The emotional and physical abuse directed at Hee Won from a very young age continued until her marriage. The long-lasting abuse left her with only fear and dread of not knowing when she would be hurt next.
Kang Woo’s eyes narrowed.
He took her hand. Surprised by the sudden physical contact, Hee Won’s already large eyes grew even wider.
While still holding her hand, Kang Woo spoke to Choo Hyun Jung.
“I’d like to spend a bit more time with Hee Won, if that’s alright?”
Choo Hyun Jung, who would have immediately refused if it were anyone else, only moved her lips at Kang Woo’s polite tone.
Hee Won felt a strange sense of elation. She was even happy, thinking that Kang Woo might have understood her feelings, though she wasn’t sure.
“…Time?”
As Choo Hyun Jung asked through gritted teeth, Kang Woo answered while looking at Hee Won.
“Yes. I’d like to spend a little more time with Hee Won.”
Choo Hyun Jung bit her lower lip hard in anger. Inside, she was spewing profanities that couldn’t be uttered aloud.
The rumors about Cha Kang Woo made her feel dirty every time she heard them.
It was said that despite his repulsive and ugly appearance, he was not only a sociopath and a scoundrel but also promiscuous with women. Women only followed him for his money.
In Choo Hyun Jung’s opinion, Cha Kang Woo was the worst man she had ever seen.
They’ll make a well-matched pair.
When Choo Hyun Jung heard the news that Kang Woo was looking for a wife, she thought of Hee Won.
She always wanted Hee Won to live an unhappy life. Kang Woo was the man Choo Hyun Jung had been looking for. With Jinsung Foods in a bad situation, the scenario of pursuing a marriage alliance with LS Group was perfect. As expected, when President Seong heard Choo Hyun Jung’s story, he was delighted and pushed forward with the marriage to LS Group.
But the Cha Kang Woo she saw in person was completely different from the rumors.
Choo Hyun Jung looked Kang Woo up and down.
Not only was he tall with a fit body, but his face was more actor-like than an actual actor.
If she had known he was this kind of man, she would have matched him with her own daughter, Yu Na, instead of Seong Hee Won.
Choo Hyun Jung barely managed to compose her expression and covered her mouth with her hand, letting out a cultured laugh.
“Oh my, what should I do? I feel so sorry. Since you’ll be married soon, let her spend a bit more time with her family.”
Kang Woo looked at Choo Hyun Jung, who was hiding her ugly intentions, then turned his head to Hee Won.
Hee Won’s round shoulders were trembling slightly.
Kang Woo’s mood suddenly soured. He couldn’t understand why.
He just didn’t like seeing Hee Won looking so intimidated.
Kang Woo deliberately wrapped his arm around Hee Won’s shoulders and said,
“There’s somewhere I’d like to go together. Please understand just for today, Mother.”
At his words, cracks appeared on Choo Hyun Jung’s face. The emotions she had been suppressing resurfaced.
Her tightened lips revealed Choo Hyun Jung’s anger.
“Mother.”
But Kang Woo was not a man to be dealt with carelessly.
Choo Hyun Jung was furious, but she knew this was a situation where she had to back down.
“If, if you insist, then do as you please.”
As soon as Choo Hyun Jung gave her permission, Kang Woo responded as if he had been waiting.
“Thank you.”
Choo Hyun Jung caught sight of Hee Won’s smiling face.
Her pent-up anger finally exploded.
“I have something to say to my daughter for a moment. It won’t take long. About 5 minutes, I’d say.”
“……”
“You can wait, can’t you?”
Hee Won was flustered by Choo Hyun Jung’s proposal. She knew she should say no, but no thoughts came to mind.
Moreover, Choo Hyun Jung came closer and even linked arms with her. It made her skin crawl as if bugs were crawling on her body.
“Daughter, I know you want to go on a date, but can’t you spare a moment to talk with your mother?”
“……”
“Mommy feels hurt.”
Hee Won couldn’t push away Choo Hyun Jung, who was clinging to her arm.
“Kang Woo, come here for a moment.”
The timing couldn’t have been worse. Chairman Cha, who had been talking with Seong Hyun Je, called for Kang Woo.
Kang Woo’s gaze turned to Hee Won.
Hee Won tried her best to put on a face that everything was fine.
