Taeryeong blinked slowly with an incredulous expression and asked,

“Since when?”

“Since the first night we slept together. You’ve been sleeping in my arms every night.”

“You held me while you were asleep?”

If her husband’s words were true, this was the only explanation. Otherwise, it didn’t make sense.

“I’m not some lecherous guy, and Taeryeong-ssi willingly came into my arms.”

“......”

“I simply offered my embrace.”

At her husband’s calm reply, Taeryeong slightly furrowed her brow.

“That’s a lie.”

Even in the dim light, her husband’s lips, bearing a faint smile, whispered softly,

“Think about it carefully. You must have slept warmly since the day you slept with me.”

While her head denied it, she quietly searched her memories. She hadn’t felt the cold since sleeping in the same bed as her husband. So, she had slept comfortably, deeply, and woken up feeling refreshed. Taeryeong had attributed all of that to human warmth. To this man’s heat, which seemed to warm even the air just by being in the same space. But she had been sleeping in his arms? And she had initiated it? Her cheeks flushed.

“I think I need some time to think.”

As Taeryeong subtly tried to pull her body back, her waist was pulled sharply.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Held in her husband’s arms, Taeryeong, her ears burning red, didn’t know what to do. It was the first time they had embraced each other when both were sober. Still, Taeryeong protested in a calm tone,

“I was always in my own spot when I woke up in the morning.”

“Because I put you back in your spot in the morning, and tucked you in properly.”

“I don’t have that kind of sleeping habit...”

At her weak murmur, her husband chuckled.

“How would you know your own sleeping habits? The person who slept with you remembers.”

“You should have told me. Then I would have been careful.”

“If I had told you, do you think Taeryeong-ssi would have slept comfortably? You would have been tense all night and wouldn’t have slept at all.”

Her husband was right. Every time she lay down in bed, she would have been even more tense and alert, and probably wouldn’t have slept until morning. Trying not to make the same mistake again.

“I’m not such a bad husband that I wouldn’t let you sleep comfortably.”

As Taeryeong raised her head, she met her husband’s dark eyes looking down at her. Gentle eyes filled with soft warmth. She quietly gazed at her husband’s eyes, which held a different temperature than before. Since when did this man know her so well? They were clearly a couple worse than strangers. Yet, just by being husband and wife, they were slowly getting to know each other. Deciding to end the bickering here, Taeryeong cleanly admitted,

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Honestly, I had some selfish desires too.”

The arms holding Taeryeong tightened a little more.

“I’m big, hot, and firm, and Taeryeong-ssi is small, cool, soft, and fragrant.”

“......”

“I guess you could say I like that feeling. I slept soundly when I held Taeryeong-ssi.”

After a brief pause, her husband’s hand traveled up her spine and gently cupped the back of Taeryeong’s head.

“It makes me wonder if this is why people get married.”

His face drew closer. His deep gaze intently fixed on her. Lips that were almost touching. She recalled the kisses she had shared with her husband that night before falling asleep. They had been hot, moist, soft, and sweet. Her head turned bright red, and Taeryeong’s heart began to race rapidly. Could he be about to kiss her? Taeryeong’s long eyelashes, which had avoided his gaze, fluttered uncontrollably. An unknown anticipation bloomed in her flustered heart.

“So, let’s keep sleeping while holding each other, okay?”

But instead of hot lips, a hot body touched hers.

“Don’t think complicatedly, and don’t be self-conscious.”

Her husband’s warm breath, as he held Taeryeong tightly, warmed her ear.

“When it’s just the two of us, let’s just think about us.”

Could they really only think about themselves? Was she allowed to do that?

“Simply and easily.”

It might be easy for you, but it’s difficult for me. Each small thing, that seemingly insignificant simplicity, that effortless ease. The more easily she allowed and repeated those things, the more she feared she would become truly uncontrollable. The memories that accumulated one by one would all become poison later. Unlike him, who would forget her without a second thought, she didn’t think she could do the same. Knowing that, Taeryeong couldn’t escape this embrace. No, she didn’t want to escape.

“......I’m sleepy.”

Using sleepiness as an excuse to burrow deeper into his embrace was all Taeryeong could do right now. As her heavy eyelids closed, the fatigue she had been holding back washed over her like a tidal wave. But just as she was about to fall asleep, the touch of a hand caressing her body made her open her eyes.

