Chapter 26
[No matter how hard you try, being the second means only one thing.]
The second.
In front of a newly married daughter-in-law, no matter how hard she tried, the fact that she was the second could only mean one thing.
“He must have another woman.”
The possibility that Ha Yoon-jae really had a woman somewhere. If so, then even ignoring someone as attractive as her and acting like a stone statue would make sense.
Was infidelity hereditary? No, perhaps it wasn’t infidelity.
‘What if she came first?’
A chill ran down her spine.
“Being the second… that’s a problem.”
One thing she couldn’t stand was being made to look pathetic.
‘There are so many beautiful things in the world.’
We took a bite of the peach in front of us.
Crunch.
Ever since she realized her allergy had disappeared, peach had become her favorite food.
“I thought you were a wolf, but turns out you’re a fox, Ha Yoon-jae.”
Chewing mouthful after mouthful of peach, we chuckled.
‘It’ll be over in a year anyway.’
She hated anything dirty and complicated. She didn’t want to stir up trouble over something uncertain.
And it wasn’t something worth asking directly either. So, shaking the thoughts out of her head, she kept eating her peach.
Crunch.
“……Ugh.”
Still, that uneasy feeling clung to her body like a stain.
“Then I’ll be going.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Goodnight, ma’am.”
As housekeeper Kim finished her day and left, Yoon-jae—who had come home earlier than usual—ended up greeting her alongside us.
“……Ah, yes. Then.”
Kim unconsciously lingered at the sight of the two standing side by side before catching herself and heading out, a faintly pleased smile on her lips.
Unaware of that look, we sat back down after exchanging farewells.
“……”
Something about her composure made Yoon-jae narrow his eyes.
Having just met Hye-won and Eun-se, he had rushed home early, worried some damage control might be needed. But it seemed all too quiet, as if his effort was wasted.
Munch, munch.
Sitting silently at the table, she just ate boiled corn, which only looked suspicious.
As his gaze grew heavier, we split the corn cob in half and said:
“If you’re going to say something, don’t. I’m on a diet, so I’m sensitive.”
At her serious declaration, Yoon-jae folded his arms and asked,
“Since when?”
“Since tonight.”
“……”
“Well begun is half done. I’m serious.”
She really did look more irritable than usual. Suppressing a laugh, he got straight to the point.
“Anything happen?”
Fortunately, she understood the subject immediately.
“No.”
“Nothing at all?”
“Not at all.”
If she were hiding something, it would show. But her mouth only busied itself crunching corn kernels—she seemed honest enough.
Indeed, if something had happened, he would’ve heard of it. The world had too many eyes and gossip traveled fast.
He decided not to press further into the opaque “time of women.”
After finishing his business, Yoon-jae went back to his study. Left alone, we chewed the last kernels rolling in our mouth.
‘Ask, or don’t ask.’
The question had been knotted inside her chest all day, refusing to dissolve.
‘Even if I ask, he won’t give me a straight answer.’
Back and forth, weighing it.
Her eyes rolled restlessly as she wrestled with her curiosity. Finally, we bit into the corn hard.
“……Cough, cough!”
She had swallowed too much at once, choking and thumping her chest.
She had overthought it.
Once she forced the lump down, fatigue washed over her.
‘A coffee before bed might help.’
As she got up, the very man who had filled her thoughts appeared before her—Yoon-jae, returning from his study.
“If you came for coffee, wait a bit. I’ll bring it to you when it’s ready.”
She headed to the coffee machine and pressed the button.
Beep.
The water began to boil. Watching quietly, he suddenly asked:
“What’s the problem?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why are you making me coffee?”
Her show of kindness met only with suspicion. She rolled her eyes.
“What the—this man is strange. It’s called courtesy. Courtesy.”
“And you expect me to believe that?”
“Excuse me? If a husband can’t trust his wife, who can he trust? Unless… you really do have a mistress?”
Oops.
She had thought about it so much that the words slipped out. Embarrassed, she clamped her mouth shut, while Yoon-jae quietly studied her.
“……”
Blink.
Her eyes darted away. Yoon-jae moved closer, opened the fridge, and pulled something out.
A sandwich Kim had prepared for his late nights.
The sight was tempting, but before she could stare too long, he handed it to her.
“Stop the diet. Now.”
“……”
Apparently, she’d been gravely misunderstood.
But since she admitted her own oversensitivity, she obediently accepted the plate. Without another word, Yoon-jae returned to his study, coffee-less.
