The bright morning sunlight seeped through the curtains that hadn’t been fully closed.

Ji Wan twitched her eyebrows a few times and tried to turn her head towards the corner to avoid the light.

Her eyelids felt unusually heavy today.

This was due to the nightmare she had last night.

It was a dream where her house was occupied by an evil monster, and in the dream, Ji Wan just sat there helplessly.

“Mmm…”

Not wanting to wake up before the alarm had even gone off, Ji Wan decided to try and get a bit more sleep.

But what stimulated her now was the smell of food coming through the crack in the door.

The scent of soft butter and herbs, and is that shrimp? It reminds me of that pasta place in Mangwon-dong I went to recently.

Ji Wan unconsciously licked her lips. As her sense of smell revived, it seemed to bring vitality to her body that had felt so heavy.

However, what soon followed was a chill that sent shivers down her spine.

‘Wait. There’s no one who would be cooking in the kitchen this morning, so who…’

Snap!

As soon as that thought occurred to her, her body sprang up like a coil.

Without even changing her clothes, she flung open the door and couldn’t close her mouth at the sight before her.

A single fresh flower on the table that had always looked so shabby.

A breakfast table beautifully set with Mediterranean salad and coffee.

And Tae Sung.

Though dressed more casually than yesterday, from his neatly rolled-up sleeves to his cleanly tied apron and perfectly styled hair, he looked like an artificial magazine model…

“What are you doing here?”

Ji Wan asked with an incredulous expression.

Tae Sung added the recently completed gambas to the table and answered in a matter-of-fact voice.

“Preparing breakfast for my wife.”

It was a continuation of yesterday’s argument.

We need to end this relationship, how many times do I have to say it before you understand?

Ji Wan approached Tae Sung with an expression of utter exasperation.

“Don’t do this. Why are you unnecessarily…”

As Ji Wan untied Tae Sung’s apron as if snatching it away, he asked with a brazen smile.

“Want a back hug?”

“What are you saying, really! Okay, let’s say you couldn’t go home yesterday because you were too tired. But if you woke up, shouldn’t you quickly go back? Why are you cooking here?”

“It’s my little hobby to prepare breakfast for my wife.”

“Isn’t your hobby saying cheesy things?”

Tae Sung shrugged lightly as he looked at the startled Ji Wan. His attitude showed he wasn’t paying any attention to her reaction.

As she glared at him, he tilted his head towards the table and asked.

“So, are you not going to eat what I’ve prepared?”

Ji Wan’s eyes turned to the table once again.

Given the circumstances, firmly refusing would have been the way to maintain Ji Wan’s pride, but the prepared food looked far too appetizing for that.

“Well… I guess I’ll eat it out of consideration for the effort…”

“That’s good then. Sit down and eat.”

Tae Sung sat down before Ji Wan could even finish speaking.

Although it didn’t feel good that things seemed to be going according to his intentions, Ji Wan obediently sat across from him and picked up her fork.

She stabbed a shrimp and put it in her mouth, and her eyes widened even in this atmosphere.

“Why is this so delicious?”

“Bringing dead ingredients back to life is my specialty.”

“Now that you’ve succeeded in reviving dead ingredients, you just need to revive me who’s dying.”

Tae Sung didn’t even respond to the blatant main point.

But Ji Wan couldn’t back down just because of that, so she brought up the money issue even as she continued eating.

“I really need that money.”

“The divorce alimony?”

“Yes, I have debts to pay off with that and problems that have piled up to solve. So you absolutely must divorce me on the date we promised in two weeks.”

Tae Sung picked up his coffee cup.

After quietly swallowing a sip, he opened his mouth with a long sigh.

“It sounds like you’re saying you want to divorce because you need money.”

Hearing those words, Ji Wan answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“That’s right. That’s it. So make sure to settle up properly.”

For a moment, a slight crack appeared in Tae Sung’s smile.

But soon regaining his characteristic shameless smile, he casually said to Ji Wan.

“Tell me the amount you need. I’ll send it to you even now.”

“R-Really? Right now?”

“I’m a capable husband, aren’t I? There are many ways to open my wallet besides alimony.”

Judging by the way he’s talking, it doesn’t seem like he’s holding out because he doesn’t want to give money.

Why does it feel like he’s trying to go back on the contract?

