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The Truth
“I’ll be heading back now. It was a pleasant time.”
After finishing dinner, Jae-hee stood up from the sofa in the living room, where she had been chatting intermittently with Chairman Cha’s family. She followed Kang-joo, who was preparing to leave.
Yeonghyeon gave a subtle nod, barely perceptible, while Chairman Cha smiled warmly.
“Both of you, be careful going home.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
It had already been a month since Jae-hee first visited Kang-joo’s house, or rather, the mansion. She had come here at least once a week, sometimes up to three times, making a concerted effort to make her presence known. On the surface, it was to build rapport, but inwardly, she was searching for any weaknesses of Chairman Cha.
Naturally, the task wasn’t easy. Chairman Cha’s position was far too strong, and it was difficult to figure out where to begin or how to dig into his weaknesses. But she thought that, if she kept getting closer, at least a clue might reveal itself.
Si-eun, who had been eating a tangerine, stood up as well.
“Since I’m leaving with oppa and Jae-hee, I’ll head out too. Mom, Dad, I’m going.”
“You’re eight years old, where are you going? You’re all grown up, yet still going out in danger.”
Chairman Cha scolded, and Si-eun shrugged her shoulders.
“I’m just going to buy something, I’ll be back soon. But Dad, can I take Manager Kwon with me today?”
“Manager Kwon? Why?”
“I want him to drive me and keep an eye on me. It’s a two-in-one kind of thing.”
Coincidentally, Manager Kwon had visited the mansion to deliver some documents to Chairman Cha, waiting for an opportunity to approach without disrupting their family time. Chairman Cha glanced over his shoulder, giving Manager Kwon a brief, uninterested look, before casually speaking.
“Take something else. He needs to come back early tomorrow.”
“……”
A cold silence spread across Si-eun and Jae-hee’s faces. The way Chairman Cha spoke, treating his employee like an object, left them speechless.
Si-eun, biting her lip in surprise, glanced at Manager Kwon’s expression from the corner of her eye.
A chill ran through Jae-hee’s chest. She stiffened, feeling as if her very core had frozen. To Chairman Cha, there was no difference between herself and Manager Kwon. He probably referred to her the same way elsewhere, calling her ‘that one’ too.
Every time this happened, she was reminded. There was something that kept her family and Kang-joo’s family forever apart, like oil and water—something that could never mix.
Breaking the awkward silence, Yeonghyeon casually interrupted.
“Si-eun, if you’re going, leave now. Come back soon.”
Then, with a smile, she turned to Manager Kwon and continued.
“Manager Kwon, hurry up and bring those documents over. Take good care of our Si-eun, and drive safely.”
Finally, the air began to shift again. Si-eun, with a slightly stiffened face, walked toward Manager Kwon. On the surface, it seemed like just another routine goodbye.
“Stop the car here.”
From the back seat, Si-eun spoke to Manager Kwon. Without a word, he stopped the car. Thud. Si-eun got out of the back seat and sat in the passenger seat next to Manager Kwon, placing her hand over his on the steering wheel. She lightly tapped his hand and teasingly spoke.
“Alright, let’s go. Start the car again.”
The car slid smoothly down the road. As Si-eun looked at Manager Kwon’s side profile, the light from the streetlamps flickering on and off, she cautiously brought up the earlier situation.
“...You were upset earlier, weren’t you? I’m sorry. My dad can be like that sometimes.”
“No, it’s fine. Were you worried about it?”
“Yeah, of course I was. I was worried you might have been upset.”
“I’m just happy being with Si-eun. I’ve forgotten all about it. So don’t hold onto it either.”
He smiled easily. In fact, his time spent with Chairman Cha was longer than his time with Si-eun. Chairman Cha’s rude remarks had long become a part of daily life. Of course, sometimes feelings of humiliation would rise up, but there was nothing to be done about it.
Si-eun kept her gaze forward, silently swallowing a sigh. She had called him out, hoping for a date, but in the process, she felt like she had unintentionally hurt him, and it bothered her.
Time passed steadily. Her relationship with Yeonghyeon hadn’t changed much. While Yeonghyeon didn’t show any rude behavior toward Jae-hee, she didn’t treat her kindly either. She remained consistently cold.
Of course, Jae-hee didn’t mind, smiling brightly as always. She found it easier to deal with Yeonghyeon, thinking of her as a business partner’s wife.
What had changed, however, was her relationship with Si-eun.
They had grown even closer than when they lived together in their school days. Being the same age made communication smooth, and now they often spent time having private conversations just the two of them.
Today was one of those days.
Jae-hee was sitting on the terrace with Si-eun, drinking coffee, when her phone started vibrating persistently. She pressed the call button, and Hyojeong’s voice came through.
“Sis, where are you?”
“I’m at Kang-joo’s house.”
“I’m meeting Mi-jeong tomorrow in Seoul. I’m going up tonight, so can I stay at Kang-joo oppa’s house?”
Jae-hee nodded and responded easily.
“Yeah, it’s fine. What time will you arrive?”
“I’ll arrive at 8 PM at the express bus terminal.”
“Got it, I’ll pick you up later.”
“Okay, I’ll call you when I get there!”
With Hyojeong’s energetic voice echoing, Jae-hee ended the call. Si-eun, who had been eyeing Jae-hee’s phone on the table, asked curiously.
“Is it Hyojeong?”
“Yeah, she’s coming up later.”
“I remember she was really small when we lived here… Wasn’t she in elementary school? She must’ve grown a lot by now, right?”
“She’s in college now.”
“What?”
Si-eun’s eyes widened in surprise. In her memory, Hyojeong had always been a little kid, and the fact that she was already in college seemed surprising to her.
“In college? Already? Oh my…” Si-eun muttered to herself, then snapped her fingers and looked at Jae-hee with a smile.
“Then, how about we bring Hyojeong with us for the lunch we’re having on Sunday?”
“Hyojeong?”
Jae-hee hesitated for a moment. Of course, introducing Hyojeong, now that she was getting married, seemed like the right thing to do. But… Yeonghyeon, Kang-joo’s mother, still didn’t seem to think much of her. She worried that if she brought her sister along, it might make things worse.
Hyojeong seemed like she wouldn’t be easily intimidated, but still… Jae-hee hated the idea of Hyojeong getting hurt because of her.
Noticing Jae-hee’s hesitation, Si-eun casually encouraged her.
“If we wait until the official meeting, Hyojeong might feel awkward in the atmosphere. I’ll tell Mom about it, so think it over.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
Jae-hee nodded reluctantly, and Si-eun smiled brightly and nodded back.
A peaceful breeze blew over the terrace. The two of them silently drank their coffee, but when Si-eun turned her head and spoke, Jae-hee met her gaze again.
“Jae-hee, do you know? I’m envious of you.”
“Me? Envious of me? Why?”
Jae-hee let out a small laugh and asked in return. No matter where she looked—forward, to the side, or behind her—there was nothing about Si-eun that could make her envious. Whether it was her background, her wealth, or anything else, Si-eun had always been a step ahead of her.
“You’re close with your brother, aren’t you?”
But at Si-eun’s words, Jae-hee stopped laughing and stared at her silently.
Jae-hee, too, could vaguely sense the wall between Si-eun and Kang-joo. It was a different kind of wall than the one between her and Kang-joo, though.
Even so, Jae-hee envied Si-eun. “You’re close with your brother,” Si-eun had said. After the contract ended, Jae-hee would simply become a stranger. But Si-eun, at least, shared blood with Kang-joo, so her relationship with him would never end.
“I’m not going to roll up my sleeves and persuade Mom for your marriage. But I like Jae-hee, so I’ll cheer for you. Hang in there.”
Si-eun spoke frankly. To Jae-hee, Si-eun always appeared dignified, confident, and refreshing. And Jae-hee really liked that about her. She felt much more at ease with Si-eun, who showed her true feelings without any pretensions, compared to people who tried to be mysterious.
“Thanks.”
“But Jae-hee,”
Si-eun called Jae-hee’s name and fell into a brief thought. Then she looked up and stared directly at Jae-hee again.
“Don’t misunderstand what I’m about to say, but you and your brother grew up in different environments, right? How did you find the courage to get married?”
“Hm... courage. I’ve never really thought of it like that.”
Jae-hee answered vaguely, awkwardly lifting the corner of her mouth. Courage? Honestly, that was more of a reckless move than courage.
“Were you ever scared? I already know you’re not a shallow person who just chased after my brother’s money, so that’s why I’m asking. Oh, sorry if that sounded rude.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Jae-hee chuckled lightly and gave a simple reply.
“It’s because it’s Kang-joo. I found the courage because it’s Kang-joo.”
A lie. Jae-hee scolded herself inwardly.
Si-eun was wrong. Not a single thing she said was true. Jae-hee was, more than anyone, a vile opportunist. She had intended to use Kang-joo and was deceiving everyone with a fake marriage to achieve her goal.
Suddenly, guilt surged inside her.
“When your brother asked you to marry him, did you readily feel like you wanted to do it?”
“…Yes.”
But this answer was the truth. She hadn’t hesitated for long when he proposed. As soon as Kang-joo reached out, she grabbed his hand and clung to him tightly. There had been the excuse of investigating Chairman Cha, but her desire to be with him was completely genuine. She wanted to stay by his side. She was afraid that if she rejected his hand, she would never be able to hold onto him again.
“Do you think that if there’s love, you can overcome everything?”
“Hm... I guess so. Don’t you think so?”
“And men? Do men think the same way? If you were a man, what would you think? Would you still want to get married?”
Jae-hee subtly tilted her head. What would I think if I were a man? She tried to figure out the intent behind Si-eun’s question by scanning her face, but there was nothing particular to be found. Only a vague thought formed.
Could it be that Si-eun had someone like Jae-hee by her side? A man who yearned for someone unattainable, perhaps?
...If so...
But it was all just a suspicion.
Jae-hee slowly responded to Si-eun, who was serious.
