He would carefully stroke around her belly button with his thumb, asking every night if it was okay now, if it wasn’t hurting. That was unlike his usual indifferent self.
Would his deep and intense gaze, even if for a moment, remain like a scar? Even though it had been three years since the surgery, there should be no pain… yet it strangely throbbed.
Whether the meaning of this marriage for him was a sympathymixed sense of responsibility, or an impulse from the past as Nam Tae said. She had a hunch that our relationship would be wrapped up after the oneyear contract.
Today was the day she had promised to make a contract with him. So, it was natural to have these complicated and subtle feelings.
((()))((()))((()))
Sungbukdong, Chairman Lee’s residence.
Min Young, who had finished preparing for work, came down the second floor stairs. As usual, Chairman Lee was sitting in his usual place on the living room sofa.
“Father.”
Although it was a busy morning, Min Young sat down opposite her father with a bright smile. Chairman Lee watched with pleasure as his daughter, in her fall jacket, placed her handbag next to her.
“Going to work?”
“Yes.”
Min Young had been engaged to a general employee of Gcoms after dating for several years, but they broke up just before the wedding. After that, due to all sorts of scandals, Chairman Lee had sent Min Young to the American branch for a year.
With the noisy period over, his most beloved child, Min Young, had returned healthy, which could not be better.
“Have you adjusted to the time difference?”
“It’s been a while since I returned. Oh, Father.”
Min Young tucked her slightly curled bob hair behind her ears with her fingertips. Although her pantsuit and small, thinframed wristwatch were the only accessories, she had a unique elegance. It was sophisticated yet casual.
“How’s the collaboration with Director Cha going?”
A fragrant steam was rising from the peppermint tea that had been served a little while ago. Min Young, carefully holding the tea cup, took a sip.
“Yes. The more I see, the more I find Director Cha to be very smart.”
Min Young nodded shortly and slightly tilted her lips.
“We agreed to proceed with season 1 first, and we will negotiate for a second contract afterwards.”
“Last time we had a meal, I subtly probed him, and he seemed to have a great deal of pride in his company.”
“That makes sense. He built it from the ground up.”
“I heard he has been courted by various places to be incorporated as a subsidiary, but it hasn’t been easy. He wants to grow CI Soft independently.”
With an expression that said, “he’s a brazen one,” Chairman Lee chuckled.
“Father, you are also collaborating with that intention, aren’t you? To later recruit CI Soft.”
“If we can absorb a company that has a strong hold in the mobile field like CI Soft into Gcoms, it would be a huge gain. So, you should try to persuade him. Tell him we can offer a position as the head of an affiliate.”
“I will look for an opportunity while meeting Director Cha. By the way, you’re going to Representative Cha’s house this weekend, right?”
“I suppose so.”
Chairman Lee smirked as if something had crossed his mind.
“I played a round of golf with Representative Cha a few days ago, and he has a big ambition. He seems to be aiming for the position of the party’s leader. I wonder if Director Cha takes after his father. Ha ha.”
“Whether in business or politics. You can’t survive in this field without that degree of ambition.”
It was quite a compliment for Min Young. The gaze of Chairman Lee, who had been looking at his daughter with interest, suddenly turned sharp.
“You’ve completely ended things with Kang Hyun Tae, right? He isn’t trying to approach you again, meet you.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t meet him even if you’re not watching.”
“I even took pity on a guy who had nothing but a head. That guy who tried to backstab you!”
Enraged, Chairman Lee slammed the sofa armrest. Sensing it was time to leave, Min Young picked up her jacket and handbag.
“It would have been nice if Director Cha was unmarried. His maternal family is in Goldsong Foods, and his paternal family is from a scholarly family, so even if it’s just that, and Representative Cha has power. If the two families form a connection, the business territory will expand a lot.”
At the mention of Kang Woo again, Min Young gently put down her handbag.
“But it’s interesting.”
“What do you mean?”
“That ambitious Representative Cha has taken in a girl he was just looking after as his daughterinlaw.”
“Chairman Cha got married to Representative Cha’s legal guardian?”
Min Young’s eyes widened in surprise. She had been completely unaware while in the U.S. Even during the few times she had met Kang Woo to negotiate the contract, he hadn’t mentioned anything about his private life.
Anyway, it was definitely an unusual occurrence in this circle.
She wondered how much a normal guy like Kang Hyun Tae had coveted her family and money.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
