When I poked at her, I thought she’d burst out with words, both those that exist and those that don’t. Perhaps there’s a hidden side to her that’s more cunning than I thought.
Having realized that she had underestimated Da Jeong, Myeong Ok admitted her mistake without resistance.
“I understand what you mean.”
“…”
“I didn’t mean it like that… I’m sorry.”
Although it sounded convincing, Da Jeong’s eyes softened slightly.
“This seems to be something precious; you should put it back properly.”
Myeong Ok said as she closed the file. In reality, she just wanted to get rid of it, but her excuse sounded reasonable enough to be taken as sincere.
“…Yes.”
As the response ended, Myeong Ok’s gaze turned somewhat sharp.
“Now, shall we discuss something really important?”
“Please go ahead.”
Da Jeong replied calmly.
She had been prepared for this moment from the time she heard about the idea of marrying Tae Sang, or rather, from the moment she entered Hope House.
“I heard that you plan to marry Tae Sang.”
“…Yes.”
Da Jeong replied calmly, taking a deep breath.
“That’s the plan. I intended to formally meet and greet, but… it seems I’m too late for that now.”
“No need for formalities. It’s not like it’s a marriage we can actually go through with.”
Myeong Ok said lightly, raising her hand as if to dismiss the idea. Her attitude seemed so natural that it took Da Jeong by surprise.
“May I ask why you think that way?”
“Why? It’s a matter of class, or… the difference in our backgrounds is just too great.”
After letting out a sigh, she continued speaking.
“Han Da Jeong, let’s be honest with each other.”
“…?”
“Is there a set price for marrying Tae Sang?”
Da Jeong stared back at her with a stiff face. She had expected her to be tough, but she hadn’t anticipated this level of audacity.
“W-What do you mean?”
“You can be honest with me. We all know that you and Tae Sang made a deal.”
Her voice, lowered to a whisper, hung in the air with a chilly undertone.
“Your efforts, I’ll pay even more for them. So come to me. Since you’re going to end up with nothing anyway, don’t bother trying to get next to Tae Sang for nothing.”
“…That’s not it.”
Initially, she just wanted to help Tae Sang. Later, she developed feelings for him. And now, after more time had passed, she was just grateful that she could be by his side.
But her feelings, and the bittersweet nature of their relationship, were easily summed up in one cold sentence: “Working hard for money.”
Da Jeong felt a profound sense of desolation.
“Whether you accept it or not, Da Jeong, the position of Tae Sang’s wife is beyond your reach. Do you know what kind of position that is? It’s a position that even the children of prestigious families in South Korea would find difficult to handle.”
“So, should I give up?”
“Yes. Give up. And in front of the chairman, just tell the truth. That everything was a lie, and the marriage was just a staged event. If you say that one word, I’ll make sure you earn a fortune that you could never have dreamed of in your life.”
“…”
She could only endure so much. Da Jeong stared back at her with a firm expression. She knew Myeong Ok valued money above all else, but she couldn’t bear to listen to her reducing her relationship with Tae Sang to a financial transaction.
“If it’s not for sale?”
“Yes?”
“Does the CEO sell everything for money? Emotions, souls, family?”
Da Jeong emphasized her last words with particular force.
“I’m sorry, but it’s not me. I’m not selling my feelings for Tae Sang.”
“…”
“Please leave now. There’s nothing more I can offer you here except for this cup of tea.”
Finishing her words, Da Jeong got up from her seat. The wind outside was quite strong, and Myeong Ok rolled her eyes as if she couldn’t stand it.
It was ridiculous for her to act so high and mighty when she was trapped like a mouse in a trap. She spoke with a mocking tone.
“By the way, do you like the clothes Tae Sang gave you? They were quite luxurious, weren’t they?”
“…?”
“I received them at a hotel in Malaysia. You haven’t already sold them, have you?”
“H-How did you…?”
Da Jeong stared at her with a bewildered expression. Myeong Ok then casually smiled and picked up a handbag that had been placed next to her.
“Why does it matter how I know? What’s important is that I know everything. More precisely, I’ve heard everything, thanks to this file.”
“Y-You heard everything?”
“Yes, everything. All of our conversation from that day is recorded in this file.”
In an instant, Da Jeong’s face turned pale.
That day, when she received the dress as a gift…
The dazzlingly beautiful dress, the large hand that zipped it up, and…
“…Tae Sang chose me out of necessity, didn’t he?”
“It’s not even a real marriage… How ridiculous.”
It was something that no one should have overheard.
Da Jeong froze in place, her mind blank, unable to think of anything.
“If you had admitted it from the beginning, the conversation would have been quicker. Why did you make it so difficult by bringing this up?”
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
