Chae Eun, who thought she wouldn’t have to come in during the break, pouted at Yoon Hee’s words that only she had to come in every day. But the rest of the teachers returned to their seats with uneasy faces, neither affirming nor denying.

Seo Ha felt bad about only causing trouble for Yoon Hee, who had been so good to her.

Chae Eun noticed Seo Ha’s feelings and took her hands.

“Teacher Seo Ha. This isn’t your fault. Don’t blame yourself.”

“But… I’m… so sorry. You’ve been so accommodating to me, and I’m just causing trouble.”

Seo Ha lowered her head. She was grateful just for being able to work here until now.

However, because of her, the kindergarten got caught up in an unwanted scandal.

Just because they helped her. Seo Ha’s heart was torn.

Chae Eun spoke to Seo Ha with deliberate emphasis.

“What are you saying? Our director was so happy to have Teacher Seo Ha. Actually, it was hard to find teachers because our kindergarten conditions were poor. So we were grateful you came. The parents like you too. So don’t torment yourself.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

“Today, Teacher Seo Ha, take Min Joon and go home early. You look terrible. Don’t worry about work here.”

Seo Ha’s eyes filled with tears and her vision blurred.

Yoon Hee also saw Seo Ha like this and hugged her warmly, rubbing her back. Seo Ha burst into tears at Yoon Hee’s warmth.

She was okay with being pointed at as a gold digger, but she was worried and heartbroken about the pointing and hurt her son Min Joon would receive because of it.

Innocent Min Joon would be the biggest victim.

Moreover, her heart was torn by the harm done to Yoon Hee and those around her who cared for her.

How could Seo Ha herself cause pain to so many people?

Seo Ha hated her life. It was a life where nothing had been easy, and a life where she couldn’t fully have anything.

Not ending there, it was a cruel and terrible life that ultimately made even those around her unhappy. A life where she couldn’t even dream of being ordinary.

Yoon Hee seemed to read Seo Ha’s mind and took her to the director’s office.

Seo Ha sat on the couch in the director’s office and held the mug of hot chocolate Yoon Hee gave her with both hands.

At the warmth transmitted, Seo Ha could no longer hold back her tears and let them fall.

Her shoulders shook as she hung her head low.

Yoon Hee sat next to Seo Ha without a word and put an arm around her shoulders.

“That’s right, cry. You can cry as much as you want. You must be having the hardest time of anyone right now, Teacher Kim.”

“Sob… sob.”

Seo Ha was unbearably distressed. Until now, she could endure because the hardships of life were directed only at herself.

However, she was gripped by the thought that the cruel fate aimed at her was spreading like a virus to the people she wanted to protect.

She thought it might be better for her to disappear, for Yoon Hee’s sake too.

Yoon Hee spoke as if reading Seo Ha’s thoughts.

“Don’t think about others, just think about yourself, Teacher Kim. The most important person in your life is you. Ignore what others say.”

“Director… I’m really sorry…”

“What do you have to be sorry for? The bad ones are those who consume others’ misfortunes as mere gossip. They can’t live your precious life for you, Teacher Kim. Everyone has their own share. Don’t try to shoulder everything alone. And don’t feel sorry for us either.”

“Director…, but…”

“Take care of yourself. You have to protect Min Joon. And you need to become more confident. If you run away, Min Joon and others will end up believing baseless rumors as truth. And I said we’ll rest while we’re down. Don’t worry about the kindergarten.”

Seo Ha couldn’t control the overflowing tears at all.

After crying for a long time, Seo Ha sipped the hot chocolate with her puffy face.

And at that moment, Yoon Hee dropped her mug while picking it up, spilling the tea.

“Oh my! Are you alright?”

Seo Ha exclaimed in surprise and righted the fallen mug. Fortunately, the green tea had cooled so there were no burns, but Yoon Hee’s face twisted strangely.

It was a face neither smiling nor frowning.

“Ah… uh…”

Seo Ha looked at Yoon Hee with a hardened face. Yoon Hee also seemed flustered and touched her lips. She felt like her hand wasn’t working properly and her tongue wasn’t her own. She tried to call Seo Ha’s name again.

“Suh… Ha…”

“Director…”

Yoon Hee’s tongue seemed frozen, unable to speak properly.

Yoon Hee tried to clench her right hand but it wouldn’t move as she wanted.

[This is the timeline separator]

As Yoo Na entered the office, everyone looked at her with pitying eyes.

Yoo Na headed to her desk with the most pitiful look she could muster.

On the desk were a canned coffee, chocolate, and a note. She could guess who had left them.

[Hang in there. I’ll be cheering for you by your side, Deputy Jin. No matter what happens, I’ll be beside you. – From Choi Do Yeop]

Yoo Na inwardly sneered and scoffed, but outwardly she pressed her index finger to the corner of her eye as if holding back tears.

‘How dare he harbor such feelings for me. A mere ordinary low-level employee. Is he deluding himself that I would give him my heart for this? He should know his place.’

Yoo Na thanked Do Yeop with a grateful expression.

“Do Yeop… Thank you so much. Sniff, I don’t know how to repay this kind heart…”

“No, Deputy Jin, it’s not just Do Yeop who’s worried about you. We’re all concerned!”

Team Leader Park said with his whole body that he wanted her to know he cared.

Yoo Na nodded with a picture-perfect smile.

