Kang-joon had to admit it. Joo Se-hee had taught Alicia quite well. The way she lowered her eyelashes, held her back straight, and neatly clasped her hands was a clumsy imitation, but an imitation nonetheless. However, his wife’s unique graceful aura, her quiet and still demeanor—those couldn’t be faked. With trembling lips, the woman spoke, her voice shaking under Kang-joon’s chillingly cold gaze.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about...”

“If you’re going to lie, it’s better to keep your mouth shut.”

Kang-joon narrowed his cold eyes and slowly uttered the name.

“Alicia Barton.”

As if reacting to her name, the woman reflexively lifted her head.

“Last chance. Joo Se-hee, where is she?”

Alicia, her slender body trembling, said with desperate eyes.

“I... I can’t tell you.”

Indeed, Joo Se-hee would have thoroughly prepared before leaving. She’s too sharp, right? He, who had manipulated her so easily, would have been an easy target for his wife. It was almost irritating how adorable even that cunning side of her was. Kang-joon let out a faint sigh and slowly opened his mouth.

“Pack your bags; we’re returning to Korea early tomorrow morning.”

“…?”

“Because you have something to do in Korea.”

With those words, Kang-joon left the room and got into the elevator. Watching the descending numbers, Kang-joon chuckled.

“...I walked right into it, didn’t I?”

He had been perfectly caught and completely deceived. By Joo Se-hee, who whispered sweet love, looked at him with eyes that drove him crazy, and smiled beautifully. For his wife, it was merely a step to prepare for a breakup. If only his wife hadn’t said those words:

‘Give me a baby.’

If she hadn’t, he wouldn’t have been caught so off guard. He wondered about his wife’s true intentions when she said that. Did you truly want our child? Or was it simply part of a plan to put me at ease? He felt foolish for being so happy and reassured by that one phrase. But even after being utterly blindsided, he didn’t doubt his wife’s love. He wasn’t stupid enough not to discern that much. It would be a lie to say he didn’t feel resentment, but he didn’t hate her. Because he knew that just as he loved her, she loved him too. They both loved each other. Knowing that only amplified the despair and sense of defeat he felt. If you love me, why couldn’t you trust me to the very end? What on earth were you so scared and afraid of?

________________________________________

They said Mi-ja insisted on going back to her country house in Hwasun immediately after being discharged from Gayang Hospital. For that reason, Se-hee went down to Hwasun as soon as she returned to Korea. Even after four years, Mi-ja was still gruff in their reunion. But the table was laden with dishes her granddaughter loved, enough to break its legs.

“I feel like I’m going to burst.”

After emptying three bowls, Se-hee put down her spoon, saying she couldn’t eat anymore. Only then did Mi-ja clear the table. And once again, she went out into the yard and busied herself. Mi-ja’s Jindo mix dog, Baekgu, diligently followed her. Se-hee, sitting with her knees bent on the wooden floor of the veranda, grumbled to Mi-ja.

“Grandma, why do you insist on living here when you have a good house? When are you going to realize your granddaughter is rich?”

“You’re rich, not me, dear.”

At Mi-ja’s gruff, slightly hurt words, Se-hee shot back, not backing down.

“My money is Grandma’s money, and Grandma’s money is my money! And who else do I have besides Grandma?”

“That’s why I told you to make one and bring him here. A big, quiet, reliable man like a bear, who works well. Absolutely no glib, gigolo-like fellows.”

Se-hee knew who Mi-ja was referring to as that gigolo-like fellow. Not the primary cause, but the decisive cause. Yoo Young-guk.

“How many times do I have to tell you I’m not getting married? And I don’t like bear-like men, you know?”

“Quiet! Don’t you dare say you’ll die an old maid in front of your grandma!”

They conversed as before, but Mi-ja couldn’t look her granddaughter directly in the eye. She felt a deep, aching regret. She knew her granddaughter had abased herself by seeking out her aunt, whom she terribly disliked, all because of her. What’s so important about this old, dying life of mine? It pained her heart that her past mistakes seemed to have directly affected her granddaughter. All she had done was give her three meals a day and sleep beside her late at night. Yet, her granddaughter had grown up so splendidly. That’s why Mi-ja felt even more sorry. Se-hee stepped down from the veranda and quietly hugged Mi-ja’s waist from behind.

