Jae Hyuk let out a hollow laugh at his mother, who remained unchanged despite going through that terrible event.

Until then, he never even dreamed that Lady Jung had already gone to see A Rin before he did.

“Hang up.”

“How can I…”

“Hang up.”

When Manager Han hesitated, Jae Hyuk snatched the phone and pressed the end button. Manager Han’s face turned pale, knowing Lady Jung’s personality.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it. But Manager Han, about today…”

Jae Hyuk pressed his throbbing temples with his right hand and handed the phone with his left. When Manager Han saw the sharp gaze directed at him, he spoke, frightened.

“I don’t know anything about this. You know very well that I would never say such things.”

“I know. But there’s a saying. Look before you leap.”

“Vice President, do you really not trust me, Han Ju Hyuk?”

Manager Han received the phone and raised his arms, making an expression as if he was wronged. Jae Hyuk stared intently at Manager Han, who was claiming innocence. It was a strong gaze as if he was going to look into his insides.

That’s when it happened. Manager Han’s phone vibrated. From then on, the phone rang incessantly several times.

“I guess Lady Jung is determined to talk to me today no matter what.”

Jae Hyuk said to Manager Han, who was at a loss.

“Give it.”

Manager Han handed over the phone with a deathly pale face. Jae Hyuk pressed the call button.

[Manager Han, you insolent thing. Do you know who I am to hang up on me? Do you want to get fired from the company? Not answering? What is our Jae Hyuk doing in Jeju Island right now?]

Lady Jung’s sharp voice came through the speaker.

“I’ll take it.”

[…Jae Hyuk?]

“I was the one who ended the call. And Manager Han is my person. With what right are you arbitrarily firing my person?”

[Ah, Jae Hyuk. I didn’t really mean that.]

Jae Hyuk’s expression hardened even more coldly. He didn’t want to have a long conversation with his mother.

“What is it?”

[I was worried. Since you didn’t answer the phone.]

Worried?

Don’t make me laugh.

Jae Hyuk found his mother’s worried tone absurd. If she truly cared about her child, she wouldn’t have sent A Rin away like that.

She just didn’t want her out of her sight… His mother always wanted to keep him under her control.

“I’m a grown adult, what could happen?”

[To your mother, you’re still a child…]

“Just get to the point.”

[Jae Hyuk, why are you being like this to your mother? What did I do wrong to you…]

“If you have nothing to say, I’m hanging up.”

[Hey. Hey. Jae Hyuk.]

Jae Hyuk was the child born after 7 years of marriage.

Jae Hyuk didn’t see how much his mother suffered before and after giving birth to him. But he knew from what he heard. So he didn’t want to go against his mother’s wishes if he could help it.

If A Rin hadn’t left him, the day he spoke to his mother like this would never have come.

[I was still worried since you turned off your phone when your mother called. Besides, I’m your mother… I have to call someone else to get to you… What will Manager Han think?]

“I thought I told you not to call me unless it’s something special.”

Jae Hyuk was sick and tired of his mother. She was as sickening as himself.

Lady Jung’s voice trembled thinly at Jae Hyuk’s cold attitude.

[I was worried about you, I’m already so busy with work that I can’t even sleep, so why did you go there?]

Jae Hyuk’s face contorted in an instant.

Perhaps, the hatred towards Lady Jung may also be a cowardly act to lessen his own sins.

Jae Hyuk swallowed the burning resentment down his throat and spoke.

“Don’t interfere. Whether it’s worry or whatever, I don’t need it.”

[Jae Hyuk, but I’m your mother.]

“If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.”

It was the moment Jae Hyuk’s relentless finger was heading to the end button.

[How is A Rin doing?]

When A Rin’s name came out of Lady Jung’s mouth, Jae Hyuk’s eyes sharpened.

“I told you never to mention A Rin’s name again.”

[What are you saying? She used to be my daughter-in-law, what can’t I say?]

Jae Hyuk clenched his fists so hard that his veins bulged.

“Mother. Don’t forget what I said about not interfering with anything related to A Rin. If you lay a single finger on her, I’ll have no choice but to show Father what I have.”

‘I found out too late. No, I knew but pretended not to. So, I have to make it right starting now.’

The fact that the biggest victim of greed was A Rin… He seriously thought about the cruel things his mother did to her only after she left.

But there was something else he regretted even more.

[The one who made A Rin suffer the most wasn’t your mother or anything else. The one who made her wither away was none other than you, Vice President.]

It was what Ji Yun said to him three years ago when he asked her to tell him where A Rin was.

A Rin left not because of his mother, but because of Ban Jae Hyuk himself.

‘How did you endure staying by my side through that long time of humiliation and insult?’

It was painful whenever a situation like this arose. Whenever he faced a mother like this, he felt deep in his bones how hard it must have been for A Rin.

[Oppa, I love you. I don’t want to have a child because of money. It’s because it’s your child, I want it because it’s your child.]

It’s what she said when he went into her bedroom late at night after hearing that A Rin, who couldn’t drink a drop of alcohol, had a drink before bed.

‘If I had comforted your heart even then, would we be different now?’

“Never go see her. The moment you meet A Rin, be prepared to lose a son if you’re going to go.”

[Jae, Jae Hyuk.]

“I’m hanging up now.”

[Hey, Jae Hyuk…]

Jae Hyuk ignored Lady Jung’s voice trying to stop him through the speaker and heartlessly ended the call.

“Turn off the phone.”

Even though he knew he had no right, he missed A Rin.