“Is there really a difference between a man and a woman? No matter what, I would have accepted it. Because we love each other.”
A self-mocking laugh trickled through her heart. Love, she thought. Kang-joo’s love probably didn’t even amount to one-tenth in this marriage.
The sedan drove down the road, its side brushing against the leaves of the trees. The sunlight streaming through the branches on this beautiful Sunday. Hyojeong sat in the backseat of Kang-joo’s car, staring at the two people in the front seat, worry in her voice as she asked.
“Oppa, is it really okay for me to go? Unnie, is it really okay for me to go?”
Kang-joo, noticing Hyojeong’s anxious expression through the rearview mirror, tried to reassure her.
“It’s fine, it’s just a meal. We’re going to a restaurant to eat something delicious. Think of it lightly.”
Behind Kang-joo’s gentle voice, Jae-hee also chimed in.
“If you’re too scared, you can come next time. Do you want to turn back today?”
“No, unnie! If I have to meet them anyway, I should do it today!”
Hyojeong muttered to herself and then slouched in her seat. Taking deep breaths, her clenched fists slowly turned white. Even though she was an adventurous twenty-year-old, it seemed impossible for her to remain calm when meeting the rich family of her unnie’s new husband.
Kang-joo, looking at Jae-hee, made a light joke.
“You can’t hide blood, can you? Jae-hee, you had that exact same expression the first time you went to dinner.”
“Me? Really?”
Was I like that? No way, was I really like that? Jae-hee asked in a slightly incredulous voice, and Kang-joo didn’t answer directly. He just smiled faintly, as if enjoying the memory.
After a while, Kang-joo’s car arrived at a high-end residential area. He opened the door for Jae-hee first, then opened the rear door for Hyojeong. Hyojeong, who popped out from the backseat, looked up at the large mansion and nodded to herself.
Don’t be scared. Don’t be scared. I can’t embarrass unnie, so I have to be confident. Don’t be scared.
It was a mansion she had seen since childhood, but today, it seemed to look like a cold, eerie castle.
“Welcome.”
The first to greet them was Si-eun. Standing next to a black stone statue near the entrance, Si-eun grabbed Hyojeong’s hand in surprise as soon as she saw her.
“Oh my! Hyojeong? You’ve grown so much! My goodness, do you remember me?”
Seeing the child she hadn’t met in so long, now an adult, Si-eun seemed genuinely amazed. Hyojeong, also surprised, smiled broadly at Si-eun.
“Hello! Yes, I remember you. You’re still as beautiful as ever.”
Si-eun, pleased by Hyojeong’s flattery, beamed and laughed.
“You’re even prettier than me!” she said, her voice full of warmth.
Before they could even introduce themselves, Jae-hee followed them inside. When Kang-joo’s voice was heard, saying he would be upstairs for a while, they nodded and continued inside.
Yeonghyeon wasn’t there. Though she didn’t particularly oppose Hyojeong’s visit, she avoided the situation due to her displeasure with it.
Chairman Cha, who had been sitting on the sofa, finally lowered the newspaper he had been reading. He hadn’t cared about the three of them entering, but now he pretended to take notice of the loud noise they made.
Hyojeong approached him, who sat confidently on the sofa like an emperor.
“Hello, Chairman Cha!”
She greeted him with a wide smile and a bow. Only then did the Chairman slowly turn his head. What a lowly thing. His gaze showed faint disdain, but he tried to pretend to be a kind older man and watched Hyojeong’s greeting.
But the Chairman’s calmness didn’t last long. As Hyojeong lifted her head and smiled brightly after bowing, his expression began to crack slowly. His eyes betrayed a sudden confusion.
Miryung…
The name that had been locked in his mouth whispered inside.
The Chairman couldn’t even respond to Hyojeong’s greeting. His words, which had been locked, struggled to come out, but retreated back inside.
His sinister eyes slowly scanned Hyojeong from head to toe.
Although Jae-hee resembled Miryeong to some extent, it wasn’t to the same degree as Hyojeong. The woman who had been locked away in the villa and given Miryeong’s name wasn’t like this. Chairman Cha’s Adam’s apple bobbed awkwardly. His face was filled with confusion.
“Father?”
Si-eun called out to him in surprise, and only then did Chairman Cha turn his gaze. He wet his dry lips with his tongue before suddenly rising and hurriedly walking toward the kitchen. If he wanted water, he could have just asked the maid, but instead, he rushed away.
Only Jae-hee, Hyojeong, and Si-eun were left in the living room.
Hyojeong blinked her eyes, following Chairman Cha’s retreating figure, and then gently tugged at Jae-hee’s arm, whispering quietly so that Si-eun couldn’t hear.
“Unnie, am I imagining things? That old man’s eyes were really… kind of creepy. Something really gross about them.”
Perhaps it was instinctive, as humans and beasts alike can sense danger. Hyojeong immediately recognized a strange greed in Chairman Cha’s gaze directed at her.
Jae-hee narrowed her eyes in a twisted expression. Chairman Cha had strangely eyed her mother Miryeong’s hands, and now he was looking at her own hands in a similarly unsettling way, and now he was eyeing Hyojeong like that. It made her angry.
Should she explain her suspicions about Chairman Cha to Hyojeong? She shook her head. It was enough for her to be troubled by it; she couldn’t make Hyojeong suffer too.
‘Come to think of it, Kang-joo really doesn’t resemble Chairman Cha at all.’
Not in appearance, nor in personality, was there anything that resembled Chairman Cha. Perhaps that’s why Chairman Cha had treated Kang-joo so terribly.
Jae-hee sank into the sofa, thinking about how little Kang-joo resembled Chairman Cha, and then suddenly recalled the reality she had almost completely forgotten.
‘If my mother really ended up like this because of Chairman Cha’s scheming...’
Then how should she view Kang-joo, who shared blood with the man who hurt her mother? How could she look at Kang-joo?
“...”
Jae-hee shut her eyes nervously. Her head hurt. She wanted to erase all the worries and concerns. Hadn’t Kang-joo said the same before? Not to worry ahead of time. Just stay focused on the present and live in the moment.
She truly wanted to do that. To close her eyes to everything, focus solely on uncovering Chairman Cha’s secrets, and live alongside Kang-joo. That was the only thing she intended to do.
To her surprise, mealtime was surprisingly pleasant. Chairman Cha, whose intense gaze had softened, now appeared like a friendly older man, and neither Jae-hee nor Hyojeong were the type to shrink back. They laughed cheerfully and exchanged conversations.
Hyojeong, biting into an apple, stood up from her seat.
“Unnie, I’m going to the bathroom.”
As the conversation continued softly behind her, Hyojeong walked toward the back of the living room.
“…Miryeong?”
But she soon stopped, looking around, unsure of where the bathroom was in such a large house. She couldn’t just open every door without politeness.
As she walked slowly, admiring the elegant decorations placed in each corner, she was relieved to finally find the bathroom.
After using the bathroom, Hyojeong walked down the long hallway. At the corner, she stopped again.
“It’s beautiful.”
There was an antique frame hanging on the pristine white wall. It was a common landscape painting, but the bright yellow and green leaves in the field grabbed her attention. Hyojeong stood still with her hands clasped behind her back, admiring the artwork as if she were in an art gallery.
As she gazed at the painting, someone silently approached from behind. The person had come so quietly that Hyojeong hadn’t even noticed. When she still didn’t notice, the voice spoke softly.
“You seem to like it.”
“Ah!”
Hyojeong jumped in surprise and took a step back, accidentally bumping her head against Chairman Cha’s shoulder.
Chairman Cha grabbed Hyojeong’s upper body and steadied her, taking hold of her arm.
“Be careful, you might fall.”
“Oh, yes!”
Hyojeong shuddered and shrugged off his touch, feeling disgusted. She didn’t like him. He was going to be her father-in-law if her unnie married, but why did he make her feel so uncomfortable?
Chairman Cha took a step closer.
“By any chance, do you hear people say that you resemble Miryeong… your mother a lot?”
“…I do, because I’m her daughter.”
“You really look like twins. It’s like Miryeong has come back.”
Hyojeong subtly moved her feet to avoid him. For some reason, the back of her neck felt cold, and the sensation was unpleasant. But soon, she was forced to stop when she reached a decorative shelf on the wall.
Why is this man getting so close?
Muttering to herself, Hyojeong decided to face him directly rather than let him approach from behind. She turned around to face him head-on.
The yellowish light above cast shadows on Chairman Cha’s face, which had a distorted shape. Hyojeong deliberately raised her gaze to meet his. Whether her method worked or not, Chairman Cha stopped approaching and stood still.
Hiding the unease in his eyes, Chairman Cha quietly asked,
“Isn’t there anything hard for you?”
“There’s nothing hard for me. It’s my sister who has it tough.”
Honestly, all I have to do is live. Eat, sleep, go to school.
I just make money and take care of myself. My sister does everything else. She’s like the warm breeze beneath my wings, helping me rise into the big world. My precious sister Jae-hee.
“Young people these days are said to want a lot of things… What about you, Hyojeong? Are you alright?”
His overly kind voice made Hyojeong feel goosebumps on her arms. She absentmindedly rubbed her skin.
“Well, I don’t really need anything. My sister buys everything for me.”
I don’t even need to buy my own stuff. She always buys me what I want, Hyojeong muttered under her breath.
“You’re in college now, right? Even if it’s not now, as you compare yourself to your friends, you’ll start to feel differently. You’ll start to want things. Everyone does.”
“Well, if there’s something I want, I’ll just get a part-time job.”
With an innocent answer, Hyojeong shrugged her shoulders.
Chairman Cha’s eyes began to glisten ominously. This girl before him resembled Miryeong in more ways than one. She was without greed, without desire, and did not know how to crave anything—just like the flower on the edge of a cliff.
After staring at Hyojeong for a while, Chairman Cha took a business card from his wallet. On the pristine white card, only two lines were written: the name of the Seonggang Group and a phone number.
