“Hoo…”

It was 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The blue sky that had completely transitioned into spring was exceptionally bright. Cha Yeo Jin’s eyes, which were staring out the window while sitting in a rocking chair, suddenly trembled and then settled again.

“Yeo Do Soon. Tell that child to come here.”

It was three hours after Cha Yeo Jin had given the order to her secretary.

Around the time when the setting sun was casting long shadows, a car quickly pulled up in front of the Seongbuk-dong mansion. The person who swiftly got out of the driver’s seat was none other than Yeo Do Soon.

As Do Soon entered the mansion and stepped on the tessellated stepping stones of various sizes leading to the main building, the front door opened. Even though there were no special sounds, the door simply opened as if it were automatic, but that wasn’t the case.

“Lady Cha is waiting for you. Please come in.”

A young lady who opened the door wider from inside the entrance welcomed Do Soon.

“Ah, yes.”

Do Soon, who dazedly scanned the large and splendid reception room that was closer to being flashy rather than luxurious, was soon guided to the dining room.

The 20-person natural marble dining table sparkled even more as the light from the chandelier on the high ceiling was reflected off it. Cha Yeo Jin was seated at the far end center of that table. Do Soon, who sat on the chair that the female secretary had pulled out for her at the opposite end, directly faced Yeo Jin’s eyes that were silently looking at her.

“Did you call for me, Mother?”

“You don’t call me ‘Auntie’ anymore?”

Do Soon, who had changed her way of addressing her to ‘Mother’ after the formal meeting between the two families, spoke confidently.

“I will be marrying CEO Kwon soon, so you’re not an auntie, are you?”

“Yes, well. That’s for you to decide.”

Yeo Jin, who had been secretly anxious about what would happen if Do Soon didn’t come even after being called, felt some of her displeasure dissipate just from the fact that Do Soon had come of her own accord.

“The wedding is the day after tomorrow.”

“That’s right.”

“But why hasn’t there been any talk of wedding gifts until now?”

In fact, from the beginning, she didn’t even expect such things. It was just a small thought that had been floating around in her mind and had meaninglessly escaped from her mouth that had nothing to say.

“We decided not to do any of that at all, did CEO Kwon not tell you?”

“Look at this child. If I knew, would I be asking you about it?”

As if she would have heard. The last time she saw him was on Christmas Eve in Gahoe-dong. After that, not even a single phone call from her heartless son, let alone seeing his nose.

Her only son was going to get married his own way in the end. On the exact date printed on the wedding invitation. Moreover, the wedding was the day after tomorrow, but he hadn’t even asked his mother if she would attend. In any case, now that it had come to this, she would have given in and gone along even if it was moved up a bit, pretending to be unable to win.

This cruel fellow was clearly trying to cut off the ties of blood. Cha Yeo Jin, who knew her son’s knife-like personality all too well, was so consumed with anger that she had summoned Yeo Do Soon to the house without any plan.

During the exchange of a few words, delicious dishes that two assistants had brought out from the kitchen were neatly laid out on the dining table.

Do Soon, who had been called and came, and was now being served a meal, didn’t give it much thought. Originally a honest, simple and straightforward type, she diligently ate the food, mainly the meat dishes, while answering Yeo Jin’s questions one by one without even asking why she had been called.

“……”

Until recently, she had heard that her morning sickness was severe, but had it gotten better so quickly? She’s eating well.

Yeo Jin, who had been watching Do Soon intently as she chewed and swallowed the food bit by bit and then ate more, had a slightly softened gaze in her eyes.

It was still the same that she didn’t like Yeo Do Soon, who was very different from the young ladies who acted demurely in front of their elders, even if she didn’t know about the back. Her rough way of speaking and direct way of expressing herself were still very irksome.

But it was the first time.

It was the first time that Cha Yeo Jin looked at Yeo Do Soon from the perspective of her son, Gu Won Hoo.

