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“Soo-hyun!”
Jae-Eun, seeing her son Dae-Ho struck down by Soo-hyun, scolded him and stepped forward. Soo-hyun glanced at his aunt once before replying indifferently.
“Uncle-in-law used to grope my mother too. Looks like blood can’t hide.”
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
“Oh, maybe it’s the bad family upbringing. After all, your household has no sense of decency.”
“Jung Soo-hyun!”
Jae-Eun’s face turned beet red as if it might explode at any moment.
Even after Soo-hyun openly insulted her husband, Jae-Eun couldn’t muster a single retort. She had berated Hae-in so harshly earlier, but in front of her unruly nephew, she could only blush.
“Hyung, what was that for, out of nowhere?”
Dae-Ho, who had finally managed to get back on his feet, protested while clutching his bruised cheek.
“For someone who can’t even recognize his own cousin’s wife, a beating is the quickest answer.”
“Cousin’s wife?”
“Do you need another punch to remember better?”
As Soo-hyun glared and twisted his wrist, Jae-Eun’s eyes narrowed sharply.
“They say old habits die hard. Looks like your habit of throwing punches hasn’t changed.”
“Yeah, yeah. Auntie. I lost my mother at a young age and didn’t get proper home training. It’s because I’m an uneducated brat.”
“…Do you still think that incident was my fault?”
“That incident? Hmm. The one with the guilty conscience probably knows best, right, Auntie? Keep a better eye on your son’s lower half.”
Soo-hyun sneered as he alternated his gaze between Dae-Ho and Jae-Eun, then shifted his attention to the spilled soup bowl on the floor.
“What’s this?”
“Oh, I bumped into him while carrying the soup bowl. It was my mistake first.”
The atmosphere grew tense, as if a major family fight was about to break out. To defuse the situation, Hae-in took responsibility. However, hearing Hae-in’s words, Soo-hyun’s expression grew even colder.
“Who told you to carry soup bowls around?”
“There weren’t enough hands, so I stepped in.”
“Hmph.”
Soo-hyun shook his head dismissively, then glared at Jae-Eun.
“Auntie, know your limits. I’m not my father, and my wife isn’t my mother. If you try to pull the same stunts you did when you tormented my mother, don’t expect me to stay quiet.”
“Soo-hyun, how can you attack me without knowing the full story?”
Jae-Eun looked genuinely aggrieved.
“What’s this, Hyung? Everyone knows your marriage was forced. Why are you suddenly pretending to care?”
Dae-Ho jumped in to defend his mother. In response, Soo-hyun twisted his lips mockingly.
“Whether I like it or not, she’s my cousin’s wife and your nephew’s daughter-in-law. If anyone gets to torment her or cast her out, it’s me.”
Shifting his gaze from Jae-Eun to Dae-Ho, Soo-hyun continued.
“Auntie, do you remember how we saved your company from capital erosion? Is this how you repay us?”
“Ah, Hyung. Why do you have to say such scary things?”
“Jung Dae-Ho. If you want to quit being a figurehead CEO, go ahead and try something again. Next time, I’ll hit you with everything I’ve got.”
Faced with Soo-hyun’s icy glare, Dae-Ho finally realized his cousin was truly angry. He quickly tried to placate him with a nervous smile.
“Who would dare oppose you? You’re the trendsetter these days. Let’s not make a big deal out of a little mistake.”
It seemed Soo-hyun’s specific threats worked, as Jae-Eun also lowered her tone to soothe her nephew.
“Separate work and personal matters. Right, Soo-hyun? Dae-Ho, properly apologize to your sister-in-law.”
“Sister-in-law, I didn’t recognize you. Since I hadn’t seen you properly, please forgive me.”
Of course, Dae-Ho’s biggest mistake was committing adultery right in front of Hae-in, though oblivious to this, he brazenly sought her forgiveness.
“…Yes.”
Uncertain whether to forgive or not, Hae-in simply bowed her head and stayed close to Soo-hyun. Her heart was still racing, and her fingertips trembled uncontrollably.
“If you don’t want to come in, you don’t have to.”
After Jae-Eun and Dae-Ho disappeared into the dining room, Soo-hyun steadied Hae-in’s trembling shoulders as she tried to follow them. His blunt tone carried a hint of consideration.
“Grandmother is waiting.”
“I’m here now. You can leave if you want.”
Was he really saying this for her sake? Sunbae?
Truthfully, Hae-in didn’t want to return to the awkward, unfamiliar family setting where she wouldn’t be able to eat properly anyway.
Moreover, the memory of Dae-Ho’s breath lingering unpleasantly on her ear made her scalp tingle at the thought of sitting across from him.
“…Then I’ll wait in the living room…”
“Oppa!”
At that moment, a voice called out sharply behind Hae-in. A woman rushed toward Soo-hyun, brushing past Hae-in and leaping into his arms.
“Oppa, I’m here. Did you miss me?”
With a deep frown, Soo-hyun gently pushed away the woman clinging to him. Rubbing her forehead playfully, the woman was none other than Im Se-Young, whom Hae-in hadn’t seen in a while.
“When did you arrive?”
“Last night!”
Soo-hyun glanced at Se-Young, then subtly checked Hae-in, who was watching him.
