Chapter 47
Having emptied out the wounds buried deep in his heart, Taeseok went to bed a little earlier than usual that night.
But beside him, Iseo, resting her chin on her arm and watching him sleep, found herself unable to fall asleep easily.
She thought of the mother who had left her young child behind—and of Taeseok, who must have witnessed it all firsthand.
And the hatred and rage he harbored toward Pilsoon and Hyejeong after his mother’s departure.
The words Taeseok had uttered, words too painful to believe, had brought tears to Iseo’s eyes. She struggled to hold them back, and the corners of her eyes were red as a result.
Their lives had been so different.
Taeseok, with his chiseled features and cold eyes, was a man who seemed perfect in every way—a CEO of a major group, flawless to anyone’s eyes. Iseo had always believed there was an uncrossable distance between them.
But the words Taeseok had spoken in a somewhat calm tone had dug into Iseo’s heart, leaving invisible wounds.
Her chest ached, and her nose stung with emotion.
Thinking of the lonely and desolate years Taeseok had endured—years she could never fully understand—the large room they now shared felt unusually empty that night.
She reached out with a pale, slender finger to gently touch Taeseok’s peaceful sleeping face. Just then, his brows twitched.
Was he dreaming?
His expression gradually twisted, as if he were suffering a horrible nightmare.
“Ugh…”
“Taeseok?”
“N-No, no! Don’t!”
With a pained voice spilling from his slightly parted lips, Taeseok began thrashing in distress. Then, with a scream close to a shout, he suddenly bolted upright. A bead of sweat trickled down his temple.
“Did you have a nightmare?”
Before Iseo could even finish speaking, Taeseok pulled her tightly into his arms. His chest rose and fell rapidly with heavy breaths.
“Are you okay? What kind of dream was it?”
Without answering, he held her even tighter.
His large hand trembled slightly, and his face, turned pale with fear, looked like someone who had seen a ghost.
It was a side of Taeseok completely unlike his usual strong and composed self.
“Taeseok, you’re okay, right?”
Even as he embraced Iseo, his body radiated heat hotter than ever before.
After confirming that Taeseok had fallen asleep again, Iseo carefully got ready for work, making sure not to wake him, and headed to the dining room.
Asaeng and the other helpers were in the midst of preparing breakfast and greeted her with polite bows as she entered.
“Good morning.”
Asaeng smiled gently at the sound of Iseo’s clear, pleasant voice spreading through the dining room.
“I trust you had a peaceful night, young madam.”
“Yes, I think I slept soundly for the first time in a long while.”
“That’s wonderful to hear.”
“You look lovely today, madam.”
“No, the lovely one is you, young madam.”
There was warmth and serenity in Asaeng’s smiling face.
“I wish I could help with breakfast, but I think I have to leave early today.”
“Help? That’s our job, of course.”
“Then I’ll take the chairman’s car to him today.”
Asaeng’s gaze fixed on Iseo’s face in surprise.
“Are you sure that’s okay?”
“Of course.”
“But if the CEO finds out…”
“It’s alright. I want to do it.”
Though she smiled as usual, something about her demeanor felt slightly different, and Asaeng’s gaze lingered on Iseo’s back long after she turned away.
Hearing a knock, Pilsoon cleared her throat from inside.
“Grandmother.”
At the unexpected voice, Pilsoon couldn’t believe her ears.
“I’m coming in for a moment.”
“Don’t you dare come in!”
Ignoring her sharp voice, Iseo stepped into the room.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“I brought tea.”
“Who asked you to bring tea? Get out right now!”
Iseo, unfazed by Pilsoon’s words, calmly set the tea set she had brought in one corner of the room.
“Didn’t you hear me?”
“Of course I did. I pride myself on having better hearing and sight than most.”
“Did you lose your mind overnight? How dare you step foot in here?”
“My mind is perfectly intact, Grandmother.”
“G-Grandmother?”
Pilsoon stared at her, stunned, her face quickly flushing.
“So, you’ve finally decided to get rid of me, haven’t you?”
Her glare was sharp as knives, shooting across Iseo’s face.
“I know very well you don’t like me.”
Pilsoon bit her lips and glared furiously, looking ready to explode.
