CHAPTER 4

*

As Yeonseo blabbered on about the information to Taeheon, she felt ashamed, as if her selfishness to escape without taking responsibility had been exposed.

“You’re going to go as far as hypocrisy.”

Now, she wasn’t sure if her decision to do this for Mrs.Kang was hypocritical. However, if she had doubts about Director Woo’s intentions, she couldn’t continue with this task.

“But if you leave just like that, Grandma will…”

“…”

“Grandma seemed to trust and rely on you a lot. Won’t she be disappointed if you leave irresponsibly?”

“…”

“While she’s alive, we should prevent her from seeing any more distressing situations.”

According to Mrs. Kang, Taeheon didn’t receive much love from his parents. That’s why she called him her precious grandson, Taeheon, who was both beloved and pitiful.

Taeheon seemed to be genuinely concerned about Mrs. Kang in his own way. However, Yeonseo couldn’t guarantee that he wasn’t like Director Woo either.

Should I tell Mrs. Kang about this?

No, it’s not a good idea. It wouldn’t be appropriate to discuss such matters considering her fragile health. How could I tell her that her son, who was sick to his stomach, had a dark intention and that his grandson was wary of him?

Even during dinner, Mrs. Kang tried to defend Director Woo. Surely her son wouldn’t do such a thing.

However, Yeonseo couldn’t simply dig into Director Woo’s suspicious actions and present evidence against him.

Mrs. Kang would surely collapse.

“If you quit right away Ms. Han, we’ll have to find a new caregiver, and who will bear the stress of that?”

“…It would be on you.”

Leaning back on the sofa, as if bored with the conversation, Taeheon appeared more indifferent than before.

“And if you leave around the same time I returned home, do you think Director Woo will just stay quiet? He’ll surely try to cover up his actions and shut you up once he realizes that I’ve caught him in the act.”

“…I don’t think he’ll go that far. What could I possibly say?”

“Of course he will, it’s just a matter of getting rid of you.”

Yeonseo’s breath came out shallow. She was barely surviving, carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders with the debt alone, and now she had unwillingly became a spy.

It felt like she had boarded an unstoppable train. She found herself in a position where she had to run as a double agent without knowing the final destination.

“Grandma doesn’t have much time left.”

Taeheon, who kindly determined the destination, appeared cold and indifferent, as if unaffected by death. She couldn’t fully trust him either when he spoke of Mrs. Kang’s death so casually.

But Director Woo was even less trustworthy. So she decided to stay by Mrs. Kang’s side and help her.

The other housekeepers who worked in this house had been with the Sewon family for over 20 years. Director Woo couldn’t persuade them. So it all depended on Yeonseo doing well.

She stood up from her seat and slowly approached the table, taking step by step. She had to bend down to grab the envelope on the knee-high table.

The envelope of money was heavy in her hand.

“Within six months, Director Woo should be past the stage of suspecting you, Ms. Han, but now that I’m here, he might still try to test the waters. So for now, continue reporting as usual.”

“And what happens to me later?”

Taeheon let out a low laugh as Yeonseo was unable to bring herself to mention what would happen after Mrs. Kang’s death.

That laughter sounded like a warning from a beast lurking in a cave.

“Do your best. Who knows, maybe I’ll even pay off your remaining debts.”

Seeing him make empty promises, it seemed that Taeheon was skilled at using people for money. Exhaustion overwhelmed Yeonseo.

“Then I’ll do my best with that in mind.”

Yeonseo bowed her head and bid farewell, and Taeheon’s sharp gaze followed her from head to toe. It was a blatant scrutiny.

“Don’t do anything stupid.”

It seemed like it was advised not to mention anything to Director Woo. Yeonseo knew better to stay quiet or else she might face the consequences, as Taeheon said.

Yeonseo forced a small smile.

“I won’t do anything that harms you.”

Without receiving any response, Yeonseo walked away. Even as she opened the door and left his room, she felt as if she had been sucked into the palm of his hand.

Disaster does not leave easily. Such was the way of the world as she knew it.

The six months that she had spent in peace, Taeheon ridiculed the irony of the peace she had felt.

It was definitely a disaster.

*

Taeheon rubbed his chin as he stared at the door through which Yeonseo had just exited.

He wondered what Director Woo must have thought of her report, whether he would laugh or be angered by the information.

Just imagining how Jang-hyeok’s calm face would distort made the situation a bit more intriguing.

Director Woo must have been on edge about who Mrs. Kang, the largest shareholder of Sewon Group, would meet with and what decisions she would make. He used Yeonseo as one of his sniffer dogs to take action if there was any sign of his share being reduced.

Mrs. Kang had a weakness for warmth and kindness. In Taeheon’s view, Yeonseo seemed like an innocent canvas.

It was a good move for Director Woo to take advantage of Yeonseo’s predicament with the loan sharks and slide her into Mrs. Kang’s side. She didn’t know anything, so she must have been fearless, unsuspecting, and doing her best.

