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Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Yewon’s face was deathly pale as she blindly ran away and rushed back home.
“It was definitely Senior Se-ah.”
The woman standing next to Seung-hyun, who had been walking out to the entrance without his secretary, was someone Yewon knew all too well.
Se-ah, her former club senior.
After Yewon dropped out of school, rumors spread that the two of them had become lovers.
Se-ah wasn’t exactly a likable person.
Back in college, there was a day when Yewon secretly harbored feelings for Seung-hyun.
— “Do you like Seung-hyun?”
Se-ah had called Yewon over and bluntly asked her this, cutting straight to the point.
Although Yewon had fallen for Seung-hyun’s kindness, she knew full well that he was someone she could never be with.
She hadn’t even dreamed of confessing her feelings.
She had fervently loved him from afar, planning to eventually give up on those feelings.
But when Se-ah suddenly threw that question at her, Yewon was so flustered that she couldn’t respond.
Se-ah was the only daughter of a wealthy family, similar to Seung-hyun’s financial status.
Unlike Yewon, Se-ah exuded grace and confidence with every word she spoke.
On top of that, she was stunningly beautiful, with sharp, striking features.
It was hard to believe she was just an early 20s college student.
— “Ah… no.”
Though Yewon managed to reply belatedly, all she received in return was mockery.
— “Oh my. Look at her. She doesn’t even know her place. Seung-hyun is way out of your league.”
It was something Yewon already knew, but it didn’t make hearing it any easier.
There was no need for Se-ah to rub it in, yet she didn’t stop.
— “Even if you did confess, Seung-hyun wouldn’t accept you. But how much do you think it would hurt his pride? If you’re even considering confessing to him, I suggest you drop the idea now.”
Se-ah trampled mercilessly on what little self-esteem Yewon had left.
If only Yewon had confessed and been rejected outright, perhaps her heart wouldn’t have been so brutally torn apart.
From then on, whenever Yewon saw Se-ah clinging tightly to Seung-hyun, she instinctively averted her gaze toward the floor.
She didn’t want to feel that humiliating look in Se-ah’s eyes ever again.
Still, Seung-hyun, who was kind to all his juniors, would greet Yewon warmly whenever he visited the clubroom, just as he always had.
How handsome he had been back then, even more gentle than he was now.
— “Did you draw this picture? It’s beautiful.”
Every time Seung-hyun said something like that, Yewon felt as though her heart might burst.
She hated how her feelings kept wavering over a few polite words.
So when her family fell into ruin and she had no choice but to drop out of school, Yewon almost felt relieved.
At least it gave her a way to finally put an end to these uncontrollable emotions.
But despite her efforts, Seung-hyun remained stubbornly etched in her heart.
Whenever that happened, Yewon remembered the words Se-ah had said to her.
— “Seung-hyun is not someone you can dare to reach for.”
Even now, years later, married and living together, as Seung-hyun continued to rise in success and their gap widened, those words rang even truer.
More than ten years had passed, yet they still lingered vividly in Yewon’s chest.
“Haa…”
So when she saw Se-ah with Seung-hyun earlier, her entire body froze like ice.
“I didn’t know Senior Se-ah was still in contact with him…”
Though Yewon had assumed as much, witnessing it firsthand left a bitter taste in her mouth.
Se-ah surely knew that Yewon and Seung-hyun were married.
Though she hadn’t attended the wedding, Yewon wondered what thoughts crossed Se-ah’s mind when she heard the news.
“Maybe she thought that since it’s me, she could easily take him away.”
Perhaps Se-ah was aware that their marriage was one of convenience…
“But there’s no way I can ask her directly.”
The more Yewon thought about it, the more tangled her thoughts became, and frustration mounted.
Her sighs refused to fade.
---
[Be home by 7 p.m. tonight.]
The next day, around lunchtime.
A message arrived from Seung-hyun.
“Hoo…”
Today was the day of reckoning.
Not knowing what he would say, anxiety tightened its grip around Yewon’s chest.
Fear grew heavier with each passing moment.
“Seven o’clock…”
Yewon trailed off as she glanced at the wall clock.
It would be the first dinner they’d share at home in months.
Lately, Yewon had been acting impulsively without considering his mood, so she decided to prepare dinner herself.
She was quite skilled in the kitchen and could whip up several delicious dishes.
In her mind, Yewon planned the menu and began ticking off ingredients one by one on her fingers.
Suddenly, a soft whistle of air escaped between her lips.
“What am I doing, Kim Yewon?”
She found her own behavior ridiculous, as if she were playing house like newlyweds.
Even so, Yewon had no intention of abandoning her plan to cook dinner.
Just the thought of sharing a meal with him tonight made her happy.
To the point that Yewon couldn’t understand why she had ever believed her feelings for Seung-hyun had completely disappeared over the past few years.
“Could it be… I was just lonely?”
Perhaps what she had mistaken for loneliness was actually something closer to affection.
Whatever the nature of this emotion, Yewon decided to leave the house and start preparing dinner before it got too late.
---
— “The client isn’t answering the phone…”
“He’s deliberately avoiding my calls, isn’t he?”
Jong-hee clenched her fists in frustration. She had called Seung-hyun five times today alone, but he hadn’t picked up even once.
“It’s situations like this that remind me why having a woman in the household is so important. Tsk, tsk.”
Jong-hee was convinced that Yewon was behind all the changes in Seung-hyun.
Though Yewon wasn’t her biological child, Jong-hee had always doted on Seung-hyun. Even before their marriage, Yewon had moved into the house, and despite only being told once, Seung-hyun had always obediently called her “Mom” from the very beginning.
The fact that Yewon was his younger sister by blood — though much younger and never one to back down when arguing — was something Jong-hee rarely brought up.
Regardless, Seung-hyun had always been such an obedient son.
— “There’s someone I want to marry.”
That was until right before he brought Yewon, his secretary, into the house.
Jong-hee hadn’t liked Yewon from the start. Though polite, Yewon had always seemed cautious around her.
Jong-hee had occasionally invited Yewon out for meals, as she had long been impressed by how diligently Yewon worked as Seung-hyun’s secretary.
But throughout that time, Yewon had never hinted at any romantic relationship with Seung-hyun.
“There’s something sly about her.”
No matter how closely Jong-hee scrutinized Yewon’s behavior, she couldn’t shake off that suspicion.
Especially yesterday…
Driven by curiosity, Jong-hee had crept near the door behind which Seung-hyun and Yewon had disappeared, pressing her ear against it.
Even though she, as the mother-in-law, was still clearly visible in the house…
— “Mmm…”
The sound of Yewon moaning instinctively sent shivers down Jong-hee’s spine.
“How shameless! Is she bold, or just empty-headed?”
Shocked, Jong-hee had fled the scene, and since then, she hadn’t been able to reach Seung-hyun.
“I hope he’s not blindly believing everything that girl says.”
Jong-hee worried about Seung-hyun’s softer side, which contrasted with his outward demeanor. She wanted to tell him that things weren’t as they seemed, but the constant voicemail message was driving her mad.
Today, she couldn’t even reach Park, Seung-hyun’s other secretary, which only added to her frustration.
---
Yewon returned home from the department store with her groceries.
When alone, she usually made do with quick, simple meals.
She couldn’t even remember the last time she had put effort into cooking a proper meal.
A faint smile played on Yewon’s lips as she unpacked the fresh ingredients from the paper bags.
Despite the lingering image of Seung-hyun looking at her with disdain, the mere thought of sharing a meal with him filled her with excitement all day.
“You’re really naive, Kim Yewon.”
Chiding herself, Yewon organized the ingredients and placed them in the fridge.
She planned to start cooking just in time for Seung-hyun’s return.
With some free time on her hands, she began to wonder what to do next.
Suddenly, the image of Se-ah standing beside Seung-hyun the previous day flashed through her mind.
As much as she didn’t want to admit it, the two of them looked perfectly suited for each other, causing Yewon’s brows to furrow involuntarily.
