Part 2

Thud-

Seowoo’s forehead wrinkled as the sudden brightness hit her eyes. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw Jiwook entering the room.

“Oh… you’re home.”

A cold sweat broke out on her forehead. The pain was intense, and Seowoo had been lying in bed all evening, grunting. When she lifted her heavy body to take his jacket, the strong scent of alcohol hit her nose.

“Why are you just lying here without doing anything?”

Seowoo forced a smile at his somewhat sharp tone.

“I’m sorry. I fell asleep while waiting for you. Should I fill the bathtub for you?”

“….”

With no response, Seowoo slowly lifted her gaze to him. It had been a whole week since she last saw him.

Maybe he’s tired from his business trip.

Jiwook’s face seemed even more stern than it was a week ago.

He always took a half-bath to relieve his fatigue after a business trip. However, seeing him intoxicated today made her feel that it might be difficult.

“You shouldn’t take a half-bath after drinking…”

As she spoke, she felt his arm pulling her waist. Seowoo’s slender body swayed as she found herself embraced by him.

“Mmm!” 

Jiwook tilted his head and captured her lips. His tongue slid in, parting her moist lips. A somewhat rough, thoughtless, and forceful kiss ensued. 

“Mmm, stop!”

Seowoo tried to push him away in confusion, but he didn’t budge. He was always like this, eager to kiss her whenever he saw her after a business trip. While it was a natural situation after not seeing each other for a week, today felt different from other days.

“Ha, ah.”

A dry hand slid up her back, and her breathing became erratic as she realized where it was going. Within his broad chest, Jiwook tilted his head a little more as she gasped. 

Sucking in like pulling out the root of a tongue, Jiwook grabbed Seowoo’s plump br*ast. Her tamed body responded swiftly.

But unfortunately…

Despite twisting her body here and there, he refused to let her go. Holding her as they kissed, he laid her down on the bed and climbed on top.

“Wait, wait. Today…” 

Before she could finish her sentence, her mouth was blocked again. The tip of his tongue licked every inch of her mouth, and she could feel the dark desire in his eyes.

Jiwook swiftly removed her thin slip. Goosebumps rose as the cool air touched her skin.

“Mmm!”

Another moan escaped her lips as he continued to caress her chest. She tried to twist her head away, but his firm grip made it impossible for her to even speak.

Eventually, the tears she had been holding back burst out.

“Sob…….”

The sound of her sobs brought Jiwook’s actions to a halt. He let go of her lips and lowered his gaze. Seowoo’s eyes kept her eyes closed as she cried 

“Yoon Seowoo.”

“…?”

“Why on earth…” 

Jiwook’s brows furrowed sharply. The sound of whimpering echoed in his ears. Seowoo slowly opened her eyes and looked at him. Their gazes intertwined closely. 

Words failed to come out as if something was stuck in her throat. The tears that had been pent up flowed once again. 

“If you don’t want to, then we don’t do it. Because I don’t want to hold you against your will.” 

Jiwook pushed himself to his feet.

“…I can’t do it today.”

His movement to get off the bed stopped momentarily. Jiwook’s head turned back towards her. 

“What?”

“I had a miscarriage, today.”

Seowoo’s face completely crumbled. 

“What do you mean?”

Jiwook asked, but Seowoo couldn’t answer.

During the time you were absent, I confirmed my pregnancy and had a miscarriage before you arrived back. 

I spent a week trembling with fear to have that last chance your mother gave me, and then today, it’s all over.

The day I lost that last chance to be by your side.

Your mother had asked not to mention the miscarriage to you, but I couldn’t keep such a situation from you.

“Yoon Seowoo.”

The moments of loneliness she had endured alone over the past three years flashed before her eyes.

Thud.

Waiting for an answer from her, Jiwook eventually grabbed her wrist that had been covering her face. Seowoo’s face was a mess of tears. She barely managed to speak through her sobs. 

“I had another miscarriage.”

While others find it easy, why is it so hard for me?

She thought she would be somewhat numb about it after experiencing it once. But as she uttered those words now, in this moment, it was still incredibly heartbreaking.

Is it because of the miscarriage that I feel so broken like this?

Or is it because I’m actually getting a divorce from him now?

“……ha.”

He released his grip on her wrist. Jiwook sighed, suppressing his anger.

“Why are you telling me this now?”

Gritting his teeth and catching his breath, he eventually left the bedroom. Seowoo curled up in a ball and swallowed back her tears.

***

“Are you ready for your trip?”

“So-so.” 

Jiwook replied bluntly to Myeong-hye’s question.

Seowoo sat down next to Jiwook and scooped soup with her head down. It felt like there was a lump rolling around in her mouth.

Her tongue felt rough, and she couldn’t taste anything. 

All the anxiety she had been feeling for a week disappeared as if it had never been there, following the miscarriage.

“Before you leave, make sure to have some ginseng tea and bring some herbal medicine. You’ll be tired as it is.”

“I’m fine, just take care of this one.”

At his sudden remark, Seowoo’s face stiffened. Her heart started pounding as she feared he might bring up the miscarriage.

She turned her head to look at him, but Jiwook didn’t even look her way.

