Chapter 13

“Additional tests? What kind of tests are you talking about?”

Because they had rushed to the nearest hospital from the accident site, it wasn’t a university hospital but a small local emergency facility. Perhaps that was why—it didn’t inspire much confidence. The equipment was outdated, and the hospital was too small to properly accommodate the flood of accident patients. The whole system seemed chaotic.

Jaeseok couldn’t help but wonder if this hospital was even capable of saving lives.

Fortunately, the leg surgery seemed to have gone well, but Hyunjeong’s condition was still odd. Still, maybe this was just the hospital director’s scheme, thrilled at the chance to bill a VIP patient.

A run-down hospital like this would see her as their one chance to bleed someone dry. He wasn’t about to let vultures cling to her.

“Didn’t they already run all the tests before the leg surgery? And you said the operation went well.”

Jaeseok rose from the uncomfortable sofa in the shabby hospital room, one that didn’t even look like a VIP ward, and questioned the attending doctor.

Unlike Hyunjeong, who had been carried in like a wreck, Jaeseok himself was perfectly unscathed. The doctor gave him a brief glance before adjusting his glasses and replying dryly.

“I’m talking about outside of the leg injury. Honestly, we’ll only know for sure once the patient wakes up—whether what she’s showing is just a temporary trauma response or not.”

“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?”

Jaeseok, distrustful not just of the hospital but of this doctor as well, asked in a skeptical tone. The doctor sighed quietly, sensing his suspicions.

“You said there was no severe head impact at the time of the accident. Looking at her current state, the chances of cerebral hemorrhage or stroke seem low. But given that she vomited after surgery, there’s a high probability of a concussion. Still, we’ll need detailed tests to confirm. It could simply be trauma.”

As if satisfied with having given his answer, the doctor left the room, seeing off Hyunjeong’s family politely as he went.

Before leaving, he told them they would only know the extent of her head injury once the test results came back tomorrow, so they should decide then whether to transfer her to a university hospital in Seoul. With the snow still falling and the roads in chaos, it wasn’t wise to make the patient suffer through transport yet.

“…Ah.”

Jaeseok gazed at Hyunjeong, still lying with her eyes closed. Her complexion was pale, but she seemed peacefully asleep. Even her gaunt face suited his taste—she would have looked even better lying in his villa bed rather than this hospital one.

“Maybe…”

Maybe it would be better if she really did end up with something as absurd as amnesia. When she had briefly opened her eyes after surgery, he had clearly read the flash of bewilderment in them.

Her pupils, as she asked who he and her family were, had held an anxious fear of the unfamiliar.

“This could actually work out.”

If Hyunjeong really had lost her memory, that might be perfect. Her hands that once pushed him away had been insolent and infuriating—but now, if she believed him to be the fiancé who had saved her in that massive highway pileup with explosions going off like a warzone, perhaps her heart would soften. Become more tender.

“She might even fall for me completely.”

After all, don’t people say that if someone saves your life, you naturally develop love and admiration that wasn’t there before?

Jaeseok licked his lips slowly with his red tongue, savoring the thought.

“Not bad at all.”

This situation.

A satisfied hum slipped unconsciously from him.

Hyunjeong’s family decided to stay at the hotel that Jo Jaeseok had booked for them.

With a self-satisfied air, Jaeseok explained as he opened the suite door for the three of them.

“The condition here won’t be as good as a hotel in Seoul, but I’ve done my best to make sure you’ll be comfortable.”

Since this was the countryside, the furnishings and interior were nowhere near the standard of a top-class Seoul hotel, but it was more than enough for a night’s stay.

Perhaps pleased by his soon-to-be son-in-law’s thoughtfulness, Youngwook’s smile didn’t leave his face. He didn’t look like the father of a daughter who had just survived a car accident. But among the four of them, no one seemed to find it inappropriate.