— “Any news about a baby yet from Seung-hyun’s side? You two don’t seem particularly close. Is there a problem?”
Unlike Yewon, who always felt awkward and out of place at Seung-hyun’s family gatherings despite her best efforts, Se-ah had appeared completely natural standing by his side.
An unwelcome wave of insecurity began creeping in.
‘Stop it.’
Yewon shook her head vigorously, scolding herself inwardly.
She knew all too well that indulging in such negative emotions would only harm herself.
“This won’t do.”
Determined not to let her emotions get the better of her, Yewon resolved to keep herself busy.
Though it was a bit early to start cooking, Yewon took the ingredients she had just organized and placed back into the fridge.
By 6:50 p.m., the table was set with mouthwatering dishes.
There was glossy braised short ribs, perfectly grilled salted mackerel, an assortment of seasoned vegetables, and a hearty beef brisket soybean paste stew.
Her hands felt stiff from not cooking in so long, but the results were satisfying.
Still, a part of her couldn’t help but think:
“Maybe this looks too deliberate.”
She worried that Seung-hyun might see her as strange or overeager.
But it was too late now.
She couldn’t exactly throw away all the food she had prepared.
“Hoo…”
Yewon glanced at the clock.
It was exactly 7:00 p.m. on the dot.
At that moment, the doorbell rang.
“Ahem.”
Yewon cleared her throat and rose from her seat.
Trying to calm her pounding heart, she approached the front door.
“Are you here?”
Pretending to be nonchalant, she forced a wide smile as she opened the door.
“Good evening, Madam.”
Of course, she had assumed it would be Seung-hyun.
But standing outside wasn’t him—it was Secretary Park.
“Ah… Secretary Park.”
Confused by his unexpected visit, Yewon barely managed a proper greeting.
His presence alone meant one thing: Seung-hyun hadn’t come.
“The CEO had to urgently leave for Singapore last night due to work, but he got stranded because of a sudden downpour. He tried contacting you but couldn’t reach you, so he asked me to check on you at home.”
“Ah, I see. I don’t usually check my phone when I’m at home. Sorry to have bothered you with this unnecessary trip.”
Yewon bowed her head slightly.
“No need to apologize. As long as everything’s fine, that’s all that matters. I’ll be going now.”
“Um…”
“Yes?”
She wanted to ask if he’d like to stay and eat since he probably hadn’t had dinner yet.
“…Never mind. Please take care on your way home.”
But something about being alone with Secretary Park in the house didn’t feel right, so she changed her mind.
“Then please rest well, Madam.”
Thud.
The heavy sound of the door closing echoed behind Secretary Park’s retreating figure.
“Haa…”
Only then did she let out a deep sigh.
Yewon had secretly looked forward to sharing a meal with Seung-hyun and even went through the trouble of preparing everything herself.
She knew he often traveled abroad for urgent business lately, but why did it have to happen today?
For the first time, Yewon resented how busy Seung-hyun was.
More than anything, she felt pathetic for bringing this upon herself with unnecessary effort.
Why did I do this?
That thought kept swirling in her chest.
With sluggish steps, she dragged herself to the living room table and picked up her phone.
<Missed Call: 1
From Husband>
Seeing that notification made her mouth taste bitter.
— “He said he couldn’t reach you, so he asked me to check on you at home.”
Secretary Park had definitely said that.
But if Seung-hyun were truly concerned about her, he wouldn’t have settled for just one call.
At least, she knew she would’ve pressed the dial button countless times.
The house was filled with the tantalizing aroma of food, but at that moment, Yewon completely lost her appetite.
Pressing her teeth firmly against the soft flesh inside her cheek, she walked over to the dining table, picked up the plate of braised short ribs, and carried it toward the sink.
And without a second thought, she emptied the plate into the sink.
“Haa...”
As she stared at the discarded meat in the sink, it suddenly felt like a reflection of herself, and her eyes began to sting with unshed tears.
She hated how pathetic she was—playing the victim while knowingly inviting her own misery.
---
It was an unexpected downpour, one that hadn’t been forecasted.
The rain poured so heavily that nothing outside the window was visible anymore.
“Hoo...”
Seung-hyun’s chest felt tight.
He had briefly stopped by the construction site of a large highway project recently awarded in Singapore, just to check on things.
Since this wasn’t part of his official schedule, he had boarded the plane alone, without bringing his secretary along.
When he landed at the airport and noticed the overcast sky, he still didn’t think much of it.
But it didn’t take long for him to realize how naive that assumption had been.
As soon as he arrived at the site, heavy rain began pouring down so intensely that visibility was nearly zero, and Seung-hyun was quickly drenched to the bone.
—”CEO, it seems unlikely you’ll be able to return home today.”
—”I have an urgent schedule I must keep. Isn’t there any way?”
—”Unfortunately, no. The rain is too heavy, making it difficult to even see properly, let alone drive to the airport. Let me guide you to a nearby place for now.”
After hearing the local employee’s words, Seung-hyun asked them to wait a moment and then immediately called Yewon.
Tonight’s dinner had been his idea, after all.
Though he could’ve sent a text message, explaining the situation directly over the phone seemed more appropriate.
But Yewon didn’t answer.
Frowning slightly, he tried pressing the call button again—
Suddenly, a car sped past him from the side, splashing a large wave of water onto him.
Even though he had an umbrella, it was impossible to avoid the sudden deluge crashing over him like a wave.
Startled, Seung-hyun dropped his phone.
A sharp crack echoed as the screen shattered, and the device wouldn’t turn back on.
Looking helplessly at the broken phone in his hand, the employee quickly offered:
—”If there’s someone you urgently need to contact, feel free to use my phone.”
—”…No, it’s fine.”
His hand had instinctively reached out, but then he realized he didn’t remember Yewon’s number by heart.
Ironically, Park’s number came to mind clearly.
After borrowing the employee’s phone to send a text to Park asking him to check on Yewon, a deep sigh escaped Seung-hyun’s lips.
“Have I been too neglectful?”
For the first time, he reflected on their marriage—even though it was a contractual relationship, they were still technically husband and wife. If only he had shared a meal with her once in a while over the past two years, maybe things would’ve been different.
Perhaps if he had made that small effort, Jong-hee wouldn’t have felt the need to meddle so often in their lives.
Only now, after two years, did he begin to feel a pang of guilt toward Yewon.
---
Yewon had barely finished cleaning the kitchen when she headed straight to the bedroom.
She took a sleeping pill and lay down on the bed, but sleep wouldn’t come no matter how hard she tried.
Tossing and turning restlessly, she suddenly heard her phone vibrate.
“…!”
Her heart sank in an instant.
For some reason, she felt certain the caller was Seung-hyun.
Panicking, Yewon hastily checked the phone screen.
But it wasn’t the call she had hoped for.
“Who is it?”
An unfamiliar number.
Her hopes dashed, Yewon hesitated for a moment before finally answering.
“Yes?”
She kept her response curt, ready to hang up immediately if it turned out to be an unnecessary call.
But then, a very familiar voice came through the receiver.
—”Is that you, Yewon?”
Though it had been a long time since she’d last heard it, Yewon recognized the voice instantly.
It was Dong-jun, her uncle who had raised her after her parents passed away.
Yewon had grown up calling him “Father.”
“You must have dialed the wrong number...”
—”Yewon, it’s your father.”
This was the first call he had made since her marriage.
If she acknowledged him, he would surely dig into the details of the wealthy family she had married into and look for ways to squeeze money out of them.
Dong-jun had already become that kind of person to Yewon, so she assumed this was a misdial.
—”I heard you married into a rich family, my Yewon.”
At those words, goosebumps rose on Yewon’s skin.
If she hung up impulsively, something worse might happen.
“How did you find out I got married?”
—”The debt collectors told me. They said your husband paid off all that money in one go.”
“What are you talking about? Why would he pay off your debt? I’m the one who repaid it.”
It wasn’t a lie.
