Chapter 7
“How is it? Does this feel more real?”
He almost nodded but pressed his temples instead.
Damn… How could a phrase made up by this little brat hit harder than the famous quotes of an ancient Roman emperor?
“Mr. Kwon Soo-hyuk, there’s no way to blow your nose without using your hands.”
Unfazed by the little one trying to lecture him, Soo-hyuk chuckled.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Just… it hits me anew that you’re Chairman Shin’s daughter.”
“…Anyway. To throw someone into the gutter, you inevitably have to get your own hands dirty, right?”
“So… you’re willing to roll in filth too? To take revenge on Kwon Hyuk-joon?”
“Yes, exactly. That’s why I want you to roll in the trash with me, Mr. Kwon Soo-hyuk.”
She stared at Soo-hyuk with clear, unwavering eyes.
“I’m ready to get dirty.”
It was the final wedge.
Yet he remained silent for a long moment.
“…Hmm.”
As if trying to gauge her sincerity, he simply stared at Yuseong.
“It doesn’t matter if you get dirty, Mr. Kwon Soo-hyuk.”
Yuseong’s anxious addition caused one of Soo-hyuk’s eyebrows to lift.
“You know, there’s nothing you can’t say to someone who just came out of a bath.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Do I look dirty? I don’t think so.”
…What is this? A joke? Or is he serious?
Seeing Yuseong stiffen, unsure of how to react, Soo-hyuk smirked.
“Relax, Shin Yuseong.”
She was still a kid, her baby fat not even gone yet.
And here she was, talking about getting dirty and taking revenge.
Watching her make promises beyond her years, a tight knot of frustration and pain formed in him.
“I will pull those people down with my own hands.”
It was like looking at his own childhood self.
Beasts wouldn’t have tormented him as humans had.
They had relentlessly tried to break that little girl.
It wasn’t Yuseong’s fault, nor was it caused by her.
Some people took pleasure in others’ downfall.
For such petty reasons, they would torment someone as if they were killing them.
Having endured the same torment, his mother was eventually driven to death.
From that moment, Soo-hyuk’s emotions died.
At some point, his eyes had become devoid of light.
Yes, normally, that was to be expected.
‘Shin Yuseong, why are you still the same?’
Looking into the woman’s unwavering, clear, and strong eyes stirred a whirlwind of emotions within him.
“I’ll take revenge you couldn’t finish.”
How could she still have such eyes?
Why hadn’t she broken?
“So, please become my husband, Mr. Kwon Soo-hyuk.”
He became insanely curious.
About this woman named Shin Yuseong.
“Ah… I’m losing my mind.”
“…Excuse me?”
How long had it been since someone dared to look him in the eye for this long?
Probably the first time since Chairman Shin.
Most would avoid his gaze immediately.
“Please marry me. You won’t regret it.”
Yet Yuseong didn’t avert her eyes; she was boldly proposing to him.
“Let’s play a game of Go. If I win, I’ll become your daughter, sir. I’ve decided I’ll choose my own parents.”
Apparently, there was a reason why Byung-oh ended up adopting a daughter he never planned on having.
And now, he was about to have a wife he hadn’t planned for.
Soo-hyuk kept his mouth tightly shut, looking incredulous. Yuseong tried to appear composed but was internally panicking.
At this moment, she was the weaker party.
Why would a man doing well have any reason to reveal her identity and intrude into the Kwon family?
But.
‘Still, I have to do it. There’s no other way except with this man.’
Even so, she had to persuade Kwon Soo-hyuk.
While she desperately sought another method, he spoke:
“Fine, let’s do it. Husband Shin Yuseong.”
“!”
“But as a contract marriage.”
She heard Soo-hyuk’s K.O. declaration.
“Let’s write the contract ourselves.”
A smile slowly spread across Yuseong’s lips.
“Then I’ll roll in the filth, just as you wish.”
He brushed his disheveled bangs aside and focused on her.