Seeing that Hyojeong wasn’t immediately taking the card, Chairman Cha extended his hand deeper toward her. Only then did Hyojeong, with a dazed expression, take the business card.
Chairman Cha whispered lowly,
“You’ll surely start to want something. Whether it’s tomorrow or next year, if you want something, call me.”
Chairman Cha believed that he understood human nature very well. He had seen the ugly faces of people all too many times. He knew how innocent souls could fall, how pure white girls could become stained black.
He was someone who wielded control with wealth and power, a person who reigned over others by manipulating their greed and desires. Chairman Cha was convinced that he could control everything. And he was certain that the girl before him would be no different.
Even knowing that Miryeong, whom he had once known, had remained unshaken, and that Hyojeong resembled her so closely, he still wanted to believe it.
What Hyojeong was holding wasn’t a business card, but a dirty temptation.
“Well then, I’ll go first.”
Chairman Cha, as though he hadn’t cast a shadow over the place, turned and left. As Hyojeong followed his retreating figure with her eyes, she slowly looked down. The mysterious business card was still in her hand.
“…Hah.”
A sigh-like breath escaped her.
No matter how young she was, she understood everything. She understood what Chairman Cha’s sinister gaze meant. She understood the hidden meaning in the venomous words that coiled around her like a snake.
“…Isn’t he crazy? He must be out of his mind…”
A bitter laugh escaped from Hyojeong.
She had heard about it while messing around in the dorm. Sponsorship proposals. It was said that such things existed somewhere. Dirty proposals, she had overheard. It seemed that the business card she had just received symbolized exactly that.
“Is he really crazy?”
She couldn’t help muttering to herself, completely dumbfounded.
Right now, she was here as Jae-hee’s younger sister, in other words, as the daughter-in-law of Chairman Cha. And yet, at this place, in this situation, he was doing this? He must be insane, or out of his mind, or just not seeing anything clearly.
Was it the chairman’s status that protected him? Could he act this way, without facing any consequences, as if his position was unshakable? If he had lived his whole life like this, maybe no one had ever criticized him.
Who would have criticized him? His actions were the law itself, a law so vile and disgusting.
“As for me, I just don’t have to see him.”
For her, there would never be any reason to get involved with Chairman Cha. Even though he was her father-in-law, their worlds were completely different. Even if her sister married Kang-joo, it was unlikely they would meet often.
But her sister…
Her sister was not in the same situation. He was going to be her father-in-law. To think that someone like him would be her father-in-law. Something terrible might happen to her sister. Just remembering Chairman Cha’s persistent gaze made Hyojeong shudder.
“Is he doing this to my sister too?”
Anger flared up in her eyes, then quickly faded. Clutching the business card tightly, she walked toward the living room. As she turned the corner, she saw the family that seemed so happy together. Chairman Cha was smiling warmly, but even while smiling, he occasionally cast a sideways glance at Jae-hee.
From a distance, as an outsider observing them, his disgusting gaze was all too obvious.
“If he touches my sister, I won’t let it slide.”
It didn’t matter if Chairman Cha was Kang-joo’s father or Jae-hee’s father-in-law or the chairman of Seonggang Group. Nothing about him was frightening to a twenty-year-old. To Hyojeong, her sister was the most important.
Hyojeong narrowed her eyes as if lost in thought, then smiled. If Chairman Cha dared to pull such tricks on Jae-hee, I won’t forgive him.
Never.
Jae-hee looked at her cell phone as she descended in the elevator.
[I’m at the lobby café right now. Take your time.]
A text from Si-eun had just flashed on the screen. As soon as Jae-hee swiped her keycard and exited the elevator, she headed toward the café. She saw Si-eun sitting by the window, confidently sitting up straight and talking on the phone.
Jae-hee quietly approached so as not to disturb her conversation.
“…Yeah, I just wanted to see you for a bit later. The outdoor garden on the 4th floor? The one in the back, not the front? Yeah, okay.”
Si-eun’s voice sounded bright as she spoke with someone, laughing lightly. She swung her feet as she laughed, and after a final goodbye, she hung up.
“Okay, Gi-seok. Yeah, I got it.”
For a moment, Jae-hee tilted her head, feeling guilty for overhearing. She hadn’t meant to listen, but somehow she had. Moreover...
‘Gi-seok?’
Kwon Gi-seok. Wasn’t that the name of Chairman Cha’s personal secretary and bodyguard? It wasn’t a common name. And they were meeting at the 4th-floor garden. Something flashed in her mind, but Jae-hee quickly dismissed it.
Intentionally making a large gesture, Jae-hee sat next to Si-eun and greeted her brightly.
“Hello, Si-eun. Kang-joo’s too busy to come down.”
Si-eun had come here to meet Jae-hee after attending to something nearby. She had asked if Kang-joo could come along, but as usual, he couldn’t make it. He always had the excuse of being busy.
Jae-hee had been a little surprised when she saw Si-eun’s message about meeting Kang-joo. They were meeting in the public lobby of the building, after all. Si-eun, who didn’t care about others’ attention, was so similar to Kang-joo in that way that Jae-hee couldn’t help but smile. After all, you can’t hide blood ties, she thought.
“Kang-joo can’t come, huh? It’s always the same. He probably doesn’t want to meet me when I ask.”
Si-eun muttered, pretending to be upset. Her feeling of disappointment toward Kang-joo had become so familiar by now. It wasn’t even something worth dwelling on anymore.
“Kang-joo does have a cold side to him.”
“Does he do that to you too? Always smiling and saying ‘No,’ ‘I don’t have time,’ and just keeps saying the same things, shutting you out?”
In response to Si-eun’s complaints, Jae-hee smiled gently.
“To be honest, he doesn’t do that to me. Maybe he’s just like that with you because you’re family. For me, I’m easy with Hyojeong. I can easily turn her down. It’s common for people to be neglectful with those they’re close to.”
Jae-hee’s voice was soft and affectionate, and Si-eun’s heart melted a little in response.
Si-eun liked Jae-hee very much.
To be honest, Si-eun had been jealous of Jae-hee when they were younger, during their school days. After all, Jae-hee had managed to take the seat beside Kang-joo, a spot Si-eun couldn’t reach. Whenever they bumped into each other, Si-eun would purposely ignore her, casting a cold look.
But every time, Jae-hee would greet her with a calm face. “Hello, Si-eun,” and always with that same demeanor. It was then that Si-eun faintly realized: Jae-hee was someone different from her.
When her older brother had brought Jae-hee as his bride-to-be, and when they had reunited years later, Si-eun was already past the age of petty jealousy. Letting go of her preconceived notions, she began to see Jae-hee for who she really was. A person who was always gentle and flexible, yet upright. Si-eun really admired that about her.
“Jae-hee, you know? I haven’t lived long, but… after a certain point, you start to see things.”
“What do you mean?”
Si-eun looked at Jae-hee, who was sipping her drink through a straw. Jae-hee’s pure, kind eyes met her gaze. Si-eun now realized that, just by looking into someone’s eyes, she could tell their intentions. Whether they were coming for her background, her wealth, or whether they were just opportunists attracted by her.
“I don’t think it’s the case with you.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
Jae-hee tilted her head, asking. Si-eun just shrugged her shoulders.
After parting with Si-eun, Jae-hee sat on a secluded bench in the corner of the 4th-floor garden. It was the perfect spot where she could see the secret outdoor garden entrance, but her presence would remain hidden.
With a troubled expression, she stared at the iron gate, lost in thought. How much time had passed? Eventually, the door opened, and someone stepped out. It was Si-eun. She walked confidently toward the elevator and took it down.
Five minutes later, another person came out. It was Kwon, the loyal subordinate of Chairman Cha.
“…Ha.”
Jae-hee let out a sigh with an expression she couldn’t quite place.
Si-eun and Kwon. Their meetings must have been secretive in the beginning. But when a secret becomes a routine, there comes a moment when the boundaries weaken. Today was that day for them. The day their private meeting was accidentally overheard by an outsider, Yoon Jae-hee.
The scales in her mind tipped back and forth. Should she leave quietly and pretend she hadn’t seen anything, or should she get up and approach Kwon immediately? The wavering scale finally tipped and dropped with a thud to one side.
Mom.
She had to find out her mother’s secret.
Jae-hee stood up from her seat, her face bitter. She brushed off her wrinkled skirt and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes, the restlessness in her gaze had already calmed.
Kwon Gi-seok. The man who had an affair with Si-eun. The loyal right-hand man of Chairman Cha, who likely held the backup footage of the CCTV recording from her mother’s accident.
Jae-hee’s feet slowly touched the ground, then lifted as she walked. In just twenty steps, she was already close. She stood next to Kwon, who was heading to the elevator, and casually called out to him.
“Hello, Mr. Kwon.”
Kwon turned his head in surprise. After confirming it was Jae-hee, he gave a composed greeting.
“Hello, Jae-hee. It’s surprising to see you here. I guess you’re here to take a break?”
“Yes, well, a bit of both.”
Jae-hee looked directly at him.
Though he tried to remain calm, there was a flicker of tension in his eyes. What had he seen? No, it couldn’t be. Even if he had, what would he have realized? Thoughts like these briefly flashed through Kwon’s gaze.
Instead of hesitating, Jae-hee went straight to the point.
“I have something to say to you, Mr. Kwon. Let’s talk somewhere quiet.”
“Pardon? Something to say? What is it about?”
“It’s about Si-eun. And, well, a lot of other things.”
As soon as Si-eun’s name was mentioned, Kwon’s eyebrows twitched.
It was early summer. The bright green of the trees had fully bloomed above the city of Seoul, filled with buildings. The streets were lined with lush, green trees. Jae-hee looked down at the green road below as she asked calmly.
“Do you remember when my mom had the accident?”
Her voice was serene, with no sign of emotional turmoil.
