My Husband Fell in Love - Chapter 16
“This is it.”
Seo Ha’s eyes sparkled before an ancient-looking laptop that seemed freshly unearthed from a Joseon-era archaeological site.
[Job Posting: Junior Designer Wanted at Kang Yoon Company]First, I’ll return to the company. From the inside, I’ll keep watch and find a way to reclaim my real body and my mother.
From that day on, Seo Ha’s days began and ended with design. She absorbed current trends, reinvented them, and layered them with the distinct styles of Kang Yoon and Yoon Seo Ha.
It sounded simple in words, but Seo Ha had to draw until blisters formed on her hands just to produce ten final design sketches.
And on the evening just one day before the resume submission deadline, Seo Ha hit an enormous wall.
“What is this?”
Highest level of education: high school graduate.
It turned out Jo Seo Ha’s educational background, which Seo Ha had looked up for resume purposes, was only a high school diploma.
“Jo Seo Ha, what on earth have you been doing all this time that you never even went to college!”
At this rate, her application wouldn’t even make it past the shredder. Seo Ha sat bewildered, staring at the pile of designs she’d created.
Living as Yoon Seo Ha hadn’t been an effortlessly happy or smooth journey.
To avoid being labeled as someone who succeeded merely because she was “born with a silver spoon,” she’d had to work several times harder than others. Countless nights plagued by insomnia were spent frantically filling hundreds of pages in her design notebooks like a madwoman.
But this was the first time she’d faced such a primal obstacle—being unable to even submit a resume simply due to insufficient academic credentials.
“Kyung! Kyung!”
While she was deep in thought, Min Ji’s barking came from outside. It was already 6:30 p.m.—time for dinner.
“Coming!”
Seo Ha covered her unfinished design and headed downstairs. The empty house held only her dinner, neatly set on the table by Jae Wook, covered modestly with a sheet of newspaper.
Jae Wook was an unusual man. Despite driving a fruit truck from morning till night, he always made it home to serve Seo Ha her meal at this hour. If he thought he wouldn’t make it, he’d leave her dinner ready on the table before leaving—just like this.
“I’ll dig in.”
She greeted no one but herself and finished her meal alone. After eating, she cleared the table and did the dishes too. Tasks Yoon Seo Ha would never have imagined doing were simply everyday routines for Jo Seo Ha.
“Kyung!”
The moment she dried her hands after washing the dishes, Min Ji came over, leash in mouth, plopping down right at her feet—clearly asking for a walk. She was quite adorable.
“You want to go for a walk? It’s a bit late.”
“Kyung! Kyung!”
“Alright. Let’s go.”
Seo Ha slipped her feet into worn-out sneakers and shuffled out of the house. Passing through winding alleyways, she’d stop by the spring to take a sip of water, then loop back down the opposite path—that made one full circuit.
Just as Seo Ha neared home after completing her usual loop, someone called out from behind.
“Excuse me.”
Instinctively turning around, Seo Ha froze and tightened her grip on Min Ji’s leash.
“You’re incredibly beautiful. Could I have your number?”
It was a stranger in a tracksuit and cap. If this had happened on a well-lit main street, it might’ve been fine—but being approached by an unknown man in this dim alley felt not just unpleasant but outright terrifying.
Seo Ha tried to decline politely with an apology and started walking again.
“No, just give me your number. You’re just too pretty.”
The man quickly caught up and blocked her path. Cold sweat trickled down Seo Ha’s spine.
Just then—
“Jo Seo Ha!”
A cheerful voice echoed through the alley. It was Jae Wook.
“Where’ve you been? And who’s this creep?”
The man, who’d acted so boldly when Seo Ha was alone, instantly shrank smaller than Min Ji and stammered nervously at Jae Wook’s arrival.
“I—I was just… passing by. You’re so pretty. I didn’t know you had a boyfriend.”
“Then get lost.”
“Y-yes.”
Jae Wook stood there glaring until the man disappeared from sight, then spat out a curse under his breath.
“Were you really scared? Since when’s that bastard been following you?”
“Since right up ahead.”
“He’s just a useless neighborhood punk. Don’t pay him any mind. You’re not hurt, are you?”
“No.”
“Damn it. What a rotten bastard.”
Grumbling, Jae Wook stepped through the gate, then suddenly looked Seo Ha up and down from head to toe.
“You went out like this?”
“…?”
Glancing down at her clothes without thinking, she realized how ridiculous she looked: a T-shirt stained with kimchi soup from dinner, stretched-out leggings, and sneakers so worn they were about to expose her toes.
“How can you walk around at this hour dressed like that? It’s practically inviting creeps like him. Not that it’s your fault—those jerks are just scum.”
“What does my outfit have to do with that guy?”
Jae Wook frowned.
“You have no idea how sneaky guys like him are. The moment they see a woman who clearly outshines them, they get intimidated and can’t even speak. Even if you’re genuinely attractive, dressing like that and walking through this neighborhood this late makes them think you’re on their level, so they test the waters.”
“…”
Suddenly, Lee Seung Oh and Lee Ji Soo’s first meeting flashed through her mind—Lee Ji Soo showing up in those worn tracksuits, and Lee Seung Oh treating her with exaggerated kindness.
“What if a woman is really stunning?”
“I just told you—he wouldn’t even dare talk to her. It’s absurd even thinking about it. What’s that bastard’s problem, anyway?”
“No, but say you meet a woman who’s exceptionally put-together—silver-spoon background, beautiful face, successful career—what then?”
“A decent guy would be grateful and move on. A brainless idiot, though, would secretly seethe with jealousy and look for every possible excuse to tear her down.”
Exactly. Lee Seung Oh, currently acting as Kang Yoon’s interim president and steadily ruining the company, was precisely that brainless idiot.
