The employee smiled gently and nodded. Da Hyun also slightly nodded and turned her gaze back to the window.
Then, recalling the content of the message she sent to Ji Yeon, Da Hyun turned and called the employee back.
“Aunty.”
“Yes, Madam.”
The employee, about to descend the stairs after passing through the hallway, stopped and turned at Da Hyun’s call.
Da Hyun was concerned about where to meet Ji Yeon, fearing an unsafe location.
There were many risks in meeting outside.
Da Hyun needed to find a safe place for herself and her unborn child.
“I have a favor to ask.”
That safe place would be the newlywed home she shared with Min Hyuk.
“Please, tell me, Madam.”
The employee waited patiently, smiling softly, standing upright with the tray in hand.
“I plan to invite my sister over to the house in two days, after lunch. There’s no need to prepare a meal.”
“Of course, Madam. I will prepare tea and dessert then.”
Da Hyun didn’t fully explain her strained relationship with Ji Yeon to the employee, though she assumed the employee might have guessed it wasn’t good from Ji Yeon’s previous visit.
“The truth is, my sister doesn’t know I’m pregnant. It may sound odd, but if she finds out now, it’s not the right time. So, I’d prefer not to have any meals prepared that day.”
Da Hyun wanted to make her intentions clear without causing any misunderstandings.
Upon hearing this, the employee nodded in agreement.
“Understood, Madam. I will make sure there are no food scents in the house that day.”
“Aunty, thank you. And, I’m sorry to ask this, but could you keep this a secret from my husband?”
Da Hyun’s request to keep it from Min Hyuk left the employee hesitant.
“Ah, that might be difficult, Madam. Regardless…”
“I will talk to my husband about it later. Please.”
Da Hyun firmly held her teacup and lowered her head, making the employee more uneasy and hesitant.
“…Alright, Madam.”
Though conflicted, the employee couldn’t refuse Da Hyun’s request.
Da Hyun then looked up with a glint in her eyes and expressed gratitude.
“Thank you, Aunty.”
“It’s my duty. Just let me know the exact time, and I’ll have everything ready.”
The employee’s discomfort vanished, replaced with a gentle smile and a bow.
“Thank you so much.”
Da Hyun made sure to express her gratitude again.
The employee turned away with a faint smile.
Da Hyun sipped the tea brought by the employee.
After the employee left, Da Hyun looked up at the sky before entering her room. The temperature was low, but the sky was clear. She set the teacup on the desk and checked her phone. Surprisingly, Ji Yeon had not yet replied to her message.
Da Hyun contemplated whether to wait for Ji Yeon’s response, then decided against it. Why wait for a reply when Ji Yeon was the one requesting the meeting?
Da Hyun’s rapid texting halted.
[Dash] Come to our house in two days, at 2 PM, after lunch.She sent the follow-up message to Ji Yeon.
“It better not be just trivial talk.”
Da Hyun placed her phone down and looked at the maternity notebook on the desk. Opening it to the ultrasound photo attached inside, her smile broadened. The ultrasound image swept away her recent anxieties, her eyes lingering on the advanced image of the fetus, more lively and radiant than a jelly bear.
“After leaving the skincare shop, Ji Yeon read the message from Da Hyun and burst into laughter, clutching her stomach.
“‘Look how she responds when I mention talking to Kang Min Hyuk.'”
She regretted not investing less time in Da Hyun.
“‘What reaction will Da Hyun show when she hears what I have to say?'”
The mere thought was exhilarating, keeping a smile on Ji Yeon’s face.
“‘Stupid X.'”
That’s why you get disregarded by our family.
She sent back a brief ‘ㅇㅇ’ in response to Da Hyun’s message.
“‘You’re so clueless.'”
Ji Yeon twisted her lips at Da Hyun’s message, feeling as though she was in a superior position.
Thinking she’s improved her fate by marrying a bastard.
Recalling Su Cheol’s phone conversation in his study, she smirked.
“‘With Kim Yeon Woo on board, she’ll ensure Kang Min Hyuk and Da Hyun divorce. I invested so much in bringing her; she better be worth the money. Min Hyuk won’t be able to let go of Yeon Woo. Ha, ha, ha.'”
She had gone to the study to ask for money after losing her card and spending all her cash, but ended up overhearing valuable information.
“‘Yeon Woo needs money now. Her child is sick with a rare disease that costs a lot to treat.'”
Though unsure who Yeon Woo was, she seemed connected to Min Hyuk.
“‘Min Hyuk doesn’t know.'”
Ji Yeon pressed her ear to the slightly open door to listen more closely.
“‘Da Hyun won’t stay quiet if she finds out. It’ll be a catastrophe. Arrogant brat, should’ve bowed down to me sooner to avoid this.'”
Su Cheol’s loud voice was helpful in such moments.
His laughter echoed through the crack in the door. Forgetting about the money, Ji Yeon focused on his conversation.
Hearing more, her eyes widened, then sparkled. She almost cheered.
Quickly turning, she headed to her room.
‘Finally, I can get back at high and mighty Da Hyun.’
And it’s going to be a big one.
‘Da Hyun, you’re screwed.’
Ji Yeon’s eyes filled with madness as a sinister smile spread across her face.
“‘Kim Yeon Woo had Kang Min Hyuk’s child.'”
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
