Chapter 29: Trauma

“I’ll have dinner ready and wait for you. If you’re not too busy, please come home early.”

Hae-in deliberately raised her voice to sound cheerful as she called out to Soo-hyun’s retreating back.

In case he turned around, she tightened her facial muscles, forcing a bright smile. She tugged at the corners of her mouth, trying to stretch an expression that refused to form naturally.

But he disappeared from sight in mere moments, leaving her staring at empty space.

Only when she was certain he wouldn’t turn back did the tension gripping her chest finally loosen.

The forced brightness on her face crumbled instantly.

‘Just once... look back at me.’

She understood why he treated her this way, and she knew her own position all too well. Yet, her heart couldn’t help but feel desolate.

During her exhausting visits to the main house, the first face that came to mind was his—her husband’s.

If he had been there in this unfamiliar place, perhaps it wouldn’t have been so bad. In the days he was away on his business trip, his absence left a gaping void. That’s why seeing him again filled her with such warmth.

‘I hope he comes home early tonight.’

Hae-in had already made plans in anticipation of Soo-hyun’s return. She intended to prepare the dish Chairman Park mentioned—something Soo-hyun supposedly loved.

For days, she practiced tirelessly, standing by the stove for hours on end.

The household staff offered to help, but Hae-in declined every time. She wanted to make it herself, pouring her heart into it just as her mother did for their family.

‘I hope he likes it.’

She scoured the internet and consulted Choi Ae-ran, the head chef. Naturally, she hadn’t been able to visit her parents’ house. Though she called several times, she could only apologize to her mother’s repeated question of “When are you coming?” with empty promises to visit soon.

As soon as she returned home, Hae-in took the chicken she’d marinated in wine out of the refrigerator and placed it on the stove. She planned to finish cooking it just in time for Soo-hyun’s arrival.

‘He must have smiled happily while eating the meals his mother prepared for him... like in that photo.’

Standing by the stove, watching the simmering pot, a memory from the kitchen suddenly surfaced.

Back when his mother was alive, and he sat at the table with his beloved older brother, Soo-hyun must have savored those meals with joy.

Hae-in believed that the kind-hearted boy still existed somewhere inside him. She clung to the belief that a person’s innate nature didn’t change easily.

Perhaps he lashed out in anger to conceal his gentle side.

Lost in thought, she worked diligently. The sink quickly filled with utensils and dishes.

Watching her mother cook, Hae-in noticed she never used so many tools. Yet here she was, piling everything onto the counter. Even though the hired help would clean up tomorrow, she still felt awkward relying on such convenience.

Clatter.

As usual, she began washing the stack of dishes in the sink. The sound echoed loudly through the empty house. Each movement helped clear her cluttered mind.

With Soo-hyun back, her morning commutes to the main house were suspended. At least that was something to be grateful for.

Facing Chairman Park every morning drained her completely. Park Yoon-hwa knew exactly how to scrape at someone’s soul. She mocked Hae-in’s family background and freely slandered Soo-hyun and his parents.

“Soo-hyun takes after his mother—bad temper.”

“You’re obedient enough to be useful.”

Hae-in doubted Soo-hyun received any gentler treatment. Park Yoon-hwa enjoyed hurling barbs indiscriminately.

This only deepened Hae-in’s complicated feelings toward Soo-hyun. She wanted to understand him, hold him close, yet hesitated, unsure of how he might react.

After bustling around the kitchen all day, Hae-in finally sat down as evening approached. Having little experience cooking, even preparing a few side dishes took considerable effort.

‘Will he really come for dinner?’

Her heart raced as she set the table and took her seat.

Until the clock neared 8 p.m., she remained hopeful. But as 9 p.m. approached, she debated whether to clear the table.

Finally, unable to wait any longer, Hae-in stood—but then heard a sound at the entrance. Soo-hyun had arrived. She hurried to greet him.

“You’re here.”

His tired eyes met hers briefly before he muttered a curt greeting.

“What did you do all evening to summon me like this...”

His tone was gruff, but a faint smile spread across Hae-in’s face.

He usually came home late, when she was already asleep. Though it was 9 p.m., she was secretly pleased he’d followed her request to come home early.

“Thank you for coming despite your busy schedule.”

But after taking a few steps inside, he suddenly furrowed his brow.

“There’s an odd smell in the house...”

Without responding, Soo-hyun brushed past her and headed straight for the kitchen.

“Have you eaten dinner?”

Hae-in trotted after him into the kitchen. After glancing around briefly, Soo-hyun moved directly to the pot containing the meal she had prepared.

