Episode 12 

“That’s your reason?”

“I actually like that about you the most. I’d rather someone clean and unbothered than someone entangled in messy dating rumors.”

“Excuse me? It’s not that I don’t have dating experience—I’ve just been too busy and exhausted trying to survive every day. I didn’t have the luxury of time for romance. So there’s no need to keep pointing it out. And honestly, I don’t think you’re in a position to say that…”

She swallowed the words rising to her throat. So what, is Han Tae-seok free of any complicated relationships himself?

The day she was arranged to meet Kang Han-na of the Cheongsong Group.

She had heard that her counterpart, the CEO of Kanghwa Group, had a reputation for being a womanizer with a rather scandalous private life.

Though she didn’t hold blanket prejudices against chaebols, the rumors and absurd proposal made it hard for her to look at Tae-seok favorably.

If Han Tae-seok were truly her fiancé, this marriage would never be an option.

Not because she was a virtuous, old-fashioned woman expecting fidelity from a man—but because, at some point, she too had vaguely dreamed of what a husband and marriage might look like.

But no matter how strong her resolve, she could never picture herself dating or marrying a man who casually shared his body with women, completely detached from emotion.

With his hands on the steering wheel, Tae-seok turned to look at Iseo. As he did, a soft and warm lavender scent drifted past her nose.

“To be honest, I don’t care about love. I’m not marrying because I want to—I’m marrying because it’s a necessary tool for business.”

“Same for me,” she replied coldly.

Her voice was composed, yet slightly trembling.

“I’m here because, just like you said, I don’t want to keep living like I’m being chased. Even if it makes me look like a sellout, I don’t care. I have no interest in impressing you, Mr. Han Tae-seok.”

“A relationship built on a contract is better than wasting time and emotion on so-called love. Through marriage, I gain a necessary justification for business. You get to escape the hell you’ve been living in. Isn’t this the perfect marriage?”

Perfect marriage.

As Tae-seok spoke with a completely indifferent expression, Iseo’s eyes wavered slightly.

The night before, she had held the business card countless times, hesitating.

But in the end, she had dialed the number—because she desperately wanted to escape the endless misery of her current life.

“At least a contract marriage is better than a marriage of convenience, isn’t it?”

Unlike his casual tone—half joke, half serious—Iseo’s mind was a mess of conflicting thoughts.

The chaebol world she had only heard about…

Was she just heading toward an even more ruthless life? Her chest felt tight with anxiety.

“Once you make this decision, your life will change completely. Just like you gain one thing, you lose another—wealth might come, but so will its price.”

Maybe that price would still be better than her current situation.

She and her mother couldn’t live on the run forever.

Han Tae-seok, who had appeared out of nowhere, felt like a lifeline—a golden rope pulling her out of the abyss.

Determined, Iseo bit down hard on her lower lip.

Watching her face closely, Tae-seok handed over an envelope.

She opened it. The bold title read:

“Contract Marriage Agreement.”

Iseo slowly read through it:

“Contract period: 2 years. During this period, the two parties shall live as husband and wife, fulfilling all duties of marriage and maintaining the image of a perfect couple.”

Husband and wife. The words were unfamiliar and surreal. She pretended to be calm, but her heart beat erratically.

Then her eyes reached the final clause:

“Upon contract termination, all debts (including private and institutional loans) will be paid, and a total sum of 400 million KRW will be awarded.”

“Is this even possible?”

“What’s the problem? It’s my marriage. I can handle it how I want.”

“Even if your family doesn’t know now, I doubt they’ll accept a marriage with someone like me if they find out.”

If Chairman Jang Pil-soon, who had set up matches only with the most elite women in Korea, learned this was a contract marriage, the fallout would be catastrophic.

In the chaebol world, getting rid of one inconvenient woman wouldn’t be hard.

Still, Iseo had long stopped believing that love alone could make a marriage work.

Tae-seok handed her another file.

“You’ll understand once you’re in it, but I thought you should go in with your eyes open. Just remember, the moment you sign, the contract starts.”

After he left.

Back home, Iseo pulled out another envelope.

Inside were detailed profiles of Chairman Jang Pil-soon of Kanghwa Group, her daughter-in-law Min Hye-jung, and her son Han Ji-tae.

She hadn’t even signed the contract yet, but her chest already felt suffocated.

Sitting slumped in confusion, Iseo’s phone rang.

The caller was Tae-seok.

[Did you go through all the documents I gave you?]

“Mr. Han Tae-seok?”

[I’m going to be your husband soon. Isn’t ‘Mr. Han Tae-seok’ a bit too formal?]

His speech, which fluctuated between formal and casual, now seemed to settle somewhere in between.

[Do you have any additional conditions?]

Without hesitation, Iseo responded:

“I want to work. Regardless of the marriage.”

[Work…?]

She had recently quit her temporary jobs and was planning to interview at her friend Jian’s agency.

“I want to get a proper job using my major. I hope marrying into a chaebol doesn’t mean I’m expected to just sit at home.”

There was a brief silence.

“Even if it’s a contract marriage, we’ll still have to have a wedding, right?”

[Of course. We’re still legally married for two years.]

“Then I’d like a small, private wedding if possible.”

[That’s what I want too. If your face gets exposed, it’ll be a headache for me as well. Let’s keep it low-key. I’ll send you the time and place tomorrow so we can finalize everything.]

“I already made plans to meet a friend tomorrow. I’ll let you know what time works.”

[A friend?]

“Yes.”

[Around what time?]

“Maybe noon?”

Though she answered without hesitation, Iseo frowned at his intrusive tone.

[Why go separately?]

“What do you mean?”

[Meet at the Shinsung Hotel café. See your friend there, and then we’ll meet after.]

“I might run late, you know.”

[Let’s say 2 p.m. Two hours should be plenty.]

“Mr. Han Tae-seok, you don’t get to schedule my time with my friends—”

[You must not know. I’m a lot busier than I look.]

“Then why bother meeting tomorrow at all—”

[Let’s just go with that.]

Before she could finish, Tae-seok hung up first.

Shocked, Iseo looked down at the contract still in her hand.

For some reason, a warm flush and quickened heartbeat wouldn’t subside.

She pretended to be calm, but she knew better than anyone—this was not something to take lightly.

* * *

“Say that again. M-marriage? Did I hear you right?”

Jian’s eyes widened as the words left Iseo’s mouth.

“You heard right. I might be getting married. No—I am getting married.”

Jian stared, dumbfounded, unable to comprehend what she had just heard.

“Come on, Choi Iseo. I know you. This is ridiculous. You never mentioned anything before! And now suddenly you’re getting married?”

“Yeah, it’s hard to believe.”

“Is this some kind of acting gig? Like, are you playing a bride for a role or something? What are you even saying? Make it make sense.”

Whether from shock or a dry throat, Jian gulped down the entire glass of water in one go.

Her shoulders trembled as she tried to calm herself.

“So, who’s the husband? Who’s this man I don’t know that you’re supposedly marrying?”

Her voice rose steadily with each word.