The Wife Who Ran Away (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 15

“I’ll perform moxibustion treatment.”

Yeon Joo felt a warm sensation touching her lower abdomen.

The place where Yeon Joo was lying was the treatment room of a traditional Korean medicine clinic, and the therapist was applying moxibustion on her stomach.

The clinic director had explained that stimulating acupoints affecting the uterus could help with conception, and thus recommended acupuncture, moxibustion, and hot compress therapy every time Yeon Joo visited. And each time, Yeon Joo had no choice but to follow the recommendation.

Just as she was about to proceed to the hot compress treatment after finishing the moxibustion, her phone rang.

“Ziiiiing———, ziiiiing———.”

Hearing her phone vibrate beside her pillow, Yeon Joo turned her head slightly to check the screen. It was a call from the housekeeper.

Wondering if something had happened at home, Yeon Joo paused her treatment briefly and answered the call.

“Hello?”

[Mrs. Yeon Joo, are you available to talk?]

The housekeeper’s voice was hushed, as if whispering—almost as though she were speaking cautiously under someone’s watchful eye.

“Yes, please go ahead.”

[Actually, Mr. Lee has arrived home.]

Yeon Joo’s eyes widened.

She checked the time. 5:10 p.m. It was nearly unheard of—no, practically unprecedented—for Jin Wook to come home before sunset.

“Mr. Jin Wook is already home?”

[Yes, he came in just a moment ago. But when I asked if he’d like dinner, he didn’t respond at all—he’s just sitting there silently.]

“…”

[I thought you should know, so I called…]

“Thank you for letting me know. I’ll head home right away.”

After ending the call, Yeon Joo told the therapist,

“I’ll have to stop here for today and leave.”

She quickly changed her clothes, cut the session short, and hurried out of the treatment room.

★ ★ ★

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Yeon Joo greeted the driver as she stepped out of the car.

“Please go in safely, Mrs. Yeon Joo.”

Yeon Joo immediately walked toward the front of the house. Opening the gate, she saw the two-story residence hidden behind the tall walls. She passed along the stone-paved path through the lawn and opened the front door.

Inside, the house felt different from usual. The normally cold, empty space now carried a familiar scent—the faint, citrusy fragrance that belonged unmistakably to Jin Wook.

When had this scent ever greeted her by arriving home before her? It felt almost entirely unprecedented.

Why had he come home so early today?

Did this mean he intended to have dinner with her?

With a mixture of nervousness and subtle excitement, Yeon Joo took a step forward. As she moved deeper inside, she spotted Jin Wook seated on the living room sofa.

He sat with his gaze slightly lowered. He had only removed his jacket upon arriving home—his dress shirt and tie remained intact. Unusually, there was no tablet or stack of documents in his hands, which he always carried otherwise.

“You’re home early.”

When Yeon Joo spoke to him, Jin Wook met her eyes. He simply stared at her without saying a word.

“…”

After an awkward pause, Yeon Joo noticed the food already set out on the dining table—but something seemed off. The meal preparation had been left halfway through, and unprocessed ingredients were still visible in the kitchen.

She asked him,

“What about the housekeeper?”

“I sent her away.”

Apparently, he’d dismissed her while she was in the middle of preparing dinner. Why go to such lengths? Had the housekeeper somehow upset him?

Although curious, Yeon Joo decided against asking—doing so would only worsen the mood. Instead, she calmly said,

“You haven’t eaten yet, right? The housekeeper bought some meat for grilling yesterday…”

“Dinner isn’t necessary.”

Jin Wook’s low voice sliced through the air.

“I’d like to talk first.”

Then he glanced toward the sofa opposite him—a clear invitation for her to sit.

Yeon Joo looked at him with slight confusion before walking over. As she sat across from Jin Wook, she finally sensed the coldness in his expression—something she hadn’t noticed at first glance.

His demeanor was unusually tense. Though he was typically reserved, this level of chill was new.

Jin Wook asked her,

“Where were you coming from?”

“…The traditional medicine clinic.”

“The clinic?”

“Yes. It’s the one my mother recommended. I get acupuncture, moxibustion, and hot compress treatments there.”

“Do those things actually work?”

His tone carried a faint trace of mockery. Yeon Joo stole a glance at his face before answering hesitantly,

“…I’m just hoping they’ll work.”

At that, Jin Wook silently picked up the water glass on the table and downed its contents in one gulp. Watching him, Yeon Joo cautiously asked,

“Was there… something unpleasant at the office?”

