Chapter 3.3

“Don’t flirt recklessly. This time, I’m letting it slide for Chairman Seong’s sake. If you mess around again, you might really lose your tail.”

Baek-geon coldly warned. He flung her wrist away as if discarding something trivial and looked down at Rui as if she were a mere insect.

“Whether anyone sees or not, I don’t care, so don’t climb up acting all high and mighty. If you want that grand marriage, you’d better behave.”

With that, Baek-geon closed his mouth. He wanted to leave immediately. But as the woman said, the meal wasn’t even finished.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Rui, with lingering regret and heat in her eyes, stood up. Baek-geon, with a bored face, ignored her and drank his wine.

Thus, he didn’t notice Rui’s face turning as pink as a peach as she headed to the restroom. He simply craved a cigarette.

The impulse was something wine couldn’t suppress. He was about to stand up, unable to resist the urge, when the manager approached and bowed.

He saw people lingering in his line of sight. It was near the restroom where Rui had gone. Sensing something had happened, Baek-geon signaled to the manager.

“Tell me what’s going on.”

“Well, you should check the restroom. The person you came with…”

Baek-geon roughly tossed his napkin and headed to the restroom. As the staff blocked others from entering, he went inside and saw Rui looking awkwardly at him.

“Oh my, you came to find me? Perfect timing. This person needs to go to the hospital. Can we go together?”

Baek-geon’s eyes moved past Rui. His gaze landed on a woman covered by the cardigan Rui had draped over her waist.

The woman’s face was hidden. Between her fallen hair, thin fingers were visible. Near her legs, wrapped in a long skirt, were spots of blood.

Noticing this, Baek-geon’s eyes narrowed. He turned his gaze back to Rui.

“I was so surprised. She suddenly vomited in front of me and started bleeding. Obviously, I was the only one who could help. What else could I do? Maybe being an influencer was meant for moments like this.”

Rui sighed as if for him to hear, her eyes shining as she looked at him.

“So, you’ll help too, right, Baek-geon?”

Despite her cute words, her phone was still pointed at the woman who had collapsed. Every time the woman tried to stand, Rui kept pressing her shoulder down with her other hand.

Baek-geon’s eyes sharpened. Rui, while claiming to help, was continuously filming the situation.

He looked down at the trembling woman at his feet with an icy expression and then turned his gaze to Rui, who was filming.

*

“Congratulations. You’re pregnant.”

That morning, Yoon-jae had visited the hospital as soon as she woke up. It was the weekend, so she had time before meeting Cheong-o.

Contrary to her worries, her leg was surprisingly fine. The swelling hadn’t completely subsided, but walking wasn’t an issue.

The doctor, with a dry tone, surprisingly examined her kindly. Since it was still early, he advised her to be cautious until the next check-up, offering various tips.

“It’s early, but the implantation site seems a bit unstable. It’s best to be careful for a while.”

Surely it wasn’t because of the fall? Unable to hide her fear, she spoke.

“Is it… very dangerous?”

“Not really, but it’s always good to be cautious in the early stages. Don’t lift heavy things and let your husband do everything.”

Having received prescriptions for folic acid and other beneficial supplements, Yoon-jae sighed inwardly. Hearing the caution made her feel a creeping anxiety.

No, I can overcome this.

She shook her head. If she found a job that was more comfortable than working at the cafeteria, like serving in the hall, she could manage somehow.

More than that, the thought of reclaiming her old home suddenly surfaced. To give birth and raise a child, she needed a wall to lean on and a roof over her head.

She still had plenty of time before meeting Cheong-o. Impulsively, she took the subway to the neighborhood where she used to live.

Being in the rattling subway made her feel nauseous. Yoon-jae covered her mouth with a handkerchief. Unidentifiable emotions surged within her.

It was rage. The anger and sorrow accumulated towards Yoon-ryeol seemed ready to burst from her chest.

After getting off the subway, she walked slowly, bracing against the chilly wind. Arriving in front of the apartment she once had, she took a deep breath.

She didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t even sure why she had come here.

But one thing kept coiling in her mind. She couldn’t give birth on the streets; she needed a place to call home.

