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Seung-hyun gazed quietly at Yewon’s sleeping face, which looked as though she had fainted, before finally rising from the bed.
After finishing his shower and brewing a cup of coffee, Seung-hyun’s mind was flooded with swirling thoughts.
“Sigh.”
Last night’s embrace of Yewon had been somewhat impulsive.
The sight of her delicate body lying there with her back exposed stirred instincts he had been trying to suppress.
As he bit his lip in deep contemplation, he eventually reached out and grabbed Yewon’s chest.
He had planned to pull back immediately if she showed any displeasure, but instead, Yewon welcomed him as if she had been waiting for it.
The satisfaction that came from the sex they shared in the marital bedroom surpassed even his imagination.
It wasn’t just the act itself… but perhaps his feelings toward Yewon were in question.
‘I’m not losing my mind.’
Seung-hyun let out a hollow laugh and shook his head lightly.
Since this was a house where he could take Yewon into his arms whenever he wanted, it seemed he kept indulging in strange fantasies.
After finishing the rest of his coffee, Seung-hyun quickly left the house.
---
Not long after arriving at work, Secretary Park walked into the room.
Stopping in his tracks, Secretary Park slightly bowed his head.
“As you suspected, we’ve found evidence suggesting that unethical favors and bribes were involved in the process of a new company entering the duty-free market.”
Seung-hyun took the tablet PC handed to him by Secretary Park.
He had been in the middle of investigating why his uncle, Suk-joon’s family, had swallowed their pride and hurriedly returned to Korea.
At first, when they approached the duty-free business and were selected as new operators, everyone expected them to turn a profit quickly.
But strangely, things started falling apart on all sides once operations began.
Their return to Korea seemed suspicious, so upon closer inspection, sure enough, they had been engaging in corruption.
He couldn’t just sit idly by while they tarnished the reputation of Donghwa Group and destroyed its credibility.
To Seung-hyun, Chairman Han was not only his grandfather but also an entrepreneur he admired and respected deeply.
He was proud to be part of his lineage.
He couldn’t allow Chairman Han’s efforts to go to waste.
“So it was true.”
As Seung-hyun nodded, Secretary Park handed him a photograph.
“What is this?”
The photo showed Mijin sitting across from a middle-aged man.
“This person is apparently Madam’s maternal uncle,” Secretary Park explained.
“Are you referring to my wife?”
“Yes, exactly. He’s the one who raised her after her parents passed away.”
Frowning, Seung-hyun examined the photo closely.
Before their marriage, Yewon had mentioned cutting ties with her birth family.
She said they weren’t even worth acknowledging as family—no need for formal introductions or greetings.
Back then, Yewon had made one specific request:
“I’ll be fine, but if any of my relatives ever come looking for me, please ignore them. They’re beyond reason.”
Yewon had told him how they used to barge into her life uninvited when she lived alone, causing her endless trouble.
In exchange for agreeing to their contract marriage, she had asked only to hide behind him.
“It seems their failure in the duty-free business has put their position as successors in jeopardy, so they’re attempting to tarnish your personal life,” Secretary Park added.
Mijin must have thought that Yewon was Seung-hyun’s sole weakness.
This revelation caught Seung-hyun off guard, and he bit his lip, wearing a troubled expression.
“We’ve also confirmed evidence of financial transactions.”
“Ah, I see. Thank you for looking into it.”
“If we find anything else, I’ll report back.”
“Yes, sorry to ask, but please keep an eye on this matter.”
“Understood.”
Secretary Park gave a slight bow and exited the office.
“Sigh.”
Seung-hyun let out a long breath and rubbed his face dry.
It was impressive how Mijin had managed to dig up secrets even the rest of the family didn’t know about.
‘If Yewon were to find out…’
The thought naturally led him there, and Seung-hyun’s eyes widened momentarily.
In this situation, worrying about Yewon felt stranger than concern over damage to his own reputation.
‘Why am I acting like this?’
Though this change confused him, wanting to help someone in need was human nature.
When Yewon first spoke to him about her family issues, his immediate thought was pity.
Perhaps because he too had experienced a difficult upbringing, he empathized deeply.
With that realization, the tension in his heart eased.
Still, he would need to keep a close watch on Mijin’s actions moving forward.
---
Late in the morning, Yewon dragged herself out of bed and slowly made her way to the kitchen.
“Aah…”
Her entire body ached as if she’d been beaten.
It was the aftermath of last night’s endless intimacy with Seung-hyun.
“Madam, are you alright?”
Upon reaching the kitchen, Mrs. Choi looked at her with worried eyes.
Clearly, she thought Yewon wasn’t feeling well.
‘My body does ache, but…’
For reasons other than what Mrs. Choi assumed.
Embarrassed, Yewon’s cheeks flushed a deep red.
“You seem to have a fever.”
“Ah…”
Why did it feel like she had nothing to say?
Pretending to be sick seemed easier, so Yewon awkwardly nodded.
“I’ll make you some fresh abalone porridge. Go lie down.”
“No, really, it’s fine. Sometimes it’s better to stay on an empty stomach.”
“What are you talking about? You need something in your stomach to take medicine. Go rest and get some more sleep. Hurry.”
Feeling guilty for making Mrs. Choi go through the trouble with unnecessary lies, Yewon hesitated to leave.
“The CEO specifically called and asked me to take good care of you today.”
“He… did?”
---
Though it certainly wasn’t a lie, Yewon still couldn’t bring herself to believe it.
“Of course! He even sent fresh abalone himself. He groaned in pain all night and said that if you look pale when you wake up, I should definitely make you abalone porridge.”
Groaning in pain, indeed.
Yewon realized for the first time that those words could be interpreted in more than one way.
Still, she was secretly pleased that Seung-hyun had thought of her.
“Even if you can’t sleep, just lie down. Otherwise, I’ll get scolded by the CEO.”
“Alright.”
---
Watching Mrs. Choi nudge her along, Yewon smiled brightly.