She was undoubtedly a simple-minded child who didn’t know any tricks. Her unchanging appearance of being the same inside and out, her honesty in always expressing her intentions without pretense, may have slowly torn down the wall that had been stacked up with hatred, like a light rain seeping into the collar of clothes.

With a much more relaxed expression, Yeo Jin put down her spoon and asked again.

“The newlywed home. Where did you two decide to live?”

“At CEO Kwon’s place. He has that nice penthouse, so there’s no need to get a separate place.”

“Yes, you did well.”

“…?”

She answered when asked. But she didn’t expect praise, let alone criticism. Because she had never heard such words even once before. But, she said she did well. At what? Mother wouldn’t be like this… Why?

Do Soon looked at Cha Yeo Jin with her eyes wide open, quite surprised.

That was when it happened.

“Ma’am. What should we do about dessert?”

An assistant who had quietly approached spoke while skillfully clearing the table where the two had finished their meal.

“I’m not thinking of anything else, just a fragrant cup of tea, please.”

“Then shall I bring out dandelion tea?”

“That would be good. And bring out what I told you to prepare earlier too.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The assistant who encountered Cha Yeo Jin instructing with a nonchalant expression and a soft voice briefly furrowed her brows.

It was around the end of December last year. From around that time, Madam Cha had not gone out at all, even missing important gatherings. The assistants in this house, who had no idea that it was because of Cha Yeo Jin’s anger, only knew that the reason was because of a relapse of her gastritis.

So they knew her stomach was bothering her again, but unlike usual when Madam Cha would frown and show irritation first, she was very different today. That was really strange.

As the assistant quietly left the way she had come, Cha Yeo Jin stared at Do Soon for a while with her lips shut.

The reason was unknown, but the gaze with which Madam Cha was looking at her was not as cold as before. Do Soon found this situation quite awkward and chattered about her first impression of visiting the Seongbuk-dong main house.

“The house is really pretty. The garden was also cutely decorated, it seems like you put in a lot of effort.”

“This much is nothing. People say the house of Assemblywoman Yeo is like a palace.”

“Oh my, my parents’ house is just big, but they have no interest in tending to it, so it’s very desolate. Anyway, living in a house like this would be a delight for the eyes every day.”

Do Soon spoke the truth as it was. At that, Cha Yeo Jin chuckled and immediately retorted.

“Then come often.”

“…Pardon?”

“Why are you so surprised? Did you think you would only marry my son and never show your face at this house?”

“Ah, no, well…”

The atmosphere was strange.

Although it would gradually improve, Do Soon thought there would be no need to frequently see Madam Cha, who was expected to go through a rough process for the time being. However, even though her way of speaking was still stiff, why wouldn’t she know that Cha Yeo Jin’s attitude had changed in many ways? Therefore, Do Soon couldn’t help but express her surprise with the ‘sur’ in ‘surprised’.

Meanwhile, two cups of tea, fruit, and an appetizing cake were placed on the long dining table. Of course, the plate with assorted mini cakes was positioned closer to Do Soon’s side.

As the assistant withdrew, Yeo Jin opened her mouth.

“Why are you just looking at it? Hurry up and try it. There’s chocolate cake that you like too.”

“…?”

Could it be, this was on purpose?

‘Eat slowly… I didn’t know you liked cake this much.’

‘What difference does it make if you know? Are you going to buy me cake every day?’

‘Of course.’

‘Oh, really? Then I want chocolate cake!’

‘Haha, I understand.’

She had attentively listened to the conversation between Do Soon and CEO Kwon at So Yeon’s engagement ceremony… What is this? Suddenly calling me to eat, being kind unlike before. It’s a bit strange too. Could it be, did she put poison in the cake?

At that moment when even absurd thoughts were penetrating her mind because Cha Yeo Jin’s meticulous consideration was so unfamiliar…

“Mother!”

With quick footsteps and a loud voice, Gu Won Hoo appeared in the dining room and approached the table in an instant.

