“I am a co-CEO of Bauhaus.”

“What?”

What did he just say? Minwoo glared at Jeho with disbelieving eyes. But soon he frowned as if realizing the situation.

“So the reason Kim senior rejected the merger was because of you?”

When Kim Sojang, who was having difficulties running the atelier, rejected KG Construction’s merger proposal, Minwoo had dismissed it as a reckless act of pride. He expected them to surrender as soon as the funding was cut off, but was puzzled to see them continuing to operate precariously. And now it turns out it was all because Kwon Jeho was behind it. He thought Jeho had returned to Korea at the chairman’s call, but was it planned long ago instead?

Minwoo’s eyes darkened as he looked at Jeho.

“What exactly are you scheming?”

Just then the door opened and Yuri walked out. The hallway outside was noisy, so she came to see what was going on.

“Minwoo, what’s wrong?”

Seeing Minwoo unable to contain his anger with a face red up to his neck, Yuri approached with a surprised look.

“Yuri, why didn’t you tell me your elder brother was the CEO here?”

“Huh?”

While it might be a bit surprising that Kwon Jeho was co-CEO, it wasn’t something to get this angry about. Yuri turned to Jeho with a puzzled look. What on earth did these two talk about? But Jeho entered the office without any explanation, passing by the two of them.

“I’m not done talking. Where are you going?”

As the agitated Minwoo tried to follow Jeho, Yuri hurriedly grabbed Minwoo’s arm. Yesterday it was Lady Na causing a scene, is it Minwoo’s turn today?

“Stop it. What are you doing in front of someone else’s company?”

“Someone else’s company?”

“This won’t do. Let’s go somewhere and talk.”

“Go where?”

When Minwoo refused to budge no matter how much she pulled, Yuri had no choice but to put her arm around his waist, almost embracing him. For a moment, Minwoo’s eyes widened as if startled. Then he stopped resisting and obediently followed Yuri out of the company building. Yuri took Minwoo to a cafe across the street.

“Why are you so angry?”

As soon as they sat down, Yuri immediately asked the question. She had known Minwoo for a long time, but had never seen him this angry before. Of course, she had heard about it from acquaintances. But she never dreamed he would get so excited that even his nape turned red.

“You’re asking because you don’t know? It means you’ve been seeing my elder brother’s face at work all this time without telling me.”

Minwoo described it as if Yuri had been caught cheating behind his back. Who’s the one who really had an affair? Yuri couldn’t help but laugh at Minwoo’s hypocritical attitude, but now wasn’t the time to argue about that.

“What do you mean I hid it? I thought you would know of course. We’re family.”

“What family! A cousin I’m seeing for the first time in 10 years. Ah, shit…”

The end of his words were mumbled and hard to hear, but when a harsh curse flowed from Minwoo’s mouth, Yuri finally burst out with the complaints she had been holding in.

“You might go to work to do other things, but I don’t. So stop making weird excuses and behave yourself properly.”

“What do you mean behave properly?”

“Do you think I don’t know anything? If you’re going to do it, do it right. At least don’t get caught by me.”

Minwoo never imagined that his relationship with Shin Daeri had been discovered. That’s why he couldn’t understand what Yuri was saying now.

“What do you mean by that?”

Minwoo continued to speak loudly, disregarding the gazes around them.

“Can’t you lower your voice?”

When Yuri frowned in displeasure, regret finally appeared on Minwoo’s face.

Damn it! He must have lost his mind for a moment. To reveal his true nature like that in front of Yuri! Suddenly cold sweat ran down his spine. He was supposed to act like a gentle lamb until the wedding, but he ended up showing his beast’s fangs.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you in advance.”

As Minwoo seemed to have calmed down and closed his mouth, Yuri calmly explained the situation.

“But Jeho sir only became co-CEO of Bauhaus recently, and I’ve been busy preparing for the wedding, so I forgot to tell you.”

“Well, that may be so, but…”

“Anyway, let’s say it’s my fault this time.”

Yuri looked at Minwoo with eyes that said to stop here. If he said one more word, she was prepared to speak specifically about Shin Daeri without holding back. Fortunately, Minwoo took a deep breath and slowly nodded.

“The moment I saw Jeho elder brother at your company, I felt betrayed by you and just lost it.”

If we’re talking about betrayal, what you’re doing to me now is betrayal. But she didn’t want to reignite the argument with unnecessary words. Yuri naturally changed the subject.

“What happened after you went home yesterday? Didn’t your mother say anything?”

“Of course she said something. She kept yelling about how I could ruin such an expensive dress. Even when I said Jeho elder brother tore it, she just kept shouting, ah, don’t even mention it.”

So in the end, Lady Na continued to make a fuss even after going home. It was a big misunderstanding to think that she might feel sorry for her wrongful behavior after calming down.

It was clear what kind of in-laws they would be after marriage. She hadn’t fully believed Minwoo’s words about living like roommates, but… Still, she couldn’t blame only Minwoo. It was also her own fault for accepting the arranged marriage too easily.

As her chest started to feel heavy as if pressed by a large rock, Yuri picked up the bill on the table and stood up.

“I’ll pay. Let’s go now.”

“Go? Aren’t you coming to the company dinner?”

Yuri made an incredulous expression towards Minwoo, who wanted her to attend the dinner.

“Do you think anything good will come out of going to the dinner now? If you really want to go, go by yourself.”

