After hearing Ga Eun’s words, Ji Ae laughed incredulously. Do Jun, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, interrupted and spoke up directly.

“It doesn’t seem like you called us here to confirm that.”

Upon hearing Do Jun’s words, Ji Ae openly revealed her true intentions.

“I’m saying that these days, the young lady seems to be exposed to the media too much, unlike before. It might be difficult if you make too many enemies while doing business.”

Do Jun knew what she was really worried about, even as she pretended to be concerned for Ga Eun. Ji Ae wanted to confirm if Ga Eun knew her weaknesses, just as Ga Eun had attacked Ja Young Fashion’s vulnerabilities.

Just as Do Jun was about to speak on Ga Eun’s behalf, Ga Eun spoke first.

“Are you worried?”

At Ga Eun’s sudden question, Ji Ae’s face turned pale, as if she had been caught.

“I thought it would be better to be open about the situation and ask for help rather than being deceived and having weaknesses exposed if it’s going to be revealed anyway. I’ve already told the company as much as I could. If you’re worried about people finding out I’ve lost my memory, it’s okay.”

Ga Eun had calculated for everyone who might try to attack her using her memory loss as a weakness.

That’s why she decided to reveal the fact that she had lost her memory to the company from the beginning. Ga Eun also noticed that her mother-in-law Ji Ae, sitting in front of her, had called her to find her weaknesses.

Ji Ae, unlike at first, was now cowed by Ga Eun’s confident demeanor.

Ga Eun smiled brightly at her mother-in-law Ji Ae.

“The meal was delicious, mother. May I visit often?”

Ji Ae stared intently at Ga Eun’s face, as if trying to read her true thoughts. Her previously dark expression brightened. The cautious look disappeared from her face. It was impossible to tell what she was thinking.

As the meal ended, Ga Eun hurriedly rose from her seat. At that moment, Ji Ae noticed Ga Eun’s figure, which seemed fuller than before. Her persistent gaze lingered on Ga Eun’s stomach.

“Well then, I’ll be going now.”

Not knowing what might come out of Ji Ae’s mouth, Ga Eun quickly stood up and urged Do Jun.

“Young lady, are you perhaps pregnant?”

The situation Ga Eun had feared most unfolded before her eyes.

“These days, Do Jun has been making sure I eat well. I’ve gained some weight around my stomach.”

Ga Eun tried to act nonchalant and move past the current situation. However, Ji Ae, being suspicious and persistent, was not likely to let it go so easily.

“The way your stomach is swelling looks similar to a pregnant woman. I must have been mistaken.”

Ji Ae’s words had sharp thorns in them.

“There’s no such news yet, mother.”

Ga Eun continued her calm act while hiding her trembling hands behind her back.

“I know a good obstetrician. Let’s make time for a thorough examination. I feel like I haven’t been paying enough attention to you.”

Before Ji Ae could finish speaking, Ga Eun interrupted with an excuse.

“Actually, I have a health check-up scheduled for the end of this month. Thank you for your concern, mother.”

While the two women exchanged pointed words, Do Jun’s gaze turned to Ga Eun’s stomach.

For three years, Do Jun had never seen her gain weight. Moreover, when dining with him, she would often put down her spoon first, saying she had no appetite.

However, recently she had shown a different appetite for food than before. She, who didn’t like meat, now reached for it first during meals. As his suspicions grew, Do Jun couldn’t take his eyes off her stomach.

“Let’s go.”

Ga Eun pretended to be affectionate and pulled on Do Jun’s arm. After briefly saying goodbye to Ji Ae, the two hurriedly got into the car. Even after get ting in the car, Do Jun was still concerned about Ga Eun’s stomach.

“Did you really just gain weight?”

Ga Eun casually brushed off Do Jun’s question.

“Oh Jipsa’s cooking skills are too good. I guess I’ve gained some weight from eating well.”

Trying to avoid Do Jun’s suspicion, Ga Eun added an exaggerated excuse.

“I think I might need to start exercising in the mornings.”

At Ga Eun’s words, Do Jun, who had been suspiciously looking at her stomach, averted his gaze.

Sitting close to Do Jun in the confined space, Ga Eun worried that her heartbeat was so loud he might hear it.

As soon as the car arrived at the apartment entrance, Ga Eun hurriedly got out.

She intended to go to bed before Do Jun could question her further. As she entered the apartment lobby first, Do Jun, who came in later, grabbed her wrist.

“Why do you keep avoiding me?”

A sharp gaze pierced Ga Eun’s face. Flustered, she forced an awkward smile.

“We’re not close enough to be constantly together.”

She deflected Do Jun’s provocation like a snake. After eating, extreme drowsiness overwhelmed her.

She remembered her friend saying she had slept constantly during early pregnancy.

