True Marriage After Divorce (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 9

Ah Rin let out a hollow laugh at Madam Jeong’s words.

Misunderstanding?

She hadn’t even had the luxury to consider that his reason for not divorcing might be lingering feelings for her.

No, she hadn’t bothered wondering why he wouldn’t divorce her at all.

Because for the past three years, she’d only lived to stay alive.

[“I didn’t want unnecessary rumors spreading before Yu Jin came back. Besides, since Jae Hyuk and Yu Jin are already certain of their feelings for each other, it’d be troublesome if he started getting involved with this woman or that. But then again, publicly announcing their relationship wasn’t really an option either…”]

Madam Jeong gently wrapped her hand around Yu Jin’s, who stood beside her, and continued with a soft smile.

Seeing Madam Jeong’s face—something she’d never witnessed before—made Ah Rin feel utterly wretched.

[“It just seemed like it might disturb our Yu Jin’s studies. Now that Yu Jin is back, the divorce papers will be filed soon.”]

So you used me as a shield? Just to protect the woman you love?

How much longer must I keep hearing this?

She was furious at them for still looking down on her.

She’d already left the documents behind. All he had to do was sign, and the divorce would be finalized.

“I’ve done everything! It’s your son who hasn’t done his part—why are you treating me like this!”

Even after three years, she still felt trapped in this cursed connection.

It was the summer following the year she’d left Jae Hyuk. His chief secretary, Team Leader Han, came to see her.

[“Have you been well?”] [“What brings you here?”]

Seeing her ignore his greeting, Team Leader Han gave an awkward smile.

[“The Vice Chairman asked me to tell you that he has no intention of divorcing you. Also, please don’t worry—Madam Ban won’t be contacting you anymore.”] [“Worry? What worry? Do I look like I’m anxiously waiting for Madam Jeong to call me, like I used to?”] [“No, it’s just—”] [“Tell him not to misunderstand. If Madam Ban contacts me, it’ll only be because Ban Jae Hyuk won’t grant the divorce.”]

Team Leader Han’s expression darkened like the deep ocean.

[“This whole mess exists solely because Ban Jae Hyuk refuses to divorce me. So please, make sure you deliver this: tell him to give me the divorce.”] [“I’m sorry. But as someone who works for the Vice Chairman, I must convey this message—even if it’s unwelcome—so please accept my apologies in advance.”] [“I don’t want to hear it.”] [“If he wants to come back, he’s welcome to anytime.”]

She should have been angry.

Only anger should’ve filled her.

Yet Ah Rin knew that if he truly wanted to find her, it wouldn’t be difficult at all. In fact, waiting a whole year was already rather late.

[“That will never happen. Please tell him clearly: all I want is a divorce from Ban Jae Hyuk.”]

Her inability to forget Jae Hyuk had nothing to do with wanting to return to his side. She had no intention of ever going back to him.

[“Tell him to give me the divorce. I genuinely don’t understand why he won’t. And just in case—please also tell him absolutely not to come looking for me.”]

Ah Rin sent Team Leader Han away with cold, firm words.

Nothing changed, no matter how much time passed.

Ah Rin contacted the lawyer handling her divorce case.

[“A mutual consent divorce seems unlikely. After three years, they probably assume you’ve given up on the divorce too. If you truly want it, I recommend you start preparing for litigation.”] [“Won’t everyone find out if it goes to court? Even the smallest, most private details? What if things I don’t want exposed become public?”] [“The specific grounds for divorce are never disclosed. Everything said in court remains strictly confidential. If news of the lawsuit does surface, the media will likely report only vague reasons like ‘irreconcilable differences.’ Some outlets might try digging deeper, but the sensitive parts you’re worried about won’t be revealed to the public. So you can rest easy on that point.”]

Despite the lawyer’s reassurance, Ah Rin still didn’t feel inclined to go to court. She wanted the divorce, yet somehow dreaded the lawsuit itself. Still, given how things stood, she realized avoiding litigation might be impossible.

“Are you okay?”

Yoo Hyun, who’d quietly approached, asked. Startled out of her thoughts by his touch, Ah Rin hurried to respond.

“Oh, sorry! I’ll be done in a sec.”

Gathering up the scattered card receipts, she added,

“I didn’t mean to rush you. I’m almost done here. Let’s finish together.”

Yoo Hyun gently held onto Ah Rin’s hand, still clutching the receipts.

“…Sorry.”

“For what?”

Yoo Hyun softly stroked Ah Rin’s hair.

“There are days like this and days like that. Just sit for a moment. Let’s do it together.”

“Okay.”

Today had been full of mistakes. She’d made twice her usual amount of coffee, kept miscalculating orders, and even handed customers the wrong items.

She’d acted confident in front of Madam Jeong, but inside, she wasn’t.

Blaming herself, Ah Rin waited for Yoo Hyun.

“Let’s go, Ah Rin.”

“Huh? Oh, okay.”

Ah Rin jumped up, and Yoo Hyun handed her a pink mini crossbody bag.

“Here, your bag.”

Ah Rin took it, dazed.

“Thanks. Oh—oppa, I’ll just pop into the restroom for a sec.”

“Go ahead. I’ll wait by the car.”

“Okay.”

Once Ah Rin entered the restroom, Yoo Hyun switched off all the shop lights.

“Choi Ah Rin, you fool.”

Yoo Hyun murmured softly, gazing toward the restroom door. He already knew who’d visited that morning.

He stayed silent only because he worried Ah Rin might feel awkward if he acknowledged it.

