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Chapter 17
Myung-hee clasped both of Jo Jae-seok’s hands tightly and gushed in admiration.
It wasn’t the kind of praise one would give to a future son-in-law — it was closer to the blind devotion shown to a cult leader.
Yet, somehow, Hyun-jeong understood her mother’s behavior.
He was the man who had saved her life — pulling her out when her leg was trapped in the car, moments before it could explode.
It was only natural for her mother to feel immense gratitude toward the person who had saved her daughter’s life.
Even so, Hyun-jeong couldn’t help but worry that, once she was transferred to another hospital, she might never see that tall man again.
As time went on, the desire to meet him one more time grew stronger and stronger.
If she’d known she would feel this way, she would’ve asked Jo Jae-seok to call the man back, even if just to say thank you.
Now she regretted not doing so.
“Hyun-jeong, let’s go up to Seoul, just like Director Jo suggested. I think I’ll feel more at ease that way,” her mother said.
Looking at her mother’s worried face, and then at her father and older sister, who both wore equally anxious expressions, Hyun-jeong had no choice but to nod.
“…All right, let’s do that.”
She couldn’t keep worrying her family, who had come rushing the moment they heard about her accident.
Though her reply came easily, her heart was uneasy.
“It’s such a relief it wasn’t worse. Thank heavens…”
Her mother’s eyes were swollen — probably from crying all night at the hotel.
Even now, she looked on the verge of tears, murmuring prayers of thanks to heaven while stroking Hyun-jeong’s face with trembling hands.
Hyun-jeong’s nose stung unexpectedly, and she hugged her mother — the mother who had seemed so distant until now.
It hurt to realize that she had treated the woman who cared for her so deeply like a stranger, simply because she couldn’t remember her.
“I’m sorry for making you worry.”
“No, don’t be. It was an accident, that’s all. I’m just so relieved that Director Jo has been by your side.”
Myung-hee patted her daughter’s back and stroked her head gently — her touch full of affection and warmth.
That gentle hand soothed the ache of not being able to see the tall man again.
She tried to think positively — that people meant to meet would cross paths again someday.
“So, about that, Mother, Father…”
Jo Jae-seok spoke politely to Hyun-jeong’s parents, smiling pleasantly.
“I’d like to move the wedding up a little sooner.”
“What? The wedding?”
“Yes. We can’t just keep waiting for Hyun-jeong’s memories to come back.
We’re going to get married anyway, and I think living together as a couple while she slowly regains her memory would be better for her.
I already got my parents’ approval yesterday.”
He spoke proudly, broad-shouldered and confident — like a man ready to hold a wedding tomorrow.
“Ah… please wait a second.”
She’d only learned yesterday that she even had a fiancé.
Now, after an accident, a leg surgery, and partial amnesia, he was talking about a wedding?
The world seemed to spin around her.
Before she’d even had a chance to open her heart to him, she was being forced into marriage.
But her silent protest seemed to fall on deaf ears — her father nodded approvingly and patted Jae-seok on the shoulder in support.
“I’m grateful for your sincerity. I can really feel how much you love our Hyun-jeong. I don’t even know how to thank you.”
“Not at all, sir. I should be thanking you — for raising such a lovely and wonderful daughter, and for giving her to me as if she were a precious gift.”
The two men shook hands proudly, like a father giving his daughter away at the altar.
Panicking, Hyun-jeong quickly stepped between them.
If she hesitated, she felt she’d be married to Jae-seok before she knew it — just like she’d missed her chance to see that tall man again.
“I’d like to take things more slowly. I’m not ready to get married yet. Everything’s just happened so suddenly — honestly, it’s all really confusing.”
She pleaded with her parents, but Jae-seok only brushed her cheek with his fingers, as if reassuring a child.
“Don’t worry about anything. Everything I’m doing is for you.”
The crawling sensation of his touch on her skin made her stomach turn with disgust.
“Mom, that acting was amazing. Hyun-jeong totally believed it.”
Ye-rim looked genuinely impressed.
Her mother had always played the sweet, angelic mom whenever her father was around, but today’s performance was flawless.
Coming out of the restroom stall, Myung-hee dried her hands with a wad of tissue, shrugged as if it were nothing, and smiled smugly at her only daughter.