When she lifted her gaze from the street below, she saw his eyes, furrowed in confusion.
“I remember, but…”
He still didn’t understand what this had to do with Si-eun. Kwon stared at Jae-hee with a puzzled expression. Jae-hee held his gaze.
All that appeared in Kwon’s eyes was confusion, with no other discernible emotion. If he had been covering something up or hiding it, there would have been a flicker of unease, but there was none.
‘It seems like Mr. Kwon doesn’t know.’
He appeared to have no connection to the accident. Jae-hee had briefly worried whether Chairman Cha had ordered the destruction of the files to cover it up, but it seemed like that was unnecessary paranoia.
Jae-hee decided to throw the bombshell outright.
“I know about your relationship with Si-eun.”
“…”
Kwon opened his mouth but hesitated, his eyes betraying a moment of panic. His expression showed that he didn’t know what to say, as if the words were stuck on the tip of his tongue.
After a pause, he masked his emotions and feigned indifference, trying to maintain a neutral expression. However, Jae-hee didn’t miss the tension in his throat and the subtle twitch in the corner of his eye.
It seemed Kwon had decided to deny it for now.
“What do you mean, my relationship with Si-eun? I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
“If you wanted to deny it, you should have been more careful.”
Jae-hee teased with a smile. But it wasn’t just a joke; both she and he knew that already. A heavy silence hung between them. After staring at Jae-hee for a long while, Kwon finally spoke with difficulty.
“I have no relationship with Si-eun. And even if we did, what does that have to do with you, Jae-hee? I’m not committing any crimes.”
“It’s not a crime to me, of course. But what about Chairman Cha? Is it a crime to him?”
“…”
Kwon subtly clenched his fist. It seemed he was about to argue but then stopped, unable to continue. He reopened his mouth and gritted his teeth tightly.
“If Chairman Cha finds out, it’ll be troublesome for both you and Si-eun.”
“…”
“You know better than anyone how much Chairman Cha cherishes Si-eun. And you know how people like us are treated by him.”
Cha Si-eun. Chairman Cha’s beloved only daughter. And Kwon, the man involved with her, who was also Chairman Cha’s security assistant. That was Kwon.
They were nothing. People who didn’t know their place, daring to do what they did. The contempt that Chairman Cha had for people like them—’the such-and-such people’—was precisely aimed at people like him. If Chairman Cha found out that someone like Kwon was involved with his daughter, how furious would he be?
“What are you trying to do now? Are you threatening me to get something out of me?”
Anger surged. No one is unaffected when they are stepped on or discarded. The wounds Kwon had received from Chairman Cha, which he had kept hidden, now resurfaced. He turned his sharp words like a blade toward Jae-hee.
“What did I do wrong? What did I do?! I… I’m just… Just make sure Si-eun doesn’t get hurt. If something happens, I won’t let you, Yoon Jae-hee, off the hook.”
His voice hissed with malice. The threat was raw and venomous.
Jae-hee casually sat down on a flower bed. Looking up at Kwon’s clenched jaw with a calm expression, she spoke.
“It’s unpleasant when you speak informally. Please show some respect. I haven’t said anything to Mr. Kwon yet. I’m just stating facts.”
In truth, she hadn’t said a word yet. She had merely sharpened her words toward Kwon alone, knowing he was the one with the sharp edges.
Suddenly, the realization hit him. As soon as he thought of Chairman Cha, his anger began to rise, but then he quickly grasped the reality of the situation. The person before him wasn’t just any Yoon Jae-hee. It was Cha Kang-joo’s lover, the heir to Seongang Group.
After a moment of silence, he muttered, looking embarrassed.
“…I’m sorry. I got carried away for a moment.”
“It’s okay. I understand. I probably wouldn’t have acted much differently.”
Jae-hee nodded nonchalantly. She had expected a sharp response, and she understood it completely. It was a natural reaction when facing someone who could harm a loved one.
The harshness in Kwon’s voice, his venomous glare, all settled down. Instead, he asked in a very calm tone.
“Then what exactly do you want from me, to bring up all of this?”
At that moment, Jae-hee stood up as if she had finally decided to have the conversation. She straightened her back and met his gaze with confidence.
Anger is a one-sided thing, it burns up by itself if there is nowhere to vent. Jae-hee had waited for Kwon’s smoldering frustration to subside, and now that his flame had calmed, she was ready to speak again.
“Don’t misunderstand. I’m not threatening you or trying to get anything from you. I don’t want to ruin Si-eun’s trust in me either. I just want to make a small proposal to you.”
Jae-hee didn’t want to betray or hurt Si-eun, the kind person who trusted her.
But like the deal she had made with Kang-joo, she wanted to strike a deal with Kwon as well. A deal where no one would get hurt, and only Chairman Cha would be brought down to ruin.
Kwon replied with a pale, stiffened face.
“A proposal? I’m just a bodyguard. There’s nothing that someone like you, who will become Mrs. Cha, would want from me.”
“What I want is really nothing at all. It’s something so trivial that you’ll be puzzled when you hear it.”
“What is it, then?”
Before answering, Jae-hee lowered her gaze for a moment to relax. She saw the stiff concrete beneath her. Her own body must be as stiff as that. If she touched it, it might crumble, it was so hard. Though she acted brave, the trembling inside her hadn’t stopped since earlier.
After gathering herself, Jae-hee slowly raised her head.
“Mr. Kwon, you manage the CCTV backup of Chairman Cha’s house, don’t you?”
Finally, she spoke.
Kwon narrowed his eyes and asked, puzzled.
“Yes, I do. But why?”
“There are CCTV cameras in the living room, the stairs, and the kitchen. Do you still have the footage from 20XX?”
“…Yes, I still have it.”
He nodded suspiciously. He had the CCTV backup, but he had never played it back. He merely stored the data, without any need for management.
It was really nothing of importance. It was just footage of people walking up the stairs or the view of the kitchen sink, places Chairman Cha’s family would never go near. The footage contained nothing more than the household staff and such, so it had to be handled carefully because it involved Chairman Cha’s family.
“It’s just footage that isn’t useful,” Kwon said.
“To me, that ‘useless’ footage is exactly what I need.”
“What are you trying to find?”
Jae-hee tried to maintain her calm, responding composedly.
“I’ll know once I see it. I just need to check.”
Kwon, staring at her in silence, shook his head firmly.
“If you say it’s nothing, then there’s no reason to give it to you. Even if you threaten to reveal my relationship with Si-eun, my mind won’t change. Leaking information, no matter how trivial, would be a betrayal.”
His reaction was understandable. It was clear the backup footage was nothing serious, but Kwon was a loyal assistant to Chairman Cha. The very act of passing over the data without the Chairman’s knowledge was a betrayal in itself.
Jae-hee wasn’t disappointed. She hadn’t intended to use the “I’ll expose your relationship with Si-eun” card as a weapon to manipulate Kwon. She never thought she could shake him with such a minor threat.
“Mr. Kwon, my father is dead, and my mother is sick. People say my family’s just unlucky.”
“…I know. But that’s not just bad luck, it’s…”
Kwon hesitated, seemingly trying to choose his next words carefully. It seemed he had the impulse to comfort her, but Jae-hee, looking at him, casually smiled.
“Isn’t it better to be with you than someone like me—an unlucky woman whose father is dead and whose mother is sick?”
“Excuse me? What do you mean by that…?”
“If you can’t use one hand, you use the other, right? But when both hands are hurt, you end up with your face in the rice bowl.”
Kwon’s face turned confused by Jae-hee’s cryptic words. He only listened intently, trying to understand their meaning.
“My situation right now is like cutting off one of Seongang’s arms. If I marry Kang-joo, the political marriage that comes with it will be a loss—because of someone like me.”
“…”
“But if you marry Si-eun… That would be cutting off both of Seongang’s arms. It’s like throwing away something you could easily have.”
“That’s…”
Seeing Kwon struggle to answer, Jae-hee calmly continued speaking.
Si-eun seems to seriously be considering marriage to you, Mr. Kwon. Unfortunately, as long as I’m here, that’s impossible. Even if I allowed my son to marry you, my daughter would never be allowed to. It’s only natural.”
Kwon managed a weak smile, bitterly understanding.
I too knew this all too well. Whenever Si-eun spoke about marriage, I would cut the topic off sharply, pretending I hadn’t heard. Every time, I would catch a glimpse of Si-eun’s hurt expression, but I would close my eyes and turn away. I had never thought it was a possible outcome.
But seeing Yoon Jae-hee in front of me now, I suddenly felt a sense of futility. It might have been possible—if only I had had the courage.
But while I hesitated, Yoon Jae-hee slipped in, and Kang-joo made the first move. The opportunity was lost forever.
“I know. I wouldn’t even dare to hope for it.”
He vaguely replied. Jae-hee’s words were true. Even if one of the two married someone like ‘Jae-hee,’ the other would never be allowed to. It was obvious that Chairman Cha, who would tolerate such a marriage for one son, would never accept it for Si-eun.
Jae-hee quietly observed Kwon’s expression. In that brief moment, a great deal of confusion passed through his face. Jae-hee threw a word toward the turmoil.
“I’ll step aside.”
The moment she said it, she felt a sharp emotional pain as if her heart was being ripped apart.
‘I’ll step aside.’ Even without declaring it so boldly, the end of her relationship with Kang-joo had been decided from the start. So, she might as well use it here to convince Kwon.
Kang-joo had said he would marry for freedom, but judging by the situation, it seemed he could gain his freedom before marriage. Even if the marriage were called off, Yeong-hyeon would never force Kang-joo into another marriage.
And what if she declared she wanted to marry someone like ‘Yoon Jae-hee’? It would just stir up trouble, and she’d rather let him be free than make a mess of things.
Her theatrical love play with Kang-joo would end once she dug into Chairman Cha’s corruption. Once Chairman Cha fell, Kang-joo’s freedom would be secured, and marriage would be nothing but an unnecessary contract for him. It was just a means to an end.
