BB Prologue

Prologue

Eunwoo is dead.

My other “me” who had the same face and the same voice.

We were twins.

We were adopted separately—one to Korea, one to the United States—and lived without knowing anything about each other for a long time. Then, by chance, Eunwoo saw my photo at a Korean community gathering and contacted me.

Even so, I couldn’t meet her. We only exchanged news through emails, carrying burdens we couldn’t tell anyone, not even Eunwoo.

“If Director Jo tells you to go upstairs to the room, follow without asking questions. You understand, right?”

Eunwoo… if I had made my decision just a little sooner, maybe I would have noticed your unhappiness first. Then I wouldn’t have left you alone and lonely.

If I had known that the world you were trapped in was as dark as mine, I would have grabbed your hand and run away sooner.

So Eunwoo… from today, because I couldn’t know your darkness, I’ve decided to become you.

“Wouldn’t it be good if you got pregnant? If that happens, the wedding could be brought forward, and it would be a happy event for everyone.”

Chairman Jung, Eunwoo’s adoptive father and now my adoptive father, did not hide his ambition. He insisted, even until just before departure, that the marriage with Jo Taeseo must happen no matter what.

Hearing Chairman Jung pour fuel on this absurd situation reminded me once again that Eunwoo lived in the same hell as I did.

I wanted Eunwoo to be happy. Unlike me, she was lovely and warm—she deserved to be loved. I wanted to protect her smile, which was always kind and beautiful, for as long as possible.

My unhappiness was my choice, so I had to endure it alone. But I wanted Eunwoo to live in light, not darkness.

But what I got back was your cold, lifeless body.

“Do whatever Director Jo wants. You were prepared for that much, weren’t you?”

I had to become Eunwoo and marry her fiancé, no matter what. Even if I had to use the crude methods Chairman Jung mentioned, I had to stop Jo Taeseo in his tracks.

“Do it well?”

So I asked. It was the first thing I said to the man who spoke only work calls, without caring about me at all.

I, who had sat quietly like a doll, asked—but Jo Taeseo continued his phone call.

Even though he looked pitiful, being called to an uncomfortable seat immediately after returning from a business trip, now was not the time to think about anyone else.

From the start, Jo Taeseo had not even glanced at me, or rather, at Eunwoo. It was laughable to think there could be emotions in an arranged marriage formed out of necessity. I had guessed it, but Jo Taeseo didn’t even consider us human.

“Can you have sex well?”

I said it without looking at Jo Taeseo. After all, all that mattered was getting pregnant.

“Can you make me pregnant in one try?”

Finally, Jo Taeseo looked at me. I could feel the eyes of people in the restaurant as well. Their attention had been on him from the moment he appeared.

Jo Taeseo, who I had only seen in pictures before, was very handsome. His large frame, long arms, and legs matched his size as he approached our table. People’s gazes moved with his steps.

They seemed almost hypnotized, busy watching him. Only my gaze was not on him.

Since arriving, he hadn’t even exchanged a single greeting, just continued his business call.

Was he like this with Eunwoo too? From him, who didn’t even offer a careless glance, only a chill could be felt.

For over thirty minutes, the meeting continued without a word. The carefully prepared food grew cold, and I, tired of what seemed like some man’s doll play, didn’t want to waste more time.

“Before entering the wedding hall, they say you should have a child. You can’t do it alone.”

There was no need to waste innocent time. All that mattered was achieving the purpose. Wasting time in a meaningless meeting was pointless; it was better to take an efficient approach.

After all, Jo Taeseo would gain something from this marriage too. That was why he didn’t cancel the arranged marriage with a woman he didn’t care about.

I didn’t care what he would get. My focus was only on what I would get from this marriage.

“Men can do it. Hold a woman they don’t care about.”

Jo Taeseo’s gaze locked on me. It felt like he could tear a person apart with his eyes. I could even hear whispers around us.

“Director, you can do it too, right?”

It didn’t matter what he thought of me, or what people said about us.

My goal was only to marry Jo Taeseo. Once I secured Chairman Jung’s satisfaction through this marriage, I would definitely destroy Hyeonjin Construction.

It didn’t matter how many witnesses there were. Even if people called me crazy behind my back, it was fine. I knew I was the craziest person here anyway. After all, this was not something a sane person could do.

“Ah, do you know my name? You can’t have a child with a man whose name you don’t know.”

Everyone held their breath, waiting for Jo Taeseo’s reply. Unexpectedly, this crazy performance had a large audience.

But I wanted as many people as possible to witness our story. Only a few people would visit this restaurant anyway.

People who drink hundreds of thousands of won of wine with a single meal were not common. They were dressed in luxury brands like I was, so they would surely notice Jo Taeseo’s presence.

Many eyes could be a disadvantage, but also an advantage. Everything seen and heard by them could become evidence. Of course, it could also be exaggerated and spread as rumor.

“Let’s call again.”

Jo Taeseo ended his long call. He stared silently for a moment. I looked straight at him. For the first time, we truly met each other’s eyes, after pretending we didn’t exist to one another.

The restaurant fell silent. He seemed unconcerned about the attention.

He acted confidently, as if it was natural to be watched by everyone. Even his business commands were clean and precise—everything he said seemed like it would proceed perfectly.

It was a marriage to a perfect man from a good family. To strangers, it might have seemed enviable.

That was why he never felt the need to show consideration or manners toward Eunwoo. The marriage had been pushed by Chairman Jung, so he had no regrets.

Jo Taeseo reacted to the sudden change in his fiancée’s attitude. The quiet, doll-like woman suddenly spoke boldly, and he scrutinized her with persistent eyes, trying to figure out what had changed.

“You’ve changed shockingly while I was away on business. Jung Eunwoo.”

He crossed his arms and leaned back comfortably. His already large body seemed even bigger.

“So you remember my name.”

He had acted as if I didn’t exist, so I wondered if he knew it. Luckily… he did.

“I thought you might be a fool who doesn’t even know your fiancée’s name.”
“I’m not polite enough to remember the name of a woman I don’t care about.”

He said it casually, but his presence was overwhelming.

Jo Taeseo was indeed a stunning man, but his cold expression, sharp eyes, and heartless attitude must have made many women cry. If this relationship had been different, I might have been captivated by him too.

But he was never mine. Even if he were ugly, I had to hold on to him for the purpose at hand.

“Interesting.”

Jo Taeseo reacted differently than when he first arrived. My rudeness sparked his curiosity.

“I guess I don’t need to do this anymore.”

He also disliked meaningless encounters. According to his secretary, he had meals with Eunwoo once a month. Since he had been away for business, today was effectively their fourth meeting.

“I thought you were just a breathing doll, but you speak quite well.”

He finally seemed interested. Indeed, rudeness had to be met with rudeness.

Eunwoo and I had the same face and voice, but the only difference was personality.

Eunwoo was gentle and loving; I was cautious and suspicious of people. Not trusting humans wasn’t a misfortune.

This personality helped me survive in my adoptive home in the United States. I endured discrimination, contempt, and danger. Always alert, I survived.

I knew no one could protect me, so I had to fight to survive. Life was harsh, but I endured for one reason only.

Even though I had just met him, Jo Taeseo—the man who would soon be my husband—was tied to my only family, Eunwoo, who had the same face and voice as me.

Jo Taeseo picked up his phone again. This time, it wasn’t a business call.