TNWP - 1

“Here...”

Thud.

Jong-hee snatched the pregnancy test from Yewon’s hand.

Yewon bit her lip as she stared at the scratch left on the back of her hand by Jong-hee’s long acrylic nails.

This was always how it went, and even after two years, she still hadn’t gotten used to it.

Meanwhile, the indicator window on the urine-soaked test began to slowly change.

Soon, a clear single line appeared. Jong-hee immediately hurled the test to the floor in frustration.

“You. That day when you went to the infertility center and got your ‘homework,’ did you have sex that night?”

“...Yes. Just like you told me, I did it three times.”

It was a lie.

For nearly two years, they’d only shared a bed for sleep.

“I can’t believe this. Why isn’t it working? You’ve been to five different hospitals already, and they all said your body is fine!”

Jong-hee spread her fingers wide for emphasis.

“This isn’t working. We need to switch hospitals. I don’t trust any of them anymore.”

She spat out her words with irritation, gripping the handle of her limited-edition handbag tightly.

“Well then, take care.”

“The herbal medicine to help with conception will arrive today.”

“Yes, I’ll make sure to take it properly.”

“Don’t just give me good answers! I’m telling you to get pregnant! Ugh, so frustrating.”

With an exasperated groan, Jong-hee pounded her chest with clenched fists.

“I should’ve stopped that marriage in the first place. Why did I think marrying someone like you was a good idea?”

Jong-hee clicked her tongue while looking Yewon up and down.

Of course, she would never dare say such things in front of her own son, Seung-hyun.

She always barged in uninvited when Yewon was alone, stirring up trouble.

“Please leave.”

Enough was enough.

Yewon turned her back without another word.

“You’re finally showing your true colors, aren’t you? At first, you acted so sweet, but now you’re revealing your true self. It’s because you didn’t learn anything. What could you have possibly learned growing up in a family like yours?”

Jong-hee’s sharp voice followed Yewon, but she didn’t stop walking and headed straight for the bedroom.

Click.

“Haaah.”

The moment she closed the door, a deep sigh escaped her lips.

How much longer was she supposed to endure this kind of treatment?

She had been about to eat a late breakfast when Jong-hee stormed in, ruining her appetite. But even though she hadn’t eaten, she felt nauseous.

Perhaps it was time to put an end to this life.

─ “Let’s get married. For two years. After that, we’ll follow the contract.”

From being his senior in the club to serving as his secretary, and then becoming his wife.

A relationship that seemed fragile yet somehow endured until now.

But now, it was time to sever this precarious connection.

“Divorce.”

Yewon’s red lips parted, whispering the word softly.

When Seung-hyun had asked her to marry him, saying he needed a wife, her father had already accumulated an overwhelming amount of gambling debt.

They say once you fall into gambling, there’s no escape—and he was the perfect example.

And as if that wasn’t bad enough, unable to bear the burden of repayment, he ran away without a second glance.

When her stepmother and half-brother disappeared as well, loan sharks naturally began pressuring Yewon.

They threatened to sell her off somewhere if she didn’t pay up. The thought terrified her, but what could she do?

No matter how hard they squeezed, there was no money to be found.

Just when everything seemed hopeless, Seung-hyun reached out to her.

He proposed a marriage of convenience.

─ “I don’t have anything to offer you.”

─ “I don’t expect anything. Just quietly fill the role of my wife.”

That conversation marked the beginning of Yewon and Seung-hyun joining hands.

A debt that seemed insurmountable, even if she were to die and be reborn, was suddenly wiped clean, and 1 billion won was deposited into Yewon’s account.

─ “In exchange for this money, you must maintain this marriage for at least two years, no matter what happens. If you choose to stay by my side afterward, I’ll pay an additional 300 million won per year.”

It was an offer far beyond what she deserved.

Simply breathing next to Seung-hyun earned her millions.

So, despite the endless torment from his family, she endured, again and again.

But now, continuing felt impossible.

“I really need to say it this time.”

Yewon steeled her resolve as she fiddled with the ring on her left fourth finger.

She no longer wanted to stand in front of Jong-hee, taking pregnancy tests like a child being inspected for homework. Ending everything was the right thing to do.

“But... if divorce isn’t an option...”

When they had first agreed to the contract marriage, the idea of having a baby hadn’t even crossed her mind.

However, over the past year, as she accompanied Jong-hee to obstetrics and gynecology clinics, she frequently encountered happy couples and adorable babies. Gradually, her longing for a warm family deepened.

At first, Yewon found this change in herself unsettling.

She couldn’t even bring up the topic of pregnancy to Seung-hyun, who only wanted her to quietly fulfill the role of a wife. Even with 1 billion won sitting in her account, raising a child alone after divorce wasn’t financially feasible.

Moreover, uncertainty loomed over her future. Love alone didn’t seem sufficient.

“Will I be able to convey this to Seung-hyun properly?”

The thought that he might react with anger or ridicule brought a bitter laugh to her lips.

She didn’t know why these wild thoughts wouldn’t leave her mind, but Yewon didn’t want to change her feelings.

One week later, on the evening of their second wedding anniversary.

Seung-hyun and Yewon visited a restaurant at a hotel in Gangnam.

Through the glass wall on one side, a picturesque night view unfolded like a painting.

Yewon took in the scene before sitting down.

“We’ll prepare your meal right away.”

“The menu we reserved should be served all at once, and please ensure no one interrupts us.”

“Yes, understood.”

After the staff left, only Seung-hyun and Yewon remained in the private room.

Breaking the brief silence, Seung-hyun spoke.

“Have you thought about it?”

Though the subject wasn’t explicitly mentioned, Yewon immediately understood what he meant.

Nodding, she picked up a glass from the table and moistened her dry lips with a sip.

“I’d like to extend our contract. It’s been a truly satisfying marriage.”

In the meantime, Seung-hyun had already revealed his stance.

Since they had lived without any physical contact or constraints, allowing each other complete freedom, Yewon could somewhat agree that their arrangement had been satisfactory.

But something unimaginable was happening to Yewon—something Seung-hyun could never have anticipated.

That was why she couldn’t accept his proposal.

That conversation marked the beginning of Yewon and Seung-hyun joining hands.

A debt that seemed insurmountable, even if she were to die and be reborn, was suddenly wiped clean, and 1 billion won was deposited into Yewon’s account.

─ “In exchange for this money, you must maintain this marriage for at least two years, no matter what happens. If you choose to stay by my side afterward, I’ll pay an additional 300 million won per year.”

It was an offer far beyond what she deserved.

Simply breathing next to Seung-hyun earned her millions.

So, despite the endless torment from his family, she endured, again and again.

But now, continuing felt impossible.

“I really need to say it this time.”

Yewon steeled her resolve as she fiddled with the ring on her left fourth finger.

She no longer wanted to stand in front of Jong-hee, taking pregnancy tests like a child being inspected for homework. Ending everything was the right thing to do.

“But... if divorce isn’t an option...”

When they had first agreed to the contract marriage, the idea of having a baby hadn’t even crossed her mind.

However, over the past year, as she accompanied Jong-hee to obstetrics and gynecology clinics, she frequently encountered happy couples and adorable babies. Gradually, her longing for a warm family deepened.

At first, Yewon found this change in herself unsettling.

She couldn’t even bring up the topic of pregnancy to Seung-hyun, who only wanted her to quietly fulfill the role of a wife. Even with 1 billion won sitting in her account, raising a child alone after divorce wasn’t financially feasible.

Moreover, uncertainty loomed over her future. Love alone didn’t seem sufficient.

“Will I be able to convey this to Seung-hyun properly?”

The thought that he might react with anger or ridicule brought a bitter laugh to her lips.

She didn’t know why these wild thoughts wouldn’t leave her mind, but Yewon didn’t want to change her feelings.

