RB - 66

Chapter 66: The Joke Called “Ordinary Life”

Goh Myung-soo, the head of JB Company’s HR department, had a wife named Kim Hyun-ae. She sat in front of her computer with an uneasy heart.

After seeing Seo-yeon’s story on TV, Hyun-ae was filled with indignation. There was no denying that she bore some responsibility for Seo-yeon being labeled as the “protagonist of the office affair scandal.”

After all, she had gone to JB Company and slapped Seo-yeon in front of everyone.

“If I stay silent now, I’m not human. Even magpies repay kindness.”

The internet offered countless spaces to write. Hyun-ae chose a popular portal board with high traffic and began typing furiously.

Her post, titled “Exposing the Injustice of ‘H’ from Breaking File: Day and Night—I am Kim Hyun-ae, the party involved in the affair scandal,” was unflinching.

Hyun-ae decided to reveal her full name and identity to lend credibility to her words. This was her way of repaying the kindness Seo-yeon had shown her, and it was also her path to becoming a mother she could be proud of.

She calmly recounted how Myung-soo, as the head of HR, had treated Seo-yeon cruelly, how Manager Kim from the finance team had been the real adulterer, and how Seo-yeon had been falsely accused throughout the ordeal. Hyun-ae didn’t shy away from admitting that she herself had misunderstood Seo-yeon and slapped her—but added that Seo-yeon had even saved her after enduring domestic violence.

With a decisive tap of the Enter key, the post went live.

Hyun-ae exhaled and took a sip of water. Within ten minutes, the post had surpassed a thousand views and quickly climbed to the top of the trending board. Clasping her hands tightly, Hyun-ae prayed.

Please, let Han Seo-yeon—a just and righteous woman—not succumb to hardship and adversity.

---

The Next Morning

Jin-hyuk prepared to leave early again the next day.

This time, Attorney Jung drove his luxury car to Jin-hyuk’s villa. To a worried-looking Seo-yeon, Attorney Jung flashed his signature sly grin and said,

“Shin Jin-hyuk, this fool—I’ll take good care of him, so don’t worry, Miss Han Seo-yeon.”

Seo-yeon had no way of knowing that this joke nearly cost Attorney Jung his legal advisory contract with Taesung Group.

Jin-hyuk was taller and broader than Attorney Jung. With an exasperated sigh, he glared at the lawyer, who always treated him like a child. But what truly irritated Jin-hyuk was being called a “fool” in front of Seo-yeon. In a cold tone, he urged Attorney Jung.

“Are we going or not? Didn’t you say we have a lot to do today?”

Before leaving, Jin-hyuk turned to Seo-yeon and gently reminded her,

“Manager Han, make sure to eat your meals and avoid the internet. Remember what I told you before? Those who truly know you would never condemn you.”

Seo-yeon nodded in response.

After Attorney Jung’s car left the villa, Seo-yeon strolled through the garden with a mug of lukewarm coffee in hand. There wasn’t much for her to do in this vast villa. Though she was curious about Joon-hyuk’s condition, she had to heed the counselor’s advice to avoid meeting him for now to ensure his stability. Her phone remained off due to the relentless flood of malicious comments online.

She took a sip of the bitter coffee. Though she didn’t know much about coffee beans, the bitterness was so intense it almost burned her throat.

“...Huh? Shin Jung-hyuk?”

Seo-yeon thought she saw Jung-hyuk behind a large tree in the garden. Turning around, however, she found no one. Scratching her head, thinking she must have been mistaken, she suddenly felt a strong grip spin her around. Damn, it was her ex-boyfriend, Shin Jung-hyuk.

Tears welled up in Seo-yeon’s eyes, but she didn’t want to show her joy openly. Pretending to be calm, she took another sip of coffee. Somehow, this sip tasted better than the last, which annoyed her. Damn ex-boyfriend, who did he think he was?

“Shin Jung-hyuk, I heard you’re getting married? There were tons of articles online.”

“So, you’re disappointed?”

“No, I was wondering how much to give as a wedding gift.”

Seo-yeon lied as she carefully studied Jung-hyuk’s face.

In just three days, his appearance had deteriorated significantly. He seemed thinner, and there were wounds on his face. Had he gotten into a physical altercation with nurses while escaping?

Without realizing it, Seo-yeon reached out to touch his pale face. She had devised the plan for him to take Joon-hyuk’s place in confinement. The sensation under her fingertips stirred guilt deep within her chest.

“It doesn’t hurt. I walked out comfortably. Escaping wasn’t a big deal.”