“Kangjoon-ssi?”

Through her hazy vision, she met a pair of pitch-black eyes that held no trace of sleepiness.

“I won’t do anything today.”

The hand that said it wouldn’t do anything was quite busy. Fondling the back of her small head, stroking down her back, holding her tightly in his arms, and then staring intently at her. Now it was caressing Taeryeong’s cheek. But how could she believe those words? At Taeryeong’s suspicious gaze, her husband smiled and lowered his face.

“I might be a beast, but I’m a beast who keeps his promises.”

His low whisper warmed her ear. Was he telling her to sleep or not? Narrowing her eyes in protest, her husband chuckled again softly.

“Sorry, I’ll help you sleep.”

And Kangjoon really did help her sleep. With the gentle touch of his hand patting her back. With the warmth that slowly engulfed her entire body like a calm wave. Taeryeong slowly fell back into sleep.

________________________________________

When Taeryeong opened her eyes, her husband had gone to work. After showering as usual, she sat in front of her vanity and began to put on makeup. Her hands moved habitually, but her mind was filled with her husband from last night.

“Could he possibly like me?”

But Taeryeong immediately shook her head. From the moment she reunited with her husband, she had been busy avoiding and being wary of him. She hadn’t said a single warm word to him. She hadn’t tried to look pretty, and she certainly hadn’t tried to appeal to his charm. So why would her husband like her? It made even less sense that he would have developed feelings after just one night. For Taeryeong, it was her first kiss and her first man. But it probably wasn’t the same for her husband.

“Then why is he being like this to me?”

After spending their first night together, he should know that she wasn’t Yoo Taeryeong. Knowing that, how could they now be an inseparable married couple?

“Could it be that you’ve changed your method of revenge?”

Only then did Taeryeong understand her husband’s actions. He was being good to her, making her fall in love with him, so that she would stay by his side. To prevent Madam Jo’s daughter from returning to her rightful place, to prevent her from finding her real name. Now that her husband knew her secret, he had ample reason to pressure Inno Group, which had deceived Hanshin. Having Madam Jo’s daughter as his wife was a more effective revenge than anything else. A smart man like him couldn’t possibly be unaware of that. The only drawback to his revenge was that he needed her consent.

“So, now you’re acting for me.”

Warm eyes, a soft expression, a gentle tone. Pretending to love her, pretending to be a sweet husband, even saying they were an inseparable couple. Reaching this conclusion, a hollow laugh escaped her lips.

“I almost fell for it.”

Thinking that maybe he really liked her. How foolish of her. Taeryeong stared intently at her reflection in the mirror and murmured,

“Joo Se-hee, you just need to endure for four months.”

She would never stay by Seo Kangjoon’s side. Just as he wanted revenge, she wanted revenge too. To hell with love. She would return to being the original Joo Se-hee.

________________________________________

Today’s last schedule was designer Seri Jang’s birthday party at a bar in Cheongdam. After conveying her congratulations to Seri Jang, Taeryeong looked for someone. When her eyes met Director Kang’s, she smiled brightly and approached him.

“Director, how have you been?”

Taeryeong, who didn’t usually attend private gatherings, had come to this party to meet Director Kang.

“Goodness, where could you possibly lose more weight? Did that Young-hee nag you again?”

At Director Kang’s concern, Taeryeong simply smiled, her eyes crinkling prettily. Director Kang vividly remembered Madam Jo’s daughter from ten years ago. Not just her face, but also her aura and personality. His discerning eye had immediately recognized Taeryeong as a fake as soon as she approached him.

‘Young-hee must have been desperate for this marriage. To pull off such a scam against Hanshin.’

It was Taeryeong who had yielded to Director Kang, who seemed amused rather than surprised. She needed to make this person her ally to get revenge on Madam Jo. And Director Kang had readily taken Taeryeong’s hand. She hadn’t said she hated her aunt, but Taeryeong’s eyes had proven it.

“I have good news, so I wanted to meet you. I wanted to tell you in person instead of over the phone, it’s been itching to come out.”

Now, the two were comrades, and Director Kang was moving on Taeryeong’s behalf, whose activities were restricted. So, Taeryeong vaguely guessed what the good news Director Kang was talking about was. It was probably about the sale of shares.