“You have no idea how grateful I am. Not only did you save our Hyunjeong, but you’ve also gone out of your way to care for us like this. It’s so reassuring.”

“No, this is just what I should do. Soon, you’ll be my family as well. Please don’t worry too much about Hyunjeong—I’ll take good care of her.”

“Thank you, truly, Mr. Jo.”

While Youngwook and Jaeseok continued chatting, Myunghee pretended to inspect the room and quietly led Yerim into the bedroom. After checking once more that the two men were still talking in the living room, she whispered cautiously.

“What did you think earlier, when Hyunjeong asked us who we were?”

“What do you mean?”

“Couldn’t it just be an act? A lie because she doesn’t want to get married?”

Hyunjeong had often rebelled in the past, refusing marriage to Jaeseok, even running away from home several times. Each time, Youngwook had used financial pressure and threats against her friends and their families who had helped her, forcing Hyunjeong to return.

So maybe this was just another attempt to sabotage the marriage, Myunghee thought.

“It didn’t seem like she was lying.”

“Then maybe it’s amnesia?”

“But they must’ve checked everything during the leg surgery. If she had a head injury, the hospital would’ve told us already.”

“Anyway, my heart nearly stopped. What if she had actually died?”

Seeing Yerim looking more troubled than usual, Myunghee patted her daughter comfortingly.

“You must be exhausted. Coming all this way in the snow after work…”

“I’m fine.”

“Go wash up and get some rest.”

She affectionately tapped her daughter’s hip. From the living room, Jaeseok’s voice called out.

“Mother-in-law, I’ll take my leave now. Please rest well.”

As Myunghee moved to answer and step out, Yerim quickly left the room first, and Myunghee grabbed her arm.

“If tomorrow it turns out Hyunjeong really has amnesia, we should push the marriage through before she remembers anything. If you don’t want to face her, just avoid her—I’ll handle the rest.”

“Okay. Mom, I just need to talk to Jaeseok for a bit. I’ll be back.”

“Hey! It’s far too late at night—”

“Mom, we’re just friends. Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon.”

Yerim hurried after Jaeseok, who had just stepped out of the suite.

“Can we talk for a minute?”

“About what? I’m tired—let’s talk tomorrow.”

Jaeseok’s face showed his exhaustion. Even so, Yerim followed him into his room.

“Look at me.”

She grabbed his arm, her eyes brimming with tears as she scanned him anxiously.

“You’re not hurt anywhere, are you? I was so worried.”

Seeing her concern for him, Jaeseok let out a sigh, tinged with irritation.

“Miss Seo Hyunjeong, can you wake up, please?”

Someone was gently shaking her shoulder. At the touch, her heavy eyelids trembled faintly.

“Do you still feel nauseous and have a headache?”

The buzzing in her ears grew louder, as though it was drawing closer. With difficulty, Hyunjeong forced her eyes open. An unfamiliar white ceiling, the sterile smell of alcohol. How long had she been lying here? Her leg throbbed, her head felt hazy, her throat dry.

“How’s the pain in your operated leg? Still a bit dazed? That’s from the anesthesia—you’ll come around soon.”

“…Where… am I?”

The strange environment, the memory of unbearable pain, the overwhelming headache—all came rushing back. Though the pain seemed less now, she looked around in confusion.

“You’re in a hospital.”

“A… hospital?”

At the doctor’s reply, another sharp stab of pain shot through her head. Hyunjeong groaned, clutching her head with both hands as if a sharp blade was piercing her skull.

The doctor had said her leg surgery was successful, and yes, her leg ached—but the pounding in her head was unbearable.

“Ugh…”

“Miss Seo Hyunjeong, do you remember the accident yesterday?”

“…Accident?”

“Yes. The car you were in was in a crash on the highway. Because of the snow, there was a massive chain collision.”

She tried to push aside the headache and think. But she couldn’t recall the accident—she couldn’t even remember her own name.

“…My name is Seo Hyunjeong?”