“Wouldn’t it be easier to just divorce me in two weeks as promised?”

Ji Wan asked with a puzzled expression.

Tae Sung asked her back in an disapproving voice.

“You don’t want to accept money that’s not alimony?”

Well… of course I should take it.

Even more so if it’s not coming out of the alimony.

Ji Wan, who was weak to money, answered with a somewhat softened expression.

“Well, I won’t refuse if you’re offering… but for now, the divorce in two weeks is also important…”

Tae Sung’s eyes grew cold at the word ‘divorce’ that kept coming up at the end of her sentences.

But hiding his twisted emotions behind upturned lips, he calmly opened his mouth.

“Isn’t it time for you to go to work?”

“Ah, work. Yes, I should go now.”

“Then let me know the exact amount in the evening. I’ll make a dinner course reservation at a place you’ll like.”

“A place I’ll like?”

A few places came to mind, but they were all simple meal restaurants near the company.

Given that he said dinner course, it didn’t seem like he meant those places.

But before Ji Wan could ask about it in detail, Tae Sung held out a well-toasted piece of baguette.

“Shall we finish eating first? I’d feel bad if you left anything.”

Originally, she wasn’t the type to be easily swayed by others, but strangely, she couldn’t refuse his words.

It must be because of those pitch-black eyes that made it impossible to guess what he was thinking.

In the end, Ji Wan pushed back the main point once again and just busily moved her fork.

“We really need to settle this in the evening. If not, I won’t stand for it either.”

He shrugged his shoulders.

It clearly wasn’t going to make any difference.

* * *

In the bustling Seyoung Daily office.

Ji Wan’s desk was piled high with urgent tasks, but she was having trouble focusing.

That’s because all her attention was directed elsewhere at the moment.

After observing this Joo Tae Sung fellow since yesterday, a series of questions kept popping up.

What was the reason he barged in late at night?

Why did the atmosphere change so strangely from when they first met?

Why does he avoid the topic of divorce when he acted so straightforwardly during the contract?

These belated questions were complicating Ji Wan’s mind.

Feeling like she wouldn’t be able to get her money’s worth by evening at this rate, Ji Wan decided to investigate her enemy for the day.

“Right, they say if you know your enemy and yourself, you’ll win every battle. I should get a grasp on Joo Tae Sung before I go…”

Ji Wan’s eyes darted quickly across the monitor as she opened an internet search window.

Joo Tae Sung. Legal professional. Prosecutor at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office.

The son of an elite family that had made its mark in the legal world for generations, and the second son of former Prosecutor General Joo Sung Gye.

This was information she had already thoroughly looked up during the contract.

Even then, she wondered if it was an impersonation because the man who said he would marry her seemed too impressive, and even now as she confirmed it again, it was hard to believe it was the same person.

“Phew, but there’s no mention of marriage or spouse. Well, we kept it secret for 3 years to avoid being discovered…”

The question was what had happened in those 3 years.

Ji Wan’s mouse moved busily again.

Moving beyond simple personal information to news articles, his achievements that she hadn’t paid close attention to before came up one after another.

From the high-ranking government official sexual assault case that was once a big issue, to the current National Assembly member bribery case that had gifted hair loss to Ji Wan’s senior, and the large corporation collusion suspicion case.

He was clearly someone who had exclusively handled difficult and troublesome cases.

‘Somehow it seems like a position that would make him really hated by those above. Just looking at the guys he’s gone after, it’s not surprising he was attacked.’

Ji Wan checked the most recent articles.

The first to come up was about the attack incident he had mentioned yesterday.

“Seoul Korea University Hospital… Okay. That’s my specialty.”

Having found out which hospital he had been taken to, Ji Wan picked up her phone without hesitation.

And then she dialed a number she hadn’t called in a long time without hesitation.

―Oh, Reporter Lee. It’s been a while?

As soon as the familiar voice was heard on the other end of the line, Ji Wan’s voice went up an octave.

“Oh, Professor! Have you been well? No problems these days, right?”

―Well, I’ve been crazy busy ever since you cleared my false accusation. But it’s better than when I was suffering from the false thesis controversy!

“That’s such good news! I think I really did something big too. Right?”

―Suddenly trying to take credit, I guess you need my help? Why. Are you digging into something these days?

