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Haejoo, seen in the rearview mirror, was a mess. Hyunseong couldn’t speed up, fearing she would collapse at any moment. As the car stopped at a traffic light, Hyunseong immediately called his elder brother.
“Yes, Hyunseong.”
“Hyungnim, I’m sorry, but I’m taking Haejoo Noona to the hospital.”
“Already?”
“Noona’s condition is really bad.”
“Then you should go to a large hospital emergency room.”
“That’s not an option right now.”
“This kid, really! Alright, call me when you arrive.”
“Could you prepare a room and make sure no rumors get out, please?”
“Understood.”
Hyunwoo’s obstetrics and gynecology clinic, run by Hyunseong’s elder brother, was a medium-sized hospital equipped with a postnatal care center. It also had VIP rooms, ensuring complete privacy from the outside world. No matter how he thought about it, Hyunwoo’s hospital was the best choice in this situation.
“Noona, just bear with it a little longer.”
He originally should have told Jinhan about Haejoo’s condition and discussed it. But seeing Jinhan’s aggressive demeanor towards Haejoo earlier, Hyunseong shook his head. He believed his current choice was right, even if it meant getting fired from the company.
“Hyunseong, I feel like throwing up.”
“I’ll pull over for a moment.”
He pulled the van into a parking lot in front of a commercial building. Hyunseong got out of the driver’s seat and went to Haejoo’s side. As he held out a wastebasket they kept in the car, Haejoo vomited everything inside.
“This is bad.”
“...I’m sorry, Hyunseong.”
“Just bear with it. We’ll be at the hospital soon.”
Hyunseong returned after emptying the vomit in the commercial building’s restroom. He handed Haejoo some bottled water and started driving again. A moment later, Hyunwoo’s hospital came into view, and he made a call.
“Hyungnim, I’ve arrived.”
“I told security, so come to the staff parking lot.”
He drove past the bustling parking lot and parked the van next to Hyunwoo’s sedan. Hyunwoo was already outside, so Hyunseong got out of the car.
“Hyungnim!”
“Where’s the patient?”
“In the car.”
“I’ve only told the trustworthy head nurse, so tell her to rest assured.”
“Okay.”
In the van, Haejoo lay almost collapsed, her face ashen. They helped her into a wheelchair. They took the staff elevator to the VIP ward. The head nurse had already prepared for admission, so they were able to lay Haejoo on the bed.
“Lee Haejoo, please open your eyes.”
Hearing that Haejoo had already started morning sickness, they proceeded with an ultrasound first. The diagnosis showed she was already eight weeks pregnant.
“Do you see the fetus on the monitor?”
A new life was growing on the grayscale screen. The jelly-bear-like shape was nothing short of miraculous.
“The fetus is healthy. You came to the hospital a little late, so I’ll examine you closely.”
Haejoo couldn’t say a word. She couldn’t believe the child in front of her was truly hers. An unspeakable emotion burst forth in her chest. She finally burst into tears while lying down, startling Hyunwoo and the head nurse. Even those watching were moved by Haejoo’s poignant appearance and waited for her to calm down.
“I’m sorry, Doctor.”
“You’re not alone anymore, so you need to be strong.”
What Jinhan had said in the office kept disturbing Haejoo. She desperately prayed that Dojun’s actions had not been a fabrication. How overwhelmed she would have been at this moment if not for that incident. Haejoo’s eyes remained tearful, even adding a sense of guilt towards the fetus.
After the ultrasound, she underwent more necessary tests. Hyunwoo, who had no consultations in the afternoon, personally saw to Haejoo until the end.
“I’ll give you the necessary nutritional supplements through the nurse later.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
“Your morning sickness is severe, so I’ll give you an anti-emetic injection. Please rest sufficiently before you leave.”
Hyunwoo and the head nurse left, leaving Haejoo alone in the hospital room. In her hand were the maternal handbook and ultrasound photos she received after the ultrasound examination. She couldn’t believe it. A child. Me, of all people…
If it hadn’t been for President Park’s request, marriage would not have been in Haejoo’s life. She thought even that had ended with Jun’s death, but then Dojun appeared. He said he was Haejoo’s husband. The confusion of that time was still vividly etched in her mind.