As soon as the contractual marriage was finalized, she had used the money Seung-hyun gave her to put out the most urgent fires.
That day, Seung-hyun had willingly accompanied her to warn the debt collectors not to bother her again—or else he wouldn’t stay silent.
Back then, just knowing she was legally under someone’s protection had been such a relief.
And until recently, even as Jong-hee’s behavior had worsened, Yewon had never once considered divorce. She had planned to simply ignore any contact from Dong-jun if he reached out again.
But now, things were different.
The possibility of divorce made her anxiety spike.
—”You know very well that it’s an amount you couldn’t repay even if you saved every breath you took. Are you lying to protect yourself from what I might do to Cha Seobang?”
The fact that he referred to Seung-hyun as “Cha Seobang” meant he had already thoroughly investigated Yewon’s background.
Fear washed over her, and her body trembled uncontrollably.
“What do you want from me?”
Her grip tightened around the phone.
—”What do I want? Naturally, I want you to live happily.”
It was a shameless response.
“If that’s what you want, stop contacting me. I won’t give you any more money, and if you come near me, I’ll report you to the police.”
—”What? Report me to the police? So now that you’re the daughter-in-law of Donghwa Construction, you’ve gotten full of yourself. Is that how you treat the man who raised you?”
Of course.
Dong-jun knew everything.
The moment the words “Donghwa Construction” left his lips, Yewon’s mind went blank.
She didn’t want to cause any more trouble for Seung-hyun, but Dong-jun was unpredictable, always prone to sudden actions.
Like a ticking time bomb.
—”A girl who doesn’t even know gratitude. If the bucket leaks at home, it’ll leak outside too.”
“That’s not something someone chased by debt collectors should say.”
Yewon didn’t back down.
From the start, he had only ever called her “my Yewon” while treating her worse than stray dog droppings on the street.
At first, she had thought he genuinely cared for her when he took her in without ulterior motives.
He had been the only one to shield her when other relatives accused her of being the child who “killed her parents.” Knowing how difficult that decision must have been, Yewon had tried her best to be good to him.
But after his business failed, Dong-jun revealed his true colors.
Not only did he take the money Yewon had painstakingly gathered without so much as a word of thanks, but he also subtly pressured her for more.
Feeling guilty about his worsening situation, Yewon eventually handed over even her late father’s life insurance payout—and that was when she realized the truth.
Dong-jun had feigned kindness all along, aiming to get his hands on her father’s life insurance money from the very beginning.
—”The older you get, the more you sound like your dead father. I’ll visit soon, so let’s have a meal together. I have something to say.”
“Yes, please do. But I clearly told you—I will report you to the police.”
—”No matter how much you struggle, you and I are family. No police will take your report seriously. That’s all I wanted to say.”
With that, Dong-jun abruptly hung up.
Despite all her efforts to escape him, nothing had changed.
Her belief that she had successfully fled had been nothing but an illusion.
“Huk...”
In that moment of realization, tears spilled uncontrollably from Yewon’s eyes.
She had been trying hard to ignore the disappointment of the canceled dinner with Seung-hyun.
But now, with Dong-jun suddenly reappearing, holding herself together became unbearable.
The large bedroom echoed only with Yewon’s sobs.
It felt as though she had been branded as someone who could never hope for love. The walls she had built to endure everything came crashing down.
It was one of those days where she wished she could vanish into dust, or simply die.
---
She hadn’t slept for more than a few hours.
When she opened her bleary eyes, the sky was painted a deep navy blue.
It seemed to be somewhere between dawn and morning.
“Ah, my head...”
Haunted by bad dreams all night, a headache hit her the moment she woke up.
Yewon pressed her hand to her forehead and leaned back against the headboard of the bed.
In the dream she didn’t want to remember, Seung-hyun and Se-ah appeared.
The setting was their college days, in the clubroom filled with memories... the two of them were inseparable.
---
Just as something seemed about to happen in the dream’s sultry atmosphere, Yewon ran away.
Though she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, imagination was often crueler than reality.
“Why am I having this kind of dream?”
Muttering to herself, Yewon got up and left the bedroom.
She felt like she needed to drink a glass of cold water to calm herself.
Dragging her body, which felt as heavy as wet cotton, she made her way to the kitchen and stood in front of the water purifier.
As she pressed the button and watched the mug fill with water, there was a sudden click, and a streak of light stretched across the floor.
“…!”
Startled by the unexpected presence, Yewon froze and turned toward the source of the sound.
There stood Seung-hyun, wearing only a bathrobe.
“Are you already awake?”
Though all the lights in the living room were off, making it hard to see clearly, Yewon instinctively turned her head away, feeling as if she shouldn’t look at him.
Her heart pounded so loudly it felt like it had moved to the side of her ear, echoing uncontrollably in her mind.
She had heard he was stranded in Singapore…
“How did you get here?”
The question slipped out before she could think, cutting straight to the point without preamble.
Yewon asked while still facing away from him, showing him the back of her head.
From behind her came a soft snicker, almost mocking.
“Is this a place I’m not allowed to come to?”
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
After all, this was his house too.
Yewon trailed off awkwardly.
Even after exchanging just a few words, tension coursed through her entire body.
She hadn’t done anything wrong, yet she couldn’t understand why she was reacting this way.
Trying to steady her racing heart, Yewon stood frozen.
‘What is this?’
She sensed movement behind her.
All her nerves bristled as she realized Seung-hyun had approached, standing unnervingly close.
He was clad only in a bathrobe, and Yewon wore a loose gown over her nightdress.
With so little clothing between them, even though their bodies weren’t touching, her lower abdomen tightened involuntarily.
It wasn’t as if they hadn’t been intimate before.
Every time his lips and hands had brushed against her skin, her body had responded vividly—and she remembered it all too well.
That made her even more acutely aware of him now.
Each second felt like an hour. Suddenly, Seung-hyun’s arm appeared on her right side.
Yewon froze, forgetting even to breathe, but his hand stopped at the water purifier button.
“Haa.”
The sound of water trickling into the cup filled the silence as Yewon stared at the droplets forming. Her ears burned, and the heat spread down to her neck.
“It’s early, but since you’re awake, can we talk for a moment?”
“Yes. I’ll be right back—I need to use the bathroom.”
Using that as an excuse, Yewon quickly escaped from Seung-hyun.
Once inside the bedroom, she closed the door behind her and finally felt like she could breathe again.
Leaning against the door, she steadied her breathing and changed into fresh underwear and clothes.
Until just moments ago, she had felt dazed, but now she was wide awake.
After washing her face in the ensuite bathroom, she sat at the vanity and began applying moisturizer to her skin.
The reflection staring back at her in the mirror looked lifeless, like a dying plant.
Yewon repeated to herself several times: no matter what, if Seung-hyun brought up divorce, she wouldn’t let her expression betray any hurt.
Please, just let this pass without incident.
With her resolve hardened, she stepped out into the living room. There, she saw Seung-hyun’s back, now dressed in a suit.
He sat in a chair, flipping through some densely written papers.
“Are you heading to work already?”
Yewon asked as she took a seat across from him.
It was barely 4 a.m., but it seemed Seung-hyun often left for work around this time.
No wonder it was rare to see him.
“Yeah. There are some things I didn’t finish organizing yesterday.”
“Ah, I see.”
A brief silence settled between them.
It was the kind of moment where alcohol might have eased the awkwardness.
“The thought of wanting to get pregnant—has that changed for you?”
Seung-hyun broke the heavy silence first.
Before answering, Yewon nodded and spoke.
“My feelings haven’t changed. But pregnancy isn’t something I can do alone. So I’ll follow your wishes.”
“I’m not the one who will carry the child—you are. If you tell me what you truly want, it would make things easier for me.”
After some deliberation, Yewon decided to be honest, at least in this moment.
“As I said before, I want to have a child.”
Hearing her resolute response, Seung-hyun picked up the bottle of mineral water in front of him, took a sip, and then pressed his lips firmly with the back of his hand.
