“We didn’t fall for the trick; it’s you who did.”

Si-hyun corrected him firmly.

“And by ‘where we were,’ it’s beside Yoon Taeha. Stop talking nonsense now.”

But Woojin shook his head.

“What you’re doing now, that’s not love. You were just too hurt by me, and you needed a temporary substitute.”

“What? How dare someone call another person a substitute!”

In the end, Si-hyun couldn’t hold back and shouted.

“You’re not even worthy to lick Yoon Taeha’s shoes, you know that?”

“Why, because that guy is young, healthy, and rich?”

Woojin’s eyes momentarily flashed with a strange light. However, his voice remained soft and coaxing.

“You’re not like a materialistic woman, Si-hyun.”

Approaching, Woojin’s presence made Si-hyun unconsciously step backward.

“No one lives without making mistakes. Let’s think that we both made a mistake once.”

The repeated word ‘mistake’ struck a nerve. Instead of fear, anger gradually filled her veins.

“Mistake.”

Si-hyun pointed with trembling hands at the cake box lying on the ground.

“Is this what you call a mistake?”

Fortunately, the box was tightly closed, preventing the cake from spilling out, but the inside was already in a mess.

“Dropping something, forgetting a promise, waking up late in the morning—that’s a mistake.”

“Si-hyun.”

“Going to another woman and giving her gifts, taking her to the honeymoon house, kissing her, undressing her—all of that is not a mistake!”

Memories she had tried to erase came flooding back like nausea.

“Those aren’t mistakes. They are intentional.”

“Si-hyun, please. Without you, I can’t live, okay?”

“Die, then.”

Facing Woojin, Si-hyun spat out coldly. It was genuinely sincere. Even if she were to hear about the death of this author right now, she doubted she would shed a single tear.

“Don’t send condolences when I don’t plan to attend the funeral.”

Turning around, Si-hyun abruptly stopped in surprise. Taeha, who knows when he arrived, was looking at them from a short distance away.

“…Taeha.”

Woojin, who saw Taeha, flinched for a moment. However, Taeha didn’t pay any attention to Woojin, approached, carefully picked up the fallen cake box, and then embraced Si-hyun’s shoulders with his other arm.

“Let’s go in.”

But shortly, Woojin blocked their way.

“You bastard, ignoring people?”
Woojin glared at Taeha as if he were going to kill him and growled threateningly. However, instead of immediately retaliating as he did last time, Woojin provocatively challenged Taeha.

“Why, want to try hitting me again? Huh? You’re good at hitting people.”

Leaning in so close to his face, the hatred in his eyes was palpable, making anyone, even a stranger, want to strike him.

“Go ahead, hit me. Huh? Huh?”

Si-hyun became anxious, fearing that Taeha might actually throw a punch. She knew how despicable that man was, evident from yesterday’s incident. One punch, and they’d end up at the police station or featured in a newspaper scandal.

Moreover, Taeha was somewhat of a public figure now. The headlines of the newspaper articles were already flashing before her eyes: “[Union TA CEO Yoon Taeha Involved in Assault Controversy with Ordinary Citizen].”

However, Taeha simply chuckled.

“Everything’s already ruined; what’s the point of hitting more?”

With his hand in his pocket, Taeha took a step closer to Woojin. Just that action alone made Woojin, who had been aggressive until now, flinch and step back.

“Quite messed up. It wasn’t this bad before.”

Surveying Woojin from head to toe, despite being significantly shorter, Taeha calmly spoke.

“Look with your eyes if you have them. See if that woman suits you.”

Woojin looked at Si-hyun again.

When he saw her earlier at the wedding venue, fully dressed up, she radiated such brightness that it was difficult to look her in the eye. He had thought that she had changed because she was dating a wealthy guy, and he felt somewhat uncomfortable about it.

Now, she was without makeup, dressed in ordinary clothes, but she still shone.

Yet the radiance didn’t come from expensive clothes or a luxurious bag. Now Woojin realized it wasn’t that.

That woman had always been sincere. She trusted her partner like a fool, always giving her best in love.

…Even to someone like me.

Now that he saw her gaze directed entirely towards another man, Woojin felt a piercing pain in his chest.

“You should have done well when she was here.”

In Taeha’s eyes as he said that, there was not hatred or wariness, but rather, pity.

“Miracles don’t happen twice.”

Upon hearing those words, Woojin finally realized as if struck by lightning.

Ah, that woman.

She was the miracle that came into my life.

However, he realized it too late.

Woojin reached out with trembling hands toward Si-hyun.

Si-hyun.

I was wrong. I truly…

He wanted to call out loud, but his voice wouldn’t come out.

“Appearing in front of Kang Si-hyun ends today.”

Blocking him with his body, Taeha spoke.

“If you have anything else to say, come find me at the Grand Hotel. I’ll be ready to face you anytime.”

With Si-hyun’s shoulder in his arms, Taeha turned away.

Watching the two figures moving away, Woojin hesitated before collapsing onto the ground in that spot.

“Si-hyun…!”

From the man kneeling on the pavement, cries of agony and grief burst out like a scream.