In truth, she hoped he wouldn’t go, but she had no reason to stop him.
“You should go.”
Hee Won said, gripping Kang Woo’s hand tightly.
“Your father is calling you.”
Only then did Kang Woo nod with an uneasy expression.
“I’ll see you later.”
As Kang Woo turned away and Hee Won was about to take a step to follow Choo Hyun Jung, it happened.
“I’ll call you in one minute.”
Kang Woo pulled Hee Won close and whispered in a voice so low that only she could hear.
At his words, Hee Won felt a warm, fuzzy feeling.
Just knowing that there was someone watching over her made her fear towards Choo Hyun Jung subside a little.
* * *
“You!”
As soon as they entered the powder room, Choo Hyun Jung pushed Hee Won against the wall.
Hee Won winced at the pain that shot through her back from the impact.
But Choo Hyun Jung didn’t care and continued to corner Hee Won.
“You knew, didn’t you?”
Choo Hyun Jung’s voice, full of venom and sharper than usual, was much more piercing.
“I didn’t know.”
She didn’t even know he was Cha Kang Woo. That’s why she hated this marriage and wanted to run away, leading to her act of rebellion.
“Don’t lie! You cunning fox. They say the quiet cat is the first to climb onto the stove. I should have known when you agreed to the marriage so easily.”
In the middle of speaking, Choo Hyun Jung, overcome with rage, grabbed Hee Won’s hair.
“I forgot that you’re as wicked as your birth mother. Your mother was the same way. Acting like she didn’t know anything, pretending to be innocent! While secretly plotting behind our backs.”
“It’s not true. I really didn’t know.”
A pain like her scalp was being ripped off washed over her. She wanted to remove Choo Hyun Jung’s hand, but it was gripped so tightly it wouldn’t budge.
“What do you mean you didn’t know? That man is exactly my type!”
Seong Yu Na butted in tactlessly. Even normally, Yu Na, Hee Won’s half-sister, not only failed to stop her mother Choo Hyun Jung’s atrocities but encouraged them.
“Can’t you give that man to me? How can you and such a wonderful man be a couple! He’s exactly my type. He really doesn’t suit you at all. How can that man become your husband?!”
As Seong Yu Na burst into tears, Choo Hyun Jung’s face grew even more menacing.
“I knew it. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have acted like that. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but. You, if you think something will greatly change because you’re marrying that Cha Kang Woo guy, you’re mistaken. Your ally? No. A husband is just like a stranger if you remove one letter. Understand? The day you act high and mighty in front of us, I’ll destroy you completely.”
Hee Won couldn’t understand why she had to receive such treatment.
She herself was the most surprised to learn that Kang Woo was the heir to LS Group.
On the other hand, she felt resentful.
How much longer did she have to endure this treatment?
‘What did I do wrong!’
She felt like crying from the frustration and injustice.
Hee Won’s mother had her position as wife stolen by Choo Hyun Jung, and because of her, she never received love from her husband until the day she died.
And Hee Won, too, never received the love a daughter should from President Seong.
That’s when it happened.
Hee Won’s phone started ringing.
Yu Na snatched Hee Won’s bag and took out her phone.
−Cha Kang Woo
“Mom, it’s that man. Looks like he’s urging her to come out.”
At Yu Na’s words, Choo Hyun Jung’s expression hardened.
“You, Seong Hee Won. Listen well. You’re having this marriage thanks to me. Understand?”
Hee Won was dumbfounded.
Thanks to her?
She knew that Choo Hyun Jung had pushed for this marriage to drive her into ruin.
Hee Won’s heart surged at Choo Hyun Jung’s brazen attitude.
However, continuing the argument here wouldn’t improve anything.
As Hee Won kept her mouth shut, Choo Hyun Jung lifted her chin and said,
“Don’t you dare breathe a word to Cha Kang Woo about what happened between you and me. Understand?”
Only after receiving several affirmations did Choo Hyun Jung release Hee Won’s chin.
“Fix your hair and come out. We’ll go out first.”
Left alone, Hee Won stood in front of the mirror. Her hair, which she had carefully styled to meet Kang Woo, was a mess.
Just as she thought she shouldn’t cry, tears began to leak out like a contrary child.
“I’ll pay you back. Definitely.”
