In the somber atmosphere, Min Kyung Hoon and Ji Eun were busy exchanging glances with each other.

However, since the other party was Seo Woo Jin of Jangwon, they had no choice but to force a smile. After all, there was nothing good about going against Woo Jin’s whims.

“By the way, is the marriage between you two already decided?”

When Min Kyung Hoon, who had gathered his thoughts first, threw out a question, Ji Eun’s eyes sparkled in an instant. If they hadn’t misheard, he clearly called Ji Hoon his brother-in-law and even said without hesitation that they would be getting married soon.

“Yes, Father. Our side has already given permission and even set a date for the formal meeting. If it’s alright with you, they want to have the formal meeting next Saturday. How is your schedule?”

“Oh my, we’re definitely okay with it! Since they’re busy people, we should match their schedule. Right, honey?”

“That’s right. We have no problem. So let’s do it on that day.”

Not missing Ji Eun’s urging, Min Kyung Hoon also quickly answered. It seemed that only after having the formal meeting and holding the wedding ceremony could they truly feel the reality of having Seo Woo Jin as their son-in-law. To do that, they had to sprint at full speed without any mishaps until the wedding.

“Ah, since we’re on the topic, to be honest, our Tae Eun is definitely not lacking anywhere. Right, honey?”

Just a moment ago, when she was sending a reproachful look because of Ji Hoon, Ji Eun quickly changed her stance and was praising Tae Eun. Woo Jin looked at her with eyes devoid of any emotion.

“I want to get married as soon as possible. Within two months.”

“Two, two months?”

When Ji Eun asked back in surprise, as two months was too short a time, Woo Jin calmly continued.

“You don’t need to prepare for the wedding. We will take care of everything on our side. We don’t need a dowry either.”

“No, even so…”

“Oh my! As expected of a chaebol, even the communication is grand! Well, honestly, no matter how well we prepare and send her off, it won’t be enough, right? Rather than clumsily imitating, it’s better for both sides to feel comfortable.”

Cutting off Min Kyung Hoon’s words, Ji Eun enthusiastically agreed with Woo Jin’s words. She seemed to think this was a stroke of luck. Not only was she sending Tae Eun off to get married for free, but she was also gaining a chaebol son-in-law. Ji Eun must be feeling like she was ascending to heaven right now.

However, Woo Jin didn’t give Ji Eun a long chance to savor that feeling.

The main point was just beginning now.

“And one more thing, I have something to tell you.”

“What is it? Tell me. We’re going to be family soon, so what can’t we do for you? Right, honey?”

“It’s about Tae Eun’s maternal grandmother. I want to take care of her myself.”

In an instant, the smile on Ji Eun’s lips froze. It seemed Min Kyung Hoon was also surprised, as it was a completely unexpected statement.

“Well, I don’t want to burden you with that. Even if she’s a complete stranger to you…”

“That’s right. It’s not proper. Tae Eun isn’t even bringing a dowry, so how can we make you take on her grandmother too? Don’t worry. We will take good care of Tae Eun’s grandmother. We’ve been doing it all this time. Right, Tae Eun? We have a conscience too. How can we even make you take the grandmother…”

At the two’s unsatisfactory reactions, Tae Eun felt her blood run dry again.

She knew all too well why they were showing such a strong rejection.

If she couldn’t get married, the grandmother was a useless burden to them. But if she married into the Jangwon family, the grandmother’s value would be beyond imagination. She would become like a remote control that could freely manipulate Tae Eun after she got married. That’s why Ji Eun didn’t want to let go of the grandmother.

As Tae Eun, who knew Ji Eun’s intentions all too well, she couldn’t help but feel tense at this moment. If they stubbornly took away her grandmother, Tae Eun would have to become their puppet for the rest of her life. But more than anything, what she couldn’t bear was the thought of her grandmother being used by them.

Tae Eun clutched the dress on her knees from being too tense, and a warm, large hand comforted her. It was a hand big enough to fully cover her hand that had turned white from tension.

Tae Eun looked at Woo Jin beside her with black eyes. Although she couldn’t read his expression as he was looking at Ji Eun, just the warm body temperature covering her hand strangely made her tense heart feel loosened.

That’s right, if it’s this man. If it’s this man, he might be able to save her grandmother from their hands.

Perhaps because her belief was so desperate.

That belief soon became reality.

“No. Rather, I’m grateful. Even if she’s Tae Eun’s blood relative, she’s a complete stranger to you two, isn’t she?”

He raised the corners of his lips only after seeing the smiles disappear from the two’s faces, throwing back the words they had said.

“When we get married, Tae Eun will be my person anyway. Her grandmother is Tae Eun’s only maternal blood relative. Of course, her grandmother is my responsibility.”

“…”

“So I will take care of her.”

There was no more room for argument. After all, there was no flaw to be found in Woo Jin’s words that Tae Eun’s maternal grandmother was a complete stranger to them.

Only then did a subtle crack appear in Ji Eun’s brow.

* * *

They left the house and took the elevator. Tae Eun willingly followed when he asked her to see him off to the front of the house, but the inside of the elevator was a continuation of silence.

The elevator was big enough to fit four or five people and still have room, but it felt cramped for some reason. It was probably because of the tremendous energy Woo Jin was emitting.

That precarious energy exploded the moment they got out of the elevator and left the building.

He turned around and asked,

“I understand about your mother, but isn’t he your biological father?”

