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CHAPTER 07
Juhye gave an awkward smile, her cheeks faintly reddening.
Though he was only four years younger than her, Suha had always treated Juhye like she was much younger—like a child.
At times, it was so embarrassing that she wanted to escape the situation entirely.
“No, I should’ve come right away. I just heard the doctor explain Father’s condition. They said we should avoid anything stressful or shocking for a while…”
“Right. I’m thinking of asking him to step back from company duties until he fully recovers.”
Like the other siblings, Chairman Jin Sucheol was an absolute workaholic.
It was even the biggest concern their late mother had while alive, so there was no need to explain further.
“How did he collapse?”
“Overwork, basically. He’d been complaining for days that his vision in one eye was getting blurry, and I kept telling him to get checked, but he was too busy dealing with labor union issues and the press.”
Suha exhaled deeply and ran a hand through his hair.
“This morning he suddenly said his left side felt numb while on the phone, then collapsed. We got him to the hospital quickly, so we didn’t miss the golden time. That’s a relief.”
Even at seventy-five, Chairman Jin Sucheol still refused to step back from the front lines. The children had agreed, believing it was their father’s way of setting an example as a leader, but they had always worried something like this would happen eventually.
“I’m glad you call him regularly every morning, Oppa. If you hadn’t…”
Juhye exhaled in relief again, calming her shaken heart.
After gently patting her, Suha suddenly changed the topic.
“By the way, isn’t the Jinju Arboretum remodeling ceremony coming up soon? Father won’t be able to attend. He’ll be disappointed.”
“It’s just an arboretum ceremony. It’s not something he absolutely needs to attend.”
She said that, but she was honestly a little disappointed.
The chairman had supported his daughter in many ways, but the one thing he had always opposed was her management of the arboretum.
If it hadn’t been for Daehyun raising Jinju Construction’s stock value and easing the chairman’s concerns, the arboretum project might never have happened at all.
“What do you mean ‘just’? Father knows how carefully you’ve managed it,” Suha said sharply, shaking his head. His light brown hair swayed with the motion.
“I’ll definitely attend in his place, so don’t be too disappointed.”
“Thanks, Oppa.”
She had put a lot of effort into the renovation, and she had wanted her father to attend the ceremony and see the results firsthand.
Suha’s reaction made her feel slightly embarrassed, as if her effort had been too obvious.
“Oh right, have you eaten dinner?”
Suha changed the topic with a gentle smile, noticing her embarrassment.
His warm question made Juhye hesitate.
“Well… I…”
“Let’s have dinner together after a long time. Sookyung just got back from a business trip too, so she probably hasn’t eaten yet.”
Juhye gave an awkward smile in response and glanced toward Daehyun with a troubled expression.
To her surprise, Daehyun was also looking at them—but specifically at Suha’s hand resting on Juhye’s shoulder.
“Brother-in-law, you should probably head out first, right?”
At Suha’s dry question, Daehyun’s eyes shifted slightly.
“Since the Chairman has collapsed, we’ll need to review the Jinju Construction forum schedule as well… You must have more work piling up. You must be tired.”
There was a familiar edge of warning in Suha’s voice.
It was the same as always—the mask he wore so his sister wouldn’t notice his hostility.
Unaware of all this, Juhye looked between them as if to say what should we do?
“I’m fine.”
Daehyun glanced at his watch and curved his lips slightly.
“The forum schedule was already set with enough buffer. There’s no need to revise it. We can proceed as soon as the Chairman recovers.”
A perfect answer, as if he had anticipated the situation all along—without a single flaw.
“You’re well prepared. Father would be pleased when he wakes up,” Suha said, still looking unconvinced.
“Thank you.”
Daehyun replied politely, which only made Suha’s gaze colder.
“Still, I was hoping we could spend a bit more time together as siblings today…”
“Oppa, I’m sorry.”
Before the conversation could continue, Juhye apologized and stepped away from her brother’s embrace.
Suha’s brown eyes wavered with disappointment as he watched her leave.
“We actually had dinner plans. It’s our wedding anniversary today.”
“Oh, right.”
He said it like he remembered, but there was no sign of celebration in his eyes.
“Right. We rushed here after hearing about Father… Daehyun hasn’t eaten yet either.”
“Is that so?”
“We might end up worrying ourselves sick anyway.”
Juhye stepped closer to Daehyun and linked her arm with his.
Since her brother didn’t yet know about the divorce, she needed to maintain the appearance of a stable couple.
“When Sookyung arrives, please pass along our regards. We’ll head out first.”
Daehyun silently watched her as she explained calmly.
Juhye felt his gaze but pretended not to notice, tugging gently on his arm.
He looks like he already expected me to agree.
Even though she had been shaken by her father’s collapse, she still wanted to finish the divorce conversation with Daehyun.
She wanted to hear him say—at least—that he would think about it, instead of continuing to deny everything.
“I’m disappointed you’re leaving already.”
“I’ll take good care of her.”
Daehyun answered firmly, cutting off Suha’s lingering gaze as he reached out.
His large hand firmly wrapped around Juhye’s shoulder and pulled her closer.
“Juhye is still shaken, so I’ll take her home first.”
His concerned tone and gentle actions made her chest tighten.
He was only acting warm so no one would suspect their situation…
She hated herself for even feeling comforted by it.
Hated herself for reacting to something so clearly fake.
“Call me when you get inside, okay Juhye?”
At Suha’s warm voice, she only nodded repeatedly.
And so she failed to notice—
The way Suha was glaring at Daehyun’s hand on her shoulder with a dangerously cold expression.
Dinner was postponed.
On the way back, driven by Secretary Kim, Juhye quietly stared out the window.
Occasionally she could feel Daehyun’s gaze on her cheek, but she ignored it.
“Avoid anything that could shock the Chairman.”
Her mind was still in chaos over her father’s sudden collapse.
Especially the doctor’s warning.
She had been struggling with how to tell him about the divorce—but now that chance had disappeared entirely.
“Have you told your family yet?”
As soon as they entered the house, Daehyun asked in a flat voice.
Juhye headed toward the dressing room without answering, but he followed her all the way to the vanity.
“What are you trying to say?”
“That your divorce plans haven’t been told to your brother either.”
Was he mocking her?
Juhye glared at him, unable to read his expression.
“Of course not. Anyone hearing that might collapse too.”
“Your family does tend to be overly protective of you.”
His words carried a sharp edge.
But she couldn’t understand why.
It wasn’t as if he was bothered by their close sibling relationship…
“Fine. So don’t worry about it.”
Juhye decided to offer the most reasonable explanation she could find.
“Even if we divorce, it won’t cause you any trouble.”
“Trouble?”
“You’re hesitating because of Jinju Construction, aren’t you? I know.”
After separating from Jinju Construction, Daehyun had become the head of Jinju Togeon.
When rumors spread that Juhye was the real power behind the company, he had expanded the business and shut them down completely.
So of course he would care deeply about it.
“It’s your company. I never had shares to begin with, so I won’t ask for anything back.”
“…What?”
“It just means you don’t need to worry about the company when making your decision.”
She was tired. She knew this conversation needed to happen—but not today.
Trying to end it quickly, Juhye turned away.
But Daehyun’s lips twisted sharply.
“…!”
“I never thought about it like that.”
He grabbed her arm tightly as she tried to escape into the bathroom and pulled her back.