Once, she’d believed him to be an unwavering, grounded man—never realizing he was as flimsy as a leaf carried off by the slightest breeze.
“Of course, I feel bad about it toward you. But I’m not going to apologize.”
That lightweight man had boldly told his wife, holding his affair partner’s hand tightly.
“Seo Ha, please try to understand. If I apologized to you now, it would mean my love for Ji Soo was wrong.”
Why had he fallen for Lee Ji Soo? Why Lee Ji Soo, whom he’d met just months ago, and not Yoon Seo Ha, who’d stood by his side her whole life?
Seo Ha found the answer in Lee Seung Oh and Lee Ji Soo’s first encounter—the moment he shielded the fragile Ji Soo from Yoon Seo Ha. For him, that was the beginning of love.
“Seo Ha, you have so much already. Ji Soo only has me. Whether we divorce or not, I’ll love and protect Ji Soo forever.”
The woman Lee Seung Oh felt he must love and protect—someone with nothing, for whom Lee Seung Oh was her entire world.
He hadn’t loved Ji Soo. He’d loved the version of himself that saved Ji Soo.
Seo Ha handed Min Ji over to Jae Wook and returned to her rooftop room. The plastic mirror on her desk reflected her face with brutal honesty.
Thin, dry skin; hollow, distant eyes; thin lips.
She wasn’t Yoon Seo Ha—too brilliant and dazzling for Lee Seung Oh to handle—but Jo Seo Ha, even more pitiful than Ji Soo had been back then.
Lee Seung Oh had a habit of taking a walk around the office area after lunch—usually alone, sometimes with someone else.
“Today’s perfect. The weather’s great, and walking with you after lunch is wonderful.”
“I think so too.”
Seung Oh answered sweetly but subtly pulled his arm out of Ji Soo’s linked grip. Though their relationship was an open secret at the office, he didn’t want to attract gossip by blatantly strolling around holding hands like they were on a date.
“How’s the resume situation? Lots coming in?”
“I haven’t checked yet. HR filters them first before sending anything down.”
“Oh, right. Didn’t you mention a recommendation from Designer Kang Hae Rim?”
“Hmm… It wasn’t impressive.”
He clearly didn’t want to discuss resumes or the new designer. Seung Oh quickly switched to a topic he knew Ji Soo would enjoy.
“Where should we go for our summer vacation? How about overseas for once? Maybe somewhere close like Hawaii?”
“I love Hawaii! Bali last time was great too.”
“Bali was nice, yeah.”
As they chatted, a woman in jeans hurried past them, clutching a document folder and scanning the surroundings as if searching for something. She pulled out her phone—and didn’t notice her wallet drop from her pocket.
“Huh?”
Seung Oh picked up the fallen wallet. It was old and worn, a cheap one—just like the one Ji Soo used to carry when they’d first met.
“Excuse me!”
The woman kept looking around, apparently unaware someone was calling her. Seung Oh ran over and tapped her shoulder.
“Excuse me.”
“…?”
The woman turned to look at Seung Oh.
Long curly hair, minimal makeup—her plain appearance was tinged with sadness, her eyes slightly glistening as if she’d been crying.
“Here. You dropped your wallet.”
“Oh…!”
Her eyes widened as she took the wallet and bowed deeply.
“Thank you so, so much. I was so distracted I didn’t even notice it fell.”
“You seemed to be looking for something back there. Did you get lost?”
“Ah, well…”
She fidgeted nervously with a yellowed document folder.
“I’m trying to find Kang Yoon Company… The main entrance is the only one, so I wondered if there’s a back entrance or something…”
“Kang Yoon? Why?”
Ji Soo interjected curiously. The woman glanced at Ji Soo with a timid look, then quickly lowered her eyes.
“I—I wanted to submit my resume. They’re hiring a new designer. I was wondering… if you know how to get to Kang Yoon’s HR department?”
Seung Oh’s curiosity was instantly piqued.
“You’re planning to hand your resume directly to HR? Why?”
“It’s… kind of embarrassing to explain. I should go now. Thank you again for finding my wallet.”
“Wait a moment!”
Seung Oh stopped the woman just as she hurriedly tried to leave.
“I’m actually an employee at Kang Yoon Company. If you tell me what’s going on, I might be able to help.”
“Really?”
Her innocent-looking eyes grew even wider.
“Go ahead and tell me. Resumes are usually submitted electronically or by mail—what made you decide to bring yours directly to HR?”
“Well, um…”
After a brief hesitation, she spoke softly.
“I really love design… but my family couldn’t afford to send me to college. The job posting says they only accept applicants with at least an associate degree… So I thought—if they’d let me, I’d even accept lower pay. Or better yet, just let me take the interview first. That’s why I came to ask…”
Her face turned tomato-red as she finished stammering. Seung Oh fought back an urge to laugh and held out his hand.
“Let me see it.”
“What?”
“Your resume. Let me take a look.”
“No!”
She clutched the envelope tightly to her chest and shook her head firmly.
“I can’t show it to someone I don’t even know. My designs are inside too.”
“Hahaha!”
Ji Soo shot Seung Oh a slight glare for laughing out loud, then quickly looked away.
“Don’t worry. You wouldn’t be able to get into HR anyway—and even if you did, I could have them show me everything if I wanted.”
“What? What do you mean…?”
Seung Oh pulled a business card from his inner pocket and handed it to her.
“I’m this kind of person.”
[Kang Yoon Company / CEO Lee Seung Oh]“Whaaat?!”
The woman gasped dramatically, then instantly clapped a hand over her own mouth in shock. Seung Oh didn’t mind her reaction—it was as if she’d just met the president himself.
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
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