“Did Dojun really intentionally spread the rumor?”
He said he had been waiting for Haejoo to return. Three years was certainly not a short time, and she had been endlessly swayed by Dojun’s devotion. As a result, they had a child.
“Why did you do that to me?”
Trusting someone was a huge risk for Haejoo. Perhaps she would have to risk her entire life being uprooted. But Haejoo couldn’t afford that. Even her own mother had sold her for money...
Her body was tired, but sleep wouldn’t come. Just as she was regaining some strength, a tense Hyunseong entered the room.
“Noona, how are you feeling?”
“Better than before. But why do you look like that?”
“CEO Park Dojun sued reporter Choi Inho.”
“Really?”
Haejoo checked the article on her phone. Dojun took a firm stance, revealing Choi Inho’s criminal acts based on actual facts.
“He released this now.”
“What do you mean?”
“We had planned to release it after the movie production was somewhat finished, in case things got noisy.”
“Is it true that Choi Inho orchestrated an abduction?”
“Yes. It was chaos that day.”
Real Fact had no significant reaction. The calm before the storm only heightened the anxiety.
“Could it be because of the rumor Director mentioned at the company?”
“It could be, since that story seems to have leaked to reporters too.”
“Ah.”
“It would be a big problem if that reporter happens to be Choi Inho.”
If so, it was the worst. She had tried to avoid controversy during filming, but the bomb had already dropped. Sadly, Haejoo was in the middle of the war. Unable to avoid it, her heart felt painfully crushed.
“Things are going to get noisy from now on.”
“I’ll help you well.”
“Thank you.”
“Just decide who you truly trust and can lean on, Noona.”
“...Huh?”
“Then it will be a little less difficult.”
Haejoo nodded at his profound advice. Her tumultuous heart seemed to finally calm down, and she slowly fell asleep.
Hyunseong, who had briefly left the hospital room, picked up his phone. After hesitating, he called Dojun.
“He’s not answering. Well, he must be swamped too.”
He narrowed his eyes and organized what he wanted to say in his head. Then he texted Dojun.
[Hello, CEO. This is Hyunseong, Haejoo Noona’s manager. Noona is in the hospital right now, so please call her when you have time.]
Hyunseong chose Dojun over Jinhan for Haejoo’s sake. Based on the circumstances, as a fellow man, he judged Dojun to be more trustworthy.
“No! Director didn’t even confirm the facts with the person concerned and caused such a ruckus.”
That didn’t mean Dojun was right. Even if it took longer, it was right to approach Haejoo step by step. Of course, there was no guarantee that Haejoo would have accepted him. The only reason Dojun and Haejoo were able to get this close was because their marriage was registered by chance. If it hadn’t been for that, Haejoo would likely have indefinitely postponed her activities due to a divorce lawsuit.
“I just hope this passes quietly.”
As the sun began to set, Haejoo opened her eyes. She ate the meal provided by the hospital to fill her empty stomach and prepared to leave.
“Hyunseong, use this for payment.”
After settling the bill, the two informed Hyunwoo that they were leaving and exited the hospital. Haejoo, whose face had regained some color, clenched her fists.
“Should we go home?”
“Yes.”
For some reason, there was no contact from Jinhan. Hyunseong, considering that a relief, headed towards Haejoo’s house. By the time they reached the village where her house was located, they saw cars and people gathered around the house in the distance.
“What is that?”
Just by looking, they clearly weren’t ordinary people. With cameras, laptops, and some even carrying lighting equipment, he guessed they were reporters. Haejoo also saw the reporters lingering in front of her house. Her vision blurred for a moment, and she turned her gaze to the night sky.
“Noona, what should we do?”
“Can you park the car somewhere out of sight?”
“Okay.”
Hyunseong parked the car under a tree and turned off the lights. Just in case, he opened the internet on his phone. The entertainment section was plastered with articles about Haejoo.
“...When did this happen?”
During the day, the pages were filled with articles about GINO Group suing Choi Inho. But now, Choi Inho’s articles, originating from Real Fact, had taken over.