“Welcome, are you here to see something…?”

As she opened the door and entered, the real estate agent’s face, which had brightened, suddenly changed. Yoon-jae smiled coldly.

“It’s been a while. You seem to be doing well. Or should I say, still scamming people?”

“What are you saying, Miss?”

The agent looked flustered for a moment but quickly regained composure. Of course. Yoon-jae let out a bitter laugh.

“It’s been a while—got some good news or something? Looking for a new place?”

She was unmatched in her shamelessness. Her head heated up. Yoon-jae glared fiercely and began to press the agent.

“Why do you think I came all the way here? I’m here to get my money back. Or return the house.”

“Oh, look at this girl. So naive.”

The agent shamelessly played innocent.

“That was all your brother’s doing. Why are you coming to me with demands? Go ask your brother for it.”

“You colluded with him to embezzle my money. Technically, you’re half responsible too.”

“What are you talking about? I only brokered the contract fairly. Your brother did everything, and I know nothing about it.”

The agent shook his head with a grin. Suddenly, anger surged within her. Yoon-jae unknowingly approached the agent and threatened.

“You were the one who encouraged it! You and my brother took my money, signed the lease in his name, and promised you’d return it later. But turns out, it was a scam, and only part of the deposit was paid. The rest? You and my brother pocketed it.”

The agent, shorter than her with a protruding belly, looked ridiculous. Yoon-jae raised her hand as if to grab his collar immediately.

“Give me my money! Give it back!”

“Where do you think you are!”

The agent stepped back and yelled while picking up the receiver.

“Get out before I call the police! Otherwise, I’ll really report you!”

Yoon-jae glared fiercely at the agent. The agent, seemingly intimidated by her gaunt face and fierce eyes, put down the receiver and rummaged through his pockets.

“Well, since it’s come to this, I’ll give you some fare, so just go quietly, okay? What can I do? Your brother and I were both fooled by that gap investment thing. We’re both victims.”

“…Shameless.”

She knew they were involved together. The gap investment scammer had already fled far away, and the real estate agent shared her money with Yoon-ryeol.

Even so, his shameless and cunning face was infuriating. Yoon-jae glared hard at the agent’s oily, shiny face.

“Go ahead and report it. I’ll report it too. Real estate scams are so rampant these days; it’ll probably be on the news or TV.”

Yoon-jae spat out through gritted teeth. The agent picked up the receiver again with a sneer.

“Oh, shall we try it, then? Who gets caught, you or me? No matter how much you try, it’s useless. Except for the fact that the previous owner was a scammer, there’s no illegality concerning you.”

Yoon-jae was speechless. Realizing she was silent, the agent decisively yelled.

“Honestly, you should be grateful for living for free in a house that’s not legally yours. Nowadays, you’d be sued for illegal occupation. You should talk knowing something. Didn’t you learn that while studying law? Seems like you studied in vain.”

Yoon-jae gritted her teeth. He wasn’t wrong. The more she screamed, the more pathetic she felt.

Who could she blame? She resented the wasted years deceived by Yoon-ryeol, and herself for living foolishly, claiming to study. It was a tragedy born from not being able to sever ties with her only kin.

Seeing her spirit crushed, the agent smirked confidently.

“Why did someone who studied law get fooled so easily? You said you were attending law school? How could someone so smart be deceived by her brother? Money doesn’t recognize kinship.”

He clicked his tongue as if pitying her while lecturing her, making Yoon-jae clench her fists tightly. She felt an urge to grab his collar right then.

“Here, take it. I’ve had days without work lately, so there’s not much in my wallet. Use this for fare, okay? Buy some food on the way. You don’t look well.”

Feigning generosity, the agent pulled out his wallet and offered two fifty-thousand won bills. As Yoon-jae turned away, pretending not to see, the agent quickly stuffed the money into her upper pocket.

“Hey!”

As Yoon-jae gasped, the agent chuckled slyly.

“We’re all just trying to live well, so take it as pocket money. Come visit after you graduate law school and start your practice. I’ll find you an office cheaply. Got it?”

Fed up with his shamelessness, Yoon-jae exited the real estate office weakly. Her legs gave way, making her stagger.