Jung-hyuk’s attempt to appear fine tore at Seo-yeon’s heart. What kind of horrific treatment had Joon-hyuk endured in the VIP ward to reduce someone to such a state in mere days?

Jung-hyuk pulled Seo-yeon into a tight embrace, pressing her forehead against his chin.

“Han Seo-yeon, you feel guilty, don’t you? You should. But why did you push me into such a dangerous situation, even though I’m your ex-boyfriend?”

Seo-yeon pushed against his chest. Unbeknownst to her, tears had already soaked her face as she looked up at him. Jung-hyuk wiped her wet cheeks with his thumb and then kissed her.

As Jung-hyuk stole her breath, Seo-yeon tasted the lingering bitterness of coffee on her tongue.

The mug slipped from her hand, clattering to the ground. The spilled coffee spread across the grass, soaking into the meticulously tended lawn.

Could she dream of a future with Jung-hyuk? Was it even possible? Their backgrounds were too different, and between them stood Park Yeo-wan. Tears of sorrow streamed down Seo-yeon’s face.

Her reason and instincts clashed like ferocious beasts vying for dominance. In the end, instinct won. Knowing it was selfish, Seo-yeon wanted to throw herself into Jung-hyuk’s arms once more.

A faint crack formed in her heart at the thought that if they could punish the demons who had turned their past into tragedy, perhaps they could one day share an ordinary life together.

Instead of resisting, Seo-yeon tightened her hold around Jung-hyuk’s waist, igniting a fire in his desire. His tongue turned aggressive, and his eyes gleamed with raw passion.

“Ow! That hurts!”

Jung-hyuk suddenly pulled away. Seo-yeon had bitten down hard on his tongue. Savoring the metallic taste of blood on her tongue, she stared at him blankly.

She hadn’t expected to fall in love with this damn ex-boyfriend again. But there was no denying it now—she loved him. And she knew this love would inevitably end in separation and scars. After all, he was the eldest son of Taesung Group, bound by the principle of primogeniture.

“Why are you suddenly angry again? Your emotions are all over the place.”

Jung-hyuk wiped the blood from his lips with his thumb and asked. When Seo-yeon didn’t respond, he pressed further.

“Are you mad because I’m getting married?”

“I’m not mad. That’s your destiny, isn’t it? The fate of the eldest son of Taesung Group is to marry for business.”

Jung-hyuk’s lips twisted into a wicked smile. Then, with a relaxed demeanor, he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Did you forget? I’m not the eldest anymore. There’s Joon-hyuk now.”

He tilted his head toward the third floor of the villa.

“I’m going to meet the great eldest son of Taesung Group. After all the trouble I went through to get him out, I deserve a thank-you.”

Leaving Seo-yeon behind, Jung-hyuk climbed to the third floor. Pausing at the door, he took a deep breath—one, two, three—and opened it.

“Hey, bro. I went through hell for you. Say thanks.”

Upon seeing Jung-hyuk, Joon-hyuk’s eyes were bloodshot. Closing the comic book he’d been reading, he approached Jung-hyuk. In just a few days, Jung-hyuk had visibly lost weight, while Joon-hyuk had gained some. His vitality had returned, and his eyes sparkled with life.

“Thank you, my little brother. Thank you for saving me. I waited quietly, obediently, without running away.”

Jung-hyuk clenched his teeth to keep himself composed, while tears streamed down Joon-hyuk’s face. Like a child, he sobbed loudly and clung to Jung-hyuk’s waist. It seemed he knew exactly what Jung-hyuk had endured in the VIP ward.

Halfway up the stairs, Seo-yeon froze. The sound of crying from the end of the hallway crashed over her like waves. Unable to bear witnessing such overwhelming sorrow, she slid down onto the steps, burying her face in her knees. Pulling out her phone, she sent Jin-hyuk a text:

―Jin-hyuk, don’t come home too late today. A guest we’ve been waiting for has arrived.

Before evening fell, Jin-hyuk’s black Benz glided back to the villa. Beside him sat Attorney Jung, looking triumphant. Seo-yeon felt a surge of gratitude knowing that the notorious troublemaker, Attorney Jung, was now “on their side.”

Attorney Jung alternated his gaze between Joon-hyuk and Jung-hyuk, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Wow, are you two really twins? The power of genetics is truly amazing.”

Though Seo-yeon thought this remark was somewhat impolite, she shrugged it off, recalling Attorney Jung’s characteristic sly personality.