However, with Taeheon’s return, Yeonseo’s role had to change. Unless Director Woo is an idiot, he’ll realize at some point that Yeonseo has become a double agent.

But his reason for keeping Yonseo was simply due to curiosity and a sense of adventure.

[What about our Yeonseo?]

With Yeonseo’s absence, Mrs. Kang kept looking at Taeheon.

[Our Taeheon likes someone like with innocence and kindness. It would be nice to see our Taeheon get married before I close my eyes…]

Despite being well aware of the highly competitive candidates mentioned as Taeheon’s potential fiancé, Mrs. Kang wished in vain. Taeheon casually crumbled up Yeonseo’s bland resume.

Yeonseo was easy prey for those who enjoyed breaking others. Taeheon, with his eyes closed, coldly shooked his head.

If grandma’s words were to be followed and I were to marry Han Yeonseo, how would Director Woo react? Would he be shocked to the point of losing himself?

Director Woo had likely already selected his own candidate for Taeheon’s wife. In Sewon, the eldest son’s influence carried significant weight when it came to making a match.

It would be amusing to see Director Woo in a frenzy, running around.

The scent of the sun lingered on the tip of his nose. Even though it was night.

*

The dewy soil was soft against Yeonseo’s shoes. This was Mrs. Kang’s private property, a small hill about 200 meters away from the Yongin house.

A walking path had been created, allowing Yonseo to enjoy pleasant morning exercises.

Around 4 a.m., Mrs. Kang woke up, ate breakfast, and went back to sleep. She usually slept for about two hours in the morning, so Yeonseo took the opportunity to go for a walk during that time.

Every now and then, Yeonseo would bend down to pull weeds that had sprouted up the path and toss them aside. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she walked and weeded at a fast pace.

The heat was setting in quickly, but the shade of the trees kept her cool. As she walked under the green leaves, she thought back to yesterday.

“Sigh… What an idiot.”

Ignorance didn’t get her off the hook, and voluntarily or not, Yeonseo had done a terrible thing to Mrs. Kang.

If Taeheon’s suspicions were correct and Director Woo had ulterior motives, then Yeonseo was like a cat offering a fish as a gift.

Not only did she report Mrs. Kang’s health, but also on who she met, what gifts she received, and what gifts she sent back – every detail. It dawned on her that she had committed a tremendous wrongdoing.

“I must have gone insane.”

Mistakes came to mind one after another, intensifying Yeonseo’s self-loathing.

Even this morning, when Mrs. Kang woke up, she asked Yeonseo if she slept well first. She was the nicest person she’d ever met, and the thought of deceiving her tightened her chest.

She saw a downhill slope and began to run, moving her body to shake off the impure thoughts.

She reached a point where the house was visible within a mile’s walk. The nearby houses were quite far from this place, so not many people could witness Yeonseo in this state.

At most, it would be the security team. However, an unfamiliar figure was approaching from that direction. It was Taeheon.

He was dressed in casual workout attire, unlike yesterday. He seemed to be heading into the mountains, just like Yeonseo.

Yeonseo slowed her pace and took a deep breath. As he came closer, she awkwardly moved her reddened cheek, trying to form a smile.

“Hello.”

Instead of greeting her, Taeheon glanced slowly at Yeonseo’s appearance. She felt embarrassed by the contrast between her wearing a light workout outfit and his well-dressed appearance.

How would he perceive me in my short-sleeved T-shirt and shorts that are above my knees?

She brushed her dirt-stained fingertips behind her back and spoke.

“I thought you should know… I have a day off today. If the person who takes care of Mrs. Kang arrives, I’ll go to Seoul then.”

Monday was Yeonseo’s day off.

“Seoul?”

“I’ll report to Director Woo and also get some herbal medicine.”

Contrary to mentioning her day off, Yeonseo’s Monday was quite hectic. Yeonseo’s gaze shifted to behind Taeheon. A black sedan was entering the alley.

It was probably Yoon-hae’s car. And sure enough, Yoon-hae stepped out as soon as the car stopped. Kim Yoon-hae was a woman in her early 50s who took care of Mrs. Kang before Yeonseo arrived.

She hadn’t seen them and had gone inside the house. Yeonseo looked up and asked Taeheon.

“How should I tell Director Woo…? When we meet face-to-face, he tends to ask specific details about Mrs. Kang’s daily life.”

“As I said yesterday, just report as usual for the time being.”

“You mean I can tell him everything ……?”

That would put Mrs. Kang on the spot….

“You don’t trust me? Do you think I would put my grandmother in danger?”

“…”

Yeonseo lowered her head with a stern face. Her breathing quickened because she didn’t want to do anything that would harm Mrs. Kang in the slightest.

“Don’t overstep your boundaries and just do as you’re told. Don’t make me ask you again and again.”

“…”

“You have to answer.”