‘When we get what we want, we’ll cleanly finish it.’
Replaying his cold words in her mind, Jae-hee suppressed the rising emotions. What she wanted was his heart, and what he wanted was her body. There would never be a conflict between their goals.
In time, she would become unnecessary. Feeling pain over that fact would be a waste of emotions.
Ignoring the redness in her eyes, Jae-hee spoke nonchalantly.
“It’ll be two years at most. At the very least, before Kang-joo and I marry. I’ll make sure to step away from him. It will still be a tough marriage, but it’ll be easier than with me around.”
“Why… Jae-hee-ssi?”
Jae-hee gritted her teeth and, despite it being a lie, spoke as if it were the truth.
“I don’t love Kang-joo.”
There was a shift in Kwon’s gaze, a flicker of emotion. Jae-hee pressed on, sensing it.
“And Chairman Cha will never allow you to marry Si-eun.”
“…”
“If you truly want to marry Si-eun, you’ll have to turn Chairman Cha into a toothless tiger. That’s the only way.”
“What on earth are you saying?”
Jae-hee boldly placed a fabricated smile on her face.
“I’m planning to pull out Chairman Cha’s teeth. He seems like a really bad person, so I’m going to dig into what bad things he’s done. So, you need to help me.”
“….”
Kwon’s eyes widened in shock as if he couldn’t comprehend what she was saying. Confused, he only moved his lips in response to the bombshell words she had thrown at him.
Jae-hee continued, unfazed by the turmoil in Kwon’s expression.
“The start will be that CCTV footage. That’s enough for now.”
Frozen, Kwon looked her over. His face was rigid, but he took a deep breath, focusing. Jae-hee appeared calm and confident, though her inner turmoil was hidden beneath a composed and bold facade. She faced Kwon as if negotiating, with a daring expression.
Kwon spoke slowly, each word deliberate.
“Do you really think I won’t go to Chairman Cha and tell him?”
“Well, it can’t be helped. My luck will only go that far.”
“......”
“But, you won’t, will you?”
“......”
“You want to marry Si-eun, don’t you?”
The words were spoken confidently.
Kwon’s lips twitched. His suppressed anger toward Chairman Cha, his feelings for Si-eun, the temptation that Jae-hee was offering, marriage, opportunity—everything about the situation stirred his mind in a chaotic whirlwind.
Confused thoughts clouded his mind, but through the fog, something shiny and alluring seemed to glimmer, tempting him.
Kwon barely managed to ask.
“Then, why are you doing all of this?”
“For something precious to me.”
Jae-hee said firmly, as if speaking to herself.
For something precious to me. For my mother.
It was all just for that.
...And.
For a brief time, to dream a sweet and happy dream by Kang-joo’s side. That alone.
A few days later, Jae-hee received a phone call. She was sitting in her office, handling work, when she saw the name appear on her phone screen. Her shoulders stiffened.
It’s me, Jae-hee-ssi.
It was Kwon. His voice still held a faint hesitation, but his resolve was stronger, clearer.
I’ll give you the backup file.
Then, the heavy words came. Jae-hee stopped breathing.
And at that moment, Hyo-jeong was staring down at a business card with a thoughtful expression. It looked like just a simple piece of paper, but it shimmered strangely. A small piece of paper, yet the elegant characters on it seemed to carry an air of refinement.
010-41XX-XXXX.
Hyo-jeong traced her eyes over Chairman Cha’s number, hesitating, contemplating. She fiddled with her phone screen for a while, motionless.
However, when her touch lit up the screen, she flinched and curled her hand instinctively.
A photo appeared above the home screen. A picture with her older sister. Jae-hee, smiling brightly with her face pressed next to hers.
My sister. My precious sister. No one would dare hurt my sister.
Hyo-jeong carefully traced Jae-hee’s photo with her finger, then, as if making up her mind, bit her lip. At the very least, she needed to create a mine for her sister. Against Chairman Cha, that slimy, sinister man.
After a few taps, a tone sounded, and soon, Chairman Cha’s voice, muffled and low, came through.
This is Cha Byeong-jun.
“......”
...Who is this?
When Hyo-jeong didn’t answer, Chairman Cha asked for her identity. It was unusual for him to receive calls from unknown numbers, so he seemed puzzled.
Hyo-jeong summoned her courage and spoke up.
“It’s me, Chairman. Yoon Hyo-jeong.”
-……
A brief groan from Chairman Cha broke the silence. It sounded almost like admiration or a sigh, and he responded with difficulty.
Ah, Hyo-jeong. …It’s Hyo-jeong.
His voice, barely suppressing a mixture of pleasure and excitement, cracked. Hyo-jeong clenched her fist tightly, then relaxed it, speaking calmly as if unaffected.
“You told me to contact you if I needed anything, right? Well, I’ve got a need. A very big one.”
……
A moment of silence passed. As Hyo-jeong waited for his reaction and was about to call him again, Chairman Cha’s low chuckle cut through the deep stillness.
Yeah, Hyo-jeong. You thought this through. Good thinking.
Hyo-jeong responded softly, her voice dripping with cunning, “Yes, I think so too.”
Her fingertips trembled from the tension.
With a deep breath, Jae-hee inserted the USB into her laptop. It was the one she had received from Kwon. She already knew what was inside, yet her heart raced, and her breath became shallow, stirred by anticipation.
The small rectangular metal shape. As Kwon handed her the USB, he had spoken bitterly.
“I’ve never even looked at this. I didn’t even intend to. CCTV footage is common. But this one...”
“What’s inside?”
“...You’ll see for yourself.”
There was no hesitation in his eyes now. It seemed that after watching the CCTV footage, his resolve had solidified.
Jae-hee stopped reminiscing and opened the file. A black screen, unplayed, surged before her eyes.
Her mother’s accident had been quickly dismissed as a simple accident, according to Chairman Cha’s statement.
It was an event easily closed with his word, as no one would have dared investigate it further, especially with the person involved being the “housekeeper thief” who had tried to steal from a wealthy family. The case was swept under the rug effortlessly.
In fact, the police didn’t even know about the CCTV in Chairman Cha’s house. Even if they had known, it probably wouldn’t have made a difference.
Now, the truth lay before her. It could be the key to understanding what really happened that day. It could be something as mundane as a daily recording or something much more revealing.
Jae-hee pressed the play button.
Several years ago.
The mansion was empty. The grand house, devoid of warmth, felt desolate.
Mi-ryeong walked through the cold marble floor and entered the kitchen. She tied on an apron and rolled up her sleeves. Madam Yeong-hyeon was abroad as usual, Si-eun was traveling with friends, Kang-joo had left the house today for departure preparations, and Chairman Cha had a prior engagement, so he wouldn’t be home.
“It feels cold with no one here…”
Mi-ryeong mumbled to herself as she began preparing side dishes. Though Chairman Cha’s absence was certain, her first priority was to prepare dinner.
Chairman Cha was a fickle man. It wasn’t unusual for him to order dinner to be prepared near midnight. He had even returned from a trip and demanded snacks to be served at dawn. He always said that she should be prepared because he never knew when or how his mood might change. That was why Mi-ryeong was making side dishes in this empty house.
Humming a tune while washing rice, Mi-ryeong suddenly turned around. Of course, no one was there. Only an empty space met her gaze. For some reason, her nape felt cold, and she instinctively shrank her shoulders.
In the corner of the kitchen, a small table and bookshelf came into view. It was the spot where Chairman Cha used to sit and wait. Despite the large room outside the kitchen, he would sit there, as if monitoring everything.
Mi-ryeong had always cooked under his strange gaze. When she glanced sideways at the refrigerator, Chairman Cha would always be reading a book instead of looking at her, but when she turned her head back, it always felt like his gaze was following her.
It was an unpleasant sensation, but there was nothing she could do. He was the owner of the house and her employer.
After losing her husband and accumulating insurmountable debts, Mi-ryeong had become a person with poor credit. In such a situation, it was impossible for her to live a proper life with her two children, Jae-hee and Hyo-jeong. Even with two hours of sleep, it was hard to even make ends meet.
At that point, Mi-ryeong had humbled herself entirely for Jae-hee and Hyo-jeong. She had come to this house with Chairman Cha’s help, which she had always avoided.
‘I’ll do anything for my daughter. If it’s for my children, I don’t care if my pride gets trampled.’
Mi-ryeong nodded to herself as she discarded the murky rice wash water.
“I wonder if Jae-hee has returned from the academy…”
She paused while washing the clams. Looking up, the darkness had settled over the garden outside the kitchen window. For some reason, it felt especially oppressive today. Mi-ryeong poured the clams into a pot and closed the lid.
‘I wonder if Hyo-jeong is asleep?’
Thinking of the child who was alone, Mi-ryeong turned around when someone’s voice suddenly attached itself to her.
“How do you know what kind of food I like so well?”
“Ah!”
Startled, she dropped the lid, which clattered and landed in the sink. Mi-ryeong gasped and fumbled around the sink.
It was Chairman Cha who had approached without a sound. He had said he wouldn’t be home, but it seemed he had changed his mind and come back. She didn’t know when he had slipped in like a shadow, but he was now standing behind her, staring intently at the countertop. A faint smell of alcohol lingered in his breath.
“You’re here, Chairman. You said you wouldn’t come today…”
Mi-ryeong awkwardly stepped back to avoid him. Even though he usually only sat at the table, she didn’t understand why he had come so close this time. As the distance between them closed, an uncomfortable tension filled the air.
“If you’re preparing dinner even though you knew I wasn’t coming, I can tell that you’re always thinking of me, Mi-ryeong.”
“It’s my job,” Mi-ryeong replied, avoiding his gaze and reaching for the cupboard.
“You’re hungry, right? Should I prepare a meal?”
“No, I’m fine today.”
Mi-ryeong withdrew her hand from the plate she was about to take. Chairman Cha was still behind her. Her heart started to race a little.
