A Marriage So Lethal (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 12
First, Se Ah’s attorney publicly stated the contractual terms. Se Ah found the atmosphere uncomfortable, making it difficult for her to speak up readily.
On top of that, Attorney Go had advised her to refrain, as much as possible, from making statements that might be disadvantageous. Since she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what might be problematic, staying silent simply felt easier.
Unconsciously, her eyes drifted toward Kang Woo. He was seated across the room on the sofa.
What was he thinking right now? His expression gave nothing away. He maintained a completely neutral face while attentively listening to the lengthy and detailed list of her demands—though, of course, Attorney Go was the one presenting them on her behalf.
His finely arched eyebrows and the gently upturned corners of his well-proportioned eyes remained subtly lifted, even in stillness. Her gaze gradually traveled downward—past his distinctly proud, sharply defined nose, past his lips, which deliberately feigned composure.
Suddenly, Kang Woo’s jaw shifted slightly, and their eyes met.
“Got something to say?”
It felt awkward to claim she didn’t—especially after having stolen an unbidden glance at his face.
“I was thinking of serving a drink or something.”
In a calm tone, Se Ah blurted out the first thing that came to mind. Beside her, Attorney Go’s lips curled into an intelligent, knowing smile.
“Madam, you seem nervous?”
“A little. Also, it looked like you were speaking for quite a while, so I figured you might be tired. Let me get the drinks.”
Se Ah briefly excused herself. In the meantime, Attorney Go continued tenaciously advocating for her client’s rights.
The living room was quite separated from the kitchen, so their voices barely carried. Undeterred, Se Ah prepared soda water with a splash of lemon syrup and added a few ice cubes. She sliced some fruit and arranged it neatly in a bowl.
Upon returning, Se Ah set down iced tea in cocktail glasses and some light refreshments on the tea table.
“Oh my—these cups and plates are absolutely lovely, Madam.”
“Really?”
Se Ah brightened at Attorney Go’s appreciation. These were, in fact, the only items she had personally brought into this marriage as part of her dowry. Though likely beneath consideration in Kang Woo’s family’s eyes, they were, by her standards, rather expensive.
Kang Woo’s gaze remained fixed intently on Se Ah as she smiled radiantly.
“You even cut the lemon into shapes? Ah… you really are just too adorable.”
Though they shared the same gender, Attorney Go’s voice sounded genuinely smitten. Then, subtly, she turned her head and shot Kang Woo a sharp, reproachful look—as if demanding to know how he could possibly have made such a charming, devoted wife feel so let down.
“Let’s continue.”
In contrast, Kang Woo responded in a strictly businesslike tone.
“While conversing with Madam, I learned that she harbors strong career aspirations. From what I understand, she graduated from the prestigious Korean Literature department of a top-tier university and earned multiple awards in well-regarded literary contests. It would certainly be a pity to let such exceptional talent go unused. Thus, she expressed her desire to seek employment.”
At Attorney Go’s praise, Se Ah gave an embarrassed smile. Kang Woo, silently listening, appeared deep in thought.
“Additionally, Madam wishes for her personal preferences to be respected regarding wardrobe choices, outings, participation in classes or social gatherings, and similar matters.”
“Oh—that condition wasn’t included because Kang Woo pressured me, just so there’s no misunderstanding.”
Worried he might misinterpret, Se Ah clarified. Frankly speaking, it was Nam Tae who had made her feel stifled—not Kang Woo imposing any demands.
And to be perfectly candid, Kang Woo barely knew how she lived. Aside from occasional shared dinners, he had only ever seen her sleeping face.
Quietly exhaling once, Se Ah spoke again.
“But I’ll be quite different from before, so I wanted to state this clearly now—rather than explain later. It would be awkward to revisit these private matters again, especially since Kang Woo is so busy.”
Kang Woo lifted his lowered eyelids and fixed her with a steady, searching look.
“I didn’t realize you wanted to work. Nor that the clothes I gave you weren’t to your taste.”
His tone remained calm, yet something in his eyes flickered—so faintly that others likely wouldn’t have noticed, but she did: a trace of bewilderment, and disappointment.
