Chapter 70
You’ve Finally Gone Crazy!
“I should have listened back then.”
The car ride home was silent and still.
I couldn’t even process how we ended up in the car, or how we were on our way home.
“You know, a few days ago when Do Hyun brought the winter clothes up to the second floor… If I had listened to him then, maybe I could have sorted things and put away the contract?
Or should I have done it when he suggested we live together?
Chairman, you weren’t seriously hurt, right? Are you conscious?”
I-Yeon poured out question after question.
Her shocked and flustered mind couldn’t organize her thoughts.
Do Hyun gently placed his hand over I-Yeon’s, who was trembling.
He held her slightly shaking hand firmly, as if telling her not to waver.
There was still a long way to go.
“Before getting in the car, Dr. Kim called. Fortunately, you weren’t hurt. You just got startled, so don’t worry too much.”
They had to steel themselves, not knowing what Gapsu would say.
Though they had accidentally revealed I-Yeon’s contract, perhaps it was fate that their family would eventually have to know.
I-Yeon nodded deliberately, though her hands were still shaking.
She didn’t want to hurt her family.
That was why she had suggested to Do Hyun that they get to know each other properly and act perfectly together… She felt guilty that they had only caused disappointment.
They were almost home.
As soon as they parked, they hurried inside.
Min, the housekeeper, was anxiously waiting to open the door for them on the first floor.
“I don’t think I should stay here, so I’ll leave now.”
Do Hyun nodded at Min, who said it would be better to leave earlier.
“Thank you for letting me know.”
“I should have called sooner; I’m sorry for being late, Vice President.”
“Not at all. You did your best.”
Grateful for Do Hyun’s words, Min bowed once more and left first.
“You’re here.”
Deokho, carefully closing the second-floor door behind him, greeted them.
“Yes, Father.”
Deokho descended the stairs silently.
He moved cautiously, focusing on each step.
I-Yeon and Do Hyun stood by the sofa, waiting for Deokho to reach the first floor.
“I’m sorry for disappointing you.”
“You should have hidden it better.”
Deokho placed his hand on Do Hyun’s shoulder.
Seeing this, I-Yeon felt a sharp pang in her chest.
There was no scolding, no reprimand.
Deokho always quietly trusted Do Hyun.
He must have had his reasons. He must have been trying to understand Do Hyun.
“Marriage isn’t child’s play, and families become families through it.”
I-Yeon couldn’t look Deokho in the eyes.
She felt she could never apologize enough to him, treating her like a real daughter-in-law.
She was afraid she had disappointed him too much.
She wanted to step forward and explain it was not like that.
“So when I saw the contract, I became curious. Did it happen as the contract said?”
Deokho faintly smiled, tapped Do Hyun’s shoulder twice, and removed his hand.
“Even if it started as a contract, it’s not now, right? Am I right?”
I-Yeon quietly nodded.
Seeing her answer positively, Deokho’s mouth curved into a gentle smile.
It seemed he got the answer he wanted.
“That’s enough. It means you two are fate. I thought you were a good match from the beginning.”
Deokho’s warm words, not blaming them but comforting, brought tears to I-Yeon’s eyes.
Crying now could tire everyone more, yet she couldn’t stop.
“When should we go upstairs?”
Deokho explained that Gapsu hadn’t gone back to sleep since waking up and was just staring at the ceiling.
“You can go up safely; there’s nothing serious. It just happened that the contract was found on the second floor, so we had to move it to your bed.”
“I already received the update from Dr. Kim on the way. Father must have been surprised too, Grandpa collapsing like that.”
Deokho shook his head with a calm smile, indicating he was fine.
“Good. Now go in. Your father is probably secretly waiting for you to explain.”
I-Yeon and Do Hyun went upstairs together.
Their hearts pounded as they stood in front of the door.
Before opening it, Do Hyun held I-Yeon’s hand.
He squeezed it firmly once more to comfort her and gather courage before opening the door.
“You’ve finally gone crazy! Where do you think you’re coming in?”
The door, slightly open, closed again because of the pillow Gapsu had thrown.
“You can’t leave right now!”