Do Jun, seeing that Ga Eun showed him no openings, burned with even more possessiveness. As he tried to grab Ga Eun’s hand again, she moved away from him and got into the elevator first.

“I’m tired.”

Ga Eun coldly spat out the words as if annoyed. Those words grated on Do Jun’s already frayed nerves.

“Are you going to avoid me tonight too?”

Ga Eun, already overcome with sleep, didn’t hear Do Jun’s provocative voice. As soon as they entered the front door, Do Jun blocked her path.

“Later.”

Do Jun, no longer able to suppress his desire, trapped her in his arms.

At that moment, as Ga Eun smelled Do Jun’s scent, she suddenly felt nauseous.

Wanting to avoid showing any signs of morning sickness to Do Jun at all costs, Ga Eun held her breath deeply. As Do Jun held her closer to his chest, Ga Eun felt she couldn’t hold back the urge to vomit any longer.

“Ugh”

She pushed Do Jun away and hurriedly entered the bathroom, locking the door.

Opening the toilet lid, she threw up everything she had just eaten. Fearing the sound might be heard outside, she turned on the faucet strongly.

Even after hugging the toilet for a while, her stomach didn’t settle.

Was the morning sickness, which she thought had passed, starting again?

The thought of repeating the difficult period of morning sickness made her feel overwhelmed.

As Ga Eun didn’t come out of the bathroom for a long time, Do Jun knocked on the bathroom door and tried to open it. It was locked and wouldn’t open. Do Jun had no choice but to approach the door closely and call out to Ga Eun.

“Are you alright?”

A moment later, Ga Eun, with her lipstick completely smeared, opened the door and came out calmly.

“I think I ate too quickly because I was hungry.”

As Do Jun moved closer, the urge to vomit rose again.

She went back into the bathroom and dry heaved towards the toilet.

Even in this state, Ga Eun was anxious that Do Jun might discover her pregnancy.

Coming out of the bathroom again, Ga Eun held her breath to avoid smelling Do Jun’s cologne as she moved her lips.

“I’ll rest for a bit.”

She quickly entered her small room. And locked the door to prevent Do Jun from entering.

Sometimes, they say pregnant women experience morning sickness from their husband’s smell.

Ga Eun was certain that the cause of her reactivated morning sickness was Do Jun. His scent used to make her heart race, but now it felt more repulsive than even the smell of kimchi.

Ga Eun lay straight on the small bed in her room, staring at the ceiling. As her pregnancy progressed, she thought more about her birth mother.

No matter if she had been abandoned at an orphanage, she wanted to see her birth mother’s face just once. At that moment, her phone rang loudly.

Ga Eun quickly answered the phone after checking the screen.

Ga Eun had been quietly trying to find the location of the orphanage where Lee Yun Sook had adopted her through an errand service.

“Please send me the address by text.”

After hanging up, Ga Eun’s heart felt like it would burst at the thought of being able to find her birth mother.

Do Jun stared blankly at Ga Eun’s tightly closed door. In the three years he had lived with her in this house, he had never wanted to open that door so badly.

He approached her door closely but couldn’t bring himself to knock. The image of her pushing him away earlier flashed vividly before his eyes, making his heart ache as if cracked.

It was a sensation he had never felt before in his life. Do Jun still found Yoon Ga Eun, the woman who had run away from his side only to return, strange.

The look in her eyes was completely different from when he first met her. The reason he had chosen her among the many children of conglomerate families was because her eyes resembled his mother’s so much.

Because she resembled his deceased mother, he couldn’t approach her even though he kept her by his side.

“Why did you marry me?”

Suddenly, he remembered Ga Eun’s cold question.

He recalled himself unable to give any answer to her question.

The moments when he had pushed her away every time she tried to get close during those three years jumbled Do Jun’s mind. The moments when he had treated Ga Eun based on his love-hate relationship with his mother came back as regret.

He remembered Ga Eun’s countless attempts to reach out to him, swallowing her pride over those three years.

Just from her pushing him away strongly once, his heart ached as if cut by a knife.

Whenever he tried to approach Ga Eun, he was reminded of his mother’s eyes, who had abandoned him and chosen death.

Do Jun knew. That it was all an excuse. That Yoon Ga Eun was innocent of any wrongdoing.

And he realized that now he no longer had the right to make any choices.

Do Jun couldn’t return to his own room and stared at Ga Eun’s tightly closed door for a long time. He remembered Ga Eun always waiting for him alone at home. She was the one who would wait for him without sleeping, even when he came home late at night.

Even when he pushed her away harshly, giving her shame, he seemed to understand a little of what her feelings were, as she would smile brightly just from seeing his face once.

As memories of Ga Eun from the past flashed through his mind, Do Jun’s phone rang loudly. Checking the screen, it was a call from his secretary.

When he answered, he heard his secretary’s excited voice.

“We’ve found a witness to madam’s accident.”