CHAPTER 28

After finishing the meal, the Woo family left the house one by one. They’ve all taken time out of their busy schedules to come down and make memories with Mrs. Kang.

The only ones left were Seungbin, Taeheon, and Song-hyun’s youngest daughter, Sieun. Sieun had briefly returned from her studies in the United States due to Mrs. Kang’s deteriorating health. She planned to stay in Korea for a while.

Seungbin had locked himself in the guest room on the second floor and hadn’t come out. All that could be seen was his figure on the phone, making various calls, perhaps about something wrong with work.

Late at night, Yeonseo was on her way to get a towel to place in Mrs. Kang’s room. As she entered the dimly lit corridor, bumped into Taeheon and Sieun, who were also heading to Mrs. Kang’s room.

She reflexively bowed her head slightly in greeting. Then, she stopped and waited, gesturing for them to go ahead first.

Their gazes locked for a moment, but Taeheon turned away first. Since the night he had left the officetel, they hadn’t exchanged a single word.

It was a good thing, but there was a lingering sense of discomfort. Yeonseo wondered if Seungbin’s declaration had made him distant.

“Hey, sis. We’re going to talk about something important……. Umm, what should I call you, Seungbin’s girlfriend?”

“I’m Han Yeonseo. I’m a caregiver.”

When Yeonseo calmly replied, Sieun crossed her arms and hesitated.

“Really? What should I call you then, unnie or Ms. Han?”

“I think you’ll be more comfortable with ‘unnie’.”

“Anyway, don’t come in for a while. We want to spend time with Grandma alone.”

Sieun’s demeanor was both cheerful and a bit arrogant, but it was a playful kind of arrogance. Yeonseo responded calmly.

“Then I’ll just leave the towel behind.”

“What? This lady doesn’t understand what I’m saying.”

Sieun, who had been speaking fluent English just moments ago, was now rambling in an angry tone at Taeheon. Something about not liking Yeonseo.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Taeheon didn’t even glance in Yeonseo’s direction. As Sieun was venting, Taeheon’s attention remained elsewhere. Sieun, whose ranting voice had started to crack, called Yeonseo with a slightly softer tone.

“Unnie.”

“Yes.”

“You think being nice to Seungbin gets you anything, but do you know how many women have gone through him?”

Yeonseo looked at Sieun, who appeared about six years younger than her.

She was beautiful and fresh—still cute even in her boldness.

When Yeonseo just silently observed her, Sieun became a bit flustered and stumbled over her words.

“A-anyway, give me the towel. I’ll put it there. And also, bring me a cup of hot cocoa.”

Taking the towel from Yeonseo, Sieun nudged Taeheon and asked.

“Oppa, do you want something to drink, too?”

Taeheon didn’t answer, but stepped through the open door. It was a clear act of ignoring Yeonseo.

Once the two of them disappeared and the door closed firmly, Yeonseo stood in front of the closed door fo a while like someone who had reached a dead end.

Her heart ached as if she had been hurt.

She realized that Taeheon’s cold gaze would hurt her more than the Woo family looking down on her. In the end, her feelings for him had grown and grown until she couldn’t be hidden anymore…

“Sigh…”

Alone in the hallway, Yeonseo let out a soft sigh. She had thought that her feelings would eventually disperse like smoke, but they were becoming clearer and taking on a tangible form. They were becoming heavier.

“What is this?”

Yeonseo muttered bitterly. She was trying to suppress it and press it down, but it keeps coming out.

With a grumbling attitude, Yeonseo staggered up to the second floor. She didn’t want to go to the second floor where Seungbin was staying, but she kept the hot chocolate she’d been gifted there, so she forced herself to take steps in that direction.

“Yeonseo, haven’t you slept yet? I was actually planning to call you if you hadn’t.”

Damn it.

Seungbin was smiling at the end of the stairs. As she felt cornered on this dead-end path, extreme thoughts rushed through her mind.

Maybe I should just lose my footing and stumble then roll backwards.

As much as I want to let go of everything…….

Yeonseo wrinkled her nose in frustration.

“Mr. Woo, I told you I don’t like you.”

“You’re still on about that?”

“Why did you act like that in front of your family earlier?”

At this moment, there were no black forest-like eyes watching her, and no other people around. So, she could confidently confront him.

“What have you done?”

Mrs. Kang had received a terminal diagnosis. This was the occasion where everyone had rushed to her side, setting aside their differences.

Even if Seungbin and her were indeed in a relationship, it was not the suitable occasion to openly announce their relationship.

Director Woo and Seungbin were well aware of that. They were intentionally aiming for this.

“Engagement? Seriously…!”

The combination of Sewon Group’s heir, Woo Seungbin, and a nurse-turned-caregiver, Han Yeonseo, was too different even on the surface.

“The stairs are dangerous. Come upstairs and let’s talk.”

Seungbin tugged at her. Yeonseo, still clinging to the railing, fell into Seungbin’s arms with the force of his pull.

She pounded her fists on his chest, trying to break free, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the strength of his embrace.

“Let go!”

“Yeonseo, you need to be quiet. You’ll wake up grandmother.”

