The Bad Husband - Chapter 50

“For someone, it’s a child they want but can’t have, while for another, it’s a child they have to abandon… The world is truly ironic, isn’t it?”

Leaning against the doorframe, Tae Eun blinked in surprise at the sight of Seo Woo standing there. While running into Seo Woo at the hotel could be coincidental, she never imagined meeting her again during volunteer work at the orphanage.

That meant it wasn’t a coincidence.

Tae Eun was certain Seo Woo had intentionally sought her out. A strange anger stirred deep within her chest.

“Looks like you’re very surprised? That I showed up here.”

“…”

“Actually, I used to volunteer at orphanages quite often. And donate a lot too. Because I’m also… from an orphanage.”

Seo Woo approached Tae Eun, openly revealing her background. Instinctively, Tae Eun hugged the child closer and looked at Seo Woo with hostile dark eyes.

Seeing that look, Seo Woo smiled slightly. She found it amusing how Tae Eun embraced the child first, even in this situation.

“You didn’t know, did you? That I’m from an orphanage. Did my elder brother not tell you?”

Seo Woo deliberately provoked her by mentioning Woo Jin. At this, Tae Eun’s suppressed anger finally exploded quietly.

“Ms. Park Seo Woo, I’m not interested in your background. And I don’t care what you do here either. However…”

“However?”

When Seo Woo questioned, Tae Eun covered the child’s ears and continued in an even lower voice.

“Since you’re from an orphanage, you’d understand well. How hurtful the expression ‘abandoned’ can be for children. This child is young but can understand. So… I’d appreciate if you refrain from using such expressions here.”

At her words, Seo Woo was left speechless, her mouth slightly agape. She looked as if she had been struck hard by Tae Eun.

She should argue back, or at least mutter some excuse, but no words came out. As Tae Eun said, being from an orphanage herself, Seo Woo knew all too well how deeply wounding the expression “abandoned” could be, even if said casually.

It was even more shocking that Tae Eun had reminded her of her own childhood past, which she had momentarily forgotten in her jealousy.

Her hands trembled and her heart sank.

It was absolutely right.

So she stood there, the shock not subsiding, mixed with shame, misery, and anger.

Unconsciously, she turned her gaze to the child Tae Eun was holding, with shocked eyes. But Seo Woo couldn’t look at the child for long. Because Tae Eun had turned away, completely shielding the child from her. As if trying to avoid something unsightly, just like that.

Then, as she hurried out, she didn’t forget to drop one last remark.

“If you came to volunteer, just do your volunteer work quietly and leave.”

“!”

“Don’t commit unnecessary sins against the children.”

The final words pierced Seo Woo’s heart like a dagger.

* * *

“Aunt, they say that lady is very famous. Do you know her too?”

Tae Eun tried to forget Seo Woo’s presence and focus on her work. But it wasn’t easy to ignore a top star who attracted attention wherever she went. Even children who didn’t know Seo Woo started to show interest in her.

“Yes. They say she’s a famous actress.”

Though she had to answer the children’s questions, it made her more aware of Seo Woo’s presence. The one fortunate thing was that, unlike before, Park Seo Woo’s existence wasn’t such a great burden to her anymore.

She didn’t know why.

It wasn’t as difficult to face Seo Woo as it had been when they first met, or when they reunited at the hotel years later, to the point of feeling short of breath.

Of course, she was momentarily confused when she saw the text Seo Woo sent a few days ago, but from the moment she decided to trust Woo Jin, Tae Eun fiercely disciplined herself.

Still, whenever she wavered, she recalled Woo Jin’s words.

– Park Seo Woo and I, we ended long ago.

That one sentence was the greatest comfort to her. When Seo Woo crossed her vision and her heart raced wildly, Woo Jin’s voice from that day steadied her trembling self. Thanks to that, she could barely maintain her composure. As long as Seo Woo didn’t try to provoke her in other ways.

However, who is Park Seo Woo?

She’s the woman who bravely appeared on her wedding day, extending her hand for a handshake. Tae Eun instinctively knew she wouldn’t just let things be.

The one fortunate thing was that, as if her claim of being from an orphanage wasn’t a lie, Seo Woo worked hard without sparing herself. She skillfully changed the children’s diapers, didn’t shy away from doing the sun-dried laundry, and diligently applied herself to all tasks.

After one round of hard work like that, Tae Eun prepared to say goodbye to the children. But young Hee Ju, sensing the impending farewell, clung tightly to her clothes, refusing to let go.

When the director finally managed to detach Hee Ju and take her inside, Tae Eun turned away with a regretful heart.

Sure enough, Seo Woo, who had finished work earlier and disappeared before her, stepped out of her car in the parking lot as if she had been waiting.

Tae Eun watched calmly as Seo Woo approached her. Even with a plain appearance and no makeup, she was dazzling, perhaps due to her top star aura.

What on earth was she going to say this time?

“I made a mistake earlier. As someone from an orphanage, I should have known better than anyone, but I momentarily forgot my duty. That the children… would be hurt by those words.”

It was unexpected. She thought Seo Woo would say something to irritate her, but instead, she admitted her mistake first.

