Your Former Wife (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 14
An upscale, exclusive restaurant.
A harmonious family of three was visibly enjoying a cheerful conversation. It was their first meeting in almost a month. As they chatted for quite some time, a knock sounded at the door; it opened, and staff members entered, neatly arranging the dishes on the table.
Until then, Ae Sook had kept her gaze fixed on her long-unseen son as though not a single minute or second should be wasted—but her expression suddenly darkened.
“Our Seo Yeon’s favorite side dishes.”
At her words, the previously warm and lively atmosphere instantly froze. Yet Ae Sook remained oblivious to the stiff, hardened expressions on her husband’s and son’s faces.
“On a day like today, how wonderful it would have been if Seo Yeon had joined us too.”
Her mind was already entirely occupied by thoughts of her youngest daughter, who was absent from this gathering. Upon hearing Ae Sook’s murmur, Jung Hyuk’s face deliberately shifted into a grave expression.
“Has Seo Yeon still not replied to Mother’s messages?”
Responding to Jung Hyuk’s question, Ae Sook sighed as if pleading for sympathy.
“It feels like it’s already been several months since I last saw her.”
“Really?”
Jung Hyuk’s eyes widened in surprise. He muttered, seemingly incredulous.
“I had no idea our youngest had such a stubborn streak in her.”
“That’s exactly it.”
Ae Sook nodded in agreement. Every day, she grew more disappointed and exhausted by her daughter, who neither answered her calls nor replied to her messages.
She had raised her daughter with utmost care—dressing her in only the finest clothes, feeding her only the best food. After all I did to raise her… how could she be so coldhearted…?
“She said she won’t see me again until you and I apologize to her husband.”
Their youngest had always been an affectionate, kind-hearted daughter who adored her parents and older brother. But she began changing after Jung Hyuk publicly investigated the entire HanKyoung Group for violations of political fund laws and bribery charges.
Dozens of members of the Han Kyung Family underwent investigation; and merely being listed as subjects of inquiry caused suspicion to spread like wildfire, escalating in scale until the entire HanKyoung Group plunged into crisis.
Two years later, Han Kyung had successfully weathered the crisis and regained its status as a global corporation, wielding considerable influence both in Korea and worldwide—but separately from that recovery, the disgrace from that period still remained unerased. The HanKyoung Group corruption scandal continued to circulate in public discourse as a symbolic case highlighting a young prosecutor’s sacrifice to sever collusion between politics and business, frequently appearing in people’s conversations.
At first, their daughter had visited Ae Sook daily, imploring her with desperate eyes to dissuade her brother. But once the investigation turned toward the owner’s family, she declared she would sever even the parent-child bond unless matters were corrected.
Even now, recalling that incident made Ae Sook’s heart tremble.
“Seo Yeon actually said that to you, Mother? That truly surprises me.”
Jung Hyuk turned his body slightly as he questioned her, muttering as if he still couldn’t believe it.
“But on the other hand, I can somewhat understand why Seo Yeon is acting so coldly. The people of the Han Kyung Family aren’t ordinary by any means—you must’ve felt incredibly uncomfortable there. You went too far.”
Jung Hyuk’s eyes sharpened. Maintaining a faint smile on his lips, he spoke firmly.
“Mother, I did it to help build a better world. If someone commits a crime, they must face punishment.”
Ae Sook added in a subdued voice,
“Seo Yeon believes you fabricated charges against an innocent person.”
Jung Hyuk then gave a small smile and replied casually, as though it were trivial.
“She probably just wants to believe in her husband’s family. I’d been worried she wasn’t adapting well since she hadn’t contacted us at all after marriage—but hearing her speak like that, it seems she’s already fully become part of the Han Kyung Family. Now there’s nothing left to worry about.”
“…….”
Ae Sook looked at Jung Hyuk with hesitant eyes, clearly wanting to say something more, and after a pause, finally spoke with difficulty.
“…Could it possibly be that… Seo Yeon’s words are actually true?”
Jung Hyuk smiled faintly and lifted his teacup. After sipping the tea and holding a brief silence, he suddenly brightened his smile and shook his head.
“That’s impossible.”
At that moment, Dae Young—who until then had remained silent, merely observing the conversation—finally spoke for the first time.
“Enough already. Must you make things so difficult for someone handling such important matters just to soothe your own feelings?”
At Dae Young’s rebuke, Jung Hyuk gently stopped him with a soft voice.
“It’s alright, Father. Mother must be terribly worried about our youngest to act this way.”
Then, as though his thoughts had just clarified, he added while gazing at Ae Sook, his tone comforting.
“I’ll talk with Seo Yeon myself.”
Ae Sook brightened and asked,
“Really?”
Jung Hyuk nodded.
“I’ve been so busy lately that I feel I’ve neglected our youngest too much. I’ll take this chance to meet her in person and explain things clearly.”
“That’s a good idea!”
Delighted by Jung Hyuk’s response, Ae Sook called over a staff member.
