The Day I Quit Being a Wife (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 1
“She’s come back.”
At her husband’s words, Eun Soo couldn’t utter a single reply.
Just minutes ago, the two of them had shared each other’s warmth, doing what any ordinary married couple might do to have a child.
Her body was still warm. Yet the moment her husband spoke, Eun Soo instantly felt her whole body go cold.
“I got a message from her last week.”
“…….”
“I just want to help her.”
Eun Soo turned her head and looked at her husband.
Beneath his thick eyebrows lay eyes with faint double eyelids, a straight, prominent nose, and below it, well-shaped lips.
Her husband, Moon Hyuk Joo, was undeniably handsome—so striking that anyone passing by would turn their head to look.
Perhaps sensing Eun Soo’s gaze linger on him longer than usual,
Hyuk Joo spoke in his usual detached tone.
“I have no intention of getting divorced.”
As if anticipating that Eun Soo might worry about divorce, he preemptively shut the door on that possibility.
His unforgettable first love had returned, and he intended to help her—but still, he wouldn’t divorce.
How selfish.
Eun Soo muttered silently to herself.
She should have said, “If that’s what you want, I’ll give you a divorce.”
“……Fine, then.”
All that came out of her mouth was a resigned reply.
She had no other choice.
After all, she was the one who had insisted on this marriage, fully aware that her husband carried an unforgettable love in his heart.
“There’s someone I like. I’m still searching for her.”
At their very first meeting, he had confirmed the truth of the rumors swirling around him.
“If you’re expecting love from this marriage, it’d be better to pretend it never happened.”
He had plainly declared he could marry her—but never give her love.
His words from two years ago came back to her now with crystal clarity, as vivid as if spoken just moments ago.
That was why she couldn’t do anything but tell him to go ahead and meet that woman again.
Because she had entered this marriage with full knowledge of everything.
“Thanks for understanding.”
His tone was flat, as if he’d expected exactly this reaction from her—
so devoid of feeling that his words of gratitude rang hollow.
Eun Soo stared straight into her husband’s face.
“It’s not about understanding….”
Hyuk Joo turned his head the moment he felt Eun Soo’s gaze on him. In response, Eun Soo lifted the corners of her lips into a faint smile.
“I’m accepting it because I have no choice. I still need your money.”
For an instant, Hyuk Joo’s pupils widened sharply.
She had married a man who carried another woman in his heart—for the sake of money. She had merely reminded him of that truth.
He, too, knew it better than anyone.
That was exactly why he could so casually say the woman had returned and that he wouldn’t let her go.
But Eun Soo couldn’t understand the look in his eyes just now.
She had no intention of begging for love from a man who already held someone else in his heart.
“So don’t worry about me at all—just take care of her.”
“Eun Soo.”
“All I need is to keep my position as Moon Hyuk Joo’s wife.”
Eun Soo picked up the robe carelessly tossed at the foot of the bed, wrapped it around herself, and quickly walked into the bathroom.
She turned the faucet on full blast and slumped weakly onto the edge of the bathtub.
Oh, what am I going to do?
Tears spilled down her cheeks.
Eun Soo buried her wet face in her palms.
She had prayed that her husband’s woman would never reappear.
Her mother-in-law had assured her the woman had taken enough money to last a lifetime and left the country.
Of course, she wouldn’t come back to Korea—
not after taking that money.
Eun Soo had foolishly believed that.
Maybe she’d run out of money?
If that’s the case, she should’ve just contacted me instead.
Then I’d have given her everything I had, begged her with all I owned—just to never show up in front of my husband again….
“Bitch.”
Thinking of that faceless woman, Eun Soo let out the harshest curse she could manage within her limits.
For two years of marriage, her husband’s woman had lingered like a shadow that never faded, always trailing behind him.
Whenever her work-obsessed husband stood silently in the dark living room after a late return, staring out the window, Eun Soo felt uneasy.
She never dared to touch his back, even when he stood like that for a long time.
If he turned around, she feared she’d find that woman nestled deep in his arms. So each time, Eun Soo quietly turned away, pretending not to notice.
I’ll forget about it with time, she’d told herself.
But now….
Only today did Eun Soo finally realize it.
No matter how desperately she tried, she’d never win even a speck of her husband’s heart.
How many times had she wished he’d look at her—just once?
That desperate longing had only grown deeper with each passing day, until it became impossible to tear away.
Just as her husband carried that woman in his heart, Eun Soo had come to hold him in hers.
And that was why she’d told him so calmly to go meet that woman—and then fled into the bathroom to cry.
“Huh….”
Eun Soo clapped her hand over her mouth to stifle the sobs threatening to escape.
Their marriage had been one of convenience.
He needed the appearance of a respectable married life; she needed a way out of her shameless father’s grasp. Their interests had aligned perfectly.
Yet Eun Soo had been sincere.
Though her father had pushed her into it, she truly loved Moon Hyuk Joo—that’s why she’d married him.
Three years ago, at their arranged meeting, Eun Soo had been utterly shocked.
He was someone she already knew. But Hyuk Joo showed no sign of recognizing her.
Perhaps it was only natural.
After all, he’d been completely drunk that day.
She’d been so happy to meet him again. But he’d told her he already had someone he loved.