Jin Wook set the glass down and let out a bitter chuckle.

“Something unpleasant, you say…”

“…”

“Yeah. But it wasn’t work-related.”

His quiet eyes fixed firmly on Yeon Joo.

“If it were about the company, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”

Meeting his gaze, Yeon Joo’s eyes narrowed slightly.

‘If it’s not about work…’

Her pale face slowly stiffened.

How could she not have realized it sooner? For a man who always prioritized work, the only thing that could make him drop everything and come straight to her would be… just one possibility.

A single sheet of paper was handed to her across the cold, rigid space between them.

Yeon Joo unfolded the paper he offered.

“…”

Her hands trembled faintly. It was her obstetrics and gynecology medical record.

“Unfortunately, under your current condition, the likelihood of pregnancy is very low.”

Included were her ultrasound image from that time and the accompanying clinical notes.

Yeon Joo’s eyes wavered.

She hadn’t completely ruled out this possibility—she’d always known Jin Wook might find out someday. But she never expected it to happen this soon. After all, he wasn’t the type of person who paid close attention to her.

“How did…”

“How did I find out?”

Jin Wook replied dryly.

“There’s nothing I can’t uncover if I set my mind to it—especially when it concerns my own wife.”

“…”

She had underestimated how much power and influence he truly possessed.

“I first found out on November 3rd. You’d been hiding it for nearly a month.”

His icy gaze pinned her in place.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Yeon Joo bit down hard on her parched lips.

In the heavy, darkening atmosphere, she slowly opened her mouth.

“…I was afraid.”

Her subdued voice quivered softly.

“I thought you’d be disappointed.”

“…”

“I thought…”

That you’d leave me.

That overnight, she’d lose everything and be left utterly alone.

Until Mi Hyun woke up, this was the only place where she could lean on someone and fulfill her role.

Though lonely and suffocating, this place beside Jin Wook was also one she could never abandon.

He would never understand just how terrifying and bleak the future would be if she were cast out from here.

Jin Wook spoke, his voice now slightly raised.

“You thought too short-sightedly. If not anyone else, you should’ve at least told me.”

“…”

“This isn’t just your issue—it concerns my future and the company’s stability. How could you possibly think to bury something this important by yourself?”

His barrage of words made Yeon Joo’s shoulders shrink inward.

“…I’m sorry.”

Keeping it from him was undeniably wrong. She had nothing else to say but apologize.

With a devastated expression, Yeon Joo lowered her head.

“Really… I’m sorry.”

Even with her head bowed, she could feel his icy stare piercing through her. Her chest ached unbearably.

If only she’d known it would come to this, she should’ve told Jin Wook first—mustered up the courage somehow.

‘This is truly the end.’

Yeon Joo squeezed her eyes shut, her face filled with regret. Now, no matter what he said, she had no defense left.

‘The only condition I propose to you, Miss Kang Yeon Joo, for our marriage is this:’

‘You must plan for pregnancy immediately upon our marriage and have a child.’

Since she failed to meet his one and only condition, the outcome was obvious without needing confirmation.

Just as Yeon Joo began to resign herself to fate, Jin Wook asked,

“Who else knows about this?”

Yeon Joo lifted her head to look at him. He asked again, expression serious,

“Besides the doctor, does anyone else know?”

“No. I haven’t told anyone.”

“Then don’t tell anyone going forward.”

He added firmly,

“Don’t reveal it to anyone—not under any circumstances.”

“Not even to your mother?”

“Of course not—she’s the one who’d freak out the most.”

“But your mother…”

Ae Ran was the person most eagerly awaiting Yeon Joo’s pregnancy. Keeping this truth from her weighed heavily on Yeon Joo’s conscience, making her feel deeply uneasy.

Seeing Yeon Joo’s shadowed expression, Jin Wook replied coldly,

“Weren’t you planning to keep hiding it anyway? If I hadn’t found out, you never would’ve told me.”

“That’s not true. I really intended to tell you someday.”

“…”

“But every time I looked at your face, the words just wouldn’t come out…”

Jin Wook cut her off, as if he didn’t want to hear any more.

“Just act as if nothing happened—behave exactly as you normally do.”

“…”

“Just keep taking your medicine, going to the clinic, and focusing on taking care of your body. If Mother or Grandfather ask, tell them you’re doing your best.”

His chilly tone stabbed sharply into her chest.

“Just keep doing exactly what you’ve been doing—continue deceiving me the way you have all along.”