying to protect?”

Hee-soo’s words pierced Ji-sun like a needle, tearing open wounds she had carefully concealed.

In the end, Ji-sun could only rise from her seat, her face flushed, unable to respond. It felt as though Hee-soo had shattered the fragile mask Ji-sun had painstakingly patched together with hypocrisy. Ji-sun resolved to get rid of Seo Hee-soo as soon as possible.

A protruding stone always trips those who walk over it.

To drive Hee-soo out, Ji-sun used her son, Jae-hyuk.

She immediately went to her husband, Jung-chul, and told him that because of Seo Hee-soo, Jae-hyuk might abandon not only his studies abroad but also his position as heir.

“You know Jae-hyuk’s personality. Once he sets his mind on something, he doesn’t look back.”

Jung-chul had once beaten Jae-hyuk mercilessly for something he had done for Hee-soo.

He didn’t know why Jae-hyuk had acted that way—Jae-hyuk had endured the beating in silence, refusing to explain. 

When Jung-chul learned that the entire incident revolved around Seo Hee-soo, he stormed to the annex where Hee-soo stayed late at night, intent on throwing her out immediately.

Knowing that driving Hee-soo out like this would provoke another outburst from Jae-hyuk, Ji-sun barely managed to restrain her husband. She then pressured Hee-soo, who was already terrified, into taking responsibility for her actions.

In the end, Hee-soo left the house voluntarily—or so it appeared—packing her belongings without saying a word to Jae-hyuk.

On the day she left, Hee-soo came to Ji-sun to say goodbye.

“Thank you for everything.”

She bowed deeply. Her calm demeanor unsettled Ji-sun, leaving her with an inexplicable sense of defeat.

But that feeling was fleeting. Once Hee-soo was out of sight, Ji-sun’s mind returned to peace. Everything seemed to fall back into place.

Jae-hyuk would go abroad for his studies after completing his military service, and in a few years, his childhood sweetheart would fade from memory like a distant dream.

That is, until Jung-chul, who had been tailing Hee-soo, brought her back late one night and interrogated her about meeting Jae-hyuk.

Throb.

A sharp pain shot through Ji-sun’s temples, shaking her head.

Lately, her thoughts had been consumed by Seo Hee-soo. Though she occasionally received updates from Gong Sun-young, her trusted aide, she still couldn’t shake her unease.

If Seo Hee-soo were to cling to Jae-hyuk by exploiting the bond they had formed while living under the same roof, it would spell disaster.

She was difficult to handle, lacked any influential background, and was far too audacious to be a suitable daughter-in-law.

Her presence would undoubtedly become a glaring flaw in Ji-sun’s otherwise impeccable life.

Moreover, it was Ji-sun herself who had initially brought Hee-soo into their household. If Hee-soo were to latch onto Jae-hyuk, who knew how Jung-chul would react?

If the two of them were to officially date, Jung-chul would surely lose his mind.

Jung-chul had spent his entire life looking down on Yoon Ji-sun. It was clear he would heap scorn upon both her and Hee-soo together.

He might even go as far as dismantling the foundation and everything else in a fit of rage.

Fortunately, after the night Hee-soo was dragged back by Jung-chul, she seemed to have gone quiet. Ji-sun had ensured that Jae-hyuk, who was serving in the military, couldn’t make external calls, so there was no way for the two to communicate.

But what if Seo Hee-soo visited him during visiting hours?

“Ah… my head.”

A high-pitched ringing accompanied the throbbing pain in her temples. Ji-sun steadied herself by gripping the dining table with both hands, taking a moment to catch her breath.

After debating whether to take another painkiller, she eventually popped one into her mouth and quietly moved toward her room.

Fumbling through the dark, Ji-sun passed by the study when she heard voices coming from inside.

“You should be thanking me, hyung.”

“Shut up, you bastard. Do you even realize what you’ve done?”

“It’s something to be grateful for—both for you and for your wife.”

Ji-sun froze mid-step as she overheard the conversation.