“Then just let go of me!”

Yeonseo continued to resist fiercely without giving up. She detested it terribly.

His touch, his hypocrisy, and her own helplessness and foolishness—she loathed all of it.

The gaze in Taeheon’s eyes as he looked at her turned into sharp fragments, piercing her fragile heart.

There shouldn’t be anything more to expose, but she kept revealing her downfall to him again and again.

That’s why she resented Seungbin even more than before.

Yeonseo struggled and vented her frustration.

“Let go of me, I’m going to kill you……!”

“Yeonseo, I’m sorry for everything. Okay?”

She swung her fist with enough force, but Seungbin, who had taken her arm and braced himself, wasn’t affected by the blow. Their feet tangled, and they lost their balance. As Seungbin pushed her back, they wobbled and eventually toppled over onto the large sofa.

Seungbin’s attempt to console her was met with Yeonseo’s outpouring force. He struggled to restrain her resistance by pinning her wrists down.

“Yeonseo, you’re going to hurt yourself. Let’s talk it out.”

“Bastard, don’t bullshit me!”

Yeonseo hissed, and smashed her knee into Seungbin’s groin.

“Ouch……!”

Seungbin rolled over in pain and tried to get away, but she grabbed him by the hair and pulled him down to the floor.

Seungbin exhaled harshly and grabbed her by the shoulders.

“Han Yeonseo!”

“Let go! You jerk! Why are you doing this to me?”

“You really don’t know?”

He hugged her from behind with tremendous strength as she struggled.

“It’s because I like you, and I’d feel bad if you didn’t know.”

Feeling like she was about to be dragged back to the couch, Yeonseo swung her elbow wildly. With a loud thud, Seungbin’s head jerked back.

“Ugh…!”

Yeonseo seized the moment he was loosening his grip while he held his nose and ran for the stairs. At that time, at the end of the stairs, she saw a black silhouette standing there.

In the dark that seemed to envelop him like a black forest, Taeheon stood tall.

How long had he been here?

“Help…”

Yeonseo opened her mouth to ask for help, but stopped.

What if I ask for help? What happens after that?

Would it mean getting into a s*xual relationship with Taeheon?

And he pays off the rest of my debt?

Reason screamed at her that it would only shift the disaster from Seungbin to Taeheon. Yeonseo’s mind, which had begun to overflow, had a different problem.

She dreaded the end of her relationship with Taeheon, even more than she dreaded this messy relationship with Seungbin, a relationship in which she was forced to struggle under duress.

“Ugh…”

She clenched her teeth but couldn’t stop herself from sobbing.

“What’s going on?”

“Never mind.”

“Han Yeon…….”

Yeonseo ran down the stairs, past Taeheon. She opened the front door and stepped out into the pouring rain.

She wished she could be swept away by the pouring rain. She ran aimlessly into the dark night.

*

Stepping out of the bathroom, Taeheon tightened the waistband of his loose robe. He looked out at the stormy winds through the window and poured whiskey into an empty glass.

As he lifted the glass and took a sip, the undiluted alcohol flowed quickly down his throat. He couldn’t sleep, all his nerves were on edge.

Would I hear footsteps from the first floor?

He chuckled at the thought. He couldn’t help but feel restless, trying to wonder when Yeonseo would return after going outside.

The aftertaste of the whiskey was bitter and astringent. Seungbin’s face was hideous as he held his bleeding nose.

Seungbin, who had stared defiantly at Taeheon, managed a fake smile before entering his room.

He considered slamming open Seungbin’s closed door and barging in, but Taeheon shook his head and returned to his room.

It wasn’t time yet. Yeonseo hadn’t asked for his help. He wanted her to come to him willingly than take her by force. He wanted to see her begging for help.

He knew it would be more satisfying for his thirst if she came to him on her own.

Rationally, he thought that way, but he couldn’t shake the urge to strangle Seungbin.

“This is ridiculous.”

Taeheon muttered under his breath. He wasn’t accustomed to being swept away by such raw emotions.

When did this unfamiliar storm begin?

Yeonseo’s presence had caused a climate change in his composed emotions. She was shaking his gray sky.

As soon as Taeheon returned to Yongin today, he realized that a small storm had swept in like a tsunami.

The moment he saw Yeonseo clinging to Mrs. Kang’s side, fluttering about, and Seungbin smiling beside her, he realized.

 He realized that he had to have Yeonseo.

He’d have to have Yeonseo from head to toe before he could let her go, not after a few modest fucks.

During the dinner, Director Woo had dropped a bomb. He introduced Yeonseo as Seungbin’s partner. He must have known that Yeonseo has been adorned by Mrs. Kang’s.

It was like the behavior of a petty hyena. In that amusing and embarrassing situation, Yeonseo couldn’t offer a single excuse.

That she was being coerced by Director Woo into Seungbin’s was something Taeheon could have predicted.

So, instead of explaining that situation, she should have asked for help. She should have begged him to hold her hand.

To see the woman who was so good at talking to Taeheon, just mumbling her lips in embarrassment….

He felt like shoving Director Woo and Woo Seungbin off a cliff.