My Husband's Lover (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 5
Hae Yeon stared intently at the monitor as if trying to bore a hole through it.
The Hanwoomil gathering.
It was a real meeting after all—a gathering of elite women whose husbands were either businessmen or corporate executives.
“Oh my, was I the problem? Did you even get in properly, Ms. Hae Yeon? One of our members accidentally stepped on your foot back then.”
Hae Yeon let out an involuntary sigh. Now she really had to start doubting it—whether she truly remembered everything from the past year.
Her head felt like it was about to burst. She sank deep into her chair and let out a long, weary sigh. Afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, falling gently over her face.
“Oh, right—Joo Ah!”
Today was the day she’d arranged to meet her one and only friend. Hae Yeon stood up from her study to get ready to go out.
Joo Ah, who usually wore comfortable casual clothes on weekends, was dressed today in a solid-colored suit. Though they’d met just a few days ago, they both beamed as if they hadn’t seen each other in ages.
“You’re… going to work?”
Joo Ah, who normally only came when Hae Yeon called her, had been delighted when Hae Yeon reached out first during dinner hours—but now her eyes widened in shock at what Hae Yeon had just said. Insisting that this was the perfect chance for refined “Madam Hae Yeon” to eat bibimbap, Joo Ah had taken her to an affordable Korean restaurant.
Every time she saw Joo Ah, Hae Yeon wondered how she’d ever ended up friends with someone like her. Back in her teens, Joo Ah had been the kind of person Hae Yeon could never have befriended—granddaughter of the founder of a household-name corporation and from a prestigious finance family on her mother’s side. Joo Ah was the one who should’ve been called “refined madam,” not Hae Yeon—though, of course, Joo Ah was still unmarried.
“You never said a word when I was supposed to be working all this time.”
“Did I really say that?”
“Yes, you did!”
Joo Ah vigorously mixed her freshly served food and scooped up a large spoonful into her mouth.
“Mmm—Koreans really are meant for bibimbap.”
Hae Yeon smiled easily at Joo Ah’s playful remark.
“Is it that good?”
“Of course! But seriously, Min Hae Yeon—why the sudden change of heart?”
Hae Yeon flinched. Of course Joo Ah would be curious; she’d abruptly announced she was going to get a job, despite not being in any financial need—in fact, she was part of a chaebol family and married to a promising young businessman.
But she couldn’t reveal the reason. No matter how she phrased it, sharp-witted Joo Ah would figure it out instantly.
Maybe Joo Ah would start imagining things herself and ask, “Did something happen at home?” Hae Yeon gave Joo Ah a faint smile, but Joo Ah narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
“This sudden decision to work seems fishy. Min Hae Yeon, did something happen?”
As expected—she was quick on the uptake. The corners of Hae Yeon’s eyes softened into a gentle curve.
“We don’t even have a child yet, and I have plenty of free time. It’s just… getting a bit dull.”
Was that excuse good enough? She felt uneasy for using the “child” excuse—after all, Chairwoman Yoon and her husband had nagged her countless times about that very issue.
“Of course it’s dull! Spending all day alone in that huge house just waiting for your husband? And ‘all day’? If he goes overseas for a business trip, you’re stuck alone for days on end. Good for you—you made the right decision.”
Hae Yeon was glad that Joo Ah, who’d been worried at first, was now cheering her on. It was obvious her mother-in-law would oppose her working—she already disapproved of her as a daughter-in-law anyway—but it didn’t really matter. Chairwoman Yoon would never be satisfied with anything she did, anyway.
“Hey, Min Hae Yeon—won’t Chairwoman Yoon Myeong Gil throw a fit?”
Joo Ah brought up the in-laws too. Hae Yeon responded with an awkward smile and a crinkled-eye laugh.
“It’s not just your mother-in-law. What about your sly father-in-law and that awful older brother and his wife? Honestly, this is perfect. Go work. You absolutely must work. They’ve been looking down their noses at you all this time, acting all refined and elegant, saying you’re just a young girl wasting away at home with nothing to do.”
“It’s not that bad.”
