Thud―.

As the sound of the front door closing echoed in her ears, her heart ached. Despite saying it was the last time, Yuri couldn’t move a step from in front of the door. Wanting to go back inside. Wanting to jump back into his arms.

Eventually, a whisper like a sigh escaped Yuri’s lips.

“I wish I could freeze right here like this.”

I wish time would stop too. But it was just a fleeting wish, such a thing could never happen. Yuri smiled bitterly as she forced her feet to move, though they didn’t want to leave.

The chilly dawn air cut into her skin.

Unexpectedly, Hyunkyung suddenly came to visit where Jeho was staying.

“How did you know about this place?”

“The information team at Chungah Group is pretty good, you know.”

When Jeho furrowed his brow, Hyunkyung gave him a bright smile. Jeho stepped back as if to let her in.

“This place originally belonged to Jeho’s uncle, but I heard the ownership was transferred to Jeho. They said they demolished the existing house and started new construction…”

Hyunkyung said as she looked around the vast garden with curious eyes. That wasn’t all the information she had uncovered.

10 years ago, it’s true that Vice Chairman Kwon took responsibility for the accident and gave up his entire fortune as compensation. But Jeho had an uncle with enormous wealth. A bachelor, he passed away from a chronic illness and left his entire fortune to Jeho, his only nephew. But few people in Korea knew this fact. The uncle was an American citizen and mainly operated overseas.

Moreover, the value of the architectural firm run by Thomas Heidi, a master in the field, boasted astronomical numbers, and Jeho was not just a nominal partner, but the actual owner and investor. Of course, very few people knew this part as well.

Towards such a Jeho, Minwoo constantly belittled him as a ‘beggar bastard’. Even though Jeho’s wealth was already at a level that Minwoo couldn’t surpass even if he became the heir to KG Group.

‘What an idiot, really.’ Hyunkyung grumbled inwardly towards Minwoo as she watched Jeho’s back walking ahead.

Hyunkyung wondered, ‘Why did he come to Korea at Chairman Kwon’s call?’ He wouldn’t be interested in the KG Group heir position, and even if it was about constructing the KG Group headquarters building, there would be even greater global projects lined up waiting for him in the future.

Moreover, he became the co-CEO of Yuri’s company, and is handling small tasks like rebuilding a neighborhood community center. Hyunkyung couldn’t understand at all.

Suddenly, she thought, ‘Could it be because of Yuri?’ Just as Yuri’s first love was Kwon Jeho, maybe Kwon Jeho’s first love was Yuri too. Then should I ask for his help?

That was the reason why Hyunkyung suddenly visited Jeho.

Jeho led Hyunkyung to the living room and immediately headed to the kitchen. A moment later, he returned after operating the espresso machine and sat on the sofa, asking:

“I’m guessing you didn’t come to talk about the house, right?”

“Of course not.”

Hyunkyung went straight to the point.

“Yuri is my one and only friend. We’ve been together since we were young… No, actually, I followed Yuri around. I stuck right by her side, never leaving for a moment. In kindergarten, I even cried my eyes out asking why I couldn’t marry Yuri. So really, I can’t just stand by and watch Yuri become unhappy.”

Jeho leaned back against the sofa, silently staring at Hyunkyung.

“Are you going to let her marry Minwoo like this? There’s no time left.”

“What do you want me to do?”

Contrary to what she expected, when Jeho showed an indifferent attitude, Hyunkyung blurted out the words she had been saving for last out of impatience.

“Don’t you have any dirt on Minwoo? I have some too, but it’s not big enough to stop the wedding.”

“Huh.”

At those words, Jeho let out a short laugh and shook his head. When Hyunkyung looked at him as if asking why he was laughing, he shrugged and stood up.

Beep beep―. As the notification sounded that the coffee was ready, he headed to the kitchen and said:

“Do you think Minwoo would be shaken by such trivial dirt?”

“Then do you have any other good ideas?”

“Other ideas? Well…”

He muttered to himself while pouring coffee from the espresso machine into cups. Jeho returned with cups in both hands and set one down in front of Hyunkyung.

