Chapter 9.3

In his eyes, fragments of emotions that he thought he had perfectly controlled flickered. Su-eon couldn’t figure out what they were. They resembled the heated gaze he sometimes gave her when he held her in his arms on the bed, or the occasional low, rough breaths he took, or the persistent, penetrating stares he gave her. Whatever it was, it was hot and painful.  

“And forget everything you heard today. It’s all nonsense.”  

Seeing that Su-eon remained silent, he continued speaking.  

“Take care on your way back. I can’t take you home today.”  

At that moment, Su-eon felt as though an immense, unfathomable river had formed between them. All they had to do now was walk their separate paths. This was the right thing to do, she thought, as she stared at Seung-jo’s face in the stillness that felt like time had stopped.  

She knew why he had treated her as someone special. And now, it was time to confess that none of that mattered anymore.  

“That letter from middle school.”  

Cold, indifferent eyes that had been staring at the rain falling into the void turned toward Su-eon. Calmly, she confessed a truth that had come too late.  

“It’s true that I wrote it, but I didn’t send it. Someone asked me to write it for them, and I did.”  

She spoke as if it were so trivial that she had only just remembered it now.  

“I had always meant to tell you someday, but I forgot.”  

As she lowered her head, she thought that the white rain splashing off the stone wall resembled her shattered heart.  

“I’m sorry for making you misunderstand.”  

Lifting her head again, Su-eon turned away with her usual calm expression, gripping her suitcase. The sound of the wheels rolling over the dirt was soon drowned out by the rain. She was glad it was raining. It didn’t hurt as much as she thought it would. The deep tracks left by the wheels, stretching all the way to the gate, were soon washed away by the rainwater.  

Su-eon tightened her coat around herself as if to lock her heart away and stepped outside the gate. Her shadow, standing alone on the path, stretched thin like a line against the stone wall. Quietly, she began walking through the rain as if stepping into a solitude she knew all too well.  

Bang—!  

The sound of the gate opening and closing came from behind her as Seung-jo emerged. Catching up to her in an instant, he snatched the suitcase from her and grabbed her hand, leading her toward his car.  

“Seun…”  

“Don’t say a word.”  

Seung-jo, his expression cold and hardened as if fighting an intense inner battle, spoke.  

“I’ll drag you back inside right now if you do.”  

Though she knew it was just a threat, Su-eon pressed her lips tightly together and got into the car as he ushered her in. After tossing the suitcase into the trunk and slamming the door shut, Seung-jo climbed into the driver’s seat.  

He roughly wiped his rain-soaked face with his hand before turning to look at Su-eon. Then, he reached for the blanket in the back seat and draped it over her. It was the same blanket he had started keeping in the car for her, knowing how easily she got cold from the air conditioning.  

Her heart ached silently, and Su-eon bit her lip, closing her eyes. While she endured the moment with labored breaths, Seung-jo pulled the seatbelt across her and buckled it for her before starting the engine. The windshield wipers moved vigorously, brushing away the rainwater. Raindrops, bouncing off the glass, sparkled and shattered under the glow of the streetlights.  

Even after a long while, the car didn’t move. Finally, when the car began to roll forward and she was freed from the intensity of his gaze, Su-eon pressed her palm lightly against her slowly beating heart.  

***

“Father, we’re really going to die! Do you want to watch your only daughter die?”  

Chairman Ki looked at his daughter with a disapproving expression as she, supposedly here to plead for her life, resorted to threats instead.  

“Stop standing there with your arms crossed and call Ki Seung-jo right now. Tell him to stop this!”  

“What did you just say? Did you just call your brother ‘Ki Seung-jo’?”  

Chairman Ki’s eyes flashed dangerously.  

“Well, do you think I’m in any position to call him ‘Oppa’ right now? Can’t you see what’s going on?”  

“Are you trying to lecture me?”  

“No, Father. It’s just… At this rate, Yang’s company is going to go completely under. That’s why I’m saying this.”  

The law firm, which was both Ki Seon-young’s in-laws and the one where her husband served as the managing attorney, was the official legal advisor for K.U. Group’s affiliates. It was a leading firm that didn’t even need to engage in active marketing since the enormous client that was K.U. was already secured.  