“No, it is! Make them eat their words. Show them the price they’ll pay for disrespecting a daughter-in-law who has no wealthy family, no money, and no connections. While you’re at it!”
“While I’m at it?”
Hae Yeon burst out laughing at Joo Ah’s next words.
“Let’s grab a drink.”
“A drink?”
“Yeah. Didn’t you say Mr. Do Ha would be late? A night like tonight calls for a drink. Let’s go.”
“Sure.”
Joo Ah’s eyes widened at Hae Yeon’s unexpectedly smooth agreement.
“Oh—Min Hae Yeon! What’s gotten into you?”
Hae Yeon gave Joo Ah a coy smile. She hadn’t planned it this way, but she had told Do Ha she’d be running a bit late.
—You said you’re meeting Ms. Joo Ah? Good call. Don’t just have dinner—go somewhere fun too.
Remembering her earlier call with Do Ha, Hae Yeon smiled.
* * *
As soon as Su Rin got into the car, she made a call. She’d wanted to see him the moment she returned to Korea, but she’d been swamped with work at Mibon headquarters. Besides, because of Min Hae Yeon, she hadn’t been able to rush into meeting him. After several long rings, she finally heard the voice she’d been longing for.
“Oppa Do Ha, what are you doing?”
[Working. What is it?]His usual terse reply. From his slightly subdued tone, Su Rin knew exactly why he sounded that way—and that was precisely why she couldn’t help but love him even more, even when it worked against her.
“Oppa, can you come out right now?”
[Not today. I still have things to…]As expected, Do Ha’s response was a refusal. He really wasn’t an easy man. Su Rin forced a tight smile.
“What if Professor Park is coming too?”
She deliberately cut off Do Ha’s words mid-sentence. Professor Park Su Cheol had practically been a mentor to Do Ha—back when Do Ha was young and uncertain whether he should start a business, Professor Park had gently guided and encouraged him. He was Su Rin’s teacher as well.
[Professor Park Su Cheol?]“Who else would it be?”
Professor Park had retired and had been living in Canada all this time. Inviting him while he was on a brief vacation had been a stroke of genius. Sure enough, she received a positive reply from Do Ha.
[…Alright, I’ll come.]After hanging up, Su Rin wiped the smile from her face and asked her secretary, who was seated in the driver’s seat,
“Where is he now?”
“He just arrived at a pub in Cheongdam-dong.”
Su Rin rolled down the window. The stale city air brushed against her cheek, but she didn’t feel stifled. The performance was about to begin—and of course, the lead roles had already been cast. A deep look of interest spread across Su Rin’s lips as she stared out at the rapidly passing streets.
* * *
Hae Yeon and Joo Ah changed venues and continued their cheerful conversation. They were now drinking beer at a casual-style bar. Since it was a rare chance to drink with Joo Ah, Hae Yeon easily emptied the glass in her hand. Just as she reached for the bottle to refill it, Joo Ah shot her a glare.
“Oh no you don’t, sister.”
Pretending to be the wiser elder, Joo Ah grabbed the beer bottle with an air of authority. The clear glass filled quickly with golden liquid.
“Think more about what kind of job you want to do. I’ll look into it for you.”
They’d moved on from dinner to discussing work—and understandably so. After all, this was the first time Hae Yeon had ever mentioned working since her marriage.
“It’s fine for now.”
When Hae Yeon shook her head, Joo Ah looked at her in surprise.
“Fine?”
“Yeah. I’ll talk to Mr. Do Ha first.”
“Oh? Well, I guess there’s nothing I can do then.”
“It’s not urgent. I’ll take my time figuring out what I really want to do. And Joo Ah—thank you.”
Hae Yeon took Joo Ah’s hand. Joo Ah blinked.
“Aren’t you the one who should be focusing on your own job first?”
“Ahahaha… Maybe?”
Joo Ah gave a timid laugh—as if the thief’s own feet were tingling—and soon both of them burst into laughter. After laughing for a while, Hae Yeon suddenly remembered something Lee Su Rin had told her and slowly changed the subject.
“Joo Ah.”
“Why are you suddenly getting all serious? It’s gonna make the alcohol taste even better.”
