I tried not to think about it. I hoped it wasn’t true.

Although every clue pointed clearly to one fact from the beginning, Tae-jun intentionally tried not to believe it. It was too dreadful to think about, and he didn’t want to believe it until he found concrete evidence.

There are people who use love as a weapon to extend a fading life. People who don’t hesitate to use any means and methods to exploit innocent and defenseless individuals.

Ugh. The atrocities of these people, worse than beasts, made me sick.

Looking back, there were plenty of clues.

He recalled Han So-eun, who, despite hearing that she liked alcohol, would consistently refuse offers to drink. The Han So-eun who had collapsed from fatigue after two consecutive nights of overtime, unable to wake up even as he carried her around.

And one warm summer night, Han So-eun, who tearfully expressed her desire to be loved. Unable to say anything to him when he questioned her if she had a weakness, and defended Yang Hee-wook as being like family when he criticized him. …

Why is she fixated on having a romantic relationship with someone like Yang Hee-wook? Why is she enduring mistreatment like a servant from that bastard’s family? It was suspicious from the beginning, but he had never tried to understand her.

What on earth did I do to you?

I just foolishly tormented you with lingering feelings. I thought you were just a fool.

Unable to do anything, unable to do anything, I should have listened to her stifled cries from the beginning.

I don’t know how I came home in the midst of confusion. Darkness settled in the living room with the blinds down.

In the midst of shock and anger, the events of last night came to mind. It was no joke when I said I kept thinking of Han So-eun whenever it got dark. Each of her reactions, where she eventually refused to show her beautiful body, and the efforts she made to hide the truth, were vividly etched in my mind, and my eyes became warm.

I, who had such a body, teased you with petty jealousy all night long. Crazy with desire, I pulled you close even when you tried to avoid me, kissing you and trapping you in my arms. Why don’t you show your face to me, with such a ridiculous obsession? Honestly, because there’s nothing visible.

Why didn’t I notice it earlier?

No, why did I find you only now?

If I had found you just three months earlier, could I have changed your fate?

He felt helpless about not being able to do anything until she became like this. He even hated himself.

Tae-jun’s feet, which had walked without even thinking of turning on the lights, stopped in front of the earthenware pot. Hating everything, Tae-jun pushed the pot with his fingertips. The pot lying in place shook precariously and finally, with a snap, revealed its belly just like it did when it broke before.

So easy to know. So easily broken.
Thinking that it was impossible to mend what was already broken, he let out an empty laugh, feeling dejected, when something sparkling caught his eye in the darkness. His pupils were stained with light.

Upon hearing from Manager Song Mungyeong that Taejoon couldn’t make it to work, Soeun immediately sent him a text message. Although he quickly replied that he was fine when asked about his health, there was no response to the subsequent questions. Soeun regretted sending the text, thinking she might have bothered Taejoon.

‘I realize his expression hasn’t been good since yesterday.’

When he woke up, he was working, his expression looked heavy all the time, and he seemed anxious at the swimming pool.

Yesterday’s Kim Taejoon and today’s Kim Taejoon were undoubtedly the same person, but for some reason, he seemed different. Yesterday’s Kim Taejoon had his desire for her clearly evident in his eyes, but today’s Kim Taejoon seemed somehow distant and cold, maintaining the same affectionate attitude but giving off a different vibe.

Extremely worried but stuck at work, she could only lament in her place. No, even lamenting was a luxury. Soeun reflected on her distracted thoughts during working hours and welcomed the next customer.

“Hello, customer…”

However, the greeting she intended to say faded away. The neatly raised corners of her lips lost their strength.

“Soeun-ah. It’s been a while.”

Yang Hee-wook greeted her, extending a ticket number while outside the company. Making a disturbance at work during business hours was not an option.

After seeking permission from her team leader, Soeun quietly took Hee-wook outside the company. She couldn’t create a commotion at her workplace during business hours.

Since parting ways, she had rarely thought of this man or developed a deep relationship with him. At most, he was an insignificant man, almost pitiful to compare with Taejoon. Therefore, she thought that even if they happened to meet again by chance, it would be nothing.

However, unexpectedly, her wrist trembled severely, as if she had a cramp. The shock came from the fact that he had invaded her stable workspace. He had never come to this place during their relationship.