However, recently, Ki Seung-jo terminated all business agreements with his brother-in-law’s law firm, citing reasons such as management transparency and the prevention of exclusive transactions among relatives. Overnight, the law firm lost 80% of its clients and began to falter rapidly.  

Speculation ran wild regarding the reasons behind K.U.’s sudden withdrawal, and potential new clients hesitated to work with the firm. The consensus was that being on bad terms with K.U. meant there was no point in further discussions. Essentially, it was as good as saying the firm was doomed to fail.  

“If something this small can ruin you, then you deserve to be ruined.”  

“Father!”  

Ki Seon-young, who had been sprawled on the floor, jerked her head up.  

“That’s what I’ve been saying all along, isn’t it? I told you not to act recklessly. Up until now, Seung-jo has been lenient.”  

Despite repeated warnings that such leniency wasn’t necessary, Seung-jo had refrained from interfering with his family. Even though his wife, his daughter, and now his son-in-law constantly meddled in his affairs and disrupted his work, he had let it slide.  

“This time, he said it himself. He’s not going to let it slide.”  

“…What… what did you say?”  

“So instead of making a scene here, think of ways to help Yang even a little. You’re part of that family now, aren’t you?”  

“Why don’t you just take it out on me instead? What did my in-laws do wrong? Why does Seung-jo have to treat them like this?”  

Ki Seon-young burst out, her face filled with indignation.  

“It’s because of you.”  

“…Father.”  

“Seung-jo said he wouldn’t touch anyone from the Ki family. No matter what you did, you’d remain unscathed. That’s what he said.”  

“But instead, Yang is being destroyed! What about my in-laws? What about my child, Eun-ho?”  

“Exactly. They’re all in this mess because of you.”  

“How can you do this to me? To me! I’m your only child!”  

Ki Seon-young trembled with rage, pounding the floor with her fists. It was a crude outburst from someone who had never been treated like this by anyone in her life.  

“Then how could you do this to me?”  

Chairman Ki looked at his daughter with a cold gaze. His sharp, raised eyes carried a quiet fury.  

“Do you think I don’t know? Do you really think I wouldn’t find out that you and Yang, along with your mother, are preparing to file a legal claim for your inheritance shares after my death?”  

“…F-Father…!”  

“Do you think I wouldn’t know that you’re plotting to siphon off Seung-jo’s shares and take over the company, destroying this family in the process?”  

At his thunderous roar, Ki Seon-young collapsed flat onto the floor.  

“N-no, Father! That was all Mother’s doing. What power do I or Yang have? We were just following orders. Father, it’s absolutely not true!”  

Chairman Ki turned his gaze away from his daughter, who was begging desperately, and glared toward the closed interior door.  

“Go ahead and try every trick in the book. The shares that went to Seung-jo are untouchable. Even if I die, none of you will lay a finger on this family’s company. Do you understand?”  

Ki Seon-young, who had been listening to Chairman Ki with her mouth agape, began to cry aloud. Her entire body trembled as if consumed by grief, resentment, and indignation. The thought that her husband and child were paying the price for her own actions made her shudder at Ki Seung-jo’s cruelty. All of this had happened simply because she had dared to mess with that woman.  

“What’s so special about Jung Cho-ah that I have to suffer like this? What did I do that was so wrong? It’s not like I made up lies or anything. I didn’t do anything wrong!”  

Chairman Ki clicked his tongue as he looked at his daughter, who still couldn’t understand what she had done wrong. Who was there to blame but herself? A sigh escaped into the air.  

Madam Kim, who had been standing in the hallway, turned away. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was missing something. Even if Seon-young had done worse, Seung-jo wasn’t the type to step forward. 

What could it be? 

She had already concluded that there was nothing going on between Seung-jo and Jung Cho-ah.  

For a moment, she had thought her instincts were correct because Seung-jo was frequenting the World Hotel daily. But that thought didn’t last long. Jung Cho-ah wasn’t Seung-jo’s woman. Just looking at the photos of the two of them together was enough to tell. The way they looked at each other didn’t carry even a hint of affection, making Assemblywoman Yeo’s overreaction seem laughable.  

Then who could it be? Who…?  

At that moment, Madam Kim’s phone rang. Her eyes narrowed as she checked the screen.