Her gaze wavered slightly, as if trying to figure out who this woman clinging to her husband in front of her was.
“Introduce yourself. This is my wife. And this is Im Se-Young, granddaughter of Teacher Im.”
“Oh my, you’re Soo-hyun Oppa’s wife?”
Remembering their encounter in the courtyard earlier, Se-Young beamed and extended her hand.
This was the same woman who had just been clinging to another man’s bare skin moments ago and entwined herself with a married man, Jung Dae-Ho.
Hae-in hesitated to take Se-Young’s outstretched hand.
“Hey, don’t embarrass me too much. I grew up with Soo-hyun Oppa since we were kids, so we’re close. Please understand, Unni.”
Though Se-Young casually called Hae-in “Unni,” she linked arms with Soo-hyun. Hae-in’s gaze fell on the two intertwined arms.
Her husband, who had never once held her arm affectionately since their marriage, now let Se-Young cling to him as if it were nothing, standing there calmly observing Hae-in.
“Anything to say?”
His usual indifferent tone tightened the knot in Hae-in’s chest.
Was he being careless, or was this deliberate?
Seeing Soo-hyun look at her so nonchalantly while another woman clung to his arm, Hae-in felt another wave of despair wash over her. Did Jung Soo-hyun truly care nothing for her?
She had intended to thank him for rescuing her from Dae-Ho, but the words of gratitude stuck in her throat.
“No. I’ll be going then.”
Too many complex emotions welled up inside her to express in words.
The loneliness of waiting for him all day, compounded by the constant disappointment caused by Soo-hyun.
And ultimately, the self-loathing for being unable to escape this situation despite everything.
“…I’ll take a short walk.”
Her voice quivered with tears. Fearing her eyes would spill over at any moment, Hae-in hastily turned and hurried toward the entrance.
She didn’t lift her head until the cold winter wind seeped deep into her lungs.
Crunch.
The courtyard, freshly blanketed with snow, crunched underfoot. The biting winter breeze dried the tears from her eyes. Hae-in sighed deeply, aimlessly wandering the yard until she stopped abruptly.
________________________________________
“Let go.”
As Hae-in turned and disappeared toward the entrance, Soo-hyun immediately pushed Se-Young off his arm.
“Oppa, don’t be so cold. I missed you so much.”
“Im Se-Young.”
Soo-hyun’s voice dropped lower, but his gaze grew even more menacing. Even Se-Young, who had been playfully clinging to him, quickly detached herself upon seeing his expression.
“Don’t ever do this again when my wife is present.”
“Why are you embarrassing me like this?”
“Don’t make me repeat myself.”
His icy glare pierced Se-Young. Still, she smiled sweetly and cooed.
“Lunch must be over. Let’s go inside too.”
“Mm.”
The staff poured out with carts full of empty plates. Soo-hyun briefly watched the distant figures of his family before turning away.
“You go in first. I’ll be there in a bit.”
“Where are you going?”
Se-Young pressed eagerly, but Soo-hyun ignored her and headed toward the entrance.
Opening the door and stepping into the central courtyard, he spotted Hae-in standing listlessly in the distance. She stood in the same clothes she had worn when leaving the house, without even a coat.
Crunch, crunch.
Wanting Hae-in to notice him, Soo-hyun deliberately made noise approaching her. As the distance closed, he stopped. Hae-in’s shoulders trembled faintly.
“…Hic.”
A sob escaped her.
Unable to move closer, Soo-hyun stood rooted in place, hands shoved into his pockets, watching her cry.
He wanted to wrap his arms around her delicate shoulders and drape his coat over her.
But doing so would undo all the effort he’d put into hurting her.
‘…That’s why I told you to stop, Yoon Hae-in. Just say you can’t do it.’
The sight of her being violated by someone like Dae-Ho was unbearable. Moreover, Jae-Eun—his aunt—had tormented his mother to the point of making life unbearable during her lifetime.
Perhaps Jae-Eun’s scheming had played a role in turning Chairwoman Park against his mother. Soo-hyun suspected as much.
And now, this woman dared to lay a hand on Hae-in? For Soo-hyun, it was unforgivable.
Seeing Hae-in’s tear-filled eyes gazing at him made him regret his actions.
Besides, Jae-Eun would surely run to Chairwoman Park to report his protective behavior toward Hae-in.
Se-Young had conveniently appeared and clung to him, so he had let it slide momentarily.
“See, this is the kind of bastard I am,” Soo-hyun thought as he allowed Se-Young to cling to him, fully aware of Hae-in’s gaze fixed on them.
“Yoon Hae-in.”
After standing silently behind her for a while, Soo-hyun called her name. Leaving her like this would surely give her a cold. The winter wind was biting.
“…Yes.”
Hae-in answered without turning to face him, likely trying to hide her tears.
“…Sorry. Give me five minutes, and I’ll compose myself…”
Her lowered head slowly tilted upward. As if trying to regain composure, white puffs of breath escaped above her head, dissipating into the air.
“That’s enough. I said stop.”
Soo-hyun spoke harshly to Hae-in’s back. The more he tried to protect her, the more he needed to push her away, ensuring she wouldn’t be able to endure this house any longer.
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