I knew it in my head.

Though I had already heard from Kang Woo that there was nothing between him and Stacy, to Hee Won, Stacy was still like an unsolved mystery that felt off somehow.

Perhaps because there were many points that didn’t add up, Hee Won instinctively felt uncomfortable with Stacy.

“I came all the way from America to see you, Hee Won. Aren’t you going to welcome me?”

Stacy said with a smile. Objectively speaking, she had a pretty face.

With her petite height, small white face with defined features, makeup that highlighted her best points, and wavy hair that reached her shoulders, she was attractive enough to turn heads on the street.

If they had exchanged normal greetings, Hee Won herself might have felt favorably towards Stacy.

But with Kang Woo involved, Hee Won just couldn’t see Stacy in a positive light.

Moreover, while Stacy seemed to be carefully walking the line of showing hostility without quite crossing it, Hee Won couldn’t shake the feeling that she was trying to provoke her.

Even if Kang Woo and Stacy weren’t ‘that’ kind of relationship, the fact that Stacy was subtly showing hostility towards her as his wife made it impossible to ignore, no matter how much she tried.

Her head was throbbing. Stacy’s behavior kept grating on Hee Won’s nerves.

“Hee Won.”

They say you can’t spit on a smiling face, but right now Hee Won felt like she could spit at Stacy.

She felt something bubbling up inside her.

She even wanted to wipe that ever-smiling face away from in front of her.

Though it was only their second meeting, Hee Won felt uncomfortable with Stacy.

It would have been easier to deal with someone who openly showed hostility, like Chairman Seong or Choo Hyun Jung.

She disliked how Stacy pretended to be a nice person while her true intentions were dark, trying to test her.

‘Get it together, Seong Hee Won. Kang Woo is my husband. So be confident. You know that woman wants to see you shaken.’

Hee Won steeled herself, thinking she shouldn’t get swept away.

Right now, Kang Woo was her husband. No one knew it was a contract marriage.

As she composed herself like this over and over, the flustered emotions disappeared from Hee Won’s face, replaced by calmness.

“Stacy.”

She called Stacy’s name in a low, slightly sharp voice.

The first to notice her change was Stacy, who was closest to her.

With her brow slightly furrowed, Stacy looked at Hee Won.

“Yes, Hee Won. Speak.”

Stacy was calmly meeting Hee Won’s gaze.

“Have we met before, Stacy?”

“This is our second time, isn’t it? We met at Carnegie Hall last time.”

Stacy had steeled herself over and over to come here. She wasn’t so foolish as to not know that no one would welcome her.

The reason Stacy deliberately chose to come to this place was because of her strong obsession with Kang Woo.

Kang Woo was hers and rightfully should be.

That was an unchanging truth in the past, present, and future.

But suddenly Hee Won had interfered.

Thinking that this fox-like woman must have seduced Kang Woo, who had been nearly anti-marriage, Stacy glared fiercely at Hee Won.

The place beside oppa was mine. It’s not a place for someone like you!

I’m much prettier, I liked oppa first.

How dare, how dare you marry oppa?

She resented Hee Won. She was nothing but a thief who dared to steal what was hers.

Stacy began to stare at Hee Won with murderous eyes, no longer hiding her emotions.

Hee Won was shocked by Stacy’s gaze. The subtle hostility Stacy had shown before was now becoming blatant.

She had vaguely sensed it last time, but now it was certain.

That Stacy liked Cha Kang Woo as a man.

Hee Won recalled what Stacy had said last time.

[I’m Stacy. I know Kang Woo oppa.] […You know each other?] [Yes. Actually, we’re a bit closer than just acquaintances, but it feels awkward to say that in front of his wife. It seems Kang Woo oppa hasn’t told you about me, so I’ll leave it at that.]

Stacy had been testing her reaction. It was a cowardly act of probing while pretending not to know.

Hee Won clenched her fist tightly.

She had expected it, but seeing a woman who liked the man she liked felt much worse than anticipated.

Kang Woo was trying to come this way.

She didn’t want to rely on him for everything, and wanted to resolve the situation a little before he arrived.

“No, I was wondering if we’ve met enough times for Stacy and I to be close.”

“What?”

Stacy’s face began to crack as she realized the deliberate sarcasm.

