A Marriage So Lethal (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 14
At Kang Woo’s introduction, Min Young looked slightly flustered—as if she hadn’t expected it at all.
“I was in the U.S. and couldn’t attend your wedding, so I hadn’t had the chance to meet you. You looked so youthful I briefly wondered if you were his younger sibling. I was certain Director Cha was an only child, so I even thought you might be cousins.”
“Yes.”
Though inwardly thinking how unusually detailed her knowledge was for a mere business acquaintance, Se Ah kept her smile intact.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Lee Min Young.”
“I’m Ji Se Ah.”
Se Ah shook the hand Min Young offered. After firmly shaking it a couple of times, Min Young looked directly into Se Ah’s eyes. When Se Ah met her steady, black gaze head-on, Min Young let slip an elegant smile.
Whether as a businesswoman or as a woman, Min Young exuded charm—a refined, noble kind of allure.
“I’ll see you again tomorrow, Ms. Se Ah, at Director Cha’s family home.”
Ah, she must be referring to the luncheon party; Se Ah understood right away, having heard about it not from Kang Woo, but from Nam Tae.
“Let’s talk more tomorrow, Ms. Se Ah.”
“Yes.”
Out of courtesy, Se Ah nodded with a smile.
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
At Kang Woo’s parting words, signaling the end of the encounter, Min Young gently dipped her head. Se Ah watched her retreating back for a moment, her expression blank.
Why was Min Young here, of all places? Had relations between the families grown so close already that she’d come to visit Hyun Sook in the hospital?
Logically, it was possible she’d just happened to run into Kang Woo while visiting someone else’s patient. Yet, for some reason—perhaps because of what Nam Tae had told her—Se Ah couldn’t quite think rationally about it.
A sharp *snap*—thumb and forefinger clapping together—sounded right in front of her. Startled, Se Ah turned to Kang Woo.
“What on earth could you be thinking so deeply about?”
“Nothing much.”
With a slow blink, as if accepting her answer, Kang Woo turned away.
Se Ah naturally followed him as he reached for the door handle—but suddenly, he stopped short. She bumped squarely into his broad back with a soft *thud*.
Kang Woo turned back immediately, looking down at her. Their upper bodies had accidentally pressed together.
“Oh—just occurred to me. The condition Ji Se Ah stipulated.”
Rubbing her forehead, Se Ah frowned up at him, apparently unaware how close they stood—close enough to feel his breath.
“You asked me not to tell anyone beyond those already aware that we’re married.”
“…”
“Looks like that hasn’t quite registered in your head yet.”
Kang Woo tapped his temple twice, slowly.
He didn’t look like he’d forgotten at all. Clearly, he’d deliberately introduced her as his wife to Min Young—and was now openly pretending not to remember. Whatever his motive, he wasn’t even hiding the fact that this was intentional.
“Cut me some slack this once. Be generous.”
Dazed by the sly quirk of his lips, she’d completely forgotten her hand was still pressed to her forehead—she might have stayed like that indefinitely if he hadn’t taken her hand himself.
With a cool expression, Se Ah pulled her hand away from his.
“I believe we agreed not to engage in intentional physical contact. At the time of signing the contract.”
“Well said.”
“What did you say?”
“You wanted to be a display-case couple, right? That’s exactly what I’m trying to do now—right in front of my mother.”
“What are you talking about?”
Before she could finish her sentence, Kang Woo opened the door, still holding her wrist. Before she could feel flustered, Hyun Sook’s bright smile greeted them.
“Se Ah, you’re here.”
She couldn’t very well yank her hand away while his mother watched. Reluctantly, Se Ah smiled.
“Mother, how have you been?”
“What’s this? Coming in holding hands so affectionately? Finally looking like newlyweds.”
Overjoyed, Hyun Sook walked toward her son and daughter-in-law. Se Ah smoothly freed her hand from Kang Woo’s and took Hyun Sook’s instead.
“I’m sorry I haven’t called. I’ve been a bit busy lately.”
Was she becoming more sentimental lately? She nearly burst into tears and had to force them back—crying again would surely worry Hyun Sook.
After patting Se Ah’s back once, Hyun Sook let go. Her eyes naturally drifted to Se Ah’s shopping bag.
“Oh my! Did you buy pastries from the first floor too, Se Ah?”