One week later, on the evening of their second wedding anniversary.

Seung-hyun and Yewon visited a restaurant at a hotel in Gangnam.

Through the glass wall on one side, a picturesque night view unfolded like a painting.

Yewon took in the scene before sitting down.

“We’ll prepare your meal right away.”

“The menu we reserved should be served all at once, and please ensure no one interrupts us.”

“Yes, understood.”

After the staff left, only Seung-hyun and Yewon remained in the private room.

Breaking the brief silence, Seung-hyun spoke.

“Have you thought about it?”

Though the subject wasn’t explicitly mentioned, Yewon immediately understood what he meant.

Nodding, she picked up a glass from the table and moistened her dry lips with a sip.

“I’d like to extend our contract. It’s been a truly satisfying marriage.”

In the meantime, Seung-hyun had already revealed his stance.

Since they had lived without any physical contact or constraints, allowing each other complete freedom, Yewon could somewhat agree that their arrangement had been satisfactory.

But something unimaginable was happening to Yewon—something Seung-hyun could never have anticipated.

That was why she couldn’t accept his proposal.

Yewon tightened her grip on the hem of her skirt and forced a smile as she spoke.

“I’m sorry, but I’d like to end things here.”

The answer seemed to catch Seung-hyun off guard, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. A faint crease formed between his usually smooth brows.

“Why?”

“...Because I want to live like a human being.”

After much deliberation, Yewon decided to tell Seung-hyun the truth.

Of course, she could have easily fabricated some excuse, like claiming there was another man in her life. Their contract did include a clause allowing for divorce by mutual agreement if either party developed feelings for someone else.

But after everything she had endured, Yewon felt it would be unfair to bury the truth deep inside her heart without saying anything. She resolved to come clean.

Just as Seung-hyun opened his mouth to say something, a knock echoed through the room.

The door opened, and a staff member entered with their food.

Throughout the meal setup, Seung-hyun’s sharp gaze remained fixed on Yewon. The intensity of his stare felt suffocating, and Yewon clutched the edge of her skirt even tighter.

The tension in the air grew so thick it felt like all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room.

“Please enjoy your meal.”

The staff placed the dishes on the table and left. As soon as the door clicked shut, Seung-hyun turned to Yewon with a question.

“What’s bothering you?”

He loosened the knot of his neatly tied tie and raised an eyebrow again.

“Did you know that Mother comes to the house several times a week without notice?”

“Mother does?”

Though Yewon briefly wondered if he might be pretending not to know, she quickly dismissed the thought. Seung-hyun wasn’t that kind of person. He genuinely seemed unaware.

“Yes, your mother.”

Despite steeling herself and practicing what to say beforehand, Yewon’s body trembled slightly. Taking a deep breath, she continued.

“She shows up unannounced. Do you know what she does?”

“…”

“She demands to see a pregnancy test and waits for the results before leaving.”

“A pregnancy test? What do you mean?”

“She’s been waiting for us to get pregnant for quite some time now.”

“…!”

Seung-hyun’s face was visibly shocked.

His reaction was understandable. In front of him, Jong-hee had always played the role of the caring and supportive mother-in-law.

Learning about this other side of his mother must have hit him hard, like a blow to the back of his head. But Yewon didn’t have the energy to consider his feelings at the moment.

“I’ve been going to infertility centers with her for almost a year now.”

“Sigh. Why didn’t you say anything until now?”

Seung-hyun let out a bitter laugh, muttering under his breath.

“I tried to endure it. I didn’t want to quit this great job where I earn money just by staying by your side without doing anything.”

It was a raw, unfiltered response.

Two years ago, when Seung-hyun had first proposed the contract marriage to Yewon, he had likened it to starting a new job, suggesting it would be easier to think of it that way.

Yewon had quoted his words back at him, hoping he would feel as hurt as she once did.

“I see. I apologize for not noticing that aspect.”

“No, it’s my fault for not bringing it up earlier,” Yewon shrugged nonchalantly and picked up her fork, stabbing a piece of fresh salad on her plate.

She avoided his gaze deliberately, feeling awkward under his intense stare.

She popped the salad dressed with yuzu dressing into her mouth and chewed slowly. The dish should have been refreshing, but with all her nerves focused on Seung-hyun, she couldn’t taste a thing.

“If that issue is resolved, would you be willing to continue the marriage?”

“Yes, I would.”

“What do you want me to do? Should I assign security staff to the house? Or should I visit my mother’s place…?”

“Do you remember the special clause in our contract?”

For the first time in their married life, Yewon interrupted Seung-hyun mid-sentence to make her point.

Seung-hyun looked at her quizzically before responding.

“You mean the clause that says if only one of us wants to extend the marriage, the other must comply with one request from the other party?”

“Yes, exactly.”

<If, after two years, only one party wishes to extend the marriage contract, unilateral extensions are allowed up to three times. However, the other party must grant one specific request from the person seeking the extension.>

She was relieved that he remembered, sparing her the need to explain in detail.

Seung-hyun regained his composure, crossing his legs and smirking slightly.

He likely assumed Yewon would ask for money. After all, Seung-hyun had always solved problems with money, so it was natural for him to expect the same here.

“What do you want?”

Despite rehearsing countless times and steeling herself, Yewon struggled to get the words out. Just maintaining eye contact made her body tense, but she tried hard not to let him see it.

After wrestling with her emotions, she finally spoke.

“...A child.”

“What?”

Seung-hyun frowned deeply, taken aback by her hesitant words.

Yewon exhaled slowly, steadying herself.

“Let’s have a baby.”

Unlike Seung-hyun’s shocked expression, Yewon continued calmly without a hint of hesitation.

“As you know, I don’t have any family left, and I have no intention of remarrying.”

“So?”

“I want to create the family I’ve always dreamed of... and the only way to do that is through pregnancy.”

“Hah!”

Seung-hyun let out a derisive laugh, clearly incredulous.

He grabbed the glass of wine roughly and gulped it down as if it were water, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous intensity as he stared at Yewon.

“If you need more money, just say so. Don’t bring an innocent child into this mess.”

“If I only wanted money, I would have said so. But as I mentioned earlier, I want to continue this marriage... in a way that feels human.”

Yewon emphasized the word “human,” trying to keep her voice steady despite her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

Though she had worried about how her words would come across, she felt relieved that they seemed to have been conveyed more clearly than she anticipated.

She didn’t stop there, continuing to press her case.

“The only way to endure living with a mother-in-law who torments me over pregnancy is to actually get pregnant. So please help me. If you can’t do that, then grant me a divorce.”

“What kind of insane request is this? Have you lost your mind?”

Seung-hyun growled, slamming his fist on the table with a loud thud.

It was the first time he had spoken to her so harshly.

But Yewon wasn’t offended. She had expected this reaction and found it completely understandable.

“All I want is that.”

After spilling out everything she had prepared to say, Yewon poured herself a glass of mineral water, her mouth as dry as if it hadn’t seen moisture in years.

Only then did she feel like the suffocating pressure on her chest eased, just a little.

“You’re not clueless about how to get pregnant, right? Do you think you can handle this?”

“If you grant my request, I’ll have no choice but to make it work, even if it seems impossible.”

Seung-hyun narrowed his eyes and began to slowly rotate the glass in his hand.

“I never took you for someone so bold. You’ve got quite the nerve.”

He muttered it almost to himself, as though he were thinking aloud. Meanwhile, Yewon simply waited for his definitive answer.

After a brief moment of deep thought, Seung-hyun lifted his head and looked directly at her.

“Since we’re on the topic, why don’t we give it a shot right now? Conveniently, we’re already at a hotel.”

Squeak.

Seung-hyun rose from his seat, staring at Yewon with an intense gaze, as if he were about to devour her whole.

“No, no, I’m not ready for that today,” Yewon stammered, pushing him away in panic.