Her smile that wouldn’t even smile at him in his dreams, how much did she hate him?

[This is the timeline separator]

“…Where is this?”

She opened her eyes but couldn’t see anything. Her vision was hazy and her eyelids were as heavy as a water-soaked sponge.

After forcibly blinking a few times, the familiar white ceiling came into view.

‘It’s the hospital.’

Although her vision cleared, it was too much to move her fingers.

Her body wouldn’t move as if pressed down by something heavy. In the end, A Rin gave up on moving and traced back her memories before collapsing.

‘Jae Hyuk oppa came to see me, and I cried like that…’

Tinnitus rang in her ears and her body wouldn’t move. She heard Yu Hyun’s voice calling her name, but the sound didn’t enter through her eardrums and lingered around her ears like an echo.

“Hah…”

It was something she experienced countless times over the past three years. Her last memory was Yu Hyun’s hands firmly supporting her body.

That’s when it happened. Along with the sound of a chair being thrown to the floor with a thud, she heard.

“A Rin, are you okay?”

With the warmth enveloping her hand, her anxious heart seemed to settle a little and her heavy body felt lighter.

“Are you alright? Is anything uncomfortable?”

Would it be bad to think that she’s fortunate to have someone who cares about her?

A Rin was glad that even when she opened her eyes, she wasn’t alone like before.

“Are you hurting anywhere?”

“Mm-mm. No.”

At Ji Yun’s face asking with a worried look while thoroughly examining her body, A Rin couldn’t help but smile even though she thought she shouldn’t.

“Just because you’re here.”

“Are you crazy? Really. What did you do well to smile?”

“I’m sorry. Ji Yun.”

It was nice to have someone who cared about her, but how did the person who was worried feel?

A Rin reflected on her thoughts a moment ago about being glad to have someone who cared about her. Because she knew how much Ji Yun had been anxious staying by her side for the past three years.

“…If you know, then don’t make me worry. You startled me.”

Instead of answering, A Rin nodded her head. Ji Yun pulled a chair and sat next to A Rin.

“You sure you’re not hurting anywhere?”

“Yeah.”

“If you’re in pain, don’t hide it.”

“Yeah.”

Only after confirming several times that she was okay did Ji Yun show a relieved face.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank each other between family.”

A Rin’s heart surged at the word ‘family’.

“…Yeah.”

As A Rin was having a casual conversation with Ji Yun, she suddenly realized that today wasn’t a weekend.

“Ah…”

“What?”

Ji Yun worked in the PR team at VAN Group’s Seoul headquarters. Even though she made time on weekends to come to Jeju Island, on weekdays she stayed at her home in Seoul. However, the fact that she came to Jeju Island on a weekday meant that she herself was the reason.

“How did you come?”

“I came after getting the call.”

It was because she realized it was because of her.

Although Ji Yun said it casually, that made her feel more sorry.

“You came because I collapsed, right?”

“…Isn’t it obvious?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I told you not to say you’re sorry. We agreed not to say sorry between family. Besides…”

Ji Yun’s eyes turned icy cold mid-sentence.

“Your ex-husband came, I heard.”

“…”

“Ha. How dare he come here? He’s really shameless.”

Ji Yun spat out harsh words even though Jae Hyuk was the highest person in the company she worked for.

“I really don’t like him. He says he’ll divorce you this time?”

“…No.”

“Ha. Then why did he come?”

“I don’t know either. Right now, I’m confused as to why oppa came to see me.”

[I’m sorry. I have no intention of getting a divorce.] [Can’t you give me one more chance…?]

A Rin recalled what Jae Hyuk had said.

‘What are you trying to do now after all this time?’

She couldn’t understand why he appeared after three whole years and shook her up.

“Choi A Rin.”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t waver. You’re already over with him.”

“…I’m not wavering. I’m just a bit confused.”

“There’s nothing to be confused about. He’s just a past connection. You’ve already sorted everything out with Ban Jae Hyuk, haven’t you?”

A Rin nodded at Ji Yun’s words.

“So don’t think about anything else. You said it before. That you were only married in name. That you’ll never see him again once you get divorced.”

“Yeah.”

“So don’t think about other things and just get divorced. You’ve already made a fresh start, but divorce him and make a completely new beginning.”

Ji Yun was right.

Did she waver?

No, rather than wavering, she was confused by Jae Hyuk’s appearance. Him who appeared now, long after Manager Han showed up.

“I know. Don’t worry. What you’re worrying about won’t happen, Ji Yun.”

Ji Yun said while fixing A Rin’s wet hair.

“Right. Don’t think about anything else and just focus on recovering now.”

“Are you going back up tomorrow?”

“I took a day off. You have a shop reservation, right?”

“Ah…”

“So, Mom has to go out to help Oppa with work. But I can’t leave you alone, so I came. The doctor said to be careful since then. It’s a good thing Oppa was there, what would have happened if you were alone?”

She didn’t want to repeat the collapse of her everyday life that she barely got back. Ji Yun comforted A Rin, who had a worried expression.

“…Yeah.”

“You have to be careful yourself.”

Ji Yun’s worry was understandable.

Vasovagal syncope*, a disease that had been tormenting her terribly and persistently for three years.

*Vasovagal syncope: A disease in which the normal interaction between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems breaks down and only the parasympathetic nervous system is abnormally activated. When the parasympathetic nervous system is extremely activated, the heart rate slows down and blood flow to the brain stops or decreases, leading to a situation where one can experience temporary fainting.