Though she knew better than anyone that Seung-hyun’s feelings toward her were different from what he displayed, her heart still raced uncontrollably.
‘Yesterday too, and today as well… Am I really such a fool?’
Every time she read into his words and actions, she only ended up feeling miserable. Yet, stopping herself from doing so was easier said than done.
‘No matter how much this is for the sake of our contract, isn’t it worse to act so affectionately when you don’t even care? Isn’t that just leading someone on?’
By now, she even found herself blaming Seung-hyun.
As she stood there lost in thought, she suddenly remembered the art supplies Seung-hyun had personally bought for her at the art store yesterday.
Changing course from heading to the bedroom, Yewon made her way to the second-floor room designated as her studio.
Click.
With a racing heart, she turned the doorknob.
At the same moment, an exclamation escaped her lips.
“Wow.”
---
She had gone to bed after leaving the newly purchased supplies in their bags untouched, but now the art materials were neatly organized on one side.
The canvases and easel scheduled for delivery today had already arrived as well.
It looked exactly like the dream studio she had always imagined.
—’Because he likes you.’
Seung-hyun’s voice echoed in her ears once again, just as it had yesterday.
Her heart fluttered in the same way it had then.
Even after realizing what he liked about her, she hadn’t expected to feel this way.
“I think it’s time to stop this.”
Yewon squinted her eyes and muttered to herself.
If she didn’t put a stop to this soon, her feelings would grow uncontrollably.
She didn’t want to relive the feverish infatuation she’d experienced at twenty, so she needed to draw the line somewhere.
Back then, she could have simply run away, but now that wasn’t an option.
The desire to fully possess Seung-hyun through intimacy had vanished without a trace, leaving behind only deep loneliness.
Strangely, though, she felt no urge to end everything between them.
To be honest, even if it hurt, she wanted to stay by his side.
Even if it meant continuing to deceive herself and getting hurt in the process.
---
Jong-hee’s car pulled into the parking lot of an upscale traditional Korean restaurant.
Inside the elegant private dining room, Mijin was already waiting.
“Have you arrived, hyung-nim?”
This rare meeting wasn’t with someone Jong-hee was particularly eager to see.
He could have avoided it by claiming a prior engagement, but to him, Mijin was like a ticking time bomb.
It was better to tread carefully before she suddenly went “boom.”
“What did you call me here for? Can we get straight to the point? I have somewhere else to be right after this.”
He figured it was enough to humor her just enough to avoid irritating her.
“You need to eat, don’t you? Why are you in such a rush?”
Mijin clicked her tongue and poured water into her glass.
Jong-hee felt another surge of irritation at Mijin’s habit of needling people like this.
He desperately wanted to snap back at her, but since this was their first private meeting outside, he decided to hold his tongue.
There had to be a reason Mijin was acting this way, but… he couldn’t figure out what it was.
After taking a sip of water to wet her throat, Mijin tapped her fingers on the table.
“The other day, I ran into Seung-hyun and his secretary at the hospital.”
“What hospital?”
“The OB-GYN. Haven’t the kids told you about it?”
“Oh, that. Of course I heard about it.”
---
Her smug smile gave off the impression that she knew something.
Though Jong-hee hadn’t heard anything, he pretended to know to avoid looking uninformed.
“I see. So you’ll be seeing your grandchild soon.”
“That’s right.”
Had Yewon visited the OB-GYN with Seung-hyun to confirm her pregnancy?
He could have asked outright and confirmed it immediately, but unable to bring himself to do so, he felt a suffocating weight in his chest.
“Hyung-nim, which would you prefer—a grandson or granddaughter?”
“I don’t care either way.”
Jong-hee kept averting his gaze, uncomfortable with how Mijin was probing into the very thing he was most sensitive about.
Seeing this, Mijin burst out laughing.
“So you’re not indifferent after all, huh?”
“What?”
“Hyung-nim, I heard you dragged that secretary around to every hospital under the sun. Apparently, you even tried—and failed—to insert some kind of contraceptive device to prevent implantation.”
Jong-hee nearly dropped the glass he was holding.
He should have demanded, “Who’s spreading such horrifying rumors?” but missed the chance.
Instead, he swallowed hard.
“Where did you hear that?”
Mijin let out a small gasp of admiration.
“You’re admitting it right away? This is the first time I’ve ever liked you, hyung-nim!”
“Where did you hear that?! Answer me!”
---
Jong-hee’s voice cracked at the end.
The more agitated he became, the more Mijin’s face lit up with glee.
“You already know everything, hyung-nim. Why are you asking? I paid for the information and dug it up myself. Do you really think I’ll tell you my source?”
“...”
The shock was so overwhelming that his vision swayed, making him dizzy.
Jong-hee pressed a hand to his forehead.
“Still, isn’t it disgustingly vulgar to try inserting a contraceptive device into someone else’s body? How could anyone do something so... Ugh, never mind. Knowing you, it’s no surprise you managed to worm your way into that position.”
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
Jong-hee wanted to drink more water, but his hands were trembling so much that he couldn’t even attempt it.
If he tried to lift the glass, he was sure he’d spill all the water inside.
“I’ve always hated it when I can’t have something and my daughter-in-law ends up with it instead—whether it’s my son’s attention or having a child. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t want my daughter-in-law getting pregnant first either.”
“Enough with the beating around the bush. Just say what you want to say.”
Jong-hee’s jaw tightened with tension.
“Have you met the person who claims to be that secretary’s father?”
“Father? I thought her parents passed away when she was young?”
“Well, her biological parents are dead, yes. But I’m talking about the person who raised her.”
“The person who raised her?”
“Surely you didn’t know? Then again, that’s why you went ahead with the marriage, right?”
Already on edge from Mijin’s taunting smile, Jong-hee clenched the glass tightly and gulped down the water in large swallows.
No matter how much he drank, the thirst in his throat wouldn’t subside.
