At the mention of a caregiver, Lajin’s body instinctively jolted. She buried her face in her phone and read the text the caregiver had sent.
Along with the text, a photo was sent, showing the caregiver’s wrist covered in red marks.
Although her mother had been sensitive, there had never been an incident like this with the caregiver. In haste, Lajin quickly pressed the call button as soon as the phone was connected.
“Ma’am, I’m sorry.”
As soon as the call connected, Lajin offered an apology before a greeting.
“As soon as I go to Korea, I’ll cover the medical expenses.”
[Oh, no need. Your mother is acting like a fussy baby, not eating properly and throwing tantrums all day.]“What does the attending doctor say?”
[Physically, there’s nothing wrong. She keeps crying while looking for ‘Oppa.’]In response to the caregiver’s deep sigh, Lajin clutched her head.
Is it because she misses Ojonghyuk?
The person her ailing mother currently referred to as ‘Oppa’ was not her deceased father but Ojonghyuk. Even though she clearly mentioned that he couldn’t come back because he was overseas, her mother’s patience seemed to have worn thin.
“Ma’am, I’ll send you a few pictures.”
[Pictures?]“Yes. Pictures of Ojonghyuk Oppa. Show those to Mom, telling her he’ll be back soon. Please soothe her gently.”
An unexpected prescription came out smoothly.
Whether Ojonghyuk was detained or not, there was no one to go to the hospital. Moreover, it was not something Lajin could rush to right now. And if the caregiver, who had coordinated everything for a long time, quit due to her mother’s tantrums? That would be absolutely unacceptable.
“Please, just until I can go, take good care of her.”
[Of course. Don’t worry.]Several apologies and lengthy requests followed.
Lajin asked the caregiver to contact her if anything happened, then inquired about the skincare products she used. Even though it was an employment relationship, the only way to express gratitude from the perspective of entrusting her mother was through gifts.
Like a guilty sinner, Lajin bowed her head towards the empty space.
So the call ended.
“Ha. This is crazy.”
“Why? Is your mother not feeling well?”
“I think she just misses Ojonghyuk too much.”
Uttering painful words, Lajin scrolled through the texts exchanged with Ojonghyuk. Did she send so many selfies for times like this? But that was nothing more than self-indulgence, not Ojonghyuk’s foresight.
Photos taken to commemorate getting a new convertible car, images flaunting luxury goods at some chaebol event. Most of the pictures showed off her half-naked upper body at the hotel’s infinity pool. She wasn’t a young naive girl, so why on earth was she sending these kinds of pictures to her brother?
“You sent quite a lot.”
Upon Lajin’s muttered words, Haeun sneakily raised her head.
“He doesn’t seem to listen to me. Ah, I want to give him a sweet night.”
“Yeah, right. Why does our mom want to see this face so much?”
To engrave in one’s heart a stepson who only spews hateful words instead of the only daughter. Lajin’s heart tightened with a dull ache.
Lajin sent caregiver a photo of the full-of-himself Ojonghyuk.
“Ha, I’m feeling that way too. Let’s go eat something delicious.”
“Delicious food?”
“We’re in France. We should have some wine at a nice restaurant.”
Lajin was grateful that Haeun was there at times like this, and she tightly held her younger sister’s hand.
“Let’s go quickly. I’ll pay for everything.”
“What about the reporters?”
“The photo zone was set up long ago, and they’ve been waiting for Kim Yujun since dawn.”
Today was the day of Kim Yujun’s first investigation.
Jiho didn’t deny Kim Yujun’s investigation to the reporters who requested confirmation. Outwardly, it was for the people’s right to know and to prevent misinformation. However, internally, the main goal was to break Kim Yujun’s momentum before the investigation began.
“Did the investigation room set up as I told you?”
“Yes. In a secluded area, we set up the second smallest room.”
It was to prevent Kim Yujun from bringing a large legal team.
If several lawyers spoke ten or a hundred words before asking Kim Yujun an important question, it was certain that he would lose interest before getting to the crucial point.
Only the minimum necessary personnel; the rest would wait outside. That was Jiho’s plan from the beginning.
“On our side, it will be me, you, and Chief Kim.”
“Yes.”
“On Myungjin’s side, only two lawyers will accompany him.”
If Kim Yujun still objected, they were willing to allow alternating personnel from the waiting area.
“Can you give me 5 minutes?”
“It was already frustrating, but I’ll have a ‘ahh’ and come back after a drink.”
With a bright smile, Hojin left his seat, and Jiho approached the window.
“Hoo.”
As if consciously encapsulating complex emotions in a heavy sigh, he then forcefully pulled the rectangular window.
Through the slanting gap, the refreshing air of early summer rushed in.
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.”
