“Why are you saying that…”
The words she had wanted to hear from Woo Jin. The words she couldn’t hear in the end.

“Why you, why on earth…!”
Si Hyun, covering her face with both hands, burst into tears.

Unable to even hold the crying Si Hyun, Tae Ha didn’t know what to do, placing his hand on her shoulder, then her head, then withdrawing it.

The comforting words he could muster were simply, don’t cry, don’t cry. That was all he could say.

“Don’t cry. Okay?”
The awkward consolation felt even more tender, and she sobbed harder. Sobbing to the point of heaving her shoulders, Si Hyun muttered senselessly.

“I don’t know where I’m drifting right now. I don’t think this is right, it really doesn’t seem right, but I can’t turn back now. I’ve gone too far.”
“It’s not too late yet.”
Tae Ha asserted.

“People get divorced even after they get married, you haven’t even entered the wedding hall yet. If you think it’s wrong, you can turn back now. You can do it.”
In a brief moment, various things crossed her mind.

‘What? Overturn the marriage now?’
Woo Jin’s angry face,

‘Are you out of your mind? What about our Ahyun?’
Her motherinlaw’s frantic yelling,

‘Kang Si Hyun, did you break off the engagement after sending out the wedding invitations?’
People murmuring behind her back.

Cutting through the vividly echoing numerous words, Tae Ha’s quiet voice resonated in her ears.

“You don’t have to come to me after you break up. But just don’t go through with that marriage.”
The words of a person who sincerely wished for my happiness.

Si Hyun lifted her head, choked with sobs. Her eyes met the gaze that seemed to pity her. Tae Ha carefully reached for Si Hyun’s eyes.

His fingers, gently wiping away her tears, seemed to be telling her something.

No matter what happens, I’m on your side.

“Can I… do it?”
Tae Ha nodded firmly.

“You can.”

((()))

After fighting with Si Hyun, Woo Jin dashed home and spilled everything to his mother.

“What, you can’t provide the dowry because you’re giving money to a complete stranger?”
Jung Im jumped.

“That’s what I’m saying! Mom, you can live without a bag, but that Ee Mon Ji or whatever, without that money, she said she would starve to death.”
Jung Im clutched the back of her neck, looking as if she might faint any second.

“Oh my, what on earth is happening?”
“Don’t worry, mom. I’ll get you a bag somehow.”
“Ah, is the bag the problem now?”

“Jung Im snapped at Woo Jin, who was trying to soothe her.

“Just think about it. If this is how it is before you get married, won’t she take you for all you’re worth after you get married? Won’t she? Hmm?”
Ah, dear, dear. My precious son is being sucked dry. Jung Im pounded her chest with her fist.

“Woo Jin, I think you need to reconsider. Hmm? This is just not going to work.”
Woo Jin spat out the words.

“To be honest, I’ve been having the same thoughts, mom.”
The reason he had rushed into the impending marriage was not only due to the guilt of having cheated, but also because of that guy, Yun Tae Ha or whatever his name was.

Just from the look in his eyes, it was clear. That guy was infatuated with Si Hyun.

Thinking of how that welloff guy was infatuated made Si Hyun seem prettier and more attractive. The feeling of superiority that ‘no matter how welloff I am, Kang Si Hyun is my woman,’ arose.

More than anything, it was obvious that if we broke up, she would go to him, and I couldn’t bear to see that.

So I rushed into marriage, but after the big fight today, doubts started to creep in.

[How about this bag for your mother’s dowry gift?] I had no idea Si Hyun could be such a spiteful woman.

How could she suggest giving my mother, who had bent over backward raising me, the bag I had been using? Was that something to even suggest?

Woo Jin gritted his teeth. From the way she was belittling his mother, it looked like he was in for a lot of headaches after they got married. They say the husband stuck in the middle of inlaw conflicts has the hardest time.

Furthermore, even though she said she would forgive him, she brought up the matter of his infidelity again.

[Why should I pay for the money you spent on another woman?] With this, it felt like she would have a hold over him for life. It was just a mistake that any man could make once in a while, and the idea of carrying that burden for life was horrifying.

“Son, Woo Jin, are you sure there’s no way with that daughter of Jo Han Shin?”
Woo Jin replied irritably to Jung Im, who still couldn’t let go of Bo Ra.

“Well, she doesn’t even answer my calls. And why would she marry me? She’s not lacking anything. I’m even grateful she dated me.”
“There’s a way to win over any woman.”
With a look of disbelief, Jung Im glanced at her son.

“Hmm?”

“Even if I am so well off, if a child gets involved, it’s a whole different story. Why didn’t you think of it sooner, tsk, tsk.”
It seemed to make sense as he heard it. If Bo Ra had suddenly been pregnant, he could have held on somehow, why didn’t he think of that earlier? Woo Jin was belatedly regretful.