“They were just… a bit uncomfortable for daily wear. And including this clause also means—you no longer have to send gifts through Secretary Choi or anyone else.”
Aside from anniversaries and birthdays, Kang Woo had frequently sent gifts. Early one morning, she’d been surprised to find piles of shopping bags on the tea table or sofa. Only later did she realize they were presents from him—and she’d chosen to think positively of it:
He must’ve been far too busy to hand them over in person the day before. And being so reserved, perhaps tender gestures were simply difficult for him.
But then she’d learned—quite by chance during a phone call with her personal shopper about sizing—that someone else had been handling the gift-giving on his behalf.
It made sense—he’d likely delegated it out of inconvenience, and the gifts themselves felt purely perfunctory.
All she’d truly wanted was just a simple, “Shall we have dinner together?”
She, too, bore half the blame—having swallowed her words time and again just to avoid falling out of Nam Tae’s favor.
“If you agree, we’ll add this clause.”
Breaking the heavy silence, Attorney Go looked toward Kang Woo.
“I agree.”
“And finally.”
Attorney Go paused briefly after turning to the last page of the document.
“The condition Madam has requested is to maintain a marriage in name only—for one year.”
“A marriage in name only.”
For the first time, Kang Woo openly revealed his expression. His eyebrows slowly rose as he alternated his gaze between Se Ah and Attorney Go.
“Yes. A marriage in name only.”
“In simpler terms—you want to pretend to be a couple exclusively in front of others?”
In stark contrast to Se Ah’s composed reply, Kang Woo’s tone grew sharp.
“If I had to phrase it that way—yes, I suppose you could see it like that.”
With a hollow chuckle, Kang Woo picked up the untouched iced tea glass. He downed nearly half in one go, then quietly set the glass back down. The sharp, raised edge of his eyes softened back into place.
“Is this truly what you want? Seriously?”
He searched Se Ah’s eyes intently, as if seeking confirmation.
“Yes.”
A razor-sharp tension filled the air—like standing barefoot on a blade’s edge. After staring at Se Ah stubbornly the entire time, Kang Woo finally straightened his lips, which had been twisted into a cold smirk.
“I consent.”
Now it was Kang Woo’s turn.
Se Ah’s lips burned with anxiety—not knowing what he might demand.
After all, his intellect was extraordinary, and as a highly capable businessman, he could easily steer the contract entirely in his favor—if he so chose.
Just as he seemed about to speak, his attorney looked at Kang Woo searchingly—reconfirming, once more, whether he truly intended to proceed with the terms as-is.
“Please go ahead, Attorney Lee.”
Noticing the gaze, Kang Woo gave his consent.
“The Representative has no additional conditions. He has agreed to all points raised by his wife, Ji Se Ah.”
***
Kang Woo sat on the sofa in his study, laptop resting on his knees, reviewing materials for tomorrow morning’s meeting.
After staring at the screen for a long while, his brow furrowed and he exhaled wearily. No matter how hard he tried to concentrate, the events from a few hours ago stubbornly lingered in his mind.
After dismissing the attorneys, Se Ah had immediately retreated to the bedroom without giving him a chance to speak. Though he’d considered following her to talk, he instead came straight to the study.
He, too, had grown deeply exhausted during the negotiation—and above all, her request for a “showcase couple” had struck him powerfully.
How could she lift that pale, delicate face, meet his gaze directly, and calmly ask for a marriage that was nothing more than a display?
He wondered if this was how it felt to have a dagger plunged into one’s heart by an enemy.
There had been a reason he’d insisted on formalizing the agreement today—with attorneys from both sides present. He’d wanted to hear Se Ah’s true intentions firsthand—because only then could he possibly change her mind.
Unlike him, who desperately wished to repair their relationship, Se Ah seemed utterly resolute in ending this marriage. She was complying with his proposal only because she saw no alternative—and only to wrap things up rationally.
That much had been expected. Yet, for a woman who’d decided to end her marriage, she’d been surprisingly lenient.