“This? This was nothing.”
She hummed a tune, lifting her chin proudly before Ye-rim.
She was so pleased with herself that she almost felt like she could fly.
“If selling off Seo Hyun-jeong to Jo Jae-seok is what it takes for you to achieve your dreams, then I’ll do anything.”
“Mom…”
Myung-hee was thrilled, but Ye-rim didn’t look happy at all.
Her mother clicked her tongue softly — her daughter was too soft-hearted for her own good.
Still, she patted Ye-rim’s arm affectionately, as if she truly adored her.
Her touch was similar to how she had comforted Hyun-jeong earlier, but the emotions behind it were entirely different.
It was the touch of a mother whose love was fierce — one who would rip out her own heart for her daughter if necessary.
“As soon as Director Jo takes Hyun-jeong away, your father’s company will belong to you, Ye-rim. We’re almost at the finish line now.”
Ye-rim was actually Young-wook’s first daughter.
But because his family had opposed their marriage, they had never had a proper wedding, and Ye-rim was born out of wedlock.
Because of that, she’d lived her whole life under the weight of people’s scorn — and that humiliation had festered into resentment.
Myung-hee wanted to make sure her daughter would inherit Bill Furniture, the company, no matter what — so no one would ever dare look down on her again.
Ye-rim had both the talent and the right to take it over, after all.
“Soon you’ll have the title of CEO, my girl.”
Anyway, her husband had never truly loved his first wife.
It had been a marriage of convenience — so of course he adored Ye-rim, the daughter he’d had with Myung-hee, far more than Hyun-jeong, the child from his previous marriage.
That was why Ye-rim had worked tirelessly after college, starting from the bottom at her father’s company — preparing for this moment.
“Now, with Josu Construction backing us, you’ll soar higher than ever, my daughter.”
Myung-hee looked at Ye-rim lovingly and smoothed her hair.
“You’re the reason I live, Ye-rim. Once we become in-laws with the Josu Group, your marriage prospects will automatically rise to another level.
You’ll meet a far better man than Hyun-jeong ever will.”
She knew exactly what kind of garbage Jo Jae-seok really was —
a man with a messy trail of women, a violent drunk who smashed things when angry, and who didn’t hesitate to hit both men and women if they displeased him.
There had even been moments when his violence almost got him arrested — but thanks to his family’s power, the incidents were quietly buried every time.
Young-wook knew all of this too, but still readily handed his daughter over to Jae-seok.
Whether it was greed for a chaebol son-in-law or the ambition to expand his company — maybe both — Myung-hee didn’t care.
That’s why she felt no guilt, no shame about what they were doing to Hyun-jeong.
After all, it was her husband’s decision as the family head.
“Do you think Hyun-jeong will get her memory back?”
“Why? Are you worried she’ll remember everything and refuse to get married?”
“Well… I just don’t want any drama. I hate when Dad gets angry, or when she talks back to you.”
“Memory loss doesn’t just vanish overnight, does it? The doctor said it himself — it might never come back. Heaven’s on our side, so don’t worry.”
“Still… I just wonder. Her amnesia is real, right? Jae-seok said that before the accident, she asked to get off the highway, saying she didn’t want to go on the trip anymore.”
The moment she heard that Hyun-jeong had tried to get out of the car, Myung-hee’s eyes widened.
“That girl must be insane. Throwing away blessings like that.”
“What do you think, Mom? Does she really seem amnesiac to you?”
“Of course. Do you know how much that girl hates me?”
If she hadn’t lost her memory, she would’ve gone berserk the moment Myung-hee hugged her.
Even if it had all been for show, it had taken every bit of restraint for Myung-hee to embrace Hyun-jeong earlier.
“I guess you’re right…”
“For now, stay away from her. If you feel uncomfortable around her, just say you’re too busy with work.”
“Okay.”
Despite her mother’s reassurance, Ye-rim still looked uneasy — her face stiff with worry.
“Don’t worry, Ye-rim. I’ll keep drilling it into Hyun-jeong’s head — to always be grateful to her savior and do her best to repay him.”
Myung-hee smiled confidently, already plotting her next move.
She saw Hyun-jeong’s memory loss not as a tragedy, but as the perfect opportunity — to manipulate her exactly as she pleased.