“Yes.”
“And Kang Woo bought some too, didn’t he? What a surprise—I think this is the first time he’s brought me something other than money.”
Hyun Sook pointed toward the shopping bags on the tea table, half-boasting. Empty wrappers were already visible—he’d clearly tasted them.
“Either way, thank you. Have you eaten, Se Ah? Come sit here and try the pastries. They’re delicious.”
“Yes.”
Guided by Hyun Sook’s hand, Se Ah sat down at the tea table.
“Just a moment. Madam Yeong Cheon brought over some sikhye. Where did I put the bowls and forks?”
Watching Hyun Sook fumble around, Se Ah rose from her seat.
“Let me find them.”
“No need—I know where everything is. You just drink your sikhye first.”
Hyun Sook placed a cup of sikhye on the table and soon returned with forks and small plates.
“Why are you just standing there? Your height’s like a bamboo pole—you’re making your mother crane her neck.”
Scolding him playfully, Hyun Sook chided Kang Woo. Kang Woo just chuckled it off, watching his mother fuss unnecessarily.
“I’ll enjoy it, Mother. Where’s the caregiver, by the way?”
“I told her she could leave for now. Madam Yeong Cheon comes by once a day anyway. Having someone around just makes me uncomfortable.”
“Father?”
Kang Woo pursed his lips. In fact, after hearing yesterday that the caregiver was quitting, he’d dropped by the hospital today specifically to check on Hyun Sook’s condition.
“It’s just me being fussy. There’s nothing seriously wrong with me.”
“Hmph.”
Kang Woo exhaled sharply in disapproval and stood up.
“Are you leaving already, Kang Woo?”
Instinctively, Hyun Sook glanced at her son.
“Yes. I have a meeting.”
“Then go ahead, quickly.”
At the anxious tone in Hyun Sook’s voice, Kang Woo’s expression softened slightly—his jacket already slung over his arm. Automatically, Se Ah rose too; she couldn’t very well stay seated while her husband left.
“Take care.”
As she spoke the polite phrase, a croissant caught her eye.
Surely Min Young hadn’t bought that pastry? The thought flashed through her mind unbidden.
“Is that all?”
At the low, question-like murmur, Se Ah lifted her head. Their eyes met—his gaze teasing, hers wary.
“My husband’s leaving, and ‘take care’ is all you have to say?”
Was this man insane? When had they ever gone beyond that? True, in the past she’d walked him to the door when he left—but even then, her only reply to his “I’m off” had always been a simple “Okay.”
“Se Ah, looks like Kang Woo wants to spend more time with you.”
Hyun Sook promptly nudged the couple closer together.
“Don’t mind it too much—just see him out to the front, okay?”
“…Yes.”
“I’ll be in touch.”
With a noticeably gentler expression, Kang Woo bade Hyun Sook farewell—then deliberately intertwined his fingers with Se Ah’s smaller hand, spreading all five wide.
This was the first time he’d held her hand this way, and doing so in front of Hyun Sook felt embarrassingly intimate. At the same time, his sudden behavior left her too distracted to process anything properly.
The moment they stepped out of the hospital room, Se Ah frowned and snatched her hand away.
“What on earth was that?”
She crossed her arms, eyes wide in disbelief—as if she’d just been scammed.
“If you’re going to do it, do it properly. This much at least is necessary for anyone to be convinced.”
“We don’t need to go this far.”
“I do. If I’m not going to do it convincingly, I’d rather not do it at all. If you can’t handle it, we can void the contract.”
“And if we void it?”
“Why would we do that? We signed it together on equal footing, after all.”
“…”
“The party who fails to uphold the contract must submit fully to the other’s discretion. That was your stipulation.”
She’d added that clause decisively, assuming Cha Gang Woo would be the one to breach the agreement—and since she’d structured the entire contract to her advantage, she’d never considered it an unfavorable term.
“Ji Se Ah.”
Kang Woo leaned slightly toward her, where she stood against the wall. Even the slight tilt of his lips seemed charged with intent.
Their bodies maintained a proper distance—not a single point touched—but his gaze clung to hers, intense and unyielding.
“That’s precisely why contracts must be entered into carefully. Consider this a lesson.”
She wanted to kick him in the shin out of sheer irritation—but suppressed the urge, unwilling to let him see her rattled.
