TCE 00

Prologue

“So.”

The relaxed tone rang in Aejeong’s ears.

“What you’re saying is…”

Aejeong could see the red lips of the woman who was elegantly lifting her coffee cup and sipping the lukewarm drink.

Clack.

After setting the cup down on the table, Go Woori’s eyes gleamed coldly.

“You want me to disappear.”

At the blunt words, Aejeong’s back straightened. Pressing her hands down firmly on her lap, she replied calmly.

“I suppose that’s how it is.”

“That’s exactly how it is.”

From the start, Woori had been speaking informally, and the rudeness had only grown worse. But Aejeong swallowed her emotions and spoke evenly.

“You asked to meet, and I understood that to mean you wanted a conclusion one way or another. That’s why I didn’t think there was any need for a long conversation.”

“Hah.”

“I love Yoon Jae.”

Aejeong drew a clear line, as if she truly had no intention of saying anything more. In the end, the elegant mask barely clinging to Woori’s face cracked.

“How dare you—without knowing your place—steal someone else’s fiancé and speak so shamelessly…!”

“If we’re talking about who started this, don’t you think it wasn’t me?”

“What?”

“Because at least Woori came first.”

It was a wordplay, since the woman in front of Aejeong was literally named Woori.

“How disgusting.”

Without meaning to, Aejeong let out a small scoff, and Woori’s forehead veins bulged. Breathing harshly, Woori spat out her words.

“Joo Aejeong, twenty-eight. Employee at Yeongdo Group. Didn’t go to college. Doesn’t seem to have much. Doesn’t seem ambitious enough to try pulling some scheme for a fortune. So how did you meet Ha Yoon Jae? Was it some grand fate? Or is there an academy that trains you to become Cinderella?”

Her tone was vile, but her words were accurate.

Even down to the fact that it had been an almost accidental connection. Aejeong pushed up the glasses that had slid down her nose and asked,

“Did you have me investigated?”

“What’s stopping me?”

Woori answered shamelessly, then slammed the table hard.

Thud.

“I’m about to have my future husband stolen by someone like you—someone who’s neither here nor there.”

“That’s not it.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not that you’re about to lose him, Go Woori. You’ve already lost him.”

Behind them, it was as if red and blue auras were rippling in the air.

But in a situation like this, of course, the upper hand belonged to the cool-headed Aejeong.

Trembling, Woori clenched her fist so tightly her long nails dug into her palm.

“You… you’re not afraid of anything, are you?”

“In this situation, why should I be afraid of you, Ms. Go Woori?”

“…”

“I’m the one who has him.”

“You!”

“I never gave you permission to speak informally to me, but I understand—it seems that’s all you can do.”

“You—!”

Woori’s face flushed so red it showed through her makeup, and finally, she couldn’t hold back anymore. She shot to her feet.

Her carefully maintained elegance was gone without a trace. Aejeong, too, rose from her seat.

“Any other matters, you can talk about with him. I don’t think I have any reason to meet you again, Ms. Go Woori. And even if we did meet again, nothing would change.”

Then, as if she’d been waiting for the perfect moment, Aejeong delivered the final blow to end it all.

“‘Woori’ and I are not breaking up.”

Her thin hand wrapped protectively around her stomach.

As if guarding something inside.

Through her glasses, Aejeong’s deep brown eyes reflected Woori’s shocked expression.

“How, how did you…?”

Woori’s face twisted horribly, and then she spotted the ring on Aejeong’s left ring finger, resting on her belly.

Sensing the unspoken question in Woori’s stare, Aejeong answered,

“One month from now.”

Not many words had been exchanged, but it was enough.

Woori’s lips parted in a silent scream, then twisted into rage.

“You—you damn—!”

She cast aside all traces of fabricated elegance, reached across the table, and grabbed Aejeong’s hand.

“What do you think you’re—!”

Without a thought, she yanked the ring off Aejeong’s finger and flung it aside.

Even then, Aejeong’s composure only fueled Woori’s fury further.

“You two won’t get away with this! Just wait! How dare you treat me like this? Just you wait. I’ll—I’ll ruin you, no matter what it takes!”

Practically spitting curses, Woori snatched up her bag and stormed out.

She had probably shouted loudly enough for the entire restaurant to hear, making the private room reservation pointless.

Bang!

The door slammed as if it might break. Left alone, Aejeong slowly lowered the hand that had been on her stomach.

“Haa…”

A deep sigh spread across the table. With eyes shimmering faintly, she murmured softly,

“I’m sorry.”

Of course, the apology didn’t reach the one it was meant for.

Nor was it necessary.

Because—

.

.

.

“It’s me.”

The moment she stepped out of the room, Woori pulled out her phone and called her secretary.

“What about the ticket? When? One month?”

Her high heels clicked against the floor, but she stopped and glanced back at the door she had just exited.

“No, there’s no need to rush it.”

A smile crept onto her lips.

[One month from now.]

Recalling Aejeong’s passing words, Woori resumed walking.

“Perfect.”

This wasn’t the story of a poor woman with a tragic past.

“It’s the perfect day for a villain to make her exit.”

After all, the main character of this story was rich, bad-tempered me—Go Woori.