After finishing her words, Yuri turned her back and walked to the counter without waiting for Minwoo’s answer. Not caring what kind of eyes Minwoo was looking at her with…

Watching Yuri leave the cafe after paying, Minwoo called Shin Daeri. He couldn’t go home with this mood. How anxiously he had waited for tonight’s dinner, only for it to end like this…

Anger welled up to the top of his head. If he could, he wanted to throw anything he could get his hands on. But since there were eyes watching, he bit the ice in his cup instead.

A moment later, the call connected with a ringtone.

“Oh, Shin Daeri? Can we meet now? … No, not the hotel. Send me the address. I’ll go to your place.”

Only Shin Daeri could passionately relieve his messed up feelings. Minwoo glared out the glass window and bit the remaining ice in his mouth.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Didn’t you say you’d be late because of a company dinner?”

Lady An greeted Yuri with a smile as she opened the front door and came in.

“I was tired so I just came back without going.”

“Then you haven’t had dinner yet. Let’s eat together. Your father is on the terrace with Yuri now. Can you tell them dinner is ready?”

“Yes.”

Yuri nodded quietly and headed to the terrace. Human emotions are really funny. After seeing Lady Na’s tyrannical behavior yesterday, Lady An felt less burdensome. At least Lady An doesn’t abuse the weak like Lady Na.

When she opened the door connected to the terrace, Yuri’s giggling laughter was heard. Not knowing Yuri was approaching, Yuri was hugging Assemblyman Chae’s neck from behind and acting cute.

“Dad, dad. You haven’t forgotten about our trip, right? When are we going?”

“We have to go after your sister’s wedding is over.”

“But then we have to wait over a month. Can’t we go before that? We’ve only gone on one family trip this year.”

Only once this year…?

Yuri stopped in her tracks with a start and hid her body behind a pillar in case she might be seen. It was news to her that they would go on a family trip after the wedding, but Yuri clearly said they had already gone on a family trip this year.

Why didn’t I know about this?

“Should we ask Yuri to come along this time? It’ll be hard to go together after she gets married.”

“But then mom will be uncomfortable. I don’t want mom to be uncomfortable on a trip we’re taking for her.”

“Yuri.”

“Dad, you know too. How sister looks at mom with those eyes. Sometimes she even gives me those looks. My friends even say she’s like the Cinderella sister.”

Silence fell for a moment. Afraid that more cruel words might come out, Yuri opened and closed the terrace door with a bang. Then she walked out from behind the pillar and approached the two.

“I’m back.”

At Yuri’s voice, the two turned around simultaneously.

“I thought you said you’d be late because of a company dinner, but you came early.”

“Yes, that’s how it turned out.”

Watching the two people’s faces change as soon as they saw her, Yuri bit her lower lip. The warm atmosphere disappeared at her appearance, leaving only awkwardness.

It had been like that for a while now. The feeling of being family but not family.

“Mother says dinner is ready.”

After finishing her words, Yuri turned her back and left the terrace. As she passed through the kitchen towards the entrance, Lady An followed with a puzzled face.

“Yuri, dinner is all ready, where are you going?”

“Please eat first. I need to go out again…”

Yuri opened the front door without looking at Lady An. As soon as she got outside, she ran towards the main gate. She couldn’t stay here any longer because she was suffocating.

“Haa, haa.”

Only after opening the main gate and coming out could she breathe properly. Yuri took a step onto the street, staggering as she pressed her palm against her chest. As her breathing returned to normal, now her tear glands seemed to be broken as her vision began to blur.

Yuri hurried her steps, rubbing her eyes with her palms.

I don’t know. I really don’t know.

If Assemblyman Chae won’t acknowledge her as family, why won’t he let her go? Is he worried that she might reveal his faults if he doesn’t keep her by his side and monitor her? Did he agree to the marriage with Minwoo because he believed KG Group would manage her properly?

“Haa.”

Once again, she felt suffocated. The thought of spending the remaining time with her family suffocated her, and imagining the upcoming married life also suffocated her. What am I supposed to do?

Yuri wiped away her tears and took out her phone from her bag. At times like this, only Hyunkyung could comfort her. The call connected after just one ring.

[Yes, Yuri?]

Hearing Hyunkyung’s bright voice, tears welled up again. Yuri opened her mouth, trying to steady her trembling voice.

“Hyunkyung, can we meet now?”

[Oh my, didn’t I tell you? I’m in Osaka right now. I’ll be back the day after tomorrow. Why, is it urgent? Should I take a plane and come right now?]

That would be just like Hyunkyung. But she couldn’t go that far.

“No, it’s not urgent. I just called because it’s Friday night. Let’s meet when you get back.”

Yuri answered in a deliberately bright voice and quickly hung up. If the call went on longer, Hyunkyung would notice that Yuri’s voice was different from usual. Putting her phone back in her bag, Yuri let out a long sigh.

If I had known it would be like this, I should have attended the company dinner…

She didn’t want to go home, but she had nowhere else to go. Yuri started walking aimlessly, letting her feet lead the way. As she left the residential area, a street dyed with colorful neon signs appeared, and after passing through the shopping district, another residential area began.

As Yuri walked without thinking, a somewhat familiar scenery began to appear in her eyes. She slowly stopped and looked around.

“…Ah.”

Looking up at the building in front of her, Yuri let out a small exclamation. Her steps had led her to the apartment where Jeho was staying with his friend.

Yuri was surprised at herself.

Why did I come here again, why here of all places.

“…Yuri?”

Just then, a low voice called her. There was no need to check who the owner of the voice was. Yuri slowly turned around.

Jeho was walking towards her, having gotten out of his car.