A long time ago, when he was a young man, Chairman Cha had proposed to her. He had even come to the factory dormitory where she worked and tried to force himself on her. If it hadn’t been for her late husband, who was the young factory manager, something might have happened back then.
She thought she would never be involved with him again, but after her husband’s death, fate had cruelly twisted their paths again. He apologized for the past and begged for her forgiveness. As a gesture of remorse, he offered to forgive her debts and promised to take care of Jae-hee and Hyo-jeong’s education.
Mi-ryeong, for the sake of her two children, swallowed her pride and accepted his apology. She moved into the mansion he had provided and eventually became his housekeeper.
The unpleasant incident with Chairman Cha had long become a distant past. However, despite the passage of time, moments spent alone with him always felt like a continuous string of tension.
Mi-ryeong tried to escape the kitchen, avoiding Chairman Cha’s gaze.
“If you’re not going to eat, I’ll go back—”
“You know, Manager Yoo is so cold. A cruel woman. You know that, right, Mi-ryeong?”
“...”
“There’s no one who cares about me like you do.”
But just as Mi-ryeong was about to speak, Chairman Cha suddenly cut her off. She paused, unable to find the words. As a housekeeper, it was natural for her to prepare dinner, taking into account the chairman’s whims.
“I know now that this effort comes from your heart. I’m always grateful.”
After saying that, Chairman Cha stepped closer. Mi-ryeong jumped in surprise and shoved him forcefully, causing him to stagger back. Clearly, he hadn’t expected such a strong rejection, as a flicker of confusion and anger crossed his eyes.
Mi-ryeong was more shocked than he was. With her head lowered, she quickly blurted out an apology.
“I’m sorry, I was startled when you came too close.”
Before he could respond, Mi-ryeong hurriedly turned around and fled the kitchen, her hands trembling as she grabbed the doorframe. She just wanted to get away from the shadow that loomed behind her.
Behind her, Chairman Cha’s eyes followed her. His teeth clenched tightly. He dusted off his shoulder where she had pushed him and glared at her with malice in his eyes.
“Mi-ryeong!”
As Mi-ryeong hurriedly walked toward the front door, Chairman Cha’s shout pierced the air. She stopped, turning around. Chairman Cha’s face, now hardened, greeted her.
“You called, Chairman?”
When she responded with a tone of confusion, Chairman Cha gestured toward the second floor.
“Do you know we’re expecting guests in a few days?”
“I know.”
“Then why is the guest room on the second floor in such a state? I checked earlier, and it’s a mess.”
Chairman Cha clicked his tongue. Mi-ryeong hesitated. Cleaning wasn’t originally her responsibility. While she would occasionally wipe down surfaces or tidy up the bedding when necessary, other tasks were assigned to others.
However, since Chairman Cha had pointed it out, she had no choice but to go in and check. Especially since his mood seemed so upset.
Without any further objections, Mi-ryeong lowered her head. She had decided long ago that she would humble herself before him when she came to work as a housekeeper in this mansion.
“Yes, I’ll go check right away.”
She quickly ascended to the second floor and checked the guest room. It was the only guest room with an unused bed. She scanned the room, looking around.
“What could possibly be wrong...?”
The bedding was clean, and the room had been well tidied. The curtains were spotless, and there was not a speck of dust on the window frame. What could possibly be the issue? Thinking there might be stray hairs, she bent down to check the floor, but then heard a click—the sound of the door locking.
Wondering what was going on, she lifted her head, and her face immediately stiffened. Chairman Cha was sneaking up on her like a snake on the sand.
“Chairman? I can check here by myself…”
Her words wavered with unnecessary anxiety. But before she could finish speaking, Chairman Cha grabbed her and pushed her onto the bed.
Mi-ryeong screamed and struggled. Chairman Cha’s eyes, burning red with anger, were right in front of her.
Jae-hee stared blankly at the video handed over by Manager Kwon. The images passed over her transparent eyes like lingering afterimages.
The first video was of the kitchen.
“Mom...”
A longing, solitary murmur escaped her lips. There, in the unfamiliar video, was the mother she knew so well. Her mother, whom she remembered, was bustling in the kitchen, preparing side dishes. Washing rice, boiling soup, blanching seaweed—she was busy as always.
The quality of the video was unclear, and it looked like an afterimage, but it was definitely her mother. For some reason, tears welled up in her eyes. This was how her mother had always been. She had only ever seen her lying still on the bed, motionless, and couldn’t even remember how vibrant she had once been. Her mother had always been full of life like this.
However, as Jae-hee watched the screen, her face soon hardened. Someone else entered the frame.
‘Why is Chairman Cha here?’
Chairman Cha was approaching her mother. Jae-hee held her breath, filled with an inexplicable tension. There was no immediate cause for alarm. Chairman Cha said a few words to her mother, and her mother, bowing her head, replied quietly.
“Ah!”
But soon, a startled exclamation escaped her lips. Her mother pushed Chairman Cha away as he came closer. Jae-hee pressed her face to the monitor, staring intently at the screen. The image caught Chairman Cha, shaking his shoulder in anger after being shoved.
That was the end of the video. It seemed Manager Kwon had edited out only the necessary parts. Jae-hee closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then clicked on the second video.
This video was of the staircase from the second floor to the first. The CCTV footage showed a calm scene. Only the soft lighting swayed gently, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But within a few seconds, someone appeared at the edge of the frame.
Jae-hee leaned in closer to the monitor.
“Mom...”
Mi-ryeong, with a face that looked like she might burst into tears, was rushing down the stairs. She clutched the front of her blouse, running as if she were being chased. Mi-ryeong stumbled and twisted her ankle, and Jae-hee let out a gasp of surprise.
“Mom!”
Jae-hee shouted, her voice filled with fear, like a lost child. Before her heart could stop racing, someone else appeared at the edge of the screen. It was Chairman Cha. He was shouting something, his mouth moving, his clothes disheveled as he ran after Mi-ryeong down the stairs.
The video ended with Chairman Cha chasing after Mi-ryeong.
Jae-hee swallowed a shaky breath and bit her lip.
The images from the video replayed slowly in her mind. Her mother’s disheveled clothes. The disarrayed appearance of Chairman Cha. Her mother running away. Chairman Cha chasing her.
“...”
The truth, hidden for years like an old fossil, was now rising to the surface. Her heart beat heavily and fast. Jae-hee’s face slowly twisted with pain.
Jae-hee first washed her body with hot water. The steaming water, as though it could burn her, flowed over her as she lowered her head. Whether it was tears or water, something ran down her cheek, dripping onto her skin.
It felt as though her heart was falling into a dark abyss.
Everything became clear.
Everything was a lie.
Chairman Cha’s testimony, her mother’s crime—everything was just a lie.
Why hadn’t Chairman Cha deleted this video?
‘...If he had told Manager Kwon to delete it, it would have raised suspicion. He had to keep it to himself.’
The police would believe Chairman Cha’s testimony and wouldn’t dig deeper into the case, and Manager Kwon would never have bothered with things like CCTV. The best way was to just pretend not to know and cover it up. Who would notice the CCTV footage? They could let it slip away unnoticed.
Although she couldn’t know exactly what happened on the second floor, it was clear that her mother had fled from Chairman Cha. And with her mother and Chairman Cha’s attire, it was easy to guess what had happened.
Her mother, who had twisted her ankle while running away, must have fallen on the stairs by the front door. And then...
“...”
She stopped the painful thoughts, tightly closed her eyes. She gasped for breath as though her chest was being squeezed by something. It was as if someone were crushing her heart.
Her mother’s terrified face. Chairman Cha’s face, rushing to follow her mother. His despicable expression, a mixture of anger and confusion, vividly appeared in her mind.
“Ha...”
A sigh of helplessness turned into an absurd laugh. The laugh that had escaped her lips soon morphed into a sob.
“Mom, I’m sorry... Mom...”
The false testimony of someone with power was destructive. It had successfully destroyed the life of one person, Kang Mi-ryeong, and the life of a family that loved her.
Jae-hee curled up, crying uncontrollably. The water pouring down on her back felt like it was beating her painfully, like rain. The heat rising around her made it hard to breathe, and the anger building inside made her feel as if her body was on fire.
It was because of her ignorance. Because she was foolish, she didn’t know the truth. She had been a fool, hoping her mother would wake up while grieving, even though her mother lay suffering with a false accusation on her.
Her mother couldn’t have done that. She could never have done that. Why hadn’t she trusted her mother?
She had thought that her mother made a wrong choice only to provide for her tuition. She, who couldn’t even trust her own mother, had no idea how much the world’s scorn had burdened her mother. Perhaps the reason her mother had lost her sanity was that it was a defense mechanism to protect herself from the sharp thorns.
Guilt and self-blame poured out. Jae-hee staggered, struggling to support her body, and knelt on the floor. She crouched down and touched the cold floor.
“Mom, I’m sorry...”
She whispered pitifully, like a child who had lost her mother, and cried for a long time. Holding back her breaking heart, she cried out her sorrow and pain. Even when she pounded her chest, the heaviness in her heart wouldn’t lift, making it hard to breathe.
After a long time of crying alone, Jae-hee turned off the water when her tears had dried. Drip, drip, water droplets ran down her body. Her body, now cold, shivered. She couldn’t tell whether it was because of the cold or the anger rising from her legs, but it was as if something was crawling up from her feet.
As she stepped out of the bathroom, a text from Manager Kwon arrived.
[If there is anything I can help with, I’ll do anything.]
And a few minutes later, another text arrived.
[Stay strong.]
It was a late message, showing his clear hesitation. He had written words of comfort, deleted them, written more, and then erased them. It was a very short message, but it contained a sincere heart.
Jae-hee gripped her phone tightly.
‘Stay strong. I have to stay strong and return everything to Chairman Cha.’
She forced herself to calm her breath, suppressing the rising emotions.
