A Marriage So Lethal (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 5
“Let go of this.”
Se Ah’s face, already pale as blank paper, grew even whiter as she tried to shake off his arm.
He calmly smirked and finally released her wrist.
“Where have you been?”
“I had something to take care of.”
She answered briefly and turned her steps toward the bedroom. Having experienced this for ten days, Kang Woo fully understood the fall in her status. Before she disappeared into the bedroom, he needed to say at least one more thing.
“What about dinner?”
Following behind, he pressed her with another question—and Se Ah turned back. Annoyed, the corners of her eyes flickered upward. Yet his lips remained curved in an unshaken smile, leaving her staring at him incredulously.
“I’ve eaten. And…”
“Go ahead. Say anything—but not that you want a divorce.”
“I didn’t expect you’d be this attached to our marriage, Kang Woo.”
“I don’t change my decisions once made.”
“Don’t be stubborn.”
“Do people get married out of sheer stubbornness?”
Se Ah fell silent, as if she had nothing more to say. Kang Woo slowly leaned down, locking his gaze intently onto hers. Instead of skin touching skin, only his heavy breath reached her.
“Give me a chance to make up for it.”
“Kang Woo. Do you have any idea how many times I folded and unfolded my heart over the years, loving you alone?”
“…”
“Some days, I told myself not to dream of climbing a tree I could never reach. The next day, I wondered if it might be okay to simply like you. Still, it wasn’t as hard as it is now—back then, we weren’t married.”
“Hah.”
Kang Woo, who had been blocking the bedroom doorway, looked at her more intently. Quietly, he followed the path of her dark brown irises, trying to glimpse sincerity within them.
Her gaze, her tone—everything about her seemed plain, like someone calmly recalling distant memories. All this, after only ten days.
“I didn’t expect much after marriage, either. I just hoped you’d spend even just my birthday or our anniversary with me—not rigidly schedule it like a chore you had to check off, coming home early only out of obligation.”
“Se Ah.”
“You once asked why I never made demands. Because I knew full well I was the only one loving you. I’ve known since I was very young what I’m allowed—and not allowed—to ask for.”
Gently smiling, she pushed aside his firmly planted body.
“So please give up, Kang Woo. It took me a long time to reach this point, but you’re a rational person—you’ll move on quickly once you make up your mind.”
Turning away from Kang Woo’s hardened expression, Se Ah entered the bedroom.
His uncharacteristic efforts nearly softened her heart. To steady herself, she pulled out the contract she’d hidden in the bottom drawer of the dresser.
The document detailed an astonishing number of clauses—so many her mouth hung open.
Even rules about how she should dress or what classes she should take seemed trivial by comparison.
Top among them: do not register the marriage; use contraception; and even if she became pregnant, the Cha family would not recognize the child.
That day, when she’d gone up to Nam Tae’s study:
“Now that a year has passed, convince Kang Woo to quietly proceed with the divorce. There must be no fuss.”
“Father, I truly love Kang Woo. I’ll support him so he can focus solely on his work.”
Even as Se Ah wept, Nam Tae merely stared blankly and tapped the contract indifferently. Then, with forced cheer, the corners of his lips twitched upward.
“Se Ah. I choose my own people—I’m not swayed by blood ties. Seeing you come out like this, it seems Kang Woo has grown at least a little kinder toward you.”
Nam Tae looked down at her, visibly surprised.
“If you disobey me, even my own son won’t be exempt.”
“Haah.”
Lost in memory, Se Ah let out a heavy sigh.
She’d considered revealing everything to Kang Woo and Hyun Sook. But she knew, without doubt, Nam Tae would twist it into an accusation that she sought material compensation.
Even if they believed her, in the end, they’d side with Nam Tae.
Because they were real family. Because of blood ties.
Rather than be betrayed by the man she loved, it was better he remained ignorant. If she upheld the contract, Nam Tae wouldn’t harm his own son, Kang Woo.
Se Ah placed the contract back into its envelope and pushed it deep into the drawer.
※※※
With the agreement with Nam Tae over, Se Ah now had free time.
