After getting out of Woo Jin’s car and taking the elevator, Tae Eun held the envelope he gave her again as if it were extremely precious. Just the fact that she could get her grandmother out of Ji Eun’s clutches made her heart swell as if it would burst.

However, that elated feeling deflated like a punctured balloon after entering the house and facing Ji Eun, who was waiting for her on the sofa.

“Where have you been? You’re not even married yet, where are you running around like that? What if the Jang family finds you disagreeable? Will you take responsibility if the marriage falls through?”

“I met with Woo Jin.”

“Seo Woo Jin? Is that so?”

Still, those three syllables of Seo Woo Jin’s name worked like magic on Ji Eun. Her sharp eyes instantly dulled.

“Then have a seat. I have something to tell you.”

Tae Eun sat across from Ji Eun. As she did so, she had the prudence to flip over the envelope with the nursing home logo that Woo Jin gave her so it wouldn’t be visible.

“Are the wedding preparations going well? You quit that petty part-time job, right?”

“Yes. I’m going to start preparing slowly starting tomorrow.”

At those words, Ji Eun’s eyes, tainted with greed, sparkled.

“Really? That’s good. They say even a snail has a talent for crawling, but who could have ever imagined? Someone like you becoming the Jang family’s granddaughter-in-law.”

“……”

“Don’t forget. I deserve the most credit. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have even been able to step on Seo Woo Jin’s shadow.”

In fact, there wasn’t a shred of falsehood in those words, so Tae Eun remained silent. How could she have ever dared to imagine? That a day like today would come. Without realizing it, Tae Eun’s gaze shifted to the yellow envelope beside her before retreating.

She still couldn’t believe it.

The day had finally come when she could escape this house with her grandmother.

In the near future, Ji Eun would come to regret the most fulfilling thing she had done. Because if Tae Eun perfectly left this house with her grandmother, there would be nothing Ji Eun couldn’t do as she pleased.

However, Tae Eun intended to show at least a minimum level of courtesy towards the father who gave birth to her. Rejecting her father would be no different from denying her own existence. Even her late mother wouldn’t have wanted that.

In short, she would not go against the laws of nature, but planned to live a somewhat humane life out of their grasp.

“By the way, about your grandmother.”

Suddenly, Ji Eun’s voice chillingly penetrated her ears. The moment she raised her gaze to face that serpentine face, she felt nausea rising in her throat without realizing it.

Because she had a premonition of what Ji Eun was going to say. And that premonition fit perfectly.

“I’ve been thinking about it, and this is not proper etiquette. Honestly, it bothers me that you’re not even preparing a dowry, but it weighs on my mind to send your grandmother to that house. I discussed it with your father, and it really doesn’t seem right.”

“……”

“So here’s the thing, I think it’s best if we continue to take care of your grandmother as we are now. If you want, we can move her to a facility with much better amenities than currently.”

“……”

“Wouldn’t we lose too much face in front of your in-laws? Right? How could we even send your maternal grandmother……”

Although Ji Eun spoke with the gentlest expression possible, Tae Eun knew the hidden meaning of those words carried a sharp blade, so she roughly clenched her hands on her lap.

The serpentine heart that absolutely refused to hand over the grandmother who could easily control Tae Eun.

“No one has ever seen a case like this. Sending not just your paternal grandmother, but even your maternal grandmother to your in-laws. Right?”

For the sake of her own interests, she was a vicious embodiment of selfishness who would relentlessly exploit a powerless, demented elderly woman.

Her hands and feet trembled.

Not out of fear, but from the wickedness of Ji Eun that made her teeth chatter.

But then a deep voice resounded in her head.

− Let’s… stop enduring it.

That voice telling her to stop putting up with it.

− From now on, let’s live as shameless as possible. Min Tae Eun, you have every right to do so.

That voice consoling her, saying she had the right.

“And taking care of a demented elderly person is no easy task, you know? It’s not enough to just leave them at a facility. How much attention it requires, and you want to pass that burden to the Jang family? Even if you have no shame, to that extent……”

“…..She’s not… a burden.”

“What did you say?”

“Our grandmother is not… some burden that can be tossed around.”

Ji Eun’s eyes shot up in shock at Tae Eun’s clear voice. Since she had never spoken up in front of her before, Ji Eun seemed even more taken aback.

“What are you saying right now?”

“She’s not a burden, she’s a person. Our grandmother.”

“Wh…what?”

“We’re not passing her off, we’re taking care of her ourselves.”

Shock flashed across Ji Eun’s eyes. She had never imagined such a forceful voice would come from the docile girl.

“I don’t understand why you’re acting like this when I’m finally trying to fulfill my duty as a child. You two have no relation to my maternal grandmother, especially since my own mother passed away. If anything, you’re on uncomfortable terms. So it’s only natural for me to take care of her.”

At her precise words, Ji Eun was briefly flustered. However, soon regaining her senses, Ji Eun’s eyes regained their characteristic greedy light as she opened her mouth in an overbearing manner.

“That may be the case for you. But what sin did your husband-to-be commit to suddenly have to take care of a demented elderly woman because of you?”

“……”

“So your father and I will take care of your grandmother instead. Since you’re not even bringing a dowry, we’ll do it while we’re at it. Then, you should just say thank you and accept it readily, what’s with all this backtalk? You’re marrying into the Jang family now, is that it? Is that why you’re talking back? You think that makes Min Tae Eun into Seo Tae Eun?”