“That girl supposedly ‘ate up’ both of her parents, so she grew up under the care of her maternal uncle.”
“What?”
“But apparently, that guy is a complete gambling addict.”
“Tell me more. What do you mean by that?”
Jong-hee couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“They say he exploited her for money before her marriage. Now, though, because she’s hiding behind our Seung-hyun, it seems like he can’t get near her anymore.”
“What? Are you serious?”
Before the wedding, Jong-hee had done some background checks on Yewon.
Her parents were marked as deceased, so he hadn’t looked further into her upbringing. That had been a mistake.
He should have investigated more thoroughly, but his foolishness had led to Seung-hyun marrying into such an unsavory family.
“Yes, I’m serious! I met the guy myself. I gave him a little cash with the condition that he not tell anyone, and he was practically drooling as he spilled everything.”
Mijin’s detailed explanation left Jong-hee deeply unsettled.
The sight of Mijin sitting across from him, clearly reveling in his discomfort, irritated him further, but his priority was shaking off this filthy feeling.
“You’re unbelievable. It’s not like Seung-hyun is your biological son anyway. Why are you making such a face over one bad marriage decision?”
“Still, I raised Seung-hyun as if he were my own.”
“So what? At Father’s birthday last time, I saw Seung-hyun only defending that secretary. Nothing else mattered to him.”
Hearing Mijin confirm what he already suspected made Jong-hee’s blood boil.
All his anger directed itself toward Yewon.
If only Seung-hyun hadn’t married her, none of this would have happened.
Jong-hee clenched his fists tightly under the table.
“Hyung-nim, surely you’re not still thinking that Seung-hyun changed because of the marriage?”
“How could I not? Before the marriage, Seung-hyun was…”
“Oh, come on, hyung-nim. Were you always this naive? Trust the people you need to trust!”
Mijin’s shocked expression did nothing to sway Jong-hee, who shook his head firmly.
“Seung-hyun isn’t like that.”
During the time when Jong-hee was paying for his sins of adultery, Seung-hyun had been the only one to treat him like a human being.
Why he had done so, given that Jong-hee’s actions had driven his own mother to death, remained a mystery. But without Seung-hyun, Jong-hee might not even be alive today.
That was why Jong-hee had no choice but to stand by Seung-hyun, no matter how frustrated Mijin became.
“It’s simple—he was always like this. Marriage just gave him an excuse to show his true colors.”
Just as Jong-hee was about to rise and excuse himself, unable to bear listening any longer…
“Believe it or not, that’s your choice, and I’ll stop pushing. But why on earth did you let them get married in the first place?”
“It seemed like they both wanted it, so I figured forcing them apart would only make things worse. I misjudged the situation.”
“Didn’t the other family members say anything?”
“They trusted Seung-hyun’s judgment.”
“Tsk. So you all gathered a bunch of empty shells together, huh?”
Mijin slammed the table repeatedly, claiming that if she had been in Korea at the time of Seung-hyun and Yewon’s marriage, she would have stopped it.
“So you’re saying you want them divorced now, right?”
“Yes. That’s why I’ve been working behind the scenes. But you can’t just divorce them without a reason.”
“Hyung-nim, you’re far too relaxed when it comes to Seung-hyun’s affairs.”
Mijin shook her head disapprovingly as she continued.
“What if that secretary gets pregnant out of the blue? What then?”
“That won’t happen.”
“How can you be so sure? The fact that they went to the OB-GYN suggests they’re planning something. If they haven’t been using contraception, she might already be pregnant.”
“I’ve been going to their house and making her take pregnancy tests right in front of me.”
“It’s a good method, but… did you follow her into the bathroom? How do you know she didn’t tamper with the test—maybe used water instead of urine?”
“…!”
Mijin suddenly realized she should have thought of that earlier.
“That’s right. Didn’t she mention something about possibly being pregnant recently?”
Now that she thought about it, Yewon had been avoiding the tests lately, coming up with excuses to delay them.
Remembering this made Jong-hee’s vision blur with anxiety.
“If she’s pregnant, lure her somewhere under the pretense of giving her prenatal vitamins and perform an abortion. Problem solved.”
Mijin spoke these words casually, without a hint of remorse.
“Whether she’s pregnant or not, why don’t you focus on getting Seung-hyun remarried to someone proper?”
“But may I ask why you’re so invested in Seung-hyun’s marriage?”
“Well, if I want to properly face my late brother someday, I need to ensure Seung-hyun marries someone decent.”
“Is that all?”
“And also… I can’t stand the idea of that low-class woman’s blood mixing into the Donghwa Group.”
At first glance, it seemed like Mijin was targeting Yewon, but Jong-hee suspected that her words about “low-class blood” included him as well.
Still, he concluded that allying with Mijin was necessary to achieve Seung-hyun’s divorce.
Struggling alone wasn’t enough; he needed help from someone, anyone.
“To make the next marriage look natural, I’ve narrowed down a few candidates closely tied to Donghwa Construction.”
Thus began a covert operation, entirely without consulting the parties involved.
There would be no shortage of people willing to jump at the chance to become the daughter-in-law of Donghwa Group.
The three photos placed on the table showcased women of striking beauty.
Even at a glance, each of them seemed far superior to Yewon.
‘…?’
As Jong-hee scrutinized each photo carefully, his gaze froze on one particular face.
It was a face he recognized.
“I thought our hyung-nim had no eye for these things, but it seems you’re still alive and kicking.”
Mijin picked up the photo, noticing how Jong-hee’s gaze lingered on the third picture.
“Who is she?”
“Yoon Se-ah, head of the overseas legal team at Donghwa Construction.”
“What? Yoon Se-ah?”
The face seemed familiar, and sure enough, it was someone he knew.
He had thought about Se-ah occasionally, but he never imagined she’d be working with Seung-hyun.
“Do you know her?”
“Of course. She used to chase after Seung-hyun back in the day.”