‘Perfect… absolutely perfect.’
Seeing Yuseong openly happy, another thrill ran through him.
He had never met a woman like her before.
“Revenge ends, contract ends. We go our separate ways. Any objections?”
“None!”
“However, there’s a condition.”
His gaze sharpened.
“As I cooperate with your plan, you need to be just as capable a partner.”
“You mean show my usefulness?”
“Yes.”
Yuseong rolled her eyes, hesitating.
“Does that usefulness… include that kind of thing?”
Soo-hyuk raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
Yuseong straightened her neck and spoke firmly.
“Marital relations.”
“Are you planning to have a baby with me?”
Her eyes widened at the calm but shocking statement.
“I’m just… a little worried about such responsibilities.”
She had no experience with men, and she hesitated to show her scarred, vulnerable body to anyone.
Watching silently, Soo-hyuk lowered his head to meet her gaze.
“Bold, aren’t you?”
Click—he flicked her forehead with his finger.
“How could I have sex with a girl eight years younger than me? I’m not that kind of bastard.”
“Eight years older?”
Yuseong’s eyes widened. She had thought he was only 3–4 years older.
“Proposing without even knowing the age of the man you’re marrying. This won’t work.”
“Am I in a position to argue about that?”
Yuseong smoothed her forehead and glanced sideways at him.
‘But… a little unexpected.’
He looked like the type who would naturally end up in a hotel with a woman he just met.
Yes, the image of a man seeking pleasure before responsibility.
But…
‘He doesn’t touch women with a large age gap?’
Despite appearances, she noticed his conservative side.
Kwon Soo-hyuk had a handsome face and a perfect physique that could attract almost any woman.
A face above mere preference.
No wonder women would line up for him.
‘Yet he chose me.’
He was just her employer.
Thinking that, she felt at ease.
This was just a contract marriage. A marriage without love.
“I won’t interfere with your private life, so don’t worry.”
His icy words made Soo-hyuk chuckle.
“Don’t worry. I don’t have a hobby of hugging just any woman.”
Then he leaned close and whispered in her ear:
“I kept my lower half safe, thanks to you.”
Yuseong froze in shock.
Kept safe…? Meaning, she was still a virgin?
Her gaze naturally dropped to him.
“Hey, kid. Where are you looking?”
“Eh…?”
Seeing her reddened ears, Soo-hyuk exhaled.
He began to slightly worry whether staying with this little one would make him collapse like Chairman Shin.
“Mr. Kwon Soo-hyuk, what kind of man are you….”
Just as she was about to ask about her husband’s identity, her phone rang.
Rrrrrrrr-
It was her uncle.
Shin Yuseong, come to the main house immediately!
Her uncle’s call was full of anger.
.
.
.
Thud—.
Getting out near Shinyang-ga, Yuseong exhaled deeply.
The time spent with Soo-hyuk felt like a blur between reality and a dream.
A man she had only met twice was about to become her husband.
Even before signing the contract, her heart fluttered.
“Enough. Don’t think. Keep moving forward. Straight ahead.”
Resolutely, she stared at her quiet phone, puzzled.
“No reply… something must be really happening.”
She had asked Soo-chul about the main house, but his reply was unusually slow.
Normally, Soo-chul would respond within a minute, precise as always.
‘What mischief are they causing now?’
Feeling anxious, she moved forward.
Her second task: sever ties with her uncle and aunt, and deal with them.
Entering the main house garden, she sensed a strange atmosphere.
‘…What is this?’
The black-clad men avoided her gaze.
Even though they saw her enter, there was no hearty greeting.
Puzzled, Yuseong stepped inside the main building.
Meanwhile.
Soo-hyuk, staring blankly at the spot where Yuseong had left, narrowed his eyes.
Old memories naturally resurfaced.
“You haven’t changed. Bunny.”
He smiled, recalling the fiercely spirited girl.
The venomous spirit.
How could he ever forget that child, famous in the orphanage?
