Chapter 3 (Part 2)

As everyone remained silent with hardened faces, Do-jin let out a cynical voice and turned his body toward the stairs.

“If you won’t call her, I’ll bring her myself.”

In the end, Hwa-woong stopped Do-jin and ordered Mr. Kim to go and fetch her.

Mr. Kim immediately went upstairs and knocked on Seo-hye’s door.

A few seconds later, the door opened, and Seo-hye appeared.

“What’s going on?”

“The grandson from Seonghan is here. Please come downstairs.”

Seo-hye’s round forehead crumpled.

She tilted her head as if she had misheard and asked again.

“What did you say?”

“Won Do-jin… He’s here, please come downstairs.”

It felt like only a few minutes had passed since she hung up the phone with Do-jin…

As Mr. Kim half-turned to head back to the stairs, Seo-hye reached out and grabbed the hem of his clothes.

“Um, Mr. Kim…!”

Mr. Kim raised one eyebrow toward his hairline as if to ask why.

“By any chance.”

“……”

“By any chance, did you tell my grandfather that I met Won Do-jin the day before yesterday?”

She whispered so secretly, worried it might be heard downstairs. She was concerned whether Mr. Kim understood her, but he seemed to understand well and replied immediately.

“No. You heard him say he’d blame everything on me if I told, didn’t you, Miss? So you shouldn’t mention that day either.”

“Ah… yes, thank you.”

Without further response, Mr. Kim went back down to the first floor.

Seo-hye was relieved to know she wasn’t being called because the incident with Do-jin from the day before yesterday had been discovered.

If Hwa-woong found out about it, he’d threaten her using her mother again.

As she descended to the first floor, she saw Hwa-woong and Do-jin in the center of the living room. Behind them, Hae-mi and Chae-seon stood, staring at the stairs with pale faces.

What on earth is going on? Didn’t he just call and leave earlier?

And why does he come to the house as if it’s a daily routine?

Even the family and the Chairman of Seonghan are thinking of marrying him to Hae-mi, yet he’s the only one insisting otherwise.

What on earth is going through that man’s mind?

She strengthened her facial muscles to ensure her thoughts didn’t show on her face as she continued down the stairs.

As soon as she stepped onto the living room floor, Do-jin greeted her.

“Ms. Seo-hye. Have you had dinner?”

Seo-hye reflexively raised her phone to check the time.

It was far too late for dinner.

It wasn’t intentional to skip it; she had missed the timing while waiting for her family to finish eating.

“Haven’t eaten, have you?”

“Ah. No.”

“If you had, you would have answered right away. Instead of checking the time on your phone.”

Everyone except Do-jin was glaring at her. The eeriness of it all left her unable to immediately continue the conversation.

“I haven’t had dinner yet either. If it’s alright, shall we eat together? There’s something I need to ask you.”

Seo-hye quickly shook her head, pleading with her eyes for Do-jin not to proceed. However, he completely ignored her silent request.

“Artist, I’ll explain and ask Ms. Seo-hye directly to participate in our foundation’s program in your stead.”

“A, no—!”

Hae-mi, her face flushed as if it would burst, stomped her feet and wedged herself between Do-jin and Seo-hye.

“Do-jin, this isn’t right. If it’s not Grandpa but her, it changes everything! The person you’re marrying is me! What if rumors spread that she’s…! Right?!”

Do-jin tilted his head slightly, looking at Hae-mi.

His gaze was so sharp that even Seo-hye, standing behind him, felt a chill down her spine.

“Who says that I’m marrying you?”

“…What did you… say?”

“I told you last time, I’m thinking of marrying your sister. Ms. Seo-hye.”

“Then, why did you invite only us for dinner the other day…!”

“There seems to have been a misunderstanding in the communication process.”

“This is…!”

Unable to contain her temper, Hae-mi turned around.

She roughly pushed past Seo-hye, hitting her shoulder hard enough to make a sound, and headed upstairs.

As Seo-hye lost her balance and staggered, Do-jin quickly reached out to steady her.

“Are you alright?”

“…Let go of me.”

Seo-hye shook off his hand and quickly looked at Hwa-woong.

Hwa-woong was glaring with such ferocity, it seemed he might tear her apart at any moment.

Noticing Seo-hye’s eyelids trembling pitifully, Do-jin glanced back for a moment.

Seeing Hwa-woong glaring at his granddaughter as if he would rip her to shreds, Do-jin let out a hollow laugh.

“How can anyone live in such desolation, Ms. Seo-hye? That’s why I’m saying, let’s get married.”

A look of shock crossed Seo-hye’s face.

How could he say something like that in front of her family? Moreover, she was an illegitimate child, not someone who could stand proudly.

The air in the living room surrounding them plummeted into a deep abyss, losing even more warmth.

“I should tell you, so you don’t catch the wrong granddaughter, Artist, if I do get married, it will be with Ms. Seo-hye.”

