Looking at the embarrassed Arin, Euna shook her head as if to say it wasn’t like that.
“No, it’s okay.”
“…”
“I have one daughter. She’s your age…”
“Yeah.”
Arin felt sorry for Euna’s expression.
“I’m an unworthy mother.”
“…”
“She was the one who left first… I hold her in my heart.”
Euna’s words left a strange impression on Arin.
‘She lost her child first…’
Arin thought that Euna had sent her child away first.
And she knew that sadness too well. After all, she had experienced the same thing.
It seemed she shouldn’t ask any more questions, and offering common condolences didn’t seem appropriate either.
‘Is it okay to say this?’
Arin contemplated for a long time, nervously repeating the words in her mind.
“You can consider me as a friend, or…”
Even as she spoke, there was still hesitation in her heart.
‘Just because I’ve seen her a few times? Why am I saying such things? Even though it’s something I can’t say, I want to.’
Arin looked at Euna and spoke while locking eyes.
“If it’s okay, please consider me as your daughter…”
“…Arin.”
Euna’s eyes trembled with intensity.
‘I don’t understand why I’m saying this. Maybe it’s something that unconsciously popped out beyond my will.’
Arin couldn’t hide her confused feelings as she looked at Euna.
Euna was looking at her with a shaken gaze.
‘Right. She seems so sad.’
“If it makes you uncomfortable…”
Arin tried to smile as she spoke to Euna. Euna sharply shook her head in response to Arin’s words.
“No, it’s not like that.”
After a brief hesitation, Euna continued speaking.
“Thank you for saying that. Thank you for telling me it’s okay to think of you as my daughter.”
Arin felt a lump in her chest at Euna’s words.
“It’s sincere. I’m really happy that Arin considers herself my daughter.”
The two-week business trip to New York would end in two days, and Arin naturally lay down on the same bed as Jaehyuk.
“When we return to Korea, do we have to sleep in separate rooms again?”
Jaehyuk, extending his right arm, asked Arin.
“Hmm…”
“Is there room for consideration?”
Jaehyuk seemed to expect Arin to answer immediately, asking with a disappointed expression.
“A bit?”
“Huh.”
Arin found Jaehyuk’s embarrassed appearance quite cute.
“Why?”
“Is it not good for us to lie down like this together?”
“Well, it’s not that…”
Arin’s words trailed off.
‘If we keep living like this every day, my heart won’t remain, and physically, I might not be able to endure.’
As Arin hesitated, he quickly interjected.
“I’ll buy a bigger bed.”
“It’s not about that…”
“Arin.”
“…”
“I’ll think about it.”
Arin couldn’t erase the thought that it might turn out as Jaehyuk wanted.
The next evening.
Arin and Jaehyuk were out, thanks to a strong suggestion from a manager.
“You must see the night view. If you’re a couple, I strongly recommend the night view.”
The manager emphatically stated that the ‘night view’ was a must when visiting New York.
And so, the final schedule was decided.
Arin, with Jaehyuk, headed to the Empire State Building, a landmark in New York and one of the top five night view spots.
“Let’s go in.”
As they got out of the car, he held her hand. Looking down at their joined hands, her heart fluttered.
‘Dating with my brother has always been a lifelong wish.’
A few days ago, she unintentionally blurted out her feelings to Jaehyuk.
It was a passing remark.
[“Wanna go on a date?”] [“Let’s go on a date.”]Was it the passing remark that touched his heart?
For the past few days, she felt he was trying to spend time with her, cutting into the time when he was absent.
‘Is this what happiness feels like?’
Until now, she thought happiness was something grand and splendid.
She thought she didn’t deserve to be happy.
‘Perhaps feeling happiness in very small things in everyday life is true happiness. Like now, with the person I love holding my hand…’
I was happy. The feeling of happiness kept coming over me.
“Shall we go up?”
After roughly exploring the history of the Empire State Building, we went up to the highest floor.
“Wow.”
As we reached the observation deck of the Empire State Building, the entire New York City spread out before us.
The sight of New York, tinged red as the sunset, looked like a painting, and involuntary sighs escaped.
“It’s amazing.”
“Yeah. It’s magnificent.”
Overwhelmed by the breathtaking view, our hearts swelled.
“Haven’t you seen this a lot, Oppa?”
Looking outside, I asked him.
“Not often, but I’ve been here.”
“Really?”
Jaehyuk reached out and held Arin’s cheeks. Turning her head to face him, he said,
“But, of all I’ve seen so far, this moment seems the most beautiful.”
“Huh?”
“I think it’s because I’m seeing it with you.”
His eyes, full of passionate love towards her, made her heart flutter.
The Male lead Always Seduces Her with His Beauty (Matriarchy)
Xin Jiao Zhou is the leader of the world’s premier sect. She has just experienced betrayal from all sides, was poisoned in an assassination attempt, and faced death squad attacks while the poison was taking effect. After finally clearing out the scum from her sect, she was drugged again while trying to detoxify.
After waking up from a night of unconsciousness, she gained a “beautiful and kind-hearted” husband.
Xin Jiao Zhou: “???”
He fell ill.
She came to see him, bringing breakfast.
As she put down the breakfast and was about to leave, his hand slipped while holding the spoon. “Clank!”
She turned around upon hearing the noise.
He looked up at her, his eyebrows drooping: “My hand… has no strength.”
“Shall I… feed you?” she asked tentatively.
He opened his mouth cheerfully: “Ah—”
Thinking she was drowning, he jumped in without hesitation to save her, but nearly drowned himself. In the end, it was she who swam over to rescue him, giving him air underwater.
After emerging from the water, his ear tips turned red. He lightly brushed his cheek, tucking his sideburns behind his ear, revealing delicate, pink-tinged ear tips. He lowered his gaze, too embarrassed to look at her.
Xin Jiao Zhou: He’s truly beautiful, kind-hearted, and adorable.
A certain someone when disciplining subordinates behind the scenes: “If they don’t obey, just kill them.”
What’s that? She might already have someone she cares about in her heart? A certain someone: Find out who it is, kill them, and then there won’t be anyone.
What? She met a man by the riverside? What? That man even hurt her? A certain someone: Whichever hand hurt her, chop off his entire arm.
Love at first sight without realizing it, gradually falling in love, slowly getting closer…
Family and national grudges, schemes and desires, good and evil, crime and punishment, she and he face the future together, seeking justice with passion!
A naturally dark female lead who could accidentally destroy the world but is actually an honest person VS a weak, pitiful, and helpless but skilled fighter, beautiful white-cut black male lead
My heart is not of stone, how steadfast is your love? — Tao Yuanming “Imitating the Ancients (No. 3)”
— Reading Guide —
Cold female lead & dramatic black lotus with hidden yandere traits male lead