“Really? Oh my! Then maybe sending Seung-hyun off into marriage won’t be as hard as we thought?”
Mijin clapped her hands dramatically.
Seung-hyun and Se-ah.
As Jong-hee pictured them together in his mind, they seemed to fit perfectly, like a painting.
‘People really do have their destined partners.’
Jong-hee’s face gradually brightened.
---
Seung-hyun was running on the treadmill at the fitness club.
He had hoped to clear his mind, but his focus quickly slipped away.
The image of Yewon leaving the art supply store with such excitement kept replaying in his mind.
—”I’m so happy.”
That radiant smile was the first time he’d seen such an expression from her since their marriage.
As Seung-hyun watched her, an unfamiliar desire to protect that joy surged within him.
Beep beep beep beep.
In the end, Seung-hyun slowed down the treadmill and stopped his workout.
After wiping the sweat from his forehead with a towel, he gulped down some bottled water.
‘Why do I keep doing this lately?’
Multiple times a day, thoughts of Yewon would flood his mind, accompanied by an inexplicable emotion.
A strange, unsettling feeling akin to unrequited love twisted his features.
“This doesn’t make sense.”
Seung-hyun clenched his teeth tightly.
Hadn’t he witnessed firsthand how love could destroy a person?
Eternal love didn’t exist.
Feelings that began in a fleeting moment were bound to change over time—it was only natural.
When they agreed to their contract marriage, they had firmly decided not to develop any emotions for each other, to avoid future conflicts.
But recently…
‘Kim Yewon keeps making me feel uneasy.’
Of course, this feeling might very well be love.
But Seung-hyun’s resolve didn’t waver.
No matter how brilliant love’s beginning, its end was always hell.
---
After Mrs. Choi left, Yewon immediately rushed upstairs to her studio.
With the canvas and easel now in place, the space looked quite impressive.
Still, having her own studio felt strange to Yewon. She stood by the door for a while before slowly stepping inside.
She then stood in front of the large canvas.
“Sigh.”
Taking a deep breath, she lightly ran her fingertips across the surface of the canvas.
For a moment, tears nearly spilled down her cheeks.
Biting her lip to hold them back, Yewon’s eyes glistened with unshed tears.
“I’m happy.”
Never in her life did she imagine she’d utter those words.
It felt like a dreamlike moment.
Though she hadn’t yet figured out what to fill the blank canvas with, she was thrilled just to have the environment to start painting again.
As she slowly moved her gaze around the studio, taking it all in—
“You’re here?”
At the sound of Seung-hyun’s voice behind her, Yewon turned around.
“Seung-hyun, you’re back?”
“Yeah.”
Caught looking overly excited, she awkwardly smiled at him, feeling a little embarrassed.
Scratching her head, Yewon finally spoke.
“Thank you. This might be the greatest gift I’ll never forget.”
“I’m glad you like it. As I’ve said before, I hope you’ll continue to be honest with me.”
Honesty, huh?
She didn’t understand why Se-ah’s face immediately came to mind when he said that.
Realizing she couldn’t let this pass without clarification, Yewon decided to seize the moment and ask.
“There’s something I want to clarify… Please don’t misunderstand.”
“What is it?”
Seung-hyun crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe.
Even though it was a casual pose, he looked like a model straight out of a photoshoot.
“Are you really not involved with Se-ah at all?”
At that question, Seung-hyun let out a short laugh.
“If I were involved with Yoon Se-ah, do you think I would have spent her birthday with you? That day, I was with you.”
“Ah...”
Even though there was clear evidence, she still couldn’t shake the unease in her heart for some reason.
“I don’t want to create a broken family like my aunt’s household. I told you before that we can each date others if we want, but I don’t need another woman.”
“Is that so?”
“You know all about my family history. To me, love is just a fleeting spark of emotion. I’ve never seen it end well.”
“...”
“I don’t want to stake my entire life on something as trivial as that. The reason I said I wouldn’t care if you dated someone else was entirely for your sake.”
Yewon hadn’t expected to hear something like this, and now she felt as though a heavy weight had settled in her chest.
Even after living together for two years, predicting Seung-hyun’s thoughts remained an impossible task.
“What’s with that disappointed look? Are you saying you’d prefer it if I dated someone else to make things easier for you?”
“That’s not what I meant. If you were seeing Se-ah... I just wanted to be careful about how I acted around you.”
Her hurried clarification left Seung-hyun silent.
Realizing she might have made things awkward, Yewon was trying to figure out what to do next when—
“Let’s wrap up this topic and talk about something else for a moment.”
He held up the envelope he had been carrying.
Seeing the name of the hospital where they had done their prenatal tests written on it, it seemed the results were finally here.
Seung-hyun and Yewon sat across from each other at the dining table on the first floor.
As Yewon watched Seung-hyun pull out the test results from the envelope, she swallowed hard.
She was afraid the report might say something was wrong with her body.
“We haven’t looked at it yet either. Here, take yours.”
“Okay.”
Taking a deep breath, Yewon carefully examined the results. Thankfully, everything was normal.
Relieved, she let out a sigh and looked at Seung-hyun.
“Judging by your expression, it seems neither of us has any issues that would prevent pregnancy. We’re both supposed to start taking folic acid and avoid alcohol and cigarettes from now on.”
“Got it. I’ll do that.”
She realized she’d have to completely cut out the occasional drinks she used to enjoy alone.
If she were to get pregnant without realizing it, drinking could cause problems, so she needed to be extra cautious.
Yewon decided she’d buy folic acid supplements starting tomorrow.
Just as she thought the conversation was wrapping up, another sheet of paper caught her eye.
It was held in Seung-hyun’s hand.
“These are the dates.”
“Huh?”
“The days when the chances of pregnancy are highest.”
“Ah.”
Looking at the dates written on the paper, Yewon wasn’t sure how to react and ended up wearing an awkward expression.
These dates indicated when they would have sex.