“There’s a foreign company interested in Inno Fashion. It’s a famous cosmetics giant called Musk, President Yoo probably knows about it too.”

“Yes, I know.”

Of course, she knew. Musk was one of the top 10 companies in the world, and Taeryeong also used their brand’s cosmetics.

“They’re looking to expand their business into clothing and are interested in Inno Fashion, which has successfully entered the Chinese market.”

It was the best news possible.

“I’m always grateful to you, Director.”

“Don’t mention it. I’m a person who settles accounts properly. I’m not doing this for free.”

At Director Kang’s cool words, Taeryeong smiled quietly.

“I’ll email you the proposal Musk sent.”

Their conversation lasted about three minutes. Director Kang returned to the group, and now it was Taeryeong’s turn to disappear quietly. But she felt someone staring intently at her. As Taeryeong casually scanned her surroundings, her eyes stopped on a certain man.

“......”

There was a considerable distance, but it was definitely Jin-woo. His towering height, his signature puppy-like smile, his soft brown hair. Even while talking to other people, his gaze fixed on Taeryeong was clear. She didn’t deliberately avoid his eyes. That would make him more suspicious. Meeting his gaze calmly, Taeryeong naturally turned her body and slowly moved her feet. Not too slow, not too fast. Before going out, she looked back and saw Jin-woo quickly closing the distance. Ha, I’m going crazy. Jin-woo looked like a gentle puppy, but he had a persistent personality once he latched onto something. It was like once he bit something, he would never let go. She had considered explaining the situation to Jin-woo but immediately gave up. He was simpler than he looked, had a quick temper, and most of all, was terrible at managing his facial expressions. Growing impatient, Taeryeong quickly went down the stairs. But these heels were a problem again. The heel got caught in a hole in the metal stairs and broke off. Taeryeong fell forward along with it.

“Ah!”

Blood showed through the torn stocking on her knee. But it wasn’t the time to look at her wound. Holding the broken heel in her hand, Taeryeong limped and walked quickly until she bumped into someone. The man who caught the staggering Taeryeong as she was pushed back was her husband.

“Why is Kangjoon-ssi here...”

In front of her was Seo Kangjoon, behind her was Kim Jin-woo. It was like Murphy’s Law, why was today like this? In this dilemma, Taeryeong wanted to cry.

“I told you I would come to pick you up.”

Speaking slowly, Kangjoon narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Who’s following Taeryeong-ssi?”

He slowly and meticulously scanned his wife’s appearance. Her trembling eyes, her uneasy expression, the broken heel in her hand. Her torn stocking and the wound on her knee, her bare feet on the ground. A look completely unlike Yoo Taeryeong.

“Like a deer being chased by a hunter.”

It was the moment his wife was about to move her lips.

“Hey! Just a moment!”

A man’s urgent voice came from above. But Kangjoon only looked at his wife. Her pale face, losing its color. The despair spreading in her eyes. Her helpless fingertips.

“Should I help you?”

At Kangjoon’s calm question, his wife looked confused but couldn’t bring herself to answer. How could that one word, “yes,” be so difficult? Or did she dislike receiving his help that much? So, Kangjoon put his hand in his pants pocket and looked down at his wife. As if he would never help her until he heard an answer. Call him heartless if you want. But Kangjoon intended to hear an answer from his wife’s lips no matter what. The party venue his wife had attended today was a three-story building located in a back alley of Cheongdam-dong. It was a low building, so instead of an elevator, there were zigzagging metal stairs. The sound of someone descending the stairs echoed in the dim alley. His wife, growing impatient, said in a whisper,

“Help me.”

The moment he heard the answer, Kangjoon pulled his wife’s slender waist with his left hand and held her close. The heel in her hand fell to the floor, and his wife’s toes lifted slightly. Watching the trembling in her widening eyes, Kangjoon slowly lowered his lips.

“Whether it’s just an act, or a real kiss.”

No one would be able to withstand a display of affection.

“The choice is yours, Taeryeong-ssi.”

The wife, who had wrapped her slender arms around Kangjoon’s neck, pressed her lips to his first. Do it, a real kiss. The silent whisper melted into Kangjoon’s mouth.