‘……Damn.’
Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.
She brewed the coffee anyway, then carried it and the sandwich on a tray to his study.
Knock, knock.
“May I come in?”
Raising her voice so it would carry through the door, she turned the knob and stepped inside.
The scent of books and fresh coffee filled the air. Breathing it in, she spoke hesitantly.
“Today, I used your card to buy gifts for your stepmother and half-sibling.”
The blunt wording made Yoon-jae let out a soundless chuckle. He wasn’t upset—if anything, it felt light.
“You don’t need to report every little thing. If you need your own card, tell Chief Hong.”
“No, that’s fine. Besides, I’ll have to return it soon anyway.”
The casual reminder of their contract made his eyes pause briefly on the papers in front of him.
We placed the coffee on his desk and continued.
“Can I ask you a rude question?”
“Don’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because even unasked, you’re already rude.”
“Then excuse my manners. Were you Cinderella?”
From rudeness to impudence, her question made him sigh deeply.
What went on in this woman’s head? Instead of indulging that curiosity, he answered the question.
“You mean, was I abused?”
“Something like that.”
To him, it wasn’t a particularly sensitive question. He returned to his documents.
“When I came to this house, I was already over twenty. And besides, she wasn’t that kind of person.”
Seo Hye-won was far too graceful and refined. She had welcomed him with a smile and called him “son” from the very beginning.
Which only made the disgust hidden in her gaze and gestures clearer.
At his calm reply, we sipped our coffee. Then finally dropped the question that had weighed on us all day.
“Then… do you have a woman?”
It was a bombshell, direct and impossible to ignore.
Even unshakable Yoon-jae almost dropped his papers. He tightened his grip and asked again.
“What did you say?”
“I mean, just—if you’d tell me comfortably…”
Seeing her uncharacteristically hesitant, he let out a long sigh.
“At this rate, next you’ll ask if I have kids.”
“You do?”
“……”
“Kidding.”
Her own joke made her grin sheepishly, though the first question remained. Fiddling with her hair, she pressed,
“Honestly would be best. But if you’re going to lie, at least make it convincing.”
She shrugged.
It had been nagging at her.
Whether she was the second, or the two-hundredth—it didn’t really matter. Not really.
‘……But still.’
She couldn’t let go of it.
At her absurd persistence, Yoon-jae tilted his head.
So that diet “sensitivity” was really just boredom.
Looking at her blinking eyes, he finally answered.
“Yes.”
Her eyes went wide.
Bang!
She slammed her hands on the desk, leaning forward.
“Who came first? Say it’s me. I hate being second. Even if it’s a lie, say it.”
“……”
He chose not to correct her mistaken premise.
Instead, Yoon-jae sighed and jerked his chin.
“Aren’t you a woman?”
“…What?”
“Or are you unisex?”
“What? No! That was ages ago—wait, what?”
It took a beat for her to realize he was teasing her.
And then she laughed.
“So, for you, I’m the only one too?”
Her smile was dazzling, too bright.
He froze, muscles stiff. Just as she straightened up, she said,
“Alright, then. I’ll be going.”
Feeling oddly refreshed, she turned to leave, when he called out.
“Ju Ae-jung.”
“Yes?”
“Do you have plans this weekend?”
As one of the richest “unemployed” people in the world, she had plenty of free time.
“No. Why?”
Was he about to scold her to stop lazing around? She braced herself.
But he just stared at her, gaze steady and piercing.
It was unnerving. If only Ha Yoon-jae would stay quiet—he was far too much her type.
Flustered, she fiddled with her cup.
“Why do you ask, all of a sudden…”
“Go Woo-ri.”
Just one word froze her spine.
Ironically, her own name sounded strangely foreign now, unsettling her. Before she could react further, he continued.
“I was thinking of visiting the columbarium.”
“…What?”
His next words made her heart heavy, though the initial confusion faded.
Seeing her shaken eyes, he added,
“You’ve been dwelling on it, haven’t you?”
Not wrong. Though the reason she dwelled on it was something she could never say.
Her silence betrayed her. Loosening his tie, he said,
“It’s your decision. The choice is yours.”
It sounded like freedom, yet held a subtle distance.
He was only offering her, as Dr. Jang advised, the chance to tie up her own loose ends.
But his words stopped her trembling.
With clear eyes, she took a breath and nodded.
“I’ll go.”