“Please pack two portions of the exact same menu we’re eating now.”
“To send to Seo Yeon?”
“Yes. Of course.”
With that reply, Ae Sook gave a bright smile.
*
Late afternoon.
A housekeeper entered Seo Yeon’s bedroom following a knock at the door.
“Madam, someone’s arrived from Pyeongchang-dong.”
Seo Yeon’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
“From Pyeongchang-dong?”
Though her parents had often called or messaged, this was the first time they had actually sent someone.
After briefly hesitating with a troubled expression, Seo Yeon nodded.
“Please let them in.”
The man who entered was her older brother’s chauffeur and secretary.
In his hands was something neatly wrapped in fine cloth. Upon entering, he bowed toward Seo Yeon, then promptly walked to the dining room and placed the package on the table.
“What is this?”
“Madam from Pyeongchang-dong asked me to convey her hope that you’ll enjoy it.”
After delivering that brief message, the man bowed once more and withdrew.
“Oh my, heavens—how lovely.”
The housekeeper, who had belatedly followed Seo Yeon, let out an exclamation of admiration. She added enviously, “This meal alone must easily cost hundreds of thousands of won. It seems Madam from Pyeongchang-dong truly misses you—she only sent things beneficial for your health.”
Seo Yeon smiled silently. After a short while, alone in the dining room, she sat down in a chair at the table and gazed thoughtfully at the lunchbox.
When she was young, Seo Yeon had grown up deeply cherished by her parents and older brother.
Her father, though strict about his two children’s education, was otherwise always gentle, while her mother—concerned that even his smallest scolding might discourage Seo Yeon—would visibly disapprove of him, always standing firmly on Seo Yeon’s side.
Her older brother, charmed by his younger sister despite their age difference, would stroke her head whenever he had the chance and frequently carry her on his back.
It had been a time of dreamlike happiness.
But the family members who had meant so much to Seo Yeon began to change after she entered middle school.
If someone asked her exactly how or what had changed, even Seo Yeon couldn’t explain it clearly.
Only the previously warm atmosphere surrounding her had subtly shifted.
Her father’s once tender gaze toward her had grown colder and more distant; her mother, who had always taken her side no matter what, was no longer her unwavering ally; and her older brother, who had once promised to protect her for life, no longer stroked her hair or embraced her affectionately.
Seo Yeon felt as though she’d been abandoned alone on a desolate island.
It was a barren wasteland—devoid of loved ones and any warmth-giving sunlight.
Whenever loneliness crept in, she clung to memories of her once-happy, gentle past, and each time, her sorrow only deepened.
Once, unable to endure it any longer, she grabbed Jung Hyuk’s arm and desperately asked,
“Why did everything suddenly change?”
“What do you mean, ‘change’?”
“I know everything now. You don’t love me anymore, do you? Have you come to dislike me? Why? Why did you suddenly start hating me?”
“…….”
“What should I do?”
“Just do better.”
“Just do better?”
“Yes.”
“But how do I do that?”
“Become an outstanding person who helps the family. Then perhaps Mother and Father will look at you again with favor.”
“…….”
“Just do better, Seo Yeon. Isn’t it simple?”
That day, Seo Yeon engraved Jung Hyuk’s advice deeply in her heart, thinking perhaps—if she truly improved—she might return to that happy past.
Model student.
That was how people around her described Seo Yeon. Whenever she longed to return to those past moments of happiness, she tightened her self-control, practiced endurance, and strived to become a useful member of her family.
That was why she readily accepted her mother’s suggestion to attend a blind date.
Just then, footsteps approached from behind her. Turning around, she saw the housekeeper, who had returned after finishing cleaning, looking puzzled as she asked,
“You still haven’t eaten? It’ll lose its taste once it gets cold… Shall I warm it up for you now?”
“No, it’s fine. And you may go home now—I’ll take care of the rest myself.”
Yet even after the housekeeper left, Seo Yeon couldn’t bring herself to touch the lunchbox. She couldn’t quite guess what emotions her mother had held while sending it to her.
Though she told herself it was merely a meal, requiring no deeper meaning, her hands still refused to move easily. Sad thoughts kept welling up uncontrollably.
In her previous life, Seo Yeon had lived so intensely and restlessly that she’d never even allowed herself the thought of crying.
She believed even weeping was a luxury. And so, as she kept enduring, eventually her tears truly stopped coming—and sometimes she even felt like an emotionless monster, dried up and barren.
“Maybe now… it’s okay.”
Suddenly, the thought struck her. After all, no one else was in this house, and the painful events hadn’t happened yet.
“Maybe it’s alright to cry.”
The moment that thought crossed her mind, Seo Yeon’s eyes reddened.
“Huh….”
Before she could stop them, tears began streaming down her pale cheeks—just then, she sensed someone approaching from behind.
Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman
When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…
One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.
Synopsis
During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.
Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”
Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.
Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”
With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.
Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?
He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”
_____
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