“Before that, there’s something I’d like to know first.”

“What is it?”

“The relationship between Yuri and Assemblyman Chae.”

“What relationship? They’re father and daughter, aren’t they?”

Jeho raised one corner of his mouth as if to say ‘wrong answer’ as he brought the cup to his lips. After taking a sip of coffee, he slowly put the cup down and spoke:

“Yuri, how long has she been beaten by Assemblyman Chae? As her best friend who would die for her, you must have known. Isn’t that right?”

Hyunkyung flinched, and Jeho’s eyes flashed sharply as he looked at her.

Na madam called Yuri and Minwoo, who had finished their wedding photo shoot, to a French restaurant. Although they weren’t keen on it due to the grueling schedule since dawn, Yuri followed Minwoo without complaint since they had to eat dinner anyway.

“Here, take this.”

After finishing the meal, Na madam held out a box of herbal medicine she had kept under the table to Yuri.

“What is this?”

Yuri received the herbal medicine box with a puzzled face.

“What else could it be? It’s herbal medicine to help you conceive well. They say it especially increases the chances of having a boy.”

“Mom, we’re not even married yet!”

Before Yuri could speak, Minwoo shouted first. Then Na madam shouted back just as loudly as Minwoo.

“The wedding is the day after tomorrow, so if you want a honeymoon baby, you need to start taking it now!”

The wedding is the day after tomorrow? Honeymoon baby?

For a moment, Yuri frowned unconsciously, then quickly lowered her head in case Na madam and Minwoo might see. Minwoo, mistaking it for shyness, affectionately put his arm around Yuri’s shoulders.

She wanted to push him away, but since they were in front of Na madam, Yuri just bit her lip hard. These days, Minwoo had been increasingly trying to initiate physical contact. Especially in the presence of adults. Because he knew Yuri couldn’t resist. Earlier during the meal, he had slyly placed his hand on her thigh and caressed it, forcing her to push his hand away without Na madam noticing.

“Oh, mom! Let us enjoy our newlywed life first. Then talk about having children.”

Minwoo’s hand that was resting on her shoulder slowly moved to her nape and started fiddling with her earlobe. It felt as unpleasant as a spider crawling on her, but she didn’t show it.

Just endure a little longer.

Yuri clenched her fists, trying to comfort herself. Once they were alone, she could push him away anytime, so she just had to endure until then.

“How old do you think the bride is? She’ll be thirty the day after tomorrow. This is why I wanted the daughter from Taemin Group. She’s still in her blooming twenties.”

Na madam blurted out her complaints right in front of Yuri. As the wedding day approached, Na madam was increasingly trying to act like a mother-in-law openly.

“Thank you. I’ll make sure to take it diligently.”

When Yuri accepted it obediently, Na madam took out a packet of herbal medicine from the box and held it out.

“Go ahead and take one right now here.”

“Mom, stop it. Our Yuri might get indigestion.”

Minwoo frowned and snatched the herbal medicine packet from Na madam’s hand.

“I’ll drink it instead.”

“Are you crazy? Why would you drink that?”

“They say a married couple is one body and soul, so it’s the same whether I drink it or Yuri drinks it.”

Proud of what he said, Minwoo smiled broadly and kissed Yuri on the cheek.

“Ugh.”

Suddenly, nausea rose up. Yuri covered her mouth and ran out of the room. Na madam’s eyes widened at Yuri’s unexpected behavior.

“What’s going on? Is it already happening? Is she already pregnant?”

“No, she’s not! Mom!”

Minwoo shouted irritably and stood up.

The suspicion of ‘Could it be?’ crossed his mind, but he quickly shook his head. The Yuri he knew was definitely not that kind of woman. Chae Yuri was as pure as a young girl and as proud as a princess. There was no way the holy saint Chae Yuri, without a speck of dust, would have mixed bodies with that beggar bastard Kwon Jeho.

But what if, by any chance, it was true?