Her unexpected rejection left Seung-hyun looking at her with disbelief.

Yewon was the one who was flustered—she hadn’t anticipated him agreeing so readily.

“What’s wrong? Suddenly scared?”

Seung-hyun smirked, leaning on the table with his hand.

Clearly, he assumed Yewon had chickened out.

“This isn’t just about having sex impulsively.”

“Then what do you mean?”

“My period just ended last week. Ovulation should be next week, so let’s try then.”

“Hah!”

Seung-hyun let out a disbelieving laugh, rubbing his forehead with his hand.

After a long pause, during which a whirlwind of emotions passed through his eyes as he gazed out the window, he sat back down.

“Kim Yewon.”

“Yes?”

“Did you ever fall asleep during class back in school?”

“Why are you suddenly asking that?”

“You seem to have missed some important lessons in sex education.”

“What?”

“Theoretically, ovulation is the best time to conceive, but it’s not the only time pregnancy can happen. There’s still a chance on other days too.”

“…”

“So let’s do it now.”

Seung-hyun’s sudden forwardness made Yewon freeze in place.

His gaze was filled with emotions she couldn’t quite decipher.

Even though the special clause in their contract obligated him to grant her one request, Yewon had been deeply anxious about asking him to help her conceive.

She knew full well how absurd her request sounded, which was why she had spent so much time agonizing over it before finally making up her mind.

This man—Cha Seung-hyun—was her only hope of fulfilling her dream: becoming the mother of a precious child and building a warm, loving family together.

But even as she brought up the topic on this long-awaited day, she had fully expected him to reject her outright. She thought it would take endless persuasion and negotiation to even consider such a thing.

‘Why is this conversation going this way?’

The unpredictable direction of their dialogue left Yewon struggling to keep up.

For two years, they had shared a bed without ever being intimate, which only added to her unease. If there had been even the slightest hint of physical intimacy between them, perhaps she wouldn’t feel so frozen in this situation.

Cha Seung-hyun. Despite knowing him for nearly a decade, she still couldn’t figure him out.

“Unfortunately… I don’t think today is a good day.”

Her soft refusal was met with Seung-hyun’s mocking chuckle, as if he had expected nothing less.

“Making such a bold request without fear, huh? If you’re not confident, maybe you should just quit.”

“I already told you—it’s not about having sex impulsively. I want to try on a day with higher chances. I’ll book a hotel and let you know.”

“You’re really going to push this until the end…”

Seung-hyun clenched his jaw tightly, his expression hardening.

Of course, Seung-hyun probably expected Yewon to back down, but today she couldn’t.

Having already voiced the heavy word “pregnancy,” she felt a responsibility to see it through.

“From your perspective, this might sound like the ramblings of a crazy person, but I’m serious. I truly mean it.”

“…”

“I want a child. Please, help me.”

The gravity in her voice deepened, and Seung-hyun’s eyes darkened with thought.

A long, heavy silence filled the space between them.

“It would be better to revisit this matter another time.”

Yewon hadn’t expected a definitive answer on the spot regarding such a significant request, so she found his response somewhat relieving. At least he hadn’t outright rejected her.

“Yes, I’ll wait.”

She decided to give him more time.

A week passed, and still, Seung-hyun gave no response to Yewon.

‘As expected, it’s not going to work out.’

Though she desperately wanted a child, Yewon wasn’t bold enough to insist that he comply with her request simply because of the contract.

After all, pregnancy wasn’t something that could be forced or negotiated lightly.

Once again staring at the empty side of the bed beside her, Yewon resolved to change her approach.

“This was too much of an unreasonable request.”

She planned to apologize when Seung-hyun came home that evening—explain that she regretted bringing it up and ask him to pretend she hadn’t said anything.

However, considering that he hadn’t agreed to her request, she would ask to proceed with the divorce.

“Hoo.”

Perhaps it was because she hadn’t stepped outside since their second-anniversary dinner, but Yewon’s mood had grown increasingly somber. Rising from her seat, she put on her coat and headed out.

Soon, she arrived at a dessert shop near Donghwa Construction, where Seung-hyun worked as CEO.

The reason she came here, despite the distance, was simple: there was no better place for cake than this shop.

“One red velvet cake and a warm latte, please.”

“Got it. Your card is processed.”

An unfamiliar employee handed her the vibrating pager along with her card after completing the transaction.

It seemed the owner wasn’t around.

‘I wanted to say goodbye to him…’

Regret settled over Yewon’s face. After the divorce, she planned to move to Seosan, where her grandmother lived. She intended to stay there for about a year, though if she enjoyed the quiet life, she might settle there permanently.

While she did feel the urge to return to work eventually, what she craved more was rest. The constant torment from her mother-in-law, Jong-hee, had left her mentally drained. No matter how hard she tried to brush it off, it was only natural for her to feel affected.

Sitting in a secluded corner, she stared blankly at the cars passing by on the road. Suddenly, the vibrating pager buzzed.

Yewon rose from her seat, her energy completely depleted, and dragged herself toward the counter.

“Huh? Isn’t that Yewon?”

At the familiar voice, she looked up to see Min-ho, the shop owner, who hadn’t been visible earlier.

Reflexively, Yewon forced a smile.

“I thought you weren’t here.”

“I was in the office handling some orders. Funny, I was just thinking about you while looking at the red velvet cake and warm latte.”

“Do I really order this every time?”

Embarrassed, Yewon lightly scratched the back of her neck.

“How’s married life? Are you happy? You haven’t visited in a while, so I thought maybe you moved far away.”

“I’m still in Seoul, but I’ll probably be moving soon.”

“Really? Where to?”

“It’s not set in stone yet… but I think it’ll be somewhere far.”

“So does that mean you won’t be able to visit our café anymore?”

“If I ever come to Seoul, I’ll definitely stop by.”

“Is your husband relocating for work?”

“…Hmm, yes.”

Not wanting to delve into deeper personal matters with Min-ho, Yewon chose to wrap up the conversation there.

A simple farewell was enough.

“Such a shame. I’ll throw in another slice as a gift, so give it a try. Red velvet isn’t the only cake in the world, you know.”

“Oh no, you really don’t have to do that.”

Despite Yewon’s protests, Min-ho handed her an additional slice of cake. It was a beautiful creation, with fresh Shine Muscat grapes resting atop a layer of pure white whipped cream.

“You were our very first customer on our opening day, remember? You came when we had no customers all day and cheered me up by saying how delicious the cake was and that you’d visit often. I still remember it vividly. Your words gave me so much strength back then. Think of this as a token of my gratitude, okay?”

“...In that case, thank you so much. I’ll gladly accept it.”

Not wanting to dismiss Min-ho’s heartfelt gesture, Yewon accepted his offer. She hadn’t expected such kindness, and while part of her felt guilty, another part was deeply grateful.

The small joy she found in this unexpected moment lightened her mood just a little, offering some solace from the gloom she had been carrying.

Yewon returned to her seat with a tray holding the beautifully plated cake and her coffee. As she settled into her spot, she noticed the vibrant autumn leaves—yellow and red—lining the street, which had gone unnoticed before.

Watching the leaves flutter gently in the breeze brought a sense of calm to her restless mind.

Savoring the view, Yewon picked up her fork, cut a small piece of the cake, and popped it into her mouth.

“Mmm, delicious.”

The rich, creamy flavor spreading through her mouth was exquisite.

A satisfied smile spread across Yewon’s lips. The sweetness of the dessert was comforting enough to soothe her troubled heart.

She regretted not going out sooner, realizing how much a simple treat like this could lift her spirits. The days she had spent isolating herself now seemed pointless.

As she thought about life after her divorce from Seung-hyun, Yewon resolved not to waste time like this again. With the money he had given her still untouched in her account, she considered revisiting her passion for art, which she had abandoned due to financial constraints. Whether it would work out or not, she wasn’t sure.