“And you still came here?”
Normally, Iseo would have avoided eye contact, but now she met her gaze head-on, speaking with a calm smile. If she hadn’t lost her mind, Pilsoon thought, maybe she was possessed.
“Did you tell us to live here for a year because you want us to divorce? Is that what you really want?”
At her blunt question, Pilsoon’s brow furrowed deeply.
“So, you figured it out. This marriage never should have happened—it was a mistake from the beginning. The best course is to end it.”
“I have no intention of doing that.”
“What?”
Pilsoon could hardly believe her ears.
“Divorce? That’s never going to happen. And if the buttons were fastened wrong at the start, then we just have to unfasten and rebutton them properly.”
“You really have lost your mind.”
“I honestly thought you asked us to live here because you wanted to spend time with us. I was a little hopeful… I guess I was wrong.”
Overwhelmed with fury, Pilsoon grabbed the teacup in front of her and hurled it.
With an ear-piercing crash, it shattered against the wall, and shards of glass grazed Iseo’s cheek.
Red blood trickled from the pale skin the sharp shard had touched.
Before she could even feel the pain, Pilsoon began to scream.
“Where did you learn such disrespect!”
“I’m sorry for upsetting you so early in the morning. But you’re angry with me, aren’t you? What did the food and tea do wrong?”
“You… You…”
Her bloodshot eyes were filled with rage.
“I have no intention of divorcing Taeseok. And if you skip meals and ruin your health, it’ll only hurt you in the end. Whether you want me gone or want a divorce, you need strength for that, so you should eat well. Again, not eating won’t make me leave.”
Her words, spoken as if she had planned them in advance, left Pilsoon staring blankly in shock, her temples pulsing with fury.
“I’ve tried a hunger strike before. It only damages your own body—you don’t gain anything.”
“You really are shameless. So this is your true nature. Playing the quiet, obedient wife all this time, and now you finally can’t hold it in?”
“I wasn’t pretending. I held back because I understood how you felt. I know you love Taeseok deeply.”
Unlike her own agitation, Iseo spoke in a calm tone, which only stoked Pilsoon’s anger further.
“If Taeseok knew you were such a classless, vulgar girl, he never would’ve married you. You fooled him with that pretty face—seduced him until he couldn’t think straight. You clouded even the sharp judgment of Han Taeseok!”
“You just said I have a pretty face, didn’t you? So, you think I’m beautiful?”
“You… Are you insane?!”
Pilsoon sat with her mouth agape, staring at Iseo as if the world had ended.
“I know I’m lacking in many ways, but I’ll do my best to support Taeseok from now on. I’ll help him become a respected and outstanding leader.”
The commotion drew Asaeng in a rush. Upon seeing the state of the room and Iseo’s bleeding cheek, she gasped and covered her mouth in shock.
“I’m sorry for the mess. I’ll try harder to be a good granddaughter-in-law, so please don’t hate me too much. I’ll be going now.”
Asaeng signaled to the assistant maids to clean the room, then quickly followed Iseo.
“Young madam, your face will scar if we don’t treat that soon. Please, come this way.”
“It’s alright. It just grazed me.”
Asaeng’s heart twisted at the thought of what would happen if Taeseok found out. The disaster was all too predictable.
“I’ll bring the first-aid kit. Please wait—”
“Really, I’m okay. I have some urgent work at the office today. And I’m clumsy by nature, so I always carry ointment and bandages in my bag. I can take care of it myself.”
Iseo took Asaeng’s hand.
“I’m sorry for the noise and mess in Grandmother’s room. It was my fault.”
“Don’t say that. The room can be cleaned.”
But Asaeng knew better than anyone that a wounded heart doesn’t heal so easily, even with ointment and a tidy room. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
“See you this evening.”
As Iseo walked away, Asaeng couldn’t take her eyes off her.
Once outside, Iseo felt as if all her energy had drained out of her body. She nearly stumbled and leaned against a wall for support.
She finally took the deep breath she’d been holding in.
With a hand on her chest, her heart still pounded violently, as if ready to leap out of her body.
You did well, Choi Iseo.
A summer morning. The clouds began to part, revealing the blue sky bit by bit.