“Today’s included too.”
“Ah, really?”
Yewon’s eyes trembled as if they didn’t know where to settle.
Her body still ached from last night, when she had been with Seung-hyun multiple times.
If they repeated that tonight… she wondered if she’d even be able to function normally the next day.
Until yesterday, they had continued using contraception while waiting for the results.
A part of her regretted not getting the results sooner.
“If it’s inconvenient, we can push it to next month. Whatever you decide, I’ll prioritize your opinion, so feel free to speak up.”
“I…”
“Oh, and this is a gift from Hyo-jin. She said she’s too busy with her schedule to see you before leaving the country, so she asked me to pass it along.”
“Did Miss Hyo-jin come by?”
“Yeah. She stopped by a few days ago but already left. She probably forgot to contact you directly. Here, take it.”
Yewon accepted the cute shopping bag Seung-hyun handed her.
Curious, she opened the handles of the bag and saw a pair of baby shoes.
At first, she was surprised, but then she realized it was an early congratulatory gift for pregnancy.
“They’re adorable. Baby shoes are so tiny.”
With wonder in her eyes, Yewon took the baby shoes out of the bag.
They were barely longer than two fingers, and she found them irresistibly cute.
“She said it’s a gift to encourage the baby to stay with us when it sees we’ve already prepared its shoes.”
“How thoughtful of her. I should thank her later.”
Though she couldn’t use them immediately, the gift carried deep meaning, and she was grateful for it.
“Later. She’s probably asleep by now.”
Seung-hyun stopped Yewon as she reached for her phone, gently grabbing her wrist.
In that moment, their eyes met, and an indescribable tension passed between them.
She had once read in a magazine that couples who have been intimate before can become aroused just from the slightest touch.
As if proving that statement true, Seung-hyun’s Adam’s apple bobbed noticeably.
“Do you have more plans for tonight?”
“…No.”
At her answer, Seung-hyun let out a soft sound and pushed his chair back, standing up.
He strode over and cupped Yewon’s chin with his hand.
“Luckily, it seems I’m already aroused in time with your ovulation period.”
“...”
Her silence was a form of consent.
Noticing this, Seung-hyun slowly leaned his upper body toward her.
Stopping just before her lips, he smirked.
“You look most beautiful from this distance.”
Thump. Her heart dropped as Seung-hyun pressed his lips against hers.
From the start, his kiss was intense, his tongue moving roughly as if he intended to devour her. He slipped his hand under her thigh while she sat on the chair.
Her body floated momentarily in the air—
And then her hips landed on the dining table.
Seung-hyun briefly pulled his lips away and whispered,
“Tonight starts here.”
It was the beginning of the night.
---
“Ugh, this is so frustrating.”
Walking out of the bathroom, Se-ah irritably threw her towel onto the floor.
Every time she thought about Yewon chasing after Seung-hyun on the night of her birthday, her stomach churned with unease.
“That insignificant little girl.”
Heading to the fridge, Se-ah grabbed a can of beer and gulped it down in large swallows.
“Sigh.”
She had already drained half the can, but her thirst remained unquenched.
She had known for a while that Seung-hyun and Yewon were married.
Though bitter about it, she couldn’t keep pining for a man who was already married.
She had even deliberately dated other men casually, convincing herself that she had moved on from Seung-hyun.
But the moment she reunited with him through work, she realized her feelings hadn’t faded at all.
And seeing Seung-hyun and Yewon together only fueled her anger.
The thought that Yewon had taken her place made her seethe with resentment.
— “In the end, I’m glad I didn’t confess to Seung-hyun back in college like you told me to.”
— “If we had dated and broken up back then, I doubt we’d have ended up getting married.”
Se-ah nearly exploded with frustration as she recalled Yewon’s voice, laced with triumph.
Even now, it twisted her insides.
“Damn Seung-hyun. Why does he have such low standards? Both of them are driving me crazy.”
When alcohol wasn’t enough to improve her mood, shopping was always the answer.
Scraping her card on whatever caught her eye usually helped her blow off steam.
“Hmm.”
Checking the time on her watch, she realized the department stores were still open.
Figuring a trip outside might help clear her head, she started to get up—but froze mid-motion.
She suddenly remembered she had just drunk alcohol.
“Ugh, seriously. Why does nothing ever go right for me?”
Her irritated muttering was followed by a string of curses under her breath.
With no other choice, Se-ah decided to drink herself into oblivion and pass out. Grumpily grabbing her phone and the can of beer, she held them tightly in her hands.
At that exact moment, her phone vibrated.
“Who is it?”
Unknown numbers were usually ignored, but something about this call made her feel like she should pick up. She tapped the answer button.
“Yes?”
- Is this Se-ah’s phone?
The clipped response was followed by a familiar voice that seemed vaguely recognizable.
“Who is this?”
- It’s me, Seung-hyun’s mother.
“…Huh? Mother! It’s been so long!”
A beat too late, Se-ah finally processed the situation and jumped up in excitement.
Back in college, she had only met Jong-hee a few times, but she had tried hard to make a good impression because of her crush on Seung-hyun.
Jong-hee had been fond of her back then, leaving her with warm memories.
Receiving her call now felt like a lifeline, and Se-ah’s eyes sparkled with hope.
- Have you been doing well?
“I’ve been fine. How about you? Oh! By the way, I work in the overseas legal team at Donghwa Construction. Did Seung-hyun mention it?”
- Hmm, that boy is always so busy. I don’t even remember the last time I saw him.
Encouraged by Jong-hee’s friendly tone, Se-ah’s frown melted into a bright smile.
“True, Seung-hyun has been incredibly busy lately. But anyway, Mother, what’s the occasion for your call?”
She knew there had to be a reason for this sudden contact, especially at such a late hour.
Se-ah was curious about what Jong-hee would say next.
- Well, this isn’t something to discuss over the phone. If you’re free, I’d like to meet up. When would be convenient for you?