“So... you really were a virgin when we first slept together?”
“Why do you ask? Does it bother you that I was inexperienced?”
Yewon hadn’t expected to say something like this, but given the importance of the matter, she thought it would be best to exchange clear opinions.
At her response, Seung-hyun let out a dry laugh.
“Burden, huh... I don’t know what you’re thinking, but if you were a virgin, I think it’s better that I know beforehand.”
“It’s not like knowing will change anything.”
“Why wouldn’t it? Even if it doesn’t for you, it does for me.”
It was the kind of statement Yewon didn’t want to delve into. She feared probing deeper might lead to hearing words that would only hurt her, so she stopped there.
“In exchange for having a child as you wish, there’s a condition.”
“What condition?”
“There will be no divorce in this marriage.”
“What?”
Surprised, Yewon asked for clarification, and Seung-hyun furrowed his brow.
“I don’t want our child, who will be born knowing nothing about us, to suffer even the slightest bit because of us.”
“...”
That was something Yewon had considered as well.
But it had been difficult to bring up the idea of continuing their marriage for the sake of the child while discussing the already challenging topic of pregnancy.
Yet, since Seung-hyun brought it up first, Yewon was taken aback.
“No matter how unhappy we may feel, this is a decision we made together. At the very least, we’ll have to pretend to be happy in front of the child, right?”
“I… agree with you on that.”
Only those who’ve experienced it can understand how terrifying and painful it is for a child to see their parents’ troubled faces.
No matter how harsh the words or how violent the actions, children instinctively try to follow their parents because, to them, parents are everything—they gave them life and were the first faces they ever saw.
Even if it’s a rotten lifeline, children hold on to it until the very end.
Not wanting to pass on her own wounds, Yewon agreed with his reasoning.
“And one more thing.”
Instead of responding, Yewon met Seung-hyun’s gaze.
“If someone comes into your life, don’t hide it from me. Feel free to meet them—I won’t stop you from that.”
“What? Didn’t you just say that no divorce was a condition of this marriage?”
Confused by the apparent contradiction, Yewon asked for clarification, and Seung-hyun narrowed his eyes slightly.
“I’m not talking about remarriage—just meeting someone. As long as the child doesn’t know, I’m willing to turn a blind eye to some dating.”
“...”
“I don’t want either of us to interfere in that part of each other’s lives.”
Which meant… Seung-hyun intended to see other women too.
Suddenly, the image of Seung-hyun with Se-ah flashed through Yewon’s mind.
She had always thought he was too busy working to have time for anything else, but that night, he had gotten into a car with Se-ah and driven off somewhere.
She could have bluntly asked, “Are you seeing Senior Se-ah?” but admitting that would mean confessing she had gone to the company entrance that night.
More than that, if Seung-hyun were to confirm it...
Yewon didn’t think she could handle the fallout, so she refrained from saying anything further.
“I don’t think we need to draw up another contract this time. However, I’ll continue to pay the agreed-upon amount every two years, so don’t worry about that.”
In every word Seung-hyun spoke, Yewon felt him clearly drawing a line between them.
Until recently, such an attitude had felt comfortable and burden-free for both of them.
But now, because of her unnecessary emotions surfacing, even things she hadn’t needed to be sensitive about had become delicate.
Ultimately, it was something Yewon had to bear.
“Anything else you want to say?”
After pondering his question for a moment, Yewon finally spoke.
“My father contacted me yesterday. I’ve been living deliberately avoiding people, yet... he somehow knows I married you.”
Since she had already explained her family situation when they first agreed to marry, no further explanation was necessary.
Without responding, Seung-hyun lifted his glass and drank the water, prompting Yewon to continue.
“I mentioned it to you because I’m worried he might cause trouble for you. Though it shouldn’t happen, if anything arises because of my father, I’ll take full responsibility.”
“So why did you live like that?”
“...What?”
Yewon’s eyes wavered uncertainly at Seung-hyun’s cryptic words.
“I told you from the start, didn’t I? No matter how much you tried to hide, I’d find you eventually.”
“...”
“So from now on, live however you want. Do whatever makes you happy.”
Yewon had braced herself for harsh criticism.
But instead, though blunt, Seung-hyun’s words were unmistakably advice meant for her benefit.
“How about drawing again?”
“Drawing...?”
The place where Seung-hyun and Yewon had first met during college was the art club.
It was a dream she had naturally abandoned after her family’s financial troubles worsened, and she hadn’t even picked up a pencil as a hobby since then.
She had completely forgotten about it, but at Seung-hyun’s words, her heart began to race.
“You might not know this, but once the baby is born, even if we hire live-in help, it’ll still be hard for you to find personal time.”
Yewon was astonished by how smoothly Seung-hyun spoke about such things.
She hadn’t expected him to consider these aspects at all.
Perhaps he had thought more deeply about having a child than she had.
“Don’t involve yourself in your father’s affairs anymore. I’ll handle it.”
“Seung-hyun... That’s a bit embarrassing...”
“You chose me because you needed a place to hide, didn’t you? Since I feel like I’ve only received help from you until now, I’ll repay you this time.”
In moments like these, Yewon was reminded once again that she and Seung-hyun were on the same boat.
Yewon felt both grateful and apologetic toward Seung-hyun for the way he so casually brushed off even the most troublesome matters.
“Seung-hyun, there’s something I really want to say.”
“What is it?”
“When I suggested having a baby, it wasn’t just a means to solve some problem.”
At that, Seung-hyun’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
“As you know, I grew up in an unstable family, right?”
“...Go on.”
Seung-hyun crossed one leg over the other and moved his lips as if weighing her words carefully.
His dark eyes, which had seemed devoid of emotion just moments ago, now flickered with interest.
“So, since I was young, I’ve always vaguely dreamed of getting married early and building a stable family.”
Seung-hyun pressed his lips into a thin line and stared at Yewon intently.
“But after entering into this contract marriage with you, I thought I’d given up on that dream. However, while accompanying your mother to the obstetrics clinic, that longing resurfaced stronger than ever.”
“You could have divorced me and found someone you truly love to build a proper family with. Why did you ask this of me instead?”
At his question, Yewon’s throat went dry.
Perhaps because he was her first love, everything about Seung-hyun had seemed perfect to her. But more than his appearance, it was the image of a father she had long imagined that aligned closely with him.
— “Ignore what others say and follow your own path. In your world, you’re the only one who matters.”
— “You draw so well, Yewon. This piece makes me think deeply. Thank you for such an amazing drawing. I’ll count on you for more in the future.”
It was his personality—how he effortlessly boosted others’ self-esteem with simple, unburdening words.
Though the warmth and kindness Seung-hyun showed during college days had diminished somewhat when they reunited at the company, he was still a principled and considerate person.
Because of this perception, Yewon had been able to bring up the topic of pregnancy with him.
But she couldn’t possibly tell him all of that outright.
“The background of this marriage... it seemed like a good environment to raise a child.”
Though she tried to phrase it vaguely, she immediately regretted how calculated it might have sounded.
“A good environment, you say. Are you referring specifically to finances?”
“Not solely, but it’s not something to ignore either. Alongside boundless love, providing an environment where a child can freely pursue their interests is important too.”
After Yewon’s explanation, Seung-hyun fell silent, his expression unreadable.
Though she was curious, Yewon didn’t press him for a response. Giving him time to think felt like the natural thing to do.
“The Kim Yewon I knew seems to be speaking honestly today.”
Yewon forced a strained smile.
Her attempt to clarify her intentions seemed to have only created another misunderstanding.
“When you first brought up pregnancy, I wondered if you were trying to use it as a way to tie me down.”
“I never had any such intention.”
“After hearing you out, I believe you. I thought maybe you were the one breaking our agreement to maintain a marriage without love.”
“...”
She couldn’t bring herself to respond to that.
How could she possibly confess that she had once liked him so much it felt like a fever, or that those feelings still lingered now?
Instead, Yewon busied herself by fidgeting with the handle of her glass.