And if, by some twist of fate, Seung-hyun agreed to her request and she became pregnant... well, the future felt even more unpredictable.

“Haa. I can’t think about this anymore.”

The thought sent her spiraling back into melancholy. Not wanting to ruin the moment, she shook her head to clear her mind.

Then, struck by the idea of finding a song to match her delicious dessert, she reached for her phone in her bag. But before she could pull it out, she felt it vibrate in her hand.

“Who could it be?”

Her blood ran cold as she glanced at the screen. The caller was Jong-hee, and the message contained a photo of the herbal medicine she had recently sent to Yewon.

“How did she…”

The fact that Jong-hee had taken a picture of the medicine in the refrigerator meant one thing: she was currently inside Yewon’s home.

Chills ran down Yewon’s spine as she stared blankly at the screen. Before she could process the situation, her phone vibrated again.

[I knew it! The number of packages hasn’t changed. Have you been pretending to take the medicine I’ve been sending all this time?]

Not only did Jong-hee barge in uninvited, but she was now rummaging through a house where she clearly wasn’t welcome.

Yewon bit her lip hard, feeling nauseous. Having already decided on the divorce, she saw no reason to endure this treatment any longer.

Without hesitation, she pressed the call button.

After a few monotone rings, Jong-hee answered.

- YOU! Are you even in your right mind?

Jong-hee’s sharp voice grated against Yewon’s ears, causing her brow to furrow deeply.

“How did you get the password to enter my house?” Yewon snapped, her patience long gone.

She no longer felt obligated to speak politely to this woman who showed her no respect. Now that they would soon be strangers, the words Yewon had buried deep inside began spilling out uncontrollably.

- How do you think?! My son told me! Are you saying there’s a place I’m not allowed to go in my own son’s house? Did you contribute even a penny when buying this house? This is MY son’s house, not YOURS!

Tears welled up in Yewon’s eyes as she listened to the harsh words pouring through the receiver. She clenched her teeth tightly, fighting back tears that threatened to spill over.

This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened, but it still stung. Still, she consoled herself with the thought that this humiliation would soon come to an end.

- Why aren’t you answering me? I’m asking why the medicine is still untouched!

Jong-hee’s shrill voice caused Yewon to fumble and drop her phone slightly before bringing it back to her ear.

“Mother.”

- Enough! Come home right now!

Without waiting for a response, Jong-hee abruptly hung up the call.

How could she be so brazen? And what about Seung-hyun giving her the password—was that even true?

Just days ago, when Yewon had mentioned Jong-hee barging into the house uninvited, Seung-hyun had looked genuinely shocked… or so she thought.

Apparently, that reaction had been fleeting. She had hoped, perhaps naively, that Seung-hyun might at least partially side with her. But it seemed that was nothing more than wishful thinking.

“A marriage made for money, and yet I expect so much. How foolish of me.”

Bitterness swirled in her mouth.

Beeeeep.

Yewon pressed the door lock and stepped inside, exhaling a deep sigh before she even closed the door.

She had steeled herself for this moment, but after two years of living under the same roof, her heart began pounding wildly even before seeing Jong-hee’s face.

After slipping off her shoes and changing into slippers, she entered the living room to find Jong-hee glaring at her, her expression twisted with displeasure.

“What on earth are you thinking?”

The moment their eyes met, Jong-hee launched into a tirade as if she couldn’t contain herself any longer. Just as Yewon opened her mouth to respond with an equally sharp retort:

“These kinds of underwear! No wonder you can’t get pregnant! If I were a man, I wouldn’t want to touch you either. What is this?!”

Right in front of her was a piece of Yewon’s familiar underwear.

“Why do you have my underwear?” Yewon asked, her face flushing red as she snatched the garment from Jong-hee’s hand and quickly hid it behind her back.

Her heart began racing uncontrollably.

“I figured there must be some other reason why you haven’t gotten pregnant in two years despite being healthy and taking all those herbal medicines, so I took a little look.”

“You went through my underwear drawer?” Yewon’s voice trembled with anger.

“Are you deaf, young lady? I didn’t ‘go through’ anything! I just took a quick glance!” Jong-hee snapped.

“Snooping through someone’s belongings without permission isn’t ‘just looking.’ It’s invading their privacy.”

Yewon’s voice shook with barely contained fury, but Jong-hee remained unfazed.

She was even worse than Yewon had imagined over the past two years.

“Don’t you know men are visual creatures? Wearing this kind of underwear…” Jong-hee started again, but was interrupted.

“Mother. What brings you here at this hour?”

A familiar baritone voice sounded from behind Yewon. Startled, she turned around to see Seung-hyun standing there.

“S-Seung-hyun!”

Jong-hee’s voice wavered slightly, her eyes darting nervously as if caught in an earthquake.

“What’s behind your back?” Seung-hyun asked, reaching out to grab Yewon’s wrist and pulling her closer before she could answer.

Yewon instinctively clutched the underwear tightly, but it was too late—it was already visible in her small hands. Seung-hyun’s gaze lingered on the item for what felt like an eternity.

Her cheeks and neck burned hotter than ever under his scrutiny.

At that moment, Jong-hee hurriedly interjected.

“I just stopped by to see Yewon, and she was folding her laundry. Honestly, what’s there to be embarrassed about among family? She acts like such a shy little girl. So cute!”

But she didn’t realize.

She couldn’t see the expression on her own face as she spoke—or perhaps she simply didn’t care. For two years, she had sneaked in and out of this house like a rat, never once running into Seung-hyun. Now, caught off guard, her panic was written all over her face, though she tried to play it cool.

The sight of her pretending innocence while clearly flustered… was utterly repulsive.

“Family? Did you just call yourself family?”

“Yes, family. What’s wrong with that?”

“No matter how close we are as family, I don’t appreciate Mother meddling in my married life. Even if you don’t mind, I certainly do.”

“Oh my, Seung-hyun! Why are you saying such hurtful things? And when did I ever meddle in your married life? How can you talk about such embarrassing things so casually?”

Jong-hee fanned herself with her hand and let out an awkward laugh.

Seung-hyun simply stared at her in silence.

He wasn’t the affectionate type of son, but he also wasn’t one to act impulsively. Yet today, there was something strange about him—an unidentifiable energy emanating from his presence.

“If you knew I’ve been ignoring and brushing things off until now, you should’ve stopped while you were ahead.”

“Huh? What… what are you talking about?”

Jong-hee’s facial muscles twitched involuntarily, and her dark pupils darted around frantically.

“I know you barge into this house whenever you feel like it, without even calling.”

“Oh my, Yewon! What kind of story did you tell him? We were just having tea and chatting… Was that really so uncomfortable for you? If that’s the case, you should’ve told me…”

“Of course it’s uncomfortable. Asking me to bring home pregnancy tests after already pressuring me about having a baby is too much.”

“…!”

Jong-hee’s eyes widened as she stared at Yewon, her gaze screaming, “Are you out of your mind?”

Under her piercing stare, Yewon instinctively took a step back. But Seung-hyun grabbed her wrist firmly, as if silently telling her not to run away and to stay by his side.

“And stop harassing Park Secretary. She’s here to assist me with my work, not to clean up after you.”

“How dare you speak to your mother like that today? Especially with Yewon here, still going on like this…”

“If you don’t want to witness an even more awkward situation, I suggest you leave now.”

“What?”

“If you’re genuinely worried about our marital life, maybe you should press your ear against the door and listen. Who knows? The infertility issue might be on my end.”

“…!”

Without another word, Seung-hyun pulled Yewon by the wrist and headed toward the bedroom.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

With each step, Yewon felt her heart plummet to the floor, making it hard to breathe. His hot grip on her wrist sent unexpected heat rushing through her body, leaving her flustered.