How much time had passed? Sitting alone in the wide, empty house, gazing at the sparkling night view of Seoul, she heard a sound from a distance. Jae-hee blinked, then, as if in a trance, she walked toward him, who had appeared at the end of the living room hallway.
Seeing Jae-hee standing before him like a ghost, Kang-joo briefly showed a look of confusion on his face but soon greeted her warmly.
“I’m here.”
Jae-hee still said nothing.
Kang-joo pulled her towards him and kissed her forehead.
The warm lips touched her skin. Only then did Jae-hee move. She placed her palm on his chest and slowly pushed him away, looking up at Kang-joo with a blank stare. His flawless face was visible—arrogant, as though he had everything, yet every time he looked at her, he softened into an infinite tenderness.
There was a slight weariness under his eyes, but Kang-joo’s gaze remained warm. Jae-hee, slowly, asked in a soft tone.
“Did you know?”
A smile quickly faded from his face. He didn’t understand the meaning of the sudden question. Kang-joo tilted his head, as though trying to grasp Jae-hee’s intentions, and scanned her face.
Jae-hee asked again.
“I’m asking if you knew about my mom.”
Only then did Kang-joo’s expression crack slightly.
“I only found out today. From the CCTV, just now. That day, Chairman Cha... I didn’t even know...!”
Unspoken emotions dripped from his voice.
Anyone would have wanted to blame someone. She wanted to pour out all the unjust feelings she had, to someone. Though she knew deep down that she had ignored her mother’s innocence, there was an impulse to shift the blame onto others. It was a foolish emotion.
A heavy silence fell from Kang-joo. He quietly accepted Jae-hee’s frustration and looked down at her tear-filled eyes.
Jae-hee, holding his suit with trembling hands, finally managed to speak.
“If you’re lying to me, Kang-joo... If you’re involved with my mom’s situation…”
The words she struggled to say collapsed into sobs.
What did Chairman Cha’s son know? Was his approach to help perhaps a plan? Her mind told her to trust him, but her heart, soaked with doubt, couldn’t shake the suspicion. She was waiting for him to open his mouth and say, “No.” She needed that certainty to breathe again.
Otherwise, she would become the daughter who fell in love with the man who had put her mother in danger.
Please say no.
Jae-hee looked up silently, tears falling as she silently pleaded. If you’ve lied to me, I’ll never forgive you. The harsh words stuck to the tip of her tongue, but they couldn’t come out as her throat tightened.
Her hand clung to his clothes, trembling violently. Her eyes were forced open, and tears fell in a steady stream.
Kang-joo caught Jae-hee, who was swaying, and gently pulled her into his embrace. Her body, trembling as if it had caught a chill, fit perfectly against his.
As if soothing a crying child, his calm voice echoed.
“I met Oh Eun-jin before.”
“Auntie?”
Jae-hee blinked in surprise, and a tear that had been hanging from her eyelash trickled down her cheek.
Seeing her with a lost expression, Kang-joo slowly wiped the wet tear from her cheek.
“At that time, I heard stories about Chairman Cha and your aunt’s past. I also found out then that you were looking into this matter. I had a vague idea of how things were going to unfold.”
“Ah…”
Jae-hee mumbled, her face blank, and could only utter meaningless words.
The day Jae-hee and Oh Eun-jin had met and parted, Kang-joo had appeared in front of Eun-jin. He introduced himself as Jae-hee’s boyfriend and naturally steered the conversation, gathering all the information he wanted. By piecing together the fragmented remarks Eun-jin had made, he eventually realized what Jae-hee was curious about, what she suspected.
And then...
Why Jae-hee had come back to him again...
“I could have acted first, but I didn’t. Jae-hee, you threw yourself at me, saying you wanted to know the truth. How could I have done that?”
His voice, bitter, echoed.
“If you hadn’t figured it out in the end, I would have stepped in...”
With that, a brief silence settled. Kang-joo paused, as if carefully choosing his words, and then spoke again.
“I have nothing to do with the things Chairman Cha did.”
He gently pulled Jae-hee’s hand away from his collar and held it tightly. Gripping her cold hand with his firm warmth, he slowly drew her into an embrace.
“So please, trust me.”
“...”
His voice was low but firm.
Jae-hee closed her eyes. That calm, soothing voice didn’t sound like a lie. If this were a lie, then he would be the best liar in the world.
Just his voice alone was enough to ease her. With just a few short words, her whole body relaxed. Even if this were a lie, she would almost want to be deceived, because it was so gentle.
Finally, Jae-hee exhaled a long breath. She could breathe again. She collapsed into him, resting her cheek against his chest. Quietly, her tears began to soak his clothes.
The emotions that had been tightly bottled up slowly started to spread. It felt like sitting on the ground, crying, until someone extended a hand and helped her up. The tears she thought she had shed earlier burst out once more in his embrace.
“Why... Why...”
Weakly, she pounded on his chest, venting the resentment she didn’t even know who it was directed at.
“Why did Chairman Cha do such a thing? Why didn’t I know the truth? And my mom... why... why does she have to lie there so pitifully? Why?”
Her clenched fists began to tremble. Jae-hee shook her head, unable to hold herself together anymore. The warmth of his arms around her was so comforting that she kept falling apart.
Kang-joo held Jae-hee tightly as she fell apart, gently brushing her disheveled hair.
“Jae-hee, don’t worry about anything.”
His lips brushed against her eye and slowly moved down her cheek. The warmth of his comforting touch softly traveled over her skin. Then, his lips touched hers. He gently kissed her trembling lips, soothing her.
“Rest well tonight. This is just the beginning.”
Her tremors slowly stopped, soothed by his calm, steady voice.
Jae-hee closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing. Her breath, ragged and wet, flowed softly in his embrace. Soon, her feet lifted off the ground. Kang-joo started walking, carrying her gently in his arms.
Jae-hee clung to the back of his neck and whispered softly.
“I will make Chairman Cha pay for his crimes. Somehow.”
“…I have a rough idea of what was on the CCTV, but even with that, Chairman Cha won’t fall.”
“I know.”
Jae-hee replied, trying to suppress her emotions. The faint light of the room flickered over her closed eyelids. Soon, her back gently touched a soft surface. Carefully, as if handling something fragile, Kang-joo laid her down on the bed.
Jae-hee opened her eyes quietly. Her tear-streaked face burned. His gentle touch, as if soothing her hair, was soft and tender. Looking at Kang-joo’s calm face, her storm-tossed heart seemed to gradually settle.
That’s right, excitement wouldn’t help.
Chairman Cha Byung-jun. The owner of Seongang Group. Unlike herself, a mere employee, he held immense power. Taking him down was only beginning.
Jae-hee whispered, her voice barely audible.
“You said you didn’t deceive me. If that’s true, then let’s take down Chairman Cha together, no matter what.”
Kang-joo lowered his head and kissed her. Through the soft contact of their lips, warm breaths and a lowered voice dispersed.
“If Jae-hee wants it.”
The air, now gently relaxed, passed over the green leaves, and a languid season was right in front of them.
Hyo-jeong opened the door of the sleek black limousine that stood before her.
“Hello!”
She cheerfully called out, climbing into the passenger seat, her arms full of textbooks and folders like a fresh new student.
Thud. As the car door closed, the bright interior was suddenly enveloped by a shadow. Chairman Cha, who was driving the car, followed Hyo-jeong with his dark, obscure eyes.
Two days after Hyo-jeong had contacted him, Chairman Cha came to pick her up. He drove himself to her university dormitory, of all places.
“It’s been a while, Hyo-jeong.”
“Yes, Chairman. Have you been well?”
Hyo-jeong suppressed the thumping of her heart and answered nonchalantly. After quietly exhaling a nervous breath, she smiled brightly again. The car then started, with Hyo-jeong, smiling as brightly as ever, in the passenger seat.
The atmosphere was light and friendly. As Chairman Cha asked about recent happenings like a friendly uncle, Hyo-jeong casually laughed while talking about her classes and other everyday matters. The easy-flowing conversation continued until the car finally stopped.
They had arrived at a serene lakeside. The sun, half-dipped, painted the surface of the water a fiery red. The two of them got out of the car. The breeze was cool, and the air was fresh. It was a perfectly pleasant afternoon.
A brief silence fell between them. Chairman Cha, gazing at the lakeside where the blue leaves hung over the water, spoke first.
“The breeze is nice. The lake is lovely too.”
“Yes, it’s cool.”
Hyo-jeong answered casually, but Chairman Cha glanced at her. The red glow of the setting sun softly settled on her cheeks, still faint with youth. He swallowed hard. She looked so much like Mi-ryeong.
He had seen it many times before—people who crawled for money and those who collapsed before power. But Mi-ryeong… Mi-ryeong was different. She held her head high, too proud to be caught, always slipping out of his grasp.
But now, before him stood Mi-ryeong’s own blood. Her child, standing next to him, with the same face. It was a tangible reality that he could almost reach out and seize.
A surge of excitement rushed through him, starting from his toes. Chairman Cha forcibly suppressed the overwhelming emotions.
“Hyo-jeong, there’s nothing to be afraid of or difficult about.”
Hyo-jeong vaguely turned her head. Under the crimson sunset, she caught sight of him—his gaze now shadowed with a redder, more sinister excitement.
She turned her gaze away from him and responded calmly.
“What’s there to be afraid of? I’ve thought it through and made a decision. I’m an adult who can take responsibility for my choices and act accordingly.”
“That’s right, you’re an adult now.”
Hyo-jeong, still gazing at the lake, spoke softly.
“It’s different from high school. This place feels like another world. One friend drives a foreign car, and another carries a designer bag. While I’m like an ant, crowded in the dorm, other people live alone in huge villas.”
Chairman Cha’s lips curled into a smile.
“That’s the way the world is. Things will change even more from now on.”
“Honestly, I’m envious. Jealous, even. But when I think about it… I can have those things too.”
“......”
“That’s why I contacted you, Chairman. The things I couldn’t have, I want them now.”