“That’s fine. I just need to get married.”
His eyes had shown a flicker of interest in her calm acceptance—and foolishly, that had made her happy.
Because it meant she’d managed to draw his attention, even just a little.
“I want to move my mom to a good hospital.”
That was the only condition Eun Soo had set for their marriage.
Ever since she’d witnessed her father’s affair and her mother collapsed afterward, she’d been caring for her.
Her mother lay unconscious, hooked to a ventilator, with virtually no hope of recovery—but Eun Soo couldn’t give up on her.
Fortunately, Hyuk Joo had taken all this into account.
The moment their wedding date was set, he moved Eun Soo’s mother from her old hospital room straight into a VIP suite.
That was when it began.
The day her life became collateral in a loveless marriage.
Eun Soo had no complaints. On the contrary, she was glad—glad that she’d become Hyuk Joo’s wife, even in this way.
Because she loved him.
She didn’t care if others whispered behind her back, calling her a pitiful woman.
She kept telling herself: What’s pitiful about living as the wife of the man I love?
But the moment her husband said the woman he’d been longing for had returned, Eun Soo suddenly felt the utter wretchedness of her life.
“I just want to help her. I have no intention of getting divorced.”
Turning over her husband’s words in her mind, Eun Soo let out a hollow laugh.
He might have already said those exact words to that woman.
After all, it wasn’t that woman who needed his pity—it was Oh Eun Soo.
Eun Soo gave a dry smile.
What a pitiful marriage.
Yet she absolutely couldn’t let go of it.
Because of her mother’s medical bills—and because of her love for Hyuk Joo.
“Haa….”
Eun Soo let out a long sigh, rose from the edge of the tub, and walked over to the sink.
She turned the faucet all the way to the right to let cold water flow.
Splashing her face with cold water helped cool her overheated body slightly. She rubbed her face vigorously to erase the tear stains.
As she dried her face, she looked at her reflection in the mirror.
Her face, now only faintly flushed, looked perfectly normal—unless examined closely, no one would guess she’d been crying.
This should be enough.
“Whoof.”
Taking a deep breath, Eun Soo stepped out of the bathroom. When she entered the bedroom, she saw Hyuk Joo sitting against the headboard, tablet in hand, eyes fixed on the screen.
He looked so effortlessly handsome it made her ache—so unfairly perfect that she nearly burst into tears again.
Sensing her presence, Hyuk Joo looked up.
Startled, Eun Soo forced a composed expression and asked,
“Aren’t you sleeping?”
“Can’t sleep.”
It even seemed like a faint smile touched his lips.
Was he happy because she’d given him permission to see that woman?
Even near midnight, his eyes shone with astonishing brightness—so clearly thrilled at the thought of her that Eun Soo’s heart ached.
After all the effort I’ve made for two whole years….
Yet with just one appearance by that woman, all her efforts had turned to foam.
For a moment, anger flared.
She remembered her husband’s words: that he loved that woman, yet wouldn’t divorce her.
Eun Soo walked to the side of the bed and looked at Hyuk Joo. Then, as if playing a villain making a final, desperate plea, she squeezed her voice out with all her might.
“No child.”
Her words seemed to hit their mark—Hyuk Joo momentarily lost his words and furrowed his brow.
“I’m not generous enough to raise another woman’s child.”
“Right now….”
“So absolutely no child.”
“Are you out of your mind?”
Hyuk Joo’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief. Then he stood from the bed and left the room.
Alone in the bedroom, Eun Soo squeezed her eyes shut tightly, then opened them again.
She knew sleep wouldn’t come in this state.
Eun Soo walked to the dressing room and began preparing to go out. She had to escape—to her mother’s hospital room, the only place where she could breathe.
She pressed the phone keypad firmly and typed a message:
After sending the message to inform Hyuk Joo of her overnight absence, Eun Soo headed downstairs.
In the living room, her mother-in-law, reading a book on the sofa, looked up in surprise.
“Where are you going?”
“To my mother’s hospital.”
“At this hour?”
Taking off her glasses, her mother-in-law frowned in clear displeasure.
Gripping her bag strap tightly, Eun Soo spoke slowly.
“…I haven’t been able to visit even once this week, so it’s been weighing on my mind.”
“Can’t you go in the daytime tomorrow?”
Muttering under her breath as if annoyed, her mother-in-law added, “What’s so urgent?”
She glanced at Eun Soo, who stood stiffly, and continued,
“It’s cruel to ask someone to come or go at this hour of night. It’s cold out, too.”
Eun Soo instinctively knew she couldn’t push any further.
“I’m sorry. I’ll go tomorrow afternoon.”
“Good.”
Eun Soo went back upstairs. She felt exactly like a prisoner caught trying to escape from jail.
Sighing deeply, she opened the bedroom door.
“…Hyuk Joo?”
The moment she opened it, Hyuk Joo stood right in front of her.
He, too, looked momentarily startled to see her.
He was already dressed to go out—apparently just about to leave the house himself.
Ah.
Eun Soo sighed inwardly.
She thought she knew exactly where he was headed so late at night.
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
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Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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The extreme miscommunication is getting on my nerves now.
I wish he could actually say what he fully means for once
Hyuk Joo does not mess around. When dealing with someone like this you have to be direct!