True Marriage After Divorce (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 12

Jae Hyuk let out a hollow laugh—at his mother, who’d endured that dreadful ordeal yet remained exactly the same.

Until then, he hadn’t even dreamed that Madam Jeong had already gone to see Ah Rin before he himself had gotten to her.

“Hang up.”

“How can I possibly—”

“Just hang up.”

When Team Leader Han hesitated, Jae Hyuk snatched the phone and pressed the end-call button. Team Leader Han’s face went pale, knowing all too well Madam Jeong’s temperament.

“Don’t worry. I’ll handle it. But, Team Leader Han—today’s matter…”

Jae Hyuk pressed his throbbing temples firmly with his right hand while extending the phone with his left. Seeing Jae Hyuk’s sharp gaze fixed on him, Team Leader Han flinched preemptively and spoke.

“I know nothing about this. You know I’d never slip up like that.”

“I know. But there’s a saying—‘tap the stone bridge before crossing.’”

“Deputy Chairman, do you really distrust me, Han Joo Hyuk, this much?”

Taking back the phone, Team Leader Han raised both arms, wearing a look of wounded innocence. Jae Hyuk stared intently at him, his eyes piercing as though trying to see straight into his soul.

Just then, Team Leader Han’s phone vibrated. Again and again, it kept ringing without pause.

“Seems like Madam Jeong is dead set on talking to me today, no matter what.”

Seeing Team Leader Han trapped between a rock and a hard place, Jae Hyuk said,

“Give it here.”

Looking utterly stricken, Team Leader Han handed over the phone. Jae Hyuk pressed the answer button.

[Han Team Leader, you cheeky brat! Do you even know who I am to dare hang up on me? Want to lose your job? Are you listening? I asked what our Jae Hyuk is doing in Jeju right now!]

Madam Jeong’s shrill voice came through the speaker.

“It’s me.”

[…Jae Hyuk?]

“I ended the call. And Team Leader Han is my man. By what right do you think you can fire someone under my command, Mother?”

[Oh, Jae Hyuk, I wasn’t actually serious about—]

Jae Hyuk’s expression turned even colder. He had no wish to prolong this conversation with his mother.

“What do you need?”

[I was worried—you weren’t answering your phone.]

Worried?

That was laughable.

Jae Hyuk found his mother’s feigned concern ridiculous. If she truly cared for her child, she wouldn’t have pushed Ah Rin away like that.

She just couldn’t bear to have him out of her sight… His mother had always wanted to keep him tightly within her grasp.

“I’m a grown man—what could possibly happen to me?”

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

“Get straight to the point.”

[Jae Hyuk, why are you treating your mother like this? What have I ever done wrong to you…?]

“If you have nothing important to say, I’ll hang up.”

[Hey, hey, Jae Hyuk…]

Jae Hyuk was the child born seven years after his parents’ marriage.

He hadn’t witnessed his mother’s hardships before and after his birth, but he’d heard the stories. That’s why he usually tried not to defy her wishes.

If Ah Rin hadn’t left him, he never would have spoken to his mother this way.

[Still, I got worried when you turned off your phone. And besides, I’m your mother—must I even call someone else just to ask for you…? What must Team Leader Han think of me?]

“I believe I’ve already told you not to call unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

Jae Hyuk was utterly sick of his mother. She disgusted him to no end.

Hearing Jae Hyuk’s cold tone, Madam Jeong’s voice trembled faintly.

[I’m only worried about you. You’re already so busy you can’t even sleep—why did you have to go all the way there?]

Jae Hyuk’s face twisted instantly.

Perhaps even his hatred toward Madam Jeong was just a cowardly way to ease his own guilt.

Swallowing his hot anger, he said,

“Don’t interfere. Whether it’s concern or anything else—I don’t need it.”

[Jae Hyuk, I’m still your mother…]

“If you have no real business, I’m hanging up.”

Just as Jae Hyuk’s finger, utterly resolute, moved toward the end-call button—

[Is Ah Rin doing well?]

At the sound of Ah Rin’s name from Madam Jeong’s lips, Jae Hyuk’s eyes sharpened dangerously.

“I’ve already told you not to utter Ah Rin’s name again.”

[What’s with that tone? She used to be my daughter-in-law—why can’t I even mention her?]

Jae Hyuk clenched his fist so hard his veins bulged.

“Mother, don’t forget what I told you—never interfere in Ah Rin’s affairs, no matter what. And I also warned you—if you so much as touch a single hair on her head, I’ll have no choice but to show Father everything I have.”

‘I realized it too late. No… I knew all along but chose to ignore it. So, I must correct it now.’

Only after Ah Rin left did he seriously reflect on how she had suffered the most as the ultimate sacrifice to his mother’s greed… But even more than that, there was something else he regretted deeply.

[It wasn’t Madam Ban or anyone else who hurt Ah Rin the most. The one who truly made her wither away was you, Deputy Chairman.]

Those were Ji Yoon’s words to him three years ago, when he’d begged her to tell him where Ah Rin was.

Ah Rin hadn’t left because of his mother—it was because of Ban Jae Hyuk himself.

‘How could you endure such humiliation and disgrace all that time and still stay by my side?’

Every time situations like this arose, he felt agonizing pain—facing this kind of mother made him viscerally understand just how hard Ah Rin must have suffered.

[“Oppa, I love you. It’s not about money—I want a child because it would be yours, because it’s your child.”]

He’d heard those words late at night when he’d entered her room after hearing she’d drunk alcohol before bed—despite never touching even a sip.

‘If only I’d comforted your heart back then… Would things between us be different now?’

“Don’t ever go see her. If you meet Ah Rin, be prepared to lose your son.”