Suddenly, an uncontrollable anger surged up. But even so, Yuri was not at fault. It’s that beggar bastard who defiled her that deserves to die. Just get rid of that bastard and it’ll be fine.

“I’m going to check on Yuri. You should just go home.”

Minwoo glared at Na madam with a grim face and went out to find Yuri.

Whoosh―.

After throwing up everything she had eaten for dinner, Yuri turned on the water and rinsed her mouth with mouthwash.

That bastard, suddenly kissing like that.

It was much more unpleasant than she had expected, and she couldn’t bear it. During the wedding photo shoot, he kept trying to kiss her and it was troublesome, but just when she thought she had safely gotten through it, he pulled this.

At first, it might end with just kissing on the cheek, but it was obvious he would gradually escalate things.

“Will I be able to do this?”

Yuri murmured weakly, looking at her pale reflection in the mirror. She wanted to shout that she couldn’t do it anymore and run away somewhere, even now.

But what about mom then? What would happen to our poor mom?

Even if people say she’s already dead, that the living should live on, I can’t let her be pointed at as an adulteress by the whole nation.

―It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.

Then a familiar voice flowed into her ear.

Would she feel better if she heard these words directly from him?

“…Jeho oppa.”

She missed him so much. When she held him back at the end, saying don’t go, she should have stayed a little longer. Even 10 minutes, even 1 minute longer. Nothing would have changed, but still, a sigh escaped from the regret.

As soon as she calmed down and came out to the hallway, Minwoo was waiting for her with the herbal medicine box.

“I’m sorry, Yuri. I went a bit too far in front of mom.”

“It’s troublesome if you keep crossing the line like this.”

“I understand. I’m really sorry.”

When Yuri’s gaze fell on the herbal medicine box, Minwoo threw it right into the trash can. As Yuri made a surprised expression, he smirked and put his arm around her shoulder.

“It’s okay. Who takes herbal medicine to conceive well these days?”

Honestly, he was more against the honeymoon baby than she was. Once they get married, he planned to burn with passion every day, multiple times a day, and if she suddenly got pregnant, it would be a big loss for him.

He had no intention of giving up Yuri to anyone. Even if it was his own child.

Minwoo looked at his future bride Yuri with ecstatic eyes, smiling lecherously.

As Jeho changed into his formal wear and came out of the fitting room, Woo Gyeol, who had just finished a phone call, said with a dark face:

“The reaction is not good. They say the other side is not moving at all.”

Jeho looked up and down at his reflection in the mirror, wearing formal attire, without any change in expression.

“He’s a person who has grown up in a place where betrayal is rampant. He’s probably pondering who to trust.”

“What are you going to do if the other side doesn’t move?”

“Well.”

Without giving an exact answer, Jeho fiddled with the tie around his neck.

“This is too stuffy, I can’t stand it.”

Jeho took off his tie and loosened his shirt buttons, recalling the conversation he had with Hyunkyung.

―Yuri wanted to hide it, so I pretended not to know. I was waiting for Yuri to tell me first…

―Has she been beaten since childhood?

―No, not that. Jeho, it started not long after you went to America. I don’t know the reason. From then on, Yuri tried to leave home, and each time she was caught and beaten. The friend’s house where Yuri stayed briefly even underwent a tax investigation. Because people around her were being harmed because of her, it seems she gave up on leaving home after that. Marriage to Minwoo was a kind of escape for Yuri.

It was as he had guessed. At that time, Yuri probably couldn’t have imagined that the marriage, which was a kind of escape, would drag her into an even deeper quagmire.

Jeho, who had been lost in thought for a moment, turned his head to look at Woo Gyeol.

“If they still don’t move in the end, contact that person.”

“That person?”

Because it was something he hadn’t expected at all, Woo Gyeol wore a blank expression for a moment. Then he asked in a trembling voice:

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. I couldn’t be more serious.”

Jeho nodded with a more determined expression than ever before.

Tomorrow, Yuri’s wedding cannot proceed as planned.

Because I will stop it, no matter what sacrifice it takes.