“Yes. Thank you all so much. I think I’ll be able to endure well thanks to our team members, including you, Team Leader. It’s upsetting, but what can I do? The one I love more is the weaker one.”

At Yoo Na’s words, Team Leader Park looked at her with sympathetic eyes.

Then he clapped his hands loudly and said.

“Come on! Let’s all give our Deputy Jin some intense encouragement. No, how could that wicked gold digger compare to our Deputy Jin? Our Deputy Jin is the daughter-in-law-to-be recognized by the Chairman himself!”

“Of course! She can’t even compare to our Deputy Jin’s toenail. Chairman Han must not have an eye for women. To be bewitched by a gold digger with such a jewel in front of him!”

Team Leader Park and Employee Choi worked together like a well-matched comedy duo, trying to flatter Yoo Na with honeyed words.

Yoo Na was secretly pleased. She liked the criticism of Seo Ha, and she liked that things were going according to her plan.

The employees in the planning office chimed in appropriately with Team Leader Park and Employee Choi. Some disapproved of Yoo Na, but they couldn’t openly show it.

Yoo Na wielded invisible power here.

As soon as Yoo Na sat down and turned on her computer, she looked up articles about Seo Ha and Tae Kyung. Most of the comments were cursing Seo Ha, but Tae Kyung was also being criticized in the process.

Her father, Assemblyman Jin Chul Wook, had an unexpected reaction to this situation.

‘This is rather good. It will become Han Tae Kyung’s weakness. Yoo Na, you need to position yourself well here. You must pretend to be the victim and act generous, understand?’

Assemblyman Jin Chul Wook expected to gain the upper hand in relations with the HY Group using this incident as leverage.

From Yoo Na’s position, Chul Wook’s reaction was welcome.

In fact, she had worried that Chul Wook might oppose the marriage with Tae Kyung over this incident, but his seemingly favorable response filled her with elation.

Yoo Na sent a text message to pressure Tae Kyung a bit more.

[Tae Kyung. I’m a broad-minded woman. I can forgive a momentary indiscretion. But you know, if this isn’t resolved, won’t Kim Seo Ha be criticized more? And what about the child?]

A call came right away from Tae Kyung, who had been refusing Yoo Na’s contact.

Yoo Na inwardly rejoiced as she went outside to take the call.

“You’re finally responding to my contact? That’s too much. Between us.”

– What scheme is this? Why are you dragging in an innocent child? It’s enough if only I’m criticized.

Tae Kyung on the other end of the phone seemed to be suppressing his anger. Though Yoo Na flinched at that murderous aura, she didn’t back down. And she acted as if crying for others to hear.

“Oh my, Tae Kyung, are you getting angry at me now? I said I forgive everything.”

– If you touch Seo Ha and the child, I won’t leave you alone.

“No matter how infatuated you are with a woman, I’m still your fiancée.”

Yoo Na spoke in a trembling voice. Tae Kyung’s mirthless laugh could be heard through the phone.

Undeterred, Yoo Na lowered her voice so others couldn’t hear and revealed her true intentions.

“Tae Kyung, if you marry me, the reporters’ attention will shift away from Kim Seo Ha.”

Tae Kyung was silent for a moment. Finally, he asked in an icy voice.

– I won’t marry you.

[This is the timeline separator]

Seo Ha immediately realized something was wrong with Yoon Hee’s body.

She recalled the news of a famous actress who died of a brain hemorrhage a few days ago. She realized it was similar to the early symptoms of brain hemorrhage mentioned on television.

The inability to use strength in one leg and arm, and the slurred speech, were also early symptoms of brain hemorrhage mentioned on TV.

“Ugh ugh ugh”

“Ah, 119! 119!”

Seo Ha called 119 with trembling hands, not even wiping away her tear stains.

“Something’s wrong with our director. This is Onnuri Kindergarten. Please, please come quickly!”

Thud.

As soon as Seo Ha hung up the emergency call, Yoon Hee collapsed.

Seo Ha was startled and hugged Yoon Hee, calling for Chae Eun.

“Ch-Chae Eun teacher! Vice Director! The Director has collapsed!”

“What? Director! Oh, Mom! Mom! Wake up!”

Chae Eun shook Yoon Hee in panic, but Yoon Hee was unconscious.

Less than 5 minutes after the emergency call, an ambulance arrived. The paramedics began emergency transport of Yoon Hee to a large hospital, and Chae Eun followed Yoon Hee.

Seo Ha was trembling all over. Min Joon ran over and hugged Seo Ha. Seo Ha hugged Min Joon tightly. This small child’s warmth was like a lifeline to her.

If it weren’t for this child, her will to live might have been broken many times.

Seo Ha resented God.

She wanted to ask why her life had to be so harsh, what she had done so wrong.

Or she resented why not just her, but the people she loved were being hurt.

The thought came that she might be a being that brings misfortune.

Seo Ha was distressed that she couldn’t pull herself together.

She decided to become stronger as Yoon Hee had comforted her, but it wasn’t easy.

She decided to cry just for today, just today, and become stronger. Right now, if she didn’t cry, it felt like she would fester inside.

She decided to pour out all the negative thoughts that had been filling her with tears.

Meanwhile, Yoon Hee went straight into surgery upon arriving at the hospital. Chae Eun made a phone call somewhere.

“This is Chae Eun. Mom, Mom collapsed. What should I do?”

– I’ll come down right away. Don’t worry too much.