The Bad Husband (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 12
Knock knock.
As soon as I knocked, Chairwoman Jung’s voice came from inside.
“Come in.”
When I entered the study, I saw Chairwoman Jung sitting at a huge desk, wearing reading glasses and intently staring at something.
“Looks like the aunts have left.”
“Let them be. They’re holding some kind of emergency meeting among themselves and making a huge fuss right now.”
An unexpected marriage to an unexpected person—it seemed the three women had banded together over this unprecedented situation. But he wasn’t particularly worried. Once permission had fallen from Chairwoman Jung’s lips, there was no one who could reverse that decision.
“I just looked into that girl a little.”
“Can a few sheets of paper really tell you someone’s entire life?”
“You’re right, they can’t. Still, I thought this would be better than interrogating her.”
“…….”
“She’s lived a harder life than I expected. Yet she grew up straight and strong.”
“Yes. That’s right. So please be a little kinder to her, Grandmother.”
“From the way you’re talking, it seems you’ve completely made up your mind.”
Chairwoman Jung took off her reading glasses as she spoke, and Woo Jin silently nodded.
“I remember that even though you dated, you never once brought up the word ‘marriage.’”
“That’s true. Dating doesn’t automatically mean marriage.”
“Then why are you so certain about her?”
“On the contrary—why did you give permission for her, Grandmother?”
“You cheeky boy. I asked first.”
“I just thought perhaps the reason you allowed it is the same as mine. I can’t quite put it into words, but I feel the same way you do.”
Chairwoman Jung let out a soft chuckle. It sounded flippant, yet at the same time it carried weight.
The moment she saw Tae Eun sitting upright and alone in that hostile atmosphere, a strange feeling had washed over her. How could such a frail body be so unbreakable? It felt like watching a small, sturdy boat that rocked violently in rough waves yet never sank. On top of that, the way Tae Eun controlled Woo Jin’s anger gave Chairwoman Jung an indescribable sense of certainty.
“I thought your taste in women was completely crooked.”
“Crooked? If anything, it’s too accurate—that’s the problem.”
“Let’s make one thing perfectly clear.”
“What is it?”
“You’ve cleanly ended things with Park Seo Woo, right?”
“That story ended a year ago, and you’re still bringing it up. So you won’t have to wonder anymore, I’ll give you the final, exact truth.”
“…….”
“Yes, my feelings for her as a lover are over. However, Park Seo Woo is still someone I have to take care of. That’s… the last duty I have as a human being.”
“In the end, you can’t even cut that off?”
“No.”
“…….”
“If I cut even that, I wouldn’t be human anymore.”
Chairwoman Jung’s lips tightened in clear displeasure, but she didn’t argue further. She understood, at least to some extent, the guilt and sense of responsibility weighing on Woo Jin’s shoulders.
“Fine. I understand. Let’s set the formal family meeting and wedding dates as soon as possible. To stop the scandal from growing any bigger, it’ll be best to hurry the marriage.”
Woo Jin nodded and stood up. Then, looking straight at Chairwoman Jung who was gazing up at him, he gave a bright smile.
“Thank you, Grandmother.”
“You tasteless brat. Get out of here. Let me read in peace.”
* * *
“Tae Eun-ah.”
From outside the door, Ji Eun gently called Tae Eun’s name. Then, without waiting for an answer, she opened the door and came in.
“I brought some apples. I bought them at the department store a while ago—they were really sweet.”
Ji Eun set the plate of apples on the small tea table and spoke in a friendly tone, but Tae Eun knew her true intentions and wasn’t particularly shaken.
“I’ll enjoy them. Thank you.”
“Good. By the way—did you properly explain to Seo Woo Jin about our Ji Hoon?”
“…….”
“Why not? That was just a misunderstanding. You two are so close, and Ji Hoon got drunk and made a little mistake.”
“Yes. I told him.”
“Really? What did Seo Woo Jin say?”
“He said he understood.”
She didn’t bother going into detail about what kind of feelings Woo Jin actually had toward Ji Hoon. It didn’t seem like it would help Ji Eun much anyway.
“Phew, what a relief. Then it won’t affect your marriage, right?”
“Yes. Probably not.”
“Of course it shouldn’t.”
“But if Ji Hoon makes that kind of ‘mistake’ again, I can’t guarantee anything. Even normally he never calls me ‘noona’ and just uses my name.”
“That’s because—!”
“…….”
“Hmm… alright, I understand. I’ll talk to him firmly about that part. Tell him to be careful when other people are around.”
Ji Eun swallowed her anger and changed her words. After all, her biggest goal right now was to somehow make Jangwon’s Seo Woo Jin her son-in-law.
“So when is he coming to greet our family? If he’s decided to marry you, shouldn’t he have come to introduce himself already?”