Hwa-woong could no longer maintain a calm expression, and his angry lips trembled as he spoke.

“No matter if you’re the Chairman’s grandson, isn’t this inappropriate?”

“What’s inappropriate is the elders trying to proceed with a marriage while ignoring the opinions of those involved. And don’t bring up the Chairman to me. It won’t work.”

Do-jin took Seo-hye’s hand and stepped towards the entrance.

Seo-hye couldn’t understand what was happening, and before she could take a few steps, Chae-seon grabbed her back as if to claw at her, leaving her unable to gather her thoughts.

“You!! If you go now—!”

Do-jin grabbed Chae-seon’s wrist, which was holding Seo-hye.

“What happens if she follows me now? Let’s not act on impulse. If I marry Ms. Seo-hye, we’ll literally become in-laws.”

Chae-seon trembled but released Seo-hye.

Do-jin tightened his grip on Seo-hye’s hand and stepped towards the entrance again. However, this time, Seo-hye stood her ground.

When Do-jin looked at her, Seo-hye shouted with her eyes that this wasn’t right.

“What is it you want to ask? Just say it here and go, Won Do-jin.”

Do-jin looked down at her sharply, then let out a small laugh.

Somehow, Seo-hye felt that laugh was mocking her, as if to say that’s why she couldn’t escape her situation.

“Then let’s just talk in front of the house.”

Seo-hye bit her lip and, turning around, sought permission from Hwa-woong.

“Grandfather. I’ll just go hear what Do-jin has to ask in front of the house. And don’t worry, I have no thoughts of marriage. I’m not leaving this house.”

She tried to pronounce each word as clearly as possible, but her throat trembled so much that her words almost came out jumbled.

She was worried that Hwa-woong, still angry from Do-jin’s actions, might take out his anger on Hyo-young.

Moreover, she already felt nauseous at the thought that as soon as she stepped out of the front door, Do-jin might ridicule her for being tied down by her family.

Barely managing to take steps that couldn’t go forward or backward, she left the house with Do-jin.

Fortunately, the rain had stopped. Seo-hye slammed the gate shut and grabbed Do-jin’s wrist, pushing him towards the roadside.

“Isn’t this too much? You said you wouldn’t mention marrying me to my grandfather!”

“That’s why I didn’t say I would marry you the day before yesterday.”

She wanted to argue that it wasn’t something that only applied two days ago, but she just gave up. With a man this shameless, it would be useless to say anything.

Holding her forehead as if it might explode, Seo-hye took deep breaths in and out repeatedly. Do-jin asked her,

“Let me ask you. Why do you keep wanting to reset this marriage to the starting point, Ms. Seo-hye? Do you not want to get married? Are you not leaving this house?”

“Because it needs to be reset! Honestly, why should I marry you?”

“If the partner chosen by the elders wasn’t your sister, it might be different, but I’ve already slept with you, the younger sister, twice. That’s the reason.”

Seo-hye stomped her feet in frustration as if she would go crazy.

“The first time was when I didn’t know, and the second time… it was because you said you’d give me the painting. Why are you doing this to me…!”

“Well, if you really didn’t intend to marry me, you shouldn’t have agreed even if I promised you the painting.”

A transparent film welled up in Seo-hye’s large eyes. She was too flabbergasted to control her emotions.

“Then… let’s do this. Honestly, Mr. Do-jin, you don’t need to marry into our family, right? There are so many famous artists. Convince your Chairman to withdraw the marriage proposal.”

If the Seonghan side calls off the proposal, the situation would be better than it is now.

If the proposal is canceled, Hae-mi might blame and torment Seo-hye, but that would be temporary.

Hwa-woong, too, wouldn’t harm Hyo-young as long as Seo-hye stayed by his side to paint.

“Please… I’m asking you.”

“Depends on how you behave, Ms. Seo-hye.”

“…….”

“Starting the week after next, come to our hotel and teach the kids painting classes.”

“…….”

“My secretary will provide the detailed schedule. It’s a program that’s already been confirmed and can’t be canceled. With the artist’s hand being like that, at least the granddaughter, you, should come.”

Seo-hye finally understood what Hae-mi had meant.

There was a plan to teach painting classes to children at the hotel, which Hwa-woong had initially agreed to do but then backed out due to his injury. She had to fill that spot.

That much she could easily do. In fact, if it meant getting some fresh air and being outside, it was a great opportunity for her.

When Seo-hye nodded, Do-jin nodded back, staring at her intently.

“The swelling on your forehead has gone down a lot.”

“……”

“Did you save my number?”

“Yes.”

Seo-hye replied that she had, quickly slipping her phone into her pocket.

Do-jin snatched her hand, naturally taking the phone from her grasp.

Startled by having her phone taken in an instant, Seo-hye looked at him, and he met her gaze steadily while taking out his own phone.

He made a call somewhere.

Seo-hye’s phone vibrated.

<J Delivery>

The name under which Do-jin’s number was saved appeared on the screen.