“Since we’re on the same page about preparing for pregnancy, I’m glad. It seems we make quite a compatible pair.”
The more satisfied Seung-hyun appeared, the stiffer Yewon’s expression became.
Determined to never let him discover her lingering feelings, she resolved to bury them deep inside as quickly as possible.
“Since we’re preparing for pregnancy, I plan to get tested as well.”
“What kind of test?”
“A fertility test. It’s better to be thorough about these things.”
Yewon was surprised and touched by how proactive Seung-hyun was being.
“Then I’ll get tested too.”
Seung-hyun tilted his head quizzically at her response.
“Why bother? If I get tested, that should suffice.”
Yewon hesitated before speaking in a quieter voice.
“To be honest, I’ve never had a proper test before.”
“What? Didn’t you say you went to a fertility center with Mother?”
Seung-hyun looked certain he must have misunderstood something.
Yewon debated how much more honesty she owed him. Revealing that Jong-hee had secretly planned contraceptive procedures would feel like deliberately driving a wedge between mother and son.
In the end, Yewon decided against mentioning that part.
“In reality, the testing process differs depending on whether a woman has had sexual intercourse.”
Seung-hyun tilted his head and listened carefully to her explanation.
“So... I’ve just been pretending to get tested. I could have lied, but it felt strange that Mother kept taking me to clinics outside of Donghwa Construction’s designated hospital.”
Worried she might come across as though she had deceived Jong-hee entirely, Yewon added the last part.
Though unplanned, it was something she had found suspicious from the very first visit, so the explanation came naturally.
Seung-hyun slowly nodded, his chin resting on his hand.
“If I were in your position, I might have done the same. Then let’s go together for the tests. When would be a good time for you?”
“I’m free anytime, so I’ll adjust to your schedule.”
“Then let’s make an appointment for sometime next week and go.”
“Seung-hyun... um...”
Yewon hesitated, dragging out her words.
Watching her quietly, Seung-hyun seemed to catch on to what she was trying to say, his eyes widening slightly.
“Are you referring to the part where experience is needed for a proper test?”
“...Yes, that’s it.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Yewon’s neck flushed red.
“Clear your schedule for the weekend.”
It was clear what he meant by that: their first night together would be this weekend.
A dry swallow echoed in Yewon’s throat.
Though it was all her doing, fear gripped her so tightly that her mouth went completely dry.
“What’s your answer?”
“...Okay, I agree.”
This time, unlike before, she didn’t back down.
But her heart pounded so loudly that her vision blurred, and she quickly dropped her gaze.
“One more thing.”
“...”
“In front of Mother, speak up about what needs to be said. You don’t need to endure unnecessary unhappiness or trouble.”
“Thank you... I will.”
With her response, Yewon turned her head toward the window.
The sky was brightening, as if heralding a new beginning.
---
After finishing their conversation, Seung-hyun immediately left the house.
Opening the car door parked in the garage, he slid into the driver’s seat and exhaled deeply.
He thought resolving this matter with Yewon would bring him some peace of mind.
But why did this heavy, dirty feeling in his chest refuse to fade?
The situation felt suffocating.
“Things have gotten unnecessarily complicated.”
Could he really take someone’s first experience like this?
Yewon had spoken about it so calmly, appearing unfazed.
Why was it only him who couldn’t stop thinking about it?
Seung-hyun had never seriously considered having children.
But just as his marriage had been arranged according to his family’s wishes, he had anticipated being pressured someday to produce an heir under certain conditions.
Marriage itself hadn’t required much deliberation; he could manage his emotions well enough to decide without hesitation.
But having a child was a different story.
He needed more than just someone to fill the role of a wife—he needed a genuinely good partner.
Someone who could raise a child properly with him, even without love between them.
— “Let’s have a baby.”
That’s why Yewon’s words that day hadn’t sounded sweet to him at all.
Pregnancy wasn’t something to be taken lightly.
It had felt like she casually brought it up as a means to extend their marriage, which had irritated him.
But after today’s conversation with Yewon, he realized she hadn’t spoken those words lightly.
Since the Yewon he knew wasn’t the type to act carelessly, his doubts quickly dissipated.
“I wonder if I can even do this right.”
Seung-hyun chuckled bitterly to himself.
Despite being so shy she didn’t know what to do when he mentioned setting aside time for the weekend, she had boldly brought up the word “pregnancy.”
“It must mean she’s that desperate.”
Before his thoughts could spiral further, Seung-hyun shook his head to shake off thoughts of Yewon.
For some reason, thoughts of her kept trailing one after another like this.
At least now he was certain the situation wasn’t what he had feared.
Seung-hyun decided to stop overthinking it.
But suddenly, a comment Yewon had made earlier—something he hadn’t paid much attention to at the time—popped into his mind.
— “It also felt strange that Mother only took me to hospitals outside of Donghwa Construction’s designated ones.”
It was something she had added after saying she had never received a proper test during the two years they visited hospitals.
Why had she done that?
It seemed necessary to look into it further.
---
Perhaps because she had finally resolved things with Seung-hyun, Yewon woke up in bed feeling lighter.
“Oh my.”
Startled, Yewon sat up abruptly, leaning against the headboard.
It seemed to be the aftermath of not sleeping properly for days.
Thanks to finally getting deep sleep late into the afternoon, she felt refreshed.
Wrapping herself in a robe, Yewon headed straight to the kitchen.
She placed a cup under the espresso machine and leaned against the sink.
Her mind began replaying the conversation she’d had with Seung-hyun early that morning.
The more she thought about it, the deeper the frown lines etched into her forehead became.
— “Not remarriage, but feel free to date others. As long as the child doesn’t know, I can overlook some romance.”
— “...”
Seung-hyun’s words about not prying into each other’s private lives kept overlapping in her mind with the recurring image of Se-ah.
If only she hadn’t witnessed that scene, maybe these turbulent emotions wouldn’t have surfaced.
“They’re probably not in any special relationship...”
Lacking the courage to ask directly, Yewon tried to convince herself to let it go.
Still, she found it hard to believe that he would agree to a pregnancy plan if there were someone else in his life.
But no matter how much she tried to rationalize it, her unease persisted. Eventually, Yewon decided to go out for some fresh air.
After putting on makeup and choosing a nice outfit, even her cluttered thoughts seemed to clear up a little.
“Where should I go?”
She had prepared herself, but...
While pacing around the living room, her mind immediately turned to something sweet—cake.
It wasn’t as though she was dressed up for a date; going to a café alone just to eat cake felt a bit silly. But the thought of red velvet cake made her appetite return.
Before she knew it, her body had already started moving toward the door.
“Welcome... huh? Yewon?!”
As soon as she entered the café, Min-ho, the owner, greeted her warmly.
Of course, customers were always welcome, but she found comfort in being recognized and welcomed by someone.
“Owner, you’re here?”
“Yes. But didn’t you say last time that it would be your final visit? I thought I wouldn’t see you again.”
“Oh... did I say that?”
At the time, she had assumed Seung-hyun would bring up divorce.
Yewon forced an awkward smile.
“So I was really surprised to see you walk in today.”
“I’m not moving anymore.”
“Uh... Should I congratulate you?”
“Yes, you should.”
At Yewon’s response, Min-ho clapped his hands together with a cheerful “Clap, clap, clap!”
“Looks like today calls for a celebratory cake! The usual red velvet, right?”
“Yes, and...”
“A warm latte as well—I’ll get that ready for you.”
“Thank you.”
Thanks to Min-ho’s upbeat demeanor, Yewon managed a small smile.
After paying, she sat down at the same spot she had occupied just days ago.
“That day felt so hopeless...”
Though it was the same place, even the scenery outside the window seemed different now.
Back then, everything she looked at had appeared colorless and bleak.
Though their relationship was still devoid of love, Yewon resolved to focus on positive things—for her own sake.
“Here you go, Yewon. Enjoy!”
“Oh my, why are you bringing it yourself? I could’ve come to get it.”
