Yuri discarded the blood-soaked tissue and pressed Yulli’s ruptured lips with a clean tissue.

“I’ll get it.”

Watching Mrs. Ahn leave the room to get the ointment, Yulli silently stared at her. She didn’t want to see anything right now.

Applying ointment could heal the wound on her lips, but what about the wounds in her heart?

Should she just cut out her heart completely to stop the pain?

Unfortunately, there was no clear answer in the world.

⭐⭐⭐
Yuri and Mrs. Ahn, hearing from the attending doctor that there were no major issues in the blood test results, returned. Yuri offered to stay and take care, but Yulli insisted she would be more comfortable alone.

Alone now, Yulli lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She didn’t even glance at the phone placed next to her. She didn’t have the courage to check for messages or voicemails from Jeho. At the sound of his voice, her heart might waver like a fool. That thought inflamed her.

When the hospital staff brought porridge for the evening meal, the door opened, and Jeho entered the room. He silently watched as the staff set up the makeshift table. After the staff left, Jeho approached and sat on the chair beside the bed.

“I heard from Yuri. Mr. Jeho brought me to the hospital. Thank you.”

Instead of responding, Jeho took the spoon from Yulli’s hand. Scooping up some porridge, he offered it to her. When he extended the spoon toward Yulli’s lips, she quietly lowered her head.

“I have the strength to lift a spoon.”

“I know.”

She didn’t want to eat the food he scooped. Yulli bit her lip and averted her gaze from the porridge. Jeho, then, brought the spoonful of porridge to Yulli’s lips and said softly as if urging her.

“I’m sorry.”

With a puzzled look, Yulli looked at him, and he pushed the spoon closer. It seemed like he wouldn’t continue speaking unless she ate at least one bite. Reluctantly, Yulli opened her mouth, allowing him to feed her the porridge. The feeling was strange. Perhaps like drinking poison, numbing her body.

When half the bowl was emptied, he slowly opened his mouth.

“On that night, when I saw you coming without even an outer coat, I should have noticed. It wasn’t right to leave you alone and go… What happened?”

“Nothing happened.”

Was it because he knew she was lying? Lies spilled out of her mouth just like his voice made her waver.

You’re not the only one who can act. I can do it too.

Staring at Jeho, Yulli continued her next words.

“I really went because I missed Mr. Jeho. I couldn’t bear it.”

Whether he believed her or not remained unknown, but he didn’t ask further and moved on to another question.

“So, what was the urgent matter that made you suddenly go to Seoul?”

“…Well.”

Fortunately, she had thought about what to say before Jeho arrived. It wasn’t a completely fabricated story. Based on facts, Yulli could face Jeho without hesitation.

“I had to meet Kim Assistant urgently. It turns out he assaulted a subordinate. The person’s name is Shin Dahee, and I know her because she’s Yuri’s senior at university.”

⭐⭐⭐
Even upon hearing the name Shin Dahee, Jeho’s expression showed no change. In the past, she might have been deceived by his outstanding acting, but not anymore. Looking at him maintaining a poker face, she could only feel disillusionment.

“Yeah, you must have been surprised.”

After Jeho mumbled softly, he again scooped up porridge with a spoon and brought it to her lips. Yulli shook her head, expressing that she couldn’t eat anymore. However, he didn’t back off.

“Don’t say that. Just take one more bite.”

When she hesitated, he insisted, and after she took a bite, Jeho put down the spoon and pushed the makeshift table aside.

“If we had left it like that, it could have developed into pneumonia. Understand?”

“Yes, I heard.”

Although the attending doctor found no major issues in the blood test results, he warned that without proper rest, she might collapse again at any time.

“…So, I wanted to talk to you, Mr. Jeho.”

Looking at him, she slowly began to speak.

“I’m thinking of spending some time at home after being discharged. It seems more comfortable.”

It was ironic. Eager to leave home even for a day, she had accepted the idea of a strategic marriage, but now she wanted to go home by herself.

However, under the current circumstances, having a seemingly normal family would be better than being deceived by her as a fraud. Jeho agreed to Yulli’s wish without much objection.

“If that’s more comfortable, okay. Let’s do that.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

Yulli smiled faintly, closing her eyes.

“I’m a bit tired… I’ll just close my eyes for a while.”

Though not sleepy, it was a convenient excuse not to look at him. Leaning against the bedside, closing her eyes, Yulli, Jeho quietly stood up and lowered the room’s light to a soft level. Returning to the chair, Jeho silently gazed at Yulli’s lips stained with blood.

He wanted to ask but couldn’t bring himself to. She would surely answer that it was nothing. Instead of asking, Jeho gently covered Yulli’s slender hand, lying on the blanket, with both hands. Yulli was initially surprised and tried to withdraw her hand. However, soon she allowed him to do as he pleased.

Although Yulli’s closed lips trembled slightly, she didn’t say a word. A brief awkward silence passed. Jeho, instead of releasing her hand, softly stroked Yulli’s hand with his thumb.

Looking at the white back of her hand in his, Jeho recalled the events from a few days ago.

On the day he brought Yulli to the hospital, he received a call from Representative Chae. Despite being busy with the temporary parliamentary session, he couldn’t remain indifferent to the news that Yulli had collapsed.

The conversation was brief.

“Yulli asked Assistant Kim about you,” Representative Chae said. “She asked, ‘Does Father know about Mr. Jeho?’ I don’t know her intentions behind the question, but it seems like she found out something. I’m not sure how much she knows.”

It seemed like he blamed himself for the reason his perfectly healthy daughter collapsed was because of Jeho.
―Anyway, as you requested, I won’t say a word.

It was pressure for him to confess the truth before Yulli spoke first.

Awakening from his recollection, Jeho turned his gaze from Yulli’s white back of the hand to her pale face. Yulli, with her eyes closed, showed no sign of movement. She probably wouldn’t open her eyes until he left the hospital.

What should I do?

Without averting his gaze from Yulli, Jeho muttered to himself inwardly.

I have no intention of letting you go…

Even if she knew the whole truth, nothing would change.