Chapter : 51
Joo-hye was startled and immediately called him, and fortunately, he answered the phone right away and explained the whole situation.
The day after parting ways with Joo-hye at the arboretum, Dae-hyun tidied up his office.
Since he hadn’t removed all his belongings, no one around seemed to notice anything unusual.
- “However, his whereabouts have become completely unknown. I’m searching diligently, but…”
At his hesitant response, Joo-hye felt her mind go completely blank.
Could it be that Dae-hyun actually intended to step down from his position as CEO of Jinju Construction, just as he had written in the contract?
“Is the company okay? And work?”
- “It seems he’s handling his work remotely. That’s probably why it’s so hard to track him down.”
Joo-hye recalled the tablet Dae-hyun always carried. Even while keeping her confined, he occasionally handled work on that tablet. If he was still doing so now, finding his whereabouts immediately would be impossible.
“Do you know the last place he was seen?”
- “Ah, I just found out. I’ll send you a photo.”
Before Joo-hye could respond, her phone buzzed with a notification. She hurriedly ended the call and checked the photo he sent.
“This is…”
The photo showed a hospital affiliated with the Jinju Group and Dae-hyun entering the hospital.
Joo-hye paused, thinking about why he might be at the hospital, and soon realized the answer.
The photos of Eun-jae that Director Park had sent earlier flashed through her mind like lightning.
‘Back then, Song Eun-jae was also photographed in front of this hospital.’
Eun-jae’s mother had been hospitalized long-term, and it was a place where Dae-hyun’s personal doctor was stationed.
At the time, Joo-hye had even suspected that Dae-hyun might have introduced the hospital to Eun-jae.
‘Did he go there to tell her that he and I are divorced?’
Perhaps he had gone to let her know that he could finally meet her openly.
Joo-hye felt her fingertips turn icy as she sprang to her feet.
Even amid her anxiety and restlessness, a strong desire to know the truth surged within her.
Even if it turned out to be the worst possible outcome she imagined, she wanted to see it with her own eyes.
And if she could finally understand why Seo Dae-hyun had deceived her all this time… all the better.
“Senpai?”
As Joo-hye hastily grabbed her bag and flung open the door, Jun-hwi, who was entering from the opposite side, shouted in surprise.
Her bag fell to the floor after hitting hard due to her sudden stumble.
If Jun-hwi hadn’t quickly caught her arm, Joo-hye would have fallen too.
“So… sorry.”
“You almost fell! Are you okay?”
Joo-hye apologized in a trembling voice, and Jun-hwi quickly scanned her from head to toe.
Joo-hye shook her hand to signal she was fine and bent down immediately.
Her hands trembled as she hurriedly picked up the scattered items and stuffed them back into her bag.
Just as she finished, still flustered, Jun-hwi grabbed her bag strap sharply.
“Senpai!”
Startled by the tug, Joo-hye instinctively stood up.
Jun-hwi’s gaze looking down at her was full of curiosity.
Though his expression clearly showed he wanted to say something, Joo-hye awkwardly smiled as if avoiding it.
“Jun-hwi, I’m in a hurry… If you have something to say, let’s talk later, okay?”
“Senpai, your face looks terrible right now.”
Jun-hwi frowned and stepped closer.
Joo-hye tried desperately to avoid his persistent gaze, but she was too exhausted to do so.
Wiping the cold sweat from her forehead, she hurriedly offered an explanation.
“No, I’m okay… really.”
“You’re pale as a ghost. What on earth is going on?”
“Jun-hwi, I have to go quickly. Later…”
Even as she spoke, an unconscious fear gripped her—the fear that Dae-hyun’s trail might slip away.
A few years ago, he had appeared suddenly and disappeared just as abruptly.
If she missed him this time as well, he might remain untraceable for years.
“Where are you going… to meet him?”
Even at Joo-hye’s desperate whisper, Jun-hwi didn’t let go easily.