“Wh…what did you just say?”

Hee Won said again with a calm face.

“I was asking if Stacy and I were close enough to be that familiar.”

“…”

“Don’t take it too offensively. I don’t casually befriend people.”

“Hey.”

Stacy’s face crumpled like a crushed can.

Hee Won wasn’t a rude person. Rather, she was polite.

She also tended to think that those who endure win. This was because of Chairman Seong.

Chairman Seong used to tell his daughter habitually:

[You just need to endure. You just need to sacrifice yourself.] [If you stay quiet, the family will be at peace.] [How can a person do everything they want in life! Who do you think you owe for the clothes you wear and the food you eat? You have to repay the kindness of being clothed and fed.]

Those were the words Chairman Seong used to say habitually.

If only I… if only I sacrifice and endure, there won’t be any problems.

Due to long-term brainwashing, there was a time when she truly believed that.

Looking back now it was foolish, but at the time she believed that if only she endured and understood, everyone would be comfortable.

So she swallowed and suppressed even unfair situations. She endured long-term abuse in that context as well.

Because I just need to endure.

But after meeting Kang Woo, her thoughts changed.

[Don’t endure. Just do what you want to do, Hee Won.] [The most precious thing in your life isn’t other people, me, or objects. You are the most important. It’s your life, isn’t it? You don’t have to sacrifice yourself to do something for others. Listen to your heart, Hee Won.]

Moreover,

To Hee Won, who had been negative about saying humble things to others, Kang Woo said:

[You don’t need to treat people who don’t respect you well. Ignore them the same way, and pay them back two or three times over. The patient one wins? I don’t think so. The world tends to see those who endure and are patient as fools. So don’t think about anything else, Hee Won, just do as you like. I’ll take care of the rest, so don’t worry. You have every right to say what you want to say in life, Hee Won.]

Kang Woo seemed somewhat angry as he said those words.

Maybe that’s why it felt even more sincere.

‘That’s right. Let’s not act like a fool.’

For the first time since meeting Kang Woo, Hee Won wanted to become a little better today than yesterday, bit by bit.

The point where today’s Seong Hee Won needed to improve from yesterday’s Seong Hee Won was to be confident and not cower in front of people who disrespected her.

“Hee Won, you’re really talking strangely.”

“What did I do?”

“Aren’t you being a bit rude to someone who came to congratulate you on your marriage?”

Stacy had lost her composure and was now on the offensive.

‘Right. This is easier.’

At Stacy’s words, Hee Won showed no sign of being flustered, but rather had a relaxed expression.

“So? Did you really come to sincerely congratulate Kang Woo and me on our marriage?”

“Why else would I come here?”

“It may be my misunderstanding, but I don’t feel like you came to congratulate us.”

“Seong Hee Won, do you know what kind of relationship Kang Woo oppa and I have? Do you think Kang Woo oppa will take your side after you treat me like this?”

Just as Stacy yelled at Hee Won,

“Who else would take my wife’s side if I don’t?”

Kang Woo intervened between Hee Won and Stacy. He hid Hee Won behind his back as he continued speaking.

“Why don’t the uninvited guest leave now?”

“Oppa.”

Stacy’s expression, which had been pouring out anger towards Hee Won just moments ago, instantly changed to that of a pitiful heroine.

“Leave with Joo Ah.”

Despite Kang Woo’s order to leave, Stacy had no intention of moving.

“Oppa, you shouldn’t treat me like this.”

Tears suddenly welled up in Stacy’s large eyes as she looked up at Kang Woo.

“Aren’t you ashamed to face our oppa?”

At Stacy’s words, Kang Woo’s face hardened coldly.

“Why did our oppa end up like that? You said you’d take responsibility. Was it all a lie?”

Finally, unable to hold back, Stacy shouted.

The atmosphere, which seemed like it couldn’t get any lower, turned ice cold.

The faces of everyone present, including Kang Woo, sank coldly. No one dared to speak up. A deep, heavy silence descended.

Hee Won unconsciously turned to look at Kang Woo.

His face showed complex emotions that were beyond description.

His usual composed appearance had disappeared.

Seeing this unfamiliar side of him, Hee Won felt her heart grow even heavier.