Do Soon had stopped by the CEO’s office before leaving for Seongbuk-dong. However, upon hearing from the secretary that he was in a meeting, she informed Won Hoo of her destination via text message. So Won Hoo, who found out about it a little late, chased after her to the main house, thinking that his mother had not called for no reason.

But contrary to his expectation that there would have been a big fight by now, the assistant he encountered in the reception room said that the two had just finished their meal in a good mood. However, Won Hoo, who thought it was even more unlike his mother, couldn’t help but enter the dining room with hurried steps.

“What are you doing now!”

“No, I…”

Won Hoo’s eyes, looking at the flustered Cha Yeo Jin, flickered greatly, revealing anger. And his eyes, filled with disappointment, soon reddened as well.

“You what?”

“I… for, for the wedding…”

“Why the wedding? Were you trying to make a life-and-death decision with Do Soon to prevent the wedding? Or did you change your hobby? To torture people by making them sit and feeding them.”

Yeo Jin, who was very perplexed not only by the sudden appearance but also by her son’s fierce gaze directed at her, could not smoothly string together her words. To tell the truth, she felt awkward for no reason, and her tongue stiffened due to a bit of pride.

At the same time, another shock came strongly. How much of a bad person, how terrible of a mother must I be imprinted as for my only son to do this to me? It felt as if, following my older sister who had no contact from winter to spring, even my son distrusted me as a rotten person.

“Hoo, Won Hoo. That’s not it…”

“I don’t need excuses. If you torment Do Soon like this again in the future, I won’t stand for it.”

Won Hoo, who had grabbed Do Soon’s hand, made her stand up from the dining chair. But Do Soon shook her head and stayed seated.

“No, CEO Kwon.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your mother didn’t call me to harass me.”

“What on earth…”

“You misunderstood, CEO Kwon. Even if she speaks angrily and harshly, she’s not someone who would lie to you. Mother wanted to have a meal with me. She even told me to come to this house often. Look, she remembered and prepared the chocolate cake I like, how could someone like that have called me with ill intentions?”

Won Hoo, who didn’t quite understand Do Soon’s words, looked at the table. In detail, there were two teacups, a fruit plate. And a 2-tier plate with noticeably more chocolate cake among several varieties.

“It seems I can communicate better with Do Soon than with you.”

Yeo Jin spoke with a hollow expression, leaning back in her chair. She hadn’t even conveyed her desire to treat them well in the future, and if her son and Yeo Do Soon left this house like this… Moreover, she was inwardly at a loss as to how to resolve the misunderstanding that arose today.

But wasn’t it fortunate that Yeo Do Soon stepped up? That sense of relief soon turned into a feeling of emptiness.

“CEO Kwon, don’t be like that either. Pushing a person too much into a corner is also a terrible thing to do.”

“Ha…”

Won Hoo, who let out a short sigh, plopped down on the chair with a thud.

After hearing Do Soon’s story, it seemed that in any case, his mother hadn’t called Yeo Do Soon with the intention to harm her.

“If that was your intention, you should have said so in advance. Isn’t Mother an extraordinary person? Aren’t you someone who tortures people to death?”

“I’m done too. Now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, I’ll see you at the wedding venue.”

With those words, Yeo Jin got up from her chair and left the dining room.

Won Hoo watched his mother’s back with a furrowed brow, and Do Soon thought with a sigh of relief that it was fortunate the situation was resolved to this extent.

“While having a meal with Mother, she barely ate. Although she didn’t say it, it seems she had been agonizing a lot.”

“Still, I can’t trust Mother yet.”

“What kind of son are you? If a son doesn’t trust his mother, who will? She even directly said she would attend the wedding. I think for someone with Mother’s personality, she has yielded a lot by doing this much.”

“So.”

No matter how much Gu Won Hoo pretended to be indifferent to his mother, he had a lot on his mind. Do Soon, who could not be unaware of his anguish, patted Won Hoo’s back as if to comfort him and spoke more vigorously than ever.

“Isn’t it good? It means Mother has clearly approved of our marriage now.”