CHAPTER 44……………………….
Woo-il’s voice came from inside. Misook took a deep breath and opened the door.
Inside, Woo-il was looking over some documents, dressed as neatly as usual. When he looked up and saw Misook’s face, his eyes widened in surprise.
“What are you doing at the company?”
When there was no answer, his voice softened.
“…What’s wrong?”
Misook’s eyes were swollen and red. Her lips were pale.
“Did… something happen to you?”
Woo-il hurriedly stood up.
“Honey….”
Misook barely spoke, her voice trembling.
“Geon-woo… he said he’ll never see me again.”
“What?”
Woo-il’s face hardened.
“He said if I say anything to Hana one more time, he’ll never see me again.”
Misook couldn’t continue and lowered her head. Tears streamed down her face again.
“How could he… do this to me?”
Her trembling voice grew loud enough to fill the room.
“How did I raise him! I carried him in pain, stayed up all night comforting him when he cried, loved him so much… How, how could he do this to me?”
Misook’s voice rose higher and higher. The anger and loss she had been holding back erupted all at once.
Woo-il grabbed her shoulders, looking worried.
“Calm down, honey. Take a deep breath… sit down and let’s talk.”
He guided her to the sofa. Misook almost collapsed onto it, her shoulders shaking as she buried her face in her hands. Her breathing was rough.
“Don’t cry. Tell me slowly what happened.”
“Geon-woo… he threatened me.”
Her voice was mixed with sobs.
“He said not to touch Hana. Not to meet Serin either.”
“And?”
Woo-il asked cautiously.
“If I don’t… he said he won’t see me again. Ever.”
Misook barely managed to get the words out, and tears streamed down her face once more.
“Did Geon-woo really say that?”
“Yes!”
She lifted her head.
“Geon-woo… he really said that. How could he say he’ll never see his mother again?”
Woo-il was silent for a moment, looking at her, then slowly bowed his head.
“…So he really said that.”
Surprise and fatigue were written on his face.
“Well, Geon-woo must have been holding a lot in all this time.”
“Honey!”
Misook cried out, her voice trembling.
“What kind of thing is that to say! Aren’t you going to take my side?”
“Has Geon-woo ever ignored what you said before?”
“…….”
Misook pressed her lips together.
“He’s always done what you told him since he was a child.”
Misook’s eyes wavered as she remembered Geon-woo as a child.
The day of his entrance ceremony, he smiled, saying he’d wear the new shoes his mother bought even though they cut his heels. The child who studied all night to get good grades, presenting the report card proudly because it would make his mother happy.
That was her son.
The obedient, good-hearted son who never argued. And yet today, he spoke coldly. Saying he would never see her again.
Misook’s chest tightened once more.
“If you’ve given that much…”
Woo-il continued.
“You also have to learn to listen to Geon-woo once in a while.”
Misook could not speak.
“He likes Hana, doesn’t he?”
“…….”
“He likes her so much he’s willing to not see his mother—what can we do about that?”
“But…!”
Misook tried to argue, her voice trembling, but Woo-il shook his head.
“What you dislike isn’t actually Hana. It’s her background, isn’t it? Am I wrong?”
Misook was speechless.
“…That’s…”
“An orphan, adopted.”
Woo-il stated bluntly.
“That’s what the problem was.”
Misook lowered her gaze. Her fingers fidgeted on her lap.
“But honey.”
Woo-il sighed.
“Is that really such a big deal? Will it really harm Geon-woo’s life?”
“People matter, but family matters too.”
Misook objected.
“Who are we? We’re Ilju Group. And our daughter-in-law is an orphan… that’s really…!”
“So what?”
Woo-il interrupted.
“Do people care what others say?”
“…….”
“No one cares.”
He shook his head.
“In this day and age, no one judges people like that. You’re the only one worried.”
Misook bit her lip tightly.
“If your own child likes her, why push so hard to separate them?”
“…Even so, Hana…”
Her voice became almost a whisper.
“Honey, wake up. You’ll really lose Geon-woo if this continues.”
“……Honey.”
Tears flowed down Misook’s face again.
“I… I really hope Geon-woo finds someone better and is happy.”
“Someone better?”
Woo-il repeated.
“Serin. She’s the daughter of Jet Group, well-educated… If Geon-woo marries Serin, good things will definitely happen.”
Woo-il looked at Misook for a moment, then asked briefly.
“Does Geon-woo like Serin?”
“…No.”
Misook lowered her head.
“Then what kind of marriage are you talking about?”
Woo-il remained firm.
“The person Geon-woo likes is Hana. Not Serin.”
Misook wiped her eyes with her trembling hands.
“I… thought our status would improve if we had a marriage alliance with Jet Group… You thought so too.”
Misook looked at Woo-il tearfully, as if seeking a small acknowledgment that she wasn’t alone in her thinking.
“That was… my greed, and your greed.”
Woo-il continued.
“We were only thinking about ourselves, not Geon-woo.”
Misook had no words. Her chest felt cold.
“Honey, stop now.”
Woo-il said gently.
“Accept Hana and support Geon-woo.”
“…Is it really that easy?”
Misook asked weakly.
“Not easy.”
Woo-il nodded.
“But try.”
He held her hand.
“She’s the person your son Geon-woo likes.”
“…….”
“You know him. Once Geon-woo decides, he never changes his mind.”
“…I know.”
Misook answered weakly.
“So this time, you have to change.”
“Sigh….”
“Accept Hana. That’s the only way.”
Misook cried for a long time. After wiping her tears, she asked in a trembling voice.
“…How do I accept her?”
“Take it slowly.”
Woo-il said.
“At first it’ll feel uncomfortable, but the more you see her, it’ll be different.”
Misook kept sighing.
“Hana isn’t a bad person. If Geon-woo wants to protect her that much, there must be a reason.”
It was almost time to leave work.
Knock, knock, knock—
A knock echoed in the quiet office.
“Sir, the vice president is here.”
The secretary’s voice was heard. Geon-woo looked up briefly. Today, there were unusually many visitors at the office.
“Tell him to come in.”
The secretary bowed and left.
Moments later, heavy footsteps and the opening door announced Woo-il’s entrance. He loosened a button on his suit jacket, took off his glasses, and looked at Geon-woo.
“Still working?”
Geon-woo organized the papers on his desk.
“I was just about to finish and leave.”
“Good.”
Woo-il glanced around the room and said bluntly,
“Let’s have dinner together for a change. Outside.”
Geon-woo looked at Woo-il in surprise.
“…Suddenly?”
“Finish up and come out. See you in the lobby in ten minutes.”
Without another word, Woo-il left, as if no explanation was needed. Geon-woo stared after him, dumbfounded.
The door closed, leaving only the fading sound of footsteps.
Geon-woo exhaled quietly. It had been a long time since Woo-il had suggested dinner first. He barely remembered the last time.
