To be exact, he stopped a few meters away from Young-In’s house gate, not right in front of it. It was the place Sung-Hyuk always used to drop her off three years ago, the spot she had always wanted.
“Thank… drive safely.”
Young-In quickly changed her words, and a satisfied smile appeared on Sung-Hyuk’s face.
“Yeah, I will.”
He was pleased, like a cat that had been stubbornly independent but turned obedient at crucial moments.
Even if he didn’t want to, he had always done what Young-In wanted. Of course, he had no intention of complying with all her requests in the future. If he did, the first thing he’d have to do is disappear from her sight.
“By the way, Young-In.”
She hesitated as she was about to open the car door, her heart fluttering at his affectionate call.
Young-In tried to appear indifferent as she turned to face him.
“Beom-Jun doesn’t know I’ve gone to SL Entertainment. Naturally, he doesn’t know that Hye-Seong has been absorbed by SL either. Tell him before he hears it from someone else.”
Sung-Hyuk knew how badly Young-In was treated at home and felt helpless and frustrated that he couldn’t do anything about it. But he couldn’t interfere without her consent.
“Got it.”
Swallowing the words of thanks, Young-In got out of the car, feeling his gaze as she walked to her house.
She had just entered the gate when a car passed by, making a heavy sound. Young-In stood quietly until the sound faded away, then resumed walking.
Sung-Hyuk reflected on the conversation they had last night while carrying Young-In home.
“If you were going to do this… why did you agree… when I said we should break up…?”
It was a question Young-In wouldn’t normally ask, and one he had never expected. So, he threw back a question he had only asked himself.
“If I had said no then, would we not have broken up?”
“No… we would have broken up anyway…”
He realized that there was no need to regret his actions, but it didn’t make him feel any better. The thought that the outcome would have been the same was bitter. Then, a faint whisper, barely audible, reached his ears.
“Still… it would have been… a little less painful…”
Though it was a drunken mumble, it might have been the most sincere thing Young-In had said since they reunited.
The truth in drunken words.
It was as meaningful a confession as saying ‘I love you.’
Young-In quickly showered, changed clothes, and headed to work. Fortunately, she managed to arrive at the office without being late.
“Good morning.”
Following the greetings asking if she got home safely yesterday, complaints about drinking too much and feeling like death were heard from all around.
Ha-Yoon, who had been eagerly waiting for Young-In, sprang up from her seat and rushed over.
“Manager, let’s have some coffee.”
Before she could say anything, Young-In was whisked out of the office by Ha-Yoon, who took the initiative in the conversation.
“Ha-Yoon, did you get home okay last night?”
“Yes, I did. It was tough taking care of all those voluntary drunkards, especially because of the expensive liquor.”
It seemed Ha-Yoon had taken on the role usually performed by Young-In last night.
“Did the CEO take good care of you?”
“Yes, he took good care of me.”
Young-In omitted the part about ‘to his house’ and awkwardly smiled.
“Your bag is on your desk.”
“Thanks. Was there any trouble after I left?”
“Seung-Chan kept ranting about why you left early and came in alone…”
Recalling last night’s events made Ha-Yoon frown briefly, but then her eyes lit up with curiosity.
“Isn’t there something you need to tell me?”
“About what?”
Young-In played dumb. Not knowing what had been discussed between Sung-Hyuk and Ha-Yoon or how much Ha-Yoon knew, she had to be cautious.
“The CEO is your brother’s friend and a senior from college, right?”
A look of relief crossed Young-In’s face.
“Yes.”
“That’s it?”
“……Yes?”
The meaningful smile on Ha-Yoon’s lips was enough of an answer, conveyed just by her flickering eyes. She naturally changed the subject.
“The CEO came to the lounge bar on purpose yesterday?”
“He had a sudden change in plans, and he remembered you saying it was a hot spot, so he decided to check it out.”
“Ah, I see…….”
Ha-Yoon smirked, extending her words.
Deciding to pretend ignorance about the clumsy lies for a while, Young-In also chose not to mention how well the CEO and the manager suited each other, though she was itching to say it.
“Ha-Yoon, keep the relationship between the CEO and me a secret.”
Young-In sensed that Ha-Yoon had caught on to something. But since she couldn’t openly talk about their past relationship, she didn’t have much else to say.
“My mouth can only be shut with meat.”
“Let’s have beef for dinner tonight.”
“A learned person indeed.”
Quickly reaching an agreement, the two women headed to the break room.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