He sounded full of energy, suspiciously strong for someone who had just collapsed.
Gapsu’s shouting was exactly like his usual self.
“You two! I told you to get out because I don’t want to see you!”
“Chairman, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry we shocked you.”
“I don’t want to hear it. I don’t want to see anyone right now, so leave.”
“I clung to I-Yeon. I asked her to agree to a contract marriage. I don’t want to go through any more matchmaking. I-Yeon did nothing wrong, Grandpa.”
The floor was a mess from objects Gapsu had thrown.
Even so, Do Hyun remained calm.
He waited until Gapsu’s shouting settled a bit before speaking.
He did this so Gapsu would at least listen to him.
“At first, I proposed a temporary contract marriage to I-Yeon, who had no interest in men, to act married for two years and then part ways. I-Yeon considered it several times and agreed.”
“As you know, Grandpa, I-Yeon had past wounds. Until then, she didn’t think about marrying.
Her parents, seeing her in disguise, worried she’d remain alone, so they pressured matchmaking.
The situations were similar, so we ended up agreeing to a contract marriage.”
Do Hyun felt he didn’t really need to explain all the details.
There are people who do contract marriages, and some, like them, find happiness later.
Even political marriages between companies follow similar logic.
He thought it might be enough to just explain they were sincere now.
Do Hyun tried to understand Gapsu’s perspective but also felt uneasy.
If Gapsu truly trusted him, they wouldn’t have chosen a contract marriage under pressure.
Perhaps if Gapsu knew their sincerity, no detailed explanation would be needed.
“What you saw, Grandpa, is correct. Our beginning was a ridiculous contract, but now it isn’t.”
Gapsu only stared at Do Hyun’s face intently.
Do Hyun continued, hoping Gapsu would listen.
“I first became attracted to I-Yeon’s inner self while she was in disguise, and then I came to know her true self. At that point, I realized I couldn’t help but like any version of I-Yeon.”
Deokho was right. They were fate.
Do Hyun wanted to show that no matter how much Gapsu opposed, he would not separate from I-Yeon.
The contract meant nothing to them.
They were together not because of the contract, but because they loved each other.
“Grandpa asked if I feel the same as when we signed the contract.
We truly love each other now.
I can’t imagine I-Yeon not by my side.
Meeting like this must be fate. I know what worries you.
We are honest and truly love each other.”
Do Hyun spoke calmly, though his hands were sweaty.
He held I-Yeon’s hands tightly, not letting go, worried Gapsu might demand a separation.
I-Yeon noticed Do Hyun’s concern.
She held his hands firmly as well.
After explaining, Do Hyun said no more.
Darkness fell in the room.
“Fine. You’ve deceived me until the end. You don’t plan to leave, so I’ll go. We’ll discuss this later.”
Do Hyun and I-Yeon didn’t move an inch.
They let Gapsu leave.
Deokho helped Gapsu down the stairs.
Soon, the sound of the front door closing followed.
“Grandpa reacting like that means he can’t accept it.”
“What should we do then?”
Does it matter how you start the first step?
“Anyway, Grandpa is very sensitive to lies because of Mom. Everything we showed might have seemed like lies. It was all lies at first.”
Do Hyun wasn’t afraid of Gapsu.
He feared Gapsu might hurt I-Yeon because of this.
He shared their story in detail, but it still wasn’t enough to move Gapsu’s heart.
Do Hyun fell into his own worry.
Finally, he broke the heavy silence.
“No matter what Grandpa says to you, promise to share it with me. He might want to see you alone. If he calls, tell me and we’ll go together.”
I-Yeon nodded.
Share everything.
“Promise. Don’t think weird things alone. Especially don’t think you might burden me.”
“Yes.”
Do Hyun looked at her slightly, unsatisfied with her response.
“Yes!”
I-Yeon answered strongly, showing trust.
Finally satisfied, Do Hyun hugged her gently.
He watched her condition carefully, worried she might get hurt.
Just thinking about it made his chest ache.
He pressed his face to her delicate neck.
It was a difficult moment for Do Hyun too.
He wanted to be immersed in I-Yeon’s scent.