“I’m always free. At this age, all my friends are married, and since I’m not dating anyone, I don’t really have anyone to hang out with.”
Se-ah deliberately emphasized her single status.
- How about tomorrow evening?
“Sounds good. I’ll make the reservation. What do you like?”
The conversation flowed smoothly, and within five minutes, they had arranged to meet.
“Mother, thank you for reaching out. I was actually planning to visit you soon after wrapping up some work with Seung-hyun.”
It was a blatant lie, but it rolled off her tongue so naturally.
- Se-ah, you’re still as lovely in speech as you are in appearance.
“Thank you for saying so.”
Their cheerful exchange ended with meaningless compliments, leaving both sides satisfied.
After hanging up, Se-ah stared blankly at her phone.
“Something feels off about this.”
Her wide eyes narrowed, and a sly smile crept across her lips.
---
As expected, once Seung-hyun started something, he didn’t stop easily.
Yewon had been trapped in his arms all night and only got released around 5 a.m., as the dark sky began to lighten.
While Yewon was utterly exhausted, barely able to lift a finger, Seung-hyun looked perfectly fine.
— “I can’t do anything anymore.”
— “You still need to wash up, though.”
— “I just want to sleep. I can’t.”
After their final round of sex, Yewon weakly waved her hand at Seung-hyun.
But true to form, he scooped her up and carried her to the bathroom.
Claiming he’d wash her himself if she stayed still, Seung-hyun initially pretended to clean her body with soap.
But as he lathered foam between her thighs, he eventually tossed the shower puff aside and pressed his body against hers.
Yewon could barely stand, yet somehow, this encounter left her feeling more aroused than any of the previous ones.
The slippery foam only heightened the eroticism.
Clinging to the sink, Yewon trembled as Seung-hyun pulsed inside her.
Glancing up at their reflection in the mirror, she couldn’t look away from how seductive he looked.
After their final bout of sex disguised as a shower, Seung-hyun prepared to leave for work.
After spending the night together, Yewon couldn’t help but wonder why she was the only one completely drained of energy.
“Aah...”
A soft groan escaped her lips involuntarily.
Her lips, thoroughly kissed by Seung-hyun, were slightly swollen.
Placing a hand on her lower abdomen, Yewon took a moment to catch her breath.
Since they hadn’t used contraception in preparation for pregnancy... there was a chance she might already be pregnant.
The thought alone brought both an unfamiliar thrill and a wave of fear.
“Stop thinking about it.”
Deciding not to overthink things, Yewon tried to shift her focus elsewhere.
But at that moment, her shoulders twitched.
“What is this?”
It was because of the marks Seung-hyun had left all over her body.
She felt a pang of resentment toward him for leaving her in such a mess.
Thinking it best to at least put on some underwear, she swung her legs off the bed—only to freeze.
“Ah, it hurts too much.”
The searing pain made her collapse back onto the bed.
Realizing she wouldn’t be able to do anything just yet, Yewon decided to lie down a little longer.
Pulling the blanket up to her chin, she reached for her phone to check the time.
She had expected to have slept for a while, but never imagined it was already past 2 p.m.
“Ugh.”
A deep sigh escaped her lips.
Having slept late two days in a row, Yewon felt frustrated with herself, as if she’d become lazy.
Especially since Seung-hyun had gone to work after spending the night with her.
Perhaps staying cooped up at home had sapped her stamina.
But even if she ventured out, like last time, she’d probably just end up visiting a café or bookstore before returning home.
Maybe planning an outing for the weekend would be better.
“What do people usually do on weekends these days?”
As Yewon pondered, an idea suddenly sparked in her mind.
Quickly moving her fingers across her phone screen, she searched for “art exhibitions” on a portal site.
“Oh my. Is artist Lee Choong-hyun holding an exhibition right now?”
It was a casual search without much expectation.
But to her surprise, she discovered that one of her favorite artists was currently exhibiting at a nearby gallery.
Seung-hyun immediately came to mind.
However, she hesitated, feeling awkward about initiating a date since she’d never done so before.
“He probably won’t refuse...”
Though he might say he’s busy.
After a brief moment of deliberation, Yewon went ahead and booked two tickets for the exhibition.
Even if Seung-hyun declined, she could always go by herself.
Yewon finalized the reservation for tomorrow, Saturday.
While it would be wonderful to attend the exhibition of her favorite artist with Seung-hyun, she didn’t want to interfere with his schedule.
She decided to casually ask him about his plans for tomorrow when he returned home.
She didn’t want to burden him, but she still wanted to spend more time with him.
---
After finishing an external meeting, Seung-hyun was on his way back to the office late in the afternoon.
His eyes, which had briefly closed, suddenly snapped open.
“...!”
He had been reviewing financial team meeting materials on his tablet in the backseat of the car, but he couldn’t recall when he had fallen asleep.
His eyelids had felt heavy from lack of sleep, but he often pulled all-nighters for work, so he hadn’t thought much of it.
Still, it seemed that the physically demanding sex had taken a different toll on him.
“It’s all about mental strength, isn’t it?”
Clearing his throat, Seung-hyun picked up the tablet that had slipped onto the seat.
“We’ll be arriving at the office soon.”
“Alright, understood.”
Seung-hyun massaged his stiff neck, trying to fully wake himself up.
“I hope everything’s okay.”
Suddenly, Yewon came to mind.
He was worried about her.
She must have been utterly exhausted from accommodating his relentless advances throughout the night.
The last image of her collapsing into sleep like she had fainted lingered in his mind.
“I shouldn’t have pushed her so hard, even in the bathroom.”
Seung-hyun regretted losing control of his impulses the previous night.
He had promised himself to take things slowly this time so she wouldn’t feel startled or get hurt—but the moment he touched her soft skin, he had lost all sense of restraint.
He hated himself for it.
Chewing gently on the tender flesh inside his mouth, Seung-hyun pulled out his phone and held it in his hand.