“Should I reheat it? Shall I get it ready now?”

She asked hopefully, expecting praise. Was he very hungry? He’d rushed to the kitchen upon catching the scent—it must be something he liked.

“What is this?”

But as soon as Soo-hyun opened the lid, he abruptly grabbed the pot and dumped its contents into the sink. Hae-in, stunned, rushed to grab his arm.

“Why are you doing this?”

“...Hah.”

Days of painstaking effort disappeared down the drain. Without hesitation, he slammed the now-empty pot into the sink and suddenly began dry-heaving.

“Sunbae? Sunbae?”

Soo-hyun raised and lowered his head, grimacing in pain, before glaring at her with a fierce scowl.

“Who brought this disgusting thing into my house?”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“It’s what I hate most... hah...”

With an irritated retort, he pushed past her, pale-faced, and left the kitchen.

“Sunbae! You need to explain! What’s going on?”

The futility of her efforts over the past few days overwhelmed her. On top of that, his brutal dismissal of her hard work ignited a surge of anger.

“No matter how angry you are, trampling on someone’s sincerity like this is too much...”

She tried to protest as politely as possible, but her voice trembled with emotion.

“I worked so hard because I heard it was a nostalgic dish for you.”

“Nostalgic? What?”

Soo-hyun, who had been walking away, suddenly spun around. In two swift strides, he closed the distance between them and glared at her with wide eyes.

“Who told you that? Nostalgic, you say?”

“It’s what you and your brother loved... I...”

Mockingly staring at her trembling form, Soo-hyun let out a bitter laugh.

“Ah, I see. Hah.”

Shaking his head, he clenched his fists tightly, clearly struggling to contain his emotions.

________________________________________

Coq au vin—a French home-cooked dish where chicken is marinated and simmered in wine—was similar to Korean-style braised chicken stew.

Soo-hyun’s mother, Yeon-hee, who had studied in France, excelled at this dish. It was also the favorite of Soo-hyun’s older brother, Lee-hyun.

Yeon-hee had a talent for cooking. The chefs who frequented the Taesung main house marveled at her coq au vin, which was exquisite. Her French desserts, like tarte Tatin, were so delicious that Tae-hoon suggested selling them at a department store.

Preferring to dedicate herself fully to her children, Yeon-hee declined all offers. Her devotion to her family was unmatched.

On the day of the accident, Soo-hyun didn’t know why his mother had driven out early that morning. All he knew was that she had died in a sudden car crash.

With a private chauffeur and maids who handled breakfast preparations, why had she driven out alone so early? As a preteen just entering adolescence, Soo-hyun couldn’t comprehend the reason.

After her death, Park Yoon-hwa regularly served coq au vin during family meals with Lee-hyun and Soo-hyun. He assumed it was her way of honoring their late mother.

That was until his brother’s suicide.

‘Your mother went out early to prepare your favorite dish and ended up dead because of it. Isn’t that right?’

In his suicide note, Lee-hyun wrote that every time his grandmother said such things, he felt like dying. The words instilled immense guilt.

The introverted Lee-hyun suffered from survivor’s guilt, believing he was responsible for their mother’s death. When Park Yoon-hwa summoned him, her words were merciless.

“If you don’t want to forget your mother’s sacrifice, stop complaining and eat. Trauma isn’t a big deal. If you’re to inherit Taesung, you need to build resilience.”

When Soo-hyun confronted Park Yoon-hwa, her response was no different.

“If you avoid things you dislike, you’re only creating another weakness. To overcome trauma, you must face what you hate. Be grateful I’m helping you. Prove you’re stronger than your brother. Eat up.”

What thoughts tormented Lee-hyun each weekend when he visited the main house and saw the dish that symbolized his guilt?

For years afterward, Soo-hyun couldn’t even bring himself to eat chicken due to the trauma.

Though he could now tolerate it, the scent of coq au vin still repulsed him. It wasn’t overcoming—it was enduring.

When Hae-in nervously recounted the story about him and his brother, Soo-hyun immediately realized the source of her information. Only one person could have planted the idea in her mind: Chairman Park.

Somewhere, he imagined Park Yoon-hwa laughing. His gaze hardened as he looked at Hae-in.

“If you had any sense...”

His low voice seethed with barely contained fury.

“You should’ve figured out what kind of person Chairman Park is by now!”

The roar reverberated through the room, shaking the air around them.

Before his thunderous wrath, Hae-in’s face turned deathly pale.