In truth, Seung-hyun had been Yewon’s first love—a feverish, one-sided crush that had long passed. When they reunited as boss and secretary, she believed she had completely moved on.

But the moment his hand tightened around hers, Yewon realized her feelings for him hadn’t truly ended. Despite knowing full well that he treated her as nothing more than a contract partner bound by money, how could she still feel this way?

She couldn’t understand her own heart.

By the time they reached the bedroom, the heavy sound of the door closing snapped Yewon out of her daze. She lifted her gaze to meet Seung-hyun’s arrogant eyes staring down at her.

In that instant, it felt as though someone had gripped her heart tightly. The temperature of wherever his gaze landed on her body rose sharply. Of all times, why did she have to realize her emotions now, in this situation? It was the worst possible timing.

“Did you endure all of that—her treatment of you—for two years without saying a word?”

His low, commanding voice enveloped her eardrums.

After taking a deep breath, Yewon hesitated briefly before speaking.

“To fulfill the two-year contract without any issues, I had no choice. If I upset Mother or gave her a reason to push for divorce… I’d have to return the 1 billion won, right?”

Yewon deliberately spoke these words to deny her true feelings. She wanted to paint herself as someone shallow, someone unworthy—someone who meant nothing more to Seung-hyun than a mere contractual obligation.

If even a hint of her hidden feelings slipped out, she feared being mocked for wanting to have his child out of unrequited love.

‘If only I hadn’t brought up the pregnancy topic at all.’

Yewon chewed nervously on the soft flesh inside her lip and avoided Seung-hyun’s gaze. She was terrified that the pounding of her heart would reach him.

“Why didn’t you say something similar to Mother today, like you did when you asked me for a child in front of me?”

“…!”

She hadn’t expected him to bring that up now.

Yewon’s dark eyes trembled wildly. Just as deep regret began creeping in, Seung-hyun’s large hand moved closer faster than she anticipated.

He gently cupped her chin, tilting her face so she had no choice but to look at him.

He leaned his upper body forward and whispered into Yewon’s ear.

“Mother is suspicious by nature.”

The warmth of his breath against her ear made Yewon flinch involuntarily.

“If she doesn’t hear something convincing, she won’t leave. If you don’t want to lose the 1 billion won, play along with the act.”

“…!”

With that, Seung-hyun claimed her lips in a deep kiss.

His warm, soft lips enveloped hers, his tongue coiling around hers with practiced ease. Though it was all an act, as he had instructed, the intensity of the sensations overwhelmed Yewon, making her feel as though she might stop breathing altogether.

Even with the high likelihood that Jong-hee was still standing behind the closed door, Yewon found herself succumbing to Seung-hyun’s kiss. She knew she shouldn’t get so lost in it, but realizing her lingering feelings for him just moments before their lips met made her body betray her completely.

“Haa...”

Every time he exhaled hot breath into her mouth, a forbidden heat pooled between her legs.

Struggling to maintain the fragile line between performance and reality, Yewon eventually gave in, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. As she tilted her head slightly, their lips sealed together even more deeply, leaving no space between them.

The sultry sounds echoing through the room blurred the distinction between acting and genuine passion, making Yewon forget momentarily that this was all staged. For a fleeting moment, she felt as if they were truly lovers.

Reacting instinctively to every movement of his, Yewon couldn’t help but wonder how she had failed to notice that she still harbored feelings for him.

“Mmm...”

Overwhelmed by the endless waves of stimulation, she clenched her thighs and shifted her body slightly. Sensing her reaction, Seung-hyun pulled back from the kiss and gazed at her intently from close range.

Under his penetrating gaze, Yewon swallowed hard, averting her eyes. Her heart raced as fast as her ragged breathing.

“Do you think you’ll be okay with just this much?”

“I think... I’ll be fine. And I believe Mother just left.”

As if on cue, the sound of the front door closing echoed faintly in the distance.

If they continued like this, she feared he would discover her unrequited love for him. But instead of stopping, Seung-hyun slowly shook his head.

Through their tangled gazes, she saw the corners of his lips curl upward in a sly smirk.

“What a pleasant surprise. You’re better at acting than I expected.”

“Thank goodness. Then perhaps you should head back to work…”

“But what can I do? I don’t think I can stop here.”

“What?”

“I thought we could end things with just a kiss, but I was wrong.”

Before she could process his words, Seung-hyun pulled her waist closer, pressing their lower bodies together. The vivid sensation against her thighs caused Yewon’s dark pupils to tremble violently, as if on the verge of shattering.

“Judging by the dates, we’re approaching your ovulation period. How does now sound?”

His voice remained calm despite the raging desire evident in his movements.

Yewon felt a mix of relief that her earlier arousal hadn’t gone unnoticed during the kiss and dread over what might happen next. Her body tensed under the weight of the charged atmosphere.

Her mind was a chaotic mess, and part of her wanted to run away. But since she had been the one to bring up pregnancy in the first place, avoiding the situation wasn’t an option anymore.

When she first proposed the idea, she had viewed him merely as someone who could fulfill the role of “father.” But now, with her suppressed emotions resurfacing, it seemed unlikely that she could keep her feelings in check.

Seung-hyun would approach this purely as a means to conceive, devoid of emotion. Yet, Yewon feared that the more time passed, the more she would crave something deeper from him.

Still, her desire to build a family remained unchanged. She resolved to suppress any stray emotions that might reveal themselves, believing that would be enough.

Though somewhat awkward, Yewon swallowed hard and wrapped her arms around his neck once more.

“Let’s do it.”

Amused by her concise response, Seung-hyun chuckled softly before capturing her lips again.

This time, instead of the aggressive, invasive movements from earlier, his kiss was gentle, his tongue tenderly caressing hers. As their breaths mingled and saliva intertwined, rationality began to slip further away.

It was hard to believe this was real—being intimate with Seung-hyun felt surreal. Lost in the depths of his kiss, she barely noticed when they moved to the bed.

Seung-hyun cradled the back of her head with his large hand, carefully lowering her onto the mattress before leaning over her. The subtle pressure of his body against hers, far from unpleasant, caused her breaths to escape in delicate, trembling gasps.

As she moistened her lips and steadied her breathing, Seung-hyun’s thick eyebrows furrowed slightly.

“If you keep making that face, it feels like I’m about to ravish you.”

“It’s not like that. I want you too. I was the one who initiated this…”

Yewon answered honestly.

What if they ended up feeling awkward after having sex? Perhaps regret would wash over her in waves later—but she decided to push those thoughts aside for now. She couldn’t shake off the surreal feeling of a scene she’d only ever dreamed of finally coming true.

“Then take it off.”

Seung-hyun’s deep, commanding voice reverberated through her eardrums.

She hesitated at his authoritative tone, and he let out a soft chuckle.

“If you prefer keeping your clothes on, we can do it like this too.”

His unusually sharp demeanor felt unfamiliar, but since this was all her doing, Yewon chose not to dwell on it.

“Why aren’t you answering? If there’s something else you want, just say it. I’ll accommodate you to some extent.”

Afraid that hesitating further would only make things more complicated, Yewon guided Seung-hyun’s hand to the top button of her blouse.

“Take it off for me.”

At Yewon’s boldness, Seung-hyun gave her an incredulous look.

For a moment, she wondered if he might refuse—but then:

Click, click, click, click.

Seung-hyun began undoing the buttons of her blouse one by one, just as she had asked.

“You’re quite the naughty woman, aren’t you?”

The quiet murmur sent a rush of heat through Yewon’s body.

Before long, her blouse fell open to the sides, and Seung-hyun trailed his fingertips up along her waist.

“Ahn...”

A strange sensation coursed through her, causing her to wrinkle her brow and squirm slightly. He chuckled softly.

“So sensitive. Just from my hands alone... I wonder how you’ll react when other things touch you?”