Slowly, he began tapping the screen.
[Are you okay?]
[How’s your body feeling?]
[Let me know when you wake up...]
“Haa.”
Seung-hyun typed out various messages to Yewon but ended up not sending any of them, placing the phone back down instead.
It should have been simple enough to just ask how she was doing, but for some reason, it felt difficult.
It was strange.
“Sending a text isn’t supposed to be this hard.”
Just a few days ago, he had sent her a message telling her to get ready to go out.
Frowning, Seung-hyun reviewed the recent conversations he’d had with Yewon.
“Ah...”
Something he hadn’t noticed before became clear.
He realized he was still treating her much the same way he had when she was just his secretary.
Whenever he shared his schedule, her responses were always short and concise: “Got it.”
— “So please talk to your sister-in-law nicely. You’ll regret it later if you don’t.”
At the same time, his younger sister Hyo-jin’s words echoed in his mind.
He hadn’t realized it until now, but he could see clearly that he had been making Yewon feel lonely, just as Hyo-jin had warned.
Especially since texts were something visible, it hit him even harder.
“But... what does it mean to ‘talk nicely’?”
But when it came to actually putting his thoughts into action, it felt awkward.
He racked his brain, trying to figure out how to phrase things so Yewon wouldn’t feel uncomfortable, but it was harder than he expected.
If he had dated other women before, he might have handled this situation more easily. But Seung-hyun had never been in a proper romantic relationship—Yewon was his first.
And since their relationship was based on a contract, rather than a genuine romantic connection, it made things even more complicated.
“People say sudden changes can be deadly. I guess I’ll need to think about this slowly over time.”
In the end, Seung-hyun deleted all the messages he had drafted and brought up Mrs. Choi’s number on his screen.
As always, he decided to ask for her help.
---
After spending the afternoon alternating between the bedroom and the studio, Yewon realized she hadn’t eaten a single meal.
Thinking she should eat something, she headed downstairs to the first floor—and her eyes widened in surprise.
The kitchen was filled with the mouthwatering aroma of delicious food, and the dining table was laden with dishes from land, sea, and air.
“Mrs. Choi. What is all this?”
“I was just about to go upstairs and check on you. It’s good you’re awake.”
Mrs. Choi, who had been checking the seasoning of the bubbling pot on the induction stove, turned to look at Yewon.
It looked like a feast fit for royalty.
“It was the CEO’s special request.”
“Huh? Special... request?”
Mrs. Choi nodded.
“He heard you didn’t sleep well last night. He asked me to prepare some healthy meals for you and sent over plenty of good ingredients.”
“Ah... is that so?”
Yewon forced an awkward smile.
“I’m not sick or anything.”
Seung-hyun must have meant well, but as the recipient of this gesture, Yewon didn’t feel particularly pleased.
After everything they’d been through, couldn’t he at least ask if she was awake or feeling okay?
Offering health food without addressing the basics made it seem like he was only thinking about the child they might have someday, which left a sour taste in her mouth.
Still, it felt impolite to show her discomfort in front of Mrs. Choi, who had worked so hard to prepare the meal, so Yewon kept smiling.
“It’s still early for dinner, but you haven’t eaten anything all day. Shall I set the table for you now?”
“Yes, I was just coming down to eat something anyway.”
“Luckily, I’ve already prepared everything. Please sit down. I just need to transfer this to serving dishes.”
“Okay.”
Exhausted from both their activities in the early morning and skipping meals all day, Yewon took her seat.
Mrs. Choi brought over a clay pot filled with samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup).
Inside the milky broth, the chicken lay elegantly curled up.
“Drink the broth first.”
“Aren’t you eating too, Mrs. Choi?”
---
“I’m having dinner at home with my daughter tonight.”
“Ah, I see. There’s so much food here—it’s too much for me to eat alone. Would you like to take some home?”
Yewon glanced around the table as she spoke.
It seemed better to portion some out before starting.
But Mrs. Choi gently declined the offer.
From the looks of it, she had spent hours standing and cooking, so Yewon felt guilty about suggesting it.
“Don’t worry about me. Just enjoy your meal.”
“Alright.”
Hesitating for a moment, Yewon lifted a spoonful of the broth to her lips.
As the warm liquid slid down her throat, she let out a soft sigh.
“It’s delicious.”
“I’m glad you like it. Madam, would you prefer if I stayed here with you? Or would you rather I attended to something else?”
“Um… stay, please. I don’t really like eating alone.”
“Understood. Then I’ll keep you company.”
While it wasn’t entirely untrue, Yewon’s main reason for asking Mrs. Choi to stay was to give her a break after all her hard work in the kitchen.
Yewon picked at the tender chicken meat with her chopsticks and chewed thoughtfully.
As she ate, Seung-hyun came to mind—the one who had arranged for this meal.
“This is nice, but eating dinner together would have been better.”
Though she felt a bit guilty toward Mrs. Choi, Yewon couldn’t help but wish Seung-hyun were sitting across from her instead.
Her appetite waned slightly with this pang of regret, but she continued chewing and swallowing dutifully.
---
Se-ah headed straight to the Japanese restaurant where she was supposed to meet Jong-hee after work.
Despite rushing to get there as quickly as possible—
“Oh, Se-ah!”
“Mother! You haven’t changed a bit!”
Jong-hee had already arrived at the restaurant.
The fact that she had called out of the blue to arrange dinner the very next day—and had even arrived early—was telling.
Clearly, Jong-hee had something delicate to discuss.
“Is something going on with Seung-hyun?”
Still, Se-ah decided to stop overthinking and wait until they started talking during the meal.
As they exchanged small talk, the table quickly filled with delicious-looking dishes.
Though Seung-hyun had never formally introduced them, strangely enough, Se-ah and Jong-hee clicked effortlessly in conversation.
They acted as if they hadn’t seen each other in years.
However, the longer they talked about trivial matters, the more impatient Se-ah became.
