Standing in front of the door, Yura hesitated for a while, and it was just as she was about to reach for the handle. The door opened gently, revealing her mother-in-law, Mihee.
“Sweetie, why are you standing there instead of coming in?”
“Hello… How are you?”
“We’re always the same. Come in, hurry.”
Mihee, with a kind face, led Yura inside as if she could sense Yura’s hesitation. Following her, Yura cautiously lowered her head upon seeing her father-in-law, Baek Hyuntae, in the living room.
“I’m, I’m sorry…”
Trying to appease Yura, Mihee waved her hand, interrupting her.
“Oh dear, why would you be sorry? The person who talked nonsense is the bad one.”
Yura couldn’t say anything and just blinked her eyes.
Facing her in-laws, Yura felt their gaze filled with worry and pity. With the sudden unfolding of various events, there was no room to judge whether their expressions were genuine or hypocritical.
Unable to determine what expression to wear in contrast to her own parents’ reactions, she just stood there, absentmindedly.
Mihee seemed to think Yura was in a daze due to shock. Approaching her without hesitation, Mihee lightly embraced her. Sensing the unfamiliar touch, Yura couldn’t react.
“You must be shocked. What a situation.”
“Hyunhee is handling it, so don’t worry too much.”
Baek Hyuntae also comforted Yura with warm words.
“Yes, yes.”
Her response was brief and belated, caught up in their comforting words.
Seeing Yura’s thoughtful and pitiable appearance, Mihee found her distressing. She was concerned about the somewhat reddened cheek, a result of whatever had happened. However, instead of asking about it, Mihee judged that what Yura needed first was calmness.
As if telling her husband not to follow, Mihee surrounded Yura’s shoulders with a gesture, motioning to go up.
“You must be surprised. Let’s go upstairs and rest. Go Madam, please bring some warm honey tea to Hyunhee’s room.”
“Yes, Madam.”
While climbing the stairs slowly, Yura, who had tightly sealed her lips, made a brief apology. Mihee, feeling sorry for her, didn’t ask what happened.
“Sorry for causing a disturbance.”
“Again, again. You don’t have anything to apologize for.”
“Still…”
Silently seeking absolution as if begging for forgiveness for all the incidents, Mihee felt sorry for Yura.
She was saddened by how confidently and proudly her child, who was always so confident, was now cowed. When her husband accepted the news as a confirmed fact, her mind froze, allowing her emotions to be tied even more firmly. However, when Mihee’s questioning gaze was directed at Yura, an unjust feeling surged within her.
“Do you really have something going on with that person?”
When her father accepted the article as fact, her mind cooled, allowing her to tie up her emotions even more firmly. However, when Mihee’s questioning gaze was directed at Yura, an unjust feeling surged within her.
“No!”
“So, why are you sorry for something that didn’t happen?”
Yura finally noticed Mihee’s words and expression. Mihee hadn’t really asked with suspicion; it was more of a statement about Mihee’s unwavering trust and a question about why Yura couldn’t trust herself.
Her birth parents viewed their daughter as an adulteress, but Mihee didn’t see her that way. What was different?
Yura remained silent, looking at Mihee’s face for a while. What her expression and gaze conveyed, what thoughts Mihee had about her—Yura couldn’t discern. However, since she didn’t really know Mihee well from the start, she had no criteria to judge that.
“Do you… believe what I say?”
Mihee, with her kind face, smiled faintly.
“Of course. Should I believe a reporter’s words I don’t even know, or my daughter-in-law’s words?”
“Thank you. Thank you, Mother.”
“Oh my, it must have been very distressing.”
Overflowing with an indescribable emotion rising up her throat, Yura repeatedly said, “Thank you.” Other than that, she had no words to say at the moment.
Feeling her eye area becoming warm, Yura bit the tender flesh inside her mouth, enduring the tears. Following Mihee’s guidance, Yura entered Hyun’s room for the first time. Madam Gu, who had ascended to the second floor unnoticed, followed, holding a tray.
“Madam, here.”
After seating Yura on the bed, Mihee placed the tray on a small table.
“Dear, drink this and rest. Don’t think about anything, just rest. Hyun will come here as soon as he finishes dealing with the matters.”
Mihee’s soothing voice sounded pleasant. Her hand gently stroking her head also felt nice, making Yura want to hold onto it like a child.
“If you need anything, let me know.”
“Yes, Mother.”
However, Yura wasn’t one to ask for things, and even that seemed like greed, distancing herself from Mihee. Yura carefully observed Hyun’s unfamiliar room.
When she first visited Hyun’s house for the contract, she thought it was a typical Baek Hyun-style space. It felt cold, with no extravagance and neatly organized. In contrast, Baek Hyun’s room at home was infinitely warm.
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