“Hnn!”

Without warning, Seung-hyun leaned down and pressed his lips against the nape of her neck.

He teased her delicate skin with gentle kisses before flicking his tongue out to trace circles, sucking lightly. Yewon’s body trembled faintly under his ministrations.

His large hand, which had been hovering near her bellybutton, slowly moved upward until it firmly cupped her breast.

“Ahh...”

She gripped the bedsheet tightly, letting out a soft moan. Seung-hyun marked her neck with a reddish hickey, sucking harder as she responded.

The more she reacted, the more intense his stimulation became. Earlier, she had accepted his advances out of necessity, fearing rejection. But now, Yewon didn’t want him to stop. She craved deeper, more intimate contact—something she found surprisingly thrilling about herself.

With her eyes closed, Yewon surrendered completely, accepting every bit of his touch without resistance.

The warm breath that had lingered around her nape gradually descended past her collarbone, moving lower and lower.

Seung-hyun left wet, deliberate kisses on her pale skin, making audible smacking sounds.

“…!”

Without warning, he abruptly pushed her underwear aside.

In an instant, Yewon’s bare chest was exposed to him, and her heart began racing uncontrollably.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

The pounding was so loud it drowned out all coherent thought.

Seung-hyun stared intently at her wide, startled eyes as he claimed her secret mound with his mouth.

“Hnn...”

The moment his moist tongue made contact, Yewon shuddered violently, as though an electric current had surged through her body.

It wasn’t just the embarrassment of exposing herself to him—it was the undeniable pleasure his touch brought that made her feel both flustered and exhilarated.

For the first time in her life, she experienced sensations so intense that her hips involuntarily bucked upward.

While his tongue worked its magic, she could feel moisture pooling between her thighs, soaking through her underwear. Overwhelmed by the illicit pleasure, Yewon lost all sense of control.

As she surrendered her body to him, Seung-hyun spoke teasingly:

“Just sucking on you has made you this wet. What am I supposed to do with that?”

“…!”

He slid his hand toward the space between her parted legs. Even through her soaked underwear and clothing, the evidence of her arousal was unmistakable.

Her face flushed crimson, like autumn leaves, and mortified, Yewon found herself unable to utter a single word.

It was too late to deny her body’s honest reaction.

Lying would only make the situation more ridiculous, so Yewon bit down hard on her lip.

She couldn’t help but feel a twinge of resentment toward Seung-hyun, who seemed completely unfazed by this sudden turn of events—so different from her own turmoil.

“I know it’s absurd that I’m feeling this way…”

Strangely, her chest tightened with an inexplicable ache.

And yet, despite her inner conflict, she found herself anticipating what was about to happen next.

The disconnect between her mind and heart felt alien, almost surreal. Her lower abdomen clenched as she met Seung-hyun’s intense gaze.

“It seems like you’re ready...”

Seung-hyun drawled out his words before pulling down both her skirt and underwear in one swift motion.

Completely exposed in front of him—while he hadn’t even undone a single button—Yewon was overwhelmed with embarrassment.

Her eyes, clouded with confusion from the unfamiliar sensations coursing through her, met his. He smirked, lifting one corner of his lips.

“This is your last chance to run away. Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

Behind his question came the sound of a buckle being undone.

It wasn’t loud, but it filled Yewon’s ears as if amplified. Her heart pounded so violently she felt dizzy.

“Why aren’t you answering with that smart mouth of yours? Why don’t you act like you did when you asked me to get you pregnant?”

“…I’m fine. Let’s do it.”

“You’re really something, huh?”

Seung-hyun growled, his voice tinged with irritation. His furrowed expression made him look slightly intimidating.

“Instead of lying there doing nothing, why don’t you take off my clothes?”

“What?”

“I said, undress me.”

Seung-hyun stared at her with piercing eyes, as though trying to bore into her soul.

Swallowing hard, Yewon hesitantly reached for the buttons of his shirt.

Part of her wondered if she should really go through with this, but her body still burned from his earlier caresses. Having never experienced anything like this before, she wanted to see it through to the end. Slowly, her fingers worked at the buttons.

One by one, they came undone, revealing his toned, muscular physique.

When their eyes met again, Seung-hyun spoke as if he’d been waiting for this moment.

“What are you waiting for? Keep going. I’m waiting.”

His hot hand guided hers toward his center. The firm, distinct sensation under her sweaty palm caused her heart to plummet somewhere near her feet.

“Ahn...”

As Yewon hesitated, unsure of what to do next, Seung-hyun let out a soft chuckle and gently removed her hand.

He pulled the blanket over her trembling body, then began fastening his buttons and re-buckling his belt.

“How do you expect to handle me when you can barely breathe just touching me? Your words and actions don’t match.”

It was clear that Seung-hyun had noticed her fear.

Yewon pulled the blanket up to her chin, covering herself completely.

“It’s normal since it’s my first time.”

“What?”

Seung-hyun froze mid-motion and turned his gaze back to her.

She hadn’t meant to reveal so much, but the words had slipped out anyway.

“Are you saying this is your first time?”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

There was no point denying it now. It wasn’t shameful to lack experience, nor was there any reason to hide it.

But Seung-hyun’s face hardened instantly.

‘Does the idea of being my first weigh on him?’

Somewhere in her memory, she recalled hearing that men sometimes felt burdened by the thought of being a woman’s first partner. She tried to apply that logic to Seung-hyun, but she couldn’t find a clear answer.

“What are you thinking?”

His low, gravelly voice filled the room, heavy enough to pierce through the floor.

The same lips that had been burning with heat just moments ago now spoke only cold words.

“What did I do?”

The more he acted this way, the more Yewon felt compelled to remain as calm and composed as possible.

“Why are you acting like this all of a sudden? You didn’t say anything for two years. Did you suddenly develop some terminal illness? If not, I can’t make sense of your behavior lately.”

“You don’t have to understand me.”

“You don’t need to understand, but you still want to get pregnant?”

“Just because I mentioned pregnancy as a condition for extending our marriage doesn’t mean anything changes between us. We’ll continue as we always have. That’s all I’m asking for.”

At Yewon’s steady response, Seung-hyun fell silent, lowering his gaze without another word.

His hardened expression sent waves of tension rippling through Yewon’s body. The air in the room felt suffocating, as if it were being sucked out entirely.

“I don’t think I’ll be coming home tonight. Let’s talk over dinner tomorrow. Cancel any plans you have and wait for me at home.”

With that, he stretched out his long legs and left the room.

The door slammed shut behind him, and unexpectedly, emotions surged within Yewon.

What hurt most was the realization that she herself had caused this wave of despair.

It had been an unequal contract bound by money from the start—so what had she expected?

A long sigh escaped through her lips.

Three hours earlier, in Seung-hyun’s office.

─ “Do you know what she does when she shows up unannounced? She makes me take a pregnancy test and waits for the results before leaving.”

─ “I’ve been going to infertility centers with her almost every week for nearly a year now.”

─ “I tried to endure it because I didn’t want to quit this great job where I earn money just by staying by your side.”

“Haa.”

Seung-hyun, who had been reviewing approval documents, replayed Yewon’s voice in his mind. He covered his forehead with his hand and leaned back in his chair as if collapsing into it.

He had never doubted for a moment that Yewon was content, always smiling in front of him without complaint. Now, everything came crashing down at once.

Though he hadn’t accompanied Yewon and Jong-hee often, during the few meals they shared, their interactions had seemed fine. Yewon’s mild-mannered nature made it easy for her to listen to Jong-hee, or so he had thought.

Regardless, Seung-hyun had never imagined that Jong-hee would use such excuses to torment Yewon behind the scenes.

The moment Yewon revealed this to him, it felt like a sharp blow to the back of his head, leaving him stunned.

