Episode 25
He had held her so many times through the night, he lost count.
Except for the short time they took a meal break, they barely left the bed.
No matter how many times he held her, he never got tired. In fact, the more he embraced her, the more energized he felt, like he could keep going forever.
As dawn approached, Harin finally fell asleep in his arms, unable to stay awake.
Though it still didn’t feel like enough compared to everything they had missed until now, he decided to stop for the day, seeing how exhausted she looked.
He gently caressed her cheek, which had a soft, peachy glow—adorably so.
It still felt like a dream that the woman he had longed for was now in his arms. That she whispered “I love you” and accepted him—it was unbelievable.
He suddenly remembered what Kang Doyoung had said to Harin the day he proposed to her:
“After doing that with me, how can you expect me to just watch you with someone else? Oh, that childhood trauma of yours? Yeah, I put up with it out of consideration for you.”
He had wanted to hold her many times before but held back, afraid of touching her wounds.
But when she was the one who reached out and accepted him first, Lee Hyun felt like his heart might burst.
Is this real? Or is she doing this out of guilt?
But he could tell—she truly cared for him. The way she gave herself to him, the love in her eyes, her sweet moans, and the words “I love you” filled him with energy.
The more he held her, the more his body longed for her. It was a kind of craving he had never known.
He had never been this obsessed with anyone or anything in his entire life.
What on earth did Joo Harin do to me?
Then he remembered the text he got from Sihyuk before they came home:
> “The case is closed. Looks like your stepmother took care of it. All the articles are being taken down. Weak spots really are scary, huh?”
He looked at the sleeping Harin. Her face seemed much more at peace than before. Watching her sleep so calmly had become his new favorite thing. But he didn’t want her to keep sleeping just because she was exhausted from something like this.
I’ll tell her tomorrow.
A few hours later, Harin slowly opened her eyes.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Yes… Wait, did you stay up all night?”
“Of course. How could I sleep when someone as attractive as Joo Harin is sleeping next to me? I had to resist waking you up a hundred times.”
His sulky tone made her feel a little guilty.
“I’m sorry. I was just so tired… You could’ve woken me.”
“It’s fine. We can pick up where we left off now.”
“What?”
Shocked by his words, Harin sat up and stared at him.
“I’m joking! Don’t be so surprised. Anyway, the Kang Doyoung situation is resolved.”
“Really? How? The police, the media…”
“This is how powerful I am. I told you before—just stay behind me.”
She picked up her phone from the nightstand and searched online. Just like he said, all the articles about Doyoung and Lee Hyun had disappeared.
Yesterday, the news was all over the front page. Today, it was like it never happened.
“How…”
“This is what the man Joo Harin loves is capable of. Now do you believe what I said when I confessed?”
“I said I’d make you so happy, it would overflow.”
He pulled her back into his arms, and this time, he wouldn’t let her go. He’d make sure she was truly happy.
Unlike others, Lee Hyun always kept his promises.
He had never learned how to love someone. After his mother died, he had even forgotten how to be loved.
But the moment he saw Harin, he fell in love. And just by looking at her, he felt what love really was.
Harin was love itself to him.
He found her so adorable, he cupped her cheeks and kissed her again.
Then he sat up and picked her up in his arms.
“Ah! What are you doing?!”
As he lifted her, Harin flailed in surprise.
“I tried to hold back, but I can’t anymore. Let’s get you washed up. You look too tired to do it yourself.”
“I can wash myself!”
“Nope. I’ll do it. I’ll take care of everything. You just rest.”
“Lee Hyun…”
“While we’re at it… maybe we can catch up on what we missed last night?”
“W-What?!”
Harin wriggled in his arms again, asking to be put down.
She was so light that if she didn’t squirm, he might’ve forgotten she was even in his arms.
As they entered the shower room, an odd tension began to build between them again.
His comment about continuing from last night was meant as a joke, but as they stood there, facing each other, the atmosphere shifted.
He gently lowered her into the circular tub by the window.
This tub, with a view outside, always helped him clear his mind. It was his favorite place in the house.
And now, sharing it with the person he loved the most made it even better.
Harin sat there quietly, just as he had placed her, like a delicate doll. It was almost a relief that she used to wear baggy clothes and keep a blank expression. If he had known how cute she could be, he might’ve made a move before Kang Doyoung ever had the chance.
Though even before seeing this side of her, he had wanted her desperately.
—
Meanwhile…
“You’re going back to France.”
That’s what Hajung said the moment he came home from his trip and saw Yeoun.
But Yeoun had her own plans.
Now that the police and media had been silenced, she intended to use that leverage against Joo Harin.
If she told Harin that staying silent meant Lee Hyun would be safe, Harin would surely back away. Yeoun had heard from Doyoung that Harin hated the idea of others getting hurt because of her.
With all the evidence and witnesses pointing at Lee Hyun, Harin must’ve let go of him for his sake.
After all, Hyun got dragged into this because of Harin.
So, once Harin stepped away, Yeoun believed it would be natural for her to take Harin’s place. Hwaran had promised her as much.
Though she found it odd the police hadn’t contacted her in days, she didn’t worry. Both Chairman Seo and Hwaran were on her side, so she thought everything was going according to plan.
But now, being told to return to France? That made no sense.
This time, she wasn’t going to do what Hajung said. She was tired of living by his orders.
It was her life, her marriage.
And she wasn’t going to let Joo Harin steal what was hers again.
“Dad, I’m not going to Paris. I’m marrying Hyun-oppa. Chairman Seo and Madam Seo are on my side. It’s all settled—why can’t you trust me?”
Hajung looked at her with pity.
“Did Lee Hyun say he’s going to marry you? Chairman Seo is on your side? Don’t kid yourself.”
“…What?”
His words hit her like a slap. Her mind went blank.