[J-Jae Hyuk…]

“I’m hanging up now.”

[Hey, Jae Hyuk…]

Ignoring Madam Jeong’s pleading voice through the speaker, Jae Hyuk coldly ended the call.

“Turn off the phone.”

Even though he knew he didn’t deserve it, he wanted to see Ah Rin.

He missed her smile—the one that wouldn’t even appear in his dreams anymore.

[This is the timeline separator]

“…Where am I?”

Her eyes were open, yet she saw nothing. Her vision was blurry, and her eyelids felt as heavy as waterlogged sponges.

After blinking several times with effort, a familiar white ceiling came into view.

‘I’m in the hospital.’

Though her sight cleared, moving even a finger was too much.

Her body wouldn’t budge, as if crushed under immense weight. Eventually, Ah Rin gave up trying to move and began piecing together her memories from before she collapsed.

‘Oppa Jae Hyuk came to see me… and I cried so much until…’

A sharp ringing filled her ears, and her body remained unresponsive. She heard Yoo Hyun calling her name, yet the sound didn’t penetrate her eardrums—it merely echoed around the outer rim of her ears.

“Haah…”

This had happened countless times over the past three years. Her last memory was of Yoo Hyun’s hands firmly supporting her body.

Just then, the sound of a chair crashing to the floor rang out.

“Ah Rin, are you okay?”

The warmth encircling her hand eased her anxiety slightly, and her heavy body felt just a little lighter.

“Are you okay? Anywhere hurting?”

Was it wrong to feel grateful—just because someone cared enough to worry about her?

Ah Rin was glad she wasn’t alone anymore, just like before.

“Does anything hurt?”

“Umm… no.”

Seeing Ji Yoon scan her body with worried eyes, Ah Rin couldn’t help but let out a small smile, even though she knew she shouldn’t.

“It’s just… I’m glad you’re here.”

“You’re crazy. Seriously. What’s so good you’re smiling?”

“I’m sorry, Ji Yoon.”

She was happy someone cared, but she also wondered how it must have felt for the one worrying.

Ah Rin regretted her earlier thought about being glad someone worried for her—she knew exactly how much Ji Yoon had agonized staying by her side these past three years.

“…Then don’t make me worry. I was scared.”

Instead of answering, Ah Rin simply nodded. Ji Yoon pulled a chair close and sat beside her.

“You’re really not in any pain, right?”

“Yeah.”

“If something hurts, don’t hide it.”

“Okay.”

Only after Ji Yoon confirmed several times that she was truly fine did she finally let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me for every little thing—we’re family.”

At the word “family,” Ah Rin’s heart surged with emotion.

“…Yeah.”

As Ah Rin chatted idly with Ji Yoon, she suddenly realized today wasn’t the weekend.

“Oh…”

“What?”

Ji Yoon worked in the PR team at VAN Group’s Seoul headquarters. Though she’d come to Jeju on weekends before, she normally stayed at her Seoul home on weekdays. The fact that she was here on a weekday meant Ah Rin herself was the reason.

“How’d you get here?”

“I came as soon as I got your call.”

Ah Rin now understood—it was because of her.

Ji Yoon spoke casually, which only made Ah Rin feel more guilty.

“So you came because I passed out?”

“…Isn’t that obvious?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I already told you—don’t say you’re sorry. We don’t say that to each other in this family. Besides…”

Ji Yoon’s expression suddenly turned icy mid-sentence.

“Your ex-husband showed up, right?”

“…”

“Ugh. Of all places, he comes here? How shameless can someone be?”

Despite Jae Hyuk being the highest-ranking person at her company, Ji Yoon didn’t hold back her harsh words.

“I really don’t like him. Did he finally agree to divorce this time?”

“…No.”

“Hah. Then why’d he come?”

“I don’t know myself. Right now, I’m just confused about why Oppa came to see me.”

[“I’m sorry. I have no intention of divorcing.”] [“Can’t you give me just one more chance…?”]

Ah Rin recalled Jae Hyuk’s words.

‘What exactly does he think he’s doing, showing up now?’

She couldn’t understand why he’d suddenly appear after three years and shake her like this.

“Choi Ah Rin.”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t waver. It’s already over between you.”

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

“There’s nothing to be confused about. He’s just a part of your past. You’ve already moved on from Ban Jae Hyuk.”

Ah Rin nodded at Ji Yoon’s words.

“So don’t worry about it. You already said it yourself—you were only married in name. Once you divorce, you’ll never see him again.”

“Right.”

“So stop overthinking it—just get the divorce. You’ve already started anew; this will just make your fresh start complete.”

Ji Yoon was right.

Had she wavered?

No—it wasn’t wavering so much as confusion caused by Jae Hyuk’s sudden appearance, especially after Team Leader Han had shown up and so much time had already passed.

“I know. Don’t worry—nothing you’re worried about will happen.”

Ji Yoon gently smoothed Ah Rin’s damp hair as she spoke.

“Good. Don’t think about anything else—just focus on recovering your strength for now.”

“Are you heading back tomorrow?”

“I’ve taken leave. Didn’t you have a reservation at your shop?”

“Oh…”

“So, Mom has to go help Oppa with something, but I couldn’t just leave you alone. The doctor warned you to be careful after that episode. Thank goodness Oppa was there—if you’d been alone, what would’ve happened?”

She didn’t want her hard-won normal life to crumble again. Ji Yoon gently patted Ah Rin’s worried face.

“…Yeah.”

“You need to be more careful yourself.”

Ah Rin understood Ji Yoon’s concern.

Vasovagal syncope—that persistent, relentless illness had tormented her for the past three years.