“She doesn’t need herbal medicine.”

Myeong-hye’s cold gaze landed on Seowoo. Jiwook lifted his glass of water and took a sip, then wiped the corner of his mouth.

“I thought she might be too weak.”

“I’m okay.”

Seowoo urgently tried to stop him. She didn’t want to hear anything more from Myeong-hye before she left. 

It was all going to be over soon anyway.

Now she had neither the mental nor physical strength to endure.

She couldn’t wait for a week to pass and leave this house. She was tired enough to want to let go of everything.

“Jiwook.”

“If you take those, I’ll take some too. You come upstairs with me. I’ll get ready for work.”

Without saying another word, he stood up from his seat.

“I’ll get up first.”

“Your father is here…”

“Just let him be.”

Hyeong-gyeong, his father, threw a remark as if that settled it. Jiwook left the dining room first. Seowoo, who had been sitting there absent-mindedly, quickly got up, bowed her head, and followed him.

“I really don’t like any of this.”

Myeong-hye muttered, looking at where her son and daughter-in-law had been sitting.

“I’m pretty sure she told Jiwook everything.”

If not, it was strange for him to suddenly ask for herbal medicine for Seowoo. Myeong-hye hoped there wouldn’t be any unexpected variables until the divorce. That’s why she had told Seowoo not to mention the miscarriage to Jiwook. 

She felt uneasy about her son’s attitude.

“Hmm.”

Hyeong-gyeong, sitting beside her, wore an awkward expression. Since he had nothing to say about his daughter-in-law, he just looked at Myeong-hye’s reactions. Eventually, he also put down his utensils.

“Are you done eating?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, then.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Seeing that she wasn’t being urged anymore, Myeong-hye seemed quite annoyed. Hyeong-gyeong got up from his seat and said a word to the kitchen staff. 

“A cup of coffee, to the study.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Left alone at the table, Myeong-hye finished her breakfast, organizing her thoughts.

***

“What?”

“Didn’t you hear me?”

Jiwook muttered with annoyance as he looked at his watch. Seowoo, paused beside him, holding his jacket.

“I’m going too?”

Her response made Jiwook look rather puzzled.

“Why would you ask the obvious? If I go, I won’t be able to come to Korea for about 2 years. Did you plan on staying here alone while I’m gone?”

Seowoo closed her mouth and didn’t say anything.

Earlier, Jiwook’s comment while getting ready for work had caught her off guard.

‘How much preparation have you done?’

‘What do you mean…….?’

‘We are leaving this week. I’ve given all the necessary instructions to the secretary about what you need, so just pack lightly.’

Jiwook, who works as the head of the K Group headquarters, recently told her that he had to go to the U.S. office for a short time. She thought it was still a long way off, but he was already planning to leave this week.

He initially said 6 months. She hadn’t heard a word from him since then, so she assumed he was going alone, which didn’t matter to her since she was about to get a divorce anyway.

“Yoon Seowoo.” 

“……?”

As the conversation kept getting interrupted, Jiwook finally stopped his actions and stared at her. His deeply furrowed brows indicated his discomfort. 

“Um, Jiwook.”

It’s lonely enough in Korea, let alone in America.

She could vividly imagine her life there even without going. 

Waiting for him, busy as ever, and feeling disappointed again.

“Ah…….”

Jiwook took the jacket from her hand. He looked at her intently and slipped his arms through the jacket.

“Get some packing done. We don’t have much time.”

Seeing him confidently believing that she would follow him, Seowoo couldn’t say a word.

Even if it wasn’t necessarily because of Myeong-hye, Seowoo wasn’t sure she could stay in this marriage any longer. And there was also a reason why she couldn’t tell him.

As Seowoo avoided his gaze, he approached her closely and gently held her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes.

“…….”

“…….”

The eyes staring intently made her lips dry. Seowoo bit her lip and lowered her gaze.

“You look like you have something to say.”

Her shoulders tensed at the blunt words. Seowoo struggled to compose herself and finally spoke.

“Nothing… I don’t have anything to say”

There was nothing she could expect from him anyway.

Nothing would change.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have felt so lonely all this time.

As she thought about it, a sudden wave of sadness washed over her.

He released the grip on her chin, which he had been scrutinizing silently.

“What did they say at the hospital?”

“What….”

“There must have been something they said.”

The doctor recommended a thorough examination.

Since she had had two miscarriages, there might be a problem. Naturally, Jiwook also had to undergo an examination.

Myeong-hye didn’t want to put her son through that, but she didn’t want to give Seowoo any more chances.

‘You’re to blame for all these miscarriages.’

Myeong-hye had said, putting all the blame on Seowoo.

“There was nothing.”

Seowoo replied, not really having any reason to explain to Jiwook, knowing that it wouldn’t change anything.

A sigh escaped from Jiwook. Every time he sighed heavily like this, she felt like she had committed a sin. Her self-esteem kept hitting rock bottom, and there was a constant ache in her heart.

“Just take it easy.”

Jiwook left the dressing room first. Myeong-hye’s nagging voice echoed in her head like tinnitus, asking why she didn’t see her husband off.

This life is coming to an end. 

Seowoo took heavy steps.