“Why doesn’t she just get to the point?”
Outwardly, she laughed and chatted about old times, but inside, she was dying to know what Jong-hee wanted to say.
Unable to wait any longer, Se-ah finally spoke up.
“But seriously, why did you suddenly call me out like this?”
“What do you mean? I just suddenly thought of you.”
Ugh, why was she beating around the bush like this?
Se-ah clenched her teeth and gulped down cold water from her glass to calm herself.
“Anyway, you said you’re still single, right? Why haven’t you gotten married yet? With your looks and personality, men must be lining up for you.”
At that moment, Se-ah’s sharp gaze softened noticeably.
The sudden question could only mean one thing: it was definitely related to Seung-hyun’s marriage.
Though it might be jumping to conclusions, Se-ah decided to keep her options open and play along.
“Ever since I was young, I’ve always been more drawn to people I like rather than those who like me.”
“So, is there someone you like?”
“Huh? Well... sort of...”
Se-ah trailed off, carefully observing Jong-hee’s expression.
Though she wasn’t entirely sure, Se-ah decided to trust her instincts.
“I’ve already gotten married. So I’m trying to let go.”
It was an answer with Seung-hyun in mind.
She might come across as strange to Jong-hee, but if there was no chance of things working out with Seung-hyun, she didn’t see the point in trying too hard to make a good impression.
However, at that response, Jong-hee’s expression noticeably changed.
“Se-ah, could it be that the person you like…?”
“Yes, it’s Seung-hyun.”
It was a gamble.
There was a possibility she had misjudged the situation, so she quickly added more to her statement.
Still, she didn’t want to seem overly determined.
Se-ah feigned shock, hurriedly covering her mouth as if embarrassed by her own admission.
“Oh my, what am I saying? I’m so sorry, Mother. I shouldn’t be harboring these feelings for Seung-hyun when he’s happily married… You know how much I liked him since I was young.”
“...”
“But don’t worry—I’ve been managing my feelings while working. I won’t do anything inappropriate. Please forgive me, Mother. Just pretend you didn’t hear any of this.”
After a brief silence, Jong-hee, who had been absently smoothing her glass with her fingers, looked up at Se-ah.
“Se-ah, let me ask you one thing.”
“Yes, please go ahead.”
“...If Seung-hyun were to get divorced, would you still feel the same way about him?”
“What? Why? Is Seung-hyun getting divorced?”
When Se-ah’s voice rose sharply, Jong-hee waved her hands dismissively.
“No, no, it’s nothing like that… I’m just asking hypothetically. To be honest, I’ve always wanted a daughter-in-law like you.”
Ah, so she wants to replace her current daughter-in-law?
Se-ah worked hard to maintain her composure and hide her true intentions.
“To be honest, if you’re asking, I think I’d still feel the same way about Seung-hyun whether he’s married once or twice. It wouldn’t matter to me.”
“My goodness, do you really like our Seung-hyun that much?”
“Of course. Even if he has children from before… I’m confident I could raise them as if they were my own.”
Seizing the opportunity, Se-ah said things she didn’t truly mean.
Though she spoke those words in front of Jong-hee, the truth was, she had no intention of having children after marriage—especially not ones that would interfere with her lifestyle.
‘I wouldn’t even want to raise my own child, let alone someone else’s.’
She had seen many couples whose marriages turned into mere camaraderie after childbirth, their love replaced by something closer to friendship.
Se-ah had no desire to live such a life.
“Sigh, I wish Seung-hyun would come to his senses soon.”
“Why? What’s going on, Mother?”
Se-ah perked up, listening intently to Jong-hee’s words.
---
Thump, thump, thump.
Yewon lightly pounded her chest with her fist.
“Sigh.”
The samgyetang she had eaten for dinner felt heavy in her stomach.
She didn’t particularly like chicken to begin with, and forcing herself to eat when she had no appetite had clearly been a mistake.
Even after taking some digestive medicine following Mrs. Choi’s departure, the bloating hadn’t subsided.
She felt clammy, and something felt off.
“This isn’t good.”
Yewon decided to wrap up everything and go to bed early, hoping that a good night’s sleep would make her feel better.
---
Her vision was red, and her skin felt like it was burning.
From the moment the acrid smoke invaded her airways, coughing erupted uncontrollably, and drool streamed down her chin.
Her father, sitting in the driver’s seat, remained motionless, his face buried in the steering wheel.
Through tear-filled eyes, she saw his body pinned tightly in the car, blood pooling beneath him.
‘Dad! Dad!’
She tried desperately to call out to him, but no sound came from her throat.
Gradually, it became harder to breathe.
‘Help me!’
She screamed with all her might, hoping someone would hear, but again, no sound escaped her lips.
It was pure terror.
Her body felt bound by ropes, leaving her helpless as she watched her father take his last breaths.
‘I’m going to die too.’
Just as that thought crossed her mind, a loud explosion rang out.
Turning her head, she finally saw the arriving emergency vehicles and fire trucks.
‘Please save my dad!’
With all her strength, Yewon pounded on the window.
And then—
BOOM!
A massive flame surged forward, swallowing her whole.
---
“…!”
As always, the moment her body was consumed by the flames, her eyes snapped open.
“Hah, hah.”
Yewon gasped for air, struggling to steady her breathing.
Her entire body was drenched in sweat.
It was that dream again.
Ever since her father’s passing, whenever she felt unwell, this nightmare would haunt her.
In her dreams, she always wished she could somehow miraculously save him.
But cruelly, it never happened. The horrific accident scene simply repeated itself over and over.
Every time she woke from this dream, the same thought crossed her mind:
‘I should have followed Dad to the other side that day.’
She resented her parents for leaving her behind in this hellish world.
As she squeezed her eyes shut, preparing to wallow in her usual loneliness…
“Are you okay?”
At the same time, a familiar voice reached her ears.
It was Seung-hyun.
-To Be Continued in Volume 2-
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