She spent entire days in her room, wholly immersed in job-hunting preparations. Nam Tae’s restrictions on outings—aside from fixed classes—had made job prep difficult until now.
No matter how carefully she browsed the housing app, she couldn’t find another place like the one she’d seen before. As she searched for the business card to call the realtor, a sound came from the living room.
For two weeks, as if deliberately resolved, Kang Woo returned home precisely at 8 p.m. His workload clearly piled up—he often left the living room lights on late into the night, accompanied by the quiet clack of his keyboard.
“Ji Se Ah.”
As always today, he knocked and called her name.
To follow through with the contract with Nam Tae, she needed to quietly negotiate and end things quickly—yet this sudden development was entirely unforeseen.
She couldn’t comprehend his abrupt fixation. Perhaps her initiating the breakup had wounded his pride?
“If you don’t answer, I’m coming in anyway.”
She’d locked the door, and the latch clicked sharply.
“Just open it. Do I need to go find the key?”
Once he decided on something, he bulldozed forward—just like how quickly the marriage proceeded after he’d set his mind to it. Rather than argue over refusing to open the door, she figured facing him for a few minutes would end it sooner.
Reluctantly, the door opened—but Kang Woo still didn’t cross the bedroom threshold. This, too, had become an unspoken rule, though never formally agreed upon.
However, he gripped the doorknob and swung the door wide open.
“If I can’t even come in, at least let me open the door properly.”
“Kang Woo.”
Repeating the same words to him again was already tiresome.
“Take it.”
Suddenly, he extended his hand, holding a cake box.
“Did Secretary Choi tell you to do this?”
“Do I look like someone who discusses my private life with others?”
“It’s fine. I don’t like cake.”
“I can’t believe that. The person who ate three whole cakes at the daycare party was you.”
She turned away from his slowly, leisurely upturned lips. If a single cake could change her mind, she wouldn’t have come this far.
“Do you still think I’m your girlfriend?”
“We share a bed—there’s no way I’d see you as a child.”
It was the same look he’d given her when he occasionally held her.
At least in those moments, his gaze had been deep and heated—enough to make her feel, at last, like a woman to him.
“You must suddenly have a lot of free time. Someone who once couldn’t spare a minute.”
Without explanation, Kang Woo bit his lip.
“So now you’ve set a new goal—to win me back? That doesn’t seem like you.”
“You’re right.”
No longer hesitating, Kang Woo took Se Ah’s hand. Ignoring her attempts to pull away, he gently curled her fingers around the cake box and withdrew his own.
Meeting her seemingly indifferent gaze, he locked eyes with her. His dark pupils held a rare blend of playful mischief and his usual firm resolve—creating a strangely captivating expression.
“I learn fast—and I do things well.”
“…”
“Make a request of me. I’ll learn.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed low. Though his words were rather sweet, Se Ah reached for the doorknob.
“I see you’re goal-oriented—but this time, you’ve set the wrong target.”
He chuckled softly, a relaxed smile on his face.
“Sleep well. See you tomorrow.”
Only after the door closed did a faint blush rise to Se Ah’s cheeks as she leaned against it.
※※※
Kang Woo was currently negotiating a collaboration with G-Coms, a major gaming company, to develop a PC game. Having dominated the mobile gaming sector, he now aimed higher—to partner with G-Coms, Korea’s top-tier game developer, to create a new blockbuster title. For this project, Kang Woo had meticulously prepared over two years.
He entered a traditional Korean restaurant in Gangnam, where he was scheduled to have lunch with Min Young, Managing Director of G-Coms.
Sliding open the door, he was surprised to find Min Young already seated.
“You said you’d arrive on time—I didn’t expect you’d be earlier than me.”
Min Young, with her short, intellectual hairstyle, stood from her seat. She wore a comfortable pantsuit, suited to her active lifestyle.
“I had another meeting nearby. Nice to see you, CEO Cha.”
Kang Woo briefly returned her offered handshake.
“Let’s take our seats.”
During the meal, they discussed the collaboration.
“How long do you estimate the development period?”