Yewon turned her head toward Min-ho, who had approached while she was admiring the view.
He glanced around the café.
“You’re my only customer right now. There’s nothing else for me to do.”
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
Yewon took the wooden tray from him.
Just looking at the dessert made her mouth water as if she’d already taken a bite.
As soon as Min-ho returned to the counter, Yewon picked up her fork, cut a small piece of cake, and popped it into her mouth.
It was every bit as delightful as she remembered—a taste that made her hum happily without realizing it.
But when she took another bite, absurdly enough, Seung-hyun’s face came to mind.
“Really, me...”
She wanted to share this delightful experience with him.
It had been a long time since she’d felt the urge to share something she loved with someone she liked.
She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d felt such a fluttering emotion.
Perhaps... the last time had been with Seung-hyun too.
As she sipped her latte and replayed yesterday’s conversation in her mind:
—”How about drawing again?”
Seung-hyun’s suggestion resurfaced.
“Should I really try again?”
But almost immediately, Yewon shook her head.
It had been so long since she’d stopped drawing; her hands were probably stiff now.
Picking up a pencil again in such an uncertain state might only lead to more frustration.
No, no need for that. Not at all...
Belatedly deciding there was no point in dwelling on it, Yewon resolved to find something more fun to occupy her time.
“Yewon, here’s your takeout.”
“Thank you.”
“Enjoy it, and I hope to see you again soon.”
“Okay, see you later.”
---
Yewon, who had spent her afternoon leisurely at the café, exchanged farewells with Min-ho and stepped outside.
In her hand was a cake box.
In the end, she had purchased a cake for Seung-hyun as well.
She thought it would be nice to casually bring it out after dinner on the weekend—it wouldn’t seem strange, and it might even feel natural.
“It’s not like the cake has any special meaning. Why am I overthinking this?”
Yewon chuckled softly to herself as she descended the stairs.
Just as she was about to hop into a taxi and head home, she decided to stop by a bookstore to pick up a few books to read.
Upon arriving at the bookstore, she immediately headed to the section where her favorite essays and novels were displayed.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been here—there are so many new releases.”
As Yewon slowly browsed through the books, her hand suddenly froze in place.
There, amidst the shelves, was an art magazine.
It seemed someone had misplaced it, but... it caught her eye.
For a moment, she stood there, unable to move.
“This is pointless.”
Shaking off the distraction, Yewon grabbed the novels she had selected and hurried to the counter as if fleeing.
“Would you like a bag for these?”
“Yes, please.”
After completing her purchase, Yewon quickly exited the bookstore.
Walking briskly toward the taxi stand as if being chased, she suddenly stopped.
“Ah, the cake.”
She realized one of her hands felt empty.
In her distraction while picking out books, she had left the cake box behind.
“How careless of me.”
Muttering self-reproach under her breath, Yewon turned back toward the bookstore.
“Huh?”
But just then, she came face-to-face with a familiar figure.
“President, if you plan to attend the meeting with KN Group, we need to leave in 30 minutes.”
“Understood. I’ll prepare right away.”
As soon as Secretary Min-ji left the office after delivering her report, Seung-hyun leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes for a brief moment.
His face was heavy with exhaustion—he hadn’t slept at all since returning home late last night.
Work alone was overwhelming, and now there were countless other things demanding his attention.
“Hoo...”
Letting out a deep sigh, Seung-hyun rose from his seat and made his way from the office to the parking lot.
Upon spotting him, Secretary Park opened the rear door of the car and waited.
Once Seung-hyun settled into his seat, the door closed behind him.
“We’re departing now.”
“Yes.”
With a monotone voice, Seung-hyun pulled out his tablet to continue working during the ride.
Just as he was about to touch the screen with his index finger, he hesitated and looked up, catching sight of Secretary Park’s back.
“Do you have something to say?”
Quick to notice, Secretary Park spoke up.
Seung-hyun pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek before finally responding.
“I was wondering if Mother has contacted you since then.”
“No, she hasn’t.”
“If she makes another difficult request, please report it to me immediately.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
Secretary Park smiled warmly, the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly.
Seung-hyun felt a pang of guilt for causing unnecessary stress to someone who didn’t deserve it.
As those thoughts lingered...
—”She asked me to bring a pregnancy test kit and said to report the results.”
Suddenly, Yewon’s voice echoed in his ears.
Every time he recalled her words, he felt so guilty that he couldn’t meet her gaze.
A part of his decision to accept her proposal stemmed from that sense of guilt.
“Thursday evening, when I visit my parents’ house for dinner, I’ll inevitably run into Mother.”
This coming Thursday was Chairman Han-joo’s birthday—the grandfather who led Donghwa Group.
Though Seung-hyun had wanted to avoid situations where Yewon and Jong-hee would meet for the time being, he couldn’t come up with a plausible excuse.
“If I claim I’m too busy with work to make time, she’ll definitely insist that he visit alone.”
Above all, Seung-hyun himself hadn’t yet figured out how to face Jong-hee, which only darkened his expression further.
“Nothing is easy.”
Suppressing his frustration, Seung-hyun turned his gaze toward the car window.
The vehicle, which had been speeding down the road, gradually slowed to a stop as they hit a red light.
Overwhelmed by fatigue, Seung-hyun set aside his tablet and stared blankly out the window.
And then, a familiar face caught his eye.
It was Yewon.
Dressed in a pretty dress and coat, with makeup carefully applied, she looked exactly as she had before their marriage.
‘Why is she here at this time?’
After quitting her job, he remembered hearing that she deliberately avoided coming near the company.
‘Did she stop by the bookstore?’
Seeing the logo on the paper bag Yewon was holding, Seung-hyun made an educated guess.
He figured she must have had some errand to run and was about to look away when...
‘...?’
Suddenly, a man appeared out of nowhere and stood face-to-face with Yewon, who had turned around.
He waved a box in his hand and smiled brightly.
For some reason, Seung-hyun immediately checked Yewon’s expression.
Though not as radiant as the man in front of her, she was smiling softly too.
“Huh? Owner!”
“I called you just a moment ago—how could you not turn around even once?”
“Did I… really?”
Yewon gently laughed, covering her mouth with her hand.
“I thought you might be in a hurry, so I came out after realizing I forgot something.”
“Thank you.”
Yewon accepted the cake box Min-ho handed over.
This was the first time she’d encountered him outside the café.
“To clear any misunderstanding, I didn’t follow you or anything. I also came out to buy some books for the café and happened to bump into you by chance.”
“No misunderstanding here. I don’t think like that.”
When Yewon waved her hands dismissively, Min-ho sighed in relief.
“Well, I’ll head back into the bookstore then. Take care on your way home.”
“Yes, see you again next time.”
After exchanging farewells, Yewon and Min-ho parted ways, turning their backs to each other.
Yewon quickly flagged down a taxi and headed straight home.
“Oh, Mother…”
Upon arriving home, Yewon spotted Jong-hee pacing near the entrance.
As soon as their eyes met, Jong-hee strode over with an unsettling glare.
“Did you change the door code?”
“Ah, yes. Seung-hyun…”
“What exactly did you tell my son? What did you do to make him avoid my calls like this?”
It seemed Jong-hee at least realized she had done something wrong.
Seung-hyun had expected her usual brazen denial, so this reaction was unexpected.
That said, it didn’t change his opinion of her.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“How dare you lie so shamelessly? Hey! Ever since that day, Seung-hyun has completely changed—what are you talking about?”
“There’s nothing I can do if you don’t believe me. I really haven’t done anything.”
Her repeated insistence only seemed to infuriate Jong-hee further.
Perhaps because she had resolved to end things after the last incident, Yewon found herself able to speak up more firmly in front of Jong-hee now.
In the past, she would bow her head guiltily over trivial matters, but now she tried not to.
Enduring silently wouldn’t set a good example for the child she hoped to bring into the world.
“How long are you going to keep an elder standing outside in this cold? At least offer me a cup of tea!”