“He’ll come soon.”
“Good. Then let me know in advance once the date is set. I need time to prepare too.”
“Yes. I will.”
Only after hearing that answer did Ji Eun nod and leave the room.
Looking at the plate of apples on the table, Tae Eun once again felt the overwhelming power carried by the name Seo Woo Jin. It was the name that had instantly silenced Ji Eun and Ji Hoon, who had been throwing fits moments ago.
* * *
When she heard that the date for the formal family meeting had been set, Tae Eun was a little surprised. It was faster than expected. Moreover, she could no longer delay Woo Jin visiting her home.
It was no big deal for him to come greet the family before the meeting, but after Ji Hoon’s drunken incident exposed the family’s ugly side, showing him the household felt even more awkward. No matter how naturally talented Min Kyung Hoon and Ji Eun were at acting, it seemed difficult to escape Woo Jin’s sharp instincts.
Still, that moment couldn’t be avoided.
And time passed quickly—finally, the day arrived.
It was her getting married, yet Ji Eun had been in an uproar since the day before—getting massages, shopping, everything. And on the morning of the day itself, she hounded Yang Joo while checking the food. After all that fuss, the time came.
The doorbell rang.
When the door opened, Woo Jin appeared with his executive secretary, Director Park. Director Park handed over the gifts he had brought and left, while Woo Jin sat down on the sofa in the middle of the living room.
Just one person entering and taking a seat made the spacious living room feel completely full.
“Ma’am, not this one—bring the tea that Madam Seo Won gave us last time.”
After giving Yang Joo that short order, Ji Eun pressed a hand to her pounding heart and turned her gaze to the living room.
Seeing Seo Woo Jin in person was truly impressive. Tall stature, standout physique, looks that would make actors cry with envy, and natural charisma—he exceeded all the rumors. If Ji Eun had a real daughter, she would sincerely want Seo Woo Jin as a son-in-law.
Unfortunately, she had no real daughter, and her only option was Min Tae Eun. Never having given birth to a daughter had become a lifelong regret she would carry to her grave.
“Oh no, if you’d come around lunchtime I would have prepared a full meal. The timing is awkward. For now, have some of this, and later stay for dinner.”
Ji Eun put on the friendliest smile in the world, personally brought out a plate of fruit, and set it on the table. Min Kyung Hoon also opened his mouth with a pleasant smile.
“I heard about the mistake our Ji Hoon made a while back. You must have been so shocked on your first meeting. I’m truly sorry.”
He brought it up first to clear any possible misunderstanding, but Woo Jin, however, was not so easily placated. As if recalling that day, he frowned and spoke.
“Yes. To be honest, I was quite shocked. If Miss Tae Eun hadn’t defended him saying he’s her younger brother, I would have taken him to the police station.”
At that unflinching, straightforward statement, Ji Eun’s eyebrows shot up. Min Kyung Hoon was equally startled. And of course, Ji Hoon, standing nearby, turned deathly pale.
“No, what on earth did our Ji Hoon do that was so terrible? From what I heard, it wasn’t a big deal…”
Ji Eun openly showed her displeasure, but Woo Jin did not waver. By speaking up, she only made him add one more sentence to something that might have quietly passed.
“Did Miss Tae Eun say that? That it wasn’t a big deal?”
“Well, Ji Hoon said the same thing.”
“Ah, so in this house, casually calling a sister seven years older by her name and sexually harassing her is ‘not a big deal.’”
An indefinable contempt filled his flat voice. Then Woo Jin slowly shifted his icy gaze to Ji Hoon. Under that piercing stare, Ji Hoon felt his mind go blank.
“Oh dear, did he does get a bit emotional when he drinks. And the reason he calls Tae Eun by name is because the kids are usually so close that sometimes they forget formalities. I always tell him not to.”
Ji Eun rattled off blatant lies without the slightest hint of guilt. Tae Eun should have gotten used to it by now, but every time, she felt her blood dry up and evaporate at how horrifying Ji Eun was.
Fortunately, those excuses didn’t work on Woo Jin at all. Of course—he had witnessed the scene himself, so Ji Eun’s lies couldn’t distort the truth.
Seeing him not blink an eye at the excuses, Ji Eun shot Tae Eun a resentful glare—blaming her for not explaining properly. Then she blinked and looked at Min Kyung Hoon, openly urging him to say something.
Of course, the clear facts couldn’t be undone, but they absolutely could not let this incident ruin the marriage. So Min Kyung Hoon cleared his throat and spoke.
“Ahem. As Ji Hoon’s mother said, Tae Eun and Ji Hoon are really close. That’s probably how this situation happened. Normally, though, Ji Hoon is very respectful toward Tae Eun. Right, Tae Eun-ah?”