“Why don’t you live with me in the Seoul house? What if you collapse again while you’re alone?”

“All my limbs are fine. I’ve gotten so much medicine; what’s there to worry about? You even paid the neighbors to spy on me.”

“Grandpa Man-ho was the one who offered to look after you first. What’s wrong with me giving him some pocket money every month out of gratitude?”

Grandpa Man-ho, her next-door neighbor, liked Mi-ja, who was 8 years older than him. She was grateful to Grandpa Man-ho, who told her not to worry as he would check on her daily. So she decided to send him pocket money every month. When he refused, she persuaded him to use it for dates and delicious meals for the two of them.

“And I can’t hand a phone to Baekgu and talk to him. He can’t even speak.”

At the mention of his name, Baekgu pricked up his ears and looked at Se-hee.

“Come up to Seoul once every two months. I’ll buy you lots of good things and delicious food.”

“You come down here. Don’t make an old grandma like me travel back and forth.”

She doesn’t know how I feel. Mi-ja turned her back on Se-hee, who was pouting, feeling unreasonably hurt, and continued gruffly.

“Only if you come down will I prepare a warm meal with your favorite side dishes. Next time you come down, the lettuce, chili, and perilla leaves I planted will have grown quite a bit, so I’ll pick them and grill pork in the pot for you.”

Grandpa Man-ho had said that Mi-ja had planted seeds in the field as soon as she came down, without even unpacking her bags. Se-hee’s eyes grew hot, sensing the reason. I wasn’t this emotional before. It’s all because of you, Seo Kang-joon. Whether her eyes were closed or open, wherever she was, whatever she saw. Everything was filled with that man, and that man was there.

“I’m going to take a walk around the neighborhood.”

Se-hee’s eyes were red as she left the house. *** As soon as Alicia got into the luxury car waiting for her at the airport, her pride took a huge blow. She was comfortably seated in the back, while Alicia was told to sit in the rather unglamorous passenger seat. Her insides were seething, but she couldn’t show her anger. At the same time, she felt a thousand times glad she had given up on this man. He looked stunning on the outside, but it was as if dozens of devils resided within him. His gaze, his expression, his tone of voice—all were chillingly cold, making her shoulders involuntarily hunch. Suddenly, their meeting at the hotel came to mind. Thanks to Joo Se-hee’s tip, she knew Kang-joon would come looking for her. A month was short yet long, and a woman’s transformation was innocent. She thought she could fool him if she played her cards right, and she was relieved that Kang-joon’s chief secretary hadn’t noticed. But the devilish man recognized her instantly.

‘Joo Se-hee, where are you?’

Unlike his calm and low voice, he wielded his obsidian-like eyes like blades. Cold sweat trickled down her spine when she tried to feign ignorance. After Kang-joon left, she even thought about making a run for it. But she had nowhere to go and no money to live on. Alicia now had two choices: live a suffocating life as her mother’s puppet forever, or endure briefly and live a thrifty, free life with 2 billion won. Alicia had something to confirm back in Germany, and for that, she needed money and freedom. This devilish man wouldn’t give her money, and to get it, she had to meet Se-hee’s demands.

‘Resign from your position as CEO of Inno Fashion yourself. Then announce that you’ll appoint a professional manager and recommend me. I’ve prepared the documents to prove your qualifications to be the representative.’

Even thinking about it again, she was a cunning girl. To think of becoming the CEO of Inno Fashion under the name Joo Se-hee. When she asked what she would do since her mother was the largest shareholder, she told her not to worry about the shareholders, as she would handle them.

‘Kang-joon will come looking for you. Whether he recognizes you or not... just do what Kang-joon wants.’

The second demand worried her a little. What if Seo Kang-joon really decided on revenge and kept her by his side forever? But Alicia’s worries vanished the moment they arrived at the hotel. Without stepping a single foot inside, Kang-joon said coldly from the doorway:

“Stay here for about two months. And handle Inno’s affairs well on your own.”

Alicia actually had many questions. Why had he brought her here? What did he want? Why two months? What on earth was he planning?

“I don’t expect you to shamelessly ask for alimony.”

His narrowed eyes sharpened like blades.

“I’m going to proceed with divorce by mediation, as it’s faster than a contested divorce. Do you object?”

