It was the first time to see a person crumbling in real time before my eyes.

It was more arduous than expected, and harder to endure the oppressive air than anticipated.

Hwa Young, who had been mercilessly torn apart by Tae Sung, stood still in that spot for a while, then turned her head to hide her trembling breath, and finally left the messy table.

“Do, Do Hwa Young…!”

Ji Wan’s gaze followed Hwa Young.

All the while, Tae Sung just stared straight ahead without moving.

The sound of the heavy front door opening and closing forcefully filled the entire house.

Though Hwa Young had disappeared from sight, her presence remained just as vivid.

It seems to be because of the expression she showed at the end.

Her eyes seemed to have turned bright red, is it really okay to let her go like this?

“Are you alright…?”

Ji Wan, who had been observing carefully, cautiously opened her mouth.

She should have asked Hwa Young, but Tae Sung left behind didn’t look comfortable either, so she spoke up.

“Whew…”

Tae Sung let out a deep sigh and ran his hand through his hair, composing his complicated expression.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he asked Ji Wan back in his usual gentle voice.

“That’s what I want to ask. Are you okay?”

“What? I’m fine…”

“I didn’t expect Do Hwa Young to find this place. If I had known we were entangled with their family, I would have hidden you more thoroughly.”

That also meant this marriage was related to Do Hwa Young’s younger sister.

Unlike Tae Sung’s answer, it seems Hwa Young’s words weren’t entirely false.

After pondering for a moment, Ji Wan decided to ask the question she really wanted to confirm.

“Were you really not involved with Hwa Young’s younger sister?”

“Our families were close since childhood, but we weren’t anything more.”

“I heard you were even engaged. Hwa Young said so.”

“She said that, did she?”

“She said…?”

His tone was as if talking about someone else’s business.

As Ji Wan looked at him quizzically, Tae Sung began to casually unfold the stories he had also realized today.

“The business world and legal world are like crocodiles and plover birds. The optimal conditions for mutual benefit.”

“…”

“So it seems the families pushed for a strategic marriage. They happened to have a daughter.”

“Ah… a strategic marriage…”

“Is this your first time hearing about it?”

Tae Sung asked, looking at Ji Wan’s expression of hearing it for the first time.

Ji Wan answered emphatically to prove how formal our relationship had been.

“Of course I don’t know. We only introduced ourselves and signed the marriage registration.”

Hmm, that could be.

Inwardly agreeing, Tae Sung outwardly showed no reaction and answered shamelessly.

“Well, the me back then probably didn’t want to worry you unnecessarily, so I didn’t tell you anything. I must have cared for you quite a bit.”

“I still don’t hear anything at all.”

“That can’t be. I’m always open.”

Just maintaining the optimal concept to use you.

Ji Wan was about to emphasize the contractual relationship once more, but decided to confirm a more important fact first.

Since he was someone Tae Sung was uncomfortable enough with to show his sharp side, it seemed like there wouldn’t be another chance to bring it up if not now.

“Hwa Young said her younger sister loved you for a long time…”

As the topic of the woman in question came up, Tae Sung’s eyes noticeably cooled for a moment.

That temperature alone was enough to tell how he felt about her.

But soon hiding the chill behind a relaxed smile, he asked in a glib voice.

“You know what?”

“What?”

“This is the first time you’ve held my hand since we reunited.”

“Oh my goodness!”

Ji Wan, who just realized she was tightly holding Tae Sung’s hand, let go of him with a look of disgust.

Tae Sung chuckled as he watched her.

“I’ll clean up the broken teacups. Rest until I finish cleaning.”

Seeing how naturally he changed the atmosphere, it seemed he didn’t want to talk about this topic any further.

Though not all her curiosity was satisfied, it seemed better to leave it alone for now, having barely escaped thin ice.

“No, I’ll clean up. I’m the one who let Hwa Young into the house.”

Ji Wan tried to start cleaning up. Tae Sung sat her down again and replied.

“It’s fine. Dangerous…”

Suddenly his words cut off. His uncomfortable gaze turned to his own thumb.

“Did you get cut? Are you okay?”

Ji Wan tried to check Tae Sung’s hand.

Tae Sung rubbed his thumb on his palm and answered nonchalantly.

“No. Almost got cut.”

For saying that, it looked like he was wiping something off…

As if not giving her a chance to check further, Tae Sung walked towards the veranda where the cleaning supplies were kept.

Seeing him avoid it in a way unlike himself, Ji Wan couldn’t hide her complex expression.

‘What exactly is Joo Tae Sung’s relationship with Do Hwa Young? And what happened with Do Hwa Young’s younger sister…’

The relationship between the two that she heard from Hwa Young, though tangled in an unpleasant incident, didn’t seem that hostile.

Of course, Hwa Young said she came for Tae Sung’s neck, but she felt more great interest than hostility towards him.

So she had simply thought of them as rivals with a mix of love and hate…

But Tae Sung’s attitude just now was so vicious it made even Ji Wan’s heart tremble.