This time Min Kyung Hoon shamelessly turned the arrow toward Tae Eun, seeking her agreement. He thought that if she just said yes, it could be wrapped up as a drunken mishap.
But this time, she couldn’t nod like usual. How could her father side with Ji Hoon even in a moment like this? Today, that felt especially unfair and painful.
At her silent hesitation, Ji Eun raised her eyebrows and scolded.
“Oh my, why isn’t she saying anything? Seo Woo Jin is misunderstanding. At times like this you should step up and clear the misunderstanding—how can you just clamp your mouth shut?”
However, the one who reacted to the scolding was not Tae Eun, it was Woo Jin.
How could every single person in this household be completely incapable of reflection? The anger he had barely suppressed since that day began boiling again.
“Perhaps I spoke too harshly. Or maybe my speaking skills are so poor that I failed to convey my meaning properly.”
“What on earth…”
“That was blatant sexual harassment. Something that should not be done to anyone—not strangers, not family.”
“Goodness, really now. Our Ji Hoon would never…”
Even while speaking as if embarrassed, Min Kyung Hoon did not forget to shield his son to the end. At this point, Woo Jin grew curious. Ji Eun was the boy’s real mother, so that was understandable—but why on earth did Min Kyung Hoon neglect Tae Eun so thoroughly?
He had expected it, but facing her hell in person scraped painfully at Woo Jin’s insides. In truth, he felt more anger toward Min Kyung Hoon than toward Ji Eun. No matter how much Ji Eun schemed and drove a wedge between father and daughter, the true sin was the incompetence of a father who let himself be wrapped in her skirt and failed to see the truth.
“Anyway, it seems our Ji Hoon made a mistake on your first meeting, so I’m very sorry about that. Ji Hoon-ah, hurry and apologize.”
“I-I’m sorry. That was never my intention. I’ll really be careful from now on.”
Ji Hoon apologized in a slightly trembling voice under Woo Jin’s unexpected aura. But Woo Jin’s expression remained dark even after receiving the apology.
“That’s wrong. I’m not the one you should apologize to.”
“…….”
“You should apologize to your noona.”
At the chilling tone that seemed to cut off breath, Ji Hoon swallowed hard, and Ji Eun quickly prompted from the side.
“Yes. You need to apologize to your noona.”
“I’m… I’m sorry. It was my mistake. I won’t do it again.”
He apologized, but Ji Hoon’s face, now bluish-white, showed no sign of regaining color. It looked as though one more second under Woo Jin’s killing intent would give him a heart attack and make him faint.
“Good. Since you’ve apologized, Ji Hoon, you can go back to your room now.”
Min Kyung Hoon quickly opened his mouth to remove Ji Hoon from Woo Jin’s sight. Ji Hoon stood up as if he had been waiting for those words and tried to leave, but Woo Jin didn’t let him go that easily.
“Brother-in-law.”
That spine-chilling voice stabbed the back of Ji Hoon’s head as he turned. Frozen stiff, Ji Hoon slowly turned to face Woo Jin.
“I’m going to marry your noona soon, so it’s okay to call you brother-in-law, right?”
“…Yes.”
When Ji Hoon answered, Woo Jin lowered his gaze, picked up a slice of apple from the fruit plate with his fork—piercing it sharply—and stared at it while keeping his eyes down. To Ji Hoon, it felt exactly as if he himself were that apple slice gripped in Woo Jin’s hand; he could barely breathe.
Without looking at Ji Hoon, Woo Jin spoke slowly.
“I have just one request.”
“Yes.”
“From now on, even when no one else is around, please refrain from that kind of ‘joking’ with your noona. And don’t be stingy with calling her ‘noona’ in normal times either.”
“…….”
“Of course I’m concerned about what others think, but more than that—if anyone treats my woman carelessly, I tend to lose my mind.”
“I… understand.”
Ji Hoon lowered his head deeply and went inside.
For a while, a storm-like silence covered the living room. The smile that Ji Eun had been forcing disappeared from the corners of her mouth.
Because every word Woo Jin had spoken so deliberately was not only for Ji Hoon—it was a warning aimed at Min Kyung Hoon and Ji Eun as well.
Min Tae Eun is mine now, so don’t touch her.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
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Chapter Comments (9)
Inline Comments (2)
Every time Seo Woo spoke, the lips painted the same color as hers felt strangely
The alleged mistress is showing more courage than the legitimate wife!
“You’re pathetic.”
She is pathetic and you are pathetic too dragging your innocent wife in your messy life
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He couldn’t provide her the sense of security she needed all the time
Yes get way from this annoying man..he is only good at making excuses
Just leave her alone you jerk !!..she is exhausted 😔