She wanted to repay Choo Hyun Jung and President Seong for the humiliation she suffered and the insults to her mother.
That was part of why she chose this marriage.
Hee Won fixed her hair with trembling hands.
After somewhat arranging her hair and touching up her makeup, Hee Won came out into the hallway.
Kang Woo was standing there.
“Have you been waiting here?”
Surprised, Hee Won approached Kang Woo and asked, but he didn’t say anything.
She felt uneasy under his penetrating gaze that silently looked down at her.
Though she had fixed her disheveled hair, it wasn’t pretty, and while she had belatedly corrected her eye makeup that had smudged from tears, she couldn’t achieve the perfect result of a professional’s touch.
“Cha Kang Woo?”
“I should have come out earlier. …No. I shouldn’t have gone even when Father called.”
Though covered by makeup, Hee Won’s eyes were swollen. The moment Kang Woo saw Hee Won’s bloodshot eyes, his heart ached and something welled up inside him.
As Kang Woo rubbed Hee Won’s reddened eyes, she smiled brightly.
“So that’s what happened. I’m sorry for making you wait.”
Hee Won was pretending nothing was wrong. Kang Woo didn’t want to nullify her efforts. Somehow, he wanted to respect her opinion that she didn’t want to say anything right now.
“Seong Hee Won, remember just this one thing from now on.”
Kang Woo took Hee Won’s hand.
“As long as you’re my wife, I’ll make sure no one treats you like this again.”
The moment she heard Kang Woo’s words, Hee Won felt like she might cry.
“Let’s go. Let’s not talk about anything else and just get some fresh air today.”
As the large hand enveloped hers, it felt like her world, which had been like darkness, was brightening.
‘I think I might come to like him.’
Hee Won looked at Kang Woo’s back and reminded herself of her feelings once again.
__________
Ex-husband Wants Reconciliation (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: Chasing the wife to the crematorium (making an effort to attract someone who has become indifferent), the female lead doesn’t look back, the second male lead takes the position.
Synopsis:
To repay the kindness of the older generation, Su Mu crossed into a female-dominated world and became a live-in daughter-in-law of the Yan family, single-handedly saving the Yan family from fire and water.
But her husband, Yan Jiyue, the eldest son of the Yan family, treated her with sarcasm and never showed her a good face.
He even had his eyes on another woman.
It wasn’t until after Su Mu’s death that this pampered and arrogant young master shed a few fake tears and pretended to want to die for love.
Su Mu expressed her disdain.
This life’s kindness was enough. If there was a next life, she would definitely kick Yan Jiyue away.
She also wanted to embrace Xie Yi, who had silently stayed by her side in her previous life and committed suicide by taking poison after her death.
Who knew that the heavens would be so kind as to allow her to be reborn, returning to the time when she had just married into the Yan family.
Su Mu glanced at the Yan eldest son, who still spoke coldly to her, and threw a divorce letter in front of him.
“Let’s divorce!”
—–
Yan Jiyue never imagined that he would be reborn. He happily went to find Su Mu, wanting to make up for the mistakes he had made in his ignorant youth.
Wasn’t the reason the heavens allowed him to be reborn to let him reconcile with Su Mu?
But when he pushed open the door to Su Mu’s room, the person lying on the bed was another man.
Su Mu’s personal attendant, Xie Yi.
Yan Jiyue hated him so much that his teeth itched. In front of Su Mu, Xie Yi was a gentle and considerate whisperer of sweet nothings, but in reality, he was vicious-hearted and deliberately sabotaged their husband and wife relationship.
In the previous life, it was he who secretly hid in Su Mu’s coffin and committed suicide, stealing a step ahead of him to be buried with Su Mu.
Yan Jiyue’s eyes were filled with hatred as he cursed, “What kind of thing are you? Your background is lowly, what right do you have to occupy Su Mu?”
Xie Yi looked at the sleeping Su Mu and no longer pretended to be a whisperer of sweet nothings.
He proudly stuck out his belly, “I have the right because my belly is capable of giving the Wife-master a daughter.”
[Reading Guide]
1. True divorce, chasing the wife to the crematorium, the female lead doesn’t look back, the male lead is Xie Yi.
2. The ex-husband did not cheat, he just realized too late and didn’t realize that he liked the female lead.