However, that was too hasty a judgment on Tae Eun’s part. Seo Woo hadn’t even gotten to her main point yet.

“If you’ve realized that, it’s fine.”

As she spoke and turned away, Seo Woo’s voice slowly pierced her heart from behind.

“But why don’t you have children, Ms. Min Tae Eun? From what I saw today, you seem to dote on children. Is it because my elder brother doesn’t like them?”

For a moment, she thought she had misheard.

How dare Park Seo Woo, by what right, mention children to her!

Seo Woo had crossed the line. And by quite a distance.

Tae Eun slowly turned to face Seo Woo. At that gaze, Seo Woo was momentarily startled. This wasn’t Tae Eun’s usual self. The Tae Eun who couldn’t even meet her eyes and turned away whenever she saw her was gone.

Tae Eun’s unfathomably deep black eyes scrutinized Seo Woo pressingly from under her long lashes. At that gaze, Seo Woo felt goosebumps all over her body.

To think Tae Eun could give such a look. What on earth had happened to Min Tae Eun?

“That’s our couple’s privacy. I don’t understand why you’re even mentioning such things, Ms. Park Seo Woo.”

“That’s…”

“I have absolutely no personal feelings towards you, Ms. Park Seo Woo. So I’d appreciate if you’d stop these childish acts from now on.”

Tae Eun’s clear and calm voice floated in the air, provoking Seo Woo.

It was Seo Woo who had tried to incite Tae Eun, but instead, she found herself being drawn in by her. Knowing this, Seo Woo still couldn’t stop. She felt she needed to scratch at Tae Eun one last time, even if it left her in tatters.

“Don’t lie. How can you have absolutely no personal feelings towards me? Do you think that makes sense? What woman in this world could have no personal feelings towards her husband’s woman!”

At Seo Woo’s outcry, Tae Eun’s dark gaze settled coldly. Then she quickly checked her surroundings. To make sure once again that there was no one listening. Fortunately, they were alone in the parking lot located at the back of the orphanage.

After confirming this, Tae Eun approached Seo Woo with slow steps.

Seo Woo felt that Tae Eun’s shadow, approaching like that, seemed particularly enormous today. Tae Eun looked straight into Seo Woo’s eyes and spoke each word with emphasis in her calmest voice ever.

“Who is my husband’s woman?”

At that moment, Seo Woo’s beautiful eyebrows contorted miserably.

You don’t know? Are you asking because you don’t know? It’s me, of course!

But those words, which she should have screamed at the top of her lungs, couldn’t pass her trembling lips and painfully circled near her throat.

“Ms. Park Seo Woo, listen to me carefully. You might have played me until now, but not anymore. Because I… found out the truth.”

“The truth? What truth?”

“That you and Woo Jin ended a very long time ago.”

The moment she heard those words, Seo Woo clenched her fists so tightly that her closely trimmed nails dug into her palms.

Yes, this was it.

The reason why Tae Eun seemed different today.

“Have you met Woo Jin recently? Have you exchanged even a single word with him?”

“!”

Faced with Tae Eun’s confident questioning, Seo Woo couldn’t even lie. Because recently, she hadn’t even properly exchanged text messages with Woo Jin, let alone spoken to him.

She hated Tae Eun for pointing out this stark reality. She hated herself even more for not being able to say a single word confidently to her.

“Stop it now. You know as well as I do that provoking Woo Jin won’t do you any good.”

“Provoke? Do you think I’m merely provoking my elder brother?”

“Then what is it? Are you trying to provoke me? What do you gain from this, Seo Woo?”

“I’m telling you the truth!”

Yes, I’m trying to tell you. How deep my relationship with my elder brother is. That you’re just a passing acquaintance. That in the end, my elder brother will return to my side, I’m trying to warn you in advance.

But reality flowed miserably, contrary to Seo Woo’s heart.

“Is that so? Is that the truth you know? Then let me tell you the truth I know.”

“…”

“You and Woo Jin ended a long time ago.”

“!”

“That’s the truth I know.”

It felt like her heart was violently pumping, spewing out blood. Seo Woo looked at Tae Eun, who was so calm unlike herself, with trembling lips, as if she couldn’t believe it.

Min Tae Eun had changed! She had changed so much that Seo Woo wondered if the woman before her eyes was really the Min Tae Eun she knew.

She was overcome with resentment. The emotion that had grown to the point of burning her heart seemed to finally consume her entire body. So Seo Woo made one last desperate attempt at Tae Eun’s retreating back.

“Ms. Min Tae Eun! You’re wrong! The truth you know isn’t the truth! My elder brother will never abandon me! Do you know why? Because there’s a connection between my elder brother and me that you don’t know about!”

And that attempt succeeded. Because Tae Eun, who had been turning away, slowly turned her head to look at Seo Woo.

Tae Eun’s darkened eyes held countless questions.

Only then did Seo Woo realize that the initiative in this game had passed to her. Because she had succeeded in planting a tiny seed of doubt in Tae Eun’s solid heart.

“Connection…?”

Yes. You must be curious. You must be.

But I won’t give you the answer.

“So… Seo Woo Jin can never abandon Park Seo Woo. Never.”

That way, that seed of doubt would silently eat away at Tae Eun’s faith.