It was a side of him she had never seen before, someone who usually brushed off most things with composure.

‘Did he grab just anyone and file for marriage because he didn’t want to marry a woman named Do Yi Young…?’

The thought that briefly crossed her mind was the most plausible reason she had found so far.

If that’s the case, it would explain why they rushed to register the marriage so suddenly.

I should use my journalist instincts to investigate that woman.

Then even a small clue about Joo Tae Sung’s lost 3 years might be revealed.

* * *

A private lounge frequently used when wanting to drink without caring about others’ gazes.

There, Hwa Young, who had already emptied a whole bottle of whiskey, was ordering another bottle of alcohol.

“We’re out of alcohol. More alcohol. Something stronger than before this time…”

Her tongue was already completely slurred.

Seeing her state, clearly beyond her alcohol limit, the bartender in charge anxiously tried to stop Hwa Young.

“Um, Director. I think it would be better if you went home for today. Shall I call Secretary Yang?”

Hearing those words, Hwa Young said with a sharp gaze that belied her disheveled appearance.

“Go ahead and call. If you want to create an even bigger headache.”

That was a threat to absolutely not call.

She was usually picky, but it was rare for her tension to be this vicious.

The bartender hurriedly avoided Hwa Young’s eyes and took out another bottle of alcohol.

“Th-then this is a 2000 vintage special edition… Ah!”

Before he could finish his explanation, Hwa Young snatched the alcohol on her own.

The startled bartender’s shoulders visibly flinched.

Seeing that, Hwa Young smirked at the bartender.

“Why are you so scared? Am I scary?”

“N-no. Not at all…”

“Forget it. Everyone’s scared of me originally. They’re scared, but…”

Hwa Young filled the empty glass with new alcohol.

Pulling down the corners of her mouth again, she gulped down the strong alcohol like water.

After emptying another glass like that, her next words were full of resentment.

“But why! Why does only that bastard look down on me! Why!”

Her thunderous shout hit the bartender’s ears.

But the person who should actually receive this anger wasn’t by her side.

It was always like this.

Only she felt wronged, only she trembled with rage, only she lost control of her emotions and fell apart.

Meanwhile, Joo Tae Sung maintained his dignity nobly and just watched Hwa Young crumble.

Perhaps it was only natural to have been compared all her life.

If, as Madam Choi said, that bastard was born noble by nature, and I was born lacking by nature.

So Joo Tae Sung was always in the winner’s position, and I was always in the position of a defeated soldier.

“Bastard…”

Hwa Young recalled Tae Sung as she poured more alcohol.

Though they had never gotten along well, he had never shown such aggression before.

The reason he’s acting so sensitive must be because of that woman.

A man who lived his whole life only for his own self-satisfaction, how desperately in love he must be with the first woman he’s fallen for. Pathetically cherishing and circling around her.

“That woman… I need to target that woman…”

Hwa Young’s eyes gleamed savagely like a hyena in the dark as she thought of Ji Wan.

Now that Joo Tae Sung finally has someone he cherishes, there might be a chance of winning if I use this as a weakness to attack.

With this vile hope, Hwa Young, soaked in alcohol, began to rack her brains hard.

“I’ll pay him back exactly the same. Exactly the same… What should I do for that… So…”

Though she had a prickly personality, she wasn’t one to hold grudges at all, so revenge was unfamiliar to Hwa Young.

I heard his father is looking for him so desperately, should I just blurt out where he lives?

No. That’s too petty.

I can’t use such a petty scenario to get revenge on Joo Tae Sung.

The basics of revenge were an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

So the revenge I should take on the bastard who shattered my sister’s heart is…

“The pain of heartbreak…”

A vile joy gleamed in Hwa Young’s eyes as an amazing idea occurred to her.

As if that was the answer, her body, which had only been lethargic from frustration, was now producing tremendous endorphins.

“Yes, the pain of heartbreak! That’s it! I just need to crush him as miserably as he did to my sister!”

Of course, Joo Tae Sung and the pain of heartbreak were completely mismatched words.

He seemed like such a cold-blooded person that he wouldn’t bleed a single drop even if stabbed with a knife instead of a needle, so it was questionable whether he could even feel pain because of love.

Normally, she would have thought this method of revenge was nonsense.

But now, the possibility of heartbreak was sufficient.

By his side was a wife he loved so much that he even walked down the aisle with her.

Even in her alcohol-soaked state, Hwa Young clearly recalled her.

Unlike Tae Sung, she was easily swayed and somehow felt like an easy person.

Hwa Young was strong against easy people, strong against the opposite sex, and strong in romance.

So this revenge should be a piece of cake.

As her thoughts flowed to this point, a childlike smile spread across Hwa Young’s face, as if she had never been upset.

“Waiter! I’m in a good mood now! Bring me the most expensive alcohol here with sparklers!”

Ordering more alcohol in a different mood than before, Hwa Young was once again full of confidence.

Watching her, the waiter thought she was truly an unrivaled weirdo.

Of course, he couldn’t openly show that to the weirdo.