Even though he asked politely, it sounded like a threat. Alicia felt as if this man, with his elegant and courteous manners, was a male with fangs bared. As if he’d tear her to shreds at any moment. Suddenly, she desperately missed Kyung-soo. The man who was always gentle, soft, considerate, and only cared about her. But the imposing pressure radiating from him automatically made her answer.

“...No.”

She was primarily relieved that he wasn’t planning revenge through the noose of marriage. As if seeing right through Alicia’s thoughts, Kang-joon slowly continued.

“That is the sole condition for me to abandon my desire for revenge against my brother Kyung-soo.”

Abandoning revenge? An ominous shadow fell over Alicia’s head as she was about to let out a sigh of relief.

“So, Alicia.”

His low, even voice pierced her eardrums and heart like a sharp blade.

“Thank Joo Se-hee.”

Leaving Alicia frozen in place, Kang-joon turned and strode away. *** The moment he entered the house, Kang-joon knew. Joo Se-hee had left everything behind, as if she had no lingering attachments. Oh, there were things she had taken. The briefcase he had given her as a gift, and Secretary Kim. A few days later, Kang-joon called Secretary Kim and made a request for the first time in his life. He didn’t want to meet her, but he just wanted to see her face from afar, and asked when would be a good time. Secretary Kim initially refused but quickly surrendered when Kang-joon said he would send people to find out.

‘Just once, CEO. This is a betrayal, but because our boss loves you, CEO. You understand how I feel, right?’

That’s how he found out Joo Se-hee’s schedule. Kang-joon parked his car in the parking lot of a building in Cheongdam-dong, turned off the engine, and stayed in the car. He intended to only see Joo Se-hee’s face and leave, as promised to Secretary Kim. He was just curious. If she was doing well after preparing for the breakup alone and leaving. The shock was great, but it wasn’t enough to disrupt the order of his life. He went about his schedule as usual, and life without Joo Se-hee was more tolerable than he expected. It was just that every time he closed and opened his eyes, Joo Se-hee was everywhere. And his life had become quiet, as if submerged in deep water once more. The brilliantly lit world had merely lost some of its color. Considering how infatuated he had been with Joo Se-hee, he was doing alright. Just then, a strikingly red Ferrari Roma entered the parking lot. A young woman stepped out of the driver’s seat of the car, which had successfully parked in one go. Dressed in a simple T-shirt and skinny jeans, the woman immediately caught his eye from behind. Her delicate, graceful back, long, shapely legs, and raven-black hair swaying at her waist. Had she sensed his persistent gaze? The woman suddenly turned around.

________________________________________

The tinting was dark, so the woman couldn’t see Kang-joon in the driver’s seat. But Kang-joon could clearly recognize Joo Se-hee.

“Was she always that style?”

Kang-joon murmured softly, narrowing his vision. Her small, pale face, without makeup, looked youthful yet still neat. She clearly had an elegant and upright impression, but there was a cool, almost aloof feeling, strong and sharp. He had worked so hard to feed her and put weight on her, but his brows furrowed at the sight of her having lost weight again. Why did she lose weight when she left because she wanted to? Just then, a tall man wearing a hat appeared at the parking lot entrance.

“Se-hee.”

The moment he realized the man affectionately calling his wife’s name was Kim Jin-woo, Kang-joon’s face hardened. Surely, they weren’t meeting up, were they?

“Jin-kyung and I were supposed to meet, oppa, why did you follow me out?”

Fortunately, Kang-joon snapped out of it at Se-hee’s cold voice. Soon after, a woman with a flamboyant appearance emerged from behind Jin-woo.

“Kyaah, Joo Se-hee! My beloved Jjyu!”

The woman pushed Jin-woo aside and tightly embraced Se-hee. He wanted to get out of the car immediately and call out Joo Se-hee’s name. But it wasn’t time yet. To stand confidently before Joo Se-hee again, divorce had to come first. Since he had seen that Joo Se-hee was doing well. Only after the three of them disappeared into the building did he murmur lowly.

“I suppose I should do my part.”

Finally, Kang-joon opened the sealed envelope Secretary Yoon had given him. He needed to know everything about her so he would never lose her again. What he had carried around all this time without looking at. Joo Se-hee’s past, the secret she had so desperately tried to hide, and the truth she had feared.