Having seemingly run out of things to say about Seung-hyun, Jong-hee suddenly shifted tactics.
She seemed desperate to assert her dominance over Yewon.
“Come in.”
Yewon decided to accommodate her for now, fearing that acting too differently might raise unnecessary suspicion.
Since Jong-hee clearly didn’t want Yewon to get pregnant, Yewon didn’t want to reveal that they were preparing for a baby just yet.
If Jong-hee found out, she’d likely interfere even more—and might even pressure them into terminating the pregnancy. For now, staying low-key seemed like the best option.
“Every time I visit, I notice how lifeless this house feels. It’s so desolate and cold. A child would brighten it up instantly.”
“Brighten it up...?”
Yewon felt a chill run down her spine at Jong-hee’s words, which reduced a child to nothing more than a decorative object.
For years, she had wondered what kind of upbringing had made Seung-hyun so consistently proper and composed.
But now it seemed he had simply grown up well on his own.
The more time she spent with her mother-in-law, the more flaws she discovered in Jong-hee.
Meanwhile, Jong-hee rummaged through the fridge and pulled out a packet of herbal medicine.
“Just as I thought—you haven’t been taking care of yourself. Do you even want to get pregnant? Or…”
“Lately, I’ve been feeling unwell, so I avoided it on purpose. I’ve been nauseous and feeling heavy, like I have a fever.”
Yewon deliberately listed symptoms typical of early pregnancy.
While she had been intent on hiding everything until now, she was curious how Jong-hee would react if she truly believed Yewon was pregnant.
“What?”
Sure enough, Jong-hee’s face turned deathly pale.
“Go inside right now and take a test.”
“The last test kit I had was the one from before. I forgot to buy a new one.”
“What? What are you going to do if you’re actually pregnant!”
Finally, Jong-hee’s true intentions came into clear view.
Realizing she had spoken too hastily, Jong-hee quickly tried to backtrack.
“I-I mean, after waiting so long... Wouldn’t it be unfair to hear such good news even a little later?”
“I’ll wait until my period is due and then try again. I’ve heard that tests aren’t always accurate in the early stages anyway.”
Jong-hee said nothing, only grinding her lips together tightly.
Then, she suddenly turned her head toward Yewon.
“You know Thursday is Chairman Han-joo’s birthday, right?”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
“That day, come early and make some seaweed soup. If you’re the least capable among the daughters-in-law, at least put in the effort physically, right?”
Jong-hee didn’t hesitate to say things like this, even in a situation where Yewon might be pregnant—instead of advising her to rest at home during the early stages, she suggested Yewon “make up for it with physical effort.”
No matter how hard she tried, it seemed Jong-hee couldn’t hide her animosity toward Yewon.
Or perhaps... she never intended to hide it in the first place.
“Yes, I’ll do that.”
Last year, Jong-hee had deliberately called Yewon over to help prepare Chairman Han-joo’s birthday meal alongside the household staff.
It wasn’t as though Yewon had to handle everything herself—she just assisted the staff, so it wasn’t particularly burdensome.
Moreover, Han-joo, the chairman of Donghwa Group, was the only one among Seung-hyun’s family who treated Yewon kindly.
If only Jong-hee didn’t constantly provoke her like this, it would have been a pleasant occasion to attend.
“You really know your place, don’t you?”
“...Please sit down. I’ll bring you some tea.”
Not wanting to exchange any more words, Yewon turned to leave.
From behind her came a faint snicker.
“Never mind the tea. What more could we possibly talk about while sitting face-to-face?”
“That’s fine with me.”
It was what Yewon wanted too, so she nodded readily.
“At least tell me the new door code.”
“...Seung-hyun wouldn’t like that.”
“No matter what Seung-hyun says, are you really going to act this way too?”
“I’m sorry. I don’t want to fight with Seung-hyun. It’s better if you ask him directly.”
Yewon enunciated each word carefully, firmly conveying her stance.
Seeing Yewon’s changed demeanor—unlike her usual habit of reluctantly giving in when Jong-hee pushed—Jong-hee furrowed her brow.
Perhaps sensing something strange, Jong-hee glared but refrained from saying anything harsher.
“On Chairman Han-joo’s birthday, come to Seongbuk-dong early in the morning.”
“Yes, I understand.”
With that, Jong-hee left.
This was the first time Yewon had openly refused her request.
Though she had always fretted over potential consequences, she managed to evade the question about the door code without incident.
One thing was certain: unlike before, watching Jong-hee walk away didn’t leave her feeling suffocated.
—”Even in front of Mother, speak your mind. You don’t need to endure unnecessary unhappiness or trouble.”
Seung-hyun probably had no idea how much strength that one casual remark had given Yewon.
---
As evening approached...
Yewon flipped through the final pages of the book she had been reading quickly.
Her life lacked change, so novels and essays filled with stories of human lives appealed to her.
It felt like temporarily stepping into someone else’s world.
“Interesting.”
Closing the book, Yewon stretched lazily after getting up from the bed.
Despite not doing much, her eyelids felt heavy with fatigue.
She decided to have a light dinner of salad and bread and turn in early tonight.
Just as she left the bedroom and headed toward the kitchen to prepare dinner—
“...?”
Seung-hyun was walking into the house.
It was the first time he had appeared at home at this hour, so Yewon thought she must be seeing things.
Convinced she couldn’t be mistaken, she blinked and looked again.
But it really was Seung-hyun.
“Seung-hyun...?”
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“It’s not that... What brings you here at this time?”
“There’s some work I need to handle in the study today, so I’ll be working from the library.”
“I see. Have you had dinner?”
“Not yet. What about you?”
“I was just about to eat.”
“Good timing. Sit down.”
“Huh?”
When Yewon raised her voice at the end of her sentence, Seung-hyun gave her an irritated look, as if her constant questioning was bothersome.
Seung-hyun walked over to the kitchen without a word and placed the paper bag he was carrying on the dining table.
“I heard this place makes good food, so I brought some takeout. Do you like sushi?”
“Yes... of course, I do.”
“Good.”
Yewon’s eyes widened momentarily before returning to their normal size.
Though it wasn’t intentional on Seung-hyun’s part, sushi happened to be Yewon’s favorite food.
As she approached him with confident steps, she saw him unpacking the sushi.
“I’ll handle it. Go wash up first.”
“No, I’ve got it.”
His firm rejection left Yewon feeling slightly awkward.
“What would you like to drink?”
“Water will be fine.”
“Okay.”
Thinking she could at least prepare the drinks, Yewon walked over to the water purifier.
She took out a cup, placed it underneath, and pressed the button to fill it. While waiting, she opened the fridge to grab her usual sparkling water.
“Here it is.”
Just as she grabbed the sparkling water and was about to close the fridge door—
She spotted the cake she had bought earlier for Seung-hyun.
She had been worried about leaving it in the fridge until the weekend and was planning to buy another one anyway.
“Luckily, we can have it today.”
With a faint smile, Yewon reached for the box.
---
Seung-hyun was busy unpacking the sushi and clearing the dining table when—
“Let’s eat this together.”
Yewon placed a dome-shaped paper box on the table.
Curious, he turned his head toward it—and his hand froze mid-motion.
“I like this café’s cake, so I bought it to eat tonight. Let’s share. I think you’ll like it too.”
“Ah.”
Recognizing what was in Yewon’s hand, Seung-hyun frowned.
It was unmistakably the same cake that man—whom he’d seen standing face-to-face with Yewon earlier—had handed to her.
While it was true that he had said she could date other men if she wanted, he hadn’t expected to confront this situation so soon.
‘Even so, did she really have to give me something another man bought for her?’
That was what bothered him.
It would have been better if she had just honestly said, “This is from a guy I’m seeing lately.”
Of course, Yewon didn’t know that Seung-hyun had witnessed the scene, so her actions were innocent enough.
“When we first agreed to marry, I specifically asked you not to lie to me. And now you’ve gone and ignored that.”