[Exclusive: Actress Lee Haejoo and CEO Park Dojun’s Public Deception]
The title was provocative. When he clicked on the exclusive report, the feared facts were densely written. The article opened by claiming to reveal Dojun’s true nature. It stated that his loan shark father had held Park Gyeong-ae, a single mother raising a daughter, hostage, and had his eldest son marry Haejoo to Park Dojun. It also reported that Haejoo had betrayed her family and put on a show with Dojun for success. In short, it was outrageous.
A shocked Hyunseong quickly looked at Haejoo. Sure enough, Haejoo had also checked the article and was dumbfounded.
“Haa...”
At the end of the article, it claimed there were more unreleased facts about Haejoo and Dojun. Choi Inho’s portrayal of himself as an apostle of justice was even crude. Netizens who saw this article were in an uproar. Comments ranged from feeling betrayed by Haejoo to fierce condemnation of Dojun.
For now, they couldn’t go home. Just as Haejoo was on the verge of a panic attack, Jinhan called.
“Haejoo!”
“Yes, Director.”
“Did you see the article?”
“Yes.”
“I was out for a meeting... Anyway, it’s an emergency. Where are you?”
“I’m in front of the house, but I can’t go in.”
“Are reporters already there?”
“Yes.”
“We need to come up with a plan, so come to the office immediately.”
Jinhan’s urgent voice was clearly audible to Hyunseong. He discreetly asked,
“Noona, what should we do?”
“Let’s go to the office first.”
“Understood.”
“Don’t tell Director about going to the hospital today.”
With no other choice, Hyunseong turned the car around. Just then, as if on cue, Haejoo’s phone rang. It was Dojun.
________________________________________
Dojun came home earlier than usual from work. His phone was still buzzing with calls from reporters requesting interviews.
“Haejoo should be out of the office by now.”
In the kitchen, the housekeeper was preparing dinner. Just as he was filled with anticipation for Haejoo’s arrival, there was a commotion outside.
“CEO, people are gathering outside.”
Peeking through the window, he saw what looked like reporters surrounding the house. Unsure what was happening, he searched for articles online, but found nothing. Thirty minutes later, Secretary Song called. With a serious voice, he informed Dojun about the exclusive article that had been published.
“CEO, Choi Inho released an exclusive article.”
He looked again and saw the article with a provocative title. It seemed Choi Inho had leaked the article’s content to various media outlets before releasing it.
“This is ridiculous.”
“He cleverly twisted all the facts.”
Reading only the article, it appeared that President Park and Dojun had orchestrated a fraudulent marriage. It was also comical that Gyeong-ae, in the article, suddenly became a good person.
“Issue a rebuttal article. Reveal everything Park Gyeong-ae and Lee Yura did.”
“Before that, shouldn’t we get Madam’s consent?”
Haejoo would be the most shocked person in this situation. Dojun, whose eyes had already rolled back in anger, forced himself to regain composure.
“I’ll talk to Haejoo, so prepare the article. If not, we’ll have to hold a press conference.”
Dojun called Haejoo. As the dial tone lengthened, he felt his life expectancy diminishing. In frustration, he slammed his fist on the table. Just before it went to voicemail, Haejoo barely picked up.
“Haejoo, where are you?”
“I came to the front of the house but couldn’t go in, so I’m heading to the office.”
“Why didn’t you contact me?”
“I’m not in a situation to go home right now.”
Haejoo’s voice lacked strength. Dojun, his throat aching with agony, desperately lowered his emotions. He was about to call her name when she spoke first. Her voice was low and quiet, but laced with sorrow.
“Did you really spread the rumor, Dojun?”
“Haejoo, please listen to me.”
“It’s true, then. ...So that’s what it was. I was the only one who foolishly believed you.”
“That’s not true!”
“Why did you do that to me? Why, why...”
Haejoo’s sobs wrung Dojun’s heart. A headache, as if his skull was cracking, surged, and he involuntarily swayed.
“You shouldn’t have deceived me. It would have been better if you had just endured a little longer.”
Tiny blood vessels tangled and rose around Dojun’s eyes. They finally swelled red and radiated heat.
“I did it because I love you. I... love you, Haejoo.”
It was the most sincere excuse Dojun could offer Haejoo.
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