“Earlier, you introduced me as your wife to Ms. Lee Min Young—so you’ve already broken our condition.”
“I admit it.”
“That automatically cancels the one-year marriage extension clause for breach of contract. That’s the only thing I’d demand from you, Kang Woo.”
How could he be so shamelessly self-assured? It infuriated and baffled her—the way he alone remained composed and superior.
She watched as he lightly bit then released his lower lip. Arrogant, willful man. Aloof one moment, deliberately stirring her up the next—circumlocutory yet never revealing a single genuine thought.
“Wasn’t that earlier mistake something you decided to overlook and forgive?”
At his shamelessly sly tone, Se Ah crooked one corner of her mouth. In response, Kang Woo lowered his chin further, closing the distance between them even more—a strange tension crackling in the air.
“I’ll likewise turn a blind eye if you cross the line—say, holding my hand when we’re alone. After all, one can never be sure about people.”
His lips moved slowly.
“That will absolutely never happen.”
“I’m just making a preemptive promise. How else can I cash in on a debt?”
His tone was low and effortlessly natural, yet carried a razor-sharp edge. Straightening his posture, Kang Woo withdrew the arm he’d braced against the wall.
“Don’t forget your promise to offer your body in return. After all, I have nothing more to lose.”
It was the domineering, win-at-all-costs tone of a sovereign who’d stop at nothing to claim victory. She turned her head away, responding only with stubborn silence.
Returning to his usual composure, Kang Woo checked his watch by rolling up his shirt sleeve, then looked at Se Ah—his gaze now softened.
“Go home and wait. I’ll leave work early today.”
“…”
“It’s our first Friday together as contractual spouses—I’m excited.”
★ ★ ★
Just visiting Hyun Sook at the hospital had completely drained her.
Before stepping through the front door of their newlywed home, Se Ah erased the exhaustion from her face. With the housekeeper still inside, she couldn’t let her guard down.
“Madam, you’re home?”
The morning-shift housekeeper had already left; a middle-aged housekeeper greeted her warmly.
“Yes. Thank you for your hard work. You may leave a bit early today, if you’d like.”
“Oh no—Madam always sends me off early. I do have some pride, you know.”
“It’s only natural, considering how kindly Mrs. Chairman treats me. Is dinner ready?”
“Yes. Lately, the side dishes disappear faster than before—could it be that Madam…”
Before the housekeeper could finish, Se Ah shook her head firmly. The woman had subtly let her gaze drift toward Se Ah’s abdomen.
With Kang Woo coming home earlier and Se Ah having quit all her classes, she naturally spent more time at home—and thus ate more meals there. That was all…
“No, nothing like that.”
“Well, you never showed signs of morning sickness either. Hehe.”
Smiling awkwardly, Se Ah repeated her suggestion that the housekeeper go home. With an air of reluctant resignation, the woman finished her preparations and left through the front door.
Now truly alone, Se Ah sank comfortably onto the living room sofa. Her eyes landed on the yellow envelope lying on the tea table.
Sender: Lee Seok.
Recognizing Director Lee’s name, she snatched up the envelope. Judging by the date, it had arrived via registered mail today.
She tore open the top and pulled out the document—exactly as expected: the renewed contract she’d signed with Nam Tae previously.
Though she already knew its contents, she scanned it once more. The moment her eyes reached the very bottom, she crumpled the contract in half.
“What the hell.”
For the first time in her life, a vulgar curse escaped her lips.
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
Most Commented This Week
The Villain Has Gone Mad For Me (Completed Main Story)
I’m The Lowest-Ranking Daughter Of A Martial Arts Villain (2 Chapters Left to Complete)
I Became the Assassin Family’s Foster Daughter (Completed Main Story)
The Duke Only Needs My Child (Completed Main Story)
Men of the Harem (137 Chapters Left to Complete)
At the End of Ruin, There You Are (56 Chapters Left to Complete)
She’s a Villainess but her Husband is Handsome (Completed Main Story)
People Aren’t Meant to Be Fixed! (4 Chapters Left to Complete)
Summer Must Die (16 Chapters Left to Complete)
My Discarded Fiancé Returned (Completed Main Story)
I Received The First Time Of My Extraordinary Superior (9 Chapters Left to Complete)
Regret With All Your Might (Completed Main Story)