From the start, he hadn’t intended to impose any conditions of his own—and had repeatedly told Se Ah she could ask for anything, that he’d accept all her terms.
If she’d truly made up her mind to leave, wouldn’t she normally demand alimony? Considering how deferentially he’d been acting, she could’ve easily demanded something—anything—in return.
She could’ve meticulously listed his faults to strengthen her legal position.
Where was the woman who’d circled calendar dates in preparation for divorce? Yet, when the moment arrived, she voiced no accusations at all.
Knowing her gentle nature, he’d even assigned her legal representation intentionally—and yet, her failure to seize that opportunity baffled him completely.
Still, it was absurd to think she harbored any lingering feelings for him. If she did, she wouldn’t have asked for a nominal marriage.
She claimed not to love him anymore—and her expression showed no trace of sympathy, either. Then why?
The more he thought about it, the less he understood Se Ah. Instead, he felt himself sinking deeper into an abyss of unanswered questions.
At last, Kang Woo let out a dry chuckle. Though he felt utterly unamused—his chest tight with bitterness—laughter still escaped him involuntarily.
Though his thoughts swirled chaotically, one thing was perfectly clear:
Ji Se Ah was counting the days until the contract ended and she was finally free—and he would only come to regret this even more deeply than he already did.
Loosening his stiff shoulders, Kang Woo rose from his seat.
It looked like he needed a drink tonight, after all.
***
Se Ah, who had been lying in bed, suddenly sat upright.
For over an hour, she’d been trying to sleep—but sleep refused to come. Even with her eyes closed, Kang Woo’s gaze remained vividly imprinted in her mind.
“Is this truly what you want? Seriously?”
His eyes had clearly been wounded.
She quickly dismissed the thought that had slipped in unintentionally. It was nonsense. Just because he’d been slightly more attentive to her lately didn’t mean she should get carried away.
Was he even the type to be hurt—especially by a single word from her?
Shaking her head firmly, she laid back down on the pillow.
Soon after, she rolled onto her side.
What if she’d asked for something unreasonable? Demanded a large sum of money, for instance?
And why had he even brought a lawyer if he had no conditions of his own?
It had been purely for appearances—or worse, it had actually worked against him.
They’d formally documented that both parties’ attorneys participated in drafting the agreement, and obtained their signatures too.
This was no informal, private understanding—it was a fully executed legal procedure. Thoroughly, unmistakably Cha Gang Woo.
Today, he’d resembled a warrior charging into battle without so much as a single piece of armor.
It had been reckless—utterly unlike him.
Eventually giving up on sleep, she got out of bed.
Perhaps her emptiness was why she couldn’t sleep—so she decided to warm up a glass of milk.
When Se Ah opened her bedroom door, the living room’s auxiliary light was still on. Probably Kang Woo had forgotten to switch it off.
She walked over to the mini-fridge and took out a carton of milk. As she poured it steadily into a glass, a voice came from behind.
“What are you doing? Out here.”
At the low, quiet voice, Se Ah turned around.
Kang Woo stood just three steps behind her. Though she’d seen him countless times before, she lowered her gaze, embarrassed by the sight of him in his bathrobe. In his large hand, he held a rocks glass containing only melted ice.
“Have you been drinking?”
He rarely drank—and though many questions rose in her mind, she swallowed them silently.
“Just one.”
Kang Woo placed his empty glass on the dining table and looked at the milk Se Ah had poured. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he gave a faint, wry smile.
“You must be hungry.”
“Just a little.”
“Will milk be enough? Sit down. I’ll make you egg fried rice—it’s the only thing I know how to cook.”
He pulled out a chair for her and gestured with his eyes: *Go ahead.*
“No, I’m—”
“I have something to say.”
A faint scent of whiskey drifted from him as he spoke. Though he hadn’t laid a hand on her, she found herself helplessly trapped—unable to flee his intense, unwavering gaze.
Her firm resolve not to be swayed by him anymore rang hollow.
Because even now—still—
Her longing to confirm Cha Gang Woo’s sincerity outweighed everything else.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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