Clicking his tongue in frustration, Seung-hyun furrowed his brow and adjusted his posture. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t focus on his work.

“This isn’t working.”

Realizing he needed to clear his head, Seung-hyun rose from his seat and headed toward the break room.

He assumed it would be empty since most employees were out for lunch, but to his surprise, he spotted the back of Park Secretary, his personal assistant.

She wouldn’t have returned from lunch already, so it seemed she hadn’t gone out at all.

Just as he was about to ask if something was wrong, Park Secretary spoke in a flustered tone:

“Madam, I really don’t know the password to the CEO’s house. I swear!”

Perplexed by the sight of Park Secretary’s anxious demeanor, Seung-hyun tapped her shoulder lightly.

Startled, Park Secretary turned around, her eyes wide with shock.

‘Mother?’

When Seung-hyun mouthed the question silently, Park Secretary nodded awkwardly in confirmation.

So it was true. His suspicions were correct.

Jong-hee had been tormenting Yewon under various pretexts.

He could roughly imagine what the past two years must have been like for Yewon.

With resolve, Seung-hyun pulled out his phone and began typing something on the screen.

Six numbers appeared, and upon seeing them, Park Secretary locked eyes with him again.

‘Give it to her. It’s the house password.’

A week ago, Yewon had thrown him into confusion by asking for help with pregnancy. But he couldn’t let her suffer at Jong-hee’s hands any longer.

This was, after all, a contractual relationship based on mutual benefit. It was time for Seung-hyun to step in.

After watching Park Secretary relay the information over the phone, Seung-hyun immediately left the office and headed home.

He considered contacting Yewon first, but since their conversation a week ago, neither of them had spoken a word.

For now, the priority was to see what action Jong-hee would take.

Had she really been barging in whenever he wasn’t around?

Seung-hyun parked his car in front of the house and observed the situation.

“Haa.”

He hoped nothing would happen, but soon Jong-hee’s car appeared.

True to Yewon’s words, Jong-hee got out of her car and entered the house as if it were her own, completely at ease—now that she knew the password, there was no hesitation.

A bitter laugh escaped Seung-hyun’s lips.

He didn’t know whether Yewon was home or not, but judging by the timing, it seemed she hadn’t arrived yet. As he waited, a taxi pulled up in front of the house, and Yewon hurriedly stepped out, rushing inside.

“I need to go in.”

A gut feeling told Seung-hyun something serious was about to happen, urging him to act quickly.

Using his key to avoid making noise with the door lock, he quietly entered the house—and immediately witnessed an unbelievable scene.

“Wearing this kind of underwear, no wonder you can’t get pregnant! If I were a man, I wouldn’t even want to touch you. What is this?!”

Jong-hee’s shrill voice echoed through the house.

The woman who always carried herself with poise and dignity was unrecognizable now. Drunk on her position as a mother-in-law, she was verbally tearing Yewon apart.

Though Yewon tried to retort, her weak responses only fueled Jong-hee’s arrogance.

“Your body seems fine, and you’ve been taking all those herbal medicines I sent. The fact that you haven’t gotten pregnant in two years means there must be some other reason. So I took a closer look.”

As Seung-hyun listened to Jong-hee openly admit to her misdeeds, anger boiled within him.

“So she’s been enduring all of this without saying a word?”

He felt a wave of disbelief so strong it made his neck stiffen. For the first time, he felt ashamed of Jong-hee.

He wondered what thoughts had crossed Yewon’s mind whenever she looked at him.

A swirl of indescribable emotions churned in his chest—but Jong-hee poured more fuel onto the fire.

“Don’t you know men are visual creatures? Wearing this kind of underwear...”

“Mother. What brings you here at this hour?”

Unable to tolerate her overstepping boundaries, Seung-hyun clenched his fists and stepped between them.

Having never seen Seung-hyun come home at this time during the past two years, Jong-hee had clearly let her guard down. Her face drained of color as if she’d seen a ghost.

“If you’re truly worried about our marital life, why don’t you press your ear against the door and listen? Maybe the infertility issue lies with me.”

What could shut down Jong-hee’s suspicions once and for all?

Acting on impulse, Seung-hyun grabbed Yewon and pulled her into the bedroom.

Seeing how Yewon had endured Jong-hee’s torment today made him realize just how much she must have suffered in silence over the past two years. His chest tightened painfully.

For reasons he couldn’t fully explain, looking at Yewon’s face in the bedroom stirred something deep inside him—a mix of boiling anger and frustration.

This marriage was based on a contract; there was no need to impress a fake mother-in-law who treated her so poorly.

─ “You don’t need to try too hard to impress my family. No need to contact them or visit them deliberately. Handle everything through me. If anything happens that I don’t know about, tell me immediately.”

He had said those exact words before their marriage.

Seung-hyun bit down hard on his lip.

“So this is why she brought up pregnancy to me. It was this serious.”

The kind junior, the competent secretary—and now, the fake wife. Yewon had been carrying far too much weight on her shoulders.

He had never imagined such a scenario when entering this marriage, and the fact that he hadn’t noticed anything because she hadn’t spoken up filled him with guilt.

It had been ages since he’d last felt such emotions toward someone.

To make matters worse, seeing Yewon’s frightened face looking up at him stirred something primal within him. Blood rushed to his core.

After Yewon mentioned pregnancy, he had been consumed by the thought, even dreaming several times of making love to her. His body reacted, unable to distinguish between dreams and reality.

For a brief moment, he pitied her—but then irritation surged at how she had driven him to this state.

“Then stop lying there and undress me.”

His desire, reignited fiercely after just one kiss, raged like an uncontrollable beast.

“The one who started this is you.”

Seung-hyun blamed all of this on Yewon.

Already resolved, he intended to take her fully—but then:

“It’s normal since it’s my first time.”

The realization that he kept being swayed by Yewon, who was merely a contract wife, frustrated him further.

At that moment, a thought he’d never entertained before flooded his mind.

‘Could it be that she’s trying to trap me with pregnancy?’

The boiling heat in his blood suddenly cooled.

He had always been a suspicious person, never fully trusting anyone. Yet somehow, he had let his guard down around Yewon.

A smooth marriage life, a clean divorce.

And for guilt-free sex, it seemed he needed to tighten the terms of their contract further.

After Seung-hyun left, a heavy silence settled over the house.

“Hoo.”

It was a home where she was almost always alone, except when sleeping.

Yet today, it felt inexplicably empty.

It was as if a storm had swept through and passed, leaving her disoriented.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Yewon placed her hand gently over the spots where Seung-hyun’s lips and fingers had touched her.

“What just happened?”

Though only a few minutes had passed, the events felt like a dream.

But the scattered clothes and underwear on the floor reminded her it wasn’t.

As she recalled how he had caressed her, embarrassment washed over her all at once.

She wondered what he must have thought of her—how she had opened herself up to him so willingly, as if she’d been waiting for him.

He probably assumed she was experienced and approached her without hesitation.

That would explain why he stopped and left abruptly after she revealed it was her first time.

─ “I don’t think I’ll be coming home tonight. Let’s talk over dinner tomorrow. Cancel any plans you have and wait for me at home.”

That was all he said before disappearing.

“Why did I say that…”

Yewon regretted blurting out the word ‘first.’

There was something Jong-hee didn’t know.

While Yewon had accompanied her to five different infertility clinics, she had never undergone a proper examination.

─ “You’re not pregnant again? The soil has to be fertile for seeds to sprout. How much have you mistreated your body that natural conception isn’t happening? This won’t do! Starting tomorrow, you’ll follow me everywhere. I need to know exactly what’s wrong with you!”

When Jong-hee first said this, Yewon felt only injustice.

But because Jong-hee was relentless, Yewon had no choice but to comply.

Then, an idea struck her.

The type of examination differed based on sexual experience.