Feeling deceived by Yewon, Seung-hyun’s mood soured.
At the same time, however, he realized that Yewon couldn’t possibly be pursuing pregnancy while seeing someone else.
“If she were dating another man, would she really propose having a child as a condition for staying married to me?”
A tangle of emotions churned within him.
He couldn’t quite define what he was feeling—it was all too tangled to make sense of.
“Could it be... you don’t like cake?”
“No, sit down.”
When Yewon spoke again, Seung-hyun snapped out of his thoughts.
Realizing he had been lost in his own mind, he took a deep breath and adjusted his posture.
“That’s good.”
What exactly was “good,” he wondered.
To Seung-hyun, who was caught in a deep misunderstanding, Yewon’s words didn’t sound sweet at all.
“Let’s eat.”
“Sure, enjoy your meal.”
“You too.”
After that exchange, silence fell over the dining table.
They simply chewed and swallowed their respective portions of sushi without another word.
Seung-hyun set his chopsticks down and reached for his glass of water.
As he lifted the glass to his lips to take a sip, his gaze landed once again on the cake.
It wasn’t a whole cake—just two slices.
“A man who buys such a small cake for a woman he supposedly likes, or a woman who happily accepts it...”
Seung-hyun clicked his tongue inwardly as he swallowed the water.
Gulp, gulp, gulp.
Even then, his eyes refused to leave the cake.
“They must have known each other for a long time.”
Perhaps they were already so comfortable with each other that things like the state of the cake didn’t matter anymore.
Just as these thoughts began to spiral, Seung-hyun tightened his grip on the glass.
He realized he was wasting energy on pointless musings.
And naturally, his frustration redirected itself toward Yewon.
“Why does she keep irritating me like this?”
It wasn’t just today. Ever since their second-anniversary dinner, she had been doing this to him.
Annoyance surged within Seung-hyun, prompting him to loosen his tie.
With a sharp thud, he placed his glass back on the dining table. Startled, Yewon flinched and widened her eyes.
“You know Thursday is Grandfather’s birthday, right?”
Trying to hide his bubbling frustration from Yewon, Seung-hyun blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
He had already planned to bring this up before Thursday, so he continued the conversation naturally without hesitation.
“Yes, I know.”
“This time, don’t go alone. Wait at home, and we’ll leave together in the evening.”
“I was planning to go early since it’s been a while since I last saw Grandfather. I’ll head there first and wait for you after you finish work.”
At her response, Seung-hyun furrowed his brow.
“I understand your intentions, but going early will only mean spending more time with Mother. Wouldn’t that make things uncomfortable?”
Yewon hesitated before letting out an awkward laugh.
“It’s Grandfather’s birthday, so it’ll be fine.”
Seung-hyun knew well that Han-joo doted on Yewon.
So her willingness to endure discomfort for the occasion was clear.
Deciding not to interfere further, Seung-hyun slowly nodded.
“Alright. If anything uncomfortable happens, be sure to let me know.”
“Yes, I will.”
Though this was a routine conversation, Seung-hyun couldn’t shake off his unease.
It was because Yewon had always brushed off Jong-hee’s mistreatment with a simple “It’s fine,” despite everything she’d endured.
After some deliberation, Seung-hyun finally spoke again.
“That day, I’ll head to Seongbuk-dong as soon as I finish work.”
“Thank you.”
Yewon smiled faintly, cutting a small piece of cake and placing it in her mouth.
Watching her eat... somehow made him feel even worse.
The fact that those two measly slices of cake had occupied his thoughts all day felt strange and irritating.
Seung-hyun rolled his tongue along the inside of his cheek, then crossed his arms and leaned back against his chair.
“You remember what I asked you to keep when we first got married?”
“Hmm... You mean, not to lie?”
The smile that had spread across Yewon’s face vanished completely as she answered.
Her guilty expression said it all.
“Yes.”
“...Why are you bringing that up now?”
Each carefully spoken word grated on Seung-hyun’s nerves.
He glanced askance at Yewon sitting across from him.
Her refusal to be honest—even now—left a bitter taste in his mouth.
He had told her to feel free to date others if she wanted, yet here she was, deliberately hiding something.
“Just checking if you’d forgotten.”
“What could I possibly lie about...? Oh, is this about not writing another contract?”
“What? A contract?”
Seung-hyun’s thick eyebrows knitted together.
“If that’s what you’re worried about, I’m fine with signing one anytime, even now.”
“No, it’s not about that. I just wanted to remind you of my request. I’m glad you still remember.”
Though he had more to say, Seung-hyun decided to stop there.
After all, it would seem odd to suddenly bring this up after years of indifference, especially since he had only happened to see her by chance earlier.
‘Why does this bother me so much?’
Seung-hyun stuffed a piece of sushi into his mouth.
He wanted to sort through these feelings, but they remained stubbornly unresolved.
In the end, he barely finished half of the sushi he had brought home and rose from his seat.
Yewon seemed to sense something was off. With her cheeks puffed out from chewing, she looked up at him.
She resembled a squirrel nibbling on an acorn, and for a brief moment, Seung-hyun hesitated—but quickly regained his composure.
“I have urgent work to do, so I’ll get going.”
“But you should finish eating first...”
“I’ll probably be working late tonight. I might sleep in the study, so go ahead and rest.”
Stopping Yewon as she began to rise, Seung-hyun quickly tidied up the leftover sushi.
Cut off mid-sentence, Yewon stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do.
Knowing it was best to leave him be in such moments, Seung-hyun hurried his steps toward the study.
---
Thud.
After the study door closed behind him, the house was once again enveloped in its familiar silence.
Even the faint warmth that had lingered on the dining table moments ago had completely dissipated.
“Haa.”
Yewon let out a long sigh and collapsed back into her seat.
Had her excitement over Seung-hyun’s sudden appearance and shared dinner become a burden to him?
Reflecting on how she had impulsively brought out the cake and tried to casually strike up a conversation, Yewon sighed repeatedly.
“What did I do wrong?”
Until he had come home, Seung-hyun had seemed perfectly fine.
But during their meal together, his expression visibly darkened.
Having worked as his secretary, she knew he didn’t dislike cake.
But today...
“He didn’t even touch it.”
The cake had only been cut on Yewon’s side.
Come to think of it, he had suddenly brought up the topic of not lying.
“What could it be?”
Yewon rolled her eyes back and forth, trying to figure out what she might have missed.
Then, suddenly, her eyes widened.
“Could it be... that he noticed something?”
That suspicion crossed her mind.
Just moments ago, sitting across from Seung-hyun, eating sushi and cake together, Yewon had felt like a helium balloon—light and buoyant, as if floating off the ground.
This house, which had always felt devoid of warmth, seemed filled with joy simply because he was there. In her happiness, she had let her guard down.
She had convinced herself that she had locked away her feelings for him tightly... but now she wondered if he had somehow sensed them.
Anxious at the thought, Yewon bit her nails, narrowing her eyes.
The sushi and cake she had enjoyed so much suddenly felt heavy in her stomach.
“Ugh, my head hurts.”
It was unlikely, or at least she hoped it was.
No, it had to be nothing.
But once the thought took root, it was hard to shake off.
Especially since unrequited love always made one overly self-conscious.
Yewon couldn’t help but retreat into passivity.
“Haa.”
After staring at the firmly closed study door for a long while, Yewon sighed deeply and rose from her seat.
She hated herself for being unable to say anything to Seung-hyun, who always acted so one-sidedly.
Even on the day they had agreed to have dinner together, he had left abruptly, citing work, and hadn’t apologized once.
Now, watching him abandon their meal again, she couldn’t help but feel how little he seemed to value her presence.
These thoughts weighed heavily on her, leaving her feeling utterly miserable.
Realizing she wouldn’t be able to fall asleep sober, Yewon headed to the wine fridge.
She pulled out a bottle of wine and a glass, then made her way to the terrace.
It was going to be one of those nights where she needed the numbing comfort of alcohol.
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