“It’ll be clearer once we begin in earnest, but Season 1 is planned for release within two years. I’ve heard CI Soft has an excellent game planner and developer.”
“In addition to developer Lee Chang Seok, we have sufficient talent ready to commit to this collaboration.”
Kang Woo spoke with appropriately humble tones, though his eyes radiated confidence. He also observed Min Young, his newly established partner.
Before coming, Kang Woo had requested a briefing from his secretary. Widely tipped to become G-Coms’ next CEO, Min Young had spent the past year at the U.S. branch.
Chairman Lee publicly cited professional reasons, but insiders knew the truth: her wedding—once a sensational public affair—had collapsed just days before the ceremony. Rumors even claimed she’d lost her composure entirely.
After the meeting, Kang Woo placed the documents back into his briefcase.
“I’m glad to be working with you, CEO Cha. I wanted a partner who gets things done.”
“I’m relieved you see it that way.”
“Oh—by the way, Congressman Cha invited my father and me to a luncheon party at his residence. Since it’s at your home, I assume you’ll attend as well?”
Kang Woo had heard nothing of his father hosting such a party—or of the G-Coms father-daughter pair being invited—but he maintained a polite, formal smile.
“Possibly.”
Soon, their respective cars pulled up to the restaurant’s main entrance. With another invitation to meet and a friendly curve of her lips, Min Young took her leave.
※※※
After the meeting, Kang Woo returned to the office briefly before heading home. Two or three times a week, Se Ah had sat right there on the sofa, past midnight.
Back then, he’d merely assumed she suffered from insomnia. In hindsight, she’d been waiting for him—shyly turning off the TV remote the moment she saw his face.
Yet now, no matter how early he came home, Se Ah remained locked in her bedroom.
“Ji Se Ah.”
Still, as always, he softly called her name today.
Standing outside the bedroom door, he faintly heard her voice—sounding as if she were on the phone.
He recalled having seen the person once before—at the wedding, and another time. An acquaintance, perhaps—the older sister she’d mentioned being close with at the daycare center.
Yet her tone sounded unusually polite—not like a casual chat with a friend, but more like she was pleading for something.
Kang Woo pressed his ear close to the door.
“The house I saw back then really caught my eye—would it be possible to switch it to a full deposit or lower the monthly rent a bit? I’m still a student, after all.”
Instantly, anger surged within him.
Why was she humiliating herself like that before others? Why wouldn’t she rely on him even once—and instead keep trying to leave him, no matter what?
In the hand not holding the flower basket, he gripped the doorknob and turned it. She locked it every day, yet today she’d forgotten—the door swung open.
Startled, Se Ah hastily ended the call, saying she’d phone back later.
His already pale, cool skin turned even more bloodless and chilling. Yet she deliberately avoided his icy gaze, as if entirely uninterested.
He strode toward her without hesitation, stopping just in front of her—and set the flower basket down beside her on the seat.
“So you’re really determined to leave?”
Se Ah remained silent in response to Kang Woo’s question. Without even looking at him, she placed her laptop onto the bedsheet.
Unfazed, Kang Woo lowered himself to his knees, forcing her to finally meet his eyes. In a blink, he picked up the business card lying atop her laptop.
“What’s this? Give it back.”
Her eyes narrowed sharply as she watched him casually crumple the card in his grip. His frigid gaze clashed tensely with hers.
“You won’t be leaving—not until we reach an agreement.”
Se Ah abruptly stood, glaring at him. Though “glare” wasn’t quite right—her eyes were too sharp, almost like she was throwing a tantrum.
Her seemingly indifferent look now carried a trace of reproach—and strangely, that brought him relief. Hatred, at least, was better than indifference.
Kang Woo rose leisurely and met her eyes once more.
“Even if you run, it’ll be futile. I’ll search every corner until I find you.”
“…Kang Woo.”
Caught in his intense, unwavering black gaze, Se Ah lost her words. She could only stare at him, dumbfounded.
“So the only way for you to leave me is through mutual agreement.”
His deep, chilling voice resonated ominously through the room.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
_____
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