“Does it taste okay?”
“It’s good.”
“Really?!”
Even though Ju‑hyuk’s voice was blunt as always, Chaerang smiled brightly.
So a simple ‘It’s good’ can make me this happy…
Feeling a little more relaxed, she started asking him small questions.
“What time do you usually go to work?”
“It depends on the schedule. Tomorrow I’ll leave around seven.”
“Oh, I’m planning to go out tomorrow too. It’s been so long… On my way from the airport, I noticed the city had changed so much. I want to look around and buy some things.”
Her mood seemed lighter, and she kept chatting.
“Oh! Does the chairman still like those red bean buns from Saero Bakery? I was thinking of taking some when I visit him later.”
She had actually wanted to visit him tomorrow, but his schedule was too full.
“Or is there anything else he likes?”
“Not sure.”
It sounded like he didn’t care, but in truth Ju‑hyuk really didn’t know.
He had been thinking earlier—no wonder the chairman cares so much for her.
“And about… the divorce…”
Clack!
Ju‑hyuk slammed his chopsticks down on the table.
“I was going to bring that up anyway. Perfect timing.”
“…”
“I can’t give you a divorce.”
“Oh… if it’s because of the chairman, I can explain to him—”
“My position isn’t that secure right now.”
Chaerang blinked, surprised.
“What… what do you mean?”
“To be honest, all of this is still unstable.”
“…What?”
“The succession isn’t locked in yet. If I divorce you now, I’d be throwing myself to the sharks waiting to take my place. It’d be suicide.”
Chaerang instantly knew who those “sharks” were.
The chairman had two children:
Ju‑hyuk’s father, and his aunt—Kwon Suran, the head of Chagang Department Store.
Everyone knew the tragic news: Ju‑hyuk’s parents had died in a plane crash when he was only ten.
The chairman, worried about his little grandson’s future, decided to raise him strong—strong enough to survive anything.
That’s why he’d handed Ju‑hyuk that failing cosmetics company.
A test.
And Ju‑hyuk, like always, had exceeded expectations.
But that success made him a thorn in his aunt’s side.
She’d been counting on inheriting everything after her brother’s death, but the more Ju‑hyuk rose, the less room she had.
And she hadn’t given up.
She used her own son to stir trouble, and though nothing had worked yet, no one knew what she might try next.
Ju‑hyuk wasn’t going to lower his guard.
But then his next words hit Chaerang hard.
“If you let go of my hand now, I fall straight down.”
“…Fall?”
“In this situation, do you think you can just divorce me? Coldly?”
“I… I…”
Her mind spun.
How could she ever be cold to him?
The thought of him falling apart because of her… it already filled her with unbearable guilt.
“If you can throw me away, do it. But I want you to know what you’re doing.”
It was terrifying to hear.
Chaerang looked at him with eyes already brimming with tears.
“…Is that really true? What you’re saying?”
“Yes. It’s true.”
He bit the words out firmly, and her face went pale.
Maybe I was too harsh, he thought for a second, but then he remembered the way she’d talked about divorce earlier and decided it wasn’t harsh enough.
She stammered, “But… I thought the succession was going well. The chairman—”
“If it were that simple, I wouldn’t be asking you for help.”
Help?
…Was this how you ask for help? With that scary look on your face?
Her thoughts tangled, and she lowered her head.
She had wanted to divorce him for his own good.
All of it was for him.
Because of the guilt she carried for leaving him behind six years ago and for hurting him so deeply back then.
Even sitting here with him now was hard.
That’s why I wanted to finally let him go…
But now he was saying that would destroy him.
Because his succession wasn’t secure yet.
That would be her fault too.
Chaerang reached out and took his hand—both her hands barely covered his.
“I’ll take responsibility.”
“For what?”
“For that succession. I’ll take responsibility.”
“You?”
“I can give you an heir.”
“…What?”
She squeezed her eyes shut and blurted it out:
“I’ll give you a child! If the chairman only trusts you, then won’t giving him a great‑grandchild make everything more certain?”
The chairman had always wanted a great‑grandchild.
If she gave him one, maybe everything would fall into place.
“Please, say something… you’re making me so anxious.”
“How many?”
“…What?”
“How many kids are you going to give me?”
The question was so casual that she almost answered without thinking.
“Well…”
“You know how he is. You think he’ll be satisfied with just one?”
“Well… no, but…”
She suddenly got the odd feeling that he wasn’t just saying this for the chairman’s sake.
The way his eyes burned when he looked at her…
She quickly looked away.
Honestly, she had already thought of this—the idea that giving the chairman a great‑grandchild might make him back off about the divorce.
It was supposed to be my last resort…
She never thought Ju‑hyuk would actually want that.
“But… Ju‑hyuk, are you really okay with this? I mean, the company is important, but… me, and that kind of…”
She stole a glance at him.
He seemed deep in thought, his long lashes lowered.
Yeah… he probably doesn’t want that either.
Even if it was for the company, forcing himself into something like that wouldn’t be like him.
Of course, part of her was worried too.
If she really had a child, she’d have to leave the child behind later… could she really do that?
But right now, Ju‑hyuk was the most important person to her.
If this is how I can make up for what I did to him…
Because in the end, it was all her fault.
Ju‑hyuk might think the chairman forced this marriage, but the truth was different.
It was me.
I begged for this marriage.
For a selfish reason only she knew.
The chairman had simply granted her wish.
And then she’d left. For six whole years.
That guilt was why she was even willing to have a child—to make up for everything.
If he ever finds out the truth… he’ll hate me.
She couldn’t bear that.
She knew he didn’t love her, but being hated by him… that would be unbearable.
Lost in thought, she suddenly felt his hand grip hers tightly.
She looked up, startled.
“Why don’t we start with one and see?”
He pulled her hand toward him, fingers locking around hers.
If not for the table between them, she might have fallen right into his arms.
“Th‑that’s…”
Ju‑hyuk watched her, completely flustered by the sudden closeness.
He could look at her all day like this… but he had something more important in mind.
“One first, okay?”
Although his tone was soft, there was urgency in his eyes.
He was waiting for her answer.
“If you’re okay with it, then… I…”
“Good.”
He immediately replied and reached out to gently stroke her hair, as if praising her.
But then she asked softly:
“…But won’t that delay the divorce even more? Are you okay with that?”
