TCE 08

Chapter 8

“Why?”

Chairman Ha Taewon spoke.

His curt voice, directed at the wall with his back turned, was steady as always. Staring at that familiar back, Yoonjae stood like a soldier, waiting for the chairman to continue.

“You took something that could’ve been simple and made it unnecessarily complicated.”

It had been well over ten years since the first day they met, yet as he looked at Chairman Ha’s still-robust frame, Yoonjae finally voiced the words he’d been preparing for years.

“Go Kyungchul is notorious in the industry for his poor character. In the long run, a marriage with that family would’ve left a stain on Yeongdo.”

“And so you chose that woman.”

“It was the best option to settle matters cleanly. If my position gained too much weight later, there might be troublemakers.”

Even though Eunse was young and immature, the shareholders who didn’t trust her still coveted Yoonjae—half-blood or not—for his exceptional abilities.

That was why Hyewon had intended to marry him into the Ha-seong family as their son-in-law. But that plan collapsed when Yoonjae married Aejeong.

Chairman Ha looked back at Yoonjae, who stubbornly refused to yield despite going in circles with the same topic.

“This is truly your wish?”

“It’s my desire.”

That desire had simply stemmed from his late mother’s wish for him to belong to Yeongdo and stay by Ha Taewon’s side for life.

In truth, the chairman wasn’t particularly interested in Yoonjae’s marriage.

To him, a son was merely a tool. If Eunse hadn’t been so inept, he wouldn’t have even accepted this bloodline, so whether Yoonjae became a son-in-law or not made little difference.

In fact, his promotion to executive director had been for the sole purpose of using him effectively. As long as Yoonjae benefited Yeongdo, his exact position didn’t matter.

It doesn’t matter.

This wasn’t something to get emotional over, nor had Yoonjae ever expected anything from the chairman, so there was no point wasting feelings on it.

Of course, Go Woori’s death had been an unexpected turn of events—though not originally his problem.

…Or maybe now it was.

Joo Aejeong.

Even while he worked, that woman would suddenly pop into his head and cause a disruption.

After Go Woori’s death, she had been showing signs of mental distress.

“……”

An odd flicker passed over his face and disappeared. Catching that fleeting expression, Chairman Ha slowly turned back.

“If that’s what you want.”

With those calm words, the chairman made a light gesture of dismissal. Yoonjae bowed to his back and quickly left the study.

As he left the main house, Yoonjae rubbed the corner of his eye.

He had just returned from a week-long business trip and exhaustion was washing over him.

Because Eunse, the head of Yeongdo’s PR planning department, had made a rookie mistake, he’d spent an entire week cleaning up her mess. Now, after reporting back and having that draining conversation, he felt twice as tired.

A week.

No—ten days.

After returning from Go Woori’s funeral, Aejeong had shut herself in her room for three or four days. Then, because of his trip, he hadn’t seen her for exactly ten days.

Not that he wanted to see her face… but he had to admit, even during the trip, thoughts of her had lingered.

Even during a one-on-one with the chairman.

[You crazy, psychopathic bastard!]

Her voice—half scream—echoed in his mind.

The venom in her eyes behind those glasses, the rapid-fire curses she had unleashed… it was all as vivid as if he’d just heard them.

Thud.

Resting his hand on the steering wheel, Yoonjae lightly tapped the leather cover.

In his mind’s eye was Aejeong, screaming like a madwoman.

Joo Aejeong.

Back when he was still a college student—not yet part of Yeongdo—the first time he’d met her, she had been quiet, almost invisible.

She rarely spoke, her voice so soft during presentations she was often told off for it. Always gloomy and withdrawn, she seemed to have no friends at all.

He remembered hearing that she’d dropped out at some point, but since they weren’t close, he hadn’t paid much attention.

And then, ten years later, they met again—at Yeongdo.

Tap.

His fingers stopped drumming the wheel. Yoonjae murmured quietly.

“Did she change… or was she hiding it?”

It wasn’t overnight, but on their wedding day, she had transformed completely.

How could someone’s personality change so drastically, to the exact opposite?

Had she really developed a mental problem?

“……”

After a pause, he started the car.

Whether she had changed or been hiding it, they had married for their own purposes, and he had paid his price.

No matter how much Joo Aejeong had changed, nothing about that fact would change.