It wasn’t unusual for Jung-chul to reprimand his younger brother late at night for causing trouble. But the phrase “for your wife” caught her attention.

The dialogue unfolding inside was anything but ordinary.

Lee Jung-hoon’s breathing was erratic, his tone uneven, clearly indicating he was heavily intoxicated.

“Hyung, think about it. Two birds with one stone, right? Who could’ve guessed she’d actually get pregnant?”

Even in his drunken state, Jung-hoon was desperately trying to justify himself to Jung-chul. But Jung-chul cut him off with sharp rebukes each time he spoke.

“…Shut up. If you’d been caught, it would’ve been drunk driving, attempted murder, and hit-and-run charges all at once.”

“What are you talking about? Do you know who your hyung is?”

“Quiet! You’re already under investigation. If this gets out, there’ll be no negotiation—straight to jail. I won’t be able to save you this time.”

“Are you seriously going to pretend you don’t know me now? Weren’t you the one who called her a thorn in your side? I pulled out that thorn for you!”

Their argument escalated until Jung-chul shouted in a resolute tone:

“You went too far! What if she had died? What then?”

By this point, Jung-hoon should have been cowering under his older brother’s fury, but instead, he raised his voice as well.

“She didn’t die! I just pushed her slightly! If that girl hadn’t given that interview, I wouldn’t even be in this mess! Damn it.”

Slap.

The sound of a slap echoed, followed by a low, menacing voice.

“Consider yourself lucky I’m letting you off with just a slap. Do you have any idea what’s at stake right now? How dare you cause trouble like this again! I’ll arrange something for you to lay low for a while. I’ll handle the rest.”

“Hyung… How many times have I covered for you, and this is how you repay me?”

Slap.

“Ah, hyung!”

As Jung-hoon raised his voice, the sound of the doorknob turning interrupted them.

Ji-sun quickly hid herself in the shadows.

“Secretary Kim, come to the main house quickly. Bring a few bodyguards.”

“Hyung… This isn’t right. After everything I’ve done…”

Jung-hoon’s sobbing mixed with Jung-chul’s furious voice. Ji-sun clutched her racing heart and quietly slipped back into her room, closing the door silently behind her.

She tried to piece together what she had just overheard, but her thoughts were jumbled.

Each word carried terrifying implications.

Attempted murder. Hit-and-run. And pregnancy.

Who was this girl Jung-chul referred to as a thorn in his side? Who could it be?

One name came to mind, but Ji-sun shook her head forcefully. She had wanted Hee-soo to distance herself from Jae-hyuk, but she hadn’t wished for her death.

The face of Seo Hee-soo as a nine-year-old, the day Ji-sun had brought her into their home, flashed vividly in her mind.

Ji-sun had valued Hee-soo’s talent more than anyone else’s. In the end, she had been the one to block Hee-soo’s path forward. Nearly a decade of living together had left traces of affection, which occasionally pricked Ji-sun’s conscience.

But Hee-soo should have known her place. In a way, hadn’t she brought this upon herself?

Ji-sun often rationalized her guilt this way, trying to ease her burden.

And yet…

“What if she had died? What then!”

“She didn’t die! I just gave her a little push!”

Recalling the brothers’ exchange, Ji-sun hugged herself tightly. What had happened? What kind of incident warranted talk of death? Goosebumps rose on her skin.

The more she pieced together the situation, the more her heart raced. The pounding in her chest grew louder, echoing in her ears.

“Secretary Kim! Hurry up!”

“I apologize for being late.”

The arrival of the bodyguards made the outside noisy. Voices of men dragging Jung-hoon away, Jung-chul’s yelling, and Jung-hoon’s protests briefly overlapped.

Ji-sun quickly climbed into bed and pulled the covers over herself.

When the commotion subsided, the doorknob creaked, and the door opened slightly.

“…Is she asleep?”

Jung-chul’s low voice reached her ears, but Ji-sun feigned sleep, keeping her eyes shut.

After a moment, the door closed. That night, Jung-chul did not visit Ji-sun’s room again.