She couldn’t tell the doctor she was inexperienced—it would raise too many questions.

Should she find someone to sleep with? Or try to figure it out on her own? She agonized over it.

In the end, Yewon chose to lie.

If she claimed to have experience, she could get through the tests. With this vague resolve, she followed Jong-hee to the clinics.

Despite her determination, anxiety overwhelmed her as soon as she arrived at the infertility center.

To calm herself, she went to the restroom just before her appointment and then headed to the examination room.

─ “You may go in now.”

The nurse smiled faintly as she gestured for Yewon to enter.

As Yewon stood by the slightly ajar door, a horrifying conversation leaked out.

─ “I’ll pay whatever it takes. Just make sure you give me a full report on my daughter-in-law’s condition. If it’s possible to secretly perform a loop procedure without her knowing, do it. If you succeed in inserting a contraceptive device, I’ll double your payment.”

It was incomprehensible, beyond the bounds of common sense.

Yewon stood frozen for a moment, unable to process what she had heard.

Had the nurse not asked, “Are you alright?” she might have stayed there even longer.

Jong-hee had planned to insert a device into Yewon’s body to prevent conception, all while pressuring her about infertility and plotting for divorce.

But now that Yewon knew, she couldn’t just sit back and take it.

After Jong-hee left the consultation room, Yewon confronted the doctor.

─ “You do realize that what you’re planning violates medical law, right? Especially performing a loop procedure without consent—something no doctor should ever do.”

─ “H-how do you...?”

─ “I won’t undergo the examination. How could I lie on the examination table knowing what you’re planning to do to my body? Just tell her everything’s fine.”

At every clinic, Yewon avoided the examinations in this manner.

At least her first experience hadn’t been on a cold examination table with an ultrasound probe.

Jong-hee was a truly terrible person, willing to tamper with someone else’s body without consent.

Knowing all of this, Yewon couldn’t help but feel increasingly drained.

Though she didn’t want to give Jong-hee what she wanted, the situation had become unbearable enough for her to consider divorce.

“Haa, my head hurts.”

Yewon muttered softly as she wrapped herself in the blanket and bent down to pick up her underwear from the floor.

Even as she slipped it on, her thoughts raced without pause.

Most of them revolved around Seung-hyun.

─ “It’s normal since it’s my first time.”

The moment he heard those words, Seung-hyun had pulled away, tidied himself up as if nothing had happened, and disappeared.

She felt utterly wretched.

It was as though she had exposed too much of herself to him alone.

Since their marriage contract hadn’t been extended yet, he might bring up divorce, claiming they should pretend none of this ever happened.

She was becoming too much of a burden on him.

“Haa, so embarrassing.”

Frowning, Yewon buried her face in her hands.

Everything felt unbearable. She wanted to run away from it all.

Back in his office, Seung-hyun immediately sat down and began working.

As he flipped through the stack of approval documents on his desk, he suddenly slammed his fountain pen down with a loud thud.

“Damn it.”

The image of Yewon’s trembling body kept flickering before his eyes, scattering the words on the paper into fragments.

He hadn’t intended to cross that line so completely.

But when Yewon shuddered and moaned at just a kiss, and her soft skin brushed against his fingertips, his self-control had crumbled.

“Just one little thing, and I couldn’t even hold back.”

Seung-hyun bit down hard on his lip.

Looking back on the past two years of married life with Yewon... every moment had been as calm and peaceful as a still lake.

This marriage had been forced upon him due to family pressure and threats over inheritance rights, but ironically, Seung-hyun had grown to appreciate it.

He thought of it as paying someone who needed money to live comfortably under the guise of marriage. For two years, he had convinced himself that this arrangement suited him perfectly.

Yewon, who never made demands and seemed almost invisible, had suited him just fine.

─ “Let’s have a baby.”

But then Kim Yewon’s single sentence shattered the peace he had enjoyed for two years.

To make matters worse, the fact that his body remained tense after nearly going all the way left him feeling humiliated.

When he suspected she might be trying to trap him with pregnancy, his boiling emotions cooled instantly, and he thought he was fine.

But no matter how hard he tried, images of Yewon kept flooding his mind, pulling him right back to this state.

“Why is this happening again?”

Seung-hyun murmured under his breath as he dropped his gaze downward.

He wasn’t some hormone-driven teenager anymore.

His neck stiffened with embarrassment at the thought of such scenes playing out in his mind.

With secretaries outside and during work hours, there was no way he could address this issue directly. It was maddening.

Despite everything, the vivid memory of Yewon clutching the bedsheets and arching her body under his touch filled his vision.

“Am I developing some kind of pent-up desire now?”

Seung-hyun muttered irritably to himself.

It felt like he had accidentally flipped a switch he shouldn’t have touched.

It was an ordinary evening, no different from any other.

Though she had no appetite, Yewon prepared a simple dinner for herself and ate quietly.

As she reached for the kettle to brew tea, she paused, opened the refrigerator, and took out a packet of herbal medicine.

It was the medicine Jong-hee had prescribed for her, claiming it would help with conception.

Yewon stared blankly at the murky liquid inside the packet before grabbing a pair of scissors and cutting the corner.

She poured the contents into the sink.

─ “I’ll pay whatever it takes. Just make sure you give me a full report on my daughter-in-law’s condition. If it’s possible to secretly perform a loop procedure without her knowing, do it. If you succeed in inserting a contraceptive device, I’ll double your payment.”

Jong-hee was capable of such things, so there was no way the medicine she brought could truly benefit Yewon.

After rinsing the sink, Yewon turned on the electric kettle and prepared tea leaves with a floral scent in a beautiful teacup, hoping it would lift her somber mood slightly.

With her warm tea in hand, Yewon stepped out onto the terrace as she always did, letting the evening breeze wash over her.

“Haa.”

A deep sigh dispersed into the air.

Checking the time on her wristwatch, she saw that it was just past eight in the evening.

Yewon placed her teacup on the table, her face darkened by the weight of her thoughts.

For most of their marriage, except for a few days, evenings had always been spent alone. Seung-hyun was usually busy with work and came home only in the early hours of the morning.

The only time she ever caught a glimpse of him was when she briefly woke up in the middle of the night. No matter how early she rose, he was already gone, as if he had never been there.

But tonight, his absence weighed on her mind more than usual.

It felt like a heavy leaden block was pressing down on her chest, suffocating her.

“If only he’d say something, anything...”

Yewon muttered to herself as she absentmindedly fiddled with her nails.

Her thoughts felt tangled and stuck, but she forced herself to think through the mess.

After much deliberation, her chain of thoughts led her to one conclusion:

“This isn’t working. I need to pretend none of this ever happened.”

She wanted to reset everything back to the beginning.

It felt like all this chaos had started because of her, and she couldn’t bear to stay still any longer.

Seung-hyun would probably want the same thing.

With her decision made, Yewon immediately went to the dressing room to prepare to leave.

Arriving at Donghwa Construction by taxi, it was just past nine o’clock.

“Thank you.”

After paying the fare, Yewon stepped out of the taxi and looked up at the building.

Seung-hyun’s office was on the top floor.

It was also where she had worked before their marriage.

She had commuted here for years, but now, after such a long time, it felt strangely unfamiliar.

Standing still and staring up at the top floor, she began to feel selfish for even being here.

“I’m really something, aren’t I?”

Just as she had impulsively brought up wanting a baby, she had come here without an appointment, uninvited.

She realized this might irritate Seung-hyun even more.

“I wasn’t thinking clearly.”

Hesitating, Yewon lightly shook her head, realizing this wasn’t the right move.

Belatedly, she concluded that waiting quietly for whatever answer he might give was the proper course of action.

“How foolish of me.”

She decided to stop this pointless behavior here.

With a bitter smile, she prepared to turn and leave—but then:

“…!”

Her eyes widened in shock as she noticed something.