It was a question of how he could be like that. Even if the daughter who lost her mother and had nowhere to rely on was more pitiful, Min Kyung Hoon was consistently only eager to cover for his good-for-nothing son whom he had with his second wife. Even if she was an adopted daughter, not his own blood, if he was human, there should be some affection from raising her. He shouldn’t be able to do this.

In short, in Woo Jin’s eyes, Tae Eun was a complete outsider in that house. No, she was even worse than that.

“Unfortunately, he is my biological dad.”

“…”

“It’s really a love-hate relationship. I hate him to death, but I can’t completely hate him either.”

“…”

“It’s the bond of blood after all.”

Her indifferent voice is carried by the chilly night breeze. Although there was no emotion in it, her voice strangely penetrated deep into the heart.

So it made him even more furious. This woman seems to not even be able to get properly angry.

“Tae Eun seems to be a bodhisattva. Even I, an outsider, am so angry seeing this. You know what? Every moment I spent in that house was a test of patience for me.”

Even while standing still, his anger carried by the cool breeze could be felt. But Tae Eun didn’t dislike his anger. Rather, she was a little moved by this man getting angry on her behalf.

“Ha, it’s really unbelievable. How… How did you endure it until now?”

“I’m surprisingly good at one thing – enduring. That’s the only thing I learned in that house.”

“…”

“While doing that, I just had to stand still and calluses would form… I would become numb.”

Her eyes were very calm as she spoke in an even tone of voice. Woo Jin struggled to endure the anger bursting out at those absurd actions, being tossed this way and that, but the person directly involved, her, was unbelievably calm. Like the eye of a huge typhoon.

“If I tell you to come to my house right now, you won’t come, will you?”

It was a remark made because he didn’t want to leave her in that hellish house. But of course, he also knew that rejection would come back.

As expected, her refusal was quick without hesitation.

“Yes, this is still my home for now.”

“…”

“Don’t worry. I’ve endured well until now. So I will endure well for the remaining two months too.”

He knows that she will endure well even if she doesn’t say it like that. Because the woman was more solid and immense than he thought. Perhaps even more than that.

Without realizing it, Woo Jin approached and pulled her into his arms. Then, her body that was less than a handful fit in perfectly without any gaps. Her size that fit snugly into his arms was maddeningly good.

What to do.

The moment they kissed comes to mind. The moment he unhesitatingly stole her delicate lips. Just thinking about it filled his body with heat. Woo Jin detached her, thinking that if he stayed like this any longer, she might discover his embarrassing state.

Instead, he looked down at her trembling eyelashes and slowly opened his mouth.

“Wait. I will save you soon. And when you come to me, don’t bring anything from that house, not even a pair of panties.”

“…”

“Leave everything behind and come. Without any lingering attachments.”

* * *

Only after seeing Woo Jin’s car depart did Tae Eun enter the house. But the words he poured out while holding her still left a strong lingering impression.

– Wait. I will save you soon.

She believes those words without a doubt.

It was surprising that she had this much faith in a man she had only met a few times, but she thought he was an even more amazing person for stealing her heart in just those few encounters.

But on the other hand, there was also fear in a corner of her heart.

If she and her grandmother could really escape from this house like this, Woo Jin was literally like winning the lottery for her. However, as someone whose life had never been smooth, she kept shrinking back from this absurd stroke of luck.

“Let’s not think useless thoughts.”

Tae Eun muttered to herself to erase her worries like impurities and moved her steps. The moment she walked down the hallway like that, the sharp voices of Min Kyung Hoon and Ji Eun pierced her ears.

“No, why aren’t you saying a single word? Are you going to hand over that old woman to Seo Woo Jin like this?”

“Then what can I do? He said he would take care of her himself. And honestly, you also wanted to be done with it.”

“No! That’s when Tae Eun couldn’t marry Seo Woo Jin! There’s so much to gain if she becomes the daughter-in-law of the Jangwon family! Your entry into politics would also be resolved in one go! But if the old woman is taken away by them at this point, how will we control Tae Eun? Don’t you know that the old woman is the best weapon against her?”

“Even if it’s not her grandmother, she’s a kid who listens well.”

“Ha! Really, you don’t know your daughter at all. Don’t you know how cunning Tae Eun is? That’s why she seduced Jangwon Seo Woo Jin with just her pretty face despite having nothing!”

“No way, but still, if we become in-laws with them, they’ll help us even if it’s just to save face.”

“Who wants that kind of charity-like help? What we want is not just help! It’s to stand on the same level as them! This is our chance to level up properly for once! So you call Seo Woo Jin tomorrow and tell him that we will take care of the old woman. I can’t let that old woman be taken away even if I die and come back to life!”

“Ah, did you not see Seo Woo Jin’s eyes just now? He already dislikes Ji Hoon and is on edge?”

“Then what can we do! Are you going to just sit back and let the old woman be taken away?”

“If you’re so insistent, you try talking to him then.”

“Ah! Really! I can’t do it! You do it! You!”

Unable to contain her anger, Ji Eun whined and cried. And with Min Kyung Hoon’s deep sigh that sounded like the ground would cave in, Tae Eun turned her steps.

Seo Woo Jin.

He had just coincidentally set foot in the house for a brief moment, but even after he was gone, he was properly flaunting his unrivaled presence. Because Min Kyung Hoon and Ji Eun had never encountered someone they couldn’t deal with like this before.

Yes, he might really be a proper lottery in her life.

Perhaps the unbearably tough life until now was a thorny path to accumulate all her luck and turn her life around in one go like this.