In response to Taejun’s sharp reaction, Seokhwa urgently lowered her head.

“No, no. It’s not like that. Something happened at your company this time. I found out from an article circulating on the internet.”

Seokhwa’s response didn’t sound like a lie. Taejun sighed briefly and turned his head away from Seokhwa.

Feeling frustrated, Seokhwa raised her voice as if tapping on the unmoving iron gate.

“Did that girl enter our company knowing that my dad is such a person? If that’s the case, it’s too audacious. But if she doesn’t know, isn’t it a problem not to know? Huh?”

Despite not wanting to hate, the resentment inevitably surfaced. Regardless of whether Han Soeun approached her niece or her niece approached Han Soeun, Seokhwa disliked the fact that Han Soeun had come so close.

Although she wanted to pour out more gossip, Seokhwa, being her aunt, persuaded her niece with a calm mind.

“Even if you plan to date for a while and break up, this isn’t it. Right? It’s not like that for her either. Emotions can deepen as much as you want.”

“…….”

“You’re a good kid. Because you’re such a good kid, what if she can’t let you go? Taejun. She should also have a normal romantic relationship.”

While pretending to consider Han Soeun’s perspective, Seokhwa’s gaze was solely focused on her niece. She hoped her niece wouldn’t get hurt. Since the two of them could never be together.

“If she really doesn’t know anything, it’s really unforgivable for her too.”

The child, who was trying to mediate the law firm Yulgyu, might have already gone far. But even here, Seokhwa hoped her niece would stop.

Hoping her advice would be heeded. Hoping her niece’s heart would waver even a little.

“I hope it doesn’t deepen. This is for your sake.”

“Aunt.”

However, Taejun’s voice showed no change from before.

No, it seemed even colder. The expression, devoid of any warmth, was not the face of the niece she had known so far.

“Do you really think we’re a real family?”

A sharp and cutting question silenced the conversation. Yet, despite the difficulty of guessing its content, the tone was calm enough to make it difficult to anticipate. Seokhwa felt a chill even though the words seemed nonchalant.

“Don’t interfere in my life without permission during occasional contacts. I’m not a ten-year-old child. And you’re not my mother.”

I’ll handle my own affairs. So, mind your own business.

The seemingly indifferent words, easily discernible in context, were like the silent enthusiasm of a predatory beast, deliberately lowering its voice. There was a cruelty in wanting to tear the skin apart with sharp teeth and confirming the opponent’s bones. Taejun’s harsh words chilled Seokhwa to the bone.

“I’ll take care of it myself. Please don’t worry, Aunt.”

Expressing his position cleanly, Taejun stood up right away.
“I need to go exercise. You can wait a bit longer, close the door when you leave. I’ll go first.”

Han Soeun and Kim Seokhwa were beings that could not be tolerated from the beginning.

Malhee forcefully took the taxi that Taejun had called and hurriedly returned home. Throughout the walk to the house, curses murmured incessantly from her lips.

“Where did you go at this late hour?”

Her husband, who was pacing around the living room, asked Malhee.

“I went to Han Soeun’s house and came back.”

Heeuk, who was lying in the room, jumped up at Malhee’s response.

“Why did you go there, Mom!”

“I felt frustrated too! To reconnect with you! How much she liked me. I went hoping she would listen to me.”

Soeun did like Malhee. Since she had given up something precious, it was even more likely. Malhee’s words seemed reasonable, so Heeuk felt relieved.

“…So did you meet Han Soeun? What did she say?”

Malhee, who had regained her spirits with Heeuk’s question, spoke confidently.

“She went to meet a guy like a beggar. I couldn’t even talk properly because of that guy.”

“…Did you see him? Han Soeun’s boyfriend?”

“I just saw him. He was this close to getting strangled. It seems like Han Soeun decided to end her life because of that guy. Where did she meet such an ignorant guy?”

Recalling the incident where Taejun grabbed her by the collar, Malhee clenched the front of her clothes violently. After speaking, her anger erupted again.

“Heeuk, I can’t stand it. I should sue that guy.”

“What did he say about it?”

“What… whether he will stay quiet if he appears again, or he will kill me…”

“Did you record it?”

“Why would I record it? Where would I find the mind to do that?”

“You should have done that!”

Heeuk thumped his chest. It was a sufficient opportunity to take issue with the third-generation chaebol who had grabbed an ordinary citizen by the collar. But Mom senselessly blew away that chance.