Despite the frequent overtime, mean boss, and extreme work stress that made her regret her job, in this moment Ji Wan felt pride in being a reporter.

Ji Wan’s voice was full of energy as she was on the verge of getting the information she wanted.

“Tell me about Prosecutor Joo Tae Sung who was admitted to your hospital. Even if it’s just rumors, tell me everything.”

* * *

A sky view restaurant in Jamsil with a beautiful night view.

According to Tae Sung’s dating records, this was the place where he had proposed.

Tae Sung, who had ordered the same course and menu as back then, let out a deep sigh as he looked down at the lights outside the window.

What on earth was he doing at a time like this when he should be busy finding out who tried to take his life?

Tae Sung, who had even bought cockscomb flowers from the florist, couldn’t believe his own past self.

After trying his best since morning to change a woman’s heart, he realized this kind of thing really didn’t suit his temperament.

‘They say you wear a mask when dating. I guess I was exactly that kind of guy.’

Tae Sung drank his wine while looking at the still empty seat across from him.

Then he checked his phone with his other hand. The brief messenger conversation he had with her was still troubling even when he looked at it again.

[Let’s meet at the place where I proposed. 7 PM.] [Do you even know where that is?] [I wouldn’t tell you to come if I didn’t know, would I?] [You better be there. Really.]

‘Arrogant and calculating. Exactly the type I hate, but how did I…’

She really was a woman he didn’t like.

Just thinking about his wife made his brow furrow involuntarily, divorce was clearly the answer for our relationship.

But unable to do so for personal safety reasons, Tae Sung decided to swallow his unpleasant feelings along with the wine.

After waiting for Ji Wan like that for an hour already.

“Um… it’s almost the last order time. When do you expect your companion to arrive?”

The waiter cautiously approached Tae Sung, who had been keeping his seat for a long time.

Tae Sung, who had already emptied a bottle of wine, quietly put down his glass.

“I’ll try contacting her.”

“Yes, the course is scheduled to last for an hour and a half. If it’s not too rude, may I start serving now?”

“No. We’ll start when she arrives.”

“Then you may not be able to have the last course…”

“You don’t need to worry about that. Another bottle of the same.”

Tae Sung ordered wine to send the staff away.

As soon as the staff received the order and withdrew with a bow, Tae Sung immediately contacted her.

The most annoying ringtone ever.

―Yes, Mr. Joo Tae Sung.

Her voice came through. Despite being hours late, her tone was confident as if she had been waiting.

“Did I give you the wrong time?”

Tae Sung asked in a voice as cold as it was lacking humor. It wasn’t a question expecting an answer.

The immediate response was unexpected.

―You told me the correct time. It was 7 o’clock, right? I’ve been waiting here since then?

“Here…?”

Tae Sung scanned his surroundings. Not a single person resembling Lee Ji Wan was in sight.

Thinking Ji Wan was making an absurd excuse, Tae Sung sharpened his tone further.

“I’m not a person with a lot of free time, you know. Wouldn’t it be better to hurry now before I withdraw everything, money and all?”

It was more than half a threat to anyone listening.

But Ji Wan continued in a voice that didn’t shrink back at all.

―I’m not a person with a lot of free time either. Especially, I don’t have time to hang around someone who’s lost all their memories.

What? What did she just say…

―You said to meet at the place where we promised to marry, right? I’ve been sitting at that place from 3 years ago since 6:30.

“…”

―It would be better for you to come find me here, even if you have to dig through your lost memories. If you’re in such a hopeless state that you can’t even recall this place, I have my own thoughts too.

Whatever those thoughts were, they wouldn’t be favorable to Tae Sung.

Tae Sung rubbed his throbbing temples and tried to calm Ji Wan down.

“There seems to have been some misunderstanding. There’s no problem with my memory at all.”

A faint sound of a sneer could be heard from across the phone.

―Then that’s fortunate. The cafe closing time is 10 o’clock, so keep that in mind.

Click―

The call with Ji Wan ended like that.

He didn’t know where she had heard about his memory disorder, how much she knew, or what she planned to do from now on, but it was clear that even his only ally was in danger of becoming an enemy.

Tae Sung, who put down his phone as it was, checked the time first.

Exactly 45 minutes left until 10 o’clock.

A spark flew in Tae Sung’s pitch-black eyes that had always been relaxed.