Perhaps sensing some premonition from Joo-hye’s restless behavior, he stubbornly held on.
“Jun-hwi.”
“Senpai, you’re divorced. Why are you meeting him?”
Jun-hwi finally released the strap of her bag and sighed.
She had been struggling for a long time and had even disappeared suddenly, worrying those around her.
Even if she saw him only as a junior colleague, he couldn’t help but worry.
“I’m not meeting him… just step aside for now.”
“You finally came to your senses and want me to hold you back now?”
“That’s not it!”
Jun-hwi’s face stiffened at her sudden outburst.
But the tension in his expression wasn’t just because of her shout.
“I… I didn’t know.”
He noticed the tears glistening in Joo-hye’s eyes.
“What did you say?”
“The things our family forced… onto him… I didn’t know any of it… I really didn’t…”
Each trembling word brought the pent-up emotions to the surface of her eyes.
Feeling her eyes burn, she bit her lower lip tightly.
The shocking content of the contract still whirled through her mind, leaving her dizzy.
“I want to hear your answer. Why did you decide to marry, even after hearing those impossible conditions?”
Why on earth had Seo Dae-hyun agreed to her proposal?
Why would he accept a gamble of a marriage that might leave him with no benefit at all?
And why couldn’t he confess the truth even the moment he heard about the divorce…?
“I want to know the real reason, even now.”
“Maybe he had a reason for hiding it?”
Jun-hwi asked calmly.
Though he personally disliked Dae-hyun, his concern for Joo-hye wasn’t only because of that.
He worried she might suffer like this again over the next few days.
‘Jun-hwi?’
‘Why not call out the senior’s name, just this once?’
Joo-hye still vividly remembered the day she met Dae-hyun in silence to eat snacks together.
Even from another man’s perspective, Dae-hyun’s gaze had clearly held love.
There had to be a reason why only Joo-hye couldn’t see it.
“Everyone has… secrets that are hard to share.”
Perhaps Dae-hyun had intentionally hidden his love.
There might have been a reason he thought it better to keep it concealed.
“Our divorce… maybe it’s because we couldn’t overcome that.”
But Joo-hye shook her head desperately, as if it didn’t matter.
“If we had overcome it, maybe… things could’ve been different.”
Perhaps the ending would have been different—no divorce.
Looking back now, she realized she had loved Dae-hyun, but she had known far too little.
Had she truly loved him with all her heart and strength?
“If it’s not too late, I want to try.”
Meeting her resolute gaze, Jun-hwi realized one thing:
No words could hold Joo-hye in front of him.
He would never have a chance to confess his feelings to her.
“…This time, don’t run—walk, so you don’t fall again.”
He finally understood that letting someone you love go quietly also takes courage.
Song Bit-na’s hospital was a short distance from Joo-hye’s arboretum.
She took a taxi quietly, without calling her secretary.
She wanted to ensure that Su-ha or Su-kyung didn’t get any information that she was moving.
After arriving safely in front of the hospital, she ran up the hill in haste.
Seeing the streets darkening with the sunset, her heart raced even more.
“Ha… ha…”
Her lungs were about to burst, and her legs cramped, but she couldn’t stop.
She ran desperately, hoping Eun-jae was there, even if she wasn’t sure.
Perhaps her fervent wish was answered.
“Ah…!”
Joo-hye’s eyes widened as she spotted Eun-jae just as he was exiting the hospital.
She tried to call his name loudly, but her breath was too short.
Eun-jae, meanwhile, was walking past the main entrance toward a bench.
Wearing a t-shirt and jeans, with his hat pulled low as usual, he looked familiar.
“Eun-jae… Song Eun-jae!”
Joo-hye finally caught her breath and called out loudly.
Eun-jae, approaching the vending machine, was startled and turned around.
As their eyes met in midair, the icy expression on Eun-jae’s face faltered greatly.
“D-Director?”
Fortunately, Eun-jae recognized her immediately.