After finishing her sentence, Hyo-jeong crushed the dry earth beneath her feet. Chairman Cha rubbed the back of his neck and lowered his head. He barely suppressed the overwhelming laughter that threatened to burst out, and then raised his head again.
“It’s cold. Let’s go back to the car.”
“Yes.”
They needed a space for their secretive conversation.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, Hyo-jeong held her textbooks close to her chest. Chairman Cha, instead of starting the car, leaned the seat back slightly. Turning his upper body toward her, the only barrier remaining between them was the book Hyo-jeong tightly held.
“I didn’t expect you to contact me so soon.”
“......”
“I know it’s a tough decision. But you won’t regret it.”
Hyo-jeong hesitated before answering. As if he had read her hesitation, Chairman Cha continued with advice.
“You may not know yet, but society is not easy. The gap will only widen as time goes by.”
“A gap...?”
“When the starting line is different, even the opportunities given are different. Those opportunities might not come to you. That’s why you need me.”
Hyo-jeong subtly shifted her body away from Chairman Cha, trying to avoid his approaching form. Chairman Cha, having started speaking, seemed intent on pouring out his words.
“I can give you anything you want. Whatever you desire, I can make it happen.”
“......”
As Hyo-jeong pulled back, Chairman Cha closed in like a predator stalking its prey. His eyes burned with greed as he revealed his dark intentions, his gaze fixed on the beautiful prey in front of him as if to devour her whole.
“Do you have a boyfriend?”
“No, not yet. I’m a freshman.”
“Have you ever had one?”
“No, I’ve been too busy with studying…”
Chairman Cha, satisfied with Hyo-jeong’s answer, couldn’t hide his smile. He looked as if he were the first person to leave footprints on freshly fallen snow, embracing the excitement and forming wrinkles around his eyes.
“You know the novel Daddy Long Legs, right? Think of it like that. Sometimes we meet and talk honestly like this... You have nothing to be afraid of.”
“......”
“Of course, we might become closer over time. But for now, you don’t need to think about that.”
Chairman Cha’s voice carried an underlying excitement that he tried to suppress, as he spoke softly, trying to persuade her like he would a child. Seeing his unabashed display of greed, Hyo-jeong nodded.
His smile deepened. Unknowingly, he reached out his hand toward her. She, the child of Mi-ryeong’s blood, was within his grasp. A long-desired yearning to seize and control her.
But instead of being caught, Hyo-jeong pulled back and turned her head away.
“But Chairman, I think I should return to the dorm now.”
“It’s almost dinner. Why don’t we have a meal together?”
“I have a group project meeting. Please understand.”
“I see, I understand. We have plenty of time.”
Chairman Cha nodded with a voice full of amusement. He looked at Hyo-jeong briefly before stepping on the gas with a satisfied expression.
For now, she flies, but soon he will catch her and place her in a cage. Chairman Cha barely suppressed the laughter that was about to burst out.
A while later, under the lights, the green leaves glistened. Hyo-jeong, fiddling with the leaves in the café, lifted her head. Someone was sitting quietly across from her. Without any surprise, she cheerfully greeted him.
“Hello, Kang-joo oppa.”
“Have you been well?”
Kang-joo also greeted her with a smile.
About 30 minutes earlier, Hyo-jeong had come to the Seonggang Group building and called for Kang-joo without warning.
“Oppa, there’s something I really need to tell you.”
She had specifically asked him to keep it a secret from Jae-hee, and invited him to a quiet café. While they occasionally kept in touch, this was the first time Hyo-jeong had shown up so abruptly, so Kang-joo had stopped his work and come down right away.
They exchanged some casual small talk. How did she get here at this time? She skipped a class. Kang-joo, pretending to be a stern older brother, scolded her for it, but Hyo-jeong playfully ignored him, pretending not to care.
After chatting lightly for a while, Hyo-jeong glanced at Kang-joo’s expression and carefully placed her hand, which had been fidgeting throughout the conversation, onto the table.
Click. Her phone lay flat on the table, the screen frozen just before a video was about to play.
Kang-joo quietly looked down at the phone. He tried to figure out what Hyo-jeong was trying to show him, but there was nothing he could read from it.
“You know I like you, right?”
Hyo-jeong spoke with a deliberately serious tone. Kang-joo responded nonchalantly, his face impassive.
“I like Jae-hee.”
The deep voice that delivered the joke immediately shattered the tense atmosphere. Hyo-jeong shrugged her shoulders and sighed.
“Not that! Ah, really, I can’t even be serious with you!”
“What exactly are you trying to say? You’ve been hesitating since earlier.”
Kang-joo gently coaxed her as if dealing with a naive younger sister.
In truth, he had noticed from the very beginning. He had already figured out that Hyo-jeong was circling around the topic, waiting for the right moment. He could see she had something to say but couldn’t quite bring herself to say it.
So, he played along with the joke to ease the tension, waiting quietly for Hyo-jeong to take the first step.
Hyo-jeong lowered her gaze and stared at her phone.
“As I said earlier, I like you. I don’t have any ill feelings toward you.”
“Yeah, I know.”
He answered the obvious statement with an equally obvious response.
“And I don’t lie. Especially not to the person who will be my sister’s husband. Everything I’m showing you right now is real.”
“I understand.”
Kang-joo nodded in response to Hyo-jeong’s muttered explanation.
“You can call me a forward girl if you want, but I can’t help it. My sister is the most important person to me.”
“I’m really curious about what’s going on that you’re making such a declaration.”
Finally, Hyo-jeong lifted her gaze from the phone and looked at Kang-joo, who was watching her with a relaxed smile. After staring at him for a few seconds, she pressed the play button on the video.
“It’s still unclear, but society is not an easy place. The gap will only widen as time passes.”
A familiar voice began to play. Kang-joo immediately recognized it.
“‘A gap?’”
The next voice was also one he knew well. It was Hyo-jeong’s, sitting right across from him.
The video continued, cutting through the thick silence.
“When the starting line is different, even the opportunities you get are different. Those opportunities might not come to you. That’s why you need me.”
“...”
“I can give you anything you want. If it’s something you desire, I’ll make it happen.”
Kang-joo’s face slowly stiffened. It became as frozen as a river in the dead of winter.
In the blurry screen, Chairman Cha was speaking as if he were monologuing. It seemed like the hidden camera was close to his chest, as his face appeared and disappeared intermittently. His thin, pale lips moved by themselves.
“You know the novel Daddy-Long-Legs, right? You can think of it like that. We’ll meet sometimes and talk honestly like this... There’s nothing for you to be afraid of. Of course, we could become closer, but—”
Thunk. Kang-joo cut the file off in the middle of the sentence. He didn’t need to hear more to understand. His face, stiffened with disgust, was coldly detached, like ice.
Hyo-jeong, observing Kang-joo’s expression, cautiously spoke.
“I know it was sudden, and you must be shocked... but this is real.”
Her voice wavered. She was unsure whether the anger Kang-joo was showing was directed at Chairman Cha or at her. If it was aimed at the chairman, then that would be good. But if it wasn’t—if he was angry that she had put her father in a trap, trying to create a scandal for Seonggang Group—she felt a growing anxiety.
This was the first time she had seen Kang-joo express such blatant emotion. And that made her more nervous. What if, suddenly, the kind Kang-joo in front of her transformed into Seonggang Group’s heir, Cha Kang-joo, glaring at her with cold, piercing eyes?
Now that she had brought Chairman Cha’s disgrace to him, she must be in the wrong. She was holding a sharp sickle that could harm her father.
Kang-joo slowly wiped his face with the palm of his hand. When he finally lowered his hand, his face was calm, just like usual.
“Oppa, you’re angry, right?”
“Yeah, I’m angry.”
A bitter smile played at the corners of Kang-joo’s lips.
Hyo-jeong lowered her gaze, resigned. As expected, Kang-joo was definitely blaming her. But even so, she didn’t regret it. If she didn’t do this, she couldn’t be sure what that senile old man, Chairman Cha, would do to her sister.
Just as her sister had protected her until now, Hyo-jeong needed to protect her sister too. It was as natural as breathing.
“This is something my sister doesn’t know. You can’t say anything to her about this.”
“...”
“I saw the way you looked at my sister the other day. So, if you love my sister, you have to protect her. Honestly, I want to oppose this marriage. I know it’s ridiculous for someone like me to oppose anything, but...”
Hyo-jeong murmured, still staring down at the table.
“But my sister loves you, so I couldn’t oppose it. That’s why I had no choice but to make this decision. I don’t expect you to understand... but please, don’t hate me too much, oppa.”
She whispered, as if on the verge of tears, and then struggled to raise her head. Kang-joo was looking at her with an unreadable expression. His cold eyes met hers, and she felt as though a bucket of ice water had been thrown over her.
The girl who had been so confident in front of Chairman Cha now shrank in front of Kang-joo. It wasn’t because she was scared of him, but because she feared that, due to this incident, her sister might end up calling off the engagement. She worried that she might be the one to tear apart the two people she loved.
Her actions were meant for her sister’s sake.
She had a clear intention when she brought up the chairman’s actions—her brother-in-law had to know and protect her. It was also a warning: if Chairman Cha did anything to her sister, she wouldn’t stay quiet. She would tear everything apart, even if it meant exposing the truth.
Kang-joo said nothing. Hyo-jeong anxiously took a sip of the cold coffee, moistening her dry lips. After putting the cup down, Kang-joo finally spoke.
“Hyo-jeong.”
His voice was dangerously soft and gentle. Hyo-jeong answered quietly, “Yes?”
It was just his voice calling her name, but for some reason, her shoulders trembled.
With a softened expression, Kang-joo continued.
“Why did you meet with him alone?”
“I thought it would be the only way to record this...”
“Don’t ever do that again. It’s dangerous.”
Hyo-jeong’s eyes widened slightly. She could see the worry in Kang-joo’s eyes, full of concern.
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