Jae-hyuk’s warning was clear. His firm intention was to protect Arin and never let her go.

Kyung-sook’s eyebrows trembled. She had to find a way out.

“Arin knows.”

Jae-hyuk’s brows twitched.

“We aren’t officially divorced yet. Using my son-in-law’s card… How can you accuse a mother-in-law of theft?”

“Madam.”

“It’s true. I got the card and asked Arin, and she said it was okay to use it.”

Then, the shop door opened, and in came Arin.

‘This is the worst.’

Jae-hyuk read the clear resentment in Arin’s eyes towards him. He had come to warn Kyung-sook about using Arin, but ended up hurting her too.

“Please leave, it’s over, just go!”

Jae-hyuk’s visit had inadvertently caused more pain for Arin, reinforcing the end of their relationship.
Arin’s voice, filled with anger, made Jae-hyuk feel like his world was collapsing. He felt as if the ground beneath his feet was sinking.

‘It’s not what you think.’

Jae-hyuk couldn’t bring himself to utter those words that had risen to his throat. What he intended as clarification only seemed to worsen the situation in Arin’s eyes.

‘Damn it!’

He clenched his fists tightly, cursing himself. Never had he imagined this scenario – Arin arriving and things getting twisted like this…

He couldn’t divorce Arin. Jae-hyuk felt suffocated, trapped in a situation where he couldn’t make a move.

‘If I were in Arin’s shoes, I would’ve thought I was being deceived and mocked.’

Then, he heard Arin’s sorrowful sobbing. It tore at his heart.

‘Don’t cry. Please.’

Jae-hyuk wanted to lift her up but knew he couldn’t. He was the reason for her tears. Anger surged within him for handling things so poorly.

All he could do was bite his lower lip in frustration, feeling utterly powerless.

Jae-hyuk loathed Kyung-sook’s hypocrisy and despised himself for his role in this mess.

He couldn’t take his eyes off Arin’s trembling, slender shoulders. After a brief silence, he fixed his gaze on Arin and turned to Kyung-sook.

It was clear that Arin wouldn’t have permitted the use of his card. Kyung-sook was blatantly lying.

He knew who was behind Kyung-sook without much thought.

He wanted to snatch the card in her hand, settle everything here and now – the shop, the house. But Arin had sent him away.

Ultimately, Jae-hyuk had no choice but to leave without accomplishing anything.

Arin fled from Kyung-sook as if escaping.

“How could mother say such things…”

She was bewildered by a side of Kyung-sook so different from what she knew.

‘I can’t remember what was said at the end. How did the conversation conclude?’

Feeling as though her heart had been carved out, her mind was blank, erased as if by an eraser.

She resented both Jae-hyuk and Kyung-sook, feeling miserably foolish for being the only one deceived.

Her tears wouldn’t stop.

Staggering, her off-shoulder dress revealed a shoulder reddened from being grabbed by Kyung-sook.

Bumping into someone, she collapsed heavily. A large shadow loomed over her small frame.

“What’s wrong with you?”

A burly man glared at her lying on the ground.

“Can’t you see where you’re going? Are your eyes just for show?”

The man’s voice was threatening, but Arin couldn’t react, just lying there blankly.

“Damn, unlucky to run into some crazy woman.”

Thinking her insane, the man left her with a harsh look.

“Consider yourself lucky I’m not worse.”

Left alone, Arin felt lost and directionless amidst the passing crowd.

‘What do I do now? Where do I go?’

She felt as if there was nowhere in the world for her to belong.

How long had it been?

Again, a large shadow fell over her.

“Arin…”

She thought she heard Jae-hyuk’s voice. Then, she felt a hand gently brushing her hair back.

‘Must be a dream.’
Arin slowly lifted her head.

“…….”

And the moment her eyes met someone’s, darkness flooded into Arin’s world.