Chapter 10
Haekyung, her brother, sided with Ha-eun rather than the friend he had known longer.
“Don’t feel guilty. He’s the one who caused trouble first.”
He meant Jung-ho—who had let scandalous headlines about his affair explode on Ha-eun’s birthday. It wasn’t entirely wrong to say he was at fault.
“Oppa, have you ever seen me care about what people think?”
“…Well, honestly, you’re not the type.”
“Then let me handle it. This is something I have to face head-on.”
Ha-eun recalled her conversation with Jung-ho but dismissed it with a laugh, unwilling to explain in detail. She knew her brother’s worry better than anyone, and she didn’t want to make things more complicated.
If she told the truth, her three older brothers would storm off to confront Jung-ho, accusing him of blackmailing her. Instead, she hung up, dropped the phone into her lap, and let her gaze drift blankly toward the white ceiling.
And inevitably, Jung-ho’s face returned to her thoughts—familiar yet somehow unfamiliar, unsettling in its persistence.
‘That look earlier…’
He hadn’t changed much since four years ago, yet there was a new relentlessness in the way he looked at her. Worse, he even knew about Jeong-min, the man who had gone abroad with her.
Four years ago, Jung-ho wouldn’t have cared to know the reason for her anger. He had been indifferent to everything, even her.
“But I’m not giving up on breaking this engagement.”
The Jung-ho she had seen yesterday was different, undeniably changed. With a weary sigh, Ha-eun pressed the back of her hand against her face, as though to block out her muddled thoughts.
The next day, as promised, she went to the Jinsung Group headquarters to see him. The previous meeting had been too rushed—she had just returned to Korea, and running into him at her family home was never part of her plan.
‘Whatever. It’s something I would have had to face sooner or later.’
Crossing the wide lobby, she was quickly approached by a secretary who had been expecting her. Without delay, she was escorted straight to the Executive Director’s office.
The office looked exactly as she remembered. And Jung-ho, lifting his gaze slowly from a document at her entrance, hadn’t changed in the slightest either.
“I thought you’d come in the afternoon.”
“I figured I might not catch you then—you’re usually out for meetings.”
She shrugged lightly, letting her eyes wander before sitting down on the sofa.
“You’re right, afternoons do get busier.”
Jung-ho closed the file with deliberate calm and rose from behind his desk. The sleeves of his crisp shirt, complete with cufflinks, were fastened neatly. For once, not rolled up as she always remembered. It was a subtle sign of how much had changed in the past four years.
“You look… calmer than before.”
“What, did you think I lived my whole life buried in work?”
He asked with mock offense as he sat across from her.
“You basically did. You’re a workaholic.”
“That’s harsh. I wasn’t that bad.”
“You were too busy to even see me—don’t tell me you forgot that part?”
Once or twice a month, at most, and only for family dinners. Ha-eun recited their old routine with cool indifference as she raised her coffee cup.
Jung-ho chuckled, though not without exasperation.
“This young lady comes back after years and starts throwing barbs?”
“Just stating facts. No wonder I ran away.”
“So now everything’s my fault?”
“Not exactly. But you weren’t blameless either.”
She took a sip of the bitter coffee, ignoring his sharp gaze, then finally lowered the cup.
“Honestly, I was surprised to see you yesterday.”
“You thought we’d already broken off the engagement?”
Ha-eun frowned, puzzled by the way his eyes seemed to pierce through her.
“That’s usually how these things go, isn’t it?”
“Interesting conclusion. So?”
“I came today to make my stance perfectly clear.”
She could sense he had changed—his gaze more intense, his presence heavier—but her decision was made. Someone had to end this limbo of an engagement.
“Let’s break it off.”
“I already told you yesterday.”
His voice was calm, almost lazy, as he tilted his chin.
“I don’t care. What matters is my decision.”
For years, she had been by his side, tolerated his indifference, and waited. She had reached her limit. Leaving for London had been her way of cutting the cord, of letting go.
Yet even now, some stubborn affection lingered.
But love wasn’t enough. Not when the bond was hollow, when her seat at his side felt more like an obligation than a choice. Even if that man was Cha Jung-ho.
Their engagement had never been theirs to begin with—it was decided by their families. They had grown up almost like siblings, and the bond had endured not because of love, but because of family duty.
Ending it should have been simple. But still, she came in person, not wanting to tarnish the long years of familiarity between them.
She was about to explain when Jung-ho set his cup down with quiet finality.
“…Ha-eun.”
His voice was unusually soft, even tender.
“Do you really think our engagement is something that can just end like that?”
“It’s not complicated. We’re not married.”
“Sorry, but that’s only true if this were about you alone.”
Her eyes widened. “What do you mean by that?”
He smirked faintly.
“Still the same. Acting so confident just because you’ve grown up.”
She froze. Engagements had no legal binding—she knew that. That was why she had left. To rid herself of him, of all of it.
But now, he reminded her of the truth she had long ignored: their engagement wasn’t just about them. It was about their families, their companies, and the unspoken alliance forged between them.
“Think carefully before you speak again.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll talk to our families myself, so—”
“I said breaking it off is impossible! Didn’t you hear me?”
His sudden outburst left her stunned, her lips parted in shock.
“…You’re raising your voice at me?”
“Listen carefully, Ha-eun. There will be no breaking off this engagement.”
He pressed his hand against his cheek, as though to calm himself, and spoke again in a measured tone.
It wasn’t just stubbornness. He was blocking her with a conviction far heavier than she expected. And suddenly, Ha-eun understood.
The company.
That was it. Their engagement was a contract—an alliance between Jinsung and Haewoo. A pact sealed by two families, reinforced by the companies they represented.
“This isn’t just about us. It’s a promise between families, between corporations.”
“That doesn’t mean I should be forced into it.”
“It does, if you want to understand the weight of what’s at stake.”
For the first time, Ha-eun realized how little her choice mattered.