Ah Rin had started acting strangely ever since she saw that news report.

‘You may deny it, but somehow I feel you haven’t fully erased that man from your heart. If you truly felt nothing, you wouldn’t have looked so shocked hearing about his engagement. And the fact that your former mother-in-law came to see you—three years later—must be because you and that man still haven’t legally settled things between you.’

Yoo Hyun’s mouth tasted bitter.

“You’ve still got a long way to go, Seo Yoo Hyun.”

How much longer must I wait before you finally turn to look at me by your side?

At first, he’d only hoped for the tiniest crack in her heart where he might fit. But as time passed, his desire grew.

Just as she was his wholehearted love, he wished he could be hers completely too…

“Sigh…”

Yoo Hyun let out a quiet sigh and walked toward the shop door, quietly repeating those last words.

At that exact moment, the bell above the door jingled, and a shadow fell into the darkened shop.

Assuming it was a customer, he quickly approached.

“Sorry, we’re closed for the day…”

But as soon as he saw the face of the person he’d mistaken for a customer, Yoo Hyun couldn’t finish his sentence.

“You’re…”

Was there anyone in Korea who didn’t recognize that face?

No—even if the man weren’t famous, Yoo Hyun would’ve known him anyway.

Because he was the man Ah Rin had once loved.

All Yoo Hyun could think was that he had to get this man out before Ah Rin came back.

“What do you think you’re doing here? Leave. Now.”

“…”

The man offered no reply. Yoo Hyun stepped closer, his voice low and warning.

“Leave. Now.”

Seeing the man refuse to budge, Yoo Hyun grew anxious.

And then the worst happened.

Behind him, the door clicked open, and Ah Rin’s voice rang out.

“Oppa, why are you still at the shop…?”

Despair crashed over Yoo Hyun. He couldn’t hear Ah Rin’s footsteps anymore.

[This is the timeline separator]

“This can’t be happening.”

Ah Rin couldn’t believe the man standing before her.

She couldn’t move.

Was she seeing things?

The man who shouldn’t be here was standing right in front of her.

When the man’s gaze, previously fixed on Yoo Hyun, met hers, his eyes trembled deeply.

“…Ah Rin.”

A dry, cracked voice escaped through his tightly closed lips.

Once, she’d loved him madly. Once, she’d missed him so terribly it felt like dying.

He was also the man she’d come to hate and loathe.

“…Ban Jae Hyuk.”

It had been three years since Jae Hyuk last appeared before her.

‘Get a grip, Choi Ah Rin. You have to handle this well.’

Even in her panic, Ah Rin pulled herself together. Instead of the familiar “oppa” lingering on her tongue, she drew a clear line.

Did it work?

Jae Hyuk’s eyes wavered violently.

For a brief moment, Ah Rin hesitated.

Should she chase him away—or…?

“Oppa.”

“…”

“I’m sorry, but could you go home first?”

Her voice was apologetic yet firm. Yoo Hyun looked at her, clearly reluctant.

“…I’ll wait.”

“No, oppa, please go ahead.”

Letting Yoo Hyun wait wouldn’t do him any good either.

“Oppa.”

“Alright. Got it.”

In the end, Yoo Hyun yielded helplessly to Ah Rin’s insistence and turned to leave.

After Yoo Hyun exited the shop, Ah Rin sat face-to-face with Jae Hyuk for the first time in three years.

Was it because she’d just heard about his engagement?

She found his sorrowful, wistful gaze—directed at her despite his upcoming marriage to another woman—deeply irritating.

Instead of heartache over his unfamiliar eyes, resentment and hatred rose in her chest.

“Why did you come looking for me?”

She spoke in the coldest tone she could manage.

“…Have you been well?”

Jae Hyuk tried to steady his trembling eyes and asked in a voice parched and cracked.

Ah Rin didn’t look away from his unfamiliar gaze.

“We’re hardly in a position to exchange pleasantries, Ban Jae Hyuk.”

“…Right. I suppose not.”

As he spoke, his eyebrows and shoulders sagged downward.

His weary voice did stir something in Ah Rin—but she refused to let it show.

All this time, she’d deliberately avoided seeing him.

She skipped news reports and even turned off her phone if she saw his name in online articles.

And yet…

Yesterday, his engagement announcement.

Today, his fiancée arriving with his former mother-in-law.

Ah Rin didn’t want them to see her inner turmoil.

“By what right do you come to me?”

It was the coldest tone she could muster.

“What does it matter between you and me?”

Even as she spoke, her eyes kept drifting to his sunken cheeks.

‘Why have you lost so much weight? Are you even eating properly? With all your money, why don’t you take better care of your skin?’

His V-shaped, muscular frame remained unmistakable even beneath his suit, but his face had grown much sharper, thinner than it was three years ago.

Just moments ago, she’d hated him for refusing to divorce her while talking about engagements.

Now, overwhelmed by emotions she couldn’t control, Ah Rin’s heart surged painfully. She abruptly turned her head away from him.

“When I see you, Ban Jae Hyuk, I feel awful. I hate that you came looking at me with that pained expression—it just seems so hypocritical.”

Though leaving him had been her choice, it had felt half-forced.

It had been so hard she’d wanted to die.

No matter how much her family demanded money, no matter how poorly Madam Jeong treated her—if only he, just once, had shown even a shred of concern for her, she wouldn’t have left like this.

Because hearts don’t sever cleanly like sliced tofu—maybe even when handing him the divorce papers, she’d secretly hoped he’d hold her back.

But Jae Hyuk never once looked back at her heart.