Sick and tired of Ji Eun’s endless greed, Tae Eun determined there was no point in further conversation and stood up from her seat, letting out a remark.

“If you insist, then prepare a generous dowry.”

As shameless as possible, just as Woo Jin said.

Why? Because I have every right to be.

“Wh…what did you say?”

Ji Eun’s eyes widened as if they would pop out, shocked by the counterattack. She was so surprised that she couldn’t even spew the curses lingering on her lips. Only after Tae Eun grabbed her room’s doorknob did Ji Eun’s hysterical cursing ring out from the living room.

“You, you crazy… Hey, I’m not finished talking. Get over here right now. Right now! Hey−ahhh!”

Startled by the commotion, Ji Hoon ran out to calm Ji Eun down.

“Mom, mom. Don’t get so worked up. You might collapse like this! And what if Min Tae Eun goes and tells Seo Woo Jin about this as is? Then we’re really screwed!”

“Argh! Oh my god, how could this happen! This is why I said not to take in a black-haired beast. Oh dear… my fate. I raised her only for her to say such things… Oh, my fate!”

Hearing Ji Eun’s tenacious wailing, she entered her room and locked the door right away. It was due to the anxiety that an infuriated Ji Eun might barge in at any moment to slap her.

But such a thing did not happen.

It wasn’t that Ji Eun had changed. The solid shield called Seo Woo Jin thoroughly blocked Ji Eun’s manic behavior.

Ji Eun’s wailing continued for a while, but Tae Eun was no longer anxious.

For the first time in the 10 years since entering this house, she breathed properly.

Now she felt like a human being.

* * *

The first thing Woo Jin did upon entering the annex of the Jang family estate where he lived was to take a shower. Always obsessively clean, he routinely took a shower like a sacred ritual whenever he came home. As if washing away all the filth of the world, like that.

After showering, he came out with wet hair, wearing only a robe, and sat on the sofa. A deep sense of fatigue rushed in, but there was still work left to do. While driving home, he had heard from Director Park that the press release to be published as an article tomorrow morning had been received from the PR team.

Woo Jin opened the email and checked the material.

Since it was an article about his marriage, it needed to be carefully reviewed.

The article boldly included a photo of Tae Eun, somehow obtained. It was that familiar profile picture that had captivated him.

Did people know? That this photo was less than half as good as the real thing.

Whoever took it, the photographer deserved to be fired immediately.

The article did not contain detailed information about Tae Eun. Just a few words describing her as a beautiful and wealthy woman who majored in contemporary art. He was very pleased with that aspect. As instructed, they thoroughly protected her identity with just a few simple lines.

But,

“I don’t like it.”

He didn’t like the photo.

Not because the photo couldn’t capture the real thing, but simply because he hated the idea of the world seeing her. So in the end, he picked up his cell phone.

“Oh, Director Park. It’s me.”

[Yes. Vice President.]

“Let’s remove Ms. Min Tae Eun’s photo from my wedding article.”

[The, the photo?]

“Is there any need to publicly disclose to the world what the person I’m marrying looks like? It’s enough for me to see her with my own eyes.”

Well, he wasn’t wrong. So Director Park couldn’t say anything.

However, when the PR team handed over the article, they had to satisfy the readers’ curiosity to a certain extent to avoid any repercussions. Especially from the perspective of the journalist who would publish the article under their own name. That way, there would be no further digging due to curiosity.

But to remove the photo on top of mentioning the bride in just one line in a wedding article that drew the attention of the public, it was absurd.

He knew. Woo Jin was well aware, but still, he didn’t want to throw Tae Eun out as gossip fodder for many people.

“Why aren’t you answering?”

[Yes. I understand. I will inform the PR team accordingly.]

Only after hearing Director Park’s response did a satisfied smile appear on his lips.

He didn’t want to show her to anyone.

He intended to keep Min Tae Eun hidden away and be the only one to see her.

“Don’t come to the office tomorrow, go straight to Min Tae Eun’s house for work.”

[Yes. I will do that.]

After hearing Director Park’s answer, Woo Jin hung up the phone. Then, after checking a few more emails, he closed his laptop.

He checked the time. It was almost nine o’clock. Even if he went to bed after a busy day, he felt like he would fall asleep right away, but he didn’t do that. Instead, he turned his gaze to his cell phone.

“She’s not even calling once. Or at least a message.”

Was she playing hard to get?

Usually, when he showed favor, women would send messages as if they couldn’t resist. Saying thank you, or let’s meet again, or goodnight, using any excuse.

But this woman turned away coldly without looking back even once, and unless it was a moment she needed him, she never initiated a call, let alone a text.

The more he got to know her, the more she stood in stark contrast to other women.

But then the cell phone buzzed on the glass table. He was startled, uncharacteristically, as he happened to be glaring at the phone at that moment.

Finally, did Min Tae Eun call?

Woo Jin reached out, flipped the phone over, and checked the caller. Then he instantly extinguished the anticipation in his eyes. Stiffening his expression, he tossed the phone carelessly into the corner of the sofa and got up from his seat.

On the phone screen neglected by its owner, the three syllables ‘Park Seo Woo’ were blinking desperately.