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chapter 37
Morning came again at Myeongseonjae. Silence pressed heavily over the large dining table.
Seated at the table were four people: Seo Jin-bae, Chairman Seo, Do-heon, and Yeon-seo. As expected, Geum Seon-ae and Seo Kang-jae did not come for breakfast.
It was as if everyone had agreed in advance to remain silent. Only the faint clinking of spoons and bowls could be heard.
For Yeon-seo, who already had little appetite, such an atmosphere was particularly difficult. Even finishing a bowl of rice was a struggle, and the silence, where every breath seemed audible, made it even harder.
Still, she felt she could not get up alone or behave out of place. She needed to move before anyone noticed the hotel key card had disappeared…
“Yeon-seo.”
At that moment, Chairman Seo called her name in a gentle voice.
“Yes?”
Was he going to scold her for picking at her food? Yeon-seo swallowed nervously.
“You came in here and saw everything. I feel so ashamed about that.”
Unlike what she had feared, his concern was genuine.
“No, Grandfather. I… I’m fine.”
Yeon-seo waved her hands politely in response. Chairman Seo nodded solemnly a couple of times.
“Any news from Kang-jae’s mother?”
He asked his son, Seo Jin-bae. Upon hearing this, Seo Jin-bae placed both hands on his thighs and straightened his back.
“She’s probably at Seoguk Hotel. She’s not answering her phone.”
“Ugh, at that age… think of some sense. The nerve.”
Chairman Seo put down his spoon and sighed.
“No matter how kindly you try to see it, it’s impossible. Her greed is endless… she shouldn’t have entered this house.”
“Father, please accept her as a daughter-in-law now. Forget about Jeong-hye.”
Jeong-hye seemed to be Do-heon’s mother. Upon hearing the name, Chairman Seo’s eyes darkened even further.
“You treated her so poorly, yet you can forget it? The day she entered this house, smiling so kindly… my heart aches. She was truly a good girl, but such a one… Where could I find such a woman…”
“Father, I never felt Jeong-hye as a woman. The family just wanted us to marry, that’s all.”
Yeon-seo exhaled silently. How could she say that in front of his son? It was something she could never understand.
Her heart pounding, she could not look Do-heon in the eye. How much more would he have to suffer in this family?
“You good-for-nothing. That’s why you’re hopeless. You’re no match for Do-heon.”
Chairman Seo’s words to his son were just as harsh.
She thought perhaps the two of them were similar. Seo Jin-bae’s attitude toward Do-heon was no different. She had never seen them converse affectionately like an ordinary father and son.
“I’ll get up first.”
Amid the quiet tension, Do-heon rose first. Even as sharp words had been exchanged, he had neatly finished his meal and looked down at Yeon-seo.
“Rest well today. If you continue feeling unwell, go to the hospital I mentioned.”
“Yes.”
Yeon-seo nodded quietly.
Then Seo Jin-bae cleared his throat awkwardly, seemingly unsure of how to leave.
“I’ll get up too. I have a lot to do, so finish your meal!”
After the two men left, only Yeon-seo and Chairman Seo remained in the kitchen. He continued eating slowly, unfazed.
Finally, in a calm and composed voice, he spoke over the table.
“You two… you didn’t marry out of love at first, did you?”
Clang—startled by the unexpected question, Yeon-seo dropped her chopsticks. A nearby servant quickly brought her a replacement.
Yeon-seo hesitated. What should she say? Should she be honest? Chairman Seo’s condition for marriage had likely been that the two should marry out of love. She could not casually mention anything without Do-heon’s consent.
“No matter how you met at first, you grow attached over time. Looking at you now, it seems the dynamic has changed, hasn’t it?”
Unexpectedly, Chairman Seo laughed lightly, brushing it off.
“Well…”
The first meeting with Chairman Seo flashed vividly in her mind. He had known everything—how had he seen through her clumsy act?
It was also puzzling that he let Do-heon and her antics continue, knowing it was all a lie.
“You don’t have to be nervous. I’m not scolding you. Just don’t let the rest of the family find out. That’s all.”
“……”
“From the start, I chose Do-heon as my successor. Even a well-educated professional manager can’t keep up with him.”
Finally finishing his meal, Chairman Seo put down his spoon.
“Old as I am, I never thought my grandson would accept a partner so easily. But I still hoped Do-heon’s match would be you…”
He truly seemed like the head of Seoguk, seeing through every situation.
“Rest well. Once you’re in Seoguk, health must come first. Only then can you protect what you have.”
Yeon-seo felt as if she had been unexpectedly struck. Chairman Seo left after finishing his meal as usual, leaving her behind.
She could not respond, only watch him leave.
‘He knew it was all an act, and yet… did he not feel annoyed?’
Her bowl still had rice in it. The unanswerable question would not leave her mind.
Even now, she had a task to accomplish. She had to finally mark the reason for coming to Myeongseonjae. To do so, she had to muster every last bit of courage.
‘The reason I came to this house is to uncover Grandmother’s death. I must find out before leaving Myeongseonjae.’
Yeon-seo stopped a taxi while wearing a dark gray hat. After scanning her surroundings with cautious eyes, she climbed into the cab.
Perhaps due to excessive tension, her palms felt cold. What should she do if she ran into Seon-ae at the Lasserin Hotel? Just imagining it made her heart race and her skin crawl.
Inside the car, the smell of gum mixed with acacia perfume was strong. Her stomach had been upset lately, and now even the sweet scent made her head throb.
“Madam! Going far, huh? If you’re in a hurry, shall I speed up?”
The taxi driver was a middle-aged woman with green-rimmed glasses, speaking in a hoarse voice.
“No, I don’t feel well. Going too fast will make it worse.”
Her stomach still unsettled, Yeon-seo replied politely.
“You don’t feel well? You look pale! I’ll open the window a bit.”
“Thank you.”
As the window rolled down, cool air entered. Yeon-seo pressed her fingers to her solar plexus, trying to ease her nausea.
“Ugh…”
Even on an almost empty stomach, she felt a wave of nausea rise again. She covered her mouth with her hand.
The taxi driver slowed down, checking her condition through the rearview mirror.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes… I haven’t eaten, so I don’t think I’ll vomit. I’ll make sure the car isn’t affected…”
“No, that’s not it! Shouldn’t you go to a hospital? Your condition looks really bad even without eating.”
The driver continued to insist, but Yeon-seo firmly refused. The opportunity was now, and her condition did not matter.
“Madam! We’ve arrived!”
Before long, she reached the Lasserin Hotel, which looked exactly the same as before.
“Could you wait for an hour? I’ll pay double.”
The driver waved her gloved hand.
“I’ll rest over there. Go take care of your business.”
“Thank you.”
Yeon-seo nodded once, opened the door, and stepped out. The hotel felt slightly eerie at first glance.
She looked up at the sign on the upper floors of the Lasserin Hotel. Perhaps because of the gloomy weather, it seemed even older than before.
The lobby was still empty. Feeling relieved, she pressed the elevator button and glanced around, afraid Seon-ae might be nearby.
‘Last time too, Seon-ae wouldn’t come this far and use the stairs. I have to be really careful this time. I’ll go to the emergency stairwell.’