Joo Ah playfully scrunched up her eyebrows as she teased.
“What is it?”
“Oh, nothing much. Your birthday’s coming up soon, but I can’t remember what I gave you last year.”
“Huh? My… gift?”
“Yeah. I can’t recall. I can’t give you the same thing again this year.”
Hae Yeon smiled faintly. Joo Ah visibly grew awkward, yet Hae Yeon maintained her innocent, natural smile.
“How could I forget something that happened just a year ago? That’s weird.”
She tilted her head as if genuinely puzzled, which only made Joo Ah more flustered. Hae Yeon was rather taken aback by Joo Ah’s next words.
“Oh! I remember now—you gave me a watch last year!”
“A watch?”
“Yeah… I haven’t been wearing it much lately. Sorry.”
Joo Ah apologized with an embarrassed look, and Hae Yeon’s heart sank—but she replied with a smile.
“What’s there to be sorry about? I’m the one who forgot—it’s my fault.”
“R-really?”
Avoiding eye contact awkwardly, Joo Ah quickly took a swig of beer. Hae Yeon silently swallowed a sigh. She wasn’t lying about having no memory of her friend’s birthday—she genuinely couldn’t recall what she’d done or what gift she’d given Joo Ah last year, despite celebrating together every single year.
‘A watch.’
If she’d chosen a watch as Joo Ah’s birthday present, there was only one place she would’ve gone to buy it. It was her favorite boutique—the same place she always bought family watches. So Joo Ah’s gift must have come from there too.
If she visited that store, she’d find out whether Joo Ah was telling the truth or lying. If it was the truth, she’d be plunged back into uncertainty; if it was a lie, then it would confirm it—she truly couldn’t remember the past year, and both Joo Ah and Do Ha were hiding it from her.
‘If I’ve forgotten a specific period or event, what would Mr. Do Ha do?’
Hae Yeon pondered deeply. If that event had caused harm to Do Ha, given his personality, he would never bring it up to his wife again.
‘If it were Mr. Do Ha, he’d absolutely do that.’
In other words, Do Ha was definitely hiding something on purpose. He wouldn’t risk reopening old wounds or causing her pain by bringing up something that might be painful or traumatic. If it had been something trivial, it would’ve naturally come up in conversation at some point over the past year—but they’d never once discussed it.
In truth, meeting Joo Ah today had been part of her plan. Telling her about wanting to get a job was one reason—but more importantly, she’d wanted to test Joo Ah, just like she was doing now.
Assuming she’d lost her memories, she realized very few people besides Do Ha would know about it. Among that small group, Do Hee was also excluded—she was Do Ha’s younger sister, after all, someone he looked after.
‘It’s got to be Joo Ah.’
Joo Ah was most likely the only person who knew her secret from a year ago. With no parents or siblings of her own, Joo Ah was practically family to her. If Hae Yeon had truly lost her memories, she would have confided in Joo Ah above anyone else.
Of course, she could’ve gone to a psychiatrist for confirmation—but this was more about her own stubbornness. She wanted to gather evidence with her own eyes and verify the truth herself. And admittedly, part of her also wanted to avoid facing the truth.
“Hae Yeon-ah, I’ll behave better next time.”
Joo Ah smiled differently than usual—clearly nervous. When anxious or tense, Joo Ah had a habit of rubbing her eyelids, and right now, despite her carefully applied makeup, she was unconsciously scratching her eyelid without even realizing it.
Seeing Joo Ah like this, Hae Yeon decided she’d pushed far enough. Knowing Joo Ah shared Do Ha’s same temperament, if she pressed any further, Joo Ah might grow suspicious of her—and then she’d never open her mouth again.
Hiding her inner turmoil, Hae Yeon shifted her gaze toward the entrance. Having unintentionally interrogated Joo Ah to the point of exhaustion, she closed her weary eyes for a moment—then opened them again to see an unexpected figure walking in through the door.
Lee Su Rin.
Beside her, walking in with a smile, was Do Ha—taller than most by a full head, his face defined by sharp, refined lines.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
_____
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