* * *

“You’re home.”

When he stepped inside, the housekeeper, Mrs. Kim—who must have gotten the alert from the parking system—came to greet him.

She had been with him for years and was one of the few who could match his meticulous habits. She had even willingly transferred to his new home after his sudden marriage—despite having one more person to look after now.

“Have you eaten?”

“I’m fine. You can go home now.”

“Yes. But, Director…”

Yoonjae paused mid-step.

It was rare for Mrs. Kim—who was usually so quiet—to call out to him like this. When he stopped, she clasped her hands in front of her and fidgeted with her fingers.

“Well, it’s just that…”

“Is something wrong?”

“…The thing is…”

From her hesitation, he sensed something had happened. Setting his bag down carelessly, he headed deeper inside.

“Where is she?”

His expression, heavy as lead, was colder than ever.

He’d nearly forgotten—thanks to her recent bouts of strange, erratic talk—that Joo Aejeong was suffering from severe depression. The thin scars on her wrists spoke of how serious it was.

Keeping pace with his quick stride, Mrs. Kim began speaking in a flustered tone.

“She’s in her room. But more than that, right now the madam has been eating so…”

“Didn’t I tell you to make her eat by force if necessary? Or take her to the hospital?”

“No, no! That’s not it—”

She quickly shook her head. Just as they reached the living room—

“Mrs. Kim, is there no milk?”

A voice floated over, and both of them froze. Turning toward the sound, they spotted a head popping up from behind the island counter.

“There’s barely any left.”

“……”

There she was—Aejeong—her voice bright and cheerful, looking like a prisoner poking her head out over the gallows.

“Oh? When did you get here?”

Even after meeting his gaze, she only widened her eyes innocently, leaving Yoonjae at a loss for words.

“Y-Yes! I’ll get it right now!”

Mrs. Kim, quick on the uptake, hurried to the pantry, while Aejeong straightened up.

“I thought you’d run away.”

He wasn’t sure if she was joking or serious, but what caught his attention first was her oddly glowing complexion.

Not that he’d expected her to be dressed up, but she was wearing an oversized T-shirt that was obviously his, ambling over with a bag of cereal in one hand.

“That shirt—”

“Oh, this? I didn’t have clothes, so I borrowed it.”

From her shirt to her pants, everything was his. And it wasn’t just her face that looked brighter.

Her whole appearance had a strange, porcelain-like glow as she held out the cereal bag she’d been eating like a snack.

“Want some?”

She had gained weight.

There was no mistaking it—anyone could tell.

She had been so thin before that it actually suited her now, but in just ten days, her face had filled out astonishingly. She laughed boldly at his silent stare.

“Ahaha, I gained a bit, right? Guess what—four kilos in a week!”

“……”

“I thought the easiest thing in the world was spending money, you know?”

Scratching her head as she thought about her post-shower weigh-in, she then grabbed her belly with both hands.

“But no.”

Between her fingers was unmistakable belly fat.

“The easiest thing in the world is gaining weight. Isn’t that amazing?”

She looked oddly proud, as though she’d made a great discovery. Yoonjae felt a headache coming on from her incomprehensible behavior.

“Madam, here’s the milk…”

Mrs. Kim returned, holding it out. Aejeong beamed and took it.

“Thanks, Mrs. Kim!”

Cheerfully, she poured milk into a bowl of cereal, even humming a tune as she did so.

At least she didn’t seem remotely in a state where she might self-harm. If anything, she was far too lively.

“Eat, then go right to bed.”

Her cheeks puffed up with happiness as she thought only of eating and gaining more weight.

And Yoonjae sat there, watching the entire scene unfold.

“……”

Gone was the lifeless, scrawny figure she had been before; her face now looked like it might squeak if touched, brimming with health. His eyes narrowed.

He caught hold of the thought he’d almost let slip.

“This was what you wanted to tell me?”

“…Yes. She’s been eating too well.”

Mrs. Kim’s whisper made him glance back at Aejeong.

“Ah, this is so good.”

Her face—radiating pure happiness as she put another spoonful in her mouth—made him laugh before he realized it.

A scoff? A smirk? He wasn’t sure. But Yoonjae really did